QVC Gets Down With Groove Boutique

Rafe Gomez, who hosts the syndicated smooth jazz/retro/chill radio delight called Groove Boutique, will bring the show to the QVC shopping channel in August.

The one-hour, bi-monthly program will feature Gomez spinning and selling CD bundles of the same type of music that plays on the show. Some of the releases that will be featured include albums by Soul Ballet, Greg Adams, Four80East, John Tropea, Fishbelly Black, Steve Oliver, Bobby Caldwell and many more.

Although the first date of the show is to be determined, it will air at 2 a.m. ET, 11 p.m. PST.

You probably know that Gomez recently remixed a version of Smokey Robinson’s Quiet Storm that is included on an album called “Motown Remixed.”

Gomez is a cool cat, and he’s adding some needed zip to the smooth jazz format.

CD Review: Richard Elliot, Metro Blue

Richard Elliot
Metro Blue (ARTizen)

Saxophonist Richard Elliot has more than just a fleeting interest in his 15th release. Metro Blue is the first CD of all-new material by the ARTizen Music Group, a smooth jazz label based in Southern California and co-founded by Elliot and fellow musician and trumpeter Rick Braun. Elliot shouldn’t have much to worry about here, as his robust tenor saxophone consistency lays thick grooves atop some darn tempting pop songs. Produced by Braun and Elliot, the CD once again pays tribute to what must be Elliot’s favorite R&B from the 1970s, the Stylistics. Elliot’s last CD featured a cover of group’s “You Make Me Feel Brand New.” Metro Blue’s first single is a sexy reading of the sweet soul band’s “People Make the World Go Round.”

As Elliot’s albums always are, Metro Blue is heavy on the brass, which is to be expected from a former member of the seminal band Tower of Power. Braun blows his trumpet throughout, sounding especially vivid on “Inside Out,” an upbeat number that starts the CD. This song’s sure to draw raised fists during the Jazz Attack tour this summer, which Elliot is starring in. As will the funky “Mango Tango,” which lays down a groovy echoing sax line, and “Maxi’s,” powered by a Travolta-esque disco beat.

Any Richard Elliot CD must have at least song where he coaxes some growls from his sax, and that track here is “Mystique,” which also offers some pretty sweet picking by guitarist Peter White. On “Chill Bill,” Elliot perhaps winks at the chill-music sound filtering into smooth jazz, but the song is more of a traditional ballad. As are the title track and “Camella,” which he sweetly named after his wife.

Metro Blue makes for a promising debut ARTizen debut.

OverXposure.FM Wins Web Radio Award

We're happy to report that OverXposure.Fm, a Seattle-based chill music online station, recently won an award for Best Ambient Chilled Station. The station was picked as the favorite by fans who voted during the recent 2005 Web Radio Awards. The station received 53 percent of the vote.

The station was created by Tim Quigley, who also picked up the award for Best Downtempo DJ. At the site, Quigley programs a show called Frosbyte GrooveLounge. If you haven't checked out this station yet, you should consider it. The sound is amazing and Quigley's song selection is seamless.

Although the station is now an Internet-only operation, Quigley has grander plans. "I am examining possibilities of getting an LPFM license and simulcasting the webcast from the top of West Seattle's Admiral Hill," he says. "It is just a matter of time before this format becomes commonplace and this formula is the purest in its current evolution."

For a complete list of Web Award winners, go to www.webradioawards.com/winnerarchive.htm.

Dave Koz Wins DJ Radio Award Again

Saxophonist Dave Koz on on June 24 won for the third time in the Smooth Jazz personality/show of the year category at the Radio & Records national industry convention in Cleveland.

Koz also won that award last year and in 2002. He won for “The Dave Koz Radio Show,” a morning show on KTWV-The Wave in Los Angeles. Sharing in Dave’s award was co-host Pat Prescott.

For the second time in a row, Koz was also nominated in the syndicated personality of the year for the syndicated version of his radio show, which was won by the duo of Bob & Tom.

Also among the winners were WNUA of Chicago, KSSJ in Sacramento and WCJZ of Charlottsville, Va., for stations of the year in their respective markets; Paul Goldstein of KTWV in Los Angeles for program director of the year; Suzanne Berg of the Verve Music Group for promotion executive of the year; Kelly Cole of KiFM in San Diego for music director of the year; and Verve Music Group for label of the year.

Soul Ballet Remix CD Now Available





All The Pretty Lights, Volume 1, a remix album by Soul Ballet, is now available in stores and online retailers after previously only being offered at the band’s website. Soul Ballet, a concept band led by Rick Kelly, included two new songs on the album called “The Revolution/Make The Music Louder” and “Pretty Lights.”

Eight other tracks are extended versions of previously released material. The songs “Man And Woman,” “Exotique,” “N.Y.C. Trippin’,” “Love Juliet” “Walking Through the Rain” and “Am I Close Enough” are from Soul Ballet’s self-titled debut album while the tracks “BLU Girl” and “Monique Slept Here” are from the follow-up album, Trip The Night Fantastic.

Contributing to the CD are Ken Ross on horns and Trina Dye and Sera Lynn on vocals.

Kelly is now working on the second volume of All The Pretty Lights, which he expects to release later this year. His current album of new material, DreamBeatDream features a song called “Cream” that was No. 1 on R&R's smooth jazz chart for six weeks.

Soul Ballet will make its debut at the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival on Sept. 30.

‘Velocity Of Love’ Composer Releases First Album In Six Years





Five-time Grammy nominee Suzanne Ciani, who is best known for her 1991 Smooth Jazz single called “The Velocity of Love,” has released a new album called Silver Ship on her Seventh Wave record label. The album is first of new material for the pianist – who performed on Spyro Gyra’s groundbreaking Morning Dance album more than 25 years ago – since 1999.

It features flutist Matt Eakle, saxophonist Paul McCandless, cellist Joe Hebert, guitarist Teja Bell and bassist Michael Manring.

The 10-song recording has such titles as “Wine Dark Sea,” “Stromboli,” “Eclipse” and “Open Seas.”

Marc Antoine Returns With "Modern Times"

Marc Antoine, who has scored five #1 Smooth Jazz singles with his trademark acoustic Latin and flamenco guitar sounds, will feature some new elements on his upcoming CD called Modern Times. The CD, Marc’s seventh and second for Dave Koz’s Rendezvous Entertainment, was recorded in his studio in Madrid, Spain, with European dance music producer and club DJ David Ferrero. In a new twist for Marc, he plays electric guitar on several cuts and even sings the lead vocal on “La Belle Dame Sans Regrets,” a song originally recorded by Sting.

In addition, Antoine continues his affair with Spanish, Latin and European rhythms and riffs, but he expands his itinerary on the new project to include musical excursions into South Africa with the song “Umbele” and India with “Cantar al Amor," the latter of which features sacred chanting. Other songs include “Bella Via,” “Samba Hood,” "Shake It Out” and “Can You Feel It.”

Throughout the CD, the production has plenty of vocal samples and hip club beats and grooves.

Modern Times will be available on Aug. 16.





Praful

Pyramid in Your Backyard

(Rendezvous Entertainment)

First things first: Except for the lead track called “Moon Glide,” the new CD by Dutch saxophonist/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Praful is nothing like his smashing debut, One Day Deep. But some background is in order: That album was originally released way back in 2001, but hit the U.S. by storm in 2003 thanks to a U.S. distribution deal and the hits “Sigh” and “Let the Chips Fall.” That album helped Praful become a leader in the chill music crowd, exposed many smooth jazz listeners to the format and even helped Praful get a high-profile gig on the Dave Koz & Friends tour this summer.

With Pyramid in Your Backyard, Praful avoids mining the successful grooves that populated One Day Deep, which would have been the easy and logical thing to do. But, working with producers and Rendezvous labelmates Adani & Wolf, Praful has made a wonderfully exotic CD that further explores his love of Brazilian and Indian music. The album has several guest vocalists singing in English, Portuguese and Indian Hindi. Among them are Sandhya Sanjana from India and Katia Moraes from Brazil – who is a member of Praful’s band – and even Praful himself. The Brazilian bossa nova tracks, “Acredite,” “Ponto de Partida” and “Eternity,” are smooth and sophisticated, while the Indian-flavored tunes, especially “Says Kabir,” are exotic and unusual to Western ears but still maintain the familiar percussion-heavy beats Praful employs to great effect.

Standout instrumental tracks include the spare and jazzy “We Live On,” where you can hear for yourself – and appreciate – Praful’s skill on the sax. “Hand-Cart Puller” features a guitar loop, bountiful percussion and a rapid pace, while “Drop to the Ocean” is a chill/electronica classic with jazzy sax interludes. “Wishful Walk” comes straight from the Pat Metheny school of samba, with a languid beat and wistful vocalese, while “Naked” is a quiet smooth jazz gem with soothing vocals by Praful.

Pyramid in Your Backyard takes a little getting used to if you’ve listened to One Day Deep a million times. But it quickly becomes apparent that Praful has made a compelling and worthy sequel on his own terms.

The Secret of Mindi Abair's Current Single





There's no doubt that saxophonist Mindi Abair leaves a lot of people breathless.

These days with computer editing tools, musicians can edit just about anything into – or out of – a song. But Abair, decided to let the chips fall where they may on her brand new single called “Make A Wish,” which is her new single. At the very beginning of the song – if you listen closely – you can hear Mindi intake a breath before she starts humming the song’s melody. Mindi says she debated about deleting the breath but decided to leave it in because it adds freshness and spontaneity to the song.

"Most people would just take that out," Abair says. "But I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and decided to keep it."

Elsewhere on her Come As You Are album, on the song “High Five,” she left in her laugh at the end of the song.

Abair is currently starring in the Guitars & Saxes tour with saxophonist Warren Hill, guitarist Jeff Golub and bassist Wayman Tisdale.

Royksopp Plans Mini-Tour of States




The Norwegian chill-music duo known as Royksopp has announced that it will make its first-ever tour of the U.S. later this fall to support its upcoming album called The Understanding. Before the tour, however, the group will stage a three show mini-tour: July 13 in New York, July 15 in San Francisco July 17 in Los Angeles.

The new album is the follow-up to their debut called Melody A.M, which has sold more than 750,000 copies worldwide. That album is, without question, one of the best downtempo CDs of the past several years, and it's easily accessible.

The new 11-song project features instrumentals and several vocal tracks. It will be released on July 12.

Nils Rises To The Top Again



Nils is making quite a name for himself. He goes by the name "Nils," but Nils Jiptner is actually an accomplished studio musician who may one day become so famous he earns his one-name designation.

Nils, who now lives in Southern California, has seen his smooth jazz hit called "Pacific Coast Highway" stay at the top of Radio & Records Smooth Jazz charts for six weeks now. The song is from his CD on the same name of the Baja/TSR label.

Nils plays guitar as sweet as George Benson, which is no surprise. Benson liked Nils' song called "Keep Rollin'" so much that he recorded it on his Standing Together CD. Nils includes his own version on Pacific Coast Highway.

Nils is currently writing music for the upcoming Showtime series called Weeds.