Maxine Hardcastle Gets Help From “American Idol” Creator

Maxine Hardcastle, whose sublime vocals made their debut on this summer’s Hardcastle 4 CD by her father, Paul Hardcastle, is now getting some excellent career guidance.

The 19-year-old budding singer and songwriter is now working on demo songs with Simon Fuller, who just so happened to create Pop Idol in Britain and its version in the U.S., American Idol. If you’ve heard Maxine’s vocals on the new CD, on which she sings three songs, you know she’s got talent galore. But she’s still able to take advantage of the fact that Fuller is Maxine’s godfather and was Paul’s best man at his wedding. Also, Fuller named his entertainment and talent management company, 19 Entertainment, after Paul’s worldwide hit from 1985 called “19.” Since then, Fuller – who created the Spice Girls and manages Annie Lennox – has been involved in the creation of 106 #1 singles and 83 #1 albums in the UK, along with 281 Top 40 albums and 430 Top 40 singles.

Proud Paul – whose “Serene” has been No. 1 on Radio & Records' smooth jazz singles chart for five consecutive weeks – calls Maxine’s original songs a cross between Norah Jones and the Corrs.

Hardcastle says he auditioned Maxine for a song called “Smooth Jazz Is Bumpin” on his new CD and says she definitely passed the test.

"You know when it’s your own daughter you have to be hyper-critical. And I was almost thinking, no, she wouldn’t suit it. But when I heard the way that she way that she approached the song and sung it, I was really surprised. That’s why I got her involved in three tracks. My good old friend Simon Fuller’s helping me out to look after her so there’s no rush. But she will be looked after I think she’s got a great future ahead."

We agree. With her obvious physical charms and angelic vocals, it looks like there's a new star coming our way soon.

Chris Botti Performing "God Bless America" At World Series

Smooth jazz trumpeter Chris Botti will have a national audience on Sunday, Oct. 23, when he performs "God Bless America" in Chicago at U.S. Cellular Field for Game 2 of the World Series. The Chicago White Sox are playing the Houston Astros.

Botti is only too happy to be in the national spotlight. Last year, he was scheuled to perform “God Bless America” during Game 5 of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox. But the Red Sox, of course, swept the Series in four games to capture their first championship in 86 years and deny Botti his chance.

"Me and my manager decided that it would be best for our schedule to play Game Five," he recalls. "Who would have ever thought that the St. Louis Cardinals would get swept in four? I think that was the lowest part of my career. We flew into St. Louis and landed during the seventh inning of Game Four and realized that they weren’t going pull it out and go to Game Five. You know, having to sit there in the hotel in St. Louis, which was by then a ghost town with sadness because the Cardinals had lost, was no fun. But that’s the way it goes. And those are the choices you make. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose."

Botti has a brand-new CD out this week called To Love Again.

Euge Groove Shares Personal Information

Many fans of smooth jazz saxophonist Euge Groove knew that he and wife Bane were expecting their fourth child last month, in September. Euge now wants to let his fans know that Bane suffered a miscarriage earlier in the year.

The saxophonist says he decided to go public with this personal matter because so many of his fans had been asking. "I want to thank all of my fans who expressed their concern and have wished us well," he says.

Meanwhile, Groove and his wife will celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary next month and enjoy the time they spend with their three children; 15-year-old Dax, 14-year-old Canyon and 8-year-old Lilah Belle. In fact, they will be taking the kids with them on Warren Hill's Smooth Jazz Cruise in January 2006.

Groove's first single from his new album called Just Feels Right, a song called "Get Em Goin'," moved up to #4 on Radio & Records' smooth jazz chart this week.

Rick Braun Explains The Inspiration Behind New CD

Rick Braun’s new CD of cover songs called Yours Truly won’t be released until later this month, but right now you can hear song samples in addition to Braun’s explanation as to why he chose the specific songs that he did.

You can listen in by going to www.artizenmusic.com to hear a streamcast, or you download it to listen to whenever you want. Braun says the nine-minute audio is one of many interactive features that will be unveiled at the home of the ARTizen Music Group, which he co-founded along with saxophonist Richard Elliot.

During the five-minute audio, Rick explains that the upcoming CD is a love letter to his fans, which is why he chose Yours Truly as the title. Among the interesting things you’ll hear what song inspired him when he fell in love for the first time, what songs he grooved to while driving from his home to Pennsylvania to L.A. to embark on his musical career, and what track he couldn’t stop listening to after it came out.

"You know, I’ve had a pretty successful career in smooth jazz and I’ve got a lot of very loyal fans," Braun says. "So I decided to record a CD that was a compilation of some of my favorite songs and dedicate it to all of my fans who have given me this incredible career. If you look in the liner notes, you'll see that I sign it off as yours truly, Rick Braun."

The first single from the CD, Braun's languid reading of Earth, Wind & Fire's “Shining Star,” is No. 19 on Radio & Records' smooth jazz chart.

Richy Kicklighter: Chill-Out Guitar Music From Florida

You may never have heard of Florida guitarist Richy Kicklighter, but over the course of seven albums he’s made some of the most mellow and gorgeous smooth jazz on the planet.

Kighlighter's King’s Highway and Myakka CDs from 1993 and 1994, respectively, are two of his best. It may conjure up overworked images, but his best songs on those and all of his CDs have been the ones that’d be kissin' cousins for the warm breezes of tropical nights.

Kicklighter – and you have to love that name – returns with 12 new songs on Moving Skies, released on his Midnight Pass Music. There are many memorable moments here, but the one song that jumps out as one of the guitarist’s new classics is the title track. It’s simple, elegant and the perfect chill-out tune after a hot day at the beach. “Bahia Vista” and “Indian Shores” would work also.

A perfect way to iron out stresses, Moving Skies is a muy bueno guilty pleasure, better than therapy.

Bob James Fusing East and West On New CD

Veteran pianist Bob James' ambitious vision to fuse smooth jazz with music from the Far East and share it with his fans worldwide will shortly become a reality. James has just inked a deal with the Japanese division of Sony Music to release a CD called The Angels of Shanghai.

In January 2005, James made his third trip in two years to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to record music with a talented group of five young Chinese musicians who attend the prestigious university. The result, when released later this year in Asia, will be a new Bob James CD with a decidedly Asian bent featuring exotic violins, harps and flutes and traditional Chinese melodies adapted to his own style.

Included will be a original songs, including one composed with Fourplay bandmember Nathan East called “Endless Time.” The CD will first be released in Japan and then Europe, and later next year in the U.S. to not conflict with a solo CD called Urban Flamingo that’s scheduled to be offered this February. U.S. audiences can get a taste of the music, however, since James plans to add “Endless Time” to Urban Flamingo.

James will debut the music of Angels of Shanghai at a live performance on Dec. 17 at the Bangkok Jazz Festival. In addition to the pianist and five musicians from Shanghai, the band will include East on bass and vocals, Jack Lee on guitar and Louis Pragasam on drums.

With James' track record, this will surely be an album to look forward to.