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"High Notes -- Low Notes" |
December 2007 |
Grammy nominations were announced. Smooth Jazz artists included: People magazine’s December 3rd issue includes Dave Koz’ new holiday CD, “Memories Of A Winter Night” (Capitol)“in their " Spotlight on Christmas Albums”, The CD earned three out of four stars. |
November 2007 |
| November has arrived! Dave Koz is sailing away and the Christmas tours begin at the end of the month. See the Christmas Tours page for more info. The Canadian Smooth Jazz Award nominations can be found at www.canadiansmoothjazzawards.com. Vote for your favorite artist! |
October 2007 |
According to Carol Archer at Radio and Records: The title track from two-time Grammy winner Peabo Bryson's latest CD "Missing You" has become something of an anthem for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and their loved ones. It started this past summer when his label, Peak Records, was contacted by a retired Navy serviceman of 23 years, now working as a private contractor in Army Communications in Mosul, who has a radio show that broadcasts most Sundays. Peak sent him an advance of Bryson’s new CD, which he began playing. According to the announcer, response has been terrific, especially to the title track, which seems to express what so many of our troops and their families feel when they are deployed overseas. Bryson originally recorded the song for his mother and sister, who have passed on, and his son-in-law, who is serving in Iraq. Now it seems to have taken on a whole new world of meaning. He performed "Missing You" on “The CBS Saturday Early Show” on Oct. 27. The segment can be seen by visiting www.cbsnews.com; click on “The Early Show,” then "Sat. Early Show," then "Second Cup Café." Our condolences go to Kirk Whalum at the death of his Father, Kenneth Whalum Sr., who died Oct. 22 from complications of a stroke. He was 73. Kenneth Whalum Sr. was a prominent Memphis minister who also served two terms on the Memphis City Council. A retired postal employee, a local post office was recently named in his honor. October is Catalina JazzTrax month! There are still great seats available, so if you haven't got your tickets, go to www.jazztraz.com. |
September 2007 |
Dave Koz entertained guests at the "2007 Entertainment Tonight" Emmy Party sponsored by People Magazine on September 16. The party, held on the Blue-Ribbon Patio at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, was the hottest ticket in Los Angeles on Emmy night. Dave performed music from his No. 1 contemporary jazz album, At the Movies. KTWV (the Wave)/ Los Angeles morning host and platinum-selling and Grammy-nominated superstar singer Brian McKnight is heading to Broadway to star in the long-running show " Chicago." He will continue to handle morning duties for the Wave with co-host Pat Prescott, from a New York studio. Brian will play the role of lawyer Billy Flynn." Dates run from Oct. 8-Nov. 18 at the Ambassador Theater on Broadway. McKnight will also perform with the " Chicago" national touring company at Washington, D.C.'s Warner Theater from Sept. 25-Oct. 7. McKnight joins other well-known artists who have played the role of Billy Flynn, including Usher, Harry Hamlin, David Hasselhoff, Wayne Brady and Joey Lawrence. Richard Gere played the part in the film adaptation of " Chicago." The show has run for 10 years on Broadway and garnered six Tony Awards. Nick Colionne will speak at a free lecture at Arizona State University’s downtown Phoenix campus, in conjunction with the Phoenix Brain Team and NxTHorizon.com, on “The Business of Jazz,” with special guest jazz industry manager Carol Ray on Sept. 5 from noon to 2 p.m. |
August 2007 |
Dave Koz told Smooth Jazz Notes that he personality went to visit Wayman Tisdale last month in Tulsa and that Wayman is feeling better and will be one of the "Friends" on the Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour. From Billboard.biz |
July 2007 |
July 10- Singer Angela Bofill, hospitalized in California. is stable in ICU after suffering a second stroke. She is in critical condition. Angela has no health insurance and her management is seeking donations through her Website. For more info, click here: http://www.angelabofill.com/angelabofill.html Hollywood Fantasy Weekend:
The winner and a guest will attend the JVC Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in true VIP fashion this summer. The festival features Dave Koz & Friends (including David Benoit, Phil Perry & introducing Kelly Sweet), Earl Klugh, and Summer Romance starring Jim Brickman and Michael Lington. Bid now to be whisked off to Los Angeles to enjoy three nights at the Beverly Hilton, box seats with backstage passes for the JVC Jazz Festival, a special dinner, meet and greets with Dave Koz and Michael Lington, a Yamaha saxophone autographed by Dave Koz, and additional keepsakes listed below. Bidding begins July 23 to August 2 on EBay and all proceeds go to the Grammy Foundation. |
June 2007 |
Seventy-two percent of online adults in the U.S. are using their home computers to listen to audio content, according to a new study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®). Computer-Sourced Audio Consumption in the home reveals that rapid penetration of the PC in U.S. households (now estimated at 82 percent) has more and more consumers looking to their home computer instead of their TV, DVD player, or CD player for a home audio experience. Dave Koz's latest CD, "At the Movies," produced by Phil Ramone, regains the No. 1 slot on SoundScan's Current Contemporary Jazz chart for the week ending June 17, a testament to the power of PBS's impact on the adult music consumer. Dave's hourlong special "Dave Koz at the Movies" has begun airing in PBS markets nationally, plus Koz has been highly visible in a guest slot in the network's tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, a concert featuring performers on Verve's tribute to the legendary vocalist, "We All Love Ella." The week's CD sales on the title were up 64%, with 2,200 units sold. Total sales for "At the Movies" are over 60,000 units.
Steve Oliver will be doing a series of Carvin in-store clinics this month. A PBS special honoring the late, great jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. "We Love Ella! A Tribute to the First Lady of Song" is part of PBS' long-running "Great Performances" series and will air on June 6th. Special guests will be Dave Koz, Patti Austin, Natalie Cole, George Duke, Quincy Jones, k.d. lang, Nancy Wilson, Lizz Wright, Take 6, Cyndi Lauper and Ruben Studdard. The TV special is tied into a tribute CD to Fitzgerald titled "We All Love Ella: A Celebration of the First Lady of Song" that will be released on June 5th. Ella Fitzgerald, who died in 1996 would have turned 90 this April 25th. Keiko Matsui will perform with the Asia America Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, June 9 at 8 p.m. under the Keiko Matsui will perform with the Asia America Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, June 9 at 8 p.m. under the baton of music director and conductor David Benoit at the Japanese America Theatre of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles. Funded by Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., the concert will feature the U.S. debut of Pioneer’s listening technology for the deaf and listening impaired; and Pioneer has invited students from local universities and college campuses that are well-known for their deaf studies programs, as well as members of local advocacy groups, such as the O.C. Deaf Equal Access Foundation (OC DEAF) and the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD), to attend the concert free of charge to experience the music of Matsui and the Asia America Symphony Orchestra using this innovative technology. Known as “Listening Through the Body” in Japan, Pioneer’s technology has been tested successfully and is used at leading Tokyo concert halls. It features a vibrating seat and speakers at ear-level that allow users to feel the rhythms and vibrations of the musical performance. The system can be used with or without a hearing aid. Keiko Matsui will perform with the A |
May 2007 |
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Walk; Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA Saturday, May 12. Joyce Cooling invites everyone to come walk with her to help raise money for a really cool cause! We’d love to have you be a part of out team, Music for the Mind. They will be joined by Sandy Shore and Donna Phillips from SmoothJazz.com They will meet at 10:00am and start walking at 11:00am. See Cooling's website for more information. www.joycecooling.com You can be involved and/or make a donation to this worthy cause. |
April 2007 |
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. 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 2007 |
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.” “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. |
February 2007 |
A milestone in Smooth Jazz~ CBS KTWV (the Wave)/Los Angeles, which will celebrate its 20th Anniversary Wednesday, Feb. 14, is the birthplace of the first full-time outlet of the format now known as Smooth Jazz. Metromedia launched the Wave on Valentine's Day 1987 with a team that included Rendezvous Entertainment CEO Frank Cody, newly named BA VP of affiliate relations Chris Brodie and current KTWV VP of programming Paul Goldstein. The Wave remains a Smooth Jazz format leader after 20 years, and is the only Smooth Jazz radio station to ever place among BIA's 50 top-billing radio stations in America -- three times. Winners from the 49th Annual Gammy Awards in the Jazz field... |
January 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. 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. |
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