THE SMOOTH JAZZ RIDE
Current smooth jazz news
Mar. 10, 2010
Brian Culbertson to Tour With Tower of Power This Summer
Smooth jazz keyboardist Brian Culbertson, who says legendary band Tower of Power i
s one of his main musical influences, will be touring with the group this summer. Culbertson made the announcement on Tuesday (March 9) during a live video chat on his website.
Tour dates are expected to be announced soon. Tower of Power, this year celebrating its 42nd anniversary, has a long history with smooth jazz stars. Saxophonists Richard Elliot and Euge Groove both toured as members of the band before breaking out with their solo careers. Solo artist and trumpeter Greg Adams was also with the group, which now counts smooth jazz keyboardist Roger Smith as a member.
Culbertson, who has a Smooth Jazz Top 20 hit with “Go” and who will release a new CD this summer, is joining good company. The long list of artists who have co-headlined or opened for the band includes saxophonist David Sanborn in 2007.
Tower of Power, known for its brassy horn section, has had numerous hit singles over the years, including “You’re Still a Young Man,” “So Very Hard to Go” and “What Is Hip?”
Source: Smooth Jazz Network
Tom Braxton to Tour in The Netherlands
Smooth Jazz Europe has announced that saxman Tom Braxton will make his first European appearance on a jazz club tour in The Netherlands later this month. He will be performing in Amersfoort, Leeuwarden, Oosterwolde, Emmen and Groningen with several great sidemen from The Netherlands, including drummer Sietse Huisman. The tour will kick off on March 31 and last through April 4. These are the first concerts to be organized by Smooth Jazz Europe. For more information, visit the tour page at www.smoothjazz.eu.
Mar. 8, 2010
Grover Live, a New CD Documenting the Late, Great Saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. in a 1997 Concert To Be Released on G Man Productions on May 18
Recorded on June 7, 1997, at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, New Yor
k, Grover Live, produced by Jason Miles (Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, Sting), captures the consummate pro, Grover Washington Jr., in concert and at the peak of his powers, blowing with unbridled conviction and a sense of risk-taking on a collection of his tunes spanning three decades.
From familiar hits like "Winelight" and "Mr. Magic" to a medley of early numbers like "Inner City Blues," "Black Frost" and "Just the Two of Us" to more recent offerings like "Mystical Force," the hip-hop flavored "Uptown" and a contemporary spin on the old school groover, "Soulful Strut," Grover and his crew - Adam Holzman and Donald Robinson on keyboards and synthesizers, Gerald Veasley on electric bass, Richard Lee on guitar, Pablo Batista on percussion and Steven Wolf on drums - stretch out in dynamic fashion on this exhilarating live CD. Watch for it!
Mar. 4, 2010
Saxophonist Lynn Riley to Appear at Fundraiser to Benefit Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County will be hosting Lynn Riley, "Superwoman of the Sax,
" at Bucks County Community College in Newtown on March 27. The Jazz in Bloom concert will benefit Habitat's Youth United program and its goal to raise funds to build a home at the affiliate's current homebuilding site in Perkasie.
Bucks County residents, Steve and Diane Silverhardt, stepped forward to donate their time and talents to Habitat for Humanity to help plan this amazing event. The Silverhardts are responsible for inviting the very talented Lynn Riley, who is also donating her services for the evening.
"I've been part of an interfaith house support group for Habitat Philadelphia and decided to refocus my community involvement with my move to Bucks County," says Steve. "This concert is the first project of ours with Habitat Bucks and we couldn't be more excited about it."
"I am very happy to be donating my time and artistry for Jazz in Bloom. Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful organization helping people find decent housing, all the more needed in this time of economic crisis," said Lynn. "The concert will feature myself and my band, The World Mix, performing our brand of World Zoot, infectious melodies over driving funk and world rhythms. The band will feature sax, flute, piano, bass, drums and percussion. We hope people will come out to support this worthy cause as well as to revel in our uplifting and accessible contemporary jazz."
The Bucks County Community College is helping Habitat kick-off 2010 Youth United efforts and gladly agreed to host the concert at the Newtown Campus. The proceeds of the concert will go to help fund a handicap-accessible home for Habitat partner family, Brandon, a 23-year-old man paralyzed from the waist down due to a motorcycle accident.
"The accident has challenged and impacted every area of my life," says Brandon. "One of the greatest challenges has been finding a suitable place to live – I'm so grateful to have found the Habitat for Humanity homeownership program."
Brandon's home will be located at The Stitchery, Habitat's first-ever adaptive-reuse homebuilding program. In addition to containing two handicap-accessible homes, The Stitchery also keeps with Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County's building goals to meet ENERGY STAR® standards and an NAHB National Green Building Program™ rating.
Tickets for Jazz in Bloom are $15, $8 for students and free for kids under 10. Buy your tickets now at www.habitatbucks.org, by calling Beth at (215) 822.2812 x305 or by visiting the Bucks County Community College office.
Learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, Youth United and The Stitchery at www.habitatbucks.org. Learn more about Lynn Riley at www.lynnriley.com.
The Jazz in Bloom concert is sponsored by the Bucks County Student Government Association to benefit the Youth United program at Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County.
Mar. 2, 2010
18th Annual Capital Jazz Fest (June 4-6) Announces Talent Lineup
Since its inception in 1993, the Capital Jazz Fest — which guitarist Chuck Loeb once referred to as the "Woodstock of jazz festivals" — has continually showcased the biggest names in contemporary jazz. This year's Fest will be held June 4-6, 2010, at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.
Talent Lineup
Fri., June 4, 2010
PAVILION JAZZ STAGE
[To Be Announced]
Sat., June 5, 2010
PAVILION JAZZ STAGE
Ledisi
"G & Lee" featuring Lee Ritenour & Gerald Albright
Basia
Marcus Johnson
Esperanza Spalding
"Catch A Rising Star" (featuring B.K. Jackson, Althea Rene, Lin Rountree, & Phaze II)
SOUL STAGE
Cameo
The Family Stone
Laura Izibor
Johnny Gill
Down to the Bone with special guest Hil St. Soul
Omar
Sun., June 6, 2010
PAVILION JAZZ STAGE
Kenny G
Rachelle Ferrell
Nick Colionne & Eric Darius
David Benoit
The Jeff Lorber Fusion (featuring Eric Marienthal & Jimmy Haslip)
"Catch A Rising Star" (featuring Brian Simpson, Tom Braxton, U-Nam, & The Urban Jazz Coalition)
SOUL STAGE
The Brand New Heavies
Patrice Rushen
Groove Theory (featuring Amel Larrieux & Bryce Wilson)
Mint Condition
Naturally 7
[additional act TBA]
Tickets go on sale on March 6. Visit www.capitaljazzfest.com for more information.
Simply Red Announces Farewell Tour and CD Release
This yeaqr should prove to be a hugely significant year for Mick Hucknall and the band 
he founded in 1984. Having played more than 1,100 live shows to more than 11 million people in the past years, Simply Red have announced their last go-round, called Farewell: The Final Tour.
Simply Red will play their farewell shows this year, allowing Hucknall to pursue a solo career and begin a brand new chapter. They will say their farewells in South America in April, then Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Ireland and the UK from September to December, ending in the UK. There are no plans for shows in the U.S.
Hucknall’s first solo release, 2008’s Tribute to Bobby, a CD of music by American soul singer Bobby “Blue” Bland, featured the smooth jazz hit “Farther Up the Road.”
Tied to the farewell tour is the release of the group's latest CD entitled Songs of Love, which is now available in the U.K. It features Simply Red love songs and two brand new recordings. The first is “I Have The Love,” and the second is a new recording of “Beside You,” a song that appeared originally on the soundtrack to the movie What Dreams May Come.
Songs of Love will be available worldwide on March 8 through the Simply Red website.
Songs of Love track list
1. Say You Love Me
2. You Make Me Feel Brand New
3. Stars
4. You’ve Got It
5. For Your Babies
6. If You Don’t Know Me By Now
7. It’s You.
8. Beside You
9. Holding Back the Years
10. Smile
11. I Have the Love
12. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye
Source: Smooth Jazz Network
Feb. 24, 2010
THE 8th ANNUAL "JAZZ ON THE VINE" JAZZ FESTIVAL SET FOR 
MAY 7 -9, 2010
The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisccnsin Presents:
"JAZZ ON THE VINE" 2010
2 Days of Cool Jazz & More!
2010 Festival Line Up:
Friday, May 7, 2010
A Night of Jazz & Old School
Featuring Legendary & Grammy Award Winning Jazz Guitarist Earl Klugh
&
Legendary R & B Group The Average White Band
&
Davinia & The Vagabonds
Saturday, May 8th 2010
It's Jazz & More Jazz
Featuring:
Nick Colionne
also The guest MC
Greg Adams--East Bay Soul
Paul Taylor
Michael Lington
Tickets on Sale Now
For Ticket Information, visit http://www.jazzonthevine.net
Feb. 18, 2010
Cape Town International Jazz Festival to be Held April 3-4, 2010
The 11th Annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival will be held on Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. This festival has grown into a hugely successful international event since its inception in the year 2000. Attendance figures have increased from the initial 4,000 to 32,000 in the last ten years.
Jazz Festival Line Up
Jonathan Butler & Friends
Rachelle Ferrell
George Benson / 28 piece orchestra
Regina Carter
Ronnie Jordan Organ Trio
Toots Thielemans
McCoy Tyner
And many, many, more....
Visit http://www.capetownjazzfest.com/About.aspx for ticket details.
Feb. 17, 2010
Sade's Soldier of Love Standing Tall at #1 on Billboard
Nearly 10 years after its last studio effort, Sade is back with Soldier of Love, blasting in a
t No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with 502,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Solder of Love gives the group Sade its first No. 1 debut and her best sales week since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991. On top of that, it's the best sales week for an album by a group since rock group AC/DC's Black Ice bulldozed into the chart at No. 1 on the chart dated Nov. 8, 2008, with 784,000.
Soldier of Love is Sade's second No. 1 album. Its first, Promise, spent two weeks at the top of the chart in 1986. The new album is also the first studio effort from the band -- led by vocalist Sade Adu -- since Lovers Rock was released in November of 2000. That set debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 370,000 sold in its first week. Since its release, Lovers Rock has sold 3.9 million in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
All told, Sade has notched eight top 10 albums in a row on the Billboard 200 -- its entire output of albums, which stretches back to its Diamond Life debut in 1985. That total includes its six studio sets, one greatest hits (The Best Of) and one live recording (Lovers Live). With that feat of eight top 10s, Sade is the first group since rock group Led Zeppelin to see its first eight charting albums all reach the top 10.
Source: Billboard
Steve Oliver Unveils Track Listing For Upcoming Global Kiss CD
Smooth jazz guitarist and vocalist Steve Oliver has unveiled the track listing for his 
upcoming CD, Global Kiss, which will be released by SOM Entertainment on March 30. The seventh solo CD of his career is the first regular studio project since 2006’s Radiant. He released the holiday CD Snowfall in late 2006 and One Night Live in 2008.
Global Kiss features all original songs with titles such as “Fun in the Sun,” “Barcelo,” “Sunlight Within,” and “Take Me Away (Distant Shore).” It features special guests Darren Rahn and Marion Meadows on saxophone, and Tom Schuman, Alan Hewitt, and Bob Baldwin on keyboards. Other musicians include percussionist Humberto Vela, drummer Bonny B, and bassists Larry Antonio and Mel Brown.
Oliver is now offering a podcast of the making of Global Kiss at his website.
Oliver showcased the new songs, as well as previous material, at a special Valentine’s Day show at La Palapa del Mar in Long Beach, Calif. He will have record-release parties for the CD March 13 at Spaghettini Italian Grill and Jazz Club in Seal Beach, Calif., and April 1 at Voce Ristorante in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Global Kiss track listing:
1. Fun in the Sun (Oliver) – 3:49
2. Global Kiss (Oliver) - 4:11
3. Long Road (Oliver) - 4:21
4. Barcelo (Oliver) - 3:51
5. Life Goes On (Oliver) - 4:42
6. Ba Aye (Oliver) - 4:47
7. Sunlight Within (Oliver) - 4:34
8. Fearless (Oliver) - 4:18
9. Another Place [interlude] (Oliver) - 1:02
10. True Vision (Oliver) - 4:08
11. Take Me Away [Distant Shore] (Oliver) - 4:15
12. Angel Amore (Oliver) - 3:57
Source: Smooth Jazz Network
