JAM Magazine: December/January 1999 Issue: Contemporary Jazz

by Jeff Charney

Contemporary Stocking Stuffers
Once again it's the holiday season. And good music always makes a great gift. Here are some recommended releases from 1998.

Marc Antoine -- Madrid
Walter Beasley -- For Your Pleasure
Basia -- Clear Horizon, The Best Of Basia
George Benson -- Standing Together
Rick Braun -- Full Stride
Fourplay -- 4
Michael Franks -- The Best Of Michael Franks (A Backward Glance)
Marcus Johnson -- Chocolate City Groovin'
Greg Karukas -- Blue Touch
Earl Klugh -- The Best Of Earl Klugh
Chuck Loeb -- The Moon, The Stars And The Setting Sun
Jeff Lorber -- Midnight
Duncan Miller -- Dream Your Dream
Chieli Minucci -- It's Gonna Be Good
Peace Of Mind -- Journey To The Fore
Lee Ritenour -- This Is Love
Joe Sample -- The Best Of Joe Sample
Bryan Savage -- Soul Temptation
Shakatak -- Shinin' On
Roger Smith -- Both Sides
Soundscape UK -- Surreal Thing
Spyro Gyra -- Road Scholars
Chris Standring -- Velvet
Wayman Tisdale -- Decisions
Joseph Vincelli -- Touch

Looking for music with more of a holiday theme? Check out these Yuletide stocking stuffers.

Allen & Allen -- Christmas Like Never Before
David Benoit -- Christmas Time
David Benoit -- Remembering Christmas
Rick Braun -- Christmas Present
Erotiques -- A Romantic Christmas
Russ Freeman -- Holiday
Danny Gottlieb/Pete Levin -- The New Age Of Christmas
Danny Gottlieb/Pete Levin -- Masters In This Hall, The New Age Of Christmas II
Vince Guaraldi -- A Charlie Brown Christmas
Kenny G -- Miracles
Boney James -- Boney's Funky Christmas
Jay Patten -- Impressions Of Christmas
Shakatak -- Christmas Dreams
Phil Sheeran -- I'll Be Home For Christmas
Take 6 -- He Is Christmas
Dave Koz -- December Makes Me Feel This Way
Various - GRP Christmas Vol. 1, 2 & 3
Various -- A Contemporary Jazz Christmas
Various -- Jazz To The World
Various -- MoJazz Christmas Album
Various -- A MoJazz Christmas Vol. 2
Various -- Warner Bros. Jazz Christmas Party
Vibraphonic -- A Vibraphonic Christmas
Peter White -- Songs Of The Season
Vanessa Williams -- Star Bright

Contemporary Artists in the Studio...
There are some notable recording projects by contemporary jazz artists to report. Boney James will have a new release Feb. 23 entitled Body Language. Bob James' next solo project will consist of solo piano works and duets with other pianists, including Joe Sample. Diane Schuur has signed with Atlantic Records, and Al Jarreau has signed with i.e. Music. Schuur and Jarreau will both have new CDs out in '99.

Anita Baker is finally heading back into the studio. Her next project will again have the helping hand of George Duke. Lyle Mays will be releasing his fourth solo project in the spring. And look for Warner Brothers to reissue his two previous works, Lyle Mays and Street Dreams. Spyro Gyra has changed labels. After spending most of its career with MCA/GRP, the band's next release will be on Windham Hill. Also, look for new releases in '99 from Down To The Bone and Tony Guerrero.

...And On the Road
In the market for a road trip to hear some great music? Various contemporary artists will be within driving distance of KC in the months to come. Here are some suggestions.

Brian Culbertson, Marc Antoine, Marion Meadows and Wayman Tisdale will be in Wichita at the Cotillion Ballroom on Dec. 13. Chick Corea and Origin will perform at the Missouri Theater in Columbia, Jan. 21, then at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, Jan. 30.

KC's Kevin Mahogany will be in concert at Kansas University in Lawrence on Jan. 29, then at K-State in Manhattan, Feb. 12-13. Yellowjackets will be at CMSU in Warrensburg on Feb. 20, Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis on Feb. 25, Hammons Hall in Springfield on Feb. 27, and the Des Moines Civic Center on April 6.

Danilo Perez will perform at Jazz At The Bistro in St. Louis, March 10-13, then at Murry's in Columbia, March 14. Singer Dee Dee Bridgewater is at Sheldon Concert Hall on March 6. Pianist Brad Mehldau plays Murry's Feb. 7, then Jazz At The Bistro Feb. 12-13. Milt Jackson plays Sheldon Hall on Apr. 10, then the Holiday Inn Select in Columbia on Apr. 11. And John Pizzarelli is at Jazz At The Bistro, March 24-27, with Monty Alexander coming in to the room May 19-22.

Kenny Kirkland
1955 - 1998
Jazz pianist Kenny Kirkland was found dead in his New York apartment on November 13. The cause of death had not been determined at press time. Over the last 20 years Kirkland performed and recorded with numerous jazz headliners including Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis (Kirkland was the pianist in Marsalis' "Tonight Show" band), Michal Urbaniak, Miroslav Vitous, Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, John Scofield, Kenny Garrett and many others. Kirkland was 43.

Questions or comments? Feel free to email me at jeffrey@tfs.net and check out my web site at www.kprs.com.

Catch Jeff Charney's "Sunday Jazz Brunch" every week on KPRS (103.3 FM) from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

RETURN TO DECEMBER/JANUARY 1999 MAIN INDEX

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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		by Jeff Charney Contemporary Stocking Stuffers Once again it's the holiday season. And good music always makes a great gift. Here are some recommended releases from 1998. Marc Antoine -- Madrid Walter Beasley -- For Your Pleasure Basia -- Clear Horizon, The Best Of Basia George Benson -- Standing Together Rick Braun -- Full Stride Fourplay -- 4 Michael Franks -- The Best Of Michael Franks (A Backward Glance) Marcus Johnson -- Chocolate City Groovin' Greg Karukas -- Blue Touch Earl Klugh -- The Best Of Earl Klugh Chuck Loeb -- The Moon, The Stars And The Setting Sun Jeff Lorber -- Midnight Duncan Miller -- Dream Your Dream Chieli Minucci -- It's Gonna Be Good Peace Of Mind -- Journey To The Fore Lee Ritenour -- This Is Love Joe Sample -- The Best Of Joe Sample Bryan Savage -- Soul Temptation Shakatak -- Shinin' On Roger Smith -- Both Sides Soundscape UK -- Surreal Thing Spyro Gyra -- Road Scholars Chris Standring -- Velvet Wayman Tisdale -- Decisions Joseph Vincelli -- Touch Looking for music with more of a holiday theme? Check out these Yuletide stocking stuffers. Allen & Allen -- Christmas Like Never Before David Benoit -- Christmas Time David Benoit -- Remembering Christmas Rick Braun -- Christmas Present Erotiques -- A Romantic Christmas Russ Freeman -- Holiday Danny Gottlieb/Pete Levin -- The New Age Of Christmas Danny Gottlieb/Pete Levin -- Masters In This Hall, The New Age Of Christmas II Vince Guaraldi -- A Charlie Brown Christmas Kenny G -- Miracles Boney James -- Boney's Funky Christmas Jay Patten -- Impressions Of Christmas Shakatak -- Christmas Dreams Phil Sheeran -- I'll Be Home For Christmas Take 6 -- He Is Christmas Dave Koz -- December Makes Me Feel This Way Various - GRP Christmas Vol. 1, 2 & 3 Various -- A Contemporary Jazz Christmas Various -- Jazz To The World Various -- MoJazz Christmas Album Various -- A MoJazz Christmas Vol. 2 Various -- Warner Bros. Jazz Christmas Party Vibraphonic -- A Vibraphonic Christmas Peter White -- Songs Of The Season Vanessa Williams -- Star Bright Contemporary Artists in the Studio... There are some notable recording projects by contemporary jazz artists to report. Boney James will have a new release Feb. 23 entitled Body Language. Bob James' next solo project will consist of solo piano works and duets with other pianists, including Joe Sample. Diane Schuur has signed with Atlantic Records, and Al Jarreau has signed with i.e. Music. Schuur and Jarreau will both have new CDs out in '99. Anita Baker is finally heading back into the studio. Her next project will again have the helping hand of George Duke. Lyle Mays will be releasing his fourth solo project in the spring. And look for Warner Brothers to reissue his two previous works, Lyle Mays and Street Dreams. Spyro Gyra has changed labels. After spending most of its career with MCA/GRP, the band's next release will be on Windham Hill. Also, look for new releases in '99 from Down To The Bone and Tony Guerrero. ...And On the Road In the market for a road trip to hear some great music? Various contemporary artists will be within driving distance of KC in the months to come. Here are some suggestions. Brian Culbertson, Marc Antoine, Marion Meadows and Wayman Tisdale will be in Wichita at the Cotillion Ballroom on Dec. 13. Chick Corea and Origin will perform at the Missouri Theater in Columbia, Jan. 21, then at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, Jan. 30. KC's Kevin Mahogany will be in concert at Kansas University in Lawrence on Jan. 29, then at K-State in Manhattan, Feb. 12-13. Yellowjackets will be at CMSU in Warrensburg on Feb. 20, Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis on Feb. 25, Hammons Hall in Springfield on Feb. 27, and the Des Moines Civic Center on April 6. Danilo Perez will perform at Jazz At The Bistro in St. Louis, March 10-13, then at Murry's in Columbia, March 14. Singer Dee Dee Bridgewater is at Sheldon Concert Hall on March 6. Pianist Brad Mehldau plays Murry's Feb. 7, then Jazz At The Bistro Feb. 12-13. Milt Jackson plays Sheldon Hall on Apr. 10, then the Holiday Inn Select in Columbia on Apr. 11. And John Pizzarelli is at Jazz At The Bistro, March 24-27, with Monty Alexander coming in to the room May 19-22. Kenny Kirkland 1955 - 1998 Jazz pianist Kenny Kirkland was found dead in his New York apartment on November 13. The cause of death had not been determined at press time. Over the last 20 years Kirkland performed and recorded with numerous jazz headliners including Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis (Kirkland was the pianist in Marsalis' "Tonight Show" band), Michal Urbaniak, Miroslav Vitous, Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, John Scofield, Kenny Garrett and many others. Kirkland was 43. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me at jeffrey@tfs.net and check out my web site at www.kprs.com. Catch Jeff Charney's "Sunday Jazz Brunch" every week on KPRS (103.3 FM) from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. RETURN TO DECEMBER/JANUARY 1999 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.