KKRN FM, is a volunteer-based, listener-supported radio station fostering positive social change and healthy communities by entertaining, informing and educating through diverse music, culture, news, and public affairs programming.

First Smooth Jazz Album Release Of 2019 From Jazz Funk Soul + More Michael Buble And Jeff Goldblum

Share Tweet Email

The past couple of weeks I have been playing some of 2019’s new releases, at that point all singles out of forthcoming albums. Two weeks ago I played an early release from Jazz Funk Soul’s new album Life And Times. That release titled Windfall that has already jumped onto the charts this week. Now we have the full album just released February 25th, our very first smooth jazz album of the year.

Life And Times is Jazz Funk Soul’s third album. On the first two, the guitarist was Chuck Loeb. He passed away in July 2017. I was surprised and pleased to see this group return with American Idol and Tonight Show guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. On all their new songs you can clearly hear  the keys of Jeff Lorber, the sax of Everette Harp, and the guitar of Paul Jackson Jr. as they blend together to produce some really great music. They are certainly getting us off on the right note for 2019.

I have another new release, also on February 25th, this time a single, from an artist I have not played. This is from bassist Mitchell Coleman Jr featuring Lilia Skibinsky. This brand new song is titled Transcendence.

Going back to last year’s new releases Michael Buble’s brand new album titled Love was a triumphant return to his career after being on hiatus two years to successfully help fight his young son’s cancer. It  has now been number one on the Billboard jazz album charts for ten straight weeks. I’m a couple of days late for this one. I am hoping you had a special day. From that album this is My Funny Valentine.

One of my favorite albums from last year was from movie and TV actor Jeff Goldblum’s third career as a jazz pianist.  It was Billboard’s number one jazz album for only one week. It had the misfortune to be sandwiched between the releases of the Diana Krall,Tony Bennett album and the Michael Buble’ album. It is titled The Capitol Studio Sessions, an album I have been playing the last few weeks. How this album came about is a great story that can be heard in our archives at the beginning of program 73.

In the middle of the first hour as always, I will play Billboard's top three songs in Smooth Jazz for this week.

Then more new releases from Acoustic Alchemy, Kayla Waters, Josh Vietti, and herb Alpert.

Our second hour is devoted to classic songs from smooth jazz.

We have a classic among classics in smooth jazz. Last week at the end of our program I told to story how the group Fourplay came together out of Bob James Grand Piano Canyon album from which  we played music. The following year in 1991 this fabulous group released their debut album titled simply Fourplay. The album went platinum and charted at the No. 1 position on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts for an unprecedented 33 weeks.The keys of Bob James, the guitar of Lee Ritenour, the bass of Nathan East, and the drums of Harvey Mason, together they are Fourplay. They became one of the longest lasting most successful groups in smooth jazz history. This song Bali Run is the opening track from this album and is our closing song for this program.



Comments
You must be signed in to post comments.