SmoothJazz.com Top 100 Album Chart
THE WORLD'S ONLY SMOOTH JAZZ ALBUM CHART - FORMERLY THE GAVIN REPORT
This chart is valid for this week only if there is a new chart published next Monday.
Monday, July 20, 2020
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - July 20, 2020 #jazz
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Jazz clarinetist Eddie Daniels captures the heart of another Brazilian great #jazz
"Night Kisses: A Tribute To Ivan Lins" featuring Dave Grusin and Bob James drops August 7
"It's jazz, it's beauty and it opens the heart." That is how six-time GRAMMY-nominated horn player Eddie Daniels describes his forthcoming album, "Night Kisses: A Tribute to Ivan Lins." Slated to drop July 31 on Resonance Records, the new collection is the second chapter in a trilogy devoted to iconic Brazilian composers and the follow up to the 2018 GRAMMY-nominated "Heart of Brazil: A Tribute to Egberto Gismonti." Both albums were produced by the series' conceptualizer George Klabin.
Daniels, who is best known as a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist accomplished in both jazz and classical music, has a long history of playing Brazilian and Latin music. However, he admitted to "being kind of a dummy about the specific great Brazilian composers that I was about to tackle when George approached me with the idea for the trilogy, but I have this clave (Afro-Cuban groove) in my body as much as anyone because I just love this music so much."
Klabin selected a dozen tunes from Lins' songbook for "Night Kisses," which closes with an original composition by GRAMMY and Emmy winner Bob James, "Ivante," inspired by and named for Lins. When Klabin sent the music to Daniels, the multi-hornplayer only knew one song, "Amor," and the material itself presented a challenge.
"I was kind of befuddled because I loved the music, but I didn't know if I could live up to the kind of heart that Ivan puts into the music that is so soulful. He became so special to me because of his singing, the heart - it's raw, beautiful and emotional. I kept saying ‘How am I going to live up to this on a clarinet or a saxophone?' The great thing about George is that he wanted to do music that was not so popular, that was older music by Ivan Lins, so you could say that most of this music I knew nothing of," said Daniels, a New Yorker who has lived in Santa Fe for several decades.
Coming off the success of "Heart of Brazil," Daniels was looking to bring something special to "Night Kisses" when fate intervened. Dental work prevented him from playing clarinet in the weeks prior to the recording sessions held in Klabin's Los Angeles studio so Daniels did something he hadn't done in 30 years: he started playing flute, an instrument he played and studied extensively in the early portion of his lengthy career. Daniels calls the reappearance of flute in his music "the surprise of the album" that is evenly divided between four flute tunes, four clarinet tunes and four tenor sax tunes.
Daniels is accompanied by the same rhythm section he had on "Heart of Brazil": pianist Josh Nelson (who also contributed three arrangements), bassist Kevin Axt and drummer Mauricio Zottarelli. Kuno Schmid plays piano on the romantic "Cantor Da Noite" and wrote a handful of arrangements for the album. The Harlem Quartet fills the album with lavish string section accoutrements. But the highlights are the appearances by James and Academy Awards and 10-time GRAMMY winner Dave Grusin, each of whom wrote two arrangements and played on two tracks. Incredibly, their collaboration on "Ivante" is the first time the two contemporary jazz piano giants ever recorded together with Grusin featured on acoustic piano and James on electric.
"Bob and Dave know Ivan Lins very well. Ivan is on one of Dave's early albums, ‘Harlequin.' He basically introduced Ivan Lins to the American public with that album. I thought their appearances would make this record a little bit different. Dave and Bob were both very, very generous with wanting to be on the album. I was a guest on a lot of their albums. Dave hired me to do seven albums on GRP Records. When I was in the studios in the 1970s doing all the CTI recordings, Bob always called me to be one of the reed players on his albums. I got a chance to have two of my bosses and idols be on this album. I'm so glad because my history is with them. For me, it's kind of a summation of everything I've done through my life up to now," said Daniels.
James said, "It was the highlight of my year to have the opportunity to contribute some music to this beautiful project. I've always loved the artistry of Ivan Lins and working alongside Eddie Daniels and Dave Grusin was a big pleasure and very stimulating."
Klabin first became enchanted by Lins' music while visiting family in Brazil in the 1970s. His heart is deeply rooted in Brazilian music. The veteran jazz producer, Resonance Records president and founder of Rising Jazz Stars Foundation has already begun sending Daniels music for the final disc in the trilogy: an album paying tribute to Milton Nascimento. In the meantime, he is immensely proud of "Night Kisses," calling it "The most meaningful and satisfying production of jazz I have ever worked on in my entire career."
Daniels concurs. "I feel that too because sometimes when you don't try too hard, you get it right. When people hear it, they frequently comment on the album's musicality. I like the album for this time with what we're all going through. Because of this virus and we're all stuck at home, maybe people will sit at home and listen to the entire album. Nobody really listens to a whole body of work. People download one tune. I feel that this album is a uniquely whole work."
Now in his late 70s, Daniels hears growth and maturity in his hornplay on "Night Kisses."
"My playing was always described as too busy in my early days - my 30s. Your inner being changes as you mature. This album is kind of a high point in terms of maturity of emotion, of being able to play simply and get my point across lovingly and economically. This album isn't bebop. It's all about the heart," said Daniels before reflecting on current events.
"In these days when we are struggling with coronavirus, politics and protests, we need to warm our hearts and get us back to love. ‘Night Kisses' does just that. When I hear it, it has a great calming effect...a way to get to our hearts and block out the noise of the world."
"Night Kisses: A Tribute To Ivan Lins" contains the following songs:
"A Voz De Povo" (The Voice Of The People)
"Pano De Fundo" (Backdrop)
"Manos De Afeto" (Hand Of Affection)
"D'Aquilo Que Eu Sei" (That Which I Know)
"Velas Icadas" (Hoisted Sails)
"Dinorah, Dinorah" (The Call Girl)
""Cantor Da Noite" (The Night Singer)
"Quadras De Roda" (Children's Folk Dance)
"Amor" (Love)
"Lembra" (Remember)
"Depois Dos Temporais" (After The Storms)
"A Noite" (The Night)
"Ivante"
Preorder "Night Kisses: A Tribute To Ivan Lins" through the following retail sites:
Resonance Records
Bandcamp
Amazon
The album's "D'Aquilo Que Eu Sei" (That Which I Know) is available now: "D'aquilo Que Eu Sei"
For more information, please visit http://eddiedanielsclarin....
# # #
More Information: http://eddiedanielsclarinet.net
Submitted By:
Great Scott PR
Best selling smooth jazz at amazon.com
Jazz from Amazon.com
"It's jazz, it's beauty and it opens the heart." That is how six-time GRAMMY-nominated horn player Eddie Daniels describes his forthcoming album, "Night Kisses: A Tribute to Ivan Lins." Slated to drop July 31 on Resonance Records, the new collection is the second chapter in a trilogy devoted to iconic Brazilian composers and the follow up to the 2018 GRAMMY-nominated "Heart of Brazil: A Tribute to Egberto Gismonti." Both albums were produced by the series' conceptualizer George Klabin.
Daniels, who is best known as a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist accomplished in both jazz and classical music, has a long history of playing Brazilian and Latin music. However, he admitted to "being kind of a dummy about the specific great Brazilian composers that I was about to tackle when George approached me with the idea for the trilogy, but I have this clave (Afro-Cuban groove) in my body as much as anyone because I just love this music so much."
Klabin selected a dozen tunes from Lins' songbook for "Night Kisses," which closes with an original composition by GRAMMY and Emmy winner Bob James, "Ivante," inspired by and named for Lins. When Klabin sent the music to Daniels, the multi-hornplayer only knew one song, "Amor," and the material itself presented a challenge.
"I was kind of befuddled because I loved the music, but I didn't know if I could live up to the kind of heart that Ivan puts into the music that is so soulful. He became so special to me because of his singing, the heart - it's raw, beautiful and emotional. I kept saying ‘How am I going to live up to this on a clarinet or a saxophone?' The great thing about George is that he wanted to do music that was not so popular, that was older music by Ivan Lins, so you could say that most of this music I knew nothing of," said Daniels, a New Yorker who has lived in Santa Fe for several decades.
Coming off the success of "Heart of Brazil," Daniels was looking to bring something special to "Night Kisses" when fate intervened. Dental work prevented him from playing clarinet in the weeks prior to the recording sessions held in Klabin's Los Angeles studio so Daniels did something he hadn't done in 30 years: he started playing flute, an instrument he played and studied extensively in the early portion of his lengthy career. Daniels calls the reappearance of flute in his music "the surprise of the album" that is evenly divided between four flute tunes, four clarinet tunes and four tenor sax tunes.
Daniels is accompanied by the same rhythm section he had on "Heart of Brazil": pianist Josh Nelson (who also contributed three arrangements), bassist Kevin Axt and drummer Mauricio Zottarelli. Kuno Schmid plays piano on the romantic "Cantor Da Noite" and wrote a handful of arrangements for the album. The Harlem Quartet fills the album with lavish string section accoutrements. But the highlights are the appearances by James and Academy Awards and 10-time GRAMMY winner Dave Grusin, each of whom wrote two arrangements and played on two tracks. Incredibly, their collaboration on "Ivante" is the first time the two contemporary jazz piano giants ever recorded together with Grusin featured on acoustic piano and James on electric.
"Bob and Dave know Ivan Lins very well. Ivan is on one of Dave's early albums, ‘Harlequin.' He basically introduced Ivan Lins to the American public with that album. I thought their appearances would make this record a little bit different. Dave and Bob were both very, very generous with wanting to be on the album. I was a guest on a lot of their albums. Dave hired me to do seven albums on GRP Records. When I was in the studios in the 1970s doing all the CTI recordings, Bob always called me to be one of the reed players on his albums. I got a chance to have two of my bosses and idols be on this album. I'm so glad because my history is with them. For me, it's kind of a summation of everything I've done through my life up to now," said Daniels.
James said, "It was the highlight of my year to have the opportunity to contribute some music to this beautiful project. I've always loved the artistry of Ivan Lins and working alongside Eddie Daniels and Dave Grusin was a big pleasure and very stimulating."
Klabin first became enchanted by Lins' music while visiting family in Brazil in the 1970s. His heart is deeply rooted in Brazilian music. The veteran jazz producer, Resonance Records president and founder of Rising Jazz Stars Foundation has already begun sending Daniels music for the final disc in the trilogy: an album paying tribute to Milton Nascimento. In the meantime, he is immensely proud of "Night Kisses," calling it "The most meaningful and satisfying production of jazz I have ever worked on in my entire career."
Daniels concurs. "I feel that too because sometimes when you don't try too hard, you get it right. When people hear it, they frequently comment on the album's musicality. I like the album for this time with what we're all going through. Because of this virus and we're all stuck at home, maybe people will sit at home and listen to the entire album. Nobody really listens to a whole body of work. People download one tune. I feel that this album is a uniquely whole work."
Now in his late 70s, Daniels hears growth and maturity in his hornplay on "Night Kisses."
"My playing was always described as too busy in my early days - my 30s. Your inner being changes as you mature. This album is kind of a high point in terms of maturity of emotion, of being able to play simply and get my point across lovingly and economically. This album isn't bebop. It's all about the heart," said Daniels before reflecting on current events.
"In these days when we are struggling with coronavirus, politics and protests, we need to warm our hearts and get us back to love. ‘Night Kisses' does just that. When I hear it, it has a great calming effect...a way to get to our hearts and block out the noise of the world."
"Night Kisses: A Tribute To Ivan Lins" contains the following songs:
"A Voz De Povo" (The Voice Of The People)
"Pano De Fundo" (Backdrop)
"Manos De Afeto" (Hand Of Affection)
"D'Aquilo Que Eu Sei" (That Which I Know)
"Velas Icadas" (Hoisted Sails)
"Dinorah, Dinorah" (The Call Girl)
""Cantor Da Noite" (The Night Singer)
"Quadras De Roda" (Children's Folk Dance)
"Amor" (Love)
"Lembra" (Remember)
"Depois Dos Temporais" (After The Storms)
"A Noite" (The Night)
"Ivante"
Preorder "Night Kisses: A Tribute To Ivan Lins" through the following retail sites:
Resonance Records
Bandcamp
Amazon
The album's "D'Aquilo Que Eu Sei" (That Which I Know) is available now: "D'aquilo Que Eu Sei"
For more information, please visit http://eddiedanielsclarin....
# # #
More Information: http://eddiedanielsclarinet.net
Submitted By:
Great Scott PR
Best selling smooth jazz at amazon.com
Jazz from Amazon.com
Monday, July 13, 2020
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - July 13, 2020 #jazz
SmoothJazz.com Top 100 Album Chart
THE WORLD'S ONLY SMOOTH JAZZ ALBUM CHART - FORMERLY THE GAVIN REPORTThis chart is valid for this week only if there is a new chart published next Monday.
Monday, July 06, 2020
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - July 6, 2020 #jazz
SmoothJazz.com Top 100 Album Chart
THE WORLD'S ONLY SMOOTH JAZZ ALBUM CHART - FORMERLY THE GAVIN REPORTThis chart is valid for this week only if there is a new chart published next Monday.
Saturday, July 04, 2020
Have A Happy And Safe 4th Of July [Video] #jazz
Barbecues and fireworks, flags and parades, Independence Day evokes so many images of the American summer. Its original purpose to celebrate the birth of the American nation on July 4th, 1776 has given way to festivities that celebrate both America and the lives and freedoms that the accomplishments of American Independence have allowed. The commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is a time not only to reflect on what happened at America's founding but also to look again at the nation's values and recommit oneself again to those ideals.
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Best selling smooth jazz at amazon.com
Jazz from Amazon.com Wednesday, July 01, 2020
Clivia Tanisi Debut Release 5-Song EP from Autumn Hill Records July 3rd - #jazz
ITALIAN VOCALIST CLIVIA TANISI MAKES HER DEBUT WITH A GORGEOUS, PROFOUNDLY PERSONAL 5-SONG EP PRODUCED BY HER HUSBAND, MASTER DRUMMER DAVE WECKL
Love’s Way Back, due out July 3, 2020 via Autumn Hill Records, marks Tanisi’s miraculous return to music after a two-decade hiatus, featuring an all-star band with Weckl, George Whitty, Tom Kennedy and Bob Franceschini
Due out July 3 from Autumn Hill Records, Love's Way Back is not only a deeply personal passion project for Tanisi, but it carries a message of hope and courage for anyone who's long harbored a secret dream. Rich with soulful melodies and lush, layered harmonies, the project features a stunning all-star band assembled by Weckl, who also served as recording and mixing engineer in addition to his role as producer. The drummer is joined by bassist Tom Kennedy, saxophonist Bob Franceschini, and keyboardist George Whitty, who also arranged and mastered the music.With a life's worth of favorite songs to choose from, Tanisi selected five classic songs for the first steps along her musical journey. Each one is transformed into a vehicle for the singer's spiritual, optimistic interpretations, together conveying a heartfelt theme of following the dictates of the soul, facing down fear and self-doubt to be true to one's own self.
"I was born singing," Tanisi says. "Ever since I was a baby it's been a need, something in my blood. So when I stopped singing, it felt like a kind of death."
Tanisi was born in Switzerland and raised in Salento, a small area in the Puglia region of Southern Italy in the heel of the boot. As a child she would serenade her neighbors from the terrace of her parents' home. "All over the town, everyone could hear me singing," she recalls, the joy of such free, unfettered expression still evident in her voice.
At the age of 8 she began performing in the Parish Choir of the church in her hometown. By the age of 12 she was singing professionally at weddings. Two years later her life was changed when a friend introduced her to jazz. "When I was young I was listening to pop music like Duran Duran," she explains with a laugh. "Then one of my friends played me this song with trumpets and everyone improvising; it was wonderful. I had goosebumps. From there I fell in love with jazz: Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, all the greats."
At just 14 Tanisi became a jazz singer, performing at piano bars as well as with jazz and blues gigs around the south of Italy. After the birth of her first daughter 21 years ago, Tanisi found herself struggling to balance the demands of motherhood with her increasingly demanding schedule.
"I was working a lot, so I would go without seeing my daughter for days," she laments. "In the morning I'd be singing in the church, then I'd be performing at a wedding in the afternoon and have a gig the same night. That forced me to search into my soul and decide, 'Do you want to be a mother or a singer?' I didn't know how to manage both, so I felt that for me, it was better to be a mother."
While she has no regrets about that decision, treasuring her strong relationship with two wonderful daughters as its outcome, Tanisi reveals that the loss of her primary passion was a constant struggle. The break was necessarily a complete one. "I didn't even sing in the shower," she explains. "It was really like a death inside. Music, of course, is life, so when I didn't have that part of me anymore, I just never felt right. I would cry rivers every time I talked about music."
Meeting Weckl more than a decade ago not only brought a new romance into her life but also reintroduced music into her existence at the highest level. Weckl has been one of the most revered drummers in jazz, pop and rock circles for more than 35 years. He's perhaps best known for his Grammy-winning tenure with Chick Corea's Elektric and Akoustic Bands, along with his own prolific career as an innovative bandleader. Their shared love of music certainly played a part in forging the bond between Weckl and Tanisi, though it took several years of loving encouragement and hard work for the singer to finally regain her voice.
"Clivia worked very hard," Weckl says. "At the end of the day it was a lot of fun and a very emotional situation for both of us. When we finally listened back to what we'd recorded, we were both in tears."
Originally planned as a simple, intimate duo session for voice and guitar, the project soon took on a more elaborate form. Tanisi's rapid development and obvious dedication to her craft led Weckl to call on some of his closest friends and longtime collaborators to lend their estimable talents, in particular Whitty's arranging skills. Each of the EP's five songs was chosen for its own beauty as well as its contribution to the overall message of the album. The album opens with "Learning How to Fly," with its lovely evocation of taking steps towards an improbable dream. The tune links the project to another husband-and-wife team, Tuck & Patti, who originally recorded it for their 1995 album of the same name.
"Love You Inside Out" wholly reimagines the Bee Gees song, while "Let's Stay Together" uses the Al Green classic to celebrate Tanisi's bond not only with her husband but with her daughters and other blood relatives who have proved so supportive of her choices throughout life. The tune is highlighted by Bob Franceschini's emotive tenor solo. The late Bill Withers' "Grandma's Hands" is meaningful as Tanisi never knew any of her own grandparents, all of whom passed away too soon. She has since witnessed the deep love between her daughters and their multiple sets of grandparents. Finally, "The Smiling Hour" connects Tanisi with one of her earliest inspirations, as the Brazilian song is probably best known for Sarah Vaughan's gorgeous rendition.
Love's Way Back is a new beginning, certainly, but it's also the end result of a lifetime of personal growth and evolution for Clivia Tanisi. The meaning with which she imbues each song can only come from a reflection on the past and a positive outlook for the future. "I feel like I'm just reawakening," she says. "Being able to do this has been more than a miracle. It's magic."
Clivia Tanisi on the web:
Official Site: https://en.cliviatanisimusic.com/
Instagram: (coming soon)
Best selling smooth jazz at amazon.com
Jazz from Amazon.com
Chris "Big Dog" Davis New Album FOCUS Released on Shanachie #jazz
Few artists are equally captivating behind the scenes and on the stage. It requires a certain amount of vision, keen musicianship and discipline. On Focus, all of these skills coalesce to create a thrilling 11– track experience that demonstrates the type of magic that multi Grammy nominated keyboardist and producer Chris “Big Dog” Davis’ has brought to other artists as a producer. His Midas touch has added finesse to endeavors by Brian McKnight, George Clinton, Will Downing, Syleena Johnson, Chanté Moore, Maysa, and numerous others.
As he takes center stage for the first time on recording, his wizardry blesses an entire album of inspirational and moving originals. “This experience has really been exciting and rewarding. My hope is that people will enjoy coming into my musical world and getting a deeper glimpse into who I am and all of the music that has influenced me from Jazz, Funk Gospel and Pop,” says Davis, who has produced 17 #1 hits on the Contemporary Jazz charts. Danny Weiss, VP of Jazz A&R states, “Chris has been our go-to producer for everyone from Kim Burrell to Maysa to Norman Brown, just to name a few.
We're thrilled to be releasing his first solo album, so that the world can witness the full expression of his artistic talent.” The Waterbury, CT native draws from diverse influences like Miles Davis, Chaka Khan and George Duke and even his own Zen rooted philosophy to living life on Focus due out on June 26, 2020. The CD joins Davis with a cadre of the best working artists in Contemporary Jazz including Kim Waters, Gerald Albright, Rick Braun, Dave Koz, Maysa, Bluey and Nick Colionne. “It is so humbling to have all of these artists join me on this project. Every single one of them came bearing gifts that make this album so special,” shares the keyboardist.