Dave Sereny – Talk To Me
Perhaps imagining winter in sunnier climes than his native
Toronto, multiple Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards nominee Dave Sereny takes his
seductive, melodic electric guitar to several exotic locales, including Bob
Marley’s Jamaica, on his latest album TALK TO ME. Yet those buoyant excursions are
just the open door to a high energy, freewheeling romp through many different
Smooth Jazz related styles, including horn-fired, beat happy dance music,
dreamy vocal pop, caffienated jazz/funk and exotic, atmospheric world beat. On
hand to lend his always welcome sax intensity is saxman and fellow Torontonian,
Warren Hill. ~ smoothjazz.com
U-Nam – Is That So?
As cool as a mint julep and just as fresh, “Is That So?”
from Billboard chart-topping artist and multi-platinum producer U-Nam is the
perfect accompaniment to those long hot summer days to come. It follows closely on the heels of his
stunning “The Essential Collection” that in 2017, with nine (yes nine) Top 30
US Billboard hits amongst the fifteen standout tracks, occupied top spot on the
Smoothjazz.com album listings for six straight weeks and ranked #11 on the end
of year chart. Written, produced, arranged and mixed by U-Nam, “Is That
So?” is the first single from his latest project “A Change of Art” that is
slated for release later this year and is just the sort of infectious cut that
U-Nam, with his instantly recognizable guitar sound and undoubtedly at the top
of his creative game, seems able to effortlessly deliver. In fact, right from the tight groove laid down by Denis
Bennarosh on percussion and Michael White on drums, through the flashes of
flute from long time collaborator Shannon Kennedy and on to the brassy veneer
applied by Kennedy on sax and Christian Martinez on trumpet, U-Nam’s production
touches are, not surprisingly, all over it.
Add in top notch Fender Rhodes from the always-splendid Bill Steinway
and what we have is a track at the very heart of the best in smooth jazz.
Kenee Maree – World Over
Having engaged audiences from Montreal to Tokyo,
Atlanta-based Smooth Jazz guitarist, songwriter, arranger and producer Kenee
Maree offers a unique perspective on the need for global harmony on his
spiritually infused EP, World Over. With only three songs, he gets us grooving
and swaying immediately – but also inspires us to think of issues vital to the
emotional and physical survival of humanity. While the atmospheric,
flute-inflected instrumental “Mallorca” is a breezy showcase for Maree’s cool,
soulful strumming, “World Over” uses percussive textures, Latin piano, rap and
uplifting gospel choruses to convey the essence that we’re all in this
together. The guitarist emphasizes that point on the passionate soul and blues
tinged vocal ballad “We Are One.” ~ smoothjazz.com
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