May Marks New Horizons In Jazz

Keyboard legend Ronnie Foster kicked off the month poolside at the Orleans Hotel on Friday, May 2nd at 6pm. Foster's band is featured as a happy hour series weekly event.

Saturday, May 3rd, Boney James played to a packed house in the Railhead Showroom at the Boulder Station Hotel.

Jimmy Sommers, smooth sax sensation, will host the first after work get together outdoors at the Green Valley Ranch Resort, Wednesday, May 7th.

The Caylix Jazz Supper Club will launch it's grand opening on Friday, May 9th, with the talents of local performers Tony Terry and Cheryl Pepsi Riley.

Tower Of Power returns to the Suncoast Hotel showroom for three big nights, May 9-11.

Keith Martin will present his tribute to Luther Vandross on May 19th at the Texas Station Hotel for one night only.

Rocky Gordon and his group, The Killer Groove Band, will kick off the Sixth Annual North Las Vegas Tastes 'N Tunes Festival, Friday, May 16th. The band appears later in the month at Lake Las Vegas Resort on Sunday, May 25th, as a part of the summer concert series.

Guitars & Saxes, featuring sax great Gerald Albright, with special guests Jeff Golub, Jeff Lorber, and Peter White, perform one night only in the Chrome Showroom at the Santa Fe Station on Friday, May 16th.

Special Note: Thanks to all my friends who sent their support last month while I was under the weather with pneumonia. Last month was the first month I missed posting an article on Smooth Vibes in over four years.

What We're Listening To * April

P E T E R * B O E H I

Derwin Daniels - Journey (2007)
Saxophone player Derwin Daniels delivers a really smooth instrumental album full of catchy melodies and contemporary grooves, well produced and well played, definitely worthy of your time. Check it out!

Bohm Witman Project - My Funny Valentine (2008)
Trumpeter Jim Bohm and saxophonist Ken Witman present their debut CD, a groove-oriented acoustic jazz recording with spirited soloing and a good selection of material, they even tackle "Funkin' For Jamaica". Very recommended!

Dirk K - Dirk K Plays Jobim (2008)
Guitar player Dirk K dishes up some mighty fine acoustic guitar playing interpreting the music of Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, the gentle bossa tunes in a contemporary jazz setting are a breath of fresh air.

Jamhunters - Music Speaks Louder Than Words (2008)
This great band hails from Copenhagen and comes up with a polished, groovy and ultra-cool contemporary jazz album with lots of chill/lounge elements, the band is fronted by Peter Michael on keys and Lars Fabiansen on guitar who deliver some outstanding solos. Thumbs up!

Rodney Franklin - You'll Never Know (1980)
Going down memory lane I would like to point out this beautiful album by keyboard player Rodney Franklin that has become a true classic, the track "The Groove" is one of my all-time favorites, it has been released on CD (along with "In The Center") so get it and be delighted again!

Ken Navarro Offers Free Stream Of New CD

Guitarist Ken Navarro, in a first for a smooth jazz artist and in an attempt to get his music heard by as many people as possible, is making his upcoming CD The Grace of Summer Light available for streaming more than a month before its official release. Navarro says that the best way for his fans to understand what he’s accomplished with his new music, and to follow the story he’s telling with these compositions, is to hear the CD in its entirety. Of course, he’s also hoping that those who hear it will then want to purchase it.

You can listen to the entire 10-song CD in high-quality audio by going to kennavarro.com. The official release date for The Grace of Summer Light is June 17. That will be proceeded, however, by the exclusive download release beginning May 5 on kennavarro.com.

Jason Miles & DJ Logic Join Forces to Obliterate Borders on New Shanachie CD Global Noize

All-Star CD Serves Up An Intoxicating Brew of Jazz, Electronica Funk and World Music Featuring Some of Music's Most Creative Players:  Meshell Ndegeocello, Billy Martin (Medeski, Marin & Wood) , Vernon Reid (Living Colour), John Popper (Blues Traveler) Cyro Baptista (Herbie Hancock), Bernie Worrell (Talking Heads, Parliament Funk), Karl Denson (Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Lenny Kravtiz), Christian Scott & Others

The signs are everywhere: MTV launches a channel on the Arabian Television Network. African hip-hop groups mix the postures and style of American rappers with homegrown lyrical messages and M.I.A., a Sri Lankan refugee now living in Brooklyn, scores one of the year's most critically acclaimed albums - sound bites recorded around the world mixed in an electronica blender with hip hop beats. Multi-tasking cell phones, cheap lap tops, Kindle Ebooks, YouTube, internet radio, and of course the multifaceted internet itself, have engendered a cultural interchange of unprecedented scope and speed. Music, which resonates across every cultural barrier, leads the charge. The result is a grand "global noise," a spectacular sea of interchanging and mutating beats, sounds and melodies from all directions. It is precisely that reality that Jason Miles and DJ Logic set out to capture with their collaboration Global Noize. Keyboard extraordinaire Jason Miles, who has worked with everyone from Miles Davis and Luther Vandross to Ivan Lins, and Turntable guru DJ Logic, who has collaborated with diverse artists like Phish, Vernon Reid, ?uestlove and Don Byron, join forces on Global Noize to create a thrilling mix of free-wheeling tracks that take listeners on a wide-ranging journey through the minds of some of creative music's most innovative musicians such as Meshell Ndegeocello, Billy Martin (Medeski, Marin & Wood) , Vernon Reid (Living Color), John Popper (Blues Traveler), Cyro Baptista (Herbie Hancock), Bernie Worrell (Talking Heads, Parliament Funk), Karl Densen (Tiny Universe, Lenny Kravtiz).

Dave Koz Wants Your 3 Favorite Songs

What’s your favorite smooth jazz songs by Dave Koz? The saxophonist is looking for your opinion as he is asking fans to vote for their three all-time favorite Koz songs as he plans to release his first-ever greatest hits CD in September. Koz makes the request on a humorous three-minute video that you can view at brickmanmedia.com/koz. During the video, Koz discloses several tongue-in-cheek secrets to making a hit single, including wearing a robe, eating a cantaloupe and warming up his fingers with a video game.

Making a cameo in the video is Koz’s niece Holly, who plays a kazoo while Koz plays a portion of his smash hit “You Make Me Smile.” That song is just one of Koz’s greatest hits, joining such classics as “Together Again,” “Let It Free,” “Honey-Dipped, “All I See Is You,” “The Bright Side” and “Can’t Let You Go,” among many others.

Mindi Abair's Live, Interactive Online Concert

Saxophonist and vocalist Mindi Abair will soon be having a worldwide CD release party unlike any you’ve heard of before. On May 1, Abair will be streaming a live, interactive show while previewing songs from her upcoming CD Stars thanks to deeprockdrive.com, which bills itself as the world’s first live interactive entertainment service.

Abair will be performing for a crowd of 5,000 people at Deep Rock Drive’s soundstage in Las Vegas. The concert is fully interactive and will allow those who stream it to vote for the songs they want to hear. Fans can also choose and adjust camera angles and even chat with everyone else attending as well as with Abair during the show. To take part in the experience, go to deeprockdrive.com and sign up. The show begins at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

"We’ve never done anything like this," says Abair. "And I have to say when it presented itself, I just sat there kind of wide-eyed. And I said, that is the coolest idea I’ve ever heard in my life. I mean, it’s so interactive it’s just ridiculous. And you’re there right in the room, via the Internet, with us."

Abair's new CD, Stars, will be released on May 6.

Dave Koz Honors Mother With Cookies For A Koz

Saxophonist Dave Koz and his sister Roberta have created a brand-new company in honor of their late mother they’re calling Cookies For a Koz. Koz says that his mother Audrey Koz, who died in 2005, spent her adult life spreading happiness, love and smiles through the proliferation of her chocolate chip cookies.

Cookies For A Koz is Koz's way of ensuring that the special magic and love she put into every batch lives on. As the name implies, this company is also committed to raising money for an important cause: the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation, which helps seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment and education. This was Audrey’s favorite charity, and Koz has long been global ambassador. Ten percent of the purchase price of these cookies goes directly to Starlight.

Cookies available are original chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, white chocolate chip, and snickerdoodle. For more information, go to cookiesforakoz.com.

Fattburger's Carl Evans Jr. Dies

Carl Evans Jr., a founding member of the veteran San Diego-based smooth jazz group Fattburger, passed away on April 10 at age 53 due to complications from diabetes. In December, Evans underwent surgery to remove his left leg below the knee. Several benefits were held in San Diego to help pay for Evans’ medical costs, including one featuring friend and bassist Nathan East of Fourplay.

Fattburger – which features guitarist Evan Marks, bassist Mark Hunter, drummer Kevin Koch and percussionist Tommy Aros – also played a benefit show. It was in September 2006 that Fattburger saxophonist Hollis Gentry died two years after being involved in a serious automobile accident.

Public viewing will be held April 18 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Anderson-Ragsdale Mortuary in San Diego. A service will held April 19 at 10 a.m. at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in San Diego.

Contempo April 2008

For a guy who says he never consciously tries to compose a radio hit, Chris Standring has an awfully impressive track record on the airwaves. The popular guitarist, who’s always textured elements of retro soul, acid jazz and chill with his trademark archtop Benedetto axe, scored one of 2000’s most spun songs with the title track from Hip Sway and more recently hit in 2006 with the Paul Brown-produced “I Can’t Help Myself.” As co-writer of the Rick Braun/Richard Elliot hit “RnR,” Standring also scored one of the biggest genre songs of 2007; the track stayed at #1 on Radio & Records’ smooth jazz chart for 12 weeks.

Despite this success, Standring says he’s bothered sometimes by the way many of today’s genre recordings are so sonically cluttered, and makes it his primary objective when helming a project — as he does with his latest recording Love & Paragraphs — to simply let the music breathe. When seeking inspiration for his compositions, his major reference points are everything but the typical smooth jazz bells and whistles that would guarantee airplay. “I grew up in the 70s, so I’m always hearing old, organic sounding instruments instead of bright fake synth sounds to create a vibe that’s warm and sexy,” he says. “If I want a Fender Rhodes sound, I’ll use a real Fender Rhodes. If the song needs a Hammond B-3, the organ I use better be pretty close to it. And I love to use those old Fender four string basses.”

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Brian Culbertson

Keyboardist Brian Culbertson had an all-new band and a complete new show promoting his current CD Bringing Back The Funk, which was produced by former EWF front man Maurice White and features many funk legends like Larry Dunn, Larry Graham and more. Brian always had a love for old-school funk and now dedicates a whole album to it. He appeared at the Scottish Rite Cathedral and I guess that this was one of their very first shows, Brian has assembled a veritable funk machine, the stage was crowded by a four-piece horn section, drums, bass, an extra keyboardist with a hammond B3, two guitar players (one of them being Sheldon Reynolds who played with EWF for 15 years), plus a saxophone player who took care of all the solos. They were delivering some hammering funk which at times was almost a little overwhelming, they were rushing through funk history with nods to Kool & the Gang, some P-Funk, Parliament/Funkadelic etc., especially nice was their rendition of Donny Hathaway's "Everything Is Everything" (showing that Brian knows his stuff). Those who love the back catalog of this artist got their share too, he played some beautiful slower tracks showing his considerable skills on the piano, additionally he played the trombone (funking up things) and the bass, where he was slapping along. At the end we got the expected funk finale which blew the audience virtually away. This wrapped up this year's Berks Jazz Festival up nicely, having me say to myself: I will be back next year!

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Chuck Loeb & Friends

Sunday afternoon there was another special concert, tagged as WJJZ Smooth Jazz 97.5 Appreciation Concert featuring Chuck Loeb with special guests, we got Eric Marienthal and Tom Scott on saxes, Will Lee on bass, Carmen Cuesta on vocals, Matt King on keyboards, Cafe on percussion and Cliff Almond on drums. The show was centered around a laid-back brazil vibe and started out with a few gentle bossa nova tracks with Chuck Loeb playing beautifully on acoustic guitar and his wife Carmen Cuesta on vocals, the gave us their renditions of classics like "Manha De Carnaval", "How Insensitive" and more from composers like Tom Jobin, Luiz Bonfa and others. Additionally they played some of Carmen Cuesta own material, before she left the stage to make room for some groovier playing.

Eric Marienthal was playing sax and flute during the first part of the show before he had to leave (he was also scheduled this afternoon to appear with the Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band), so his part was taken over by the legendary Tom Scott who joined the stage to give a nice sax battle with Eric before he went off. Tom Scott played a self-composed, yet unrecorded tribute song to Grover and then "Jive Samba", a track from his current CD Cannon Re-Loaded, a tribute album to his hero Cannonball Adderley. His warm sound and flawless, soulful playing was just great, his music is like an old friend to me that has accompanied me through my life.

Another nice song was Chuck Loeb's "The Music Inside", one of my all-time favorites from Chuck's vast catalog of music. The guitarist was in a good mood and delivered some great solos. The band was top-notch, especially pianist Matt King delivered some beautiful solos, while Will Lee on bass and Cliff Almond on drums laid the solid foundation. This was an excellent concert, I really liked the gentle bossa tunes, they provided a nice change of pace and highlighted another field of music worth listening to, also kudos to Carmen Cuesta who was a special addition to the show.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Late Night Jam Session

As an added goodie we got an unofficial - but extremely well attended - late night jam session which started at midnight at the Jazz Base, it featured Philippe Saisse on piano, Eric Valentine on drums, Gerald Veasley on bass, plus Jeff Golub on guitar, Rick Braun on trumpet, Jessy J and Tom Scott on saxes. Unfortunately I just caught the last song they played, it was "Pick Up The Pieces" giving each one in the band some solo space. That's what jazz is all about, getting together and jamming just for fun!

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Global Noize

At 10:30pm a new, very interesting project named Global Noize by keyboardist Jason Miles and DJ Logic was scheduled at the Sheraton. Not only the music, but also the lineup showed a lot of diversity. Next to the two leaders who were at each end in front of the stage, they had soloists Christian Scott on trumpet, Jeff Cofin on saxophone and flute, Tom Scott on saxophone, Brian Dunne on drums, Jerry Brooks and special guest Me'Shell Ndegeocello on basses, Cafe on percussion and funk master Bernie Worrell on organ. Additionally they had World Fusion Dancers Azhia and Dellaneira dancing in the middle of the stage plus Indian singer Falu bringing a great world element to the table. I was pleasantly surprised by this show, the grooves were cool and provided a suitable backdrop for these great players to show their chops, especially Jeff Cofin and Christian Scott delivered several great solos. I was a bit afraid that the world element would dominate, but in the end it was jazz with a world flavor that did not distract, instead complemented the whole thing nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed this concert and considered this project to be another winner from Jason Miles, the Global Noize CD should be in stores soon.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Guitars & Saxes

In the evening "Guitars & Saxes" were due at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. This year, they appeared with a new lineup and new program. Main players were Peter White on acoustic guitar, Jeff Golub on guitar, Gerald Albright on saxophone and Jeff Lorber on keyboards. They had newcomer Jessy J in a supporting role on sax, flute, keyboards and percussion, additionally she provided some welcome eye-candy. On drums was Eric Valentine and on bass Smitty Smith, laying the solid foundation for the artists out front. All artists were drawing material from their vast catalogs, it was very interesting to see that they tried to break free from their smooth jazz routine incorporating new things, most notably were the two tracks from Jeff Lorber, one hard-hitting fusion track from his period as the Jeff Lorber Fusion and a straight-ahead track from his last CD He Had A Had. Great also was Jeff Golub's "Naked City", where he pulled all the stops creating a great live-feeling. Peter White still is the darling of the crowd, his "Bueno Funk" always brings the house down, and his rendition of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" shows where he is coming from. Gerald Albright displayed his clean and slick playing with songs like "My, My, My" and "Georgia On My Mind", always being a favorite of the show. The lovely Jessy J, who just released her debut CD Tequila Moon, played a few sax parts, but never really was featured, but nevertheless proved to be a nice addition to the show. They played almost for two and half hours, ending with the AWB classic "Cut The Cake" - yes, they still can cut it!

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Alex Bugnon

Saturday afternoon the double bill of keyboardist Alex Bugnon, followed by sax player Euge Groove, was scheduled at the Sheraton. I was glad to see Alex Bugnon getting the opportunity for a full length show and the artist really seemed to appreciate this, as did his fans in the crowd. Alex hails from the French speaking part of Switzerland and moved to the US to follow his music career which yielded many successful albums over the years. His band consisted of Victor Bailey on bass, Vincent Henry on reeds and guitar plus a drummer. He played a wide selection of songs ranging from "This Time Around" to his hit, the cover of Brenda Russel's "Piano In The Dark" to "107° In The Shade", the Ohio Players' "Sweet Sticky Thing" and others. His band was top-notch, especially Victor Bailey - who was a member of Weather Report - stood out and Vincent Henry with his sax and flute playing, he blew me especially away with his harmonica playing, an unusual element that worked very well. Alex played his keys in his own soulful style, often breaking it down to build it up again. The only thing that prevented me from enjoying this concert fully was the distorted sound of his keyboards, causing them to drown in the mix, I considered this to be very unprofessional and distracting. Anyway, the crowd did seem to like the performance of Alex Bugnon nevertheless.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Euge Groove

After a short intermission saxophonist Euge Groove was on, he was backed by a super tight band of younger players that grooved like hell, as did the leader on his instrument. He soon had the crowd grooving along, additionally cheering them up with his shouts and antics on stage. He played several tracks from his latest CD Born To Groove. To keep things going he gave a away a free t-shirt to the sexiest dancer and had a crowd of women dancing in front of the stage, later he did a stroll through the audience raising the heat. He also slowed it down nicely with a couple of romantic instrumentals, showing his chops on the sax. I really enjoyed this professional show full of great tracks, and especially the band that played on the highest level, most notably the drummer who just was a monster player. Yeah, we all could feel the funk!

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Rick Braun & Richard Elliot

Friday night trumpet player Rick Braun and saxophonist Richard Elliot appeared at the Scottish Rite Cathedral delivering their tried and tested formula of groovy smooth jazz, they have honed an excellent show over the years and those two veteran artists play together like a well-oiled machine. They were promoting their latest album RnR and were backed by the same band they had on the record, they were Ricky Lawson on drums, Nate Phillips on bass, Ron Reinhardt on keyboards and Dwight Sills on guitar. Rick Braun and Richard Elliot delivered their unique brand of music feeding off of each other creating quite some heat, both are tremendous players and seemed to have a lot of fun. Among the material played was Luther's "Your Secret Love", the Stylistics' "People Make The World Go Round" and "Gazing In The Grass", plus a batch of their own compositions like "Notorious" and tracks from RnR. Both Rick Braun and Richard Elliot did their strolls into the audience to the delight of the capacity crowd. They left the audience in a happy party mood and witnessing these guys play is always very entertaining.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Candy Dulfer

At the Sheraton hotel Candy Dulfer was scheduled for a late night show. She looked georgeous in her mini skirt and long blond hair, and boy, that lady can blow! She started her show slowly with some heartfelt smooth jazz playing, among the songs was "Everytime", one of my favorite tracks off her current Candy Store CD, which she brought to a great climax. Most notably was an extended guitar solo by her guitar player and musical partner Ulco Bed that built and built and didn't let go putting me into a state of bliss. Her band was super tight, another notable player was keyboardist and singer Chance Howard, who was a great part of the proceedings on stage, his playing and singing complemented the saxophone of Candy very well, escpecially cool was their rendition of D'Angelo's "Brown Sugar". The pace of the show picked up continuously and soon we were in a party mood with tracks like the Prince penned "Life Of The Party" and others that had a decidedly club feel. Over parts of the show, the band was really jamming with extended solos, bringing back elements that often were lacking in other shows. At the end of the show the crowd was on its feet to funky tracks like "Pick Up The Pieces" and others. I was deeply impressed by this very entertaining, very professional show and the level of musicianship by all involved. This one was definitely one of the very best shows of the whole festival.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Brian Simpson

Thursday evening we were in for another treat by the double bill of keyboardist Brian Simpson and guitarist extraordinaire Nick Colionne at the ballroom of the Abraham Lincoln hotel. The show was opened by Brian Simpson who had his portable keyboards strung around his neck and moved into the audience more than once during his performance. He was supported by Dwight Sills on guitar plus the bassist and drummer from Nick Colionne's band. During his 30 minutes warming-up set he performed several of his signature tunes, among them his biggest hit "It's All Good" that went down very well with the crowd, proving his superior artistry. Too bad he had to leave so early, but this was the contract as he said, people certainly would have enjoyed to hear him playing longer.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Nick Colionne

After a short intermission it was Nick Colionne's turn who wore a light grey suit with hat, looking as gorgeous as usual, backed by two keyboards, drums and bass (Dave Hilterbrand), displaying his tremendous skills on guitar. He is such a powerful performer and had the crowd soon in the palm of his hand. With a new CD entitled No Limits on Koch Records soon coming up, he delivered a few songs from this album, most notably the song "Melting Into You" that simply was mesmerizing and surely is destined to become a hit, the song evoked some strong and enthusiastic responses from the audience. Additionally he sang "Rainy Night In Georgia", a song that fits perfectly to his deep voice and gave me goose-bumps. His guitar playing was great and I am impressed each time I hear him by his level of artistry, Nick really is a bad dude! His joking remarks in between songs created quite a few laughs in the audience and he didn't mind to directly react to comments from the audience, Nick is just the consummate entertainer. He too did a lengthy stroll in the audience to the delight of his many fans, bringing his trademark guitar playing right to them. This was another outstanding performance by Nick, his concerts are always a memorable experience.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Bill Evans' Soulgrass

Wednesday evening the pace of the festival started to pick up again with the performance of saxophone great Bill Evans and his Soulgrass project trying to fuse jazz and bluegrass. The concert was held at the ballroom of the Abraham Lincoln hotel. His band consisted of Joel Rosenblatt on drums, Christian Howes on violin, Sam Bush on mandolin, Ryan Cavanaugh on banjo and a bass player whose name I didn't catch. Bill Evans seems to have a lot of fun with this music which leaned heavily on the bluegrass side, the jazz elements were just scattered across the music but unfortunately were not too prevalent. For the most part, I felt like being at a country & western concert, desperately seeking the jazz element. At least we got a few nice solos by all involved and the level of artistry nevertheless had to be recognized, I enjoyed in particular Sam Bush's distorted solos on the electric mandolin and Christian Howes plucking his amplified electric violin like a rock guitar. But the artist I came to see in the first place, Bill Evans, was just in a happy hillbilly mood which couldn't quench my thirst for jazz.

Michael Manson - Up Front

Welcome to the latest issue of Denis Poole’s Secret Garden, the page that offers a British perspective on the very best from the world of smooth jazz and classic soul. When, in 2006, I reviewed Just Feeling It by bass player Michael Manson I described his influence and reputation within the contemporary jazz genre as extending far beyond his home city of Chicago. On the album this was exemplified by the who’s who of smooth jazz superstardom that he enticed to collaborate with him and now, just under two years later, he is back with more of the wonderful same. Of course these are troubled times for smooth jazz and 215 Records, the label with which he recorded Just Feeling It is now defunct. Its demise led to a chronic underexposure of what was a really outstanding CD so it is totally appropriate that the new release, Up Front, provides a welcome opportunity to revisit four of the tracks originally found on this earlier effort. Not only that, Manson reaches all the way back to 2002 and his debut The Bottom Line project for the hit of the time ‘Outer Drive’. In doing so he creates a hybrid collection that is part ‘best of’, part brand new music but all superb contemporary jazz.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: To Grover With Love

Sunday evening we were in for a treat - the hard working Jason Miles brought one of his star-studded projects to us, it was the Celebrating the Music & Life of Grover Washington Jr.: "To Grover With Love" event which was held at the sold-out Sovereign Performing Arts Centre. The band consisted of players who were part of Grover's career, most notably Buddy Williams on drums, Ralph MacDonald on percussion (who wrote and produced many classic Grover tracks), Will Lee on bass, Chuck Loeb on guitar plus leader Jason Miles on keyboards. They started the show with "East River Drive" featuring Chuck Loeb on guitar, soon it was time for the first guest, saxophonist Walter Beasley, followed by Kim Waters and Everette Harp on saxophones, among the songs played was "Let It Flow" and Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments" (which was a straight jazz track that Grover covered as well at one point in his career).

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Eric Darius

Sunday afternoon the Smooth Jazz 92.7 Fan Appreciation Concert was due. The first 90 minutes belonged to saxophonist Eric Darius who started the concert with a bang, accompanied by a young band of players, he appeared playing from the audience, looking super cool with his sunglasses and hip outfit, emanating energy and fun. He belongs to the new generation of smooth jazz instrumentalists and delivered a high-engergy set full of great sax playing and cool grooves. Songs played were mostly from his last CD Just Getting Started from 2006, among them was his radio hit "Steppin' Up", plus covers like "Love TKO" and "Let's Stay Together". He also broke it down nicely with some heartfelt slow songs showing his considerable skills on his instrument. He and his band gave their all leaving us in a blissful state.

PS: A new Eric Darius CD is scheduled for release in June 2008.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Kenny Rankin, Paul Brown & Marc Antoine

After an intermission the groove and mood changed completely, the next concert centered around the three guitar players Kenny Rankin, Paul Brown and Marc Antoine, they were supported by a stellar band consisting of Philippe Saisse on keyboards, Ricky Lawson on drums and Roberto Valli on bass. The concert was very laid-back and easy on the ear, like a breath of fresh air, and definitely one of the positive surprises of the festival. They started with "Mas Que Nada", then Kenny Rankin - who is mainly a singer/songwriter - did one of his songs, then it was back to Paul Brown and Marc Antoine for some great guitar playing, among the songs played was "Spooky", a favorite of mine, and Grover's "Winelight", which funked things up. Paul Brown sang "The City" (a classic by Mark Almond) and "Listen To The Music" (another great one from the Doobie Brothers), some intelligent cover choices that complemented the style of these artists very well. Kenny Ranking sang "Blackbird" and evoked some Brazilian vibes with "Berimbau". This concert was an unexpected highlight and a joy from beginning to end.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: LA Chillharmonic Brings a New Cool to Berks

by Beverly J. Packard

Richard Smith on guitar. Greg Adams on trumpet. Brian Bromberg on bass. Michael Paulo on saxophone. Gregg Karukas on keyboard. Joel Taylor on drums. Berks Jazz Fest Horns on trombone, sax and trumpet. Put them all together and what do you have? A new band, never before to have played at the Berks Jazz Festival. Yes, the players are all familiar names. And the sound of the band's music is enhanced by each member’s earlier performances and CD’s. But this band proved, as the saying goes, that the sum is greater than its parts.

What an awesome afternoon of music Berks fans were treated to on Saturday, Day 2 of the Berks Jazz Festival. My first impression when seeing their name on the list of shows back in November was that it was a great combination of players for a one-time show. Now I’ve learned that LA Chillharmonic is more than that – it’s a concept for a brand new band, Richard Smith’s brainchild, and it’s sure to leave its mark on the jazz scene. So Berks now has the distinction of being the site of the very first performance of LA Chillharmonic.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Gerald Veasley & the WJJZ All-Stars

Bassist Gerald Veasley and the WJJZ All-Stars provided the late night show which was broadcasted live by WFMZ TV, the amiable bass player had his band with him (among them saxophonist Chris Farr) plus a string of friends to follow later. They opened the show with several tracks from their brand new CD Your Move which went down very well with the audience. Soon he added his first guest, guitar player Chuck Loeb, to the stage who was instrumental in this album, Chuck displayed his usual spirited playing and was a crowd pleaser, especially with his own composition "The Music Inside", the title track from this album from 1996, that evoked a few shouts of appreciation.

Then Bobby Lyle came to the stage to give us some great piano playing, he contributed his version of "Minute By Minute" and some mind-boggling soloing on the keys. Then it was time for crowd-pleaser Rick Braun and his jazzy trumpet playing, during his own "Cadillac Slim" he did a stroll through the audience, followed by Chris Farr on sax, raising the bar one notch. Overall the vibe was relaxed and the band took their time, later Gerald Veasley played "Forever", a hommage to his wife, just accompanied by drums and keys, a signature song of his which is always a highlight of his concerts, plus a rousing rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Do I Do". The show lasted well past midnight, the two hours flew by and left a very satisfied audience.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Chris Botti

Trumpet player Chris Botti played at the Sovereign Performing Arts Centre Saturday evening, the concert was sold-out and expectations were running high. The leader was accompanied by a stellar group of players, he had Mark Whitfield on guitar, the outstanding Billy Kilson on drums, Robert Hurst on acoustic and electric bass and Peter Martin on piano and keyboards with him. He opened his show with "Ave Maria" which soon changed into a twisted funky groove with mind-boggling interplay between the guitar of Mark Whitfield and the complex drumming of Billy Kilson. The material on display ranged from opera ("Caruso") to Leonard Cohen compositions but no matter what source the music came from, it always kept a tremendous tension, oszillating between the introspective and the expressive, yielding a music experience that just was out of this world. The band provided some serious jazz, the interplay between these world-class players was a joy to hear and watch. The icing on the cake was singer Sy Smith with her crystal clear voice and great jazz phrasing who delivered a few songs. This show was a true highlight and the best concert at the festival so far. Chris Botti is in a class of his own and witnessing him and his band live is always great.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Brian Bromberg

The Berks Jazz Fest 2008 started Friday evening with a concert by bassist Brian Bromberg which was held in the intimate Jazz Base, the jazz club at the Sheraton in Reading. I attended the first of two sets. Brian was in a great mood and ready to play, he had his array of basses with him and delivered a broad range of songs, among them Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" which appeared on his latest album Downright Upright, followed by smooth jazz tracks from his release Desire featuring saxophonist Gary Meek, another highlight was a tune from his Japan-only release In Spirit Of Jobim, an album done with a full orchestra that still awaits its release in the US. The other band members were Tom Zinc on keyboards, Joel Taylor on drums, Larry Antonino on bass (which made sense because Brian Bromberg focussed on soloing with higher tuned bass instruments). Speaking of instruments, Brian Bromberg played his 300 year old acoustic bass, a semi-acoustic piccolo bass guitar, and several electric basses, displaying stunning artistry with his double-tapping technique and spirited soloing. The band was in fine form yielding a top-notch concert and a worthy opener of the festival.

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Kenny Blake

I headed over to the Abraham Lincoln Hotel where the Kenny Blake Quartet was scheduled to appear in the L'Arte della Vita Jazz Cabaret. Despite the fact the Kenny Blake hasn't released an album for a while his name is still held in high esteem and his music is warmly appreciated. He played two sets with his band, he had piano, bass and drums plus a singer who delivered a few songs, some leaning towards pop, but he quickly made up for it with some great instrumentals which made me wonder why he is not more at the forefront of today's music scene. At the end of the concerts the band created quite some heat with their renditions of Herbie's "Cantaloupe Island" and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", even Sade's "Smooth Operator" - which has been played to death by various smooth jazz radio stations - created a highlight of the concert. Let's hope that we hear more of this great saxophone player in the future.

VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest to feature Miles' Global Noize

World premiere of Miles' Global Noize promises to get crowd moving at the VF
Outlet Berks Jazz Fest

READING, PA -- March 24 -- Over the past few years, keyboardist/producer
Jason Miles has produced and performed in numerous star-studded shows at the
VF Outlet Berks Jazz Fest that pay homage to great icons in the jazz and R&B
worlds, including Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross and this year, Grover
Washington Jr. In 2007, he also tapped into the era of the greatest soul
songs of all time with the powerful collective Soul Summit.

For the world premiere of his latest project and CD, Global Noize, he joined
up with the versatile hip-hop and jazz turntablist DJ Logic.

The mission of Global Noize is about more than bringing great music to the
audience.