For Les Sabler, reaching a tenth album is more than a milestone—it is an opportunity to look back at the musicians and musical relationships that have helped shape his career while continuing to push his guitar playing forward.
The Montreal-born, Nashville-based contemporary jazz guitarist will release Ten on October 9, bringing together 10 tracks created over the past two years with an impressive collection of GRAMMY-winning and Billboard-charting musicians and producers.
The album began taking shape in 2024 when Sabler teamed with hitmaker Greg Manning. Their collaboration produced three of the album's defining tracks: the funky, horn-driven “Hot Chicken,” “Patches’ Groove,” featuring trumpeter Michael “Patches” Stewart, and the upbeat “Drive.”
“Patches’ Groove” became a particularly significant recording for Sabler. It gave him his first Billboard No. 1 hit and was named Billboard's No. 2 Smooth Jazz Song of the Year in 2025.
Sabler and Manning later revisited another composition from their sessions, transforming “Boomerang” into a track with a completely different feel from its original conception. Eric Valentine on drums, Mel Brown on bass and Luis Conte on percussion helped bring the reworked arrangement to life.
Another important creative partnership on Ten comes from two-time GRAMMY winner Paul Brown, who previously produced Sabler's Tranquility and Flying High albums. Together with GRAMMY nominee Brian Bromberg and Jeffrey Smith, Sabler created “Café On The Square,” along with “Once In A Lifetime” and the soulful R&B-pop track “Fly Away.”
Sabler also expanded the album's musical palette by working with Nelson Braxton of the Billboard No. 1-charting Braxton Brothers. The two co-wrote “Corner Pocket” and “Sunset Comfort,” with Braxton producing both tracks. “Corner Pocket” also reunites Sabler with pianist Allon Sams, who previously appeared on his Bridge the Gap album.
The album's closing track, “Serengeti,” is perhaps its most personal. Sabler reimagined the song as a tribute to legendary Canadian guitarist Sonny Greenwich, whom he first saw perform in the late 1970s.
“Completing this project with a tribute to Sonny Greenwich brings my journey full circle,” Sabler said, noting Greenwich's influence and friendship throughout his career.
The recording features an impressive supporting cast, including GRAMMY-winning drummer Gregg Bissonette, upright bassist Brian Allen, pianist David Garfield and percussionist Luis Conte, with Braxton contributing keyboards.
Throughout Ten, Sabler puts his versatility as a guitarist on display. His electric guitar work ranges from fast, fluid runs to tightly constructed grooves, while “Sunset Comfort” and “Serengeti” give him an opportunity to explore the expressive qualities of nylon-string guitar. He also adds 12-string acoustic guitar textures to “Serengeti.”
The album reflects a career that has continually moved beyond the expected boundaries of contemporary jazz.
Sabler studied jazz at Concordia University in Montreal before pursuing graduate studies at the University of Miami. He released his debut album, Hidden Treasure, in 1990, followed by Bridge the Gap, whose title track became his first No. 1 single in Canada and earned nominations for Album of the Year and Guitarist of the Year at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards.
Over the years, Sabler has worked with artists including Jeff Lorber, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jerry Hey, Eric Marienthal and Alex Acuña. He has also taken his music in different directions, recording exclusively on nylon-string guitars for Crescent Shores and incorporating Portuguese vocals into his elaborately arranged Jobim Tribute project.
His music continues to find a substantial audience. Sabler's recordings generated 6.6 million Spotify plays last year, contributing to more than 21.6 million streams to date.
With Ten, Sabler is also entering another new chapter: the album will be his first release available on vinyl.
“I am thrilled to share this album which features an immersive variety of songs that flow together seamlessly,” Sabler said. “It is deeply meaningful to me that I am continuing to create and release new music so vibrantly infused with inspiration.”
The 10-track Ten arrives October 9, bringing together two years of collaborations, familiar musical partners, new creative connections and a guitarist still finding new ways to make the contemporary jazz format his own.
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