Chart Notes

We do the numbers and pick the hits
By Gordon Murray
Euge Groove hangs on to the lead for a sixth consecutive week with "Religify" (Narada Jazz/Capitol), becoming his longest-running BDS No. 1! Groove's first BDS chart hit, "Get Em Goin'" (Narada Jazz/BLG), spent five weeks at No. 1 in December 2005. This week, Groove's lead shrinks to only nine plays (307 to 298) over a powerful challenge from Michael Lington with "You and I" (NuGroove) (4-2). Lington's increase of 35 plays is good for this week's Most Increased Plays designation, vaulting him into a strong position to ascend to his first BDS No. 1 next week. "You and I" hit the top of the Indicator chart last week and remains at No. 1 week, holding off a good move by Boney James' "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" (Concord/CMG) by four plays, 146 to 142.

"Bada Bing" (Capitol) improves 23-18 (up 28) on the detections chart and 20-19 (up 7%) on the audience chart, capturing Airpower honors for Dave Koz feat. Jeff Golub in only their third week on the chart. Also making chart waves this week is R&B star Kenny Lattimore with his crossover hit "And I Love Her" (Verve). The Beatles' 1964 classic achieves Airpower accolades with improvements of 24-19 (up 23, to 98 plays) on the detections chart and 21-20 (up 6%, to 874,000 impressions) on the audience list.

The Rippingtons collect three new adds on their brand-new song "Paris Groove" (Peak/CMG): Sirius XM Watercolors, WGRV/Melbourne and WNWV/Cleveland. The hot new track is the first single from their "Modern Art" album, due March 10.

Speaking of hot and new, this week's chart features four debuts! Brian Simpson feat. Kirk Whalum lead off, at No. 24, with "Juicy" (Rendezvous), and they are followed by Brian Culbertson's "Let's Stay in Tonight" (GRP/Verve) at No. 28, Gerald Albright's "Walkin' Down Beale Street" (Peak/CMG) at No. 29 and Wayman Tisdale's "One on One" (Rendezvous), at No. 30.

Recommended Listening: Sometimes, probably more so in the radio business, it's not a whole album that captures your attention, but a single. Or a few singles. This week I got a lot of good ones, and I want to bring them to your attention: Jackiem Joyner's "I'm Waiting for You" (Artistry/Mack Avenue), Richard Elliot's "Move on Up" (Artistry/Mack Avenue), Philippe Saisse's "Monday Afternoon" (E1), the Rippingtons feat. Russ Freeman's "Paris Groove" (Peak/CMG), Nils' "Jazz Cruise" (Baja/TSR) and Earl Klugh's latest, "Ocean Blue" (861/E1). I actually put them all into an iTunes playlist and played them at a volume that everyone in the office could enjoy. Joyner's song is instantly and insanely catchy; if there is justice on smooth jazz radio, this is a big, big hit in the making. "I'm Waiting for You" is the lead single from his forthcoming album "Lil' Man Soul," and you just must check it out. The cover art of Richard Elliot's promo CD shows him superimposed into a disco ball, and with the pink and black color motif and his trademark zebra saxophone this Madonna fan can't help but be reminded of her brilliant "Confessions on a Dance Floor" (Warner Bros.) album. Elliot's cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up" is the first single from his upcoming album "Rock Steady" and is produced with "R n R" co-conspirator and trumpet master Rick Braun. The energy, groove and artistry in all of these new songs, whether it be Joyner, Elliot, Saisse, Nils, the Rippingtons or Klugh, is outstanding, powerful, invigorating and makes you happy. Perfect.

Copyright © 2009 The Nielsen Company. All rights reserved.

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