From Bob James & David Sanborn's Grammy-winning Double Vision to George Benson & Earl Klugh's Collaboration, Warner Brothers has released some of the greatest dual projects in smooth jazz. Rick Braun's signing to the label this year has paved the way for the label's best tandem project yet, pairing the trumpet star's jazzy sensibilities with the ...
Boney James comes from somewhere over in the easy listening corner of jazz, with rhythms bordering on funk in one direction and soft soul in the other, with a lot of programmed drums (very well done) and deep, dark synth bass. Sometimes a male voice will venture out into the mix, but this isn't a particularly significant portion of the program -- ...
The definition of smooth jazz has never been close to concrete, but this Warners collection stretches the boundaries with tracks by Fourplay, Michael McDonald, Take 6, and Randy Crawford in addition to regulars like David Sanborn, Bob James, Pat Metheny, and George Benson. All of the tracks do work well together, though, creating an easy-listening ...
Some who have followed Boney James' incredible trajectory in smooth jazz land -- which includes four gold albums and a Grammy nomination for his previous disc, Ride -- might think it's a risk for the popular saxman to take all the production reins himself. He's always been an outstanding, soulful player, but producer Paul Brown's cool, R&B-driven ...
The masterful fusion of street funk, sensual R&B, and contemporary jazz that Boney James accomplishes on Ride continues to make him a favorite with listeners around the world. The multi-talented saxophonist, keyboardist, producer, and composer wrote or co-wrote nine of the songs for this ten-song program and features such stellar guest talent as ...
The third volume in Warner's Best of Smooth Jazz series includes several surprises -- contributions by Randy Crawford & Al Jarreau, Eric Clapton, Patti Austin & James Ingram -- as well as familiar names like Joe Sample, Bob James, George Benson and Gerald Albright. ~ Keith Farley, All Music Guide
Working with producer Paul Brown, Boney James' Boney's Funky Christmas is an entertaining set of loose, funky and bluesy interpretations of both classic Christmas carols ("The Christmas Song") and more obscure contemporary selections like "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas." Two selections, "This Christmas" and "What ...
On Backbone, a set of obvious dance tracks, saxophonist Boney James resembles Grover Washington, Jr., both on tenor and soprano. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
One could imagine this extremely radio-friendly grab bag as the sole "jazz" album on the shelf of a casual Wal-Mart shopper who bought it on an impulse. Indeed, it will give the harried consumer on the go an hour or so of easy-listening jazz, chosen with some care from a 21-year span of Warner Bros. recordings and ranging from the most recycled ...
Body Language is a fairly typical Boney James album in which the saxophonist (who is heard on tenor, soprano, and alto) plays in styles very close to Grover Washington, Jr. He is backed by studio rhythm section players, an occasional string section, and some electronics on material clearly designed to get maximum airplay on pop/jazz radio stations ...
Warner Brothers sort through their back catalog for the fourth time, selecting tracks from obvious smooth jazz specialists George Duke, Earl Klugh, Al Jarreau, and David Sanborn as well as those indirectly related, including Fourplay, James Ingram, k.d. lang, and Boney James. ~ Keith Farley, All Music Guide
Taken in small doses, Boney James can be enjoyable to listen to. The Grover Washington-influenced saxophonist always sounds soulful, sincere, and passionate playing over R&B-ish rhythms. The problem is that James sounds virtually the same on every song he plays, and the individual tunes lack any personality of their own. So listening to four ...
Boney James is hereby nominated to replace Kenny G as the poster boy for smooth jazz. The multi-saxman is not only one of the genre's top sellers, but also most consistently captures the requisite balance of silky, urban-lite grooves, bright yet easygoing melodic horn licks, and -- most importantly as far as definition is concerned -- improvises ...
KKSF 103.7: Sampler for AIDS, Vol. 10 continues the San Francisco smooth jazz radio station's charitable compilation series in fine fashion, featuring widely varied cuts from Rick Braun, Fattburger, Kenny G, Paul Hardcastle, Dave Koz, David Benoit, Sade, Boney James, George Benson, Grover Washington, and many more. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
The Montreux Jazz Festival has made this exquisite resort town tucked into a corner of Lake Geneva, towered over by the hulking Alps a household name in jazz households. But by the 20th century's end, the festival had grown and changed almost beyond recognition; indeed, what one knowledgeable local observer calls the "Time Warnerization" of ...
WNUA 95.5: Smooth Jazz Sampler, Vol. 10 collects 15 laid-back tracks of hit material with decent, if not outstanding, smooth tracks from the Braxton Brothers, Kenny G., and Urban Knights, alongside George Benson ("This Masquerade"), Vanessa Williams ("The Sweetest Days"), and Ramsey Lewis ("The 'In' Crowd"). While the packaging is drab, the ...
This collection of smooth jazz includes tracks by Ramsey Lewis, Dave Grusin, Vanessa Williams, Dave Koz, Kenny G. and George Benson. ~ Keith Farley, All Music Guide
WJJZ 106.2 Smooth Jazz Sampler Volume 6 collects some of the radio station's most requested smooth jazz hits, including tracks from Boney James, Grover Washington, Jr., David Benoit, Kenny G and George Benson. The album benefits Philadelphia charities like the city's chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and the Jazz In The Schools program. ...
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