REVIEW - Bob Baldwin – Presents Betcha By Golly Wow – The Songs of Thom Bell – Peak Records (**2 out of 5 STARS)
May 1, 2012 - We live in a world where most instrumental music sounds like it was made for a 5x5 vertically moving room and that includes some Smooth Jazz. Interestingly, most Smooth Jazz musicians are technically some of the best players on the planet but many have fallen into this big vacuous hole, an amnesic state, where channelling Bert Kaempfert is common place. Case in point, the beginning of Bob Baldwin’s new album, “Betcha By Golly Wow,” gave me visions of Ed Grimley swatting fireflies with a spaghetti baton. This Thom Bell salute starts really soft with the Delfonics 1970 hit, ‘Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time).’ It was Bell’s third hit with the band. Russ Freeman’s guitar work is fantastic, as usual, but flautist Ragan Whiteside dresses the tune with a polka dot poncho – I’ll take floor number 4 please! Seriously, doing covers is a tough gig and interpretation with instrumental music is a whole other Matterhorn to climb. It’s just too easy to slip into Muzak and this opening tune is driving way too close to that dotted line. Bell was well known for his lush arrangements but not for putting anyone to sleep.

Once again the guitarist, Paul Brown in this case, is the highlight on the next track, the Spinners #2, 1976 classic, ‘The Rubberband Man.’ The interplay between the players,  Baldwin, Whiteside and Brown, works better here. Baldwin also takes a fresh approach on the tune. I didn’t even recognise the song at first, which was cool, but Brown’s guitar is the true let-your-hair-down juice in the song.

I liked Vivian Green’s vocal work on the Delfonics, 1968 hit, ‘La La Means I Love You.’ This was Bell’s first really big hit and it reached #4 on the Billboard charts. Without hearing the original(even though I have) and the countless top-shelf covers I would still easily graduated this interpretation beyond a garden variety thanks to Green’s elegant voice. READ MORE

David Benoit Continues His Musical “Conversation” This May
April 17, 2012 – Get ready for another beautiful journey from David Benoit on May 29th. His new album, `Conversation,’ will no doubt serve as another expansion for the Smooth Jazz format.

The genre is restructuring and, in the end, that’s great news for you the listener. Why? Well, musicians are getting away from tired formulas – they are being musicians again! Interestingly, David Benoit has never played that game. Every single one of his albums has been different sonic adventures.

For three-and-a-half decades, Benoit has easily proven that Classical, Latin, Pop and Jazz are a necessary part of a musician’s palette. This is an artist who has innate curiosity and love for all music. I doubt that Benoit separates his CD collection via genre. READ MORE

Norah Jones Live Webcast on Letterman
April 26, 2012 - Norah Jones is set to appear with a Live-on-Letterman webcast, featuring Jones from the prestigious Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, Wednesday,  May 2nd at 8:00 ET. This is a clever, strategic move for Jones to push her next album “Little Broken Hearts” set for a May 1st release.

Norah’s Live-on-Letterman webcast will come after the taping of her gig on the Late Show with David Letterman, which will be aired later that evening on CBS.
Norah will also be part of  San Francisco’s 2012 “Outside Lands Festival “ line-up and featured with  great artists she has worked with in her career such as Foo Fighters, Beck, Jack White, Santigold and Neil Young.  The festival is set to take place August 10-12. MORE ON THE STORY AND NORAH'S CONCERT DATES

REVIEW - Esperanza Spalding – Radio Music Society (4 out of 5 Stars) – Heads Up – Concord Music Group
April 4, 2012 – Esperanza Spalding is a groovy chick. I mean, really, when she’s in the room, everyone else disappears and I’m talkin’ more than that big “love-sculpture” hair. She’s the type of musician you might walk up to at a party, ask about her music, and walk away three hours later regretting the question. This lady has a vision so you better have a seat.

‘Radio Music Society’ is Spalding’s third album and the follow to ‘Chamber Music Society,’ the titles are way too similar but the singer says the new album is meant as a companion, rather than a sequel to the last one. “Originally I thought it would be fun to release a double album,” she explains, “One disc with an intimate, subtle exploration of chamber works and a second one in which jazz musicians explore song forms and melodies that are formatted more along the lines of what we would categorize as “pop songs.”

Spalding, as you may remember, won the Grammy for ‘Best New Artist’ last year, stunning the music world because not that many people knew who she was – many still don’t! Will this album change that? Maybe, ‘Radio Music Society” is certainly a richly textured, well-balanced adventure that cleverly marries Jazz, Pop and World music. Her vision is so clearly expressed on this album that I found myself listening alone with headphones at high volume so not to miss any of her hundreds of brilliant vocal nuances.

This album is easy. It’s so effortless. Spalding’s message is like a dance, a drug that’s hard to deny. Being adventurous, in the music industry, usually has its price but this lady has found the pocket, that inviting bridge that allows the listener to simply trust.

Spalding’s mother was a single parent in Portland, Oregon and home-schooled her daughter for a few years during elementary school. A very young Esperanza spotted classical cellist Yo Yo Ma on ‘Mister Roger’s Neighbourhood,’ so many years ago and her fate was set – she knew her mission in life. READ MORE

Smooth Jazz Now and Friends Remember Whitney Houston February 21, 2012 - As it was stated during the Grammy Awards, "We've had a death in the family." Now our own Jazz family is remembeing Whitney Houston. Everyone on our staff were touched by the outpouring of love and sadness for Whitney. Check out our exclusive comment from friends and colleagues.   Gregory Abbott: “The world has sustained an incredible loss and I personally am crushed that Nippy (Whitney) has left us. Artistically she had one of the most satisfying voices I have ever heard. A melodic pop sensibility, tinged with a down home gospel flavor that gave it authenticity. I just love listening to her. I first heard her sing out at New Hope Baptist Church in New Jersey while on an expedition out there to hear her mother (Cissy) sing. We were considering using Cissy to sing backup vocals on songs I was recording for my very first record deal. What a surprise to hear her young daughter with her angelic composure as she proceeded to shake the rafters loose. I absolutely had to have her sing as well, and I ended up singing several duets with Whitney (unreleased). I was nervous as hell. Whitney was one hundred percent rock solid calm and at home. Amazing. She was only seventeen. She sounded like a singer ten, fifteen years older.  She and her mother helped me through that session with advice on how to build drama, phrasing, and using different parts of the voice to communicate the emotion of a song. We all know Whitney's track record of accomplishments. She has made as great an impact on the music industry (and especially singers) as any individual possibly could make.  All through the years, Whitney has been supportive and someone I've truly called "friend". What a generous, vulnerable soul was she. How painful that she's gone. I will miss her very, very much.”  - Gregory Abbott   “It’s unfortunate that it took Whitney Houston’s death for the world to remember how amazing she was.  After watching The Bodyguard for the first time and listening to her ‘Greatest Hits’ continually for the past week it’s hard not to be in awe at the brilliance of what she was. Now as we move on it’s as important to learn from what happened. This is a tragedy and we need to pay attention to it.” – John Beaudin, Host and Program Director fo Smooth Jazz Now “The world has lost one of the all-time greats. She had such a rare gift, one that reached the outer-limits of the globe...no matter the language, her voice was understood. That's the mark of a true icon, someone who's influence will be felt forever. The world will miss you, Whitney.” - Dave Koz     READ MORE TRIBUTES ON WHITNEY HERE

Lets Remember Whitney Houston, The Good and Bad
February 21, 2012 - Shock, disappointment and horror are some of the many words fans used to describe Whitney Houston’s untimely death last week (February 11, 2012). My family and I were outside a Starbucks when one of our radio listeners texted me with, at first, the rumor. We immediately thought of the crazy Jon Bon Jovi death rumour from December but unlike that one which seemed ridiculous at the time, the death of Whitney was entirely possible. In fact, it seems it had been possible for years. READ MORE

Adele Wins Six Grammy Awards And Nicki Minaj Embarrasses Herself
February 12, 2012 - As expected it was a huge night for Adele at the Grammy Awards. The singer, from Tottenham, North London, England, walked away with six trophies including "Song," "Record" and "Album of the Year." In her usually classy way she thanked "the doctors who brought my voice back." On stage she described her album "21" as a story that "everyone's been through. Which is a rubbish relationship." Adele's totals tied her with Beyonce as the most wins by a woman in one evening but if you judge it for vocal prowess, it's Adele hands down! MORE

Your 54th Annual Grammy Awards Updates
February 12, 2012 - This is how to start a shindig! Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band opened the 54th Annual Grammy Awards with the new single "We Take Care Of Our Own." It was big, it was real, it was beautiful. 

LL Cool J, the nights MC, started his job by saying a prayer for Whitney Houston who died in L.A. yesterday. The reality of her death certainly hit hard when Whitney was featured on the giant screen singing "I Will Always Love You." MORE

Whitney Houston Died in the Bathtub
February 12, 2011 – More information is surfacing concerning the death of Whitney Houston. Sources close to the investigation say that the singer was found in the bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles. Her face was underwater.

Houston’s stylist, hairdresser and two bodyguards were just outside the bathroom at the time of her death. The crew were set to help the singer prepare for the Clive Davis pre-Grammy party. MORE

Whitney Houston’s Mom Says The Singer Seemed Fine Before Her Death
February 11, 2012 – According to Whitney Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston, she spoke to her daughter just before she died and Whitney seemed absolutely fine.

The elder Houston says she spoke to her daughter about 30 minutes before she died. The pair talked about attending the Clive Davis (pictured with Houston) pre-Grammy party. MORE

Whitney Houston May Have Already Been Dead When Paramedics Arrived
February 11, 2012  - Whitney Houston died this afternoon. She was 48. Some sources are saying there was nothing the emergency workers could have done to save Houston’s life.

A member of the singers entourage found her in her room at the Beverly Hilton hotel this afternoon and immediately called hotel security, then 911 was called. According to some sources Houston was unresponsive by the time paramedics arrived. MORE

Whitney Houston Dead at 48
February 11, 2012 – Whitney Houston has died according to her publicist. The singer, who was 48, passed away today according to Kristen Foster but it was unclear how the singer died. According to some sources, Houston died at the Beverly Hilton hotel.

Of course the Internet is abuzz on the cause of death being drug related but nothing has been officially announced. MORE

Peter White to Release ‘Here We Go’
Feb 10, 2012-  Skilled guitarist Peter White is set to release his 13th upcoming album, ‘Here We Go’ on March 13, 2012.

This British-born musician released his debut album in the 1990’s and has been one of the core artists in Smooth Jazz ever since. "Peter is not only one of the most trusted players in Smooth Jazz but he's also one of the nicest men I have ever met," says Smooth Jazz Now Program Director John Beaudin. "There are very few artists that I trust without listening to first and Peter White is one of them," adds Beaudin. "I haven't heard the album yet but I know it will be great because this guy has hit the mark on every single record he has released!"  MORE

Toto’s Steve Lukather Set to Join Ringo Starr's 13th All Starr Band Tour
February 10, 2012 – It’s no secret that Steve Lukather, like many of us, is a huge Beatles fan. It was announced this week that the Toto guitarist and founding member will join Ringo for the famous tour to begin in Niagara Falls Ontario on June 14th.

Lukather says, "I am deeply honored and excited to join some old and new friends and a musical hero Ringo Starr on this summers USA tour. It is a dream come true and I plan to being my best and enjoy every moment! Its gonna be massive fun!"

Also announced on the tour are Gregg Rolie of Santana & Journey fame along with All Starr alumni Richard Page, Todd Rundgren, Mark Rivera, and Gregg Bissonette.

Each musician gets to sing their classic hits and Ringo does his biggies including, "It Don't Come Easy", "Photograph", "Little Help From My Friends" etc.

The tour runs until July 21 at the Greek Theatre in L.A. but more tour dates are expected to be announced shortly. MORE

Norah Jones to Release New Album in Spring
Jan 31, 2012 - Good news for all the Norah Jones fans out there! The singer is set to release a new album in spring called 'Little Broken Hearts.'  This will be Jones' fifth studio CD and she will be joined by producer and musician, Danger Mouse who is notably the backbone for the project. He also co-wrote many of the tunes with her.

Jones will really be promoting this project with tons of shows this year. She is set to appear at many festivals including a stint at the Hollywood Bowl.

Though she has never out-performed her debut album, "Come Away with Me," from 2002, the nine-time-Grammy winner, with the famous rootsy voice, just keeps belting out the tunes. Norah insists on writing songs that speak to her soul more than returning to the same radio-formula hits of the past. MORE

Etta James Dies at the Age 73
Jan 20, 2012 - Etta James, an iconic R&B American singer known for her classic songs “ At Last” and “Something’s Got A Hold Of Me” has died today at the age of 73.

Recognition and appreciation has rolled in for James over the years. She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2000 and in 2001 she was honored with a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement. Etta was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of fame in 2003.

Etta is survived by her two sons Donto and Sametto who are both musicians that performed in her band. MORE

Kenny G's Wife Files For Separation
January 20, 2012- Kenny G may be standing in the ring with his wife of 20 years, Lyndie Benson-Gorelick. According to TMZ she has recently filed papers for a legal separation from the sax player in L.A. County Superior Court stating “irreconcilable differences.”

Both parties have hired bigwig lawyers and maybe that's in preparation for a match in divorce court. TMZ reports Kenny has scooped up lawyer Laura Wasser, who has represented Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian.