KCRW MUSIC FESTIVAL, MODERN DRUMMER FESTIVAL, COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL & OTHER NEWS

ROY AYERS - RED BLACK & GREEN
Roy Ayers upcoming CD Red Black & Green features some early funk work and covers of Ain't No Sunshine and Day Dreaming. Ayers will perform at Trumpets in Montclair, NJ on Friday April 1.

JOHNNY BRISTOL - MGM COLLECTION
Johnny Bristol's MGM Collection, which features Hang On In There Baby, Feeling The Magic and many others. The CD is due out in April.

FUNKADELIC ALBUM REISSUES
April will also see the release of no less than eight albums from Funkadelic, each has been remastered with bonus tracks added. The albums are: America Eats It's Young (a double LP featuring You Hit The Nail On The Head, A Joyful Process, Loose Booty, I Call My Baby Pussycat; Cosmic Slop (featuring Nappy Dugout, You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure and Can't Stand The Strain.); Free Your Mind...And Your Ass Will Follow (featuring Funky Dollar Bill and Free Your Mind); Funkadelic - their first album and it features the original 5-member group lineup of Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson and Tiki Fulwood; Let's Take It To The Stage, which showcases the hard grooving funk sound that would eventually emerge in the years to come; Maggot Brain (featuring a visionary funk sound); plus Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On; and Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic.
ISAAC HAYES - NEW HORIZON
Issac Hayes' New Horizon CD features a smooth soul sound on Moonlight Lovin' Menage a Trois, Out Of The Ghetto, Its Heaven To Me and Don't Take YourLove Away. The album was recorded at the famous Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. This CD is a compilation of songs that have appeared on previous CD's and it will be out in April.

STEVIE WONDER - THIS TIME 2 LOVE PLUS OTHER REISSUES
If you are a fan of Stevie Wonder, not only will his Time 2 Love CD be available sometime in May, but a total of seven previously released albums will be available in April. All will be Japanese pressings: Down To Earth, Fingertips,I Was Made To Love Her, Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants, Uptight, Where I'm Coming From and With A Song In My Heart. These will all be available in April.

KCRW WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL
KCRW's World Music Festival...A diverse lineup consisting of Basement Jaxx, Royksopp, David Byrne, the Arcade Fire, Yo-Yo Ma, Femi Kuti, Maxi Priest, Black Uhuru, Desmond Dekker, Bossacucanova and Mos Def will headline the upcoming KCRW World Music Festival. The event will be held throughout the summer at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, kicking off on June 26 and closing on September 28.

MODERN DRUMMER FESTIVAL
Modern Drummer Festival...Sheila E, jazz great Roy Haynes, Deep Purple's Ian Paice and Red Hot Chili Pepper's Chad Smith, are among those who will participate at the Modern Drummer Festival Weekend 2005. The event is set for May 28-29 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.

COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Coachella Valley Music Festival 2005...Jamie Cullum and Cafe Tacuba, among many, many others will appear at the 2005 Coachella Valley Music Festival being held in Palm Springs,CA on April 30 and May 1.

TODAY'S NEWS

RIVIERA BEACH JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL
The city of Riviera Beach, FL will host the 5th Annual Riviera Beach Jazz & Blues Festival on Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2.
The event will take place on Singer Island in Riviera Beach, FL. The Jazz on the Beach Festival will feature top talent, including Chaka Khan, Nicole Henry, Roberta Flack, Isaac Hayes, Jean Carne, Phil Perry, and Mindi Abair, just to name a few.

DAVE KOZ NEW ALBUMS
Dave Koz is working on two upcoming albums: his next Capitol release is being produced by famed producer Phil Ramone; and his follow-up to his 2002 Grammy nominated Golden
Slumbers lullaby album. Golden Slumbers II: A Father's Love be issued on Rendezvous Entertainment, an independent label he co-founded.

CASSANDRA WILSON TOUR
Cassandra Wilson is scheduling a round of upcoming appearances in the coming days: Raleigh, NC on March 31; Atlanta on April 1; Orlando, FL on April 2; and Naples, FL. on April 3. She's also scheduled to perform with Al Jarreau on June 6 in Vienna, Austia, and a July 21 show in Istres, France. Wilson is currently in Los Angeles finishing work on her sixth Blue Note recording due out in the fall.

STEEL PULSE - TRUE DEMOCRACY & EARTH CRISIS
Rhino is set to release the first two albums from famed-reggae band Steel Pulse. True Democracy and Earth Crisis will be reissued June 7 in remastered and expanded form. The reissues add previously unreleased 12" and dub mixes of album tracks and new liner notes. Among the band's upcoming tour dates is a May 1 set at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

SONO JAZZ TRIO - BLACK BUTTERFLY
New Music...The Sono Jazz Trio releases the tentatively titled CD Black Butterfly which features the track The Boy Next Door from the 1944 movie Meet Me In St. Louis.

AL GREEN ALBUM REISSUES
A couple of weeks ago, we mentioned that The Right Stuff was set to release a series of Al Green reissues on June 7, but now we have just been informed that this has been pushed back to June 28. The albums are: Al Green Is Love, The Belle Album, Full of Fire, Have A Good Time, Livin' For You and Truth N' Time.

FRANK SINATRA CAPITAL RELEASES
Capitol releases two Frank Sinatra collections on June 7: The Classics Sinatra Collection and Vintage Sinatra.

NANCY WILSON BLUE NOTE RELEASES
Blue Note has scheduled a couple of Nancy Wilson albums that include The Great American Songbook, Guess Who I Saw Today and Save Your Love For Me for August 2.

RAUL MIDON - STATE OF MIND
Blue Note has also recently released singer-guitarist Raul Midon's debut album, State of Mind. Midon has previously worked with Louis Vega on a number of projects, including the Elements of Jazz album as well as on the soundtrack to the Spike Lee film She Hate Me.

JOHN BUTLER TRIO 2005 TOUR DATES
The John Butler Trio is currently in the midst of a tour to promote their album Sunrise Over Sea. On March 30 they will appear on The Late Show With David Letterman. Here is a sampling of the John Butler Trio tour dates:

April 20: Lyon, France (Urban Roots Festival)
April 21: Marseille, France (Urban Roots Festival)
April 22: Bordeaux, France (Urban Roots Festival)
April 24: Paris (Bataclan)
April 25: Evreux, France (L'Abordage)
April 27: London (Carling Academy)
April 29: New Orleans (Jazz & Heritage Festival)
May 1: Nashville (3rd & Lindsay)
May 5: Indianapolis (Vogue)
May 6: Atlanta (Fox Theatre)
May 7: Cincinnati (Taft Theatre)
May 8: Milwaukee (Eagle's Ballroom)
May 10: Seattle (Chop Suey)
May 11: Portland, OR. (Douglas Fir Lounge)
May 13: Joshua Tree, CA (Joshua Tree Music Festival)
May 14: Los Angeles (Troubadour)
May 15: San Diego (House of Blues)
May 18: Philadelphia (Theatre of Living Arts)
May 22: San Francisco (Great American Music Hall)
June 12: Manchester, TN (Bonnaroo)
June 16: Telluride, CO (Telluride Bluegrass Festival)
June 18: Lawrence, KS (Wakarusa Music Festival)

OTTMAR LIEBERT RECORDING NEW ALBUMS
Flamenco guitarist Ottmar Liebert is in the studio preparing two separate albums for release in the coming months, one of which will be a new holiday CD (his second).

MOBY - HOTEL
Moby's latest, entitled Hotel was released in Mar 22 on the V2 label.

AMOS LEE DEBUT ABLUM
The highly anticipated debut album from singer/songwriter Amos Lee was released on Mar. 1 via the Blue Note label. Amos Lee will be touring the U.S. during March and April alongside Bob Dylan.

SMOOTH JAZZ ON THE RADIO
New Music On The Radio...Here are some new Smooth Jazz chart and Radio debuts from the last couple of weeks. These are either songs or albums that have just been recently added to station rotations:

Hiroshima Obon (Heads Up International)
Michael Brandeburg Midnight (MJ Brandy Records)
Marcus Miller Silver Rain (Koch Records)
Chieli Minucci Got It Goin' On (Shanachie)
Steve Cole Spin (Narada)
Victor Wooten Soul Circus (Vanguard)
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Lost Treasures (Shout Factory)
Chuck Loeb When I'm With You (Shanachie)
Patches Stewart Blow (Koch Records)
Michael Higgins Daybreak (Cuate Records)

STEVIE WONDER - SO WHAT THE FUSS

STEVIE WONDER- SO WHAT THE FUSS
Stevie Wonder continues to make a strong impression at radio this week with his first new studio single in nearly a decade, So What The Fuss. The single is the #1 "Most Added Song" at both the Rhythm Crossover and Urban Adult Contemporary radio formats. This week's radio trifecta follows up last week's record breaking debut on the Billboard Monitor Adult R&B chart, with the explosive single registering the highest number of debut spins (418) in the chart's history. The single also garnered the largest overall spin increase in the decade-long history ofthe format. A Time To Love, the much anticipated studio album from Wonder, has launched the across-the-board smash single, So What The Fuss, with none other than legendary superstar Prince on guitar and En Vogue as the guest background vocalists. A Time To Love is scheduled to hit stores on May 3rd.

DAVE KOZ RADIO SHOW
The Easter Weekend Edition of The Dave Koz Radio Show... Dave Koz welcomes legendary saxophonist David Sanborn. Sanborn defined the saxophone in contemporary pop music through his work with Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, The Eagles and James Taylor, just to name a few. Sanborn has a new album out entitled Closer, which features selected music from Charlie Chaplin to James Taylor along with contributions of his own work. Sanborn is once again taking the lead as one of music's seminal figures and the single Tin Tin Deo proves that, as it continues to climb the Smooth Jazz charts. Dave will also feature guitarist Jeff Golub, who'll answer a listener question...Patti Austin shares what she listens to on her “downtime...”and get ready to jump back in time as he revisits the birth of a Smooth Jazz favorite.

MOTOWN REMIXED TRACK LISTING & OTHER NEWS

MOTOWN REMIXED TRACK LISTING
Motown Classics Get The Remix Treatment...Motown Remixed is slated for release on May 24 and will feature 15 classic tracks remixed by a set of world-class DJ's. In addition, they will also release a Motown Unmixed edition (a la Verve). Interestingly enough, not all of the remixed tracks made the final cut and apparently those that did not will either find their way for release in Europe or remain in the vaults for a future remix collection. Hopefully the tracks will be available soon in MP3 format for downloads prior to the official release date. Here is the track list for Motown Remixed:

Jackson 5 I Want You Back (DJ Z-Trip)
Gladys Knight & The Pips I Heard It Through The Grapevine (The Randy Wilson Experience)
Marvin Gaye Let's Get It On (DA Producers)
Stevie Wonder Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours (DJ Smash)
Jackson 5 ABC (Salaam Remi)
Rare Earth I Just Want To Celebrate (Mocean Worker)
Temptations Papa Was A Rolling Stone (DJ Jazzy Jeff & Pete Kusma)
Smokey Robinson Quiet Storm (Groove Boutique: Rafe Gomez & David Baron featuring Roy Ayers)
Diana Ross & the Supremes My World Is Empty Withou You (Tranzition)
Temptations Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me (Easy Mo Bee)
Undisputed Truth Smiling Faces Sometimes (Futureshock Entertainment)
Smokey Robinons & the Miracles The Tears of A Clown (Hotsnax)
Eddie Kendricks Keep On truckin' (DJ Spinna)
Edwin Starr War (King Britt)
Rick James Mary Jane (DJ Green Lantern)

Remix pioneer Tom Moulton has worked on three tracks for the collection, however, none of them made it to the final release. These were: the Commodores Three Times A Lady, the Miracles Do It Baby, and the Supremes Stoned Love. Unfortunately none of these made the North American cut of the album. Could this mean that these might be available in the U.K.? If so, we'll keep you posted on where you can find these. Also, on May 10, Univesal Motown will release a "chill" vinyl edition with album versions of Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Lets Get It On and Quiet Storm.

INTERNATIONAL DANCE MUSIC AWARDS
International Dance Music Awards...the upcoming 2oth Annual International Dance Music Awards in South Beach, Florida have announced the talent for the award show. Performing this year will be: Brazilian Girls, Venus Hum, Plummet, Birdy Nam Nam, Lea Lorien, Craze, Christopher Lawrence, Infected Mushroom and Donald Glaude.

SPYRO GYRO AT JAZZIZ BISTRO
Spyro Gyra performs at the Jazziz Bistro at the Seminole Paradise at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on March 30-31.

SOLOMON BURKE ON DAVID LETTERMAN
Solomon Burke has been booked to appear on the David Letterman Show on March 24 on CBS.

NORMAN BROWN'S SUMMER STORM 2005 TOUR

NORMAN BROWN'S SUMMER STORM 2005 TOUR
Summer Storm 2005: Norman Brown Tour Spotlights Top Jazz, R&B Line-Up...
Norman Brown, the Grammy®-winning guitarist and composer whose latest Warner Bros. Records release West Coast Coolin features the chart-topping hits I Might and Up 'N' At 'Em, will lead an all-star line-up of R&B and jazz artists on his upcoming Summer Storm 2005 North American tour. Launching in early May and including appearances at many of today's top festival venues, Summer Storm 2005 marks a pioneering musical blend of R&B and Smooth Jazz under the creative guidance of Brown. The artist's innovative musical synthesis has earned him a diverse following with such best selling albums as Celebration and Just Chillin', which garnered a 2002 Grammy® in the prestigious Best Pop Instrumental category.

Joining Norman Brown for this unique concert experience will be vocalist Peabo Bryson, best known for his duets with Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack and Regina Belle, as well as numerous solo hits. The Summer Storm 2005 roster will also include singer Brenda Russell, whose extensive career has spanned pop, jazz, R&B and blues. Rounding out the headliners will be virtuoso saxophonist Everett Hart, who has played with Wayne Henderson, George Duke and other top jazz and R&B luminaries.

Summer Storm 2005 will spotlight the distinctive guitar and vocals of Norman Brown in a wide-ranging repertoire showcasing many of the artist's original compositions.

"It's important to reach your fans, to give them an experience they will remember," Brown remarks on the impetus for Summer Storm 2005. "But music is also about expanding horizons, both for the audience and the artist. With the help of Peabo, Brenda and Everett, along with all of the other great musicians on this tour, I think we'll accomplish that and more."

The itinerary for Summer Storm 2005 is a follows. Additional dates will be announced as available.

May 28: San Diego, CA KIFM Anniversary Jazz Festival
May 29: Lake Tahoe, CA Jazz Trax Festival
June 3: Miami Beach, FL JVC Jazz Festival
June 4: Saint Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
June 11: Los Angeles, CA Playboy JVC Jazz Festival
June 24: St. Louis, MO The Roberta Orpheum Theater
June 26: Detroit, MI WVMV 7th Annual Smooth Jazz Fest.
July 7: Seattle, WA KWJZ Festival
July 12: Long Beach, CA Long Beach Jazz Festival
July 20: Concord, CA Concord Chronicle Pavilion
July 25: Cleveland, OH Palace Theater
July 26: Kettering, OH Praze Pavillion for the Performing Arts
July 28: Apple Valley, MN Music In The Zoo
Sept. 23: Las Vegas, NV Texas Station Casino
Sept. 24: Healdsburg, CA Rodney Strong Winery

JAZZ FEST NEWS, KCRW, THIEVERY CORP & MORE

JACKSONVILLE JAZZ FESTIVAL
The City of Jacksonville presents the 2005 Jacksonville Jazz Festival from April 7-10. The 2005 entertainment lineup will be Spyro Gyra, Jazz Attack featuring Richard Elliot, Jonathan Butler, Peter White and Rick Braun, David Sanborn, Lalah Hathaway, Al Jarreau, Bunky Green, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Yellowjackets, Stanley Clarke and George Duke, Christian Tamburr Quartet, Terence Blanchard, Chick Corea, Mindi Abair, Pieces Of A Dream, The Sax Pack featuring Marion Meadows, Jeff Kashiwa and Kim Waters, Chris Botti, Pamela Williams and David Benoit.

SEABREEZE JAZZ FESTIVAL
The 2005 Seabreeze Jazz Festival is set for April 15-17 at the Gulf Place Outdoor Amphitheatre in Seabreeze,FL. The entertainment lineup is Chris Botti, Norman Brown, Rick Braun, Peter White, Spyro Gyra, Brian Culbertson, Richard Eliiot, DownTo The Bone, Jonathan Butler, Kim Waters, Jeff Kashiwa, Marion Meadows, Urban Jazz Coalition and Jones And Company.

THIEVERY CORPORATION - REVOLUTION SOLUTION
Thievery Corporation has released an Itunes exclusive remix of Revolution Solution featuring Perry Farrell. Revolution Solution (Rewound Version) is a tripped out, steppers dub mix with haunting vocals from the aforementioned Perry Farrell. Tour dates for both North America and Europe are taking shape starting in May and continuing throughout the summer. Look for the North American datest o be announced soon.

KCRW-FM SANTA MONICA
Santa Monica's own KCRW 89.9FM is probably one of the more eclecticand innovative radio stations I have ever discovered. If it's cool, hip, and happening - they will play it. Of course, it's public radio so there are no boundaries. What I like about it is that it features alot of the music that is in the mix today, from house to brazilian to chill todance to lounge to jazz, and the list goes on. Trust me you will like it. Among the many shows available, a favorite of mine is Nocturna, which air most weekday evenings from 10PM to midnight and if you are not in the Los Angeles area, you can also listen on-line at www.kcrw.com. The website also includes a listing of past and recent programs that feature guest artists, music producers and DJs that you can stream. Some of those currently available are broadcasts with KerriChandler, Josh Wink, DJ Garth, Adam Freeland, NormanKay, Gilles Peterson, Philip Steir, Afrika Bambaataa, and Louis Vega, among many, many others. The Louis Vega hour featured the cuts from the Elements Of Life Extensions CD ,including some new releases and remixes, as well as anecdotes from Louis Vega about the musicians he has worked with and his upcoming tour. The Philip Steir segment featured many songs fromthe Warner Brothers remix project that was released last November. I highly recommend this groundbreaking station from Santa Monica, CA.

JOHN WHITEHEAD AIN'T NO STOPPIN' THE MUSIC FOUNDATION
Patti LaBelle, Gerald Lavert, Floetry and Melba Moore, among others will perform at a fundraiser on April 20 at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center. It will benefit the John Whitehead There's No Stoppin' the Music Foundation. Singer/songwriter John Whitehead (of McFaddenand Whitehead fame) was shot to death in May 2004, and thus his wife leanor, created the foundation. A special award presentation willhonor recipients including Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff andUniversal Motown' Sylvia Rhone.

TODAY'S NEWS

JESSICA KNOX 2005 TOUR
Urban soul and smooth jazz artist, Jessica Knox, is set to launch her 2005 tour in Santa Cruz, CA at the Crow's Nest on March 23, followed by The Moss Landing in Moss Landing, CA on April 7, and then off to Britannia Arms in Aptos, CA on April 16.

JOHN LEGEND - GET LIFTED
John Legend will be performing on Oxygen's Custom Concert Series. The concert will be filmed in New York City on Tuesday, March 22, and it will air exclusively on Oxygen on Sunday, March, 27 at 7pm/6C. His album Get Lifted is available on Sony Records.

BAD PLUS - BLUNT OBJECT: LIVE IN TOKYO
Bad Plus is set to release its latest album Blunt Object: Live In Tokyo and it includes a cover of Queen's We Are The Champions ,as well as Blondie's Heart Of Glass and the standard My Funny Valentine. Although you won't find the album in stores, you will find it on Bad Plus' website at www.thebadplus.com, on May 3. The album was recorded at the Blue Note in Tokyo in May 2004.

SERGIO MENDES, KEIKO MATSUI, HALL & OATES IN LAS VEGAS
Vegas Action...The legendary Sergio Mendes is appearing atthe Suncoast Hotel March 18-20; Keiko Matsui is at the Boulder Station Hotel on March 25-26, and at the Railhead Showroom on April 2. Hall & Oates will be at the Green Valley Ranch Hotel on April 8. Check out their latest CD Our Kind Of Soul as it is filled with covers of a bunch of classic '70's songs, such as the Spinners' I'll Be Around; Barry White's Can't Get Enough Of Your Love ; and the Five Stairsteps' Oooh Child.

PRAFUL - PYRAMID IN YOUR BACKGROUND
Praful has completed work on his latest album Pyramid In Your Background. It features 12 new songs and was produced by Praful's labelmates on Rendezvous, the duo of Adani & Wolf. It's set for release on May 17 and is described as jazz meets electronica, and features guest vocalists, Sandhya Sanjana from India and Katia Moraes from Brazil.

DAVE KOZ AND FRIENDS SUMMER NIGHTS TOUR
Dave Koz is scheduling his annual summer tour and has confirmed that Dutch saxman Praful, guitarist Marc Antoine and vocalist Jeffrey Osborne will join him on the next outing of the Dave Koz & Friends Summer Nights Tour.The tour schedule is being planned and is expected to hit at least 25 cities this year.

CHRIS BOTTI FUND RAISER
Chris Botti has signed on to perform at a $1,000-a-platefund-raiser dinner for Hilary Clinton. It will take place at the Hudson Theatre in Manhattan, New York on March 21.

URBAN KNIGHTS - URBAN KNIGHTS VI
The latest incarnation of the super group Urban Knights features guitarist Bobby Broom, keyboardist Kevin Randolph,bassist Maurice Fitzgerald, saxophonist Nick Bisesi and drummer Quinjuan Anderson. Album highlights includea guest turn by the legendary Ramsey Lewis on Close YourEyes To Remember, as well as a smooth cover of Usher and Alicia Keys' My Boo. The latest album Urban Knights VI is available on Narada Jazz.

BRAZILIAN GIRLS TOUR, WINTER MUSIC CONFERENCE & JAZZ RELEASES

BRAZILIAN GIRLS TOUR DATES
Brazilian Girls Upcoming Tour Dates..The Brazilian Girls continue their US tour with the upcoming appearances: The Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY on Mar. 16; Eternal in Austin,TX on Mar. 19; The International Dance Music Awards in Miami, FL on Mar. 24 (as part of the Winter Music Conference festivities); The Roxy in West Hollywood, CA on Mar. 29; and Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Mar. 30.

WINTER MUSIC CONFERENCE
Winter Music Conference News...The annual Winter Music Conference is set to officially kickoff on Monday, March 21 through Monday March 28 on Miami's South Beach. DJ's, remixers, producers and artists from around the globe will convulge to meet, mix, and promote their latest projects and music trends. Personal favorites, Frankie Knuckles, David Morales, Jellybean Benitez, Louie Vega, Kenny Dope Gonzalez, Tony Humphries, Jamie Lewis, Arthur Baker, King Britt, Danny Tenaglia, Dimitri from Paris, Andy Caldwell, Steve "Silk" Hurley, Bob Sinclar and Julius Papp will highlight their talents on the turntable. If you are attending , look for scheduled performances by D-Train, Barbara Tucker, Melba Moore, Kimara Lovelace, Jon Secada, Brazilian Girls, Masters At Work, and many, many others.

VICENTE AMIGO - UN MOMENTO EN EL SONIDO
Flamenco guitartist Vicente Amigo releases his fifth solo album Un momento en el sonido, and La Tana (flamenco singer) makes her solo debut with Tu,ven a mi under the guidance of Paco de Lucia. She is currently touring with Paco de Lucia.

JAZZ AND SMOOTH JAZZ RELEASES
March/April Jazz Release Update...
O'2L Doyle's Brunch (Peak, 3/1)
Dee Dee Bridgewater J'Si Deux Amour (Universal, 3/1)
Sakesho Beautiful Day (JVC, 3/1)
Steve Kuhn Mostly Ballads and More (3/1)
Various Artists (Dave Koz, Al Jarreau, Earl Klugh, Boney James, more) Best Smooth Jazz Ever (Liberty, 3/1)
Soel Memento (Warner Bros., 3/1)
Marcus Miller Silver Rain (Koch, 3/8)
Nelson Rangell My American Songbook 1 (Koch, 3/8)
Michael "Patches" Stewart Blow (Koch, 3/8)
Paul Taylor Nightlife (Peak, 3/15)
Urban Knights Urban Knights IV (Narada Jazz, 3/15)
Steve Lacy The Gap (Verve, 3/15)
Mike Di Lorenzo Urbanized (Keep The Groove, 3/15)
Chieli Minucci Got It Goin' On (Shanachie, 3/22)
SakeSho We Want You To Say (Heads Up, 3/22)
Camiel Sunset (DIG) (Rendezvous, 3/22)
Ricardo Scales It's A New Day (Bay Sound, 3/22)
Billy Cobham & Culturemix Colours (In & Out, 3/28)
David Benoit Millennium Collection - 20th Century Masters (Hip-O, 3/28)
George Duke Duke (Bonus DVD) (Big Piano Music, 3/29)
Soulive Steady Groovin' (Bue Note, 3/29)
Various Smooth Jazz Essentials 2 (Native Language, 3/29)
Acoustic Alchemy American/English (Higher Octave, 3/29)
Hugh Masekela TBA (Heads Up)
Frank Catalano Street Jazz (A440 Music Group)
Fareed Haque Group Cosmic Hug (4/5)
Keiko Matsui Walls Of Akendora (Bonus DVD) (Narada, 4/5)
Russ Freeman Safe At Home (Justin Time, 4/12)
Victor Wooten Soul Circus (Vanguard, 4/12)
Onaje Allan Gumbs Remember Their Innocence (Ejano Music, 4/12)
Various (Jaared, Nick Colionne, Marcus Johnson, Bobby Lyle, more) Private Stock Volume 1 (Three Keys Music, 4/12)
Walter Beasley Greatest Hits (Shanachie, 4/26)
Cheryl Bentyne Let Me Off Uptown (4/26)
Hiroshima Obon (Heads Up, 4/26)
Oliver Mtukudzi Nhava (Heads Up)
Golden Slumbers A Father's Love (Rendezvous)
Patrick Yandall Just Be Thankful (Apria)
Steve Cole Spin (Narada Jazz)

ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL, CONCERT NEWS & NEW RELEASES

ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL
2005 Essence Music Festival...Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Teena Marie, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Lionel Richie, Terence Blanchard, Jeffrey Osborne, The Wailers, Regina Belle, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, John Legend, Vivian Green, Carl Thomas, Mint Condition, Floetry, The Roots, and others headline the upcoming 35th Essence Music Festival. The event is set for July 1-3 in New Orleans.

BIRCHMERE & BARNES OF WOLFTRAP CONCERTS
Upcoming Washington, D.C. Area Concerts...Eliane Elias at Barnes Of Wolftrap on March 16; The Grover Washington Tribute with Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot, Paul Taylor and Jeff Lorber at Birchmere on March 16 and 17; Karla Bonoff at Birchmere on April 8; Jim Brickman at Barnes Of Wolftrap on April 12 and 13; Matt Bianco and Basia at Birchmere on April 12 and 13; David Sanborn at Birchmere on April 25; The Manhattan Transfer at the Birchmere on April 27 and 28; Hiroshima at Birchmere on May 2; Michael Franks at Birchmere on May 7; and Earl Klugh at Birchmere on May 16.

CASSANDRA WILSON RECORDING NEW ALBUM
Cassandra Wilson is completing work on her sixth album for Blue Note Records and is working with T-Bone Burnett as her producer. The blues-laden CD will feature guest musicians Keb Mo and Jim Keltner. Look for it to be released on August 30. Greg Osby just completed his latest which includes fellow-musicians Jeff "Tain" Watt on drums and Matt Brewer on bass.

WYNTON MARSALIS IN THE STUDIO
Wynton Marsalis' latest is being prepped for release soon and it features guests: altoman Wes Anderson, drummer Joe Farnsworth, bassist Carlos Henriquez, pianist Eric Lewis, and percussionist Orlando Rodriquez, among others.

VAN MORRISON - MAGIC TIME
Van Morrison has completed his latest project, Magic Time and it set for release in the UK on Exile/Polydor on May 16, and in the US on May 17 via Geffen Records.

MICHAEL FRANTI RECORDING WITH SLY & ROBBIE
Michael Franti has entered the studio in Jamaica with legendary producer and record label executive Chris Blackwell to start work on his new album. Also participating will be reggae masters Sly and Robbie and Brazilian-born producer Mario Caldato, Jr. This will be the first time in 20 years that Chris Blackwell has stepped back into the studio in a creative capacity with Sly and Robbie since the Grace Jones albums. The album is due in the fall of 2005.

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST SHOWCASE
South By Southwest Artist Showcase (SXSW)...The South By Southwest Showcase in Austin, TX will highlight the following new and emerging artists: Jason Moran: March 16 at Cedar Street Courtyard; Karen Ann: March 19 at Tambalao; Raul Midon: March 19 at Crown Plaza; and Amos Lee: March 19 at the Austin Music Hall.

CHRIS BOTTI TOURING
Chris Botti hits the American West Arena in Phoenix, AZ on March 17, then heads to Las Vegas to the Mandalay Bay on March 19. He'll be back in Vegas on April 8 and 9 as he headlines at the Sun Coast.

PETER WHITE TOURING
Peter White plays the SOS Club in Modesto, CA on April 9; the Maxwell King Center for the Performing Arts on April 18 in Melbourne, FL, and the One World Theatre in Austin, TX on April 22.

TONY BENNETT AT THE GOLDEN NUGGET
Tony Bennett signs to perform at the Golden Nugget Theatre in Las Vegas during May and September. Firmed dates are: May 27-29 and September 22-24, 2005.

AL GREEN REISSUES ON RIGHT STUFF LABEL
The Right Stuff reissues a batch of Al Green titles on June 7. You can look forward to Livin' For You (1973); Al Green Is Love (1975); Full Of Fire (1976); Have A Good Time (1976); The Belle Album (1977); and Truth n' Time (1978).

BLUE NOTE RELEASES
Blue Note releases set for May 24 include a series of The Very Best of...from Chet Baker, Lou Rawls, Sonny Rollins and Jimmy Smith.

SOUNDS OF JAZZ & MARCUS MILLER/ERIC CLAPTON COLLABORATE

TIME WARNER SOUNDS OF JAZZ
Sounds of Jazz 2005...Jimmy Sommers, Chieli Minucci with Special EFX, The Joyce Cooling Group and Catman Doodze headline the Time Warner Cable Sounds of Jazz 2005, being held in Jaycee Park in Cape Coral, Florida on March 19. Local smooth jazz radio station, WZJZ 107.1 is this years sponsor.

MARCUS MILLER- SILVER RAIN
Eric Clapton guests on Marcus Miller's latest Silver Rain which is due on Apirl 12. Clapton performs with Miller on the title cut which is a reggae-jazz tinged piece which features vocals by Clapton.

ATLANTIQUITY TRACK LISTING

ATLANTIQUITY TRACK LISTING
Atlantic Records Remixes...More remixes are on the way via the Atlantic Records vaults for a disc of classic 1970's soul, funk and jazz by contemporary remixers. It's due out on May 10 from Rhino/Atlantic. Donny Hathaway, Carmen McCrae, Chic and many others are featured on Atlantiquity as defined by Los Angeles radio and club DJ Garth Trinidad. Here is the full Atlantiquity track list:

Kleer Tonight (Sa-Ra Remix featuring the Sa-Ra All Stars & Me'Shell Ndegeocello)
Slave Watching You (Vikter Duplaix Remix)
Eddie Harris Bold And Black (DJ Nu-Mark Remix)
United 8 Getting Uptown To Get Down (Quantic Remix)
Average White Band Pick Up The Pieces (Charlie Dark Remix)
Sister Sledge We Are Family (Daz-I-Kue Remix)
Donny Hathaway Little Ghetto Boy (Freddy L. Remix)
Chic A Warm Summer Night (King Britt Remix)
Spinners I'll Be Around (Kev Brown Remix)
Carmen McCrae Just A Little Lovin' (GB Remix)
Faze-O Riding High (Remix featuring Tiombe Lockhard & The Army Of Love)
Yusef Lateef Nubian Lady (Metisse Remix)

BRIAN CULBERTSON, ST. KITTS MUSIC FESTIVAL, SMOOTH JAZZ 105.9 & MORE

BRIAN CULBERTSON TOUR
Brian Culbertson Tour Info...Multi-faceted musician Brian Culbertson plays Constitution Hall in Washington, DC on March 25; the Atlanta Civic Theatre on Atlanta, GA on March 26, the Gulf Place Outdoor Amphitheatre in Santa Rosa Beach, FL on April 16; and Kimballs East in Emeryville, CA on May 6. His seventh solo effort, Come On Up includes an inspired cover of the Earth Wind & Fire hit Serpentine Fire, and spotlights the soulful vocals of R&B crooner Rahsaan Patterson on Fly High and the sexy, sultry sound of trumpeter Rick Braun on Last Night. Other guest artists include Marcus Miller, Steve Cole, Norman Brown and many, many more.

ST. KITTS MUSIC FESTIVAL
Lonnie Liston Smith and Ronnie Laws have been added to the lineup for the ninth St. Kitts Music Festival, to be held June 23-26 on the Caribbean island. This event will also feature performances by Pieces Of A Dream, David Rudder, Black Stalin, the Grandmasters, Wyclef Jean and Boyz II Men.

SMOOTH JAZZ RELEASES
New Releases Worth Mentioning...Nicholas Bearde's All About Love; Cascadu Caribbean Odyssey and Demo Cates Smooth...Try Something New.

DAVE KOZ RADIO SHOW
This weekend on the Dave Koz Radio Show, Dave welcomes keyboardist and founding member of one of the finest groups in smooth jazz. They have a new album out entitled Work To Do, which marks the bands 20th anniversary. Carl Evans, Jr. of Fattburger is this week's guest. Also on the show, Brenda Russell, guitarist Marc Antoine, and Boney James. Check your local listings for stations and times or go to www.radiokoz.com.

SMOOTH JAZZ 105.9 - PRIVATE STOCK VOLUME 1
Three Keys Music releases Private Stock Volume 1 which is a new album compiled of remixes of songs that have never really actually seen the light of day. Private Stock contains both rare gems and never before released songs by Jarrad Anthony, Nick Colionne, David Dyson, Jaared, Marcus Johnson, Bobby Lyle, Alyson Williams and Yahzarah. It's in stores April 12th. Marcus Johnson performs this weekend at the legendary Blues Alley in Washington, DC. If you live in the D.C. area then you probably already know that he can also be heard on Smooth Jazz 105.9. You can listen to WJZW Smooth Jazz105.9 from 5am to 8:30am. Alyson Williams' It's About Time is available at retail and online exclusively through Avex Distribution and Brown Sugar Records. Alyson Williams has also been confirmed to perform on Showtime At The Apollo. The single Tomorrow is being shipped to radio and her new club anthem Superstar Broadway Remix featured on Private Stock, has been shipped to record pools and DJs around the country.

GUITARS & SAXES TOUR, LOUIS VEGA AND MORE

GUITARS & SAXES TOUR
Mindi Abair and WaymanTisdale are joining Jeff Golub and Warren Hill on this year's Guitars & Saxes tour. Abair and Tisdale replace departing 2004 members Marc Antoine and Euge Groove. The 2005 tour is scheduled to kick off sometime in April.

NATE JAMES - SET THE TONE
Newcomer Nate James has released a single entitled Set The Tone which has made the airwaves in England (notably at 102.2 Jazz FM). His album Set The Tone is due for release this coming summer.

MATT BIANCO - SHEPERD'Ss BUSH EMPIRE
Matt Bianco is set for the first ever London appearance onMarch 24 at the Sheperd's Bush Empire.

LOUIS VEGA - SOUL HEAVEN: LONDON AND IBIZA
From London to Ibiza...Yet another new release is now available from Louis Vega as he mixes up another storm of house and tribal beats to kick up the action. The CD is entitled Soul Heaven: London and Ibiza and it features the following songs: Disc 1: 1. Brand New Day - Little Louie Vega; 2. Days Like These [Spinna & Ticklah Mix]; 3. I Can't Get No Sleep [Copyright Mix] - Masters at Work; 4. Diamond Life - Louie Vega; 5. Can't Stop - Angela Johnson; 6. Back Together [Main Classic Mix] - Ron Carroll; 7. I Got Somebody New [Ritual Mix] - Clara Hill; 8. Vow [Full Vocal Mix]; 9. Divided/United; 10. Change for Me [Joey Negro Club Mix]; 11. I Go Back [Tee's Master Mix] - Harry "Choo Choo" Romero; 12. Dance - Earth People; 13. Freedom Medley: The Anthem [Filter 14 Silent Mix]/What a Sensation - Marlon D.; 14. Cloud 9; 15. Cloud 9 [Quentin Harris Shelter Mix]; Disc 2: 1. I Got Somebody New [Ritual Mix] - Clara Hill; 2. Madan [Exotic Disco Mix] - Salif Keita; 3. Cerca de Mi (Beats) - Raúl Midón; 4. Black Action 5. Cerca de Mi [Nico's Mix] - Raúl Midón; 6. Africa/Brasil - Little Louie Vega; 7. Awade [Joes Jungle Sounds Dub] - Instant House; 8. Elle [Criola Mix & Skin Beats] - DJ Gregory; 9. lo Lai [Maw Beats]; 10. Koloke [West African Guitar Groove] - Joe Claussell; 11. Dem People Go - Dennis Ferrer; 12. Tropical Soundclash - DJ Gregory; 13. Phunk Carnival - Mike Delgado; 14. Thank You [Acapella] - BeBe Winans; 15. Don't You Go Away; 16. Work; 17. E-Samba - Junior Jack; 18. I Feel Love - Donna Summer; 19. Don't Know Malendro - DJ Gregory; and 20. Street Player - Chicago.

SANTANA, NORMAN BROWN, CANDY DULFER, PETE BELASCO & MORE

MARCUS JOHNSON - LESSONS IN LOVE
Marcus Johnson's latest album is Lessons In Love. He and his band are appearing on March 11 and 12 at the Blues Alley in Washington, DC. His latest single Love is currently in rotation at WHUR-FM.

JAARED - HANGTIME
Sax player Jaared latest is Hangtime and you can catch him live on March 10 at the Marriot Suites Hotel in Bethesda, MD, and on March 11 at Opus 88 in the McLean Hilton-Tyson's in Tyson's Corner, VA.

SANTANA 2005 TOUR
Santana Tour Update: In addition to the previously announced shows (see posting dated Feb. 11), Santana has added additional dates in Tampa, FL; Miami, FL; Columbia, MD; Quebec City, Canada; and Montreal, Canada. Tickets for these shows are available now.

CANDY DULFER UPDATE
Candy Dulfer recently appeared in concert with Van Morrison in Vredenburg in the Netherlands. She's also recently completed guest work on two upcoming albums; Maceo Parker and Monique Bakker's new CD. Each should be released sometime in the coming months. No word yet on whether she will resume touring with Prince when he heads to Europe next.

ULTRABLUE - DUSK TO DAWN
Pete Belasco, Gabriela Anders, Nestor Torres, Randy Brecker and Philip Hamilton provide guest turns on a new CD from the group Ultrablue. Back in 2003, the group released the album Dusk 2 Dawn which featured members John Smatla and Dave Stryker, plus appearances by sax player David Mann and Pete Belasco. The new album is set for release during the summer.

NORMAN BROWN'S SUMMER STORM AT THE PLAYBOY JAZZ FESTIVAL
Brenda Russell, Everette Harp and Peabo Bryson have signed on to tour with Norman Brown as Norman Brown's Summer Storm. The tour hits the road on May 28 and will play at the Catalina Island JazzTrax and Playboy Jazz Festivals in California, among many others.

PLAYBOY JAZZ FESTIVAL & OTHER CONCERT NEWS

LIZZ WRIGHT IN CONCERT
Lizz Wright hits the Ritz Theater in Hawley, PA on April 7; followed by Reg Lenna, Jamestown, PA on April 8; The Roxbury Arts Center, Roxbury NY on April9; and The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, PA on May 6.

JEFFREY OSBORNE IN DETROIT
Jeffrey Osborne will appear at the Music Hall Center in Detroit, MI on April 21.

BEBEL GILBERTO TOUR
Bebel Gilberto is scheduled for The Esplanade in Singapore on March 31; and then heads for Japan where she'll perform at The Tokyo International Forum on April 3 and Namba Hatch is Osaka on April 6.

AL DI MEOLA & THE RITE OF STRINGS
Al Di Meola appears with the Rite of Strings at the Taper Auditorium in Seattle, WA on April 27.

DAVID SANBORN AT NORTH FORK
David Sanborn is at the North Fork Theatre in Wesbury, NY on April 23.

GERALD ALBRIGHT TOUR
Gerald Albright is appearing at the Terrace Theatre at Long Beach P.A.C. in Long Beach, CA on March 12. He's also part of the Groovin' For Grover tour along with Richard Elliot, Paul Taylor and Jeff Lorber as they hit the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA on March 15 and then at the Berks Jazz Festival appearing at the Sheraton Hotel Ballroom in Wyomissing, PA on March 18.

GEORGE DUKE AT SYCUAN RESORT & CASINO
George Duke is at the Sycuan Resort & Casino in El Cajon, CA on April 7.

STEEL PULSE AT SUNFEST
Reggae band Steel Pulse play the Auditorium Shores in Austin, TX on March 17. and SunFest in West Palm Beach, FL on April 29.

SMOOTH JAZZ RELEASES
New high energy contemporary smooth jazz group Airborne releases Heavy Vibes. The CD is filled with an abundance of musical styles, from Caribbean and Latin influences to jazz fusion and urban funk. It's out now on Tilt Records. Pianist Dan Siegel returns with his first all-new studio recording in over six years with the CD Inside Out. Boney James, Brian Bromberg and Jeff Kashiwa guest on the smooth and urban grooves sounding release (it's available on Native Language Records) on March 9.

PLAYBOY JAZZ FESTIVAL
The 27th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival is set for the weekend of June 11 and 12 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Musicians set to appear on Saturday, June 11 include Boney James, Joshua Redman and the Elastic Band, Keb' Mo', Norman Brown, Jon Faddis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Israel "Cachao"Lopez and Y Su Orquestra, Joey DeFrancesco, KennyBurrell, Crusaders cofounder Stix Hooper and his groupViewpoint, and the Jazz Tap and Caravan Project. Scheduled to appear on Sunday, June 12 are guitarist and vocalist George Benson; an all star Saxophone Summit featuring Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano and Dave Lieberman; Dr. John, salsa vocalist Gilberto Santa Rosa; the Heath Brothers, featuring Percy, Jimmy and Albert "Tootie" heath; Chico Hamilton and Euphoria, Roy Ayers, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band and new R&B singer Ledisi.

MONTREUX JAZZ FEST, MILES DAVIS, B.B. KING & MORE

EARL KLUGH & RONNIE LAWS ON BLUE NOTE
Blue Note will issue two previously released Earl Klugh albums, 1976's EMI self-titled album and 1977's Capitol release Living Inside Your Love. Also set for release is Ronnie Laws 1980 Liberty release Every Generation. The release date for each is June 21.

MILES DAVIS COLUMBIA/LEGACY RELEASES
More Miles To Come...The ever-popular Miles Davis will have even more reissues released this year as Columbia/Legacy Jazz release Miles Davis' 1957 Columbia debut ' Round About Midnight, in a 2-CD anniversary edition. The package will include a bonus CD of unreleased live recordings with a lineup that includes Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, Red Garland, John Coltrane and of course Miles Davis.

B.B. KING AT MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL
Legendary blues guitarist B. B. King is currently on an extensive tour with dates scheduled through July 5 at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. He'll soon start recording a new duets album, which will feature him alongside Van Morrison, U2, Sting and Elton John, among others. The album will be released later in the year on the Universal Music Group label.

The 39th Montreux Jazz Festival will take place from July 1-16, 2005, with the official program lineup to be unveiled at an April press conference that will be held both in Montreux and Zurich, Switzerland.

MNDI ABAIR - COME AS YOU ARE
Mindi Abair's Come As You Are CD...This outstanding second album from the contemporary jazz saxophonist and composer is full of irresistible grooves, and it even features her vocals on several tracks. The songs High Five, I Can Remember and Make A Wish are the highlights on this very cool disc.

EARTH WIND & FIRE & PAT METHENY TOUR INFO
Earth Wind & Fire are set to appear at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia on March 12, and the Pat Metheny Group continues The Way Up Tour with a stop at Richmond's Landmark Theatre on March 22.

The Groove Boutique, Superfly Remix & More!

The Groove Boutique of Rafe Gomez...Kudos to Rafe Gomez for his brilliant selections which comprise the masterful and tasteful The Groove Boutique:Volume 1. If you like laid back jazz, while at the same time groovy, uplifting and sensual beats, then this one is one that we recommend foryour collection. Rafe Gomez is responsible for the Groove Boutique, a two-hour Saturday night jazz mix that is heard on 101.9FM New York Chill. The program is also packaged and syndicated around the country to a number of smooth jazz radio stations. The CD contains 15 continuous mix tracks which include: Orange Factory Body Tight; Clan Greco Tilt; Slide Five RhodeTrip; The Headhunters Headhunting; Ramsey Lewis All Around The World; Jimjam Lizards; Copa 7 So Lucios, Praful One Day Deep; Soulive Ne-Ne; Alfonzo Blackwell Looking Fine; Chris Botti The Last Three Minutes; Monet Spirit; Slow Train Soul Naturally; Rebecca I Will; and a track from Rafe Gomez himself, Icy. We recommend checking out www.grooveboutique.com for more information.

Bela Fleck News...Bela Fleck is currently in Africa recording an album with native musicians and the sessions will ultimately be released as a DVD documentary and CD. He's scheduled for appearances with Bryan Sutton and Cassey Driessen as the Acoustic Trio on March 26 at the Suwannee Festival in Live Oak, Fla. He's also set to appear alongside jazz bassist Stanley Clarke and violinist Jean Luc Ponty during the summer months at differentconcert venues. Later in the year, he is planning 10 dates with his collaborator/bassist Edgar Meyer. They previously performed together ontheir 2004 album Music For Two. Meanwhile, The Flecktones have a new albumin the can and it will be released in 2006 as the group hits the road once again.

The Curtis Mayfield Remix Collection... Mayfield Remixed is due for release by Rhino Records on March 15 and it features 10 of Mayfield's best remixed by some of today's top mixmasters. Here is the track listing...Superfly (Louis Vega EOL Mix); Do Do Wap Is Strong Here (Ashley Beedle Re-Edit); Move On Up (Eric Kupper Vocal Mix); We're A Winner (Grandmaster Flash Remix with The Impressions); Little Child Runnin' Wild (King Britt Scuba Mix); Freddie's Dead: Theme From Superfly (Blaze Roots DJ Mix with Blaze Roots); If There's A Hell Below, We're All Going To Go (Don't Worry) (Maurice Joshua Nu Soul Mix); We Got To Have Peace (Eddie Baez Laid Back Mix); People Get Ready (Stone Bridge Club Remix with The Impressions); and Pusherman (Mixmaster Mike Pusher's Nephew Mix).

New Releases, Airplay News & More

Did you know that Praful of One Day Deep fame is also a member of Adani &Wolf and that they are the same guys behind Project 2000? Adani & Wolf actually produced Praful's One Day Deep album. On their latest album Les Seigners, they enlisted the help of guitarist Ernest Ranglin (he onceplayed with Bob Marley), singer Billie Godfrey and of course Praful. The overall feel of the album is sensual with a funky and jazzy feel. In addition to a cover of Gino Vannelli's People Gotta Move, a couple of tracks have the feel of those old French and Italian movie soundtracks of yesteryear.

Zero 7 and Thievery Corporation are both getting increased airplay on NewYork's Smooth Jazz and Chill station (101.9FM). Thievery Corporation have six songs on the playlist: Until The Morning, Liberation Front, A Simple Story, Pela Janela, The Richest Man In Babylon and Barrio Alto, while Zero 7 have five songs in rotation: Destiny, Home, In The Waiting Line, Spinning and The Space Between.No word yet on when the station will start to stream on the web.

New & Recent Radio Airplay Adds...New to smooth jazz airplay in recent weeks are: Average White Band Latest & Greatest (Liquid 8); Lisa Lauren ItIs What It Is (Planet Jazz); Frank Catalano Street Jazz (A440 Music Group); Quintin Gerard W. Fnkysax (O.T.S.); Alexander Zonjic Seldom Blues (Heads Up International); Bobby Wells Bayside (Bobby Wells Music); Bobby Caldwell Perfect Island Nights (Music Force Media Group); Andre Ward Steppin' Up(Orpheus); Renee Olstead Renee Olstead (Reprise); Ronny Jordan After 8 (N-Coded); Gabriel Mark Hasselbach First Name Basis (Wind Tunnel); Madeleine Peyroux Careless Love (Rounder Records); Nelson Rangell My American Songbook, Vol. 1 (Koch Records); Chuck Loeb When I'm With You (Shanachie); Maysa Smooth Sailing (N-Coded); and Vanessa Williams Everlasting (Lava).

New Music...Here are some recent releases: Michael Buble In Time (WarnerBros.); Bebe Winans Dream (Stillwaters); Bob James Trio Take It From TheTop (Koch Records); Alma Mimic Introducing Alma (CTA Records); Inger Marie Gundersen Make This Moment (Kultur & Spetakkel); Jim Pearce Washington Square Park (Jim Pearce Music); Scott Witfield Minute Game (SummitRecords); Harry Watters Love Songs (Summit Records); Jim Cifelli Groove Station (Short Notice Music); Corey Christiansen Awakening (Mel BayRecords); Alex Levin Trio Night And Distance (Self Produced); Ani DeFranco Knuckledown (Righteous Babe); and Stefano di Battista Parker's Mood (BlueNote).

Bluey and his Incognito bandmates perform live on their newest DVD Incognito - In Concert: Ohne Filter, while their latest U.S. release Adventures in Black Sunshine (available on Narada Jazz) is getting considerable airlplay statewise.

Joe Claussell's Main Mix of Toni Braxton's Spanish Guitar appears on the artists' upcoming CD Unbreak My Heart: The Remix Collection. The set is due April 12 on LaFace/Legacy and it will include remixes as well as five previously unreleased tracks.