I assume that the most interesting thread is about new albums in 2010. So I start it with a little glimpse.

Michael Franks new album Welcome to Florida will present smooth Latin sounds of completely new and original sounds. There will be a lot of vocals on this record, in a very Michael Franks fashion, and each song is centered around a Florida location. Songs on the CD include "Sand Dollar in my Suitcase", "On the Beach", and the title song "Welcome to Florida".

More about it in my conversation with Eric Copeland.


----------------------------------------------------

Chris Standring will release his forthcoming album Blue Bolero March 2nd 2010. Chris recorded this ambitious album with orchestral sounds. He wanted to take a major left turn musically on this album and as soon as he started messing around with orchestral samples, the drive to realize this project became much bigger than him.

Visit his website and join his newsletter for more information.

----------------------------------------------------

I heard about a new album by Norman Brown. Perhaps someone can tell us more?

Paul Hardcastle will be releasing his Jazzmasters 6 album:
http://chatterboxworldwide.com/2009/12/0...aul-hardcastle/

From what I heard, it will feature vocalist Beki Biggins, who was first featured on the Hardcastle 5 album. I will sure miss Helen Rogers, but I think Jazzmasters 6 will be a great album.

David Sanborn – Only Everything

More about David's new album here:

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/david-sanborn-only-everything/

Ken Navarro's upcoming release in March 2010. This is Ken Navarro's 19th CD release and is the follow up to his breakthrough release of 2008, "The Grace of Summer Light" which was named the #1 Contemporary Jazz CD of 2008 by Jazz Times magazine.

Featured musicians include Jay Rowe from Special EFX and the Marion Meadows band, Tom Kennedy from the Al Dimeola band and the Mike Stern band and Joel Rosenblatt from Spyro Gyra. These 9 new recordings are built around strong melodic themes which flow perfectly within each composition. The reason a group of songs with this level of complexity can be so accessible is because they are beautiful, diverse, and there isn't the dissonance that is often the hallmark of progressive and fusion projects. Complex solos, arrangements and rhythms? Yes. Self serving edginess? No.

Thanks for the mention, Hans. "Dreaming of Trains" will not be released in stores until March 16 but Magicislanders can hear samples and order it right now. All Orders are guaranteed to ship by January 16.

http://kennavarro.com/CDs/dreamingoftrains.htm

Best,
Ken

Hi all,

Mezzoforte is working on a brand new CD. Should be out in 2010.
http://mezzoforteband.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/mezzoforte-2010/

I'm checking this thread regularly, hoping to find new inspiring music. You guys helped me out a lot. Most recent: Brian Culbertson.
Thanks for putting up all the info here.

Regards
Edward from holland

Maysa - A Woman In Love (Release Date 1/26/10)

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/maysa-a-woman-in-love/

Kim Waters – Love Stories

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/kim-waters-love-stories/

Michael Lington – Collector’s Pack

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/michael-lington-collectors-pack/

Ken Navarro's new album Dreaming of Trains will be delivered now from today. Read more here:

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/ken-navarro-dreaming-of-trains/

Michael J Thomas – City Beat

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/michael-j-thomas-city-beat/

Jaared - Manhattan Nights

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/01/17/jaared-manhattan-nights/

I got "Dreaming of Trains" in the mail on Thursday. I love what I'm hearing. I just started listening to it a second time and I'm drafting a review for my blog. And being a person that relies on public transportation, I am regularly "Dreaming of Trains." (That may have been corny, but I wanted to say it. )

Alan Hewitt - Retroactive

Early announced

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/alan-hewitt-retroactive/

now in the stores.

Chieli Minucci and Special EFX - Without You


Early announced

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/chieli-minucci-and-special-efx-without-you/

Soon available! Keep your eyes on Chieli's website.

David Benoit's new CD, "Earthglow" will be released on 4/20. It is amazing and very vintage Benoit sounding!

That sounds like a must-buy for me! Peace and goodwill.

Jack Prybylski – Out of the Box

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/jack-prybylski-out-of-the-box/

Jonathan Butler – So Strong

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/jonathan-butler-so-strong/

Travis Vega - U

in April, 2010.

http://www.travisvega.com/music.html

Incognito – Live In London – The 30th Anniversary Concert

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/201...ersary-concert/

Wow, they mention Jocelyn Brown but no mention of Maysa who's quite literally THE voice of Incognito??

Grover Washington Jr. – Grover Live

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/03/06/jason-miles-grover-live/

Kirk Whalum – The Gospel According To Jazz: Chapter III

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/201...zz-chapter-iii/

Mindi Abair in Hi Fi Stereo

http://news.smoothjazznetwork.com/?p=1724

Steve Cole – Moonlight

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/steve-cole-moonlight/

Alfonzo Blackwell – Quintet: Portrait of Alfonzo Blackwell

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/201...onzo-blackwell/

David Benoit – Earthglow

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/david-benoit-earthglow/

Lisa McClowry – Time Signatures

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/lisa-mcclowry-time-signatures/

Jeff Lorber – Now Is The Time

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/jeff-lorber-now-is-the-time/

Gerald Albright – Pushing The Envelope

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/gerald-albright-pushing-the-envelope/

Bob Baldwin – Never Can Say Goodbye

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/bob-baldwin-never-can-say-goodbye/

Travis Vega – U

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/travis-vega-u/

Patti Austin – Sound Advice

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/patti-austin-sound-advice/

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/paul-hardcastle-jazzmasters-vi/

Paul Hardcastle - Jazzmasters VI

Soon!

Walter Beasley – Live – In the Groove

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/walter-beasley-live-in-the-groove/

Lee Ritenour – 6 String Theory

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/lee-ritenour-6-string-theory/

George Duke – Déjà Vu

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/george-duke-deja-vu/

Kenny G – Heart and Soul

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/kenny-g-heart-and-soul/

Brian culbertson will release XII on july 20, single Skies wide open available at Itunes already. I hope there's some more fusion funky on this album. The single is verrrry smooooothhhh (too smooth for me... sorry)

Edward

Then send me the album Edward. :-)

Tom Schuman – Reflections Over Time

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/tom-schuman-reflections-over-time/

I assume you are not in to this kind of smoothhhh just like me? ;-)

I am a smoothie for sure

Okay, if I have the album and don't like it... Ill sent it to you!

That's a deal!

Chris Geith – Island of A Thousand Dreams

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/chris-geith-island-of-a-thousand-dreams/

Already top seller at CDBaby!

Eric Darius – On A Mission

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/eric-darius-on-a-mission/

Brian Culbertson – XII

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/brian-culbertson-xii/

Incognito - Transatlantic RPM

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/incognito-transantlantic-rpm/

Les Sabler – Crescent Shores


http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/les-sabler-crescent-shores/

Unwrapped Vol. 7 – Back To Basics

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/unwrapped-vol-7-back-to-basics/

Mike Phillips – MP3

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/mike-phillips-mp3/

I bought it today and listened to it on the way home. Except for the vocal tunes, which I rarely like, the rest of it is quite good. I like the new trend in smooth jazz, and I wish all of those artists would who have not wised up would. Peace and goodwill.

What trend are you taking about? I didn't buy this Mindi Abair record!

The trend I am talking about is due to the lack of smooth jazz radio expectations. Some artists are now using all real musicians instead of the bass and/or drums being programmed. Paul Taylor, Richard Elliot, Jeff Lorber, Sam Levine, and others have done this. This is smooth jazz I can get into. The progammed stuff usually bothers me.

Peace and goodwill.

The trend you are talking about is no different than making songs that are suppose to meet smooth jazz expectations. The end result is a whole bunch of songs that sound the same and imitate music that has already been done before.

When these artist strive to write music for the here and now, I believe they will be able to write better songs. Paul Taylor's last CD was my least favorite CD from him and makes him sound more like Richard Elliot instead of Paul Taylor. I believe every artist should strive for their own signature sound.

How are you going to program bass and/or drums if you're not a musician?

I have watched people who are not musicians create a tune on a computer. Sorry, but I want real people playing instruments. That is what moves me, that a person actually played an instrument. For example, I have no desire to hear the latest Pat Metheny CD, even though I really like most of his other work. Different people like different things. I have liked more smooth jazz released in the last 18 months than any other time period.

IMHO, innovation is highly over rated. But that is just me. Peace and goodwill.

I agree with TR808 on this one. It is the musician and the mind of the musician that creates the music and "feeling", not necessarily the instruments and programming. I happen to think Metheny pulls it off with Orchestrion. Not one of my favorites by him be well worth the purchase IMHO.

Kind of like saying a design is not quite authentic when done on CAD or other softwares because the engineer didn't use traditional drafting tools, T-square, rule, etc.

I do not care how a sound is generated, so the analogy is not too apt. I just want the sounds to be made in real time by a human. Otherwise, it does not move me and often bugs me. I do not care if a keyboard is electric or acoustic for example, same with the drums. I am not against electronics or computers. This is only an opinion from no one important. Peace and goodwill.

Don't let the word "programmed" confuse you. Most times it means that the musician has played the song into a MIDI sequencer such as Logic, Cubase, or Sonar using real sounds in real-time. Here is an example:

Brian Culbertson's BCXII Video Blog 2 (part 1)

Brian Culbertson's BCXII Video Blog 26 (OceanWayDrums)

I am in no way "confused".

Best answer ever!


It's possible to see both sides of this and agree with both.

"I Am In No Way Confused" would be a great title for a great smooth jazz record. However, I don't know of any artist that are ready to make that record when they are all following a backwards-looking trend.

I have yet to hear a really great smooth jazz record in 2010!

Try to put all those samples as real instruments into a studio and it would be totally overcrowded. You couldn't pay all these instruments by the way.

So to listen the difference between an original Rhodes and a sample is something for the expert, if you have really good samples with 4 gigabytes and above. Brian Culbertson's macs have 16 gigabytes ram.

Depends on your definition of smooth jazz but Jeff Lorber's new record is really good! Also, judging by Brian Culbertson's video blog, I'll assume that record is going to be hot as well!

I could have sworn on one of his video blogs, Brian was playing a 'real' Rhodes!

He was using Lounge Lizard which is a software instrument that emulates the Rhodes and Wurlitzer. In other videos he is playing the new Mark 7 Rhodes.

The new Lorber is okay but nothing special. It's one of the many backwards-looking, retrospective records from the many that are out in the market.

http://www.applied-acoustics.com/loungelizard/overview/

Oli Silk – All We Need

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/oli-silk-all-we-need/

Greg Manning – The Calling

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/greg-manning-the-calling/

Jackiem Joyner – Jackiem Joyner

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/jackiem-joyner-jackiem-joyner/

Kirk Whalum – Everything is Everything: The Music Of Donny Hathaway

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/201...donny-hathaway/

Brian Simpson – South Beach

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/brian-simpson-south-beach/

Tim Bowman – The Tim Bowman Collection

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/tim-bowman-the-tim-bowman-collection/

Tom Grant – Delicioso

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/tom-grant-delicioso/

Nils - What the Funk?

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/nils-what-the-funk/

Marcus Johnson – This Is How I Rock

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/marcus-johnson-this-is-how-i-rock/

Dave Koz – Hello Tomorrow

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/dave-koz-hello-tomorrow/

Will Donato – What It Takes

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/will-donato-what-it-takes/

Fourplay – Let’s Touch The Sky

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/fourplay-lets-touch-the-sky/

Mezzoforte has scheduled their new album "Volcanic" for november 2010
www.mezzoforte.com
Greets,
Edward

Jazz Rosco – Rosco’s Place II

http://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/jazz-rosco-roscos-place-ii/

The contemporary jazz face of Roger Smith.