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Vocalist Will Downing has canceled touring for the immediate future after being diagnosed with a disorder called polymyositis, a debilitating chronic inflammatory disease of the muscles that can cause those afflicted to lose the ability to walk or move their bodies. Its cause is unknown. Downing, 46, has been hospitalized on and off since January. Although polymyositis can occur at any age, it mostly affects adults in their 40s and 50s. It is more common in blacks than in whites, and women are diagnosed more often than men. Treatment can improve muscle strength and function. Downing first came down with symptoms over the holidays, when he felt extremely tired and sick. He adds that his fear of doctors kept him from discovering what his affliction was. However, the singer says he is now in rehabilitation and working to get himself back in shape. He's moving slowly, but he's moving nonetheless, and is thankful for that and for the fact that his voice so far has not been affected. Downing plans to release a new CD this September on Peak Records.

"Sound Grammar," the most recent recording by saxophonist Ornette Coleman and his band (released in September 2006), has won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Music. This is the first time ever that a jazz composition has won the award, one of the most prestigious in the United States. The disc, the first in a decade by the legendary free jazz pioneer, was recorded live at a 2005 concert in Italy. Another legend was also honored today, the immortal John Coltrane won a special citation from the Pulitzer committee for his "masterful improvisation, supreme musicianship and iconic centrality to the history of jazz."

Jazz Appreciation Month is celebrated annually every April and is intended to draw greater public attention to the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz and its importance as an American cultural heritage. The Smithsonian hosts a national/international calendar of JAM events at www.smithsonianjazz.org.

Jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck was honored for his musical and personal contributions to the Monterey Jazz Festival and to the world of music at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Golden Gala Launch Party on April 7. The evening was devoted to music education, with all proceeds from the gala going to support the festival’s youth education programs, which are among the most highly regarded in the country. The week of April 8, 2007 was named “Dave Brubeck Week” in Monterey. Brubeck was instrumental in getting city approval for the first festival in 1958 and has performed at the festival 14 times since, including his appearance at this year’s upcoming 50th anniversary. Clint Eastwood told the audience how he became a fan of Brubeck by going to the Burma Lounge in Oakland, Calif., in the 1940s, when he was an underage teenager. He and Brubeck have been friends for over 50 years. Eastwood is currently working on a documentary about Brubeck called “In His Own Sweet Way,” centering on the creation of the “Cannery Row Suite.” The film follows the development of the piece from inception to its debut at the 49th annual Monterey Jazz Festival last September.

Bassist Nathan East, received a Congressional Record from the United States Congress, House Of Representatives, recognizing him as a distinguished member of the music industry. A. Robert Brown, senior advisor to Congressman Ed Towns of New York, presented the award during a concert performance of jazz super-group Fourplay in Philadelphia on Sunday evening (April 1) honoring East for his outstanding achievements.
"Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Nathan East, as he offers his talents and services for the betterment of our local and global communities," Brown said. Congress also recognized Fourplay for its contributions to the industry worldwide, presenting the group its own Congressional Record. Fourplay is the only group in history that has received this recognition.

Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz announced the highly-anticipated relocation of its prestigious graduate-level jazz education program from Los Angeles to New Orleans’ Loyola University.

March 26th- Wayman Tisdale is undergoing treatment to remove a cyst from his fibula according to his manager and record label. Wayman suffered a leg injury last month due to a fall in his home. After an extensive battery of tests, it has just been diagnosed that the cause of the injury was a cancerous cyst isolated to a bone in his leg. He is already on the road to recovery and plans to resume touring in time for his Smooth Jazz Cruise in January 2008. He is also planning a new album. Appropriately, the working title is Rebound. Wayman said, “I am so pleased to report that my recovery will be 100%, and that I have been told that I am otherwise cancer-free. To recover properly, I need to curtail my touring and public appearances for a while. What this means is that I will have more free time to devote to my music. I am taking this time to work on a new record and some other very interesting projects.”

Chieli Minucci has been nominated for an Emmy Award for his work composing and producing music for CBS' "The Guiding Light." This is Minucci’s eighth nomination; he won an Emmy in the Music Composition for a Daytime Drama Series category previously.

A message from Wayman Tisdale, "To my friends and fans; I broke my right leg on February 8th. I am grateful to all who have sent your prayers and words of encouragement. I look forward to being back in action starting March 10th in Stockton CA. God bless everyone one of you."

“Angels for Angela,” a benefit concert for singer Angela Bofill and the American Stroke Association, on Wednesday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit. Tickets range from $35 to $100. WVMV morning host flautist Alexander Zonjic will perform with special friends Kem, Maysa, Najee, Marion Meadows, Jeff Lorber, Ken Navarro, James Lloyd, Thornetta Davis, Dave McMurray and many others. “All of the artists are donating their time, energy and talent. Award-winning recording artist Angela Bofill suffered a massive stroke in January 2006 that left her partially paralyzed and impaired her speech. One year later her recovery is progressing. With continued physical and speech therapy, she is determined to sing again. Like millions of Americans, Bofill was without health insurance coverage. She is expected to attend the Detroit benefit. The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, works to prevent, treat and defeat stroke through research, public and professional education programs and improved emergency care. It works in local communities to help survivors regain lost abilities, support caregivers and family members, and protect others from experiencing the devastation of this disabling and deadly disease. For more information log onto www.strokeassociation.org or call 888-4-STROKE.

A new superstar tour has been announced in conjunction with pianist Ramsey Lewis “Legends of Jazz” TV series. The Legends of Jazz tour, which is scheduled to run from September 5th to October 21st, in addition to Lewis will feature saxophonist Boney James and vocalists Al Jarreau and Patti Austin. Specific cities on the tour are expected to be announced soon.

The Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay has cancelled their performing arts season for 2007.

NEW YORK -- Michael Brecker, a versatile and highly influential tenor saxophonist who won 11 Grammys over a career that spanned more than three decades, died Saturday, January 13 at age 57.

Brecker died in a hospital in New York City of leukemia, according to his longtime friend and manager, Darryl Pitt. In recent years, the saxophonist had struggled with myelodysplastic syndrome, a cancer in which the bone marrow stops producing enough healthy blood cells. The disease, known as MDS, often progresses to leukemia.

Throughout his career, Brecker recorded and performed with numerous jazz and pop music leaders, including Herbie Hancock, James Taylor, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell, according to his Web site. His most recently released recording, Wide Angles, appeared on many top jazz lists and won two Grammys in 2004. His technique on the saxophone was widely emulated, and his style was much-studied in music schools throughout the world. Jazziz magazine recently called him "inarguably the most influential tenor stylist of the last 25 years," according to a press release from his family.

Though very sick, Brecker managed to record a final album, as yet untitled, that was completed just two weeks ago. Pitt said the musician was very enthusiastic about the final work. "In addition to the love of his family and friends, his work on this project helped keep him alive and will be another jewel in his legacy," Pitt said.

Brecker, who had a home in Westchester County's Hastings-on-Hudson, was born in 1949 in Philadelphia to a musically inclined family. His father would take his sons to performances of jazz legends such as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington.

Brecker, who first studied clarinet and alto saxophone, decided to pursue the tenor saxophone in high school after being inspired by the work of John Coltrane, according to his Web site. He followed his brother, Randy, a trumpet player, to Indiana University, but he left after a year for New York. In 1970, he helped found the jazz-rock group Dreams. He later joined his brother in pianist and composer Horace Silver's quintet. Michael and Randy also started the successful jazz-rock fusion group the Brecker Brothers. The two also owned the now-defunct downtown jazz club Seventh Avenue South. His solo career began in 1987, when his self-titled debut was voted "Jazz Album of the Year" in both Down Beat and Jazziz magazines.

His struggle with the blood disease led him and his family to publicly encourage people to enroll in bone marrow donor programs. His own search for a donor led to an experimental blood stem cell transplant that "did not work as hoped," according to a May 2006 entry on his Web site. His illness silenced his music at times, but raising awareness of bone marrow drives gave him a new focus. "It's something that doesn't come naturally. ... I obviously miss playing and writing music," Brecker told The Associated Press in 2005. "On the other hand, this whole experience has allowed me to be a conduit to attract attention for a cause that's much larger than me ... for people to go get tested (for the marrow donor program) because I know a lot of lives will be saved."

Brecker's survivors include his wife, Susan; his children, Jessica and Sam; his brother, Randy; and his sister, Emily Brecker Greenberg. Memorial services are being planned.

The NAMM (International Music Products Association) show is January 18 to 22 at the Anaheim Convention Center across from Disneyland. Many Smooth Jazz artists will be appearing as guests of different music manufacturers. This show is open only to members and the press.

Bobby Caldwell will be on the CBS Saturday Early Show, The Second Cup Café on January 6th, from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m.

The results of the Slim Man contest..."Secrets of the Heart", track #1 will be the first single from his new CD Solstice.

 

December 2006

Keyboardist and producer Philippe Saisse will receive the insignia of Chevalier dans L'Ordre des Arts et des Letters at a ceremony at the French Embassy in New York on Jan. 11, 2007. The honor is the French equivalent of English knighthood, or O.B.E., the Order of the British Empire.

Ahmet Ertegun, 83, founder of Atlantic Records in 1947 has past away in New York. Mr. Ertegun was a pioneer in the music business who help define American music by popularizing the R&B sound of Ray Charles, the soul of Aretha Franklin and the British rock of the Rolling Stones. Mr. Ertegun's love of music began with jazz when he and his late brother Nesuhi, who was himself an esteemed producer of jazz acts, used to hang with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington in the clubs around Washington DC. Being the sons of the Turkish Ambassador, they lived in Switzerland, France, and England, before settling in the United States. They has been following jazz for years and had a collection some 25,000 blues and jazz records. Mr. Ertegun, involved in music to the end, fell suffering a head injury at the Rolling Stones concert in New York on October 29th. He lapsed into a coma and past away on December 14th.

The Slim Man has a new CD called Solstice. He is requesting suggestions for his first single. Email your suggestion to slim@slimman.com

Richard Elliot will serve as the Grand Marshall of the seaside San Diego County city of Escondido's holiday parade, which has jazz and music as its theme, this Saturday, Dec. 16, at 9 a.m.

NARAS announced Grammy nominations appropriately enough on Pearl Bailey Day, for recordings released during the eligibility year spanning Oct. 1, 2005, through Sept. 30, 2006.

Breakthrough artist embraced by smooth jazz, Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On" (Capitol) is nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist.

Pop Instrumental Performance for solo, duo, group or collaborative performances: George Benson and Al Jarreau's "Mornin'" (Concord/Monster).

Best Pop Instrumental Album: "Gerald Albright "New Beginnings" (Peak); Larry Carlton "Fire Wire" (Bluebird/RCA Victor); Fourplay "X" (Bluebird/RCA Victor); Peter Frampton "Fingerprints" (A&M Records/New Door); Spyro Gyra "Wrapped In A Dream" (Heads Up International).

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: Lionel Richie "I Call It Love" (IDMG).

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: George Benson & Al Jarreau "Breezin'" (Concord/Monster).

Best Contemporary Jazz Album: Béla Fleck & The Flecktones "The Hidden Land" (Columbia); Groove Collective "People People Music Music" (Savoy Jazz Worldwide); Christian Scott "Rewind That" (Concord Jazz); Sex Mob "Sexotica" (Thirsty Ear); Mike Stern "Who Let The Cats Out?" (Heads Up International).

Best Jazz Vocal Album: Karrin Allyson "Footprints" (Concord Jazz); Roberta Gamberini "Easy To Love" (Groovin' High/Kindred Rhythm); Nancy King "Live At Jazz Standard With Fred Hersch" (Maxjazz); Diana Krall "From This Moment On" (Verve); Nancy Wilson "Turned To Blue" (MCG Jazz).

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo: Michael Brecker "Some Skunk Funk" (Telearc Jazz/BHM); Pacquito D'Rivera "Pac man" (Alma); Taylor Eigsti "Freedom Jazz Dance (Concord Jazz); Roy Haynes "Hippidy Hop (Drum Solo)" (Dreyfus Jazz); Branford Marsalis "Hope" (Marsalis Music/Rounder).

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: Ornette Coleman "Sound Grammar" (Sound Grammar); Chick Corea "The Ultimate Adventure" (Stretch); Trio Beyond "Saudades: Jack DeJohnette, Larry Goldings & John Scofield" (ECM); Kenny Garrett "Beyond The Wall" (Nonesuch); Sonny Rollins "Sonny, Please" (Doxy).

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Randy Brecker With Michael Brecker, Jim Beard, Will Lee, Peter Erskine, Marcio Doctor & Vince Mendoza conducting The WDR Big Band Köln "Some Skunk Funk" (Telarc/BHM); Bob Brookmeyer, New Art Orchestra "Spirit Music" (Artist Share); Joe Lovano Ensemble "Streams Of Expression" (Blue Note); Mingus Big Band "Live In Tokyo At The Blue Note" (Sunnyside/Sue Mingus Music); The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra "Up From The Skies: Music Of Jim McNeely" (Planet Arts).

Best Latin Jazz Album: Ignacio Berroa "Codes" (Blue Note); Edsel Gomez "Cubist Music" (Zoho); The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project "Simpático" (ArtistShare); Dafnis Prieto "Absolute Quintet" (Zoho); Diego Urcola, Edward Simon, Avishai Cohen, Antonio Sanchez & Pernell Saturnino "Viva (CAM).

KKSF has replaced Ray White and Timothy Alexander White with Broadcast Architecture Smooth Jazz Network, a national syndicated show.

The Radio & Records 2006 year-end report is in! Brian Culbertson is the NUMBER ONE Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year!

Mutil-talented artist Kenny G will join the elite team of radio hosts on Broadcast Architecture Smooth Jazz Network's nationally distributed evening shows beginning Jan. 2007 and Paul Hardcastle will host the weekend evening shows.

High school principals strongly believe that music education promotes the academic success of their students, according to a study released by NAMM (International Music Products Association) and MENC (The National Association for Music Education). A key finding of the study, conducted by Harris Interactive, shows that the vast majority of school administrators interviewed believe that music education has a powerful and lasting impact upon their students. Find more information at www.namm.org .

NAMM, the trade association of the International Music Products Industry is joining with Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, in presenting a national media campaign to promote the importance of music and art education. The organizations will work together to communicate the vital role that music and all of the arts play in the lives of children as they develop, and for people of all ages. The associations will implement a three-year national advertising campaign utilizing television, print, radio and web site mediums. The campaign will emphasize that being involved in the arts means much more than just participating in extra activities for children—the arts open up children's worlds and minds, and offer kids the skills they need for a bright future. More at www.namm.org .

Ramsey Lewis was named a National Edowment of the Arts Jazz Master for 2007. The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowships are the highest honors bestowed on jazz musicians.

 November 2006

Announcing the launch of our website SmoothJazzNotes.com on November 1, 2006.

Smooth Jazz continues to show strength according the Summer 2006 Arbitron Ratings.

Broadcast Architecture's Smooth Jazz Network's nationally distributed syndicated radio station will feature Clear Channel KKSF/San Francisco's Miranda Wilson as host of the midday show beginning in Jan. 2007 and Dave Koz will be the new afternoon drive personality. Brian Culbertson will have the weekend morning shift from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Norman Brown will be the weekend afternoon host from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. They join evening host Annie Ashe and morning man Ramsey Lewis.

Working with television affiliates, global airline and radio station partners, and a new Internet initiative that launches in December, Center Stage TV, producer of "Smooth Jazz TV", and Crystal Media Networks ("The Dave Koz Radio Show;" "Chill With Chris Botti") are preparing a multi-media jazz platform, called MyJazzNetwork.com.

Associated Press reports that big-band leader Toshiko Akiyoshi, pianist Ramsey Lewis and vocalist Jimmy Scott were among those selected by the National Endowment for the Arts as the Newest Jazz Masters, the nation's highest jazz honor. The NEA recognized Lewis as a pianist who "spans the influence of gospel music, classical music and mainstream jazz," while Scott, known for his high-pitched vocals and often singled out by Billie Holiday as her favorite singer, was cited for bringing "his deeply affecting voice and style to everything from ballads to rhythm and blues." The other New Jazz Masters are hard-bop trombonist Curtis Fuller; tenor saxophonist Frank Wess, who is also one of the most influential flutists in jazz history; alto saxophonist Phil Woods, who was honored in the composer-arranger category; and jazz writer and educator Dan Morgenstern, director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University, who was selected in the jazz advocacy category. The seven New Jazz Masters will officially receive their awards, which include a $25,000 fellowship, at a ceremony and concert on Jan. 12, 2007 in New York, during the annual conference of the International Association for Jazz Education.

Miles Davis was inducted into Hollywood's Rock Walk of Fame on September 28, 15 years after his passing. Making his recording debut in 1947, Davis went on to record many legendary albums including Kind of Blue, which sold over 2 million copies. The recipient of eight GRAMMY Awards, his induction was attended by Chris Botti, Mindi Abair, Verdine White and Philip Bailey from Earth Wind and Fire. Mr. Botti told Smooth Jazz Notes that it was one of the biggest honors of his career. Recently, Concord Records released a set of recordings, entitled The Miles Davis Quintet: The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions.

Stanley Clarke received the 2006 Bass Player Lifetime Achievement Award in New York at Bass Player Magazine's two day conference and concert on October 28 and 29. The award was presented to Clarke by Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten. Learn more at www.bassplayerlive.com

Kirk Whalum will be returning to his hometown of Memphis to be the first artist in residence at the Stax Music Academy. Whalum left when he was 18 living in various places, until settling in Nashville for the last ten years. He will be conducting master classes, as well as performing with the academy students in public concerts. The Stax Music Academy is affiliated with the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. http://www.soulsvilleusa.com/stax-music-academy/

Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, CA is pursuing a new direction creating an identity that will showcase their new multi million dollar Lucas Arts Center. Gone will be the concerts of top named performers both on the grounds and at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, in lieu of a focus on art and less commercial performances. They will still host the Songwriters Festival in conjunction with KPIG Radio, the Bleeding Edge Festival, and possibly a few concerts produced by guest curators. You can find them at www.montalvoarts.org.

This page is updated regularly, so please check back often.

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Letters, E Mails, Comments, etc...

 November 15, 2006 E Mail
Well done Michele - brilliant job.
Very best!
Stewart & AA

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