Chris Botti Narrowly Misses Hurricane Katrina

Chris Botti missed Hurricane Katrina by only a few hours.

On Aug. 26, the trumpeter performed live at Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Miss. Like all of Biloxi's casinos, it is built on water since no casinos are allowed on land. Following the show, the trumpeter autographed CDs for his fans in the lobby.

Now that lobby and the entire floor above is submerged in water as the hurricane swept through the area. According to Botti's management, there was some discussion about the impending storm, but reports at that time indicated that Katrina's path was likely to strike further west. Botti and his team were able to leave the city safely one day before Biloxi was almost completely leveled by the force of the hurricane.

The Beau Rivage Resort and Casino, as is the entire beachfront of Biloxi, will be closed until further notice. It's estimated that the Beau Rivage will lose nearly $1 million each day in revenues.

Fourplay Staying Busy Between CDs

The members of the smooth jazz supergroup Fourplay, while now working on the follow-up to 2004’s CD called Journey that will be released next year, are have brand-new solo projects that will be released soon.

Earlier this month, guitarist Larry Carlton released a solo album in Japan of what he calls “jam band” music called “Fire Wire.” U.S. audiences won’t have to wait too much longer for its release here, as the album is expected to be released here by the end of the year.

Pianist Bob James’ next CD, featuring his quintet, will be released in February. Urban Flamingo will also feature guest appearances by guitarist Earl Klugh and James’ daughter, vocalist Hilary James. James will have some tour dates in October where he will try out some of the new material.

Drummer Harvey Mason, in addition to doing a lot of session work for other musicians, is working on both smooth jazz and straight-ahead jazz solo records.

Finally, bassist Nathan East, like Mason, continues to work in the studio. He’s not planning a solo record, but will be featured prominently on a new CD by the legendary Herbie Hancock called Possibilities that was released this week. He’s also been featured on recent albums by guitarist Eric Clapton and vocalists Eric Benet and Yolanda Adams.

Top Smooth Jazz Stars Creating New Charlie Brown CD

The biggest names in smooth jazz are falling for Charlie Brown.

When ABC airs a brand-new Charlie Brown TV special this December, viewers nationwide will hear a brand-new song featuring the piano of David Benoit and vocals by Vanessa Williams. The song, “Just Like Me,” was written by Benoit and Lee Mendelson, who has produced all of the animated TV shows based on the characters created by late Charles Schulz.

Before the TV special airs, though, listeners will be able to hear the song on an upcoming CD produced and arranged by Benoit called 40 Years – A Charlie Brown Christmas. The CD, to be released by Peak Records, which is co-owned by Russ Freeman of the Rippingtons, will feature a number of top smooth jazz performers including Benoit, Williams, Freeman and the Rippingtons, Eric Marienthal, Norman Brown, Rick Braun, Brian McKnight, Dave Koz, Toni Braxton and Gerald Albright.

The CD, commemorating the release 40 years ago of Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, features updates of Guaraldi’s songs in addition to a few Christmas selections.

Benoit has been composing the music for Peanuts specials for several years, and in 2000 released Here’s to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years! as a tribute to Schulz.

40 Years – A Charlie Brown Christmas will be released on Oct. 4.

Euge Groove's New Groovy Hairstyle

Saxophonist Euge Groove has decided to complete the ensemble for his upcoming retro CD called Just Feels Right. On the CD, Groove wrote smooth jazz with an eye toward 1976, which he calls his “summer of innocence.”

For the most part, he used instruments made before that year, and also enlisted musicians who were active in the era. So what has he done to complete the ensemble?

He’s let his hair grow out. Euge Groove-y, man!

Look at the CD cover, which will be available on Aug. 30, and you’ll see the saxophonist sporting shoulder-length hair and long goatee hanging from his chin. Groove says he actually started growing his hair out last fall when he began writing songs for the CD. He says he’s particularly proud of his goatee, which he says won’t get much longer now as he is trimming it regularly.

The retro look and sound seems to be working – Groove’s first single from the album, “Get Em Goin’,” is quickly moving up the smooth jazz charts.

Chris Botti To Steven Tyler: Walk This Way, Please

On his last CD, When I Fall in Love, trumpeter Chris Botti collaborated with such smooth vocalists as Sting and Paula Cole. On his upcoming CD, called Still in Love, Botti calls upon Sting and Cole again but also delved into the rock world for -wait for it - Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, the vocalist behind such rock classics as “Walk This Way,” "Sweet Emotion" and “Dude Looks Like a Lady.”

Botti and Tyler collaborate on the old chestnut called “Smile,” which is one of nine vocal duets on the 13-song CD. In addition to Sting and Cole, confirmed tracks include “Lover Man” by Gladys Knight, “Good Morning Heartache” by Jill Scott, and Paul Buchanan of the Scottish group Blue Nile on “Are You Lonesome Tonight.”

Ymmm. Sounds tasty.

Other vocalists on the CD are Michael Buble and Renee Oldstead, both of whom feature Botti on their most recent projects. Still in Love, recorded in London and Los Angeles, will be available on Oct. 18.

Kim Waters Works 'Love' Into Title For Third Time in a Row

Saxophonist Kim Waters has just finished his 15^th solo album, All For Love. It follows Kim’s In the Name of Love from last year, which itself followed Someone to Love You. That makes the new CD the third in a row with Love in the title. Just in case you want to know.

The upcoming CD features nine original songs, including one called “Dream Machine” that was written by guitarist Chuck Loeb. The one cover tune is Aretha Franklin’s “Day Dreaming,” which features lead vocals by Incognito singer Maysa and backing vocals by Vanessa Williams (not the actress/singer) and Lori Williams. Among other titles: “She’s My Baby,” “Hot Tub,” “Happy Feeling” and “Good to Go.”

Now you have a good idea of where this CD is heading.

Kim's smooth jazz hits the spot for the most part, but let's hope he gets his chance to stretch his chops soon. If you've ever seen him perform, you know this guy can play some hot jazz. Just saying it might be good to mix some of that in with his smooth jazz stuff.

All For Love will be released by Shanachie on Sept. 20.

Jazz Attack: Best Smooth Jazz Tour Ever?

The first-ever Jazz Attack tour, with saxophonist Richard Elliot, trumpeter Rick Braun, guitarist Peter White and guitarist and vocalist Jonathan Butler, concluded its four-month run on Aug. 6 in Woodinville, Washington. (The show will return for a special engagement in October in Delaware.)

The show’s format is a little different than most, since all of the performers – for the most part – all share the stage at the same time instead of concentration on just their solo work. Elliot says that the tour has been well-received by fans because all four musicians get together so well on stage and off, and that translates into a good time for all.

“This might be the best collaboration tour I’ve ever been a part of,” he says. “And I’ve been on a few of them. We wanted Jazz Attack to really have a feeling of more of a band than a bunch of individual artists. I think people respond to that. There’s something about this one that, for me, is very special. I mean, I can’t put myself in the position of the audience. They have to be the judge of that. But from an artist who’s on the tour, I will tell you, it’s just really a very special tour.”

On Saturday, the foursome showed why the show was a hit in more than 30 American cities since debuting in April. They had an easy rapport with the audience, which is a must for group tours such as these. But one reason the tour went over so well is one of the worst-kept secrets in the industry: It’s increasingly tough to sell a summer festival audience by a single performer. Earlier, separate shows this year at nearby Marymoor Park featured a few hundred people tops for guitarists Jesse Cook and Ottmar Liebert.

Fans want value at outdoor venues, and Jazz Attack offered plenty.

Melodic Lee Ritenour Music On the Way

Great news news for fans of Lee Ritenour's melodic music.

The guitarist, who has released many diverse albums during the past few years, is now in the studio recording his first CD of original smooth jazz since 1998’s This Is Love. That CD featured the smash hit called “Ooh-Yeah.” Since then, Ritenour has offered a classical CD with Dave Grusin, A Twist of Marley featuring various artists in 2001, a jazz CD called Rit’s House in 2002, A Twist of Motown in 2003 and the current OverTime, a live-in-the-studio recording of his greatest hits.

The only bad news is that it looks like Ritenour won’t be working on any new Twist Of CDs for a while. Those compilations, which began in 1997 with a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, are produced by the gutiarist and feature numerous smooth jazz artists. Ritenour says he wants to focus on the solo CD, which he hopes to release in the spring of 2006.

"Certain things come in phases, and we did three of the ‘Twists’ that were all very successful," Ritenour says. "But I think a lot of fans of mine also want to see me focus on the Lee Ritenour solo career and the guitar, so the guitar being in front and center will be an important part of it."

Kirk Whalum Nabs Babyface For Tribute CD

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum has decided to go to the source for his upcoming album of Babyface songs. Whalum has confirmed that Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds will sing on the song “I Said I Love You” on Kirk’s project tentatively titled Kirk Whalum Performs the Babyface Songbook. The ballad was first released on Babyface’s 1996 album called The Day.

Babyface joins an impressive list of guest musicians on the CD, including fellow vocalists Gabriela Anders and John Stoddart, trumpeter Rick Braun, guitarists Chuck Loeb and Norman Brown, bassist Christian McBride and keyboardist Ricky Peterson.

Here are the CD's 12 songs: “Whip Appeal,” “Breathe Again,” “Exhale,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” “When Can I See You,” "Can We Talk," "For the Cool in You," "Betcha Never," "Someone to Love," "Not Goin Cry," "I Said I Love You" and "Wey U."

Kirk Whalum Performs the Babyface Songbook will be available on Oct. 4.

Brian Culbertson Hopes To Tour U.S. Churches With Wife

You just may be able to catch Brian Culbertson inside a church later this year - playing piano.

The pianist, who just recently released his eighth solo album, is now finalizing one for his wife Michelle Culbertson called Be Still My Soul.

The album of traditional hymns will spotlight only Brian’s piano and Michelle’s vocals. After it's released this fall, the husband-and-wife team from Southern California plan to take the music on a tour of churches.

Michelle, an operatic singer, will lend her talents to a mixture of classical, jazz and pop compositions such as “Amazing Grace” “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “How Great Thou Art.”

In addition to 13 hymns, the album will include two original songs composed by Brian and songwriter Lindy Robbins. The CD will be released independently and offered on both Brian and Michelle’s websites in the fall.

"It’s a complete musical switch and change from myself, and it was really cool," says Brian. "We did all these new arrangements of all these hymns that are well over a hundred years old. Like if you would just play the piano alone, you would have no idea what song it is. And that’s what we wanted to try to create. It’s very cinematic. I've played it for a few people and they’re like, Oh man, I could have heard that in Braveheart."

If you want to hear what Brian and Michelle sound like in a smooth jazz mood, check out Brian’s new CD called It’s On Tonight. Michelle’s vocals and violin playing is featured on a couple of songs.

Ball Of Waxx Scores With 2 Classic Downtempo CDs

There’s some frustration that comes after picking up downtempo CDs with too much musical speed and not enough downtempo.

Two recent CDs from Ball of Waxx are definitely just right for those chill moments. Groove Closet: Downtempo Beats From Ball of Waxx is a real winner, 13 songs of sublime music that never varies from its relaxing mood. Of course, like the best downtempo, there’s an element of adventure. There’s Lord Runningclam on the ethereal “Desert Dress” and “Dewstep,” Numatic Soul on the bass-heavy and scratch-sampling “Dry Clean.”

The tracks I return to the most are by Eastern Sun and John Kelley, the latter previously known only for his breakbeat energy. Who knew he could be so mellow? “Playa Love” is the mellow one, with generous samples of crackling electricity – or at least that’s what I think of it when I hear it. The anthemic “Rapture at Sea” is fast becoming a classic, its tripped-up melody at once memorable.

“Rapture at Sea,” which rivals the best from Alex Cortiz, is also included on the Eastern Sun CD In Emptiness. Eastern Sun is the creation of Brian Saitzyk (who puts out music under Numatic Soul, too, among others names), and he and Kelley also collaborate on four other tracks. Hip and sophisticated, In Emptiness is mystical and compelling.

It’s as good as downtempo gets.