Curtis Haywood - "Last Dance" - Megawave
Featuring multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer Steve Oliver, Curtis Haywood brings you another studio gem. “Last Dance” is about reaching a point where we let go of what no longer serves us to make room for new and brighter paths. With three solo albums receiving critical acclaim and steady airplay, Curtis is in demand at International jazz festivals. Curtis Haywood moved from trumpet to saxophone at an early age. He studied at New York’s High School for the Performing Arts and Boston’s Berklee College.
JazzMen - "Love Birds" - Independent
Trumpeter Nathan Mayfield of JazzMen presents his newest release “Love Birds”. Who doesn’t love a good love story? “Love Birds” is inspired by love and companionship, taking you on a journey of feelings and expressions conjured by Love. “Love Birds” is a blend of romance, intimacy, and smooth sounding melodies. JazzMen has always wanted his music to be an inspiration of love and healing to the listeners and “Love Birds” is a testament to that. Smooth Jazz will never be the same as “Love Birds” takes the scene and play cupid. No doubt an instant classic.
Kayla Waters - "Murky Moon" - Shanachie
Presence, shines a light on Kayla’s elegant and feathery touch, judicious use of space and dynamics, thoughtful phrasing and dazzling harmonic subtleties. Virtually all of the producing, programming and production on the album was done by Kayla and her Dad Kim Waters. Presence opens ceremoniously with the soothing and ebullient “Abundance.” Kayla’s sailing piano lines delight and draw you near with her sweet touch and languid melody, setting the tone for an intimate spiritual journey that lies at sea. “The abundance or overflow of blessings I have been experiencing is a direct result of my obedience towards my faith,” shares the pianist, who counts George Duke, Keith Jarrett, and Frederic Chopin among some of her primary piano influences. Presence invites listeners to embark on some astral traveling with Kayla Waters’ luminous and percussive nighttime groove, “Murky Moon.” As she waxes and wanes with her mellifluous flow, she lures us into her orbit to witness the sonic beauty.
Reza Khan - "Rising" ft. Dave Mann - Painted Media
On Reza Khan’s latest album Mystical, his first call to collaborate was to veteran saxophonist David Mann, who had brought exciting horn textures and arrangements to earlier albums. In addition to seeking his production skills, Khan felt that co-writing with Mann on a few tracks would be the ticket to unlocking this magic. This intuitive dual perfection between Khan and Mann manifests brilliantly on Mystical’s latest single “Rising,” a bright, exuberant burst of ultra-melodic, mid-tempo funk excitement showcasing both the balmy acoustic and crackling electric sides of his deep guitar artistry. Perfectly in tandem, Mann pulls dynamic double duty as well, bringing his punchy emotional sax fire and snazzy, sometimes bluesy keyboard energy to the mix. While it’s great to hear Khan and Mann work their solo action, “Rising” lives up to its name even more in those explosive spots where they’re working their punchy yet soaring duet on horn and electric axe. Mystical has a lot of all-star guests but no track captures the hook-driven aesthetic Khan was aiming for as well as “Rising.”
Charles Moorer – "If You Wait" ft. Gerald Albright - 4CMusic
Gospel/Jazz bassist, vocalist and composer, Charles (Chuck) Moorer is back with his signature blend of soul-stirring melodies and funky basslines. Co-produced by Chuck and #1 Billboard artist and producer Nils – If You Wait focuses on inspiring and encouraging people of all walks of life to have patience in all they want to accomplish. In addition to the seven vocal tracks on the main album, Chuck is blessing fans of smooth jazz first with an all-instrumental version of the title track “If You Wait.” The track starts out easy flowing and builds towards a funky, high-powered crescendo, offering a dynamic showcase for Chuck’s buoyant, melodic bass energy on the verse sections, complemented and further fueled by Gerald Albright’s trademark soulful sax excitement on harmonies at specific junctures and later contributes an intense, freewheeling trademark solo. The instrumental version reflects the title concept brilliantly, increasing anticipation via a slow build slowly with a cool mid-tempo bass melody and sax harmony before both Chuck and Albright strut their more intense stuff.
Charles Moorer – Bass Guitar, Nils – Rhythm Guitar, Greg Manning – Keys, Gerald Albright – Saxophone, Cory Mason – Drums, Oliver C. Brown – Percussion.
Norman Brown - "Strollin'" - Shanachie
Norman Brown’s album It Hits Different offers a catchy sound in his well-known streamlined style, which has rightly earned him a large fan base. His fame corresponds to his charismatic appearance onstage, which has earned him popularity, respect and recognition in the jazz world. Strollin’ is the perfect title for wandering the streets and enjoying the first rays of sunshine. The Bensonesque music cultivates this magical moment of happiness. Norman’s new project is supported by the following top musicians: Wirlie Morris (Keyboards, Drums, Bass Guitar), Brinson Poythress III (Additional Guitar), Roberto Vally (Bass, Drums, Percussion), Mark Etheridge (Keys), Ron King (Horn Arrangement and Trumpet), Greg Vail (Saxophone), Tom Schuman (Keys And Drums), Paul Brown (Percussion), Phil Davis (Bass, Keyboard Programming SY77), “Lil” John Roberts (Drums), Joanna Davis (Vocals), Shane Theriot (Bass, Keys, Drums, Rhythm Guitar), Lenny Castro (Percussion), and Jeffrey L. Smith (Keys, Bass, Rhythm Guitar, Drums).
Walter Chatman - "The Journey" - Smooth Tone Music
Walter Chatman is a man who has been playing guitar since the age of 5, guitar players run in his family on both sides. Walter loves and plays all styles of music. He got his start playing in church and has also played with local and national recording artists and local bands, but he has a deep love for smooth jazz music. The Journey is a funky but yet smooth jam. This song makes me reflect on my own journey dealing with vision loss and how I overcame stage 4 cancer. I want this song to be a positive inspirational soundtrack as you go through your own journey.
Brian Bromberg - "Bedtime Story" - Mack Ave
On his latest single “Bedtime Story,” legendary bassist/composer Brian Bromberg enlisted his nephew — producer/composer Zach Bromberg — for a modernistic, R&B-inspired groove that brings his soulful original into brand new territory. Sit back and enjoy the lullaby-inflected lyricism of “Bedtime Story,” which opened new creative doors for Bromberg to explore. “I love collaborating with Zach because it makes me go places that I would not normally go,” Bromberg says. “His music is very different than mine, but sometimes he’ll write something that just paints an amazing picture that opens new doors for me. That’s exactly what happened with Bedtime Story and it’s one of my favorite songs on The Magic of Moonlight.”
Marion Meadows - "AI Moonrise" - Shanachie Entertainment
Just Doing Me, Marion’s most intimate and heartfelt album to date, takes the listener on a sensuous journey through a soundscape of brilliant original compositions and masterful improvisations. The album is produced by the top producers in smooth jazz: Marion’s long-time collaborator, Chris “Big Dog” Davis (Will Downing, Gerald Albright, Maysa), Wirlie Morris (Norman Brown, Charlie Wilson), and Paul Brown (Boney James, Peter White)! Highlights include the first single, “AI Moonrise”, the deeply sensuous “Pink Glass,” and the funky spirited “Say What,” and much more!
Belton Mouras Jr - "Keep On Rollin'" - Belton Mouras Entertainment
Multi-talented, genre-transcendent pianist/composer Belton Mouras, Jr. celebrates his unstoppable career and creative momentum with his perfectly titled, lighthearted and joyous latest single “Keep Rollin.” Fresh from his unprecedented 20-week run on the Billboard and Mediabase smooth jazz charts with his funky, urban jazz track “Under My Skin” – which featured popular world class flutist Althea Rene –Mouras stirs up a vibe that’s completely different from his many previous pieces, fashioning the perfect, breezy countryside travel song with spirited jazz and pop with a dash of cool country swagger. While his trademark dazzling yet seductive piano drives the hummable melody, he engages in charming, whimsical dances along the way with the dynamic, trad-jazz flavored improvisational energy of Mouras’ longtime reed master Otis Mourning on clarinet and trumpet great Steve Roach.