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AUDIO CULTURES Breaking the Sound Barrier SonicPilot Records
In reference to the spelling of their name, AuDIO CultuRes is neither upper now lower case, but most definitely they are oN tHe CaSe! BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER is slick, interesting and has a definitive groove with a chilled touch. The result of a recent rekindling of old friends from Seattle… guitarist Clyde Childress’ and bassist Albert Hobson’s new vehicle features Dre Johnson on drums and William Beatty on keys. The material is spectacular from the opening jazzy “Unexpected Mingling“ featuring impeccable horns from Joel Behrman to wild arrangements of the Beatles classics “Come Together“ and “Michelle“ to the powerful “Redemption“ ending a 10-track musical odyssey way beyond the scope of most musicians. Immediately obvious is that Clyde and Albert are completely comfortable with their own production as they have been studio rats for many years. If you’re looking for nuevo groove at its best you have come to the right place.
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BENEDIKT Violin Passion (After Midnight) Con Sordino Music
One of the hippest nights out in Europe is a visit to an “ice bar“ where the entire club is sub zero and you sip your cocktails in faux fur coats and winter boots. I mention it because Germany’s Benedikt Brydern and his electric violin could provide the perfect soundtrack for your chilled outing. His music is cool, sophisticated and ultra hip. VIOLIN PASSION (AFTER MIDNIGHT) features lots of reworked classical themes mysteriously given titles celebrating Tokyo districts and all featuring computer driven backdrops, lush orchestration and that icy synsithsized violin. Favorite tracks include “Motender,” “Tokyo Grammaphone“ and “Shibuya Passion.” AFTER MIDNIGHT is cooler than the other side of the pillow!
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PAUL CULLEN Dreamdance & Paradise Independent
A smooth, hip project featuring romantic and lush arrangements and melodies from former Bad Company bassist, Paul Cullen. On DREAMDANCE & PARADISE, Cullen borrows Mediterranean, Latin and Jazz elements and enhances them with ambient moods, chilled grooves and his unique vocal style to create a long-playing album that is sure to fill your environment with a lush mood and sophisticated vibe. This diverse musician spends much of his time with Italian wine importer PortoVino… where he is able to merge his two passions, “groovy Italian wine and cool jazzy music,” by bringing his Unplugged and Uncorked performance and tasting to various venues and wine related events. We’re pleased to have discovered this exceptionally relevant musician for both SmoothJazz.com and SmoothLounge.com and we invite you to experience Paul Cullen’s delicious original compositions on DREAMDANCE & PARADISE at your earliest convenience by uncorking your favorite PortoVino wine and pressing play!
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THE ERIC EVANS PROJECT Waves of Grace Electriflute Records
Three years in the making and well worth the wait! WAVES OF GRACE is a tour de force of new age /jazz/pop and classical influences interpreted by Eric Evans and his wonderful collection of gifted musicians. Eric leads the project with a variety of woodwind performances on flute, alto flute, EWI and alto sax and is joined by singer/guitarist David Eugene Ivey, smooth jazz recording artist Cecil Ramirez on Keys, award winning producer/engineer Ralph Stover, with beautiful supporting guest performances by Brent Bourgeois of Bourgeois/Tagg, smooth jazz recording artist guitarist Steve Laury and guitarist frontman for the critically acclaimed 77s Michael Roe. An album brim full of uplifting, inspirational themes… the key cuts include “Seaside” with its lovely warm groove, “February Clouds “ which could be a classic new age anthem and the elegantly spiritual title track “Waves of Grace.” A fantastic new release – worth your immediate attention!
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LOU FLUTE The Aquarius Project Loular Records
In a world brim full of shiny saxophones and screamin’ guitars Lou Flute’s fascinating flute is several breaths of musical fresh air. Lou was born in Santa Monica, CA and raised in South Central Los Angeles… by the age of 13 he was a multi instrumentalist! He studied with one of the nations top woodwind players, Bill Green who helped hone and develop Lou’s special sound. He has worked with Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder and written jingles for J.Walter Thompson. After a few years in the commercial world Lou Flute joined The Melting Pot Orchestra in 2007. With the help of his son he has produced THE AQUARIUS PROJECT a hot mix of hip hop, soul and electronica all with Lou’s flute to the fore. Recommended tracks include “Zulu,” “What U Do To Me“ and “Bay Of Bandaras.“ The age of Lou Flute has dawned!
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THE G... For the One I Love The G... Productions
The fifth release from multi-instrumentalist The G (Gerald Little) is truly an audio delight, filled with romantic, sensual Smooth Jazz and chilled-out lounge compositions that you can put in your music player and listen to over and over again. I couldn’t describe this new music better than he does himself with words like “heartfelt," "warm," "rich" and "soothing.” FOR THE ONE I LOVE features all original songs, performed and produced by The G… with some tasty lyrical and vocal contributions from Arla, in addition to the fine sax work from Travis Wilson on “Looking for Love” and “I Want Your Love.” The man from Greensboro, NC has outdone himself on this one, creating a perfect accompaniment to those quiet, romance-filled moments with that special someone, but as one listener points out, “This CD should not just be called FOR THE ONE I LOVE, but ‘for Everyone’!”
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LOVE GYPSIES Love is the Answer LoveGypsies.com
Submit to the groove… feel the love. ‘Cause that’s what it’s all about on the latest release from The Love Gypsies. WHERE IS THE LOVE is bombtastic… a fun, hip recording stuffed full with 14 killer tracks that exude soul and funk with a chilled, lounge finish. Think Black Eyed Peas meet Stevie Ray Vaughn meets Tower of Power, then relax that thought and think a little more laid back like your favorite pair of jeans… now you’ve got it… The Love Gypsies deliver their groovy, funky signature sound with more precision and heart than ever! Love Gypsies’ founder Walt Liskiewicz is spot on with his gritty, soulful vocals… filled with conviction, while producer and fellow Gypsy Jimmy Shellberg hits target as usual with his audio wizardry… I’ve said for years that Jimmy has some of the best ears in the business! So the question becomes the answer… WHERE IS THE LOVE… right here! You won’t be disappointed – it’s in replay mode on my iPod!
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LR-60 & Mr. MOODS Ultraviolence Independent
A very chilled out vibe emotes from LR-60 & Mr. Moods’ new collection of tunes on ULTRAVIOLENCE… industrial sexy if you will. I love the way chill and lounge-inspired music is heading. Gone are the days when there was just a cold pulse and soulless beat… maybe it’s the warmth of LR-60’s divine trumpet playing (Skip Warren) or the intoxicating rhythms from Mr. Moods (Christian Denis)… for sure the melodic direction of ULTRAVIOLENCE sets a deep groove for fans of ambient jams. This is a project that will transport you to a super relaxed atmosphere with the highest quality musicianship and production. Fans of future jazz, nu jazz and thrill-to-chill jazz will love ULTRAVIOLENCE! It’s a must have addition for that icy cool collection of killer music you have.
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MOTOWN MOE Soft Touch MotownMoe.com
SOFT TOUCH, the fourth and latest release from Motown Moe (Detroit producer/keyboardist Kevin Dingle) is heavily infused with cool urban jazz grooves and smooth, relaxing melodies. The Motown Moe concept has always been very appealing to us because of the ease and glide of the music that also manages to exude warmth and depth… not an easy feat to accomplish. Artists like Gregg Karukus, Bob Baldwin and Bob James know what I’m talking about… now add Motown Moe to that list of artists who spend time creating an audio environment, not just a song. SOFT TOUCH features a few noteworthy guests, one of my favorite Smooth Jazz producers and keyboardists, Nate Harasim, French guitarist Daniel Domenge, guitarist DF Michael and sax man Martin Sharpe among several others. The first single, the sophisticated “Good Night Manhattan,” features Nate on keys and sets the stage for the other 9 chilled tracks… making SOFT TOUCH the perfect soundtrack for relaxing and enjoying the best parts of life!
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WALDINO Sensual Karma LoveGypsies.com
I’ve personally known Dr. Walter Liskiewicz (Waldino) for the better part of the last 10 years… he’s become a friend, an inspiration and a great talent who’s music as had great impact worldwide in the genre of chill music. I’m honored to say that I’ve enjoyed every aspect of the Waldino ride thus far, as well as my involvement with his other musical projects, the Love Gypsies and the Allure. But nothing in his arsenal has touched me as profoundly as Waldino’s latest, SENSUAL KARMA. It’s as if all of his craftsmanship and creativity aligned with the stars… 14 cool, compelling songs seamlessly roll together in a spiritual dance that ebbs and flows from beginning to end. SENSUAL KARMA goes deeper than previous projects as the artist experiments with new sonic ideas, synergy and electronic techniques all the while staying grounded with melodic, accessible compositions. Light some incense, stretch out in a candle lit room and turn up SENSUAL KARMA… the rewards will be plentiful.
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THE WARHEADS Re-in-fusion Radical Sound Recording Studio
From Radical Sound Recording Studio, deep inside the San Francisco Bay Area… The Warheads launch their unique musical offerings nearly as often as most people " tweet." Prolific creators, their latest work of art is RE-IN-FUSION featuring Matt Renzi on tenor sax, Chazz Alley on soprano sax and Doug Ellington on trumpet as the “jazzers” and Ron K and JRS are the mad professors/analog purists/ composers /producers who together create the coolest vibe and the jazziest jazz this side of the Golden Gate Bridge. The work comprises six killer tunes immaculately conceived and re-constructed. Be sure to check out the suitably psychedelic “Sunsphere" on YouTube and you will know precisely what The Warheads are all about. Aside from the salmon, their music is the freshest thing to come out of the SF Bay in years and RE-IN-FUSION is their cool, co-mingling of chill out, lounge and jazz… as deep as the Bay itself!
