Nat 'King' Cole, Christian McBride Discs Debut on Billboard Jazz Chart

A new compilation of the music of pianist and singer Nat 'King' Cole debuted on the Billboard jazz chart this week at number two.

The Very Best of Nat 'King' Cole was released this month as a companion to the documentary The World of Nat King Cole,
which debuts on PBS on May 17. It contains 28 of his pop and jazz hits,
including "Straighten Up and Fly Right," "Mona Lisa," and
"Unforgettable."

Other new entries on the chart included bassist Christian McBride's Live at Tonic at number six, vocalist Robin McKelle's Introducing Rob McKelle at number nine, drummer Bobby Previte's Coalition of the Willing at number 11, trumpeter Roy Hargove's Nothing Serious at number 13, and guitarist Ralph Towner's Time Line at number 20.

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Jazz Pianist John Hicks Dies at 65

John Hicks, a pianist who played with Art Blakey and Betty Carter before leading his own idiosyncratic groups, died yesterday, JazzTimes reports.

Born in Atlanta, Hicks studied at Lincoln University in Missouri and Boston's Berklee College of Music. In 1963, he moved to New York, where he spent two years in Blakey's Jazz Messengers, two years in Carter's group, and two years in Woody Herman's big band.

In the 1970s, he began leading his own groups, on albums that ranged from "melodic, accessible hard-bop to challenging, fringish post-bop," according to JazzTimes. His sidemen included bassist Walter Booker, drummer Idris Muhammad, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Ron Carter, saxophonist Joshua Redman, and trumpeter Clark Terry; he also recorded regularly with his wife, flutist Elise Woods. Among his late albums were tributes to Mary Lou Williams, Billy Strayhorn, Sonny Clark, and Earl Hines.

He also appeared regularly with saxophonist David Murray, the Mingus Big Band, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, among others.


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Smooth Jazz Top Ten Week Ended 5/12/06

LW TW Artist Title (Label)
1 - 1 - Paul Brown - "Winelight" (GRP/VMG)
3 - 2 - Najee - "2nd 2 None" - (Heads Up International)
4 - 3 - Brian Culbertson - "Let's Get Started" - (GRP/VMG)
2 - 4 - Nils - "Summer Nights" (Baja/TSR)
5 - 5 - Philippe Saisse - "Trio Do It Again" (Rendezvous)
7 - 6 - Richard Elliot - "Mystique" (Artizen)
6 - 7 - Kim Waters - "Steppin' Out" (Shanachie)
8 - 8 - Michael Lington - "Pacifica" (Rendezvous)
9 - 9 - Mindi Abair - "True Blue" (GRP/VMG)
10 - 10 - Ramsey Lewis - "Oh Happy Day" (Narada Jazz/EMI)


Visit radioandrecords.com to view the latest complete Smooth Jazz ® National Airplay© listings.

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Newport Jazz Festival Veers Slightly Back Toward Pop

After two years of a resolutely straight-ahead format, the JVC Jazz Festival Newport will throw some pop and contemporary jazz into the mix this year.

The 2006 schedule for the 52-year-old festival, which runs August 11-13, includes such jazz stalwarts as pianist Dave Brubeck, bassist Avishai Cohen, and vocalist Jane Monheit, but it also includes the crossover trumpeter Chris Botti, making his Newport debut; Beninese vocalist Angélique Kidjo; the jazz-rock trio The Bad Plus; and legendary pop-jazz singer Al Jarreau.

The festival remains much more jazz-oriented than it did before 2004, when impresario George Wein assembled an all-jazz lineup in celebration of the festival's 50th anniversary.

Also on the schedule: a salute to Frank Sinatra by singer and guitarist John Pizzarelli, rising young pianist Robert Glasper, New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, guitarist Mark Ribot, pianist Hiromi, saxophonist Marty Erlich, and pianist and vocalist Andy Bey.

Saxophonist James Carter will lead an all-star group in the music of the rock band Pavement; tap dancer Savion Glover will appear with a jazz group. Wein, a onetime jazz pianist, will make a rare appearance with an ensemble called the Newport All-Stars.

Tickets go on sale today, and are available at www.ticketweb.com or by calling 866-468-7619.

By Ben Mattison - playbillarts.com

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This week's releases

Chris Standring, Soul Express [Trippin ‘n’ Rhythm Records]
John Ellis, By A Thread [Hyena Records}
Bolero Jazz, Bolero Jazz [Sony International]
Harry Connick Jr., Harry's Broadway 1 [Sony]
Eddie Daniels Quartet, Mean What You Say [IPO Recordings]
Tineke Postma, Tineke Postma "DVD" [215 Records]
Eric Reed, Here [Max Jazz Records]
Chris Byars, Night Owls [Night Owls]
Jeff Gauthier, One And The Same [Cryptogramophone]
Bennie Maupin, Penumbra [Cryptogramophone]
Toots Thielemans, One More For The Road [Verve]
Donald Harrison, Survivor "IMPORT"
Marcus Monteiro, Mm4
Tineke Postma, Tineke Postma
Dafnis Prieto, Absolute Quintet
Quintetto Lo Greco, Snap Count "Italy"

Information provided by contemporaryjazz.com

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Upcoming Jazz Releases - 5/9/06

Aaron Goldberg - Worlds (Wea)
Barbara Dane - The Tradition Years (VI) - Reissue
Bennie Maupin - Penumbra (Cryptogramophone)
Benny Goodman - Swiss Radio Days Vol. 14 - Lausanne 1950 (TCB) - Reissue
Billy Cotton and His Band - Wakey Wakey (Castle) - Reissue
Bolero Jazz - Bolero Jazz (Sony)
Carlos Sarduy - Charly En La Habana (Universal Music Latino)
Charles Mingus - Thrice Upon a Theme (Aim) - Reissue
Charlie Barnet - Live at Basin Street East (Hep) - Reissue
Chris Bryars - Night Owls (Smalls)
Chris Standring - Soul Express (V2)
Cordovan - Highway 10 Blues (Reincarnate)
Dafnis Prieto - Absolute Quintet (Zoho)
Deidre Rodman - Twin Falls (Wea)
Eddie Daniels - Mean What You Say (Ipo)
Eric Reed - Here (Max Jazz)
Gerry Gibbs and the Thrasher Big Band - Live at Luna (Whaling City)
Gloria Lynn / Stanley Turrentine - Flipped Out on Love (Aim) - Reissue
Harry Connick, Jr. - Harry's Broadway 1 (Sony)
Hustler-E - Wacocaine II: God, Money & Gun (On My Hustle)
Isham Jones - Blue Room 1933-36 (Hep) - Reissue
Jeff Barnhart - In My Solitude (Arbords)
Jeff Gauthier - One and the Same (Cryptogramphone)
Jiggs Wigham - Two-Too (Summit)
John Ellis - By A Thread (Hyena)
John Stetch - Bruxin'20 (Justin Time)
John Stetch - Concierto Internacional de Jazz (Whaling City)
Julien Kasper Band - New Imperial (Nugene)
Liberty Ellman - Ophiuchus Butterfly (PI)
Marcus Monteiro - Mm4 (Whaling City)
Moca - Tempomat (Blue Flame)
Nancy King - Live at Jazz Standard (Max Jazz)
Ophiuchus Butterfly - Liberty Ellman (Pi Recordings)
Pat Metheny Group - Quartet (Nonesuch) - Reissue
Pat Metheny Group - We Live Here (Nonesuch) - Reissue
Pete McCann - Most Folks (Omnitone)
Quintetto Lo Greco - Snap Count (Schema)
Ramona Borthwick - New Leaf (Whaling City)
Rossano Sportiello - Heart and Soul (Arbors)
Roy Nathanson - Sotto Voce (AUM)
Sao Paulo Underground - Sauna: Um, Dois, Tres (Aesthetics)
Scott Neumann - Scott Neumann and Osage Country (Summit)
Susi Hyldgaard - Blush (Enja/Justin Time)
Ted Weems - Essential Ted Weems 1923-1930 (Retrieval) - Reissue
Tineka Postma - Tineka Postma (Innovative) - DVD-Video
Toots Thielemans - One More for the Road (Verve)


Information provided by allaboutjazz.com

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Legends of Jazz Disc Debuts on Billboard Jazz Chart

Legends of Jazz: Showcase, a CD/DVD set of live performances drawn from the new PBS jazz series, debuted on the Billboard jazz chart this week at number seven.

The album includes performances by trumpeter Chris Botti, saxophonist David Sanborn, pianist Chick Corea, trumpeter Clark Terry, pianists Dave Brubeck and Billy Taylor, and pianist Ramsey Lewis, the show's host. Tracks include Brubeck's "Take Five" (performed by singers Al Jarreau and Kurt Elling), "My Funny Valentine," and "Take the A Train."

Also new to the chart were compilations titled Jazz Vocalists: Hear & Now (number eight) and Golden Legends: Jazz Legends (number 25).

Michael Bublé's It's Time continued its long run at number one. The album has spent the last 18 weeks, and 53 of the last 64 weeks, in the top spot.

On the contemporary-jazz chart, Herbie Hancock's Possibilities reclaimed the number-one spot, a week after Mindi Abair's Life Less Ordinary debuted at number one. Abair's album fell to number two.

The sole new entry was flutist Nestor Torres' Dances, Prayers, and Meditations for Peace, at number 18.

By Ben Mattison - playbillarts.com

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Avishai Cohen Celebrates New Album at The JVC Jazz Festival

Bassist/composer Avishai Cohen offers to the world his spectacularly beautiful new recording Continuo, a project that gloriously combines the influences of classical and Middle Eastern music and jazz. "These elements together produced the combination of sounds I was looking for, and created a nice balance between composed and improvised music, " says Cohen.

Continuo (the follow up to the critically acclaimed At Home) displays the magic of a working band, "which in this music is stronger than any concept, " adds Cohen. He continued, "I'm very grateful to have two young masters (pianist Sam Barsh and drummer Mark Guiliana) of their instruments with me to convey that they are, on one hand, young in their ever thirsty minds for more information, and, on the other, old enough in their souls to emotionally express themselves on a very high level through the compositions." The trio, a crackerjack unit that has been delighting audiences around the world for almost three years, welcomed into the fold a long-time collaborator of Cohen's, fellow Israeli Amos Hoffman, who contributed his singular oud playing to several tracks. Avishai explains, "a lot of the new material on Continuo has a through-composed, classical music-like nature to it, as well as open sections for solos. In addition to that, there are strong Middle Eastern influences in some parts of the compositions. Contemplating the material for the album, I realized I wanted an additional color added to the trio in order to enhance those influences. There was only one man for the job, Amos Hoffman. "I'm excited and proud to offer you some moments of my life once again, reflected through the music, " says Cohen.

Continuo will be released by Sunnyside Records on May 23, 2006 and distributed by RykoDisc in the U.S. The Avishai Cohen Trio will play at The NYC JVC Jazz Festival, headlining a triple bill at Irving Plaza on June 15, 2006 with Groove Collective and the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.

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Snooth Jazz Top Ten | Week Ended 5/5/06

LW TW Artist Title (Label)
1 - 1 - Paul Brown - "Winelight" (GRP/VMG)
3 - 2 - Nils - "Summer Nights" (Baja/TSR)
2 - 3 - Najee - "2nd 2 None" - (Heads Up International)
4 - 4 - Brian Culbertson - "Let's Get Started" - (GRP/VMG)
6 - 5 - Philippe Saisse - "Trio Do It Again" (Rendezvous)
5 - 6 - Kim Waters - "Steppin' Out" (Shanachie)
7 - 7 - Richard Elliot - "Mystique" (Artizen)
8 - 8 - Michael Lington - "Pacifica" (Rendezvous)
10 - 9 - Mindi Abair - "True Blue" (GRP/VMG)
9 - 10 - Ramsey Lewis - "Oh Happy Day" (Narada Jazz/EMI)


Visit radioandrecords.com to view the latest complete Smooth Jazz ® National Airplay© listings.

Technorati Tags: Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Music

Jazz Journalists Association Announces Nominees for Annual Awards

Pianist Andrew Hill, drummer Paul Motian, and saxophonist Sonny Rollins are among the leading nominees for the Jazz Journalists Association's annual jazz awards, the JJA announced.

The awards will be presented at a gala at B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill in Manhattan on June 19.

Hill was nominated for the lifetime achievement award, musician of the year award, pianist of the year award, jazz album of the year award for Times Lines, and boxed set reissue of the year award, for Mosaic Select, and his quintet was nominated for small ensemble of the year. Motion was nominated for the lifetime achievement award, musician of the year award, and drummer of the year; Rollins was nominated for musician of the year, tenor saxophonist of the year, and album of the year for Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert.

Two of the nominations for jazz album of the year went to newly discovered recordings by jazz greats: Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie's Town Hall 1945 and Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane's At Carnegie Hall. The remaining nomination went to Fred Hersch's Leaves of Grass.

The other nominees for musician of the year are trumpeter Dave Douglas, saxophonist Joe Lovano, and reed player Ken Vandermark. In addition to Hill and Motion, drummer Roy Haynes, saxophonist Lee Konitz, and pianist Marian McPartland were nominated for the lifetime achievement in jazz award.

Click here for a list of nominations.


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Lee Ritenour's New CD: Smoke n' Mirrors

Great news from guitarist Lee Ritenour.

He has just wrapped up production on a brand-new CD called Smoke n’ Mirrors, which will be his first released for Peak Records. The new CD is his first of all-new material since “Rit’s House” in 2002. Freeman says the upcoming CD is influenced by World Music and has numerous featured musicians from Brazil and Africa.

Although most of the tunes will be instrumentals, Lee is featuring a 21-year-old female artist from South Africa named Zamajobe for one track. Other vocal songs have the female singer Joyce and 33-year-old Daniel Jobim, the grandson of the late Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was in 1997 that Ritenour released the first of his popular Twist Of CDs called A Twist of Jobim, that featured numerous smooth jazz stars.

Smoke n’ Mirrors will be available this summer.

An original post by Brian Soergel at Smooth Jazz Notes

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Bob James | Urban Flamingo

Bob James has never decided whether he's a jazz musician or an R&B musician. He doesn’t have to—he can be both, simultaneously, playing funky, infectious tunes that are melodic and groove hard. Urban Flamingo, his most recent effort, could be written off simply as “lifestyle music,” or smooth jazz doomed to become background ambience at wine tastings and on weekend boat trips. But pay more attention to James’ compositions and soloing and you’ll find there is much more at work here.

Urban Flamingo features James with his Michigan-based quintet of bassist Al Turner, drummer Ron Otis, guitarist Perry Hughes and saxophonist David McMurray. The disc opens with “Choose Me,” which has James jamming over the chord changes of a funky blues. While the primarily electric instrumentation and McMurray's often syrupy saxophone playing will undoubtedly turn off mainstream-minded listeners, they will appeal to those who are looking for a pop or R&B-oriented jazz sound.

Of the many guests present on the disc, highlights include the leader's daughter, Hilary James, who takes a pleasant vocal turn on “Lay Down with You,” which she co-wrote; and bassist Nathan East (of James’ Fourplay supergroup).

The hands-down highlight of the disc is “Niles Ahead,” which harkens back to James’ work from the 1970s. This acoustic tour de force allows James and his rhythm section the chance to really show off their jazz chops. It’s a pity there isn’t more of the same on Urban Flamingo. This piece leaves me hoping that James will consider an album of acoustic tunes in the near future.

Review by Tracey Nolan - allaboutjazz.com
Visit Bob James on the web.

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Matern (Matt) Otten

Matern (Matt) Otten started his musical career with classical guitar training, but soon became interested in jazz. Over the years he has become a respected jazz guitarist, who has lead his own groups and has worked with great musicians, and whose classical background is often still apparent in the subtlety of his technique and strong sense of melody and musical form.

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Upcoming Jazz Releases | May 2, 2006

Al Greene - The Belle Album (The Right Stuff) - Reissue
Alejandro Escovedo - Boxing Mirror (Narada)
Andrey Zvyagintsev - The Return (ECM)
Anne Ducros - Piano Piano (Koch)
Black Ox Orkestar - Nisht Azoy (Caroline)
BlueRidge - Gettin' Ready (Pinecastle)
Bob James - Foxie (Koch)
Bob James - Taxi:Genie (Koch) - Reissue
Bobby Previte - Coalition of the Willing (Ropeadope)
Bucky & John Pizzarelli - Best of Bucky & John Pizzarelli (LRC)
Christian McBride - Live at Tonic (Ropeadope) - 2+ CDs
Connie Francis - Sings Italian Favorites/More Italian Favorites (Beat Goes On) - Reissue
Dave Rempis Percussion Quartet - Rip Tear Crunch (482 Music)
Djagno Reinhardt - Memorial (Empire) - Reissue
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - The Birth oif a Band: Isle of Wight Festival (ReD) - DVD-Video
George Shearing - Live Jazz from Club 15 (Request) - Reissue
Glenn Miller - Live from club 15 (Tradition Alive) - Reissue
Gumbi Ortiz - Miami (Kwip)
Jean-Luc Ponty - Cantaloupe Island (Beat Goes On) - Reissue
John Zorn - Moonchild (Tzadik)
Katahdin's Edge - The Ridge (Incline Records)
Larry T-Byrd Gordon - Communication with Da Byrdman (Lame)
Leni Stern - Love Comes Quickly (Megaforce)
Mackrosoft - Antonio's Giraffe (Koch)
Nik Bartsch's Ronin - Stoa (ECM)
Pop Staples - Live in Concert (Select-O-Hits) - DVD-Video
Ralph Towner - Time Line (ECM)
Randy Bachman - Jazz Thing: Live in Concert (Ranbach) - DVD-Video
Richard Galliano - PIazolla Forever (Kich) - DVD-Video
Robin McKelle - Introducing Robin McKelle (Koch)
Roy Hargrove - Nothing Serious (Verve)
Roy Hargrove / RH Factor - Distractions (Verve)
Shirley Scott - On a Clear Day (Impulse!) - Reissue
Stan Getz - Live Jazz at Club 13 (Request) - Reissue
Woody Herman - Live from Club 15 (Tradition Alive) - Reissue


Information provided by allaboutjazz.com

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New Releases | May

Roy Hargrove, Nothing Serious [Verve, 5/2]
The RH Factor, Distractions [Verve, 5/2]
Robin McKeele, Introducing Robin McKeele [5/2]
Gumbi Ortiz, Miami [5/2]
Bobby Previte, The Coalition Of The Willing [Ropeadope Records, 5/2]
Leni Stern, Love Comes Quietly [5/2]
William Parker Quartet, Sound Unity [Aum Fidelity, 5/2]
Yellowjackets, 25 CD/DVD [Heads Up International]
Chris Standring, Soul Express [Trippin ‘n’ Rhythm Records, 5/9]
John Ellis, By A Thread [Hyena Records, 5/9]
Bolero Jazz, Bolero Jazz [Sony International, 5/9]
Harry Connick Jr., Harry's Broadway 1 [Sony, 5/9]
Eddie Daniels Quartet, Mean What You Say [IPO Recordings, 5/9]
Tineke Postma, Tineke Postma "DVD" [215 Records, 5/9]
Eric Reed, Here [Max Jazz Records, 5/9]
Chris Byars, Night Owls [Night Owls, 5/9]
Jeff Gauthier, One And The Same [Cryptogramophone, 5/9]
Bennie Maupin, Penumbra [Cryptogramophone, 5/9]
Toots Thielemans, One More For The Road [Verve, 5/9]
Donald Harrison, Survivor "IMPORT" [5/9]
Marcus Monteiro, Mm4 [5/9]
Tineke Postma, Tineke Postma [5/9]
Dafnis Prieto, Absolute Quintet [5/9]
Quintetto Lo Greco, Snap Count "Italy" [5/9]
Planet Jazz, In Orbit [Sharp Nine 1036, 5/16]
Diana Ross, Blue [Motown/UMe, 5/16]
Maucha Adnet, The Jobim Songbook [Kind of Blue Records 10003, 5/16]
Dave Douglas Quintet, Meaning and Mystery [Greenleaf 004, 5/16]
Ignacio Berroa, Codes [Blue Note Records, 5/16]
Bill Evans, Soul Bop Band Live [Bhm Productions, 5/16]
Ernie Watts - The Ernie Watts Quartet Live - DVD — 1986 [Music Video Distributors, 5/16]
Herb Ellis - Live - DVD [Music Video Distributors, 5/16]
Louis Armstrong - King of Jazz - DVD [Music Video Distributors, 5/16]
Eddie Gomez, Art Of The Heart [Art Of Life Records, 5/16]
Blue Mitchell, Stablemates [Candid Records, 5/16]
Planet Jazz, In Orbit [Sharp Nine, 5/16]
John Coltrane, A True Innovator DVD [Music Video Distributors, 5/16]
Andy Snitzer - Some Quiet Place [Native Language Music, 5/16]
Christian McBride, Live at Tonic - 3 CDs [Ropeadope, 5/16]
Roy Ayers, Perfection [5/16]
Al Di Meola, Vocal Rendezvous "Canada" [5/16]
Joe Magnarelli, Hoop Dreams "Netherlands" [5/16]
Masters Of Groove, Masters Of Groove Meet DJ-9 [5/16]
John Moulder, Trinity [5/16]
Nelson Padron, Musica Original De Cuba [5/16]
Jean-Luc Ponty, Canteloupe Island (REISSUE 1969) "UK" [5/16]
Marlena Shaw, Free Soul "JAPAN" [5/16]
Thievery Corporation, Versions [5/16]
Tunnels, Natural Selection [5/16]
Marion Meadows, Dressed To Chill [Heads Up International, 5/23]
Diego Urcola, Viva [CamJazz 5015, 5/23]
Xiomara - Xiomara [Chesky, 5/23]
Nomo - New Tones [Ubiquity Recordings, 5/23]
Bobby Lyle, TBA [Heads Up International, 5/23]
Chieli Minucci DVD
Ray Mantilla - Good Vibrations [Savant 2073, 5/23]
Tuck & Patti - Pure Tuck & Patti [Windham Hill Records, 5/23]
Melvin Sparks - Groove on Up [Savant 2073, 5/23]
Everette Harp, In The Moment [Shanachie Records, 5/23]
Liquid Soul, One-Two Punch [Telarc, 5/23]
Bobby Previte, Coalition of the Willing [Ropeadope, 5/23]
Tuck & Patti, Pure Tuck & Patti [Sbme / Legacy, 5/23]
Michael Bolton, Bolton Swings Sinatra [5/23]
Michel Camillo /Tomatito, Spain Again [5/23]
Dr. John, Mercenary [5/23]
Ed Palermo Big Band, Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance [5/23]
John Zorn, Moonchild [5/23]
Harvey Mason, Marching In The Street "GERMANY" [5/29]
Jill Jenson, Jill Jenson [5/30]
Keefe Marzell, Drawn Windows [5/30]
United Future Organization, Ufos For Real: Scene 1 U [5/30]
Rob White, Let It Ride [5/30]
Ann Hampton Callaway, Blues Night [Telarc]
Frank Kimbrough, Play [Palmetto]
John Lee Hooker, Cold As Ice [Telarc]
Marilyn Scott, Innocent Of Nothing [Prana Ent., 5/30]

Information provided by contemporaryjazz.com

Technorati Tags: Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Music