The title of Eric Essix’s latest album says it all: 36 years and 28 releases into his extraordinary career, the prolific veteran guitarist is just hitting his Stride. Whether recording for outside record companies or his own label Essential Recordings, one of the Birmingham, Alabama native’s greatest ongoing gifts has been sharing his Southern blues, jazz and gospel roots via songs that are either edgy, bright and funky or laid back and simmering. Offering a sweet balance of punchy grooves and soulful atmospheres, Stride is a dynamic showcase for his fascinating guitar tone that’s crackling one minute, silky, languid, and smooth the next. Highlights include a haunting meditation on freedom and a vibrant organ and harmonica laced spin on hit current smash single, the Bill Withers classic, “Ain’t No Sunshine” featuring American Idol alum Ruben Studdard on vocals. ~www.smoothjazz.com
Song, the new album from cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, features music from across the entire spectrum of classical, folk, jazz and pop – all personally curated by Sheku. The eclectic mix of styles are tied together by one thing – the unique singing voice of Sheku’s cello. On Song, Sheku collaborates with friends and family, including jazz pianist Harry Baker, singer-songwriter Zak Abel, and soprano Pumeza Matshikiza. Sheku Kanneh-Mason became a household name in 2018 after performing at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Windsor Castle. His performance was greeted with universal excitement and was seen by nearly two billion people globally. Sheku initially garnered renown as the winner of the 2016 BBC Young Musician Competition, the first black musician to take the title. He has released two chart-topping albums on the Decca Classics label, "Inspiration" (2018) and "Elgar" (2020). The latter reached #8 in the overall UK official album chart, making Sheku the first cellist in history to reach the UK top 10.
The Dave Slonaker Big Band, coming off its 2013 Grammy® nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble, returns with a dazzling collection of new music celebrating the tradition, but also pushing the possibilities of big band jazz. Featuring an all-star cast of West Coast jazz and studio legends, including Bob Sheppard, Larry Koonse, Peter Erskine, Wayne Bergeron, and so many more, Convergency brings together the lives, stories and extraordinary talents of these great musicians, with the music of veteran Los Angeles composer/arranger Dave Slonaker, to create what will certainly be another ave Slonaker's "Convergency" will be released via Origin Records on August 19th.
Coinciding with the release of his high spirited, melodically sparkling and deeply grooving 5th album Steppin', veteran keyboardist, composer and producer Ken Powe recently published a book exploring the possibilities of our visions and dreams being divine experiences. Smooth Jazz fans checking out the array of moods and grooves by this vibrationally in tune spiritual and musical explorer may truly feel they’ve entered an urban dreamscape full of colorful and trippy atmospheric textures, eclectic rhythms and dazzling, dramatic ivory runs – all of which draw from Powe’s mult-faceted background in jazz, gospel, R&B, pop and classical music. ~ www.smoothjazz.com
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