Smooth Jazz Chart
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Monday, January 31, 2022
Friday, January 28, 2022
Pianist Peggy Duquesnel readies a "Soul" inspired album #jazz
Pianist Peggy Duquesnel readies a “Soul” inspired album
“Piano for My Soul” drops April 8 accompanied by the release of nature videos, piano tutorials and sheet music.
When the volume of the chaotic world becomes too loud as it did at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peggy Duquesnel escapes by sitting quietly at her piano. There, she sets her nimble fingers free to dance gracefully atop the keys, inevitably finding their way into her musical comfort zone. Soothed with soul bared, Duquesnel’s piano emotes a hybrid of classical music and inspirational hymns. These intimate, meditative sessions spawned “Piano for My Soul,” Duquesnel’s sixteenth album, releasing April 8 on her JoySpring Music imprint.
“I recorded a lot of the album during the lockdown and was happy to have the extra time to work in my studio. Many of the arrangements on ‘Piano for My Soul’ were inspired by my classical background. They also incorporate my gift of combining a hymn with a classical theme to create a new and moving piece of music. A light bulb or divine inspiration sometimes comes upon me when I’m practicing, and I get new ideas on bringing two different music pieces together,” said Duquesnel, who produced and arranged the music on the album.
“Piano for My Soul” is presented in two sections clocking in at a generous 71 minutes of music. The first section consists of piano orchestrations with Alan Broadbent, Billy Martin, Andre Mayeux and the late Steve Hall on works composed by Bach, Chopin and Tchaikovsky blended imaginatively with hymns and songs of faith, including several presented as duets between piano and organist Andre Mayeux (“Cristo Redentor,” “Were You There?” and “Precious Lord Take My Hand”), piano and cellist Melissa Hasin (Bach Prelude in C/“The Lord’s Prayer”), and piano duets featuring Hall (“Holy God We Praise Thy Name”/“Sous le dome epais – Delibes” and “You Are My Hiding Place”/“Swan Lake” – Tchaikovsky). The second section is comprised of solo piano numbers.
Duquesnel shares her artistic muse as multisensory experiences. Each selection on “Piano for My Soul” will be accompanied by the release of a nature video created in partnership between Duquesnel and Gary Hanson of CreationScapes. This is Duquesnel’s sixth consecutive album project that includes the release of nature videos crafted with Hanson.
Recording “Cristo Redentor” came from when Duquesnel watched the Disney-Pixar animated feature “Soul.”
“Since the movie highlighted the life of a jazz musician, I thought it would be fun to see if there was an appropriate song in the movie to add to my album. ‘Cristo Redentor’ was one of the songs the band played in the jazz club in the movie. I had played that standard by Duke Pearson many years ago on jazz club gigs. Being a jazz pianist, it was fun to play and record this standard. I also asked my graphic artist to use the movie’s vibrant look for the album cover artwork,” said Duquesnel.
Duquesnel is an educator, a role that she will carry out through “Piano for My Soul” by releasing piano tutorial videos for several of the album’s selections. She is making her sheet music arrangements from the album available through the JoySpring Music website.
To help launch “Piano for My Soul,” Duquesnel has issued singles monthly along with nature videos since last October when she dropped “Be Still My Soul”/“Finlandia.” She released “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow”/Bach 2-part Invention #13 in November; “A Lullaby,” an original composition inspired by the birth of her grandson, in December; and “Take My Life, and Let it Be” last Friday.
Duquesnel will preview the album at a concert that will take place at her church, Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Los Alamitos, on March 16.
Based in Long Beach, Calif., Duquesnel’s diverse career spans serving as a pianist, vocalist, composer, arranger, producer, record label owner, and a professor of jazz studies at Concordia University. From recording jazz, pop, inspirational and classical collections to playing at NHL, MLB and Paralympics games, Duquesnel has performed and/or recorded with an array of luminaries such as Broadbent, Dionne Warwick, Henry Mancini, Pat Boone, Jeff Lorber, Jimmy Haslip, Rick Braun, Jeff Hamilton and John Patitucci. Duquesnel is a creative and devout musician who uses her musical ministry as an offering. For more information, please visit www.joyspringmusic.com.
“Piano for My Soul” contains the following songs:
Piano Orchestrations:
“Be Still My Soul/Finlandia”
“Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow”/Bach 2-part Invention #13
“A Lullaby”
“It Is Well With My Soul”/Bach 2-part Invention #14
“O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”/Chopin Waltz Op. 34, No. 2
“Cristo Redentor” (with organist Andre Mayeux)
Chopin Prelude Op. 28, No. 4
“Were You There? (with organist Andre Mayeux)
“Holy God We Praise Thy Name”/“Sous le dome epais – Delibes” (with pianist Steve Hall)
Bach Prelude in C/ “The Lord’s Prayer” (with cellist Melissa Hasin)
“Precious Lord Take My Hand” (with organist Andre Mayeux)
“You Are My Hiding Place”/“Swan Lake” (Tchaikovsky) (with pianist Steve Hall)
“Take My Life, and Let it Be”
Solo Piano:
“Be Still My Soul/Finlandia”
“Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow”/Bach 2-part Invention #13
“A Lullaby”
“It Is Well With My Soul”/Bach 2-part Invention #14
“O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”/Chopin Waltz Op. 34, No. 2
Chopin Prelude Op. 28, No. 4
Bach Prelude in C
“Take My Life, and Let It Be”
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Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Funktastic Players Raise Spirits with Exciting New Album #jazz
A Buoyant Mix of Contemporary Jazz and Old-School Funk: Funktastic Players Raise Spirits with Exciting New Album
Encompassing Jazz on the Funky end, Funktastic Players enliven listeners with their seamless mix of rhythms and instrumentation, in new album, “Full Circle”.
Led by a smooth lead saxophone and a distinct funky 80’s style, Funktastic Players bring with their enriching musical compositions a unique blend of diverse genres. The group’s stirring new album titled, “Full Circle”, presents listeners with an exciting contemporary take on Jazz, on the Funk end of the spectrum.
Comprising of a range of stunning singles, “Full Circle” includes the tracks, “Run Away from You”, “Summer Winds”, “In My Heart”, among others that provide a stunning and memorable soundscape. Be it Hip Hop elements or instrumentation which is high energy and evoking old-school nostalgia, “Full Circle” is a happening voyage through Jazz. Denoted by a fun and joyous vibe, Funktastic Players’ newest album is the perfect blend of contemporary Jazz and Old-School Funk. The new album released for listeners on December 1st, 2021, and includes the prowess of lead saxophone player, Marcus H Mitchell. Meanwhile, Kevin Croom and the band’s lead powerhouse, David Williams cover keyboards, and Adrian Norton showcases his unique talents on the bass.
“We are the perfect blend of Gerald Albright and Tribe called Quest. Our music is great for date nights and long summer drives. Our music is real feel-good toe tapping jazz…upbeat and danceable,” says the group regarding their music.
With a driving goal to grow a formidable fan base, Funktastic Players are hoping to become a phenomenon amidst other rising players in Jazz, creating for themselves a distinct persona. Building a brand and a catalog of tunes that people know, respect and pay top dollar to see performed is the key goal of David Williams and the Funktastic Players.
Visit Funktastic Players’ website to check out/download/buy the group’s music and follow the group on social media for updates on new releases. Contact through email for interviews, reviews, and/or collaborations.
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ABOUT
David Williams started out his musical career as an MC/DJ during the iconic era of Sugar Hill Gang, Kurtis Blow, and Grandmaster Flash. Having spent many of his early years producing rap acts, like all producers from the era, Williams sampled soul, jazz, and funk records from the 70s.
However, his unique musical trajectory was inked by his evolving and growing style and character. With a thirst to re-create his own original soul music, David Williams went beyond just sampling musical compositions. As the years passed by, the talented artist found himself finally free to do the music he always wanted to do and just the way he had in mind. Having worked in the industry his entire adult life for various independent record labels, David Williams was able to understand the driving mantra of “brand before the band”. With the Funktastic Players’ band, Williams is focusing on constructing an immortalized brand image both nationally and internationally. The group released their first CD, ‘Generations’ six years ago and are only moving onwards and upwards.
CONTACT
Funktastic Players
Name: David Williams
Email: csolomusic@gmail.com
LINKS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funktasticplayers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funktasticplayers/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/funkplayer1
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjhN7aJbTckG_44wm14Rnlg/videos?view_as=subscriber
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/62Jd4UnqQNTDUMjCxCwgRO
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/csolo-1
Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/csolo4?profile_view_source=header_icon_nav
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-williams-b7334a87/
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Monday, January 24, 2022
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - January 24, 2022 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
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When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
David Benoit Kicks Off The New Year On The Right Note With A Midnight Rendezvous Out February 18th #jazz
Grammy Nominated Pianist, Composer, Arranger, Film & TV Scorer David Benoit Kicks Off The New Year On The Right Note With A Midnight Rendezvous Out February 18th Pioneering Contemporary Jazz Star Unites with Labelmates Jeff Lorber & Eric Marienthal Among Others & Records With His Own Big Band For the First Time! Have you ever met an artist whose craft is merely an extension of who they are? The iconic pianist, composer, arranger, producer, film and TV scorer David Benoit, embodies this archetype. He is as cool, measured, engaging, soulful and sophisticated as one of his mellifluous solos in a flight of fancy. A Founding Father of Contemporary Jazz, rooted in the tradition of Dave Brubeck and Bill Evans, David Benoit started playing the piano as a child and has never looked back. “As long as I'm alive and well,” declares the Grammy nominated pianist, “I hope to write and perform as long as possible.” Unbound by categories and rules, the trailblazer has built an enviable four-decade career drawing inspiration from his vast influences which have included jazz, comics, film, Broadway, symphonies and more. From endearing fans with his magical soundtracks for the Peanuts television movies, to garnering over 20 chart-topping radio hits and scoring music for films produced by Clint Eastwood and Sally Field and soap opera themes like “All My Children,” David Benoit IS music. His free-spirited approach has allowed him to collaborate with such diverse artists as The Rippingtons, Faith Hill, David Sanborn and CeCe Winans, among numerous others. Benoit, who leads his own Pacific Vision Youth Symphony (the orchestra he founded in 2001) and who has collaborated with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra and Philippine Philharmonic, among others, fulfills a long-time dream on his new and highly anticipated new recording, A Midnight Rendezvous (February 18, 2022). Benoit records for the first time with a big band under his own leadership and is joined by numerous special guests including label-mates pianist Jeff Lorber and saxophonist Eric Marienthal. “The idea began when I was an artist in residence in Saratoga, CA and I was looking for something unique to do,” reflects Benoit who hosts the morning show on KKJZ in Long Beach, CA. “I decided to write a big band arrangement for my ‘Cabin Fever’ on the record. I initially started arranging on my computer but the greatest thrill was hearing the playback with the real players in the big band when the project progressed. Wow! It was one of the most exciting sessions I've done in many years.” A Midnight Rendezvous is a stellar ten-track foray into known and uncharted territory. In addition to Benoit’s first recording as a leader with a big band, he also reinvents Maren Morris’ smash hit “The Bones,” transports us to a California desert with Jeff Lorber, records for the first time with prolific bassist Roberto Valley (Peter White, Patti Austin, Boney James, Euge Groove, Kirk Whalum) and does a dazzling solo take on a Dave Koz gem. A Midnight Rendezvous opens with the alluring rhythmic groove of the album’s title track and first single. Benoit’s nimble and soulfully stated melody juxtaposed with Pat Kelley’s forward leaning guitar and the pulsating flow of bassist Roberto Vally with drummer John “JR” Robinson, instantly command your attention. Benoit explains, “‘Pioneer Town’ started as a short riff I played on piano. I then sent it to Jeff (Lorber) knowing that we have had great results in the past. He came up with the rest and the title, which refers to a place in the California desert. The recording was done live virtually, making it a real sign of the times.” Benoit’s memorable rendition of Maren Morris’ “The Bones,” is a pleasant surprise. The lyrics in the original version use a house as a metaphor for a relationship: “Baby, I know any storm we're facing / Will blow right over while we stay put / The house don't fall when the bones are good.” Benoit does a brilliant job turning this track into a riveting and emotional journey sans lyrics. “My manager Bud Harner brought me this song because he loved that hypnotic intro as did I,” explains the pianist. “I built my house and raised my daughter there and we all developed a close bond living in that house. We sold it recently, after my daughter June left for college, I downsized but not a day goes by where I don't still dream about it.” A Midnight Rendezvous also showcases the ethereal, impressionistic and appropriately titled “Floating,” featuring the gorgeous soprano of Justin Klunk, which shows off Benoit’s penchant for creating timeless melodies. “All I need is a good groove and I just start playing melodies on the piano and find something to connect with,” confesses Benoit. “I've always been very fortunate that melodies come easy for me.” Benoit co-wrote “The Long Journey Home” and the album’s title track with bassist Roberto Valley. A Midnight Rendezvous marks the first time that the duo has recorded with one another. “@Home” is a wistful and pensive beauty that features percussionist Luis Conte and saxophonist Justin Klunk while “You Make Me Smile” is a moving solo take on the Dave Koz hit. “When I toured with Dave,” shares Benoit, “I would mess around with that song at sound check. I always thought it be a nice piano piece because of its strong melodic nature.” During the last three years, the pandemic has spurred a time of reflection, as the world has had to pivot in the ways that we live, work and communicate. Benoit shares, “I was able enjoy some quality family time since my daughter was home from college. I suddenly had lots of time on my hands to do all of the writing and arranging that I have always wanted to do for big band. Now I finally had the down time I needed to really focus and write new material for this new album.” A highlight on A Midnight Rendezvous is the rousing finale featuring three colossal and beautifully orchestrated big band tracks: “Generations,” “Waiting For Spring” and “Cabin Fever.” Benoit’s 12-piece powerhouse big band includes a blazing horn section that includes saxophonists Eric Marienthal and Sal Lozano, trumpeter Wayne Bergeron and trombonist Francisco Torres. Born in Bakersfield, California, David Benoit grew up in the South Bay of Los Angeles. He studied piano at age 13 with Marya Cressy Wright and continued his training with Abraham Fraser, who was the pianist for Arturo Toscaninni. He focused on theory and composition at El Camino College, studying orchestration with Donald Nelligan, and later took film-scoring classes taught by Donald Ray at UCLA. His education in music conducting began with Heiichiro Ohyama, assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and continued with Jan Robertson, head of the conducting department at UCLA. He began his career as a Musical Director and Conductor for singer Lainie Kazan in 1976 before moving on to similar roles with singer/actresses Ann Margaret and Connie Stevens. Benoit fell in love with jazz in 1965 after watching a Charlie Brown special on television and hearing the music of Vince Guaraldi. A pioneer and architect of contemporary jazz, highlights from David Benoit’s catalogue include the recordings Freedom at Midnight (1987), Waiting for Spring (1989), Shadows (1991), Letter to Evan (1992, a tribute to Bill Evans) and Here’s to You, Charlie Brown: Fifty Great Years (2000). Benoit has also recorded two albums with guitarist Russ Freeman: Benoit/Freeman Project (1994) and 2 (2004). His discography also includes the recording American Landscape (1997) and Orchestral Stories (2005), which featured his first piano concerto and symphonic work. Benoit’s 2012 CD Conversation garnered three Grammy nominations and 2 In Love (2015) joined him with vocalist Jane Monheit. Benoit’s film scores include The Stars Fell on Henrietta (1995), produced by Clint Eastwood, and The Christmas Tree, produced by Sally Field, which was voted ‘Best Score of 1996’ by Film Score Month. Benoit made his Shanachie debut in 2017 with So Nice, a collaboration with guitarist and lablemate Marc Antoine. David Benoit And Friends followed in 2019, uniting Benoit with labelmates Lindsey Webster, Marc Antoine and Vincent Ingala and longtime collaborators Peter While and Dave Koz, among others. A long-time guest educator with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, he received that organization’s Excellence in Music Award in 2001. In 2018, Benoit was given an honorary doctor’s degree in music from Five Towns College in New York. Benoit concludes, “I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to record over 40 albums and this recording best represents where I'm at as a composer, arranger and pianist.” Although titled A Midnight Rendezvous, Benoit’s latest collection of timeless anthems promise to meet you where you are anytime you are ready. | |||
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Thursday, January 20, 2022
Guitarist Chieli Minucci finds solace in “Someone’s Singing” jazz
The award-winning musician-composer drops his first acoustic guitar album on Friday
When the COVID-19 lockdown began in March 2020, Chieli Minucci had his wings clipped, abruptly pulling the plug amidst the three-time Emmy-winning and GRAMMY nominated musician-composer’s concert tour in support of his band Special EFX’s newly released album “All Stars.” As stress and uncertainty mounted, Minucci, like the rest of us, yearned for escape, peace and tranquility. His mind drifted back to when he was a teenager watching local talent play folk and classical guitar-based music in Greenwich Village’s legendary Folk City nightclub. He found the music performed at those shows to be soothing and mesmerizing. Those cherished recollections inspired Minucci to write and record his first acoustic guitar-based album, “Someone’s Singing,” which receives its official release on Friday.
Recording most of the twelve-track set in his New York City home studio proved to be calming and healing for Minucci, who wrote or co-wrote ten songs for the collection, some culled from his songbook from decades ago. Minucci produced, arranged and performed using his collection of acoustic guitars in addition to playing percussion, including a kalimba (African thumb piano). His nimble fretwork throughout is heartfelt, meditative, communicative, somber and sublime.
“I’ve been eager to share some of my more-gentle, understated playing and writing for some time now. For me, this project has a ‘spiritual’ quality: quite peaceful and even a bit folky. The concept for ‘Someone’s Singing’ was simple: keep it pristine and placid. I've been a longtime fan of acoustic guitar music, particularly folk and classical pieces,” said Minucci who took the album title from the lyrics of the opening track, an instrumental variation of the traditional “Kumbaya.”
“Someone’s Singing” is an album consisting of acoustic guitar etchings, a sparsely produced set featuring minimal accompaniment on three selections. Jerry Brooks’ probing, elastic basslines instill “New Faith,” an intimate and intricate song originally recorded in 1996. Fretless bassist Fernando Saunders brings structure to “Your Spirit,” an ethereal interlude preceding “Memories of Mother,” an emotional passage memorializing Minucci’s mother, Catherine. To him, she represented family honor and love, inspiring his silent pledge made upon her passing to facilitate peace and harmony in his own family, a goal he continues to strive towards in all relationships. Minucci’s late Special EFX partner, George Jinda, added his distinctive percussion to “Free Again,” an exquisite piece adorned by Steve Skinner’s evocative strings.
“‘Free Again’ is the last composition I wrote with the great percussionist George Jinda. His unique approach to rhythm was always a perfect match to my acoustic guitar style. Although the first section of this piece was written separately, the percussive part was completely improvised as we recorded it. Music is amazing like that, and in so many other ways,” said Minucci.
The official release of “Someone’s Singing” begins a prolific year for Minucci who will release Special EFX’s 40th anniversary album, “Twenty Twenty 2,” an elaborate production recorded with an army of collaborating musicians, on April 15 with a supporting concert itinerary that kicks off in mid-March.
“‘Someone's Singing’ stands in striking contrast to what I've been doing with Special EFX for all these years,” said Minucci, a busy band leader, film and television composer who has been releasing solo albums since the mid-nineties.
Minucci is a ten-time Emmy nominee who has written music for the small screen (“The Guiding Light,” “Dancing With The Stars,” “American Idol” and the “Good Morning America” theme), silver screen (“Bowfinger”, “Legally Blonde” and “Panic”), radio (Bloomberg Radio theme), and stage (live productions of “Peter Pan,” “Dora the Explorer” and “Thomas the Tank Engine”).” Beyond his band and solo projects, Minucci’s gifted guitarwork has afforded him extraordinary opportunities to record or perform with iconic artists including Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel, Mark Anthony, Michael Bolton and Eartha Kitt as well as his contemporary jazz colleagues Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Marion Meadows, Omar Hakim and many others. For more information, please visit https://chielimusic.com.
“Someone’s Singing” contains the following songs:
“Someone’s Singing (Kumbaya)”
“Bright Sky”
“Church”
“Dreaming Little Drummer Boy”
“Forks in the Road”
“Candlelight”
“Free Again”
“Liminality”
“New Faith”
“Cup of Love”
“Your Spirit”
“Memories of Mother”
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Monday, January 17, 2022
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - January 17, 2022 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
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When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Remembering Martin Luther King Jr's Famed 'I Have a Dream' - NPR Video #MLKDAY
On Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, we remember the civil rights leader's most famous speech, and King's remarkable legacy. He was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta. He gave the "I Have a Dream" speech on Aug. 28, 1963 to 250,000 people who marched to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill that created a federal holiday to honor King, celebrated on the third Monday in January.
Friday, January 14, 2022
Contemporary jazz guitarist Dr. Dave calls upon his HouseCall Band for a reimagined album #jazz
“G.B. Style” heads to radio as a single ahead of the March 4 release of “Carefree Revisited”
One could debate whether to call it a do-over or a mulligan, but contemporary jazz guitarist Dr. Dave calls it a revisit. The musician took his 2014 album, “Carefree,” and added his HouseCall Band to the tracks to reimagine the collection, which drops March 4 on Hatherill Records.
Dr. Dave felt that “Carefree” was missing something although he couldn’t quite put his finger on what that was until he recorded “Midnight Daydream” as a group project in 2018. Forming The HouseCall Band and adding the gifted ensemble’s unique skillsets and creative contributions to illumine the tracks, eight singles were successfully issued from “Midnight Daydream.”
“For the first time in my career, there was a newness and excitement that paved the way for me to further develop the concept of The HouseCall Band. It dawned on me that it was that dynamic full-band vibe that was missing from ‘Carefree’ – especially that full-bodied horn section energy. By altering the arrangements - some subtly, some more dramatically, we added the vibrant HouseCall Band aesthetic to the mix,” said Dr. Dave, the project’s producer and co-writer of five songs on the album.
Realizing the firepower that he now had on call, Dr. Dave asked the band’s sax and flute player, John Rekevics, to craft fresh horn arrangements for the material that first appeared on “Carefree.”
“John added some amazing flute parts that didn’t exist before, which help further define the songs and enhance my guitar solos. He did an incredible job texturing the tracks with his alto, soprano, baritone and tenor sax,” said Dr. Dave.
There are other noticeable changes and additions. Added to the song list is a version of the Dave Brubeck classic “Take Five,” which on “Carefree Revisited” takes on late-night nuances etched by Dr. Dave’s cool-toned electric jazz guitar and is graced by Derek Cannon’s muted trumpet and sultry vocal embellishments from Stellita Porter and Jackie Bonaparte. Another revision was adding Ignacio “Nacho” Sobres’s vocal improvs and scats to a fun reggae-jazz version of “Don’t Worry Be Happy.”
The HouseCall Band is a collective comprised of bassist Cecil McBee Jr., keyboardists Kevin Flournoy, Larry Logan and Rob Whitlock; drummers Ronnie Stewart and Duncan Moore; percussionist Tony Aros, marimba player Bill Harris, and rhythm guitarists Hank Easton and Steve Wilcox along with the aforementioned Rekevics, Cannon, Porter, Bonaparte and Sobres.
Preceding “Carefree Revisited,” radio will be serviced “G.B. Style” as a single, which goes for playlist adds on January 24. Dr. Dave wrote the song with Whitlock and Flournoy in tribute to R&B-jazz crossover legend George Benson whom Dr. Dave cites as a primary influence ever since he heard the icon’s guitar solo on “This Masquerade,” with Benson’s “Breezin’” album serving as a jazz primer for the then young fretman.
Dr. Dave released his debut album, “I Like It Like That,” in 1994, which was produced by Carl Evans Jr. and featured the keyboardist’s band, Fattburger. Evans Jr. mentored Dr. Dave, teaching the guitarist how to produce records. Honing his sound through the years while steadily assembling his own nine-album catalogue as a solo artist and/or band leader, Dr. Dave has recorded with jazz stalwarts Freddie Hubbard, Ernie Watts, Ronnie Laws and Hubert Laws. He’s also opened concerts for Stanley Turrentine, Buddy Guy and Marion Meadows.
According to Dr. Dave, the events of the last couple of years played a role in the timing of “Carefree Revisited.”
“Looking at what’s happened in the world these past two years, perhaps there was a reason I waited to revisit ‘Carefree’ until now. Life is more stressful than ever, and the music on the album is my contribution to alleviating it for a little while for those who listen. Specifically, ‘Carefree Revisited’ is about making music people can enjoy as a way to get away from their troubles – and finally producing it the way it was always meant to be done.”
“Carefree Revisited” contains the following songs:
“Carefree”
“Almost Trinidad”
“Come Together”
“‘C’ Jam Blues”
“Late Night with Dr. Dave”
“G.B. Style”
“Sylvia”
“Heck No!”
“Feels So Good”
“Take Five”
“Don’t Worry Be Happy”
For more information, please visit https://drdavehousecallband.com.
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Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Pianist Michael Silverman and Grammy-Winning Saxophonist Eric Marienthal Releast New Single, "Clearwater" #jazz
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Monday, January 10, 2022
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - January 10, 2022 #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.