The exceptionally talented Jazz artist Keiko Matsui has released her CD entitled Moyo. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Keiko Matsui fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Moyo Keiko Matsui’s artistic excellence is on full display as Matsui has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be her best work to date.
Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.
These days it’s a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.
Overall Moyo is an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up and is most definitely a worthy addition to any Jazz collection. Truly an outstanding Jazz CD. One of those that is completely void of any wasted time, as each track is simply superb.
While the entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 2 – A Great Romance, track 5 – An Evening In Gibraltar, and track 6 – When I Close My Eyes
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 10 – Old Potch Road. It’s a great track!
Moyo Release Notes:
Keiko Matsui originally released Moyo on Apr 24, 2007 on the Sony Wonder label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. Moyo (Heart & Soul)
2. Great Romance, A
3. Into The Night
4. Caricias
5. An Evening In Gibraltar
6. When I Close My Eyes
7. After The Rain
8. Allure
9. Black River
10. Old Potch Road
11. Um Novo Dia (A New Day)
12. Marula
Release Notes Personnel include: Keiko Matsui (piano); Richard Bona (vocals, bass guitar); Waldemar Bastos (vocals); Paul Taylor (saxophone); Gerald Albright (soprano saxophone); Hugh Masekela (trumpet); Derek Nakamoto (synthesizer, programming); Akira Jimbo (drums).
Recording information: 2006.
By: Tom Milson
I can describe Smooth Jazz sensation Boney James’s CD Body Language for you with just one word… Outstanding!
It’s a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I’m more than happy to announce that’s exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all.
Body Language is a nicely varied, mix of 9 tracks from one of best smooth jazz sax players around. One of the nicer things about hearing an artist like Boney James is with the level of talent he posses even if Smooth Jazz isn’t your favorite genre you still can’t help but appreciate the greatness of the artist.
Listen to and I think you’ll agree that the song choices are excellent, the production is outstanding and Boney James’s sax work is about as good as it gets.
While the entire CD is outstanding the truly standout tracks are Are You Ready? [track 1], Into The Blue [track 2], and All Night Long [track 9].
My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 5, Boneyizm. You gotta love Boneyizm!
Body Language Release Notes:
Boney James originally released Body Language on February 23, 1999 on the Warner Bros. record label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. Are You Ready?
2. Into The Blue
3. Body Language
4. I’ll Always Love You – (featuring Shai)
5. Boneyizm
6. Lovefest
7. Bedtime Story
8. I Get Lonely
9. All Night Long
Personnel: Boney James (soprano, alto & tenor saxophones, keyboards, synthesizer, programming); Donnell Spencer Jr. (vocals, drums); Shai, Chelle Davis (vocals); Rick Braun (flugelhorn); David Torkanowsky (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards); Phil Davis (keyboards, synthesizer, programming); Rex Rideout (keyboards, programming); Tim Heintz, Leon Bisquera, Mark Ellis Stephens (keyboards); Alex Al (synthesizer, bass); Paul Jackson Jr. (acoustic & electric guitars); Rohn Lawrence, Tony Maiden (guitar); Ronnie Garrett, Larry Kimpel (bass); Lil’ John Roberts (drums); Paulinho Da Costa, Lenny Castro (percussion). Engineers include: Paul Brown, Bill Schnee, Don Murray.
By: Clyde Lee Dennis
Change Of Heart is the latest release from Jazz Artist David Sanborn, and is another great one from this talented musician.
Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.
These days it’s a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.
If you’re a David Sanborn fan this is a CD your collection flat cannot be without. In fact, this is one of those CDs that you don’t even have to be a fan of Sanborn, or even Jazz to know is good. This is just good music. Period.
While the entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 1 – Chicago Song, track 3 – High Roller, and track 6 – A Change Of Heart
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 8 – The Dream. Wow!
Change Of Heart Release Notes:
David Sanborn originally released Change Of Heart on October 25, 1990 on the Warner Bros. Records label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. Chicago Song
2. Imogene
3. High Roller
4. Tintin
5. Breaking Point
6. Change Of Heart, A
7. Summer
8. Dream, The
Personnel includes: David Sanborn (alto saxophone); Mac Rebennack (piano); Don Grolnick (electric piano); Philippe Saisse (keyboards, synthesizers, programming); Michael Colina, Ronnie Foster (synthesizers, programming); John Mahoney (Synclavier); Michael Brecker (EWI); Carlos Rios (acoustic & electric guitars); Marcus Miller (guitar, keyboards, bass); Hugh McCracken, Nicky Moroch, Hiram Bullock (guitar); Anthony Jackson (bass); Steve Ferrone, Micky Curry, John Robinson, Steve Gadd (drums); Mino Cinelu (percussion, electronic drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Jason Miles (synthesizer programming).
Producers: Marcus Miller, Ronnie Foster, Philippe Saisse, Micheal Colina.
Engineers include: Michael Hutchinson, Eric Calvi, Keith Seppanen.
By: Tom Milson