I have a brief announcement. This station has kindly increased the radio time we have to bring you this great music. In addition to our previous time of 9 to 11 Saturday nights, this show will be replayed Wednesdays from 2 to 4 in the afternoon. All my shows can also be played anytime over the internet 24/7 from our KKRN.org website.
Let’s talk Grammys. The award show was February 10th. I was deeply disappointed Tony Bennett and Diana Krall nominated for two Grammys for their album we have been playing, Love Is here To Stay, did not win. However let’s start this show with Quincy Jones. He did win the Grammy for Best Music Film. There is an album of the soundtrack titled Quincy. The film is Quincy-A Life Beyond Measure.
This title certainly describes his six decade career as a musician, record producer, composer, and film producer. He has a record 80 Grammy Award nominations, 27 previous Grammys, 28 now,and a Grammy Legend Award presented in 1992. In addition to his musical talent on several instruments, he was the record producer on many of Michael Jackson’s albums including Thriller. In addition he was Frank Sinatra’s go to arranger. Our music begins from the soundtrack of QuincyJones latest Grammy win with Frank Sinatra and Fly Me To The Moon.
Another Grammy Award winner this year was jazz singer Cecile McLorin Salvant for her most recent album The Window. It won in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Album. From The Window I have the song Everything I’ve Got Belongs To You.
In addition to Cecile McLorin Salvant’s Grammy win, she also sang a duet with Michael Buble on his most recent album Love. We have been playing that album the last few weeks. Buble’s album has now been on top of the jazz albums chart for 12 straight weeks. I have that duet to play for you, the French song La Vie En Rose
We have the second new release of 2019 of an album in smooth jazz. February 9th saxophone, flute, and piccolo player Nelson Rangell released the album By Light. Beginning his solo career in 1987, he has released a number of really fine albums. I have our first listen from this just released album. It is his smooth jazz interpretation of Michael Jackson’s Human Nature.
This program has more new releases from Jazz Funk Soul, Jeff Goldblum, Kayla Waters, Josh Vietti, Jazz Holdouts, and Skinny Hightower.
In the middle of the first hour, I will play Billboard's top three songs in smooth jazz.
Hour two is dedicated to the classic old in smooth jazz.
You won't hear this anywhere else. I know about these artists because their long time home was San Diego and I lived there as well for 28 years. Jimmy Cheatham was a jazz trombonist that played with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton. He later formed his own Sweet Baby Blues Band with his wife vocalist Jeannie Cheatham. They were well known locally in San Diego but were best known in Europe where they were idolized by jazz fans. In 2004 they released Luv In The Afternoon. Downbeat magazine named it the blues album of the year. I have Jimmy Cheatham on the trombone and a vocal by Jeannie Cheatham on the title track to the album Luv In The Afternoon.
Once more the close for this show will be another of those classics among classics in smooth jazz. One of the true greats that helped define and propel this format into being was saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. His fantastic 1980 album Winelight first featured this song. It was written by Bill Withers and Withers was also the vocalist. The song went platinum in 1981 and won a Grammy in 1982. I have the great, greater than great Grover Washington Jr and Bill Withers with Just The Two Of Us.
I would love to hear from you for any reason including requests, comments, suggestions, questions, and yes even criticism. My email is smoothside@kkrn.org. Thank you for listening.
