While truly ready to Rock the World with his wildly adventurous, intensely melodic and grooving, sonically ambitious and – perhaps most important of all – spiritual minded latest collection, veteran hit maker (over 25 Billboard $1s and counting) and multiple Grammy nominated saxophonist, producer & mix engineer Darren Rahn is not the only contemporary urban jazz sax great to create a scintillating and transcendent, star studded pandemic era album. Dave Koz’s A New Day and Mic

Besides the immense raw rootsy pleasure of hearing a powerhouse multi-talented female country artist record authentic old school (meaning, REAL) classic-styled country music, emerging artist Kimberly Morgan York has two key things that set her apart from everyone on the typical Nashville assembly line. First, collaborating with a batch of longtime musical cohorts (including ex husband Brad Morgan on drums) known as The Everlovin’ Band, he debut album Found Yourself A Lady fea

An alumnus of the Grammy Museum’s Music Revolution Project and the University of Missouri Kansas City Conservatory of Music (where he majored in Jazz Studies), Blair Bryant has evolved over the past few years from contemporary jazz reviewers’ prediction that he would be “The Next” to the breakthrough reality that he’s “The Now.” When you hear his otherworldly, ultra-melodic bass jamming and popping on a snappy, brassy and ultra-infectious funk jam like his latest, playfully t

The titles of guitarist Keith Andrew’s previous two Innervision albums – Adventurous Soul (2014) and Soul Expedition (2020) – tell us everything we need to know about the fascinating combination of spiritual vision, intense grooving and freewheeling excitement and energy he brings to the genre. Keeping in line with this mission to soar funkily ever skyward, the well-traveled hiker and mountain climber reminds us, during this anxious era, that there’s no moment like the presen

Over her wildly prolific past decade as a recording artist, one of Kim Scott’s greatest gifts to smooth jazz is, along with her musical sisters Althea Rene and Ragan Whiteside, bringing the soulful and ethereal vibe of the flute back to the forefront of the genre. On the heels of the trio’s hit disco jam re-imagining of “I’m Every Woman,” Kim’s in trademark dynamic form as the lead melodic voice elevating our spirits on SHINE!, the title track to her rhythmically and stylisti

One of the great joys of instrumental music is being able to bring our own life experiences and emotions to an artist’s vision, so that we may use our imaginations to create a personal narrative as we listen. So while the average listener may not literally know who the Sharon is in the title of Tom Braxton’s “Sharon’s Groove” – the latest single from the veteran saxophonist’s alternately heartfelt and slammin’, relentlessly optimistic album Lookin’ Up – we can be excited that

Throughout a fascinating, ever-evolving career that’s seen JJ Sansaverino share stages with the likes of Maceo Parker, Randy Brecker and The Marley Family and perform at Sit Paul McCartney’s 2002 wedding, the multi-talented guitarist has been rightly acclaimed as “Benson Meets Santana.” Sometimes such comparisons are just hype to grab attention, but in JJ’s case, he’s proven himself to be the real deal since releasing his debut album Sunshine After Midnight in 2005. Setting t

Erin Stevenson’s straight to the point mission statement at the end of her website bio tells us all we need to know about the ultra-sultry, delightfully soulful and emotionally heart-piercing singer/songwriter, whose star has been on the rise as an urban jazz solo artist since dropping her debut album Naked in 2018: “I just want to sing, sing about something that matters and have fun while doing it. Here goes everything…your Smooth Soulful Songstress.” Erin brings to her solo

There’s a charming innocence to what veteran saxophonist Dave Wilson writes in his liner notes illuminating the story behind his decision to create Stretching Supreme, a fascinating, hard hitting and vibrantly performed tribute to his idol John Coltrane by his group, The Dave Wilson Quartet. He says he was a kid jamming on harmonica along with blues and classic rock albums and “I don’t know how it happened, but one of the first jazz records I ever bought was Coltrane’s Live a

One of the most inspiring aspects of being an inventive, versatile and adventurous jazz musician is the ability to thrive creatively and cultivate opportunity and leadership no matter where an individual’s journey leads. Veteran, well-traveled drummer Matt Gordy’s personal, family based decision back in 2006 to leave Boston – where he had many longstanding gigs, including subbing for the Boston Pops – for L.A. couldn’t have been easy. Yet he soon established himself as an ess

We can suppose that when a band forms during a pandemic, it’s par for the course that they can blaze dynamic pop/rock trails even though they’ve never officially played a live gig. In the case of the edgy yet fiery, sonically inventive and splendidly melodic indie rockers Kick and the Hug, the seamless coolness of and effortless communication between lead singer/guitarist Doug Murray and Sam Young has deep roots in the thriving early 90’s scene in Boulder, CO when they jammed

Imagine a band so bold, dynamic and pinball bouncing eclectic that 11 albums and 32 years after their debut album – and after a cross country move from New York to San Diego and a hiatus for the lead singer to pursue his passion for flying – they’re still trying to Figure It Out, as Sluka captures so eloquently on the title of their latest high octane opus. Led by vocalist songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and musical visionary Christopher Sluka, the band – which currently f