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169

Down to the Bone Plays Capital Jazz Fest

Read "Down to the Bone Plays Capital Jazz Fest" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


Concertgoers braved rain and mud for the 12th Annual Capital Jazz Fest on June 4-6, 2004. Things may have been wet, but spirits were definitely high with the smooth jazz fans in attendance. Although it stormed all day, even the camping tents remained in place outside the festival area. The performance pavilion was packed with people, while others stood under shelters trying to capture a glimpse of the stage. Featured artists included the outstanding talents of Chris Botti, Dave Koz, ...

267

May-June 2004 CD Review Corner

Read "May-June 2004 CD Review Corner" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


As spring comes to a close, I’m reminded of all the great music festivals that will be held this summer. My personal favorite is the U.S. Bank Saint Louis Jazz Festival in Clayton, Missouri from June 24-25, 2004. John Scofield, Wynton Marsalis, Aaron Neville and The John Pizarelli Trio are some of the acts that will be there.

Maybe one of the artists that we’ve reviewed below will peak your interest and encourage you to venture to a festival in ...

399

Smooth Jazz Jam II

Read "Smooth Jazz Jam II" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Marion Meadows, Chieli Minucci, Ken Navarro, Nelson Rangel, Rohn Lawrence and Jay Rowe! Man, what a lineup.

The top smooth jazz specialists rocked the coastal New England enclave of Milford, Connecticut in a 2nd annual show to benefit the city's music departments. Just call it good kharma. Giving something back. Exhalting the arts. Music.

Jay Rowe, Milford native, keyboardist and mastermind of the April 24, 2004 event, is to be commended for bringing the big boys back to his home ...

171

A Taste of Spring

Read "A Taste of Spring" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


AAJ celebrates Spring, as we bring you another outstanding sampler from the music vaults. We do our best to offer a diverse mix of the current trends in contemporary jazz. Some of the artists will be familiar, while others will be new. You never know who we will review next, so stay tuned.

Moondance Hubert Laws 2004

Every now and then a reviewer finds herself shamelessly hitting the replay button on a song. The ...

294

Peter White: It's All Confidential

Read "Peter White:  It's All Confidential" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


Guitarist Peter White is set to release Confidential on March 23, 2003. Full of smooth grooves and romantic undertones, this CD features guest appearances by Chris Botti, Brian Culbertson, Christopher Cross, Mindi Abair, Paul Brown and Michael Paulo. White took the time to share with the Jazz Review his road of success that led to this ninth solo album.

White began studying the guitar as a teen and knew by the time he was sixteen that he was ...

189

Four For February

Read "Four For February" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


You never know what you will find in the vaults of the All About Jazz CD library. Rumor has it that there are a few missing staffers in there, but we're afraid to ask. In an effort to keep our readers in the know about recent releases, we thought we’d pull some of the contemporary titles at random and share the results of our reviews with you. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy.

Radio Contact ...

454

Richard Smith: Living 'Soulidified'

Read "Richard Smith:  Living 'Soulidified'" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


Irish poet William Butler Yeats once said, “In dreams begins responsibility.” These are the words that best describe soul jazz guitarist Richard Smith.

Richard Smith wasn’t always a jazz guitarist. Although Smith studied classical guitar for twelve years he found himself drawn to more groove oriented music. “I’ve always liked soul music and more earthy stuff,” shared Smith. He would go on to serve as a sideman for such names as Marc Antoine, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Warren ...

327

Mindi Abair: It Just Happens That Way

Read "Mindi Abair: It Just Happens That Way" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


With the release of It Just Happens That Way, Mindi Abair has rocked the jazz scene. Daring to go where no sax gal has gone before, she’s taken the music world hostage. The singles, “Lucy” and “Flirt,” have managed to climb their way up the charts, while positioning Abair as one of the top players in smooth jazz radio. However, Abair doesn’t label her music as jazz. It just happened that way.

“It’s been so cool because we ...

294

Dave Koz: A Holiday Tradition

Read "Dave Koz:  A Holiday Tradition" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


Dave Koz and a host of special guests have launched the annual Dave Koz Smooth Jazz Christmas Tour. Marc Antoine (guitar), Chris Botti (trumpet), Bobby Caldwell (vocals) and Brian Culbertson (piano/trombone) will be joining Koz for the festive holiday experience. After wowing audiences in Lake Tahoe and the West Coast, the tour will visit mostly major venues to include Atlanta and Chicago.

Interestingly enough, Koz will now be the bandleader to the guy who gave him his start. ...

237

Marc Antoine: A Mediterraneo Life

Read "Marc Antoine: A Mediterraneo Life" reviewed by Cheryl Hughey


Life in Madrid can be pretty carefree. You start your evening at about 9:30 p.m. with dinner and finish it off with light drinks at midnight. After heading to the clubs at about 2:30 a.m., you will party all night long . . . unless you are the father of a college student and a thirteen-month-old baby.

Although there may be a wild side for some in Spain, jazz guitarist Marc Antoine admits his time at home is mostly hectic. ...


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