Smooth Jazz Chart
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When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
Monday, December 06, 2021
Friday, December 03, 2021
R&B-jazz guitarist Blake Aaron’s second Billboard No. 1 hit of the year “Feels So Right” #jazz
The single previews the “Love and Rhythm” album
It sounds like a bright ray of sunshine. Brimful of hope, optimism and positivity, R&B-jazz guitarist Blake Aaron’s “Feels So Right” vaulted into the No. 1 spot on the Billboard singles chart before Thanksgiving, notching the Innervision Records artist’s second No. 1 single of the year. Illumined by a vibrant horn section and swatches of soulful vocal improvs, Aaron’s ebullient electric guitar melodies and rhythmic riffs set an exuberant tone for the smile-inducing tune that he wrote with hitmaking producer and keyboardist Greg Manning.
Aaron last topped the Billboard chart in June when “Sunday Strut” became the third single from his “Color and Passion” album to go No. 1 on the industry bible’s chart. The fretman went right back to work, entering the studio to begin writing and recording his seventh album that will be titled “Love and Rhythm.” “Color and Passion” was completed during last year’s coronavirus quarantine thus the material was purposely injected with upbeat vibes to provide promise and escape. Aaron knows that the struggle continues for so many people and he wanted to wrap the year by writing a melody exuding joyous anticipation for what’s to come.
“The initial inspiration for ‘Feels So Right’ came from the great track sent to me from amazing collaborator and producer Greg Manning, which inspired me to write the melody,” said Aaron, who will include his latest chart-topper on his forthcoming album.
“In this day and age of remote internet collaboration, especially during COVID-19 restrictions, it was rewarding to create ‘Feels So Right’ old school. Greg and I actually sat together in person and collaborated in his studio. I wanted to match the feel-good vibe he already had on the track and with the vocals, composing a melody that would capture the innocence of a woman dancing outside in the sun ‘like nobody is watching,’” said Aaron, explaining the image that adorns the single cover.
The “Feels So Right” rhythm track is anchored by bassist Alex Al and drummer Eric Valentine. David Mann constructed the horn arrangements, playing saxophone alongside trumpeter Trevor Neumann and saxman Jimmy Reid. It’s Ken Turner’s vocal embellishments that provide a soul-powered touch.
Typically, Aaron records and releases a handful of singles before making them the foundation of an album, a practice that he anticipates will continue with “Love and Rhythm.” Expect the collection to be another amalgam of R&B, jazz, pop, Latin, funk, fusion and rock.
This year marked Aaron’s return to the concert stage where he played clubs, theaters and festival dates, including such marquee events as the Berks Jazz Festival and the Mallorca Smooth Jazz Festival. Aaron will end the year by performing a Christmas-themed concert on December 17 at Vibrato in Los Angeles where singers Erin Stevenson and Derek Bordeaux will join him.
For more information, please visit https://www.blakeaaron.com.
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Monday, November 29, 2021
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - November 29, 2021 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com generally updates every Monday.
When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
Monday, November 22, 2021
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - November 22, 2021 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com generally updates every Monday.
When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
MPS Records has a “Christmas” treat for jazz fans and vinyl LP collectors #jazz
The label reissued five more albums on vinyl and CD from its historic catalogue on Friday
Jazz fans and vinyl record collectors have been treated to a bevy of album reissues from the historic MPS Records catalogue since last summer, making hard-to-find collections by seminal jazz figures available again, some for the first time on vinyl and CD. On Friday, Germany’s first jazz label reissued five more albums, making the total 41 albums reissued since June in North America via Edel Germany in partnership with Bob Frank Entertainment. Friday’s haul includes albums by Monty Alexander, Nicola Conte, The Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band and Volker Kriegel reissued in time for holiday gifting along with The Singers Unlimited’s evergreen “Christmas” album.
Alexander’s first ever MPS release, 1971’s “Here Comes The Sun,” launched a fruitful decadelong chapter in the Jamaica-born pianist’s prolific recording career that spanned a dozen albums for the label. Influenced by labelmate Oscar Peterson, Alexander incorporated sounds from his homeland -reggae, Caribbean, Calypso and blues – into his swinging jazz and bop. Titled for Alexander’s boogeying, Latin-tinged rendition of The Beatles’ classic, “Here Comes The Sun” placed the piano man in a quartet setting accompanied by bassist Eugene Wright, drummer Duffy Jackson and calypso percussionist Montego Joe. Alexander talks about making the album and the artistic freedom he enjoyed at MPS in this video: https://youtu.be/IWcWPsyt4Ow.
Italian DJ, producer, musician and composer Conte did a deep dive into the MPS archives to curate a collection of “spiritual jazz,” piecing together swatches of music recorded between 1965-1975. “Cosmic Forest” is an imaginative, genre-defying double vinyl LP and CD that spans an enormous palette of sounds, cultures and styles. Conte deftly threads strands of rhythmic acid jazz through sonic tapestries fusing bossa nova and samba grooves, Bollywood dramatics and classic Italian film score theatrics.
A modern and timeless big band that was an intercontinental affair, The Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band made sensuous and bluesy music that swung. The 17-piece orchestra with principals from Europe and the United States played urbane arrangements crafted by Boland’s skillful hand. Labelmate and vibraphone great Dave Pike is among the featured soloists on “All Smiles,” comprised of a set list that includes standards by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and George Gershwin.
All Music says Kriegel’s “Spectrum” “holds up generations later as a true jazz-rock classic.” A prodigious guitar player who played electric and acoustic guitar and sitar on this 1971 release made up of seven of his own compositions, the alchemist audaciously bounded through jazz, rock and world music terrain on his recordings. Emerging on the German jazz-rock scene as a teenager, Kriegel gained notoriety as a member of Dave Pike Set, which led to landing his own recording pact with MPS. “Spectrum” was his sophomore outing.
Led by Gene Puerling, the influential vocal group The Singers Unlimited was discovered by Peterson who introduced the a cappella quartet to MPS. The outfit would go on to release fifteen albums on the imprint. 1972’s “Christmas” unwraps a treasure trove of seasonal chestnuts along with seven originals showcasing the group’s hallmark vocal harmonies.
Founded in 1968 by Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, MPS was the recording home for legendary artists including Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, The Count Basie Orchestra and George Duke. For more information, please visit https://www.mps-music.com.
About MPS
Jazz history was forged in the rustic Black Forest of Germany in 1968 when Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer launched MPS and recorded some of the genre’s seminal artists. Legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, The Count Basie Orchestra and George Duke released albums on the prestigious label known for its high-level recording techniques and distinctive aesthetic.
About Bob Frank Entertainment
Bob Frank Entertainment (BFE) was formed in 2012 by longtime entertainment business executive and entrepreneur Bob Frank. BFE divisions include Admiral Lane Music Publishing, Bob Frank Distribution (BFD), independent label Red River Entertainment, and Damson Lane Film Production. BFE has teamed with Germany’s Edel to reissue albums in North America from the celebrated MPS label.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
R&B-jazz guitarist Gregory Goodloe escapes “In Paradise” #jazz
The new single debuted as the most added single on the Billboard and Groove Jazz Music charts
Amidst the tumult, uncertainty and loss brought on by the unprecedented times in which we live since the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve all imagined and yearned for escape, or at least for much better days. R&B-jazz guitarist Gregory Goodloe set his optimistic vision of hope and prosperity to music, writing his new single, “In Paradise,” with producer Jeff Canady. Recently serviced for playlist adds, the midtempo soul groove featuring the cool-toned, electric jazz guitarman’s loquacious, lyrical licks debuted as the most added new single on the Billboard and Groove Jazz Music charts.
Living though this historic period, Goodloe found the fears brought on by the pandemic, civil unrest and a divided nation to be rife with life lessons, inspiring the recalibration of priorities along with a renewed sense of appreciation.
“People and life itself became more important to me than ever. I learned that life is so fragile and delicate, and how much people matter to each other. I wanted to write a song that reflects on the beauty of life and the joy of experiencing it through music. The focus during the making of ‘In Paradise’ was my concept of living life free of fear and sadness,” said Goodloe who was accompanied on the Hip Jazz Records release by Canady on drums, keyboardist Demetrius Nabors, bassist Robert Skinner and rhythm guitarist Anthony Booker.
As a devout man of faith and a US Army veteran, Goodloe focused his fantasies on the beauty surrounding us, imagining a safe haven in an exotic locale where fears are assuaged by the majesty of nature’s splendor.
“I would imagine playing music on a sandy beach in front of a beautiful ocean surrounded with tropical trees, exotic plants and animals. The imagery allowed me to forget all worries and simply focus on creating beautiful music,” said Goodloe who has returned to playing shows in the Denver area where he resides.
“In Paradise” is Goodloe’s third single issued this year, following “Step’N Out” and “Somewhere Out There,” each of which will be included on his next full-length album. He takes regular breaks from recording the collection to host his own radio show, “Mile High Smooth Jazz,” which airs on Thursday and Saturday nights on World Wide Jazz Radio. Goodloe plans to perform at the internet radio outlet’s first anniversary bash in Las Vegas on January 25.
A crossover artist who derives stylistic influence from George Benson and Wes Montgomery, Goodloe notched his first Billboard No. 1 single two years ago with “Stylin’,” one of many tunes on which he has collaborated with GRAMMY-nominated songwriter-producer-saxophonist Darren Rahn with this single receiving over three million streams on Spotify. Among Goodloe’s other frequent collaborators are Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley, seminal urban-jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin and hit-making saxophonist Elan Trotman. Having served as musical director for R&B-pop group Surface and soul-jazz singer Aysha, Goodloe is at home in R&B, jazz and gospel circles. He has performed with or opened for Howard Hewett, Tank, Ben Tankard, Norman Brown, Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Michael McDonald, James Ingram, Roy Ayers, Shirley Caesar, Angela Spivey, John P. Key, The Rance Allen Group and fellow Denver native Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire fame.
For more information, please visit https://gregorygoodloe.com.
Follow Goodloe on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hipjazzrecordsinc and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gregorygoodloe.
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Clarinetist-Vocalist Kristen Mather de Andrade to drop a timeless holiday collection on November 26 #jazz
From the summery sounds of Brazil to the wintry sounds of the holiday season, clarinetist and vocalist Kristen Mather de Andrade’s prolific year continues with the release of her second recording project, “Evergreen,” due November 26. Mather de Andrade produced the five-song EP consisting of four “less obvious” Christmas carols and one original composition, each masterfully performed in a chamber music trio setting.
“Evergreen” arrives months after the summer release of Mather de Andrade’s critically hailed debut album, “Clarão,” an authentic multicultural outing fusing exotic Latin jazz rhythms and instrumentation, classical overtones and big band arrangements inspired by the artist’s ardor for Brazilian music. Mather de Andrade does a complete about-face stylistically on the warm and intimate seasonal EP, playing and singing holiday music in the company of pianist Yalin Chi and cellist Jules Biber.
“I have always loved holiday music - even more so now that I have lived away from my family for some time. This year seemed like the right time to get into the studio and record some of the carols that I love but are a little more off the beaten path,” said Mather de Andrade, a native of Youngstown, Ohio now based near New York City.
The roots of “Evergreen” are a pair of selections arranged by Noah Taylor, a composer-arranger with whom Mather de Andrade worked a few years ago. He plied his skillful touch to “Riu Riu Chiu” and “Bring A Torch,” and Mather de Andrade built the rest of the set list around the opening tracks.
“I loved the arrangements so much that I thought they would be perfect to anchor this EP. Because I have always had my ear out for holiday arrangements that I found interesting, I knew that the versions of ‘The Holly and The Ivy’ and ‘Pat-A-Pan’ that we recorded would be nice additions to Noah's beautiful music,” said Mather de Andrade.
“Union Square” is an original tune written by Annie Pasqua who lends her voice to the exquisite song on “Evergreen.” It’s not exactly a holiday classic (yet), but to Mather de Andrade, it fits the EP’s nuanced theme aurally.
“‘Union Square’ is obviously an outlier in the mix, but the imagery that it conjured up for me and the style of the song seemed to me that it would fit well on the EP. I met Annie a few years ago and performed her song live after she submitted it to a call for scores for our chamber music group, Vent Nouveau (Mather de Andrade co-founded and serves as the group’s artistic director). We had the opportunity to showcase music by living composers that identify as female and Annie's song was selected for the performance. I have kept it in my mind since then, looking for the right opportunity to record it and work with her again,” said Mather de Andrade.
Mather de Andrade has been collaborating with Chi for almost fifteen years; both musicians are principal members and soloists in West Point’s Army Special Band.
“She's an amazingly expressive pianist, and I have been wanting to record something properly with her for years. Let's hope this is the first of many projects,” said Mather de Andrade, who in addition to her recording and performing career is an educator who has taught master classes and professional clinics at universities and conservatories, and presently serves on staff at Manhattanville College.
Mather de Andrade has already begun recording music for her second full-length album even as she continues to promote “Clarão.” She will perform music from the disc at the Jazz Forum in Tarrytown, NY on January 23. Also in the Latin jazz world, Mather de Andrade will be playing "Latin American Chronicles," a jazz clarinet concerto by Daniel Freiberg, in mid-February. Early next year, she will release a music video for a piece that she commissioned for clarinet and percussion by composer David Reeves titled “As Bright As The Skies Are Blue.” But first, Mather de Andrade hopes her holiday offering will be celebrated this year as well as for many Christmases to come. In fact, that desire inspired the EP title.
“I wanted to name it something that would match the music that I featured; something that would sound timeless.”
“Evergreen” contains the following songs:
“Riu Riu Chiu”
“Bring A Torch”
“The Holly and The Ivy”
“Union Square”
“Pat-A-Pan”
To purchase “Evergreen,” please visit https://bit.ly/3mZ40Cy.
For more information, please visit https://kristenmather.com.
Monday, November 15, 2021
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - November 15, 2021 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com generally updates every Monday.
When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
Friday, November 12, 2021
St. Louis guitarist Scott T. Jones' 'Fictional Characters' available Jan. 21 through all streaming services #jazz
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MPS Records has a bountiful feast instore for jazz fans and record collectors #jazz
The label reissued six albums on vinyl and CD from its historic catalogue on Friday
Jazz lovers and record collectors have a lot to be thankful for as MPS Records is reissuing eleven albums on vinyl and CD from their historic catalogue this month. Germany’s first jazz label dropped six titles on Friday in North America via Edel Germany in partnership with Bob Frank Entertainment, including albums by Albert Mangelsdorff, Art Van Damme, Clark Terry, Joe Pass, John Taylor Trio and the Michael Naura Quartet.
Founded in 1968 by Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, MPS was the recording home for legendary artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, The Count Basie Orchestra and George Duke. Last summer, MPS reissued 31 albums on vinyl and CD, the success of which created the interest and demand to reissue additional titles.
Mangelsdorff was a revolutionary experimentalist who developed the art of jazz polyphonics, an avant-garde technique in which he simultaneously blew and sang into his trombone. The German keeps fine company on “Albert Mangelsdorff and His Friends,” a stellar duets collection recorded over an 18-month span on which he is paired up with Don Cherry, Elvin Jones, Lee Konitz, Attila Zoller, Karl Berger and Wolfgang Dauner.
Van Damme was another innovator who changed the image of the accordion, proving that the instrument synonymous with polka could be cool when placed in a jazz setting alongside guitar and vibes. The trio of instruments formed Van Damme’s swinging signature sound as captured on “Ecstasy,” which was recorded in 1967-68 utilizing MPS’s house rhythm section comprised of German bassist Peter White and Swiss drummer Charly Antolini.
Terry changed the perception of the flugelhorn, legitimizing it as a leading voice in jazz. Honored with a GRAMMY lifetime achievement award, Terry’s precise and prodigious horn interprets classic ballads on “Clark After Dark: The Ballad Artistry of Clark Terry,” along with the title track, an original penned by the trumpeter and Peter Herbolzheimer, who conducted the 50-piece orchestra that backed Terry on the album. The session illumined by 28 sweeping strings has a romantic, late-night vibe, an idyllic setting to showcase Terry’s beautiful horn play.
Regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of the twentieth century, Pass serves up a mix of standards and originals on “Intercontinental.” The trio, anchored by German acoustic bassist Eberhard Weber and British drummer Kenny Clare, recorded in MPS’s studio in 1970, swings through a set list spanning selections by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cole Porter, Michel Legrand, and Benny Goodman and his orchestra.
Considered one of the most important voices from the European jazz scene, pianist John Taylor emerged from playing in the house band at famed London nightspot Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club to concert performances and recording dates accompanying iconic jazz artists and as a leader. Taylor’s trio, bassist Chris Laurence and drummer Tony Levin, rifle through a handful of Taylor’s wide-ranging compositions on “Decipher.” First issued in 1973, Taylor’s sophomore outing offers sumptuous tastes of the nimble noodler’s virtuosity amidst swinging rhythms and emotional melodies.
A freeform amalgam of jazz, rock and blues, the Michael Naura Quartet’s “Call” consists of eight originals written by Naura. The pianist was studying philosophy, sociology and graphic arts in Berlin when he formed his first band with vibraphonist Wolfgang Schlüter in the 1950s, a combo that mixed blues, bebop and European avant-garde. On this 1970 release, Schlüter is by Naura’s side along with frequent collaborator drummer Joe Nay. Weber played electric bass on this recording, Naura’s first after an eight-year gap, an album that reveals the bandleader in a new and different light.
For more information and to see what else is coming soon from MPS, please visit https://www.mps-music.com.
About MPS
Jazz history was forged in the rustic Black Forest of Germany in 1968 when Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer launched MPS and recorded some of the genre’s seminal artists. Legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, The Count Basie Orchestra and George Duke released albums on the prestigious label known for its high-level recording techniques and distinctive aesthetic.
About Bob Frank Entertainment
Bob Frank Entertainment (BFE) was formed in 2012 by longtime entertainment business executive and entrepreneur Bob Frank. BFE divisions include Admiral Lane Music Publishing, Bob Frank Distribution (BFD), independent label Red River Entertainment, and Damson Lane Film Production. BFE has teamed with Germany’s Edel to reissue albums in North America from the celebrated MPS label.
Monday, November 08, 2021
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - November 8, 2021 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com generally updates every Monday.
When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
Tuesday, November 02, 2021
Clarinetist-Vocalist Kristen Mather de Andrade's critically acclaimed debut album garnering GRAMMY consideration #jazz
“Clarão” is a contender for a nomination in the Latin Jazz category
She has performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and The Kennedy Center; is part of two New York City-area ensembles, including one for which she co-founded and serves as artistic director; has taught master classes and professional clinics at universities and conservatories; and has been with the Army’s West Point Band since 2007. Thus, being considered as a “new artist” upon the release of her debut album last July has been “a whole new world” for classically trained clarinetist-vocalist Kristen Mather de Andrade. Now, that critically hailed album, “Clarão,” is being considered for a Grammy nomination in Latin Jazz.
“Clarão” is a blend of Brazilian music, classical and jazz. Producer Sergio Krakowski teamed with Mather de Andrade to create an authentic listening experience, surrounding the clarinetist’s rich melodies and impassioned vocal harmonies with Brazilian instrumentation (violão, pandeiro, accordion and bass) and big band arrangements. The set list is comprised of traditional instrumentals and four original songs penned by Brazilian singer-songwriter Roque Ferriera that feature Mather de Andrade singing in Portuguese. Mather de Andrade’s long-held passion for Brazilian culture is as genuine as the album itself. Attracted to Brazilian music early on, the native of Youngstown, Ohio who is presently based near New York City married a Brazilian man a decade ago and decided to immerse herself in the culture by learning to sing in Portuguese and play choros (classic instrumental Brazilian pop music dating back a century ago) on clarinet.
Not only has stepping into the spotlight as a solo recording artist broadened Mather de Andrade’s artistic experience, but it has opened up her mind to previously unimagined creative possibilities, expanding and diversifying her musical palate. She recently commissioned Velocity Music to produce a remix of the album closer, “O Clarinete Gostoso,” unexpectedly setting the joyous clarinet oeuvre to a funky hip-hop groove.
“I had gone to see Sergio Krakowski play with a couple of friends, and I remember talking about rhythms and samples. So, I had it hiding in the back of my mind that maybe I could do something different with this music in the future,” said Mather de Andrade about the single that drops on Friday and is available at https://bit.ly/3bmjqdw.
Mather de Andrade had begun recording music for her second album when she found out that “Clarão” made the cut for a potential Grammy nomination. The possibility hadn’t even occurred to her, and the selection brought to mind the doubts and challenges she had to overcome when she first conjured the idea of recording an album.
“I know it is cliché, but I never thought I would be in a position where I would even have a solo album, let alone one that could be considered for a Grammy nomination. Whatever happens, I am most proud that I followed through with recording it. This whole journey has been a transformational experience for me, setting a course that I hope to continue on, creating and sharing music with the world.”
Since its release, Mather de Andrade’s “Clarão” has been universally hailed by reviewers. Below is a sampling.
“Simply gorgeous.” – Exclusive Magazine
“A sweet and blessed Brazilian Jazz project.” – The Pulse of Entertainment and EUR Web
“This album is a street festival of fun.” – Jazz Weekly
“It’s a lovely album of local jazz and instrumental music that enchants throughout.” – Midwest Record
“‘Clarão’ is an honest take on a very particular Brazilian art form, though it’s also surprising in its diversity.” – Soul and Jazz and Funk
“‘Clarão’ is a world music album with global appeal.” – Musical Memoirs
“For those who love Brazilian music.” – Keys and Chords
For more information, please visit https://kristenmather.com.
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