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Looking Up, With The 1st Lady Of Smooth Jazz
Gail Jhonson Releases Smooth Jazz Single Looking Up Featuring Guy Stevenson on Guitar--a new upbeat smooth jazz track from the Los Angeles composer and pianist arrives October 30, 2026.
Composer, pianist, and music educator Dr. Gail Jhonson releases her new smooth jazz single, “Looking Up," today. Guy Stevenson lends his guitar to the track, produced by Burnie Stevenson, with Nelson Braxton, mix engineer. She was the founding musical director of Norman Brown's band, with decades working together; co-founder and leader of the all-female ensemble Jazz in Pink; former Shanachie Entertainment recording artist; host of The Pink Room on Solar Radio.
“Looking Up" is a confident, energized minor-key instrumental for late-afternoon drives, evening lounges and gatherings that want motion without vocals. A clipped, syncopated piano hook rides a polished mid-tempo jazz-funk pocket with bright synth brass, electric bass and layered percussion, then opens into expressive piano work and a featured electric jazz guitar passage.
Dr. Jhonson grew up in the Philly sound, where R&B, soul, gospel, and classical orchestration shaped her ear. She weaves those traditions into a contemporary jazz framework that feels timeless.
The inspiration for “Looking Up”, came after the success of the albums by Jazz in Pink and The 3 Keys. I turned turned my attention to the road ahead and began recording with Tom Browne, Tony Saunders and a Latin music project-Phoenix Caliente, created with percussionist Victor Orlando. With Burnie Stevenson, I also launched the production company BurnieGail, which develops and produces artists including my daughter Tamina Khyrah-Joi, dynamic vocalist Jessie Laine-Powell, and the super trio Velvet Vybe, featuring saxophonist Tony Exum and Sharon Rae North.”
With more than 40 years of experience, Dr. Jhonson brings artistic depth and disciplined precision to every project. She holds a Master's in Music Business and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. She has performed at major venues across the country and abroad, and has recorded eight CDs along with multiple collaborative projects. “Looking Up" adds a fresh chapter to that body of work.
Her honors include Grammy and Reader's Choice considerations and awards from Black Women in Music, the Citril Award, and Enthrone Records. Through Jazz in Pink, she received recognition from the California State Senate and the City of Carson.
“Looking Up" is a confident, energized minor-key instrumental for late-afternoon drives, evening lounges and gatherings that want motion without vocals. A clipped, syncopated piano hook rides a polished mid-tempo jazz-funk pocket with bright synth brass, electric bass and layered percussion, then opens into expressive piano work and a featured electric jazz guitar passage.
Dr. Jhonson grew up in the Philly sound, where R&B, soul, gospel, and classical orchestration shaped her ear. She weaves those traditions into a contemporary jazz framework that feels timeless.
The inspiration for “Looking Up”, came after the success of the albums by Jazz in Pink and The 3 Keys. I turned turned my attention to the road ahead and began recording with Tom Browne, Tony Saunders and a Latin music project-Phoenix Caliente, created with percussionist Victor Orlando. With Burnie Stevenson, I also launched the production company BurnieGail, which develops and produces artists including my daughter Tamina Khyrah-Joi, dynamic vocalist Jessie Laine-Powell, and the super trio Velvet Vybe, featuring saxophonist Tony Exum and Sharon Rae North.”
With more than 40 years of experience, Dr. Jhonson brings artistic depth and disciplined precision to every project. She holds a Master's in Music Business and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. She has performed at major venues across the country and abroad, and has recorded eight CDs along with multiple collaborative projects. “Looking Up" adds a fresh chapter to that body of work.
Her honors include Grammy and Reader's Choice considerations and awards from Black Women in Music, the Citril Award, and Enthrone Records. Through Jazz in Pink, she received recognition from the California State Senate and the City of Carson.
