Today's Smooth Jazz Playlist...

Dennie

Klipsch La Scalas
I searched and couldn't find a "Smooth Jazz" playlist, so I'll start one...


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((( Kickin' It Up))) -- CD

Gerald Albright

2004 GRP Records

He gets better and better.... July 21, 2004
By Tawana Hawkins
Format:Audio CD

Like the last reviewer, this cd has not left my cd changer. There is something for every jazz lovers taste. Frankly, I was surprised that more reviews hadn't been written. There are beautiful interpretations including If You Don't Know Me By Now and Condition of My Heart featuring Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men. I particularly enjoyed the tribute to Jr. Walker simply titled Walker's Theme. Other favorites include 4 On The Floor and Throw Yo Hands (In The Air). There is one song that stands above all the others in my heart and mind. It is Father's Lullaby which he lovingly plays and dedicates to the memory of his father. The emotion and passion with which he plays is unmistakable. You can't help but be moved by his heartfelt expression of love and the pain that comes with losing such a significant part of his life. This is an extraordinary cd!

Track Listing
1. 4 on the Floor
2. To the Max
3. Why Georgia?
4. Walker's Theme
5. Condition of My Heart
6. Throw Yo' Hands (In the Air)
7. Father's Lullaby
8. On the One
9. Kickin' It Up
10. If You Don't Know Me By Now
 
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The City -- CD

Paul Brown

2005 GRP Records

The City opens up in with the funky and sensuous "Cosmic Monkey" featuring Jeffrey Osbourne's slinky overdubbed harmonies. "Hello Again" is Wes Montgomery-breezy soul samba. Next up is "Side Steppin'"s high-spirited blast of '80s-era disco jazz. "The City"'s dreamy blend of Boney James' soulful tenor saxophone, shivery keyboards, boogaloo congas, bluesy guitar and cognac-smooth jazz vocal follows.

"Las Vegas" is an exuberant congress of dancing guitar licks, Michael Paulo's throaty sax and a bouncing hip-hop swing beat. "Old Friends" is a quiet fire ballad caressed by Brown and James' tender interplay. "Winelight"'s blend of Brown's Grover Washington, Jr.-channeling solos and tasty club beats is complemented by the silky-smooth party starter "Jumpin' Uptown." "Food For the Moon"'s cool 'n funky hip-hop jazz groove flows into a faithful/playful voice box-juiced version of Johnny "Guitar" Watson's "Reel Mutha For Ya." Fittingly, the album closes with the sublime Brown/James chillout duet "The City (Instrumental)."

The City proves beyond a doubt that Paul Brown is one of the most exciting and important guitarists in contemporary jazz.

Track Listing

1. Cosmic Monkey
2. Hello Again
3. Side Steppin'
4. City, The
5. Vegas, Las
6. Old Friends
7. Winelight
8. Jumpin' Uptown
9. Food for the Moon
10. Real Mutha for Ya
11. City, The - (instrumental)
 
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It Just Happens That Way - CD

Mindi Abair

2003 GRP Records

It Just Happes That Way - Mindi Abair, December 8, 2006
By Dogfarm5 "HAS Member" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: It Just Happens That Way (Audio CD)

As this is the first CD that I have listened to from this artist I had no idea as to her style and presentation. Like so many listeners, there are quite a number of CD's that I have purchased where only one or two cuts are worth the effort to play. This CD definitely does not fall into that category. The energy that is put into each cut is truly outstanding. We have an audiophile club here in Houston and when I played this CD at one of our meetings, the question of who is this artist? was requested by at least half of the members present. IMO, this CD is well worth the purchase and this is an artist that ones needs to have in their library of music.

Track listing

1. Lucy's
2. Flirt
3. Save the Last Dance
4. As Good as It Gets
5. Save Tonight
6. Right On
7. It Just Happens That Way
8. Salt and Lime
9. Momo
10. Play
11. Remember
12. Home



Bonus Picture.......


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Larry & Lee -- CD

Lee Ritenour & Larry Carlton

1995 GRP Records

Double Your Pleasure
, June 21, 2001
By Russell Diederich (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)
This review is from: Larry & Lee (Audio CD)

There is something special about two guitarists trading licks back and forth. Funny how four years after this album Larry Carlton would end up replacing Lee Ritenour in the group Foreplay. This album will not disappoint you if you're a fan of either guitarist. Both men are incredibly talented with the guitar, and play with real drive and emotion.

The album starts out with a great tune in "Crosstown Kids", which prepares you for what's to come. "L.A. Underground" really steps it up with Ritenour leading the way, breaking in several places to give Carlton a place to play. On the cut, "After the Rain" they lay back and play a very smooth piece before turning it up again on "Remembering". Throughout the album, these guitarists use each other to springboard to new levels of playing. They take turns expanding on an idea, combining their styles to really bring out some fun music.

There is some very good stuff on this album. Ritenour's smooth playing is counterbalanced by the bluesy edge of Carlton's. The complement is enjoyable, and it gives quite a coloring to the music. Guitar fans should find this album very impressive. It is one that I keep revisiting.

Track listing

1. Crosstown Kids
2. Low Steppin'
3. LA Underground
4. Closed Door Jam
5. After The Rain
6. Remembering JP
7. Fun In The Dark
8. Lota About Nothin'
9. Take That
10. Up And Adam
11. Reflections Of A Guitar Player
 
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Black Diamond -- CD

The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman

1997 Windham Hill/Peak Records

The Best Rippingtons Album Yet
November 16, 1998
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD

Jazz nowadays is a broad term encompassing anything from dissonant be-bop to easy listening background music. Like it or not, the Rippingtons play a form of jazz--and people enjoy it as such.

Critics may look down thier noses at this type of music and I don't know why. Perhaps it lacks the unstructured feel and spontaneity attributed to "traditional" jazz (whatever that may be) which they feel compelled to compare this to. This is quite unfair.

Notice that all Ripppingtons albums read "The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman." Russ Freeman, the leader and guitarist of the group, writes the songs and enlists the help of an outstanding group of musicians to play these songs. That's why the "official reviewer's" potshot that only one other original member remains on this album doesn't hold any weight. The Rippingtons were never so much about a band as they were about Russ Freeman and his song writing.

As such, let's judge this album on the merits of it's songs. Coherent structure, catchy hooks, nice phrasing, great instrumental licks, nicely produced... a fine product. Hey, up-tempo, hard jazz it's not, but then again it's not claiming to be.

This is a great, great Rippingtons album to kick back and relax to. Don't let anyone (ESPECIALLY snooty critics) dissuade you from enjoying this type of music, and specifically, BLACK DIAMOND!

"Black Diamond" - 4:46
"Deep Powder" - 6:16
"Seven Nights in Rome" - 5:05
"Soul Seeker" - 4:40
"In Another Life" - 5:41
"Big Sky" - 4:23
"If I Owned the World" - 3:39
"North Peak" - 4:12
"Angelfire" - 4:13
"Jewel Thieves" - 5:05
"Black Diamond (Acoustic Version)" - 4:09
 
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The Best of David Benoit 1987 -1995 -- CD

David Benoit

1995 GRP Records

During his years with the GRP label, pianist David Benoit became very popular among listeners who enjoy hearing melodic jazz-influenced pop instrumentals that groove in a generally quiet manner. This sampler has 14 selections including two previously unreleased numbers and tunes taken from ten of Benoit's earlier releases. Unfortunately the exact personnel is only given for the new tracks (a rather inexcusable omission). The music overall (which includes a couple of straight-ahead performances recorded for tributes to Bill Evans and Vince Guaraldi) is lightly funky and enjoyable if somewhat lightweight. Highlights include "Cast Your Fate to the Wind," "Linus and Lucy," "Freedom at Midnight," "Letter to Evan," and "Urban Daydreams." ~ Scott Yanow

Track Listing

1. Drive Time - (previously unreleased)
2. Every Step of the Way
3. Cast Your Fate to the Wind
4. Searching for June - (previously unreleased)
5. M.W.A. (Musicians with Attitude)
6. Linus and Lucy
7. Kei's Song
8. Key to You, The
9. Freedom at Midnight
10. Still Standing
11. Wailea
12. Letter to Evan
13. Urban Daydreams
14. Mediterranean Nights - (bonus track)
 
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In Hi Fi Stereo -- CD

Mindi Abair

2010 Telarc

Amazon Product Description

Any artist who takes his or her craft seriously will inevitably reach a point on the journey when history can no longer be overlooked. The direct line between the music of now and the music of then becomes too important to ignore, and the riches of generations past are suddenly rediscovered - and eventually reinterpreted for a new era. Saxophonist Mindi Abair has reached that critical juncture. After more than a decade of performing, songwriting and recording, she has taken a step back from the more polished sensibilities of contemporary jazz and embraced the sounds of past decades - specifically the `60s and early `70s, a period widely regarded as the golden age of R&B, soul and funk.

The result is In Hi-Fi Stereo. The album captures the raw and edgy aesthetic of that golden age, when a slab of vinyl could instantaneously put band and listener together in the same room and establish a visceral and enduring connection. Loaded with infectious grooves generated by a high-caliber crew of players, In Hi-Fi Stereo rekindles that spark for a new generation of ears.

"This album is a reflection of some of the older, more soulful records I've been listening to in the last couple years," says Abair, firing off a list of favorites that include Al Green, Alain Toussaint, Junior Walker, King Curtis, Archie Bell and the Drells, and many others. "I think it all kind of seeped into me over time. I wanted to move away from a more produced sound and just get into the studio and play. It didn't have to be perfect. It didn't have to be shiny and new. It's not an intellectual record. It's a fun, feel-good record inspired by some of those great sounds and grooves from that period, but recast for a modern audience."

Co-produced by Abair and R&B mainstay Rex Rideout (who also lays down keyboards on nearly every track), In Hi-Fi Stereo includes a roster of players representing the old school as well as the new. In addition to Abair's touring band, the album is seasoned with a number of guest players: veteran drummer James Gadson (a frequent session player for Bill Withers, Amos Lee and Nikka Costa), bassist Reggie McBride (Aretha, Rickie Lee Jones and Keb' Mo'), Mindi's Berklee classmate and friend Lalah Hathaway, nominated 2010 R&B Female Vocalist of the year, Ryan Collins and David Ryan Harris.

Start to finish, In Hi-Fi Stereo is something classic and something new at the same time. "It's a vintage sounding record, a modern take on a very classic sound," she says. "We didn't make your father's jazz record. We didn't set out to make an `old' record. It's not about doing what's been done before. It's about drawing on what and who inspires you, and bringing it into your world and making it your own - and then putting it out there for a new generation of people who love jazz and soul."

Track Listing:

Any Way You Wanna
All Star
L'Esprit Nouveau
Get Right
Be Beautiful
Down for the Count
Girls' Night Out
Let the Whole World Know (Sing Your Song)
It's a Man's Man's World
Take Me Home
The Alley.
 
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Black Diamond -- CD

The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman

1997 Windham Hill/Peak Records

The Best Rippingtons Album Yet
November 16, 1998
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD

Jazz nowadays is a broad term encompassing anything from dissonant be-bop to easy listening background music. Like it or not, the Rippingtons play a form of jazz--and people enjoy it as such.

Critics may look down thier noses at this type of music and I don't know why. Perhaps it lacks the unstructured feel and spontaneity attributed to "traditional" jazz (whatever that may be) which they feel compelled to compare this to. This is quite unfair.

Notice that all Ripppingtons albums read "The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman." Russ Freeman, the leader and guitarist of the group, writes the songs and enlists the help of an outstanding group of musicians to play these songs. That's why the "official reviewer's" potshot that only one other original member remains on this album doesn't hold any weight. The Rippingtons were never so much about a band as they were about Russ Freeman and his song writing.

As such, let's judge this album on the merits of it's songs. Coherent structure, catchy hooks, nice phrasing, great instrumental licks, nicely produced... a fine product. Hey, up-tempo, hard jazz it's not, but then again it's not claiming to be.

This is a great, great Rippingtons album to kick back and relax to. Don't let anyone (ESPECIALLY snooty critics) dissuade you from enjoying this type of music, and specifically, BLACK DIAMOND!

"Black Diamond" - 4:46
"Deep Powder" - 6:16
"Seven Nights in Rome" - 5:05
"Soul Seeker" - 4:40
"In Another Life" - 5:41
"Big Sky" - 4:23
"If I Owned the World" - 3:39
"North Peak" - 4:12
"Angelfire" - 4:13
"Jewel Thieves" - 5:05
"Black Diamond (Acoustic Version)" - 4:09

Seven Nights In Rome is one of my test songs for speakers. Great for auditioning :thmbsp:
 
+1

And I'll confess to being a 'smooth jazz' listener.

If you like Larry Carlton - here's another one I think is quite good:
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More playlist selections later! :music:

Yeah, I've never understood what the "dislike" for Smooth Jazz was about and I still don't. But that's okay!

Here's part two...

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Collection Volume 2 -- CD

Larry Carlton

1997 GRP Records

Tracklist
1. Osaka Cool (5:39)
2. Heart to Heart (4:23)
3. March of the Jazz Angels (5:16)
4. Honey Samba (5:08)
5. Pure Delight (5:32)
6. Ridin' the Treasure (5:26)
7. Those Eyes (4:19)
8. Lots About Nothin' (6:15)
9. Farm Jazz (4:43)
10. The Gift (5:12)
11. Remembering J.P. (4:48)
 
Check this one out....

Marcus Miller "Renaissance"
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Great CD for 'reference' bass!

The title track is groovin'...not really smooth jazz, but kinda, yet also funk, r/b.
Great choice with Marcus, I've got a few of his albums, but not that one. I've added it to the list. Thanks! :thmbsp:


Dennie
 
This is another funky but smooth type of selection....

Jeff Golub - Out of the Blue.

The opening track "Wanna Funk" is off the hook!
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Love to crank this ...then the rest of the CD is more 'smooth jazz'.

But ya gotta let the CD run......if you pause or stop it you won't hear another rendition of the opening track....its like a CD 'easter egg'...kinda cool!
 
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Smazz

Dennie said:
Yeah, I've never understood what the "dislike" for Smooth Jazz was about and I still don't. But that's okay!


IMO there's a percentage of smooth jazz that all sound alike, maybe that's what turns some people off. However, the same can also be said of other genres. There's good and bad recordings in every genre. Those who dismiss smooth jazz outright, that is their loss. They're missing out on a lot of really good stuff.

Smazz ain't my thing but to each his own. Where's all your Kenny G recordings? Any smazz lover wouldn't be without Kenny G.
 
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