This Week's Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown

Though the rankings may have changed, the top five in this week's smooth jazz top 20 are the same five in last week's list. Allen Keppler revealed his top 20 countdown aired last Sunday over my comfortable choice, 106.7 DREAM FM.

Radio & Records pick for personality of the year, Dave Koz edged out Sax Pack to earn the top spot this week with his LIFE iN THE FAST LANE from his greatest hits CD. Sax Pack's FALLIN FOR YOU dropped to #3. Meanwhile, Earl Klugh's DRIFTIN came in at #5, falling two notches from last week's rankings. Eric Darius's GOIN ALL OUT and Norman Brown's POP'S COOL GROOVE remained at #2 and #4 respectively.

Check out the music of this week's smooth jazz topnotchers below.

AMPARO: two musical worlds in one passionate album

Weeks ago I listed some upcoming CDs which I had hoped would make their presence felt in the Philippines. In the list was AMPARO, an instrumental album from longtime friends and musicians Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin. 

A week later, I was greeted by a familiar image sitting on a shelf of the ASTROVISION PLUS branch at the PODIUM in Pasig--the CD cover of the album I was looking forward to. Well, the music has been playing non-stop in my iPod since then.

A follow-up to the 2000 Grammy-nominated classical album TWO WORLDS from the same tandem, AMPARO once again marries songs seemingly worlds apart through a musical setting that threads the entire album. In the track list are classical favorites from the likes of Handel, Ravel and Faure. But so too are more contemporary compositions from Ritenour and Grusin, even from Brazilaln Bossa legend Antonio Carlos Jobim. All, however, are masterfully arranged by Grusin borrowing from the rich musical heritage of South America. Thus, the songs are rustic and passionate, interpreted with a soulful latin influence.

Dear musical friend Fr. Manoling was riding in my car the other day, and I let him sample a few tracks. Because he was well-acquainted with the classical pieces, he automatically said they sounded like the originals; though he was quick to add, "But this one sounds Ecuadorian." Not a surprising comment. Grusin says he was careful to remain faithful to the original musical intent of the songs. A lot of the latin flavor surfaced through the combination of Grusin's piano, Ritenour's guitar, the chamber strings, and through guest artists Joshua Bell (violin), Chris Botti (trumpet) and Renee Flemming and James Taylor (vocals).

Here are two tracks to let you get a better grasp of the album concept. First is Antonio Carlos Jobim's OLHA MARIA, a haunting piece featuring Joshua Bell. It no longer sounds like a Brazilian ballad but more like a stirring classical vehicle. The second is PAVANE from French impressionist Gabriel Faure. This one, through Bell's expert hands and Flemming's stunning vocals transforms into some spellbinding latin dance. Grusin suggests that through the reassignment of musical phrases to these two artists, the piece becomes a musical dialogue that's pure seduction. Have a listen.

Whatever Happened to Howard Jones?

I must have been graduating from high school when Howard Jones burst into the music scene with his synthpop brand of music--keyboard-rich, ultra-quantized, and mega-danceable. His was the kind of music being dished out by a classically-trained pianist with a couple of fancy synthesizers to toy around with, and the result was sheer joy. Add to that the thick vocals of this Englishman, and you've got a hit in your hands.

And hits did Howard Jones produce, who's seen here in a photo during the height of his career (left) and then some 20 years later.  You might remember tracks like WHAT IS LOVE, LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU WELL, THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER, and LIFE IN ONE DAY, all of which became top charters in the U.K and U.S. To refresh your memory, take a look at this video and watch out for the crazy 80s hair:

While he continued to have considerable success in the U.S. in the early 90s, his last U.K. top 40 hit ALL I WANT came in 1986. After that, he balanced his music career with managing a vegetarian restaurant named NOWHERE.

But nothing can stop a musician at heart. By 2001, Jones was touring as a keyboardist for Ringo Starr on the latter's ALL STARR BAND, but soon after was concentrating on his own gigs, particularly his 20th anniversary concert staged in London in 2003. See here two more videos. The first is of Jones (while touring with Starr) performing THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER. The second is of the artist singing PRISONER in the 2003 show celebrating 20 years of Howard Jones's music. 

The success of his concerts prompted the Englishman to produce REVOLUTION OF THE HEART, a retro electronic album targeting a niched group of loyal fans in the U.S., U.K., and selected European countries. Though the project was a success, sales paled in comparison to when the musician had legions of fans across the globe.

And so has been Howard Jones's career--one steeped in a unique 80s sound which he has pushed successfully into the next century. And though his listeners have become much like a tribe in number, they have remained steadfast.

2008 marks Jones's 25th year in the industry, and just last month, he celebrated the event with yet another show plus a tour beginning with a performance in Japan (he is incidentally a member of Japanese Buddhist lay organization and is the musical director of its choir). There, he and others visited a Japanese karaoke club, and just for fun, Jones sang one of his own songs. His score? A 92. 

In between his shows today, Howard Jones is working on a triple CD of his 25th anniversary concert. But before we get to see that in stores, here's a clip taken by an avid fan in the audience of him singing what else...WHAT IS LOVE.

Jazz Legends in Manila, October 16

Their names may not ring as loud a bell in the Philippines as say Earl Klugh's or Kenny G's, but their music has struck a chord with many die-hard jazz enthusiasts around the world. And the two legends will be here in Manila on October 16 for an intimate musical affair.

John Scofield is considered one of the "big three" along with Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell among the current crop of jazz guitarists. He is a master at improvisation, with a distinct style that sits comfortably between post bop, funk-edged jazz, and R&B.

Inspired by rock and blues players, Scofield picked up his first guitar at age 11, and eventually attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. After recording and touring with such heavyweights as Chet Baker, George Duke and Charles Mingus, Scofield joined Miles Davis, planting himself securely in the foreground of jazz consciousness as a composer and instrumentalist.

Today, aside from touring with his own group for most parts of the year, he is an Adjunct Professor of Music at New York University.

Born to family of brass blowers, Joe Lovano's exposure to jazz and the saxophone was early and constant. He began playing the alto sax at 5, switching to a tenor a few years later. At 16, he began working professionally as a musician, playing the clubs (often substituting for his dad) and performing with Motown cover bands. He eventually got to save enough to get himself through college also at Berklee.

After years of jamming and recording in the U.S. and Europe with some of the most gifted artists on the planet, Lovano met vocalist and dancer Judi Silvano, with whom he would make a lasting collaboration (today, they live together in upstate New York). He says, "Judi's sound, in particular, influenced ideas and feelings that were instrumental in opening up my concept about an ensemble sound that includes voice. I feel it gives my music a very organic, alive, human quality."

It was in 1989, however, when Lovano's next high profile gig would bring him more national and international attention--and that was with John Scofield's Quartet.

It has been many years since Scofield and Lovano have discovered each other's special brand of jazz, and they are rediscovering each other with their current tour of Asia and the Pacific. Following shows in Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore and Bangkok, the two jazz legends will find themselves at the Rockwell tent in Manila for a one-night concert, dubbed PRELUDE TO A FEST, that promises to be a stirring musical event. Showtime begins at 9pm, and tickets are priced at Php 1287.50. Call Ticketworld at (632) 891-9999 for tickets, or visit their site here: PRELUDE TO A FEST. After Manila, they will move on to Australia and New Zealand.

In between his hectic touring schedule, Scofield is producing his album of "old-time gospel" tunes, which the artist feels ought to be heard beyond church doors. Meanwhile, Lovano's highly-acclaimed album KIDS, produced last year, is still out in the market (but hard to find in Manila).

To get a sample of their music, view below two videos. The first is a performance on Jay Leno by John Scofield with John Mayer. The second is of Joe Lovano with Hank Jones on the keys.

This Week's Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown

Part of the joys of driving on a Sunday afternoon (besides finding EDSA to be relatively traffic-free), is tuning in to 106.7 FM at 4pm and listening to Allen Kepler's Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown. In the 2-hour show, the acclaimed trumpet player lists the 20 biggest tunes topping the Smooth Jazz chart based on monitored airplay in the U.S.

Having discovered the show only recently, it has now become a favorite. And why not? I have been a smooth jazz advocate since the late 70s when jazz fusion made the music scene. Influenced by my sister Audrey with her LPs of Bob James and Joe Sample among others, I was easily hooked (you can imagine my sadness when 88.3 F changed format). The show on 106.7 lets me keep track of the freshest smooth jazz and quiet storm recordings, the newest artists in the genre, and the latest news about the music icons I've respected since the 70s.

This week, topping the Kepler's list again is Sax Pack's FALLIN' FOR YOU, a bouncy, breezy, brassy track from heavyweight saxophonists, Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters, and Steve Cole. Other exciting acts in the list are fellow brass boys Dave Koz, Najee, Boney James, and Kenny G., as well as guitar greats Chuck Loeb and Earl Klugh, whose new album SPICE OF LIFE is a most welcome project since his last CD 9 years ago. Also in the list are vocalists Mick Hucknall (Simply Red) and gospel and soul legend, Al Green. My personal pick, however, is bassist Marcus Miller's FREE, a remake of Deniece Williams's popular smooth jazz recording, but this time interpreted through Corinne Bailey Rae's sultry vocals.

Check out below the this week's top 20:

And listen to Sax Pack's top charter, FALLIN' FOR YOU, here:

The Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown eith Allen Kepler is heard exclusively on DWET 106.7 DREAM FM, your comfortable choice, every Sunday from 4pm to 6pm.

10 Holiday CDs out this October

Christmas for me is such a grand musical event, and I cannot let a year pass without adding to my growing collection of holiday music. Unfortunately however for us in the Philippines, the array to choose from has not been widening in proportion to the material being produced around the globe. Ok, so there has been a fair amount of Filipino Christmas CDs out there, but beyond that, much of what we have on the shelves are aged stocks (though recently I must admit, there has been a wealth of Disco and Bossa Christmas music).

So I have resorted to ordering some holiday music abroad, requesting friends and relatives to bring them home; well this year will not be an exception. This month alone, so many Christmas CDs are being released in the U.S., many of which I fear will not see the light of day here. Ten that have intrigued me are in a list below. 

If you have kababayans scheduling a trip back home, why not request for a copy of any one of these?

CHRISTMAS DUETS (Elvis Presley) Here's a collection of previously recorded holiday tunes from Presley, but with overdubs from current bigwigs in the industry--Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Olivia Newton-John, and Anne Murray to name some. The duets ought to appeal to a broad age range with a particular fondness for the wintry yet cozy attitude of a country Christmas. Get the new Elvis Christmas CD here: CHRISTMAS DUETS

THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION (Amy Grant) The fourth Christmas project from gospel great, Amy Grant features the best from her previous holiday CDs but adds 4 new tracks (1 with hubby Vince Gill) for a total of 18. Those who don't have her earlier Christmas work will love the 6-time Grammy awardee's rendition of GROWN-UP CHRISTMAS LIST and BREATH OF HEAVEN. Order her new CD here: THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

CHRISTMAS (Al Jarreau) After 40 years in the music industry, jazz, R&B, and pop legend (only he has Grammys in all genres) Al Jarreau releases his first yuletide album aptly titled, CHRISTMAS. Here, the artist lends his unique vocal stylings to a dozen Christmas classics. Those who watched his recent concert with George Benson in Manila might want to get Jarreau's latest work (following his album in 2006). To pre-order the album, click here: CHRISTMAS

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (Brian McKnight) A holiday CD of 12 tracks, the album showcases the R&B singer's twist on Christmas favorites, some in tandem with other great talents. Josh Groban lends a hand in ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH, and Take 6 grooves it up with BLESS THIS HOUSE. Watch out for the special participation of Brian McKnight Jr. and Nikolas McKnight. Check out the CD here: I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

PEACE ON EARTH (Casting Crowns) The Christian soft rock band recognized by both the Grammy and Dove Awards releases its first Christmas CD, PEACE ON EARTH. With the project, the group hopes to point listeners to the deeper meaning of songs sung for generations, many of which were written from a place of searching and desperation. The album promises to be insightful and moving. Order it here: PEACE ON EARTH

A NEW THOUGHT FOR CHRISTMAS (Melissa Etheridge) For her latest yuletide project, Melissa Etheridge asks the question: If we're all talking about peace on earth, what if we all concentrated on peace on earth and made it happen? The CD is a rock, blues, jazz, mix of 10 traditional and newly composed songs to celebrate a spiritual time of the year. Listen to some samples: A NEW THOUGHT FOR CHRISTMAS

MY KIND OF HOLIDAY (Elliot Yamin) American Idol alumnus Elliot Yamin releases MY KIND OF HOLIDAY, which is essentially the Christmas album exclusively distributed by Target stores last year, with the addition of 2 new tracks. The collection presents Yamin's pop R&B style in such fresh yuletide songs as CHRISTMAS WITHOUT CAROL and BACKDOOR SANTA. My fave is his rendition of THIS CHRISTMAS. Pre-order the CD here: MY KIND OF HOLIDAY

IT'S CHRISTMAS (Ledisi) Twice Grammy-nominated R&B singer Ledisi lets loose her soaring interpretation of 12 Christmas tracks (5 written for the album), in this jazz and blues influenced set. Fans of the traditional Christmas sound will be challenged by the artist's earthy, inventive style, but Ledisi's fans will be ecstatic. To have a sample of the work and to order the CD, click here: IT'S CHRISTMAS

A SWINGIN' CHRISTMAS (Tony Bennet) What's Christmas without swing, and what's swing without Tony Bennet? The man dishes out the most loved classic holiday tunes like SILVER BELLS, MY FAVORITE THINGS, and THE CHRISTMAS WALTZ, all with that brand of razzmatazz he has been associated with all these years. And accompanying him? The Count Basie Big Band, no less. Check this out to pre-order a copy: A SWINGIN' CHRISTMAS

SONGS OF JOY & PEACE (Yo-Yo Ma & Friends)

With 22 tracks, something tells me this is the big buy this Christmas. The famed cellist's SONGS OF JOY & PEACE is described as a musical party inspired by the season. It gathers music greats James Taylor, Dave Brubeck, Diana Krall, Chris Botti, Alison Kraus, plus many more to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid al-Adha, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Day. The album even comes with a bonus 60-minute DVD. Take a look: SONGS OF JOY & PEACE

Whatever happened to James Ingram?

It was in 1999 when James Ingram released his last album (The Best of James Ingram), and in 2004 when he and Patti Austin treated Manila to a jampacked Valentine's Day concert at the CCP open grounds. Since then, little has been heard of him or his new music, though his popular songs continue to echo in videoke halls everywhere and in FM stations catering to the helplessly romantic.

Ingram made a dent in the music scene by accident when he recorded the demo for a song Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil were sending to mega producer Quincy Jones.  The song: JUST ONCE.  Jones, so impressed, asked Ingram to record the track for THE DUDE, an album he was indeed producing, and let him interpret another: 100 WAYS. For his efforts, Ingram was awarded the GRAMMY for Best R&B Vocal Performance, prompting record executives to produce his debut album, IT'S YOUR NIGHT in 1983. Led off by the smash duet with Michael McDonald, YAH MO BE THERE (which is among the songs that received the most airplay that year, and earned for the singer another Grammy), the album boasted of many soul hits, including the much loved ballad, THERE'S NO EASY WAY.

Ingram is also known for his collaborations with other notable artists: SOMEWHERE OUT THERE with Linda Ronstadt, BABY COME TO ME and HOW DO YOU KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING? with Patti Austin, and WHAT ABOUT ME? with Kim Carnes and Kenny Rogers. Could this be why he was invited to the American show CELEBRITY DUETS in 2006?

So where has the Soul and R&B singer retreated? Ingram now resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife and 6 kids, and is still much into music. Early this year, he performed in Indonesia during their JAVA JAZZ FESTIVAL. See a clip here of his performance:

But apart from all this, Ingram has recently been active with some spiritual work. In Indonesia, he also liaised with officials of the CHURCH WORLD SERVICE (CWS), and hopes to return for a special project with the CWS to benefit the "at-risk" street children of Jakarta. On the music front, the balladeer is following in the heels of secular singers Dionne Warwick and Regina Belle, who have added their names to the growing roster of gospel recording artists. 

The son of a deacon, Ingram already presented to his fans his inclination for the Church when he recorded YAH MO BE THERE (Yahweh, be there). Concerned producers who felt the track would turn off some listeners tried to convince him to amend the song title, to which the artist responded, "No." Today, Ingram continues to sing about the kingdom and the Creator, inspiring the masses with the release of his first gospel recording, STAND (IN THE LIGHT). Inspired by the plight of hurricane Katrina victims, STAND features new work by Ingram plus a reissue of his famous collaboration with Michael McDonald. Ingram's new CD, which should be out in January of 2009, is considered by many as a natural advancement in a career grounded in faith.

To pre-order James Ingram's STAND, click here: STAND.

And if you wish to know whatever happened to ANGELA BOFILL, click here: ANGELA.