THE SMOOTH JAZZ RIDE
Feb. 28, 2010 Feb. 21, 2010
Wayman Tisdale -- The Golden Style & Smile That Wooed Smooth Jazz
Undoubtedly one of the most beloved performers in the world of smooth jazz, bass player
Wayman Tisdale first dazzled the world with his basketball skills, playing twelve years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a power forward before turning his undivided attention to his first love: music. Let’s take a ride along the Wayman Tisdale route to stardom.
Releasing his first solo album in 1995 while still playing in the NBA, the smiling six-foot, nine-inch tall, 240-pound giant had released his sixth album by 2004. His first four albums reached Billboard's top ten chart and included the number-one hit "Can't Hide Love." He also contributed to other recordings as a writer and a producer.
The youngest of six children, Wayman was born on June 8, 1964, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where his father, the late Rev. Louis Tisdale served as the pastor of Tulsa's Friendship Baptist Church for over 20 years. When Wayman was young, his father bought each of his three sons a Mickey Mouse guitar, hoping at least one of them would take an interest in music. Wayman, who loved to watch the bass players at his father's church, was instantly enthralled and began to teach himself to play guitar and bass. Read more...
Joe Zawinul -- The Always-Sunny Forecast
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing the fantastic October 2005 live p
roject from Joe Zawinul with the WDR Big Band in tribute to Joe’s former supergroup, Weather Report . The live performance was captured in a CD released in 2007 entitled Brown Street. Simply put, it was both riveting and breathtaking. It spelled a description of what Joe and Weather Report had hoped to leave as a legacy. It certainly served as a description for part of that legacy. The loss of this profoundly talented musician who’d been named as Best Keyboardist by Downbeat magazine more times than I care to count will be felt for countless years to come. Let’s now recount Joe’s illustrious and prolific journey and again enjoy that which he defined and can be seen as some of the finest in fusion jazz.
Needless to say, Joe Zawinul was one of the most influential jazz musicians of the twentieth century. He was a pioneer in the use of electronic musical instruments, bringing the electric piano into the mainstream, and possessed an unparalleled ability to make the synthesizer an expressive musical instrument. He composed some of the best-known standards in jazz, including “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” and “Birdland.” With Wayne Shorter, Joe founded and led Weather Report, arguably the most successful band of post-sixties jazz. His unique ability to combine jazz with ethnic music from around the world blazed the trail for what would later be called “world music.” Ultimately, Joe carved out a unique musical voice that is immediately identifiable and defies categorization.
The Austrian-born artist’s musical talent was apparent at an early age, and after his grandfather gave him an accordion, young Joe was often called upon to perform at family gatherings. At the age of seven, Joe was selected for enrollment in the prestigious Vienna Conservatory, where he studied classical piano, clarinet and violin. Read more...
Feb. 14, 2010
Art Porter Jr. -- Energy Done Right
It was often said that the music of the late saxophonist Art Porter Jr. was the music preferr
ed by those who wanted their smooth jazz “not too smooth.” Well, if that meant infusing huge doses of funk and thick, telling bass lines, they certainly got what they wanted with this young man with energy to burn. To see Art Porter Jr. live—or just to listen to one of his albums--was to truly witness a soul-stirring experience through a prism of vivid colors of sound.
Art Porter Jr. was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 3, 1961, to an extraordinary musical family. His father, Art Porter Sr., was an outstanding musician and jazz pianist, much in demand in the local music venue. Starting off on drums and becoming part of his father's band, Art Jr. was drawn to the sax after noticing the melodic proficiency of his father and another band member, Leonard Johnson, who was his high school band director. He decided to drop the drums and get into the harmonics of music. The saxophone intrigued him with it being so close to the human voice. Porter picked up the sax and found that he had a natural affinity with the instrument. Needless to say, he became a premier saxophone player and composer.
The death of Art Porter Sr. in 1993 was a great loss for Little Rock and the jazz community. Many recall hearing Art Jr. playing a poignant “Amazing Grace” on saxophone at his father’s funeral in 1993. Reminiscent of that, Eric Struthers, a good friend of the artist, offered a heartfelt performance of that song on electric guitar at Art Jr.'s funeral service. Read more...
Feb. 7, 2010
Grover Washington, Jr. – The Loss Hurts, but the Love Heals
When we at TSJR first discussed doing this short series, I was incredibly excited
and driven. Once I began this first piece, a piece on the innovator, the cornerstone of what we know now as smooth jazz, I found that I was not only driven and excited to do it, but quite saddened by the thought that the grandchildren of our baby boomers will never really know this master saxophonist who owned smooth jazz in every way imaginable, Grover Washington Jr. It was a sobering moment when I first sat down to this labor of love, and I wondered if I could do it justice by presenting a worthy, though perhaps poignant, dedication to the man who defined all of this for us…and I found that I must. I owe that to him and to all who ever experienced him. Most importantly, I owe it to those who never knew the magic of the man, “Mr. Magic." His website offers a very concise statement that is so jarring and exact. It simply states:
For Grover Washington Jr., making music was always more than just recording hits, touring and selling records. It was about personal choices within a personal journey, the continual evolution of an artist creating a sound, a niche, and a style that became undeniably his own. There will never be another like him and we miss him dearly.
That alone gave me pause, made me take a huge breath before proceeding as I was stopped dead in my tracks by my sorrow, as well as my happiness at having experienced Grover.
It is certainly no secret that Grover Washington Jr, was one of the most popular saxophonists of all time. He was long the pacesetter in his field. His roots were in R&B and soul-jazz organ combos, but he also fared very well on the infrequent occasions when he played straight-ahead jazz. A highly influential player, Grover pushed himself with the spontaneity and risk-taking of a masterful jazz musician. Read more...
Jan. 31, 2010
Candy Dulfer – Goin’ Dutch Has Never Felt So Right
Performing since age seven, becoming an international recording artist at age nineteen,
and touring the world since age twenty, Dutch sax sensation Candy Dulfer has been grabbing and holding on to the bull’s horns for one long glorious ride into smooth jazz bliss.
Having recorded and/or performed with such artists as the inimitable and prolific Prince, the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart, Van Morrison, Maceo Parker, Sheila E., Mavis Staples, Lionel Richie, Beyoncé, Pink Floyd (yes, Pink Floyd!), Chaka Khan, David Sanborn, Larry Graham, Marcus Miller, Aretha Franklin, Jimmy Cliff, George Duke, Blondie, Jonathan Butler, and countless others, this sexy and energetic saxtress has compiled quite the impressive resume, to say the very least.
Her seduction of funk began in the smooth jazz world with “Lily was here,” her first collaboration with former Eurythmics Dave Stewart, in 1989. It was, besides being one of my (still-standing) all-time favs, a Number 1 hit all over Europe. In 1999, the two worked together on the soundtrack of the Robert Altman motion picture Cookie’s Fortune, and in 2002 they toured Europe with a new project, Da Univerzal Playaz, featuring reggae legend Jimmy Cliff. Read more...
Jan. 3, 2010
Paul Jackson, Jr. – Layin’ It Back, Kickin’ It Out
It’s quite the norm nowadays to turn on a TV music special or series and see renowned guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr. offering his sterling riffs and chords to some other ar
tist or contestant. Considering his remarkable talent and the fact that he has performed on more than 1,000 records, it is truly heartening to see this man stand in the shadows humbly and serve up some of the sharpest guitar work ever to complement—and compliment—artists of every walk of music—and that’s without talking about his jamming, funky solo work. You know what I think? He’d probably rather not boast about it, either. That’s just the quiet giant he appears to be. Why shout to the heavens about how great thou art when you’ve demonstrated it time and again and have the fans to prove it?
Jackson was born in Los Angeles, where he continues to live today. You can spot him or hear that telling guitar in the American Idol band, where he’s played since its inception, and will once again take his place on that stage in the upcoming season. He has also performed in the bands for the TV shows, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, America’s Got Talent, and Grease: You’re the One That I Want.
Jackson debuted as a solo artist in 1988 with the album I Came To Play. His sixth CD, Still Small Voice, included the smooth jazz singles “Walkin” and “It’s a Shame.” His latest CD, Lay It Back, featured the hit single “Easy Like Sunday Morning,” which has been a force on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 chart for quite some time. Read more...
Dec. 27, 2009
Norman Brown -- Smooth Jazz's Stormin' Personality
Smooth jazz guitarist Norman Brown, who just celebrated a birthday on Dec. 18, has bee
n having a torrid love affair with music since he was eight years old, after his family had relocated to Kansas City, MO, from Brown's birthplace of Shreveport, LA. It was in Kansas City that Brown first heard the mind-blowing brilliance of the late guitar icon and legend Jimi Hendrix, and he then became determined to make the guitar his life. The obligatory garage rock apprenticeship followed, but it was Brown's steelworker father who eventually introduced his son to the equally life-changing influence of the great, equally iconic Wes Montgomery and turned his talents toward jazz.
Celebration was followed, two years later, by the Grammy winning Just Chillin', spotlighting an altogether more laid-back sound and an array of top-tier supporting vocalists that included Michael McDonald, Chante Moore, Miki Howard, and others. Read more...
Dec. 20, 2009
Gerald Albright -- "The Musician's Musician"
The contemporary and straight-ahead collections of saxophonist Gerald Albright have es
tablished the Los Angeles-based musician as one of the most prominent artists around. Indeed, Albright was one of the ten featured saxophonists who performed at President Clinton’s inauguration. He was also featured at the Presidential Summit, as well as several private functions for the President.Having sold well in the neighborhood of 1.5 million albums in the U.S. alone, Albright’s self-produced music features him on bass guitar, keyboards, flutes, drum programming, and background vocals. Gerald has definitely earned the reputation as the “musician’s musician.” His latest effort, “Sax for Stax,” has been nominated for a 2009 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album. While congrats are definitely in order, when will we start recognizing these efforts as contemporary/smooth jazz??
Whether he is playing contemporary or straight-ahead jazz, Albright stands in a class all by himself. As one who approaches his music with love and fun, he is as much a very serious artist who obviously thrives on perfection. He is known for his swiftness on stage, his unique round sound, which is percussive yet soulful. He has the ability to surprise the audience with something out of the ordinary and always gives his audience what they come for - a great show. Read more...
Dec. 13, 2009
The Rippingtons -- Modern Art Since the `80s
The Rippingtons, under the guidance of the one consistent member and founder, guitarist/producer/com
poser Russ Freeman, have dazzled the smooth jazz masses since 1986. In the early to mid-90s, the group, which is known for a lot of theme-based recordings, was considered by many to be more of a jazz/rock instrumental band, but since 1999, they have been received into the Smooth Jazz embrace with much zeal. Let’s explore the prolific and rewarding ventures and discography of this contemporary wonder.The band's recording career began in 1986 with the recording of Moonlighting. The album was well-received by critics and consumers and featured the song "She Likes to Watch," which has gone on to become a staple of the band's live set and one of their signature tunes. In January 1988, the Rippingtons released Kilimanjaro and began to tour more extensively. Mark Portmann, Steve Bailey (replacing Bill Lanphier), and Jeff Kashiwa joined the band. They then released Tourist in Paradise. The tour for this album featured the group's first visit to Japan with David Benoit in 1989, where they joined the special summer concert series in Tokyo produced by Japanese saxophonist, Sadao Watanabe.
In August 1990, the album, Welcome to the St. James' Club, was released and became the band's first CD to debut at #1 in the Billboard Charts.
In 1991, Freeman relocated to Colorado and opened Cheyenne Mountain Ranch studios. The move influenced the group's next album, Curves Ahead, which featured songs based on the ski atmosphere in Colorado. Read more...
Dec. 5, 2009
Michael Lington--Vividly Off the Hook
Since the late 90s, saxophonist Michael Lington has produced hit after Top Ten hit wh
ile dazzling fans with his charismatic and electric live performances. After securing a success, A Song for You, his dynamic, critically acclaimed collection of 70s pop covers featuring lush arrangements and a full orchestra, Lington, who became a U.S. citizen in March 2008 (18 years after emigrating from Denmark) dove right back into the smooth jazz mix, his obviously comfortable niche, and produced a smoker appropriately titled Heat, his latest, on the NuGroove label.
The upper echelons of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and Radio & Records’ Jazz Chart are familiar territory for Lington, whose 2000 breakthrough album, Vivid, featured the #2 hit “Twice In A Lifetime,” and “Sunset (Por Do Sol),” which reached #4. Lington’s third release, Everything Must Change, was chosen as one of 2002’s top contemporary jazz recordings by Jazziz Magazine and spawned the Top 5 radio single, “Still Thinking Of You” and Top 30 hit “Off The Hook.”
2004’s Stay With Me, his first release on fellow sax superstar Dave Koz’s Rendezvous Music label, remained on Billboards Contemporary Jazz Chart for 24 weeks and yielded three major radio hits with “Show Me” (#2), “Two Of A Kind” (#2) and “Pacifica” (#6). A Song For You included two popular singles, “It’s Too Late” and “Tell Me All About It,” a duet with Koz. Read more...
Nov. 29, 2009
Paul Taylor – Still On the Horn and Burnin’
Having followed the saxophonist since his debut release, the Paul Taylor story takes 
on a special meaning for me. It not only takes me back to yet another real feel-good time in my life, but it chronicles the life and successes of one who has dazzled and remains dominant in a genre now totally inundated with sax players, from great to mediocre.
Taylor began playing sax at age seven and discovered his true calling while playing in a local high school garage band called “Mixed Company,” which played Top 40 tunes, funk, and fusion. Attempting to bolster his resume beyond the Vegas lounge gigs that marked his early professional life, he commuted often to Los Angeles and hooked up in the late 80s with Dino Esposito, who would later serve as his producer.
Performing one of Esposito’s sessions at the studio in the home of keyboard wiz Jeff Lorber had a lasting and rewarding effect, as, a few years later, in 1994, Lorber remembered Taylor and asked him to play with him at Art Goode’s Catalina Island Jazz Trax Festival. There, keyboardist extraordinaire Keiko Matsui and her producer/husband Kazu liked Taylor’s performance so much that they soon offered him an audition with their band. He recorded and toured with the Matsuis for two years (appearing on Sapphire and Dream Walk), and Kazu Matsui eventually produced the saxman’s debut release, On The Horn, which spawned the #1 radio hit “Till We Meet Again.” Read more...
Nov. 23, 2009
Down to the Bone -- Groovemeisters, Inc.
U.K.'s (and America's) Down to the Bone has been up to the task of pr
oviding quality acid jazz in the form of electrifying dance grooves since the band’s inception back in the late ‘90s. In fact, there was, I recall, a dance developed in dedication to the group’s knack for feel-good vibes.
DTTB founder and producer, Stuart Wade, that elusive but always present entity appearing in the credits of each release, states that the group’s secret formula is “all about the groove....that is what gets people dancing, their toes tapping and their heads nodding.”
As mentioned above, Wade formed the band back in the late 90s, where previous musical and business projects such as Internal Bass Records had given him the necessary experience to reach his musical goals. In 2001, Wade decided to go solo with the band and split from Internal Bass Records. With eight DTTB albums receiving critical acclaim and chart topping success in the U.S. contemporary jazz Billboard charts, and three compilation Jazz/Funk albums, it can be safely assumed that he made the right decision. Read more...
Nov. 15, 2009
Jackiem Joyner -- Today's Young Face of Smooth
When Jackiem Joyner was on tour with keyboardists Marcus Johnson and Bobby 
Lyle from 2001-2004, the two veteran greats came up with the perfect nickname for the rising saxman and his ultra-sensual, easy flowing vibe. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” they’d shout out, “give it up for Lil’ Man Soul!” How prophetic.
The title of his latest release, Lil Man Soul, suggests that the relatively new saxophonist has “graduated” or matured from his early musical infancy to what he represents here on this latest effort. That couldn’t be more correct, although, in my opinion, his growth began the moment he blew—no, caressed--the first note of his 2007 debut album, Babysoul. Here is an artist who is simply destined to be one of the finest in the business. The fact that the power horn duo, Richard Elliot and Rick Braun, heard and signed this young talent to their ARTizen Music label practically as soon as he was visible—and the fact that fantastic and iconic keyboardist Keiko Matsui recruited this talent to tour with her as her chief saxman-- speak volumes about the capabilities of Joyner.
Having briefly met the Virginia-born Joyner once when he appeared at the Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, VA, I was immediately taken by his quiet sense of humility. Extraordinary talent coupled with a humble nature. Is that not one of the most attractive combinations smooth jazzers can hope to encounter? It certainly is for me. Read more...
Nov. 8, 2009
Jeff Golub -- A Potent Mix of Blues and Smooth
Jeff Golub. The name alone should be an icon, just like the Nike icon or the “e” that sta
nds for Internet Explorer. Where else can you get your real fill of the gritty blues, R&B, and some hot pop/rock licks without ever leaving the arena of smooth jazz? At his core, this is a guy who simply must eat, sleep, and breathe the essence of the blues every single day of his life, and smooth jazz is the proud beneficiary of all the years he’s wrapped around rock, blues, and R&B. The energy, the intensity, and the power of his material and delivery are always something to behold either on record or in person. Add to that one of the truest and sunniest personalities around, and you wonder if Jeff Golub ever even imagines going through a day without marveling at his blessings.
Golub has cranked out nine solo albums and three albums as the leader of Avenue Blue (“Stockholm” and “Pick Up the Pieces.” Need I say more??).
Before becoming such a household name, Golub worked as a sideman to a number of very successful rock and pop artists, including his good buddy, rocker Billy Squier, who appears on Golub’s current (and first blues-only) release, “Blues For You.” He initially gained considerable notoriety for his work with Rod Stewart, with whom he played with from 1988 until 1995, performing on four albums and five world tours, as well as recording the live DVD “One Night Only” live at Royal Albert Hall. Read more...
Nov. 1, 2009
Douyé – Sultry Nigerian Nightingale
In a word: Wow! Newcomer Douyé brings such a freshness, such silkiness to our world of s
mooth jazz that she brought a beaming smile to my lips the moment I heard her belt out the first notes of the opening track on her 2008 debut CD, Journey, which can be previewed at Amazon.com (do yourself a favor, and get an earful of this one). Such sultriness, such a sense of belonging here. With splendid melodies and rhythms perfectly coloring her fine (oh-so-fine) vocals, she is easily on course to steal listeners’ hearts.
Hailing from Nigeria, one can’t help making the obvious comparison to another nightingale from that marvelous land, Sade. Make no mistake, each of these ladies holds her own identity, but the distinctive qualities of sassiness and breathy sexiness is more than evident.
Growing up influenced by such jazz and R&B legends as Peggy Lee, Ray Charles, Billie Holliday, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and, of course, Sade, the multi-faceted performer began singing in church at the age of seven and quickly began focusing on her future as a professional singer. By age ten, she was expressing herself through poetry, which led naturally to her development as a compelling songwriter. In her teens, she traveled to Europe to pursue her growing musical dreams, and she later immigrated to the United States to study voice at the acclaimed Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California. After graduating, the songstress continued honing her singing, songwriting, and musical direction, becoming a prolific writer and performing for audiences at clubs throughout the Los Angeles area. Read more...
Oct. 25, 2009
Stanley Clarke — Pioneer of the Bass Revolution
Everything has a beginning. We all know that. Oftentimes, beginnings are borne from revolut
ions. Revolutions are borne out of a burning need for change. So it was with master bassist and innovator Stanley Clarke from the very beginning. We all know Clarke from his creatively explosive years with Chick Corea and Return to Forever, but there are chapters far beyond that adventure. Let’s go there.
Exploding onto the jazz scene in 1971, Clarke was a product of the Philadelphia Academy of Music. He arrived in New York City and immediately landed jobs with the likes of Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Stan Getz, and one budding young pianist/composer named Chick Corea.
These musicians immediately recognized the outrageously impressive dexterity and complete musicality Clarke possessed on the acoustic bass, particularly at such a young age. Not only was he proficient at crafting bass lines and functioning as a timekeeper in the bass’ traditional role, but he also possessed a sense of lyricism and melody gained from his bass heroes Charles Mingus, Scott LaFaro, and others, including non-bass players like John Coltrane. Clarke recognized the opportunity to propel the bass into a viable melodic soloist role. It turns out that he was uniquely qualified to do just that. Read more...
Oct. 18, 2009
Randy Crawford – "Sweet Child of Charm"
Velvety
, innocent, and cute vocals with the sweetness of a child have always been a trademark of the classy and illustrious Randy Crawford. Since my exposure to her in the early 90s, I have been taken by this elegant vocalist who could and still does charm her way into the hearts of listeners with just one lilting, smiling note.
Georgia-born and Ohio-raised, Crawford’s first singing experiences were in church and at school in her early teens. Upon leaving school, she was a regular performer at the city's nightclubs, often accompanied by her father. She performed at one gig with a group whose line-up included Bootsy Collins, certainly having to be a treat for her. Let’s take a journey through the life and recordings of this great personality, shall we?
In 1972, she toured America as an opening act for George Benson, and, in 1975, Cannonball Adderley became interested in her career, inviting her to sing on his ’75 release, Big Man. Signing briefly with CBS and recording a debut single entitled “Don't Get Caught In Love's Triangle,” a song produced by Johnny Bristol, Crawford later signed with Warner Brothers in 1976, a label where she remained for 24 years. Read more...
Oct. 10, 2009
Spyro Gyra – 30+ Years of Adaptability & Quality
Talk about veracity and staying power. The powerhouse Buffalo, NY-based group, Spyr
o Gyra, has seen 30 years come and go without missing a beat (pardon the pun) in providing stirring, superior contemporary jazz. Jay Beckenstein, as much as icon as any in the business, is and has always been quite the entertainer, live and in the studio. Growing up listening to Louis Armstrong, Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie has obviously paid dividends for this prolific leader and sax man for the group. Add to that the longtime devoted and extraordinary skills of keyboardist Tom Schuman and guitarist Julio Fernandez, as well as the dazzling style and presence of Trinidadian drummer Bonny B and the mightily supportive bottom provided by bassist Scott Ambush, and you don’t have to wonder how the group stays at the top of its game--release after release. Their latest release, Down the Wire, again stakes a firm claim on the turf of smooth jazz.
Spyro Gyra emerged around Beckenstein and keyboardist Jeremy Wall who had met and formed a band during their high school years. Although they headed in different directions during college—Beckenstein to the State University of New York in Buffalo and Wall to Cal Arts—they spent summers together playing outdoor concerts, and Wall moved to Buffalo soon after graduating. Read more...
Oct. 3, 2009
Dé Naté -- A New Work of Art Emerges
The magic of the collaborative efforts of Deborah Connors, Nate Harasim, and 
Darren Rahn (aka Dé Naté) must have been evident to NuGroove Records president, David Chackler, from the very start. After being wowed by brilliant keyboardist/producer, Nate Harasim, in 2007 upon hearing his self-produced debut release, Next in Line, Chackler signed the artist, believing him to have the potential to become one of the top artist/producers in the Contemporary Jazz genre. I think he made a safe bet. Chackler later introduced Harasim to another NuGroove talent, hit-making producer/saxman Darren Rahn. The subsequent union resulted in Harasim’s second release, a truly well-conceived smooth jazz product, called Love’s Taken Over.
During this same period, Chackler had been developing a very talented singer/songwriter, Deborah Connors. Deborah was one of the top vocal coaches in Chicago and had been writing and producing her own music with Chicago-based writer, producer, and guitar phenomenon, Michael Powell. Deborah had been a veteran of the Chicago music scene and had worked at the legendary Chicago Trax Recording Studios with talents such as R Kelly, Ministry's Al Jorgenson, George Harrison, Liz Phair, Trent Reznor, as well as some of the great Chicago House artists such as Farley "Jackmaster Funk" and Joe Smooth, among others. She honed her talents while recording two of her own albums, doing commercials, and producing her own dance music album, Midnight Affair. When David Chackler heard the results of her work with Powell, he felt she was ready as a soloist and was just waiting for the perfect partner with whom she could produce and create. Where did this guy get such marvelous insight? Read more...
September 25, 2009
Richard Elliot -- The "James Brown" of Contemporary Jazz
Here’s an understatement for you: Since the 1980s, Richard Elliot has been among the top smooth jazz saxophonists. Period. However, if the sax giant had to categorize his music, he wouldn't necessarily call it jazz, at least not in the traditional sense. The Los Angeles-based tenor saxman tends to think of himself as essentially an R&B instrumentalist with jazz influences. Soul and funk are his foundation. He was, after all, a member of Tower of Power for five years.
For someone who is so R&B-minded, Elliot was born in a country—Scotland-- that is best known for bagpipes and Celtic music. The country did give us the Average White Band, and what a gift that was (and still is!). Being that as it may, Elliot did grow up in Los Angeles. And it was in L.A. that he started to make a name for himself as a session player in the 1970s, when he had a lucrative relationship with Motown Records and backed soul heavyweights like Smokey Robinson and The Temptations. After backing pop singer Melissa Manchester on tour, Elliot joined Tower of Power's horn section in 1982 and remained with that famous funk band until 1987. Elliot was still with Tower of Power when he signed with Manhattan Records and started recording instrumental solo albums. By the end of the 1980s, he was a major name in smooth jazz. He stayed with Manhattan/Blue Note until the late 1990s before moving to GRP with 2001's Crush. In 2005, he co-founded the ARTizen Music Group with trumpeter Rick Braun. That label signed Paul “Shilts” Weimar (of Down to the Bone fame), brilliant young saxman Jackiem Joyner, and hosted Jason Miles’ “To Grover With Love.” His current release, the hot n’ heavy Rock Steady, is on the Artistry Music label. In addition to his career as a musician, Elliot was a co-founder of PacificNet, an Internet multimedia company, and is also a pilot who often flies to his own performances. How cool is that? Read more...
September 17, 2009
Fourplay -- "Quintessential Quartet"
For nearly two decades, the spectacular and iconic contemporary jazz quartet known as 
Fourplay has enjoyed consistent artistic and commercial success by incorporating elements of R&B, pop, and a variety of other genres to their solid jazz foundations. In the course of ten recordings – five of which have climbed to the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album charts – the supergroup has continued to explore the limitless dimensions and permutations of jazz while at the same time appealing to a broad mainstream audience.
Fourplay emerged in 1990, with now legendary keyboardist Bob James, who had already established himself as a formidable figure in keyboard jazz as an instrumentalist/composer/arranger with solo recordings dating as far back as the mid 1960s. In 1990, during his recording of his Grand Piano Canyon album, James reunited with an old buddy, session drummer Harvey Mason, who’d enjoyed work with such greats as Herbie Hancock, Sergio Mendes, and James Brown. Also involved in the project were guitarist Lee Ritenour, who’d seen work with Sergio Mendes, and bassist/vocalist Nathan East, who’d jammed with the likes of Barry White, Eric Clapton, and Phil Collins. Read more...
September 9, 2009
Keiko Matsui—"Elegance in Motion"
I wrote years ago that, in my opinion, there were only a handful of truly great contemporary
jazz keyboardists and that Keiko Matsui, the Japanese sensation and virtuoso, was among my top three. I still feel very strongly about that. This beautiful pianist with a touch like no other is not only a virtuoso in the truest sense of the word, but she is humble to boot. Boasting well over 20 albums in her career, which began in the late 80s, Matsui has moved gracefully through the years and recordings with the ease of a soft mist over a quiet sea. The 1987 release of her beautiful debut album, A Drop of Water, featuring the late vocalist Carl Anderson, was a moving tribute to those who perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster just the year before, and each subsequent production has been that of a touching—and mesmerizing-- story of sorts.
Born in Tokyo in 1961 as Keiko Doi, she studied piano at the tender age of 5, honed her skills, reached the top of her class at the Yamaha Music Foundation, and followed a path that lead her to join the Japanese fusion jazz group, Cosmos, which recorded seven albums. Yamaha would later send the young pianist to the States to record an album. It was there that she met artist/producer Kazu Matsui (whose own recordings and productions were quite noteworthy) who would serve as producer of many of her albums. The two married shortly thereafter, and Keiko moved to the States. What a wonderful turn of events for jazz fans here! Read more...
September 1, 2009
Marcus Miller: "The Thumbslinger"
Marcus Miller has had such a long love affair with his bass, as well as with writing and producing music for so many artists that it’s hard to keep count. He’s been doing so for over 30 years for anyb
ody who’s anybody, including the late great Luther Vandross, Roberta Flack, David Sanborn, the iconic Miles Davis, and countless others.
Here is a personality that, despite all of his stellar accomplishments and his obvious skill, remains one cool, very approachable, and witty character with a charming sense of humor. Nicknamed "The Thumbslinger" by his peers for his relentless killer bass lines, the man earns his nickname each time he steps on stage or in a studio.
Miller is from a musical family (his father plays piano and organ), and he has a brother who played sax for a while, then DJ’d parties for a period of time. Miller says of him, “He knows every instrumental break in every R&B record of the seventies and eighties note for note!” Read more...