Chieli Minucci and Special EFX release The Hits, a Career Spanning Collection Featuring New Single “Marbella” #jazz #music

Responding to fan demand, Emmy‑winning guitarist Chieli Minucci has bundled most of the GRAMMY®‑nominated jazz fusion group Special EFX’s No. 1 Billboard hits, remastered favorites, and a few new songs into a new collection titled The Hits, is out now. The Chieli Music release arrived as one of the set’s new songs, “Marbella,” is poised to enter the Top 40 on the Billboard and Mediabase Smooth Jazz charts.

 

Minucci and Hungarian percussionist George Jinda founded Special EFX nearly 45 years ago. Although Jinda passed away in 2002, Minucci has kept the band going strong. He noticed that audiences at Special EFX concerts aren’t as familiar with the band’s newer music—largely due to the shrinking number of contemporary jazz radio stations. To meet the demand for nostalgia and the constant requests to “play the hits,” he assembled the new collection.

 

Minucci sifted through Special EFX’s 25-album catalog of world music-influenced contemporary jazz with a splash of blues, selecting seven of their eight No. 1 Billboard hits for The Hits. Four tunes on the album are fan favorites that were remixed and refreshed. Minucci wrote and produced 13 of the album’s 14 songs, including three new songs. One of those new songs is the first single, the Spain-inspired “Marbella,” a rousing, sun-drenched groove featuring saxophonist Michael Paulo and produced by two-time GRAMMY® winner Paul Brown.

 

“Marbella, Spain, is my fantasy vacation. The song is so romantic. I wrote the melodies against the backing groove. Michael Paulo laid down a beautiful, heartfelt sax solo. I am optimistic that all will hear this beauty,” said Minucci.

 

Other GRAMMY® winners and nominees, Billboard hitmakers, and celebrated musicians who contributed to The Hits include Warren Hill, Eric Marienthal, Elan Trotman, Nicholas Cole, Elliott Yamin, Lin Rountree, Oli Silk, David Mann, Roger Smith, Roberto Vally, Greg Vail, Shane Theriot, Ron King, Omar Hakim, and Lionel Cordew.

 

Special EFX received a GRAMMY® nomination for their 1985 album, Modern Manners.

 

The New York City-based Minucci tours constantly, playing shows throughout the United States and abroad in various Special EFX configurations. He’ll tour Canada and parts of the U.S. this year to perform as a guest with Hungary’s top jazz fusion band, Djabe. He’s a featured guest on Djabe’s upcoming Butterflies album. Minucci also appears as a featured guest on an upcoming single by percussionist Curtis McCain, a new artist who will release “Oceanside” this summer.

 

A prodigious guitarist, Minucci has played or recorded with Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel, Marc Anthony, Michael Bolton, Eartha Kitt, and Eddie Fisher. He’s also collaborated with contemporary jazz luminaries Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Rick Braun, Maysa, Marion Meadows, and Mindi Abair.

 

Minucci has released nine solo albums. He’s a three-time Emmy winner who has composed music for film, television, and theater. His credits include No Country for Old Men, Bowfinger, Legally Blonde, Panic, Peter Pan, Dora the Explorer, and Thomas the Tank Engine.

 

“The Hits” contains the following songs:

 

“Uptown East”

“Blue Lagoon”

“Cool Summer”

“Kickin’ It Hard”

“Waterfall”

“Lavish”

“You Make Me Blue”

“Meant To Be”

“Dreams”

“Been So Long”

“Marbella”

“Passions”

“Till The End Of Time”

“Cruise Control”

 

 

“A beautiful album, and if you're not familiar with them yet, this is a chance to get acquainted with the oeuvre of Chieli Minucci & Special EFX! Fantastic!” — Cultuurmania

 

 

“The Hits” is available now via Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon.

 

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

Jazz from Amazon.com

R&B/Jazz guitarist Blake Aaron releases "The Upside," building on the momentum of his Mediabase No. 1 Artist of the Year honor #jazz #music

The transformational new single from Billboard’s No. 2 Artist of the Year is out now.

 

As he navigates turbulent times, R&B/jazz guitarist Blake Aaron stays hopeful and optimistic, never losing sight of a positive outcome. That mindset inspired his newly released Innervision Records single, “The Upside.” Aaron wrote and produced the single, which is the first track issued from his forthcoming Fire and Velvet album, and arrives on the heels of the most successful year of his recording career.

 

Aaron scored two Billboard No. 1 singles in 2025 — “Let’s Get Lost” and “Dare To Fly” — making him Billboard’s No. 2 Artist of the Year. Aaron topped the Mediabase and Radiowave charts as the No. 1 Artist of the Year. “Let’s Get Lost” finished the year as Billboard’s No. 5 single and Radiowave’s No. 4 single.

 

"I couldn't be more grateful for the incredible year I had in 2025. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better than receiving my eighth and ninth No. 1 single on all four major charts (Billboard, Mediabase, Radiowave, and SmoothJazz.com) in the same year, to hear I was No. 1 Artist of the Year on Mediabase and No. 2 Artist of the Year on the Billboard chart was over the top,” said Aaron, who lives south of Los Angeles. “It has been a lifetime dream of mine to reach hundreds of millions of people on an emotional and spiritual level with my music, and every day I feel closer to realizing that dream.”

 

Eager to build on that momentum in 2026, Aaron has released “The Upside,” which began earning airplay and playlist adds on Monday (February 2). His agile electric jazz guitar takes command of the dynamic track, a retro R&B groove that unfolds with a full, vibrant sound with sprightly horns and lilting strings bursting with energy and excitement. A funky instrumental, the track showcases Aaron’s lyrically expressive guitar delivering an opportune message. 

 

“With all of the ever-increasing challenges we all go through, whether it's financial, health, career, or relationship issues, it can be incredibly difficult to see ‘The Upside.’ Once you see it, the climb can seem overwhelming, but it’s always worth it. I wanted to create an inspiring, bright, cinematic journey that transforms challenge into triumph through melody, groove, and pure musical optimism. Something vibrant, revitalizing, instantly memorable, and never lets you forget that no matter where you are, there’s always a way up,” said Aaron, who anticipates releasing Fire and Velvet at the end of this year or early next year.

Aaron is joined on “The Upside” by GRAMMY?-winning bassist Mel Brown, Carnell Harrell (piano, keyboards), Michael White (drums), Ramon Yslas (percussion), and a horn section featuring Michael Stever (trumpet and horn arrangements), Andrew Neu (saxophone), and Lane (trombone). Tyries Rolfe crafted the strings and arrangements.

 

Aaron’s latest album, Love and Rhythm, his seventh collection, dropped in 2024. In addition to working on Fire and Velvet, he’s producing four other artists. Aaron has March tour dates that include gigs in Virginia and Delaware, along with a stop at the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Festival in Reading, Pennsylvania on March 25 and 26. In May, he heads overseas for performances in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom along with the Algarve Jazz Festival in Portugal. While in Europe, Aaron will teach music clinics at several universities. He’s excited about performing on upcoming Dave Koz & Friends At Sea cruises this November and March 2027.    

 

A first-call guitarist, Aaron has recorded and/or performed with an eclectic list of marquee artists that boasts Philip Bailey (EWF), Sheila E., The Alan Parsons Project, The Gap Band, Lakeside, Ronnie Laws, Keiko Matsui, Warren Hill, Bobby Womack, and Carlos Santana. A multimedia talent, Aaron’s film and television music credits include “MAD TV,” “Super Dave Osborne” and “The Ben Stiller Show.”

 

For more information, please visit www.blakeaaron.com.

Jazz from Amazon.com

Adult Contemporary-Jazz vocalist Sharon Rae North reimagines The Cars’ classic “Drive” with soulful depth #jazz #music

Produced by two‑time GRAMMY® nominee Chris “Big Dog” Davis, the new single is out now.

 

For adult contemporary/jazz vocalist Sharon Rae North, The Cars’ 1984 single “Drive” has long been a favorite. The band’s biggest international hit always carried a deep well of soul, emotion, and heartbreak. When North heard it last fall for the first time in years, it evoked the same feelings she had decades ago. So, she decided to record her own version produced by two-time GRAMMY® nominee Chris “Big Dog” Davis. The independently released single is presently receiving airplay and earning playlist adds.

 

Determined to make “Drive” her own, North and Davis dug into the song’s pained vulnerability — Ric Ocasek’s lyrics and Benjamin Orr’s aching vocal — and began shaping a version that reflects her perspective.

 

In North’s capable hands, “Drive” becomes a reassuring caress to a troubled lover. Davis — architect of more than twenty Billboard No. 1 singles — builds a soulful R&B groove around her commanding yet intimate vocals, weaving in jazzy keyboard flourishes that preserve the dreamy quality of the original.

 

Speaking about the song’s emotional weight, North said, “‘Drive’ is deep and meaningful, and it has a certain sadness about it because of the angst and helpless feelings that come from trying to help someone who apparently doesn't want help. I've never been in that type of situation, but I imagine it's difficult to care enough to want to be there for someone who's in denial about the issues in their life or in a relationship.”

 

Capturing the right vocal performance was crucial. Unsatisfied with her initial takes, North quietly returned to the studio to recut the vocals.

 

“Unbeknownst to Chris, I went back in and recorded them again. Since he already mixed the song, he wasn't happy with me. But he beautifully remixed it and I think we’re both happy with the way it came out,” admitted North, who has concert dates coming up in Columbus (March 21 at the ICON Jazz Lounge) and Atlanta (April 12 at St. James Live!).

 

That trust between North and Davis was built by collaborating over 11 years. Davis helmed North’s EP, 2016’s Sincerely Yours. Davis and two-time GRAMMY®-winning producer Paul Brown teamed to produce North’s first full-length album, Silhouette, in 2022. The album was prefaced by the single “Moments” featuring saxophonist Marion Meadows in 2019.

 

North was an award-winning television news anchor, journalist, and reporter who held stints at local media outlets and nationally with CNN in Atlanta. Initially, she moonlit as a singer, recording and releasing The Way You Make Me Feel in 2007 and Gee Baby in 2012. Her records have been released domestically and internationally, hitting several major charts including Billboard. As a performer, North has opened shows for Brown, Patti LaBelle, Joe Sample, Adrian Crutchfield, Dee Lucas, Patrick Lamb, and others. She has graced stages internationally and at hallowed jazz clubs and prestigious venues from coast to coast including Blues Alley (Washington, DC), Catalina Jazz Club (Hollywood), Vibrato Jazz Club (Los Angeles), and the Richmond Music & Jazz Festival in Virginia.

 

North plans to release another new single this year.

 

For more information, visit www.sharonraenorth.com.

 

Jazz from Amazon.com

Pianist Lisa Addeo releases “Still Never Enough,” building on a breakout year as Billboard’s Most Played Female Smooth Jazz Artist #jazz #music

Contemporary jazz pianist-vocalist Lisa Addeo entered the year with a new single that builds on the momentum she generated in 2025. Addeo scored her seventh No. 1 single, “Lipstick and Moonlight,” and was the only female in Billboard’s Top 10 Most Played Smooth Jazz Artists of the Year.

 

Addeo’s splashy single, “Wet Bar,” was Mediabase’s Most Played Smooth Jazz Song of the Year by a female artist and was one of Billboard’s Top 10 Most Played Smooth Jazz Songs of 2025. It’s the second year in a row that Addeo had a single on Billboard’s year‑end top ten, another noteworthy accomplishment for the artist who releases her music independently via her Little Black Dress Records label.

 

“As an independent artist, every accomplishment feels earned through persistence, creative trust, and believing in my own voice. It's an inside job to believe in yourself. It reminds me that when you stay true to your artistry, the right listeners will eventually find you,” said Addeo, who describes her mindset as grateful, grounded, and focused. “2025 felt like a confirmation that there’s room for music that is honest, handcrafted, and led from the heart. It makes me excited about where my music can go next, especially when it’s shared live.”

 

In regard to her year-end success on the male-dominated charts, Addeo said, “It’s humbling and truly meaningful. I didn’t set out to represent anything other than my own truth, but I’m proud to stand in that space and hopefully open the door wider for other women—especially those creating, producing, and leading their own musical vision. If the success I had last year encourages more artists to take up space creatively—and more audiences to listen—I’m all for that.”

 

Addeo recently dropped “Still Never Enough,” the latest preview of her forthcoming album, Playin’ Out Loud, due later this year.  She wrote and produced the song in 2019 with Billboard chart‑topping guitarist Nils and has now revisited the track. Drawing on themes of intimate connection, the song has received over seven million Spotify streams and counting. Her updated version is poised to reach an even wider audience.

 

“‘Still Never Enough’ is about that quiet emotional place where love, desire, and vulnerability overlap—the feeling of giving your whole heart and still wanting more connection, more honesty, more depth. I wrote it from a very personal place, and it’s become clear that the emotion behind it is universal. Since releasing the original version, the song has taken on a life of its own. It has become my most streamed song, which is why I decided to revisit it,” said Addeo, who is based in Miami Beach.

 

Coming back to “Still Never Enough” after years of artistic growth benefited both Addeo and the song. She said, “What surprised me most was how effortlessly the song came back to life in this reimagined version. It felt like having a conversation with who I am now—as a woman, an artist, and a storyteller. The song revealed new layers without losing its original soul. It reminded me how powerful it is to let a song evolve alongside you, as you evolve. I’m intentional about surrounding myself with positive people who support my growth. At this point in my career, it’s important to have fun while doing what I love.”

 

“Still Never Enough” is a shimmering platform for Addeo’s nimble piano artistry. Setting an effervescent vibe is David Mann’s saxophone and horn work that glides over the beats and groove crafted by drummer Jorel “JFly” Flynn, bassist Darryl Williams, and percussionist Oliver C. Brown.

 

“I’m drawn to musicians who listen as deeply as they play, and that chemistry was essential to this recording. Everyone involved understood that the space between the notes mattered just as much as the notes themselves. It felt more like a shared musical conversation than a session—which is always when the magic happens,” said Addeo.

 

Addeo’s multi-genre ten-album catalog has generated over 33 million streams on Spotify alone. In addition to her contemporary jazz releases, she’s issued vocal and instrumental projects culled from the Great American Songbook, meditative/spa music, solo grand piano pop, and a collection of holiday tunes. Addeo has also recorded a tribute album to Frank Sinatra. Her voiceover is heard throughout the day on SiriusXM’s Siriusly Sinatra.

 

As a concert performer, Addeo is focused on sharing her deeply personal music, including her new single, in live settings this year. 

 

“As an artist, I almost always feel like I'm standing at the edge of expansion. Something more is constantly calling me. The music has found its audience, the songs continue to evolve, and my love for performing has never been stronger. ‘Still Never Enough’ reflects where I am now—grounded in experience, open to collaboration, and eager to bring this music into venues where it can truly live and breathe.”

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

Jazz from Amazon.com

The 2026 Grammy Awards - Jazz Nominees & Winners #jazz #music

Click here to view the complete list of Grammy Jazz nominees and winners.

• Jazz was founded by Black musicians in New Orleans in the late 19th century. 

• Some of the biggest names in jazz include Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Louis Armstrong. 

• The artist with the most jazz GRAMMY wins, the late jazz composer and musician Chick Corea garnered 25 GRAMMY wins and 67 GRAMMY nominations overall across his six-decade career. He posthumously won his most recent GRAMMYs at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2021, one month after his death, for Best Improvised Jazz Solo and Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

Jazz from Amazon.com

Flutist David Crawford Remixes “African Nouveau” for Black History Month #jazz #music

The official release date of the new version of the ancestrally inspired single is February 6.

 Flutist and veteran arranger David Crawford — whose credits include Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Mary J. Blige, and Bill Withers — marks Black History Month with a newly remixed version of his single “African Nouveau,” officially arriving February 6.

 

Since releasing “African Nouveau” last fall, Crawford has been listening closely to feedback from colleagues, promoters, and fans — and the message was unmistakable: listeners wanted his flute pushed to the forefront.

 

“On the original version, I shared the leads with the gifted trumpeter Nolan Shaheed, a longtime friend and collaborator. Nolan played with Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, and Earth, Wind & Fire, and I wanted his sound to offer another perspective in a conversation. The feedback I received was that people wanted to hear more flute. Nolan plays beautifully on the new version, but my flute takes the primary lead voice now,” explained Crawford.

 

Inspired by the continent he calls his “ancestral beginnings,” Crawford created “African Nouveau,” a vibrant, rhythm‑forward piece. He filled the track with traditional African melodies and rhythms and layered in the distinctly American sounds of modern jazz and R&B.

 

“African Nouveau” is the first release from Crawford’s forthcoming debut album, Something Borrowed, Something New. He plans to roll out several singles ahead of the album’s release.

 

A native of Compton, California who now lives in Las Vegas, Crawford earned a master’s degree in music at California Institute of the Arts. He’s a composer, producer, and arranger. Crawford produced Vesta Williams’ Billboard R&B top ten single “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” and several tracks from R&B group Woods Empire. He has performed with Stevie Wonder and Isaac Hayes, and recorded with Ahmad Jamal and The Temptations. A seasoned orchestral performer, he has appeared with the Afro‑American Chamber Music Society Orchestra, Santa Monica Symphony, and Burbank Philharmonic.

 

For more information, visit http://screenmusicforme.com.

 

Jazz from Amazon.com

Contemporary jazz drummer Kevin Peter Jones adds to the legacy of Blues Alley with a live album #jazz #music

The all‑star band featuring GRAMMY® winners Randy Brecker and Jeff Lorber releases a live album captured at the historic venue.

Drummer, producer, and arranger Kevin Peter Jones assembled an all-star band featuring GRAMMY®-winning legends Randy Brecker and Jeff Lorber to play eight sold-out shows at the iconic Blues Alley in Washington, DC. Kevin Peter Jones All-Star Band’s live set, Blues Alley, was released on Friday (January 23) on Pacific Records. The album makes Jones one of only four artists ever granted permission to release a live recording from the storied venue.

 

To commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jones previewed the ten-track Blues Alley by dropping a rendition of the Cannonball Adderley classic “Walk Tall.” The single is a radio-friendly edit of the nearly twelve-minute album opener.

 

Joining Jones, trumpeter Brecker, and keyboardist Lorber in the star-studded ensemble are GRAMMY® nominees Eric Marienthal (saxophone) and Lenny Castro (percussion). Guitarist Dean Brown played on four GRAMMY®-winning albums and brought his funky, fusion-inflected fretwork to Blues Alley prior to his passing. Senegalese bassist Cheikh Ndoye added world music nuances to the contemporary jazz session. 

 

“I wanted to bring together musicians who don’t just play notes — they tell stories. Each musician has a voice that’s unmistakable. When you put that kind of talent in one room, the music becomes bigger than any one of us. People ask if having so many strong personalities in one band creates friction. It doesn’t — it creates magic. Everyone listens, everyone reacts, and that’s what makes jazz alive. It’s not about ego; it’s about conversation," said Jones, who served as the album’s producer and executive producer.

 

Listening to Blues Alley, one experiences masterful musicianship, the power of collaboration, the spontaneous magic of improvisation, and the energy and excitement of a concert performance. Throughout the album, Jones sets the tone with his astute drumming, complex cadences, and locked in rhythms. While the bandleader is a drummer, the drums never overpower the melodic lead keyboards, trumpet, saxophone, or guitar voices.

 

Jones put together the set list for the four-night stand to reflect his reverence for history and tradition balanced with his passion for innovation. Along with picking a handful of standards, Jones selected compositions penned by a few of his KPJ All-Star Band members: Lorber (“Hudson” and “Surreptitious”), Brown (“Solid”), and Ndoye (“Alchemy East”).

 

“This album is about resilience and joy. We chose songs that speak to the roots of jazz and soul, but also to the journey we’re on now,” shared Jones, who has recorded with Dave Brubeck, Yellowjackets, and Wayman Tisdale.

 

After “Walk Tall,” Lorber’s “Hudson” pushes the band in a funkier direction. The fusion keyboard pioneer tears into a mighty solo.

 

Marienthal’s impassioned saxophone heats up “Valdez in the Country,” a Donny Hathaway original that takes on lyrical quality even when presented here as an instrumental.

 

Brecker and Lorber bring emotional richness to “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” a song originally recorded by Sonny Rollins that probes the depths of romantic love.  

 

“That tune is pure emotion. Randy’s trumpet and Jeff’s keys gave it a depth that stopped the room cold. For me, it was about creating space — letting the music breathe so the feeling could come through,” said the Berklee College of Music-trained Jones, who is presently in production on three new albums, including producing his son’s debut disc.

 

KPJ’s All-Star Band delivers “The Evening News” with authority, taking listeners on a furious fusion foray. Remaking the Yellowjackets’ tune links Jones’s 2010 debut album, Magnetic Journey, to Blues Alley. Yellowjackets members Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Mike Miller, and Marienthal appeared on Magnetic Journey.

 

“Blue Miles” is a bluesy jazz joint culled from Chick Corea’s songbook. Lorber confidently steps into Corea’s shoes on the swinging number that gets a jolt of electricity from the towering horns along with a blistering guitar solo.

 

“Solid” was a must for Blues Alley in part to honor Brown, who succumbed to cancer in 2024. Jones said, “This album stands as a testament not only to the music but to the spirit of guitarist Dean Brown, whose artistry and generosity left an indelible mark on everyone he played with. Dean’s contributions to ‘Solid’ and throughout the set reflect his trademark blend of funk, sophistication, and soul. Beyond his virtuosity, he was a warm, generous presence who elevated every ensemble he joined.”

 

“Surreptitious” is rife with intensity and urgency powered by Jones’s fast and frenetic drumming that serves as the foundation for Lorber’s lilting keys.

 

Ndoye’s rhythmic roots seep into “Alchemy East” bringing together West Africa and American jazz. The taut rhythm section anchored by Jones, Castro, and Ndoye set the tone for experimentation and transformation.

 

Percussion master Castro closes Blues Alley with a solo piece that punctuates the recording. After a lengthy set filled with massive instrumentation and expansive jams, this sparsely produced track soothes the assembled live audience as well as the album listener.

 

A Chicago native who lives in the Washington, DC area, Jones has spent three years working to share Blues Alley with the public. Now that the album is widely available, the dedicated educator and mentor who believes that music is “both a discipline and a lifelong calling” reflects on the project from its inception to release date. 

 

“Blues Alley has always been sacred ground, one of those rare venues where the walls themselves seem to echo the history of jazz. As Blues Alley celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, the timing is perfect for this album. Thanks to Harry Schnipper, the club’s owner and the album’s executive producer, we’re honored to add our voices to the tradition of the historic club. Recording live in such a storied space with this band felt less like a performance and more like joining a living legacy, contributing our own chapter to a history that continues to unfold.”

 

Blues Alley contains the following songs:

 

“Walk Tall”

“Hudson”

“Valdez in the Country”

“You Don’t Know What Love Is”

“The Evening News”

“Blue Miles”

“Solid”

“Surreptitious”

“Alchemy East”

Percussion Solo

 

 

To listen to “Walk Tall,” click on https://orcd.co/walktallsingle.

 

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

 

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

Jazz from Amazon.com