Latin Jazz Guitarist Juan Carlos Quintero Honors Family, Heritage, and Romance on His New Album The Story of Love, out now #jazz #music

Latin jazz guitarist Juan Carlos Quintero considered the music that makes up his new album, The Story of Love, his “parents’ music” growing up. Now, his 13th album, out now on Moondo Music (BFD/The Orchard), Quintero and his quartet bring new life to those romantic Latin classics from the 1950s and 60s.

 

“As the concept for this project evolved, I found myself drawn to music I experienced as a kid, hearing the melodies emanating from my parents’ stereo. Back then, I wasn’t really paying attention as my focus was on trying to cop solos by Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. Decades later, I’m gathering music I want to record, and once again, it all points to my parents’ ear for melody and good taste. These songs are primarily built on romantic themes, and the album serves as a beautiful soundtrack to their story; it’s the story of love,” said the Medellin, Colombian-born Quintero.

 

Playing with a lyrical electric guitar touch that balances fiery intensity and poetic gentility, Quintero co-produced The Story of Love with Guillermo Guzmán. The album serves lush melodies atop lavish layers of hypnotic rhythms. Quintero recorded and arranged the project with his quartet: Eddie Resto (upright bass), Aaron Serfaty (drums, percussion), Joey Deleon (percussion), and Joe Rotondi (acoustic piano). GRAMMY® nominated flutist and clarinetist Justo Almario and GRAMMY® nominated percussionist Luis Conte are each featured on three tracks. 

 

Opening with “Poodle Mambo” featuring Almario’s dreamy flute, Quintero immerses listeners in a Latin music and jazz journey.

 

“Hearing George Shearing’s Latin recordings from the late 50s inspired me to explore the possibilities of blending Latin rhythms with improvised jazz. As a young player, I was taken by how Shearing showcased his melodic brilliance while highlighting his percussive style on the piano. I wasn’t quite equipped with the necessary vocabulary to reproduce his approach at the time, but I quickly became aware of how to think about the guitar’s potential in this realm. This recording is an homage and a humble attempt to reproduce Shearing’s concept using my guitar language,” explains Quintero.

 

Iconic artists such as Ahmad Jamal, Sonny Rollins, Frank Sinatra, and Dave Brubeck are among the many who have recorded a version of “Poinciana,” which Quintero cites as informing him of the vast range of possibilities an enduring melody provides. “While there are many iterations, renditions, and interpretations via a range of tempos, keys, and melodic embellishments, the strength of the melody always remains intact.”

 

John Scofield’s version of “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” was seminal for Quintero in the 80s as he embarked on his studies at Berklee College of Music. Quintero, who set his rendition to a Cha-Cha-Cha groove, shares, “Scofield’s recording underscored this new language I was about to explore on the guitar at that time. It was a lightning-rod moment as the performance signaled endless possibilities upon sorting out my music vocabulary.”

 

Quintero recalls his father playing piano as the soundtrack to his childhood. Among the standards and show tunes, his father often played Antonio Carlos Jobim compositions, including “Corcovado.”

 

“While I was shut away diligently practicing rock riffs, little did I know that the music in my future was emanating from the center of the house from my father’s piano. Today, when I record or perform, I’m trying to honor the legacy of the music, but truthfully, I’m honoring my father,” Quintero shared about “Corcovado,” one of two singles released in April to set up the release of The Story of Love. The first was “The Moon Was Yellow,” which features Conte on this percussion-driven interpretation.

 

“Sinatra’s recording with his legendary phrasing and arrangements by Nelson Riddle served as the template for me to take on this elegant melody. Rehearsing with the musicians prior to recording often entails experimenting with rhythms while the arrangements take shape. This time, the process resulted in a Cuban Danzón, a romantic dance form that took on a seamless connection with the melody.”

Shearing’s impact and arrangement influenced Quintero’s reading of “Cuban Love Song,” on which Almario’s flute is featured. Conte occupies the spotlight on the Cuban bolero “Tres Palabras,” an intoxicating romancer, and “Yours,” a complex mambo rhythm showcasing Conte’s snappy timbales.

 

Quintero closes the set with the title track that he dedicates to his wife, Viviana, and features Almario’s evocative clarinet.

 

“‘The Story of Love” is a timeless bolero capturing the dignity and essence of our romance. When I hear this music, I see Viviana, and in that moment, life is better and more beautiful. The love story continues.”

 

Quintero began playing guitar when he was eight and after completing his studies at Berklee College of Music, he studied composition with George Russell at the New England Conservatory. He moved to Los Angeles and released his self-titled debut album in 1990 featuring mentor Tommy Tedesco (The Wrecking Crew). His mélange of jazz, Latin, and global beats—balancing improvisation and composition—found a welcome home in the contemporary jazz and world music scenes. Quintero founded the Moondo Music label in 2000, which was distributed by Robert Fripp’s DGM imprint, exposing the guitarist to an entirely new and different music fan.

 

In parallel with establishing himself as a recording and performing artist, composer, and producer, Quintero became an esteemed educator and mentor. He taught the business of music, jazz, and composition at colleges, including College of the Canyons and California State University. Currently, Quintero serves as head of the music business program at the University of Tennessee. He also ventured into television production as a music supervisor and became the executive in charge of music for Haim Saban’s Saban Brands LLC where he oversaw rights management and music production for shows including The Power Rangers, Julius Jr., and Glitter Force.

 

With love as his muse, Quintero hopes diverse audiences will be seduced by The Story of Love’s tantalizing bouquet of Latin music and culture. 

 

“One of my goals for the album is to invite listeners to rediscover familiar melodies in a revived setting - one that blends the essence of Latin rhythms alongside meaningful arrangements and authentic performance. Often, it’s the rhythms that provide a seamless path into the depth and richness of the culture. When I hear a Danzón, Cha-Cha-Cha, Bolero, or Mambo, it’s the rhythms that evoke a sense of destination in the world; a place where romance and passion converge on the dance floor and where groove leads to a celebration.” 

 

Quintero’s The Story of Love contains the following songs:

 

“Poodle Mambo” featuring Justo Almario

“Poinciana”

“Softly As In A Morning Sunrise”

“Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)”

“The Moon Was Yellow (and The Night Was Young)" featuring Luis Conte

“Cuban Love Song” featuring Justo Almario

“Tres Palabras” featuring Luis Conte

“Yours (Quiéreme Mucho)” featuring Luis Conte

“The Story Of Love (Historia De Un Amor)” featuring Justo Almario

 

 

Stream or purchase The Story of Love at https://orcd.co/JCQStoryofLove.

 

For more information, go to www.juancarlosquintero.com. 

Contemporary jazz guitarist-vocalist Steve Oliver taps his Inner Fire #jazz #music

New album arriving June 12 is previewed by the single “Dancing in the Sand,” a duet with Peter White.

 

Fueled by the strength of his ever-present positive mindset, multi-time Billboard chart-topping guitarist, singer, and songwriter Steve Oliver rises from a personally demanding year with renewed purpose and a powerful new album, Inner Fire, set for release June 12. 

 

Providing an enticing first glimpse into the album’s vibrant sound, Oliver released the lead single “Dancing in the Sand,” an exotic Latin-tinged groove showcasing his signature guitar melodies and soaring vocalese hooks. The track features a dazzling duet with acclaimed guitarist Peter White, whose mesmerizing fretwork adds an extra layer of magic to the recording. In its debut week, “Dancing in the Sand” was added to SiriusXM Watercolors, featured on The Dave Koz Lounge, and quickly became the most-added new single on the Billboard and Mediabase smooth jazz radio charts. It’s presently No. 22 on the Billboard chart and rising.

 

Oliver is a sonic alchemist, fusing vibrant shades of jazz, R&B, and pop into a rich, dynamic soundscape. Guided by his electric, nylon-string, and acoustic guitar work, he weaves expansive harmonies and lush melodies into deep-pocket grooves. As both composer and producer, Oliver describes Inner Fire as a musical journey through adversity, embracing change, overcoming challenges, and ultimately finding inner strength, renewed hope, and the promise of a new day.

 

“Inner Fire grew out of a year that both tested and transformed me,” says Oliver, a Bay Area native now residing in the Southern California desert. “The title reflects the quiet strength that carried me through, and my belief that music heals the soul. That passion burns deep within me, rising in a voice that’s steady and strong. I believe each of us carries that same inner fire — sometimes soft, sometimes blazing — and all it takes is the courage to rise up and let our voices be heard, even in the face of doubt.”

 

The album opens with “Hook Shot” on which Oliver teams with 9-time GRAMMY® nominee Gerald Albright (bass) and GRAMMY® winner Michael Broening (keyboards) for an energizing workout. 

 

After “Dancing in the Sand,” Inner Fire offers another Oliver-Broening collab paying tribute to George Benson by adding Oliver’s own “vocal magic” to the legend’s No. 1 hit, “Give Me The Night.” Bringing his own twist to the party, his fresh take is poised to become a new favorite.

 

“When George attended my show in Arizona, afterwards he said quietly, ‘You remind me of me.’ It was a moment that I will always treasure,” enthused Oliver. “I’ve added my own signature vocalese and dedicate this version to both George and songwriter Rod Temperton, whose artistry and influence have left an indelible mark on the soul of modern music,” said Oliver who has a busy run of concert dates in May to set up the launch of Inner Fire.   

 

“Missing You” captures a deep sense of heartache and longing, carried by Oliver’s lyrical nylon-string guitar and wordless, expressive vocals. “Every goodbye takes a small piece of our heart,” he says. “I wrote ‘Missing You’ while gently strumming my guitar and reflecting on my long-distance love. My hands began to move almost on their own, and soon the melody was saying everything I couldn’t put into words.”

 

Oliver’s colorful, sun-splashed desert surroundings bring listeners along on an excursion through the breathtaking playground that is “Desert Euphoria.” 

 

“The desert is pure energy — blazing sun, warm sand, and colors shifting with electric intensity,” says Oliver. “Mornings glow gold while nights pulse with red, orange, and blue beneath an endless sky. Hiking the hills, my heartbeat syncing with every step, I feel a rush of freedom and possibility. I wanted this song to move like the desert itself — vibrant, alive, and pulsing with joy.”

 

“Bounce Back,” which appears on the album as a vocal number and as an instrumental showcasing Will Donato’s rousing saxophone, perfectly captures Oliver’s ethos for the album.

 

“This powerful vocal track is all about resilience — facing life’s obstacles head-on and refusing to give up when you’re knocked down. It’s a bold reminder that setbacks don’t define us; how we respond does. With an uplifting message and forward-driving energy, the song encourages listeners to stay positive and look for the new day that’s coming. It’s about grit, growth, and the unstoppable strength we discover when we choose to stand strong.” 

 

Optimism and ecstasy along with Oliver’s soaring guitar and vocalese combo propel “Looking Up” to new heights, an anthemic promise of better days ahead. The recording includes Oliver using his guitar to play synth piano alongside keyboardist Dave Kochanski (Rippingtons). 

 

Oliver wrote “Phoenix Rising” as a tribute to the late percussionist Steve Reid (Rippingtons), who welcomed the guitarist-vocalist into his band Bamboo Forrest in 1996. Reid would later serve as a catalyst for Oliver launching his solo career. Percussion on this reverential track was key and Ramon Yslas adeptly steps into the role.

 

“Steve (Reid) walked through fire in his lifetime, but he carried a quiet strength and deep wisdom that shaped everyone around him. Though he left this world last year, his spirit still echoes in the rhythms. From him, I learned how to rise — again and again — like a phoenix from the ashes,” shared Oliver.

 

An empowering affirmation, “You Got It” is driven by Pablo Cruise’s lockstep rhythm section, drummer Sergio Gonzalez and bassist Larry Antonino. Oliver explains, “This song is a reminder that life is here to teach us, if we’re ready to learn, and when we learn, we claim the confidence and power that goes with the knowledge.” 

 

Inner Fire closes with the solo guitar sojourn “Summer Tides” on which Oliver’s guitar triggers all the string and synth sounds. His ruminations and reflections roll in and out like the tide sweeping the coastline.

 

“This song was inspired by quiet moments I spent playing my guitar while gazing at the beautiful Fraser River in British Columbia. I would watch the tides roll in and drift away as the sun slowly traced its path across the sky. The movement was graceful, soothing, and welcoming. It reminded me that there are tides in all our lives that ebb and flow. Through it all, we remain constant — steady and peaceful at the center of change,” said Oliver. “I wanted this to be the message that lingers as the album closes — a gentle reminder of your own strength, stillness, and the quiet power that is within us all.”

 

During his prolific career, Oliver has scored multiple Billboard No. 1 singles and more than a dozen top 10 singles as a solo artist and as a producer and/or songwriter for other artists, including Paul Taylor, Vincent Ingala, and Brian Simpson. Inner Fire is his first album since 2023’s A New Light. Oliver’s catalogue includes recordings with luminaries Nathan East, Brian Bromberg, Eric Marienthal, Vinnie Colaiuta, Harvey Mason, Leland Sklar, Jeff Kashiwa, Jimmy Haslip, Rick Braun, Bob Baldwin, Michael Paulo, and Darren Rahn. As a performer, he has played major festivals, theaters, and clubs across the U.S. and internationally. In other media, Oliver has created music for television and film, including Academy Award and Emmy-winning director Richard L. Anderson’s Lee’d The Way (2022).

 

Inner Fire contains the following songs:

 

“Hook Shot”

“Dancing in the Sand” featuring Peter White

“Inner Fire”

“Give Me The Night”

“Missing You”

“Desert Euphoria”

“Bounce Back”

“Looking Up”

“Phoenix Rising (For Steve Reid)”

“You Got It”

“Summer Tides”

 

Bonus: “Bounce Back” (instrumental)

 

To pre-save Inner Fire, go to https://ffm.to/steveoinnerfire.

 

For more information, visit www.steveolivermusic.com.

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Saxophonist Reggie Codrington Marks International Jazz Day as “Don’t Look Back” Nears Billboard’s Top 40 #jazz #music

As his new single “Don’t Look Back” edges toward the Billboard Top 40 Smooth Jazz Songs chart, saxophonist Reggie Codrington is celebrating International Jazz Day with gratitude — for the music that shaped him, the father who inspired him, and the resilience that carried him through a lifetime of physical challenges.

 

Codrington was born with Ataxic Cerebral Palsy (ACP), a condition that affects muscle coordination and required nine surgeries before he turned 13. His father, Ray Codrington — named the third best trumpeter in the world by DownBeat in 1975 — found a small, curved saxophone that Reggie could manage despite limited finger dexterity. That instrument became the foundation of a career many told him was impossible.

 

“Jazz has given me purpose. I was told ‘no’ so many times that I had to dig deep, surround myself with positive people, and lean on God for strength. That made me work twice as hard,” said Codrington, who grew up in and still lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

 

“Jazz means happiness, freedom, and peace,” he added. “Those who said I’d never perform were wrong — I feel closest to God when I’m playing.”

 

Codrington grew up immersed in jazz thanks to his father, who introduced him to giants of the genre.

 

“I remember Dizzy Gillespie calling the house,” he said. “Dad recorded with Eddie Harris on ‘Freedom Jazz Dance,’ and because of him I met Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Harold Vick, and Freddie Cole.”

 

“Don’t Look Back” was inspired by encouragement from Codrington’s mother to focus on the future rather than past disappointments. The midtempo R&B‑jazz groove showcases his melodic phrasing and warm tone. It marks his first collaboration with producer Nelson Braxton, a member of the Braxton Brothers and known for producing multiple Billboard No. 1 hits. The two discovered instant chemistry and are already working on the next single.

 

Another highlight Codrington reflects on during International Jazz Day was opening for three‑time GRAMMY® winner Ramsey Lewis. “He called me the next day and said, ‘You are a hard act to follow!’ That still inspires me.”

 

Codrington is currently working on his 12th album, The Ray Codrington Signature Series, a tribute to his late father.

 

Codrington’s story of overcoming was featured on WRAL‑TV: https://www.wral.com/video/tar-heel-traveler-a-local-saxophone-player-who-has-overcome-the-odds/19718723/

 

For more information, visit www.reggiecodringtonmusic.com.

Drummer Kevin Peter Jones Marks Jazz Appreciation Month with New Single from Blues Alley #jazz #music

The All‑Star Band Featuring Randy Brecker, Jeff Lorber & Eric Marienthal Honors Donny Hathaway on “Valdez in the Country”

 

WASHINGTON, DC (24 APRIL 2026): Contemporary jazz drummer Kevin Peter Jones celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month with the release of the second single from his live album, Blues Alley. Available now on Pacific Records, the track features Jones’s All‑Star Band with GRAMMY® winners Randy Brecker (trumpet) and Jeff Lorber (keyboards) and GRAMMY® nominee Eric Marienthal (saxophone) delivering a dynamic take on the Donny Hathaway classic “Valdez in the Country.”

 

Jones first fell in love with jazz at 15 while playing in his award‑winning high school band in Chicago, crediting the Elk Grove High School music department as foundational to his career.

“Jazz means so much to me in many ways. During my time at Elk Grove High School, the music department was a gift from God. It was a time when I met and performed with Bunky Green, met Stan Kenton—who invited me to a Universal Studios recording session in Chicago—and where I also met Peter Erskine, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Maynard Ferguson, and others. I was offered a Ludwig endorsement and three music scholarships. Music and jazz particularly make my life and my musical career more exciting,” said Jones, who lives outside of Washington, DC.

 

One of only four musicians ever granted permission to release a live album recorded at the venue, Jones’s Blues Alley was captured over eight sold‑out shows at the historic DC jazz club. While preparing the set list, Jones selected the soulful, Latin jazz‑funk‑inflected “Valdez in the Country” to honor Hathaway.

 

“Donny Hathaway is one of my favorite songwriters, a legend, and a great musician. Listening to his interviews reveals a thoughtful artist deeply committed to music education and versatility. He viewed music as spanning everything from blues to symphony, embracing a wide range of styles. Hathaway emphasized goal‑setting and finding personal, heartfelt emotion in his musical creations. His devotion to music education mirrors my own, which has always been at the foundation of my work,” said Jones, who serves as the producer and executive producer of Blues Alley.

 

“Our arrangement of ‘Valdez in the Country’ was a heartfelt part of the performance at Blues Alley. I wanted to share a positive memory of Donny Hathaway with the audience, and with the great sax solo from Eric Marienthal, it doesn't get better than that.”

 

Last January on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the band’s version of the Cannonball Adderley classic “Walk Tall” was the first single released from Blues Alley.

 

Recorded over eight sold‑out shows, Blues Alley showcases live jazz at its most collaborative and spontaneous. Jones’s All‑Star Band is completed by percussionist Lenny Castro, Senegalese bassist Cheikh Ndoye, and guitarist Dean Brown, who has appeared on four GRAMMY®‑winning albums. The ten‑track set blends standards with originals by Lorber (“Hudson,” “Surreptitious”), Brown (“Solid”), and Ndoye (“Alchemy East”), each musician stepping forward as a featured soloist over Jones’s taut, driving rhythms.

 

Jones is a Berklee College of Music-trained musician who has recorded with other iconic jazz figures such as Dave Brubeck, Yellowjackets, and Wayman Tisdale. He is working on three new projects, including producing his son’s debut album.

 

Listen to “Valdez in the Country” at Kevin Peter Jones - 03 - Valdez in the Country V2-220523-1644_01.wav.

 

To purchase Blues Alley, go to https://orcd.co/bluesalley.

 

For more information, visit https://kevinpeterjonesallstarband.com.

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Patricia Brennan & Sylvie Courvoisier’s duo album Talamanti #jazz #music

PATRICIA BRENNAN AND SYLVIE COURVOISIER ANNOUNCE DEBUT DUO ALBUM
TALAMANTI
 
DUE JUNE 26 ON ANTLIA RECORDS
 
Inaugural Release for New Label Arrives with Lead Single “Disparate Chase,” Out April 24

Listen here
Promo video here

Vibraphonist/marimbist Patricia Brennan and pianist Sylvie Courvoisier will release Talamanti, their debut duo album, on June 26, 2026 via Antlia Records. The album marks the inaugural release for the newly founded label. The first single, “Disparate Chase,” is available today on all streaming platforms, Bandcamp, and at antliarecords.com.

Talamanti documents the convergence of two distinct instrumental worlds, the percussive resonance of vibraphone and marimba against the architectural range of piano. into a shared sonic language. The album title derives from tlamantli, a Nahuatl word describing things that resemble one another while remaining distinct, a concept that speaks directly to the musical chemistry at the record’s core.

“Piano and vibraphone share a similar physical gesture: something strikes something else, and the sound blooms outward. But they also live in very different worlds of resonance. The piano can feel architectural: dense, grounded, capable of enormous weight. The vibraphone tends to float, its tones suspended in air. When we play together, I feel like we’re exploring the space between those two qualities: gravity and suspension.” — Patricia Brennan

The nine-piece program includes seven Brennan originals alongside two compositions by Courvoisier. The music moves across a wide expressive terrain: from the pulsing rhythms of the lead single “Disparate Chase,” which captures a shifting interplay between clarity and ambiguity, to the cosmological sweep of “Trece Cielos,” inspired by the thirteen ascending heavens of Aztec cosmology; from the slow, searching melancholy of “Perdidos en el Lamento” to the playful, Messiaen-inflected feline drama of Courvoisier’s “Knots and Dander.” Courvoisier’s “Corto” reimagines a piece from her trio catalog in intimate duo form, carrying the influence of her mentor Hugo Pratt and the harmonic colors of Olivier Messiaen. Brennan’s “Hojas de Malabar” draws on her Veracruz roots, while “Eqdistance” constructs an entire harmonic world from a single equidistant pitch relationship.

Throughout, the album rewards the kind of listening it demands. “Playing as a duo means there is nowhere to hide,” Brennan writes. “Every gesture matters. Silence matters too.”

Talamanti is available for pre-order now. “Disparate Chase” is out today.
 
antliarecords.com  |  patriciabrennanvibes.com  |  sylviecourvoisier.com 
 
TRACK LISTING
1. Disparate Chase
2. The Time We Spent
3. Corto (Sylvie Courvoisier)
4. Perdidos en el Lamento
5. Trece Cielos
6. Hojas de Malabar
7. Knots and Dander (Sylvie Courvoisier)
8. Coma Berenices
9. Eqdistance
 
All compositions by Patricia Brennan except “Corto” and “Knots and Dander” by Sylvie Courvoisier.

 

ABOUT PATRICIA BRENNAN
Vibraphonist and marimbist Patricia Brennan approaches her instrument as a complete sonic world — melodic, textural, and endlessly resonant. A native of Veracruz, Mexico now based in New York, she has established herself as a composer and improviser of singular imagination, collaborating across the spectrum of creative music while maintaining a focused, deeply personal artistic vision. Her most recent album as a leader, Of the Near and Far (Pyroclastic Records, 2025) — a tentet work drawing pitch and melodic data from constellations — earned widespread critical acclaim and placed second on the 2025 Francis Davis Jazz Poll. 
 

---

 
ABOUT SYLVIE COURVOISIER
Pianist and composer Sylvie Courvoisier has spent decades expanding what the piano can do and what it can mean. A leading figure in European and American new music, the Swiss-born, Brooklyn-based artist brings to every setting a restless curiosity and a command of the instrument that moves fluidly between structure and spontaneity, density and silence. Winner of the Swiss Grand Prix Musik 2025, she released Eclats - Live in Europe (Intakt Records) with her trio in March 2026, capturing the full breadth of a long-running working band at its peak. 

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“After Hours” Becomes WaKaNa’s First Billboard No. 1 — and the First in EQuity Records History #jazz #music

A late‑night moment of reflection on balancing work and motherhood inspired alto saxophonist WaKaNa’s first Billboard No. 1 single, “After Hours.” Written with her two-time GRAMMY®-nominated producer Greg Manning, the track is also the first Billboard No. 1 for Manning’s EQuity Records label. It also reached No. 1 on the Mediabase and Smooth Jazz Network charts.

 

“After Hours” unfolds over an introspective mid-tempo groove gently guided by the Japan-born and based artist’s soothing sax statements. She is supported by Manning’s keyboard melodies, drum programming, and bass along with Morris O’Connor’s (Earth, Wind & Fire) rhythm guitar. The focal point is WaKaNa’s soulful tone, which enriches the chill nocturnal track with grace, comfort, and a cozy vibe.  

 

“‘There is no night that doesn’t end.’ To me, ‘After Hours’ has become exactly like that proverb. I kept the melody simple, and I performed it with the image of being alone with my thoughts at night. My feelings were quite complex at the time when I was struggling to balance my work and being a mom. This project with Greg was my ray of hope,” said WaKaNa, whose second EQuity Records single has now reached No. 1. “I’m so happy that we hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts and could share our music with listeners worldwide. I hope this song brings healing and encouragement to everyone who hears it.”

 

Manning signed WaKaNa to the label he launched early last year after being introduced to her ten years ago by his manager at the time.

 

“I was immediately captured by WaKaNa’s warm tone and beautiful phrasing on the alto sax. I’ve produced several songs for her over the years. When the time to start a label came, it was an easy decision to sign her to EQuity Records. The goal of EQuity Records is to help emerging talent, or long-time sidemen and sidewomen, break through the noise and get heard. Breaking through the noise is tough, but extraordinary talent and meticulous production always rise to the top,” said Manning, who is based in Las Vegas. “This is the label’s first No. 1 hit. Our radio promoter, Gorov Music Marketing, played a crucial part in getting the song over the finish line to No. 1.” 

 

While he doesn’t keep count, Manning has been a part of at least 15 Billboard No. 1 hits as an artist, producer, and/or songwriter. Manning’s chart success extends beyond WaKaNa; the same week she topped Billboard, the single he co-wrote and produced for saxophonist Jeff Ryan, “Speakeasy,” went No. 1 on the Mediabase chart and is presently No. 1 on the Billboard chart.

 

WaKaNa and Manning will soon begin work on her next single. With multiple new releases on deck — including upcoming singles from trumpeter Patches Stewart and saxophonist Jimmy Reid, and Manning’s own “Jolanda,” a song dedicated to his mother — EQuity Records is poised for a breakout year of new music and rising talent.

 

For more information about EQuity Records, which stands for equality, diversity, and inclusion, visit www.equityrecordsmusic.com.

 

For more information about WaKaNa: https://www.wakanasax.com.

 

For more information about Manning: https://www.gregmanningmusic.com.

Contemporary jazz saxophonist Michael Cates celebrates his wife’s return to health with “She’s My Summer” #jazz #music

After spending last summer at his wife Judy’s side during life‑saving spinal surgery, contemporary jazz saxophonist Michael Cates is celebrating her full recovery with a new single, “She’s My Summer,” arriving May 1 via Sonic Redoubt Entertainment.

 

Cates wrote and produced “She’s My Summer,” playing most of the instruments on the track in addition to his tenor sax. He brought in guitarist Paul Pesco (Madonna, Hall & Oates, C + C Music Factory) and bassist Larry Antonino (Pablo Cruise, Air Supply, Ronnie Laws) to shape the melodies and rhythms. The buoyant midtempo R&B groove bursts into elation on every refrain of the sun-lit pop chorus layered with jubilant saxophone.

 

“This summer, Judy and I will celebrate our 30^th anniversary and after what we went through last summer when I faced the very real possibility that I may lose her, I’m determined to fill this summer with as much time with Judy as possible. She literally is my summer,” said Cates, who is coming off a successful chart run with an award-winning single about his wife titled “Judith Lorraine,” released late last year. “All my music comes back to Judy. She’s been my muse for a long time, and our love story continues to inspire new musical chapters.” 

 

“Judith Lorraine” won a World Entertainment Award as Best Smooth Jazz Song of The Year. The single comes from Cates’ Us album, a 2025 collection of intimate musical snapshots sharing special moments and memories from the couple’s storied romance. Cates recorded the album in response to Judy’s diagnosis. Earlier during a prolific 2025, he released the Sunset Kiss album, which was named Best Smooth Jazz Album of The Year by the World Entertainment Awards.

 

“She’s My Summer” will begin collecting airplay and playlist adds on May 4. Two days later, Cates will launch “She’s My Summer” with two New York City shows at Chelsea Table + Stage at 7p.m. and 9:30p.m.

 

“I could not imagine a greater entrance for the campaign than to be the headliner in New York City. It reminds me of when I debuted at Carnegie Hall when I was 15 years old. I used to live across the street from the World Trade Center in the 90s and was a part of the studio scene there long before acting lured me to Los Angeles. I go back home to play occasionally, but never to break out a new release. This one’s incredibly special to me,” said Cates, who grew up in nearby New Jersey. 

 

Cates moved to Los Angeles where he landed a series regular role for five seasons on the Emmy Award-winning Ally McBeal on which he played “The Saxophonist.” As a recording artist, he’s released four albums and two EPs along with singles that consistently garner global airplay and hit the national charts. Cates has performed at premier jazz festivals at home and internationally. He’s played with or shared the stage with icons and legends including Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, Barry White, Joe Sample, Tina Turner, and Mariah Carey.

 

At the heart of “She’s My Summer” is an artist grateful for a second chance with the woman who inspires all his music.

 

For more information, please visit https://michaelcates.com.