This site was designed with the
.com
website builder. Create your website today.
Start Now

THE JW VIBE

Music That Sticks To My Soul

  • Blog

  • Subscribe

  • About Jonathan

  • Writing Services

  • Archives

  • Contact

  • More

    Use tab to navigate through the menu items.
     
    DARREN RAHN, Rock the World
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 30

    DARREN RAHN, Rock the World

    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
    KIMBERLY MORGAN YORK, Found Yourself A Lady
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 30

    KIMBERLY MORGAN YORK, Found Yourself A Lady

    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
    BLAIR BRYANT, "Chocolate For Breakfast"
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 27

    BLAIR BRYANT, "Chocolate For Breakfast"

    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
    KEITH ANDREW ft. Bob James, "Now's The Time"
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 27

    KEITH ANDREW ft. Bob James, "Now's The Time"

    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
    KIM SCOTT, SHINE!
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 27

    KIM SCOTT, SHINE!

    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
    TOM BRAXTON, "Sharon's Groove"
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 27

    TOM BRAXTON, "Sharon's Groove"

    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
    JJ SANSAVERINO, "Miami"
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 27

    JJ SANSAVERINO, "Miami"

    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, "Everything To Me"
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 27

    ERIN STEVENSON, "Everything To Me"

    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
    THE DAVE WILSON QUARTET, Stretching Supreme
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 17

    THE DAVE WILSON QUARTET, Stretching Supreme

    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
    THE MATT GORDY JAZZ TONITE SEXTET, Be With Me
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 17

    THE MATT GORDY JAZZ TONITE SEXTET, Be With Me

    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
    KICK AND THE HUG, Ladies and Gentlemen, Kick and the Hug
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 16

    KICK AND THE HUG, Ladies and Gentlemen, Kick and the Hug

    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
    SLUKA, Figure It Out
    Jonathan Widran
    • Jan 16

    SLUKA, Figure It Out

    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
    1
    2

    THE JW VIBE

    ​

    WWW.JWVIBE.COM

    Contact

    few522@aol.com

    (818) 378 0828

    Follow

    • facebook
    • twitter
    • linkedin

    ©2018 by Jonathan Widran Reviews. Proudly created with Wix.com