This is the first installment of Smooth Jazz Songs in The Mix series
Smooth Jazz Songs In The Mix Volume One is the first issue that takes us back to 2002, when I made my first attempt at mixing Smooth Jazz. It was harder than I thought because you REALLY have to know the music to do this. This was done with just my CDJ-1000’s and the original CD’s.
We start off with Norman Brown. If you listen to his stylings, he has some George Benson influences. Starting with his first album released in 1992, all of his offerings are worth listening to. Leo Gandelman provides a remake of the classic track “Rise,” originally done by Herb Alpert. The tempo is a little faster, but it retains the familiar vibe of the song. Speaking of Herb Alpert, we have “Keep Your Eye On Me,” a danceable jazz track produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. This track came out at a time when this production team was at it’s height, creating music for Janet Jackson, Alexander O’Neal, and the Human League, just to name a few.
Since we are talking music heavyweights, we also feature Quincy Jones, who actually remade…or should I say updated…one of his own tracks. “Stuff Like That,” appears on Q’s Jook Joint, which is a star studded piece of art. It is literally a “who’s who” of some of the most famous artists of our time. Be sure to also check out “Back on the Block!”
Two of the smoothest horn players appear in this inaugural offering. Boney James and Richard Elliot have great tracks, and you can sample three great songs in this mix. We have a couple of groups in this edition. The Urban Knights feature Jonathan Butler, and Incognito has been a favorite of mine for many years.
Enjoy Smooth Jazz Songs In The Mix Volume One!!
