Smooth Breeze Corpus

smooth-breeze-corpus.txt

Conjures mesmerizing songs for dream adventures.
Desert heat with a jazz beat.
The intro kicks off the funk from beat one and it doesn't stop.
Taking a lively, introspective look at the places, experiences and people who have shaped his life.  There's something for everyone; from classic funk to contemporary swing.
A specially priced collection featuring today's top smooth jazz artists and their most groovin' tracks.
Ive covered contemporary jazz guitarist Matt Marshak since 2009 when he released Family Funktion, a masterfully produced album that wore funk very well  so well, in fact, that I drew a comparison between his own funky and blue style on that album to that of the jazz/blues guitar man Jeff Golub. The similarities were uncanny.
Marshaks follow-up album, Urban Folktales, wore smooth as well as anyone could wear it. Here on Colors of Me, his latest offering, the guitarist, focuses mostly on those blues and smooth elements more than funk.  Here might be some of Marshaks bluesiest blues, jazziest jazz, and most soulful soul.
It takes a pretty confident artist to decide to take on a project that pays tribute to one of the greatest jazz & R&B artists of modern time  the iconic George Benson. Such an artist just stepped up, grabbed his axe, and said Lets do this and do it right. What you have here is that artist, U-Nam, laying out some sweat-inducing, fiery interpretations of some of the famed guitarists best jams. Of course, these are only a handful, but this handful, called here Weekend in L.A. (A Tribute to George Benson) is a great choice of selections.
Like a stampede of horses racing out of a gate, flamenco guitarist Nocy is back with another fiery and passionate production. This one is titled Why Worry and contains some new and interesting twists for the smokin guitarist, like adding rap artists to a few of the tracks for a gripping impact.
Granted, many a jazzers eyebrows may raise at the thought of introducing rap to Latin music in the way Nocy does it here. Trust me, the guitarist has found away to make this work  most of the time.
Its as though young keys wonder Nicholas Cole felt that he hadnt shown us enough of his prowess on the 88s with his A Journey of One smash debut. So, he dashed back into the studio, raised his own bar for excellence, and cranked out this latest marvelous piece of work, Endless Possibilities.
With guest artists like saxmen Steve Cole, Marcus Anderson, and Vincent Ingala, guitarists Tim Bowman and Steve Oliver, vocalist Lynne Fiddmont, and bassist Julian Vaughn, I think its safe to say that Cole was shooting for the stars on this one.
We loved all the "extras" with our package including discounts on wine tasting, free entrees with breakfast and lovely wine in the room. Service was excellent, the hotel staff just charming and willing to share their favorite wineries and places to visit in Temecula. The balloons came over our patio each morning while we enjoyed the coffee provided. The on premise restaurant was great as well as the lovely gift shop. The spa tub was really relaxing... and added to the luxury.
Bassist George Anderson of Shakatak fame is back with his sophomore release titled Expressions, a project that has everything, including a more than slight resemblance to his work with the acid jazz group with which he is most notably associated. As with Shakatak, the grooves here are catchy, tight, and full.
This undertaking, Rhythm Sessions, is special because it pairs such luminaries as Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, George Duke, Marcus Miller, Christian McBride, and Dave Grusin with the winners of Ritenours Annual 6 String Theory International Competition. Can you imagine how that must feelto be a budding young musician whos just found his or her chops are good enough to not only win in the expanded competition (which now includes other instruments) but to be featured with these musical giants on a real record??
The wait is over! The hottest smooth jazz loop library of all time now continues with Suite Grooves 2.  Jeff Carruthers has produced some of the biggest smooth jazz hits and now he takes it to the next level with an all live ensemble featuring some of the best players in the genre. This latest blend of instrumental R&B, funk, & soul is as good as it gets. The bar has certainly been raised with fuller arrangements, more variations, and drum hits from each kit to help round out this collection.  In addition the multi-track drums have been included for each kit allowing for maximum flexibility in your mixes.  In total, there is 3.4 GB of original content and 28 smoking hot construction kits.  From guitars and basses to saxes and rhodes, each part has been recorded with the highest professional standards. Don't accept any substitutes because this stuff is the real deal and is sure to boost any smooth jazz production.
Its not often the wow factor hits me when I slide a new CD into the player but thats exactly what happened when I checked out the latest offering from bass-man George Anderson.
Indeed, from his springboard as being an integral part of southern Arizonas premier smooth jazz collective Prime Example, Lyles rapidly growing reputation has brought forward a plethora of contemporary jazz talent to collaborate on the project with him.
This collection features sensuous renditions of classic tracks and new contemporary recordings, all led by the evocative sound of the saxophone. Over 3 hours of laid back saxophone music, complete with informative sleevenotes, to keep you entertained all night long.
Every event needs music.  Event music is the backbone of any get together and making it live with Comfort Zone Jazz makes it that much more fun.  We are a dynamic, seven-member smooth jazz/R&B band from the Eastern Shore of Maryland/Delaware and perform primarily in the Rehoboth Beach/Ocean City area, which is known for its beaches, its food, the laid-back, sophisticated ambiance, and its hot club scene nightlife! We put our hearts into each and every performance and it translates into a great time for the audience.  We bring it all - from slow, sultry smooth jazz to up-tempo R&B, and we even throw in some popular new tunes, with a Comfort Zone Jazz twist, of course!  Comfort Zone Jazz is dedicated to musical excellence, and is the perfect musical group for dance parties, and other music events.
But as soon as you step into the place... you are INSTANTLY swept away by the tasteful, and stylish decor in everything from the intimate seating, cherry wood wine display, and bar area.  The music was fresh and modern.  I was drawn in by the smooth silky sound of the vocalist and keyboardist...the entire band was amazing.
Sitting down in uber-comfortable chairs; listening to a nicely-defined and delicate riff on his guitar by one of the nicest, most mellow guitar players I've discovered in Orlando in many a year; then a wait-person magically appears to take your drink and/or food order.
They are masters at producing seven night cruise experiences that combine the red hot talents and personalities of  a wide range of award winning  jazz greats with the elegant experience of being on a Holland America ship, and the perks of shore excursions to sun- kissed Caribbean and foreign  ports of call.
Are you ready for a wine vacation that will give you ample time to enjoy great food, sample exceptional wine, meet friendly wine-minded people, and explore beautiful villages all at an amazing value?
In search of the beautiful moments of life there are always opportunities to hold it for a short time. One of those moments was the Smooth Jazz Festival, which first took place in Sa Coma, on the beautiful east coast of the Spanish island Mallorca. The exclusive ambience of the Protur Biomar Gran Hotel & Spa, a 5-star hotel was the awesome venue of this remarkable event.
Despite the not to be underestimated costs by air travel, hotel stay and tickets a surprisingly large number of smooth jazz fans participated in this highlight at this breathtaking place. All brought with them a good mood because they had the occasion to see many friends from last year. With world-class artists such as Un, David Benoit, Jeff Lorber, Marc Antoine and Warren Hill did nothing to be desired.
Whom alone the appearance of the artist was not enough, could deepen the contact in intensive talks to his idol. Even the great weather, excellent food and fine drinks rounded out the well-being. The program of Friday night opened the agile saxophonist Eric Darius with Settin' In Off from his album On A Mission . For photographers, it was a difficult task to keep him in the picture, because not only during this piece, but throughout the entire performance, he found himself in motion.
This emphasized particularly his performance and contributed to the success of his show and the general acceptance by the public. It is amazing that he was considering his youth in a position to keep up this pace throughout the entire performance. Eric explained his amazing stamina with his sporting activities he developed not only in college but still maintains.
He continued the show with Just For The Moment from his album Goin' All Out . With his youthful, high-energy keenness he could easily ignite the enthusiasm of the audience. Butterfly was the opening track on Herbie Hancock's 1974's landmark CD Thrust. Eric shows his skills on the path of Bennie Maupin. Jazz was in the house.
With the reggae tune Back To My Roots Eric remembered his heritage. His father is from Haiti and his mother from Jamaica. Eric raised in Tampa but works now in the Bay area. With Kingston's Flavor he kept on the Caribbean excursion. Of course, he could not miss the title song of his album Goin 'All Out.
Next in line was the song If I Ain't Got You from his album Just Getting Started . With this swinging waltz he flattered especially the ladies. Like other saxophonists, he loved a run through the crowd.
Even with his debut album Night On The Town  he familiarized the listeners. He ended his concert with the song Slick. The applause was well deserved and long-lasting.
Headliner on Friday night was keyboard legend Jeff Lorber. Most of the readers will know Jeff Lorber as the exponent of smooth jazz. Smooth jazz oriented releases like West Side Stories , State of Grace , Midnight , Kickin' It , Philly Style , the side project Shades Of Soul , 2005's Grammy nominated Flipside, He Had A Hat  and Heard That  are a strong sign for these activities.
Friends of the fusion jazz mourned Lorber's departure from the jazz genre, he became known by his albums The Jeff Lorber Fusion , Soft Space , and Water Sign . We all had a vision of what we wanted this record to be, said Lorber. We wanted a return to the sound of the Jeff Lorber Fusion, but informed by everything Ive learned since then. All of a sudden, people seem to be interested in hearing that again. Theyre ready to hear musicians who can really play, really stretch the envelope with their technique, with their songwriting, and with harmonic structure.
With his albums Now Is The Time  and Galaxy  he returned to fusion jazz much to the chagrin of the smooth jazz fans. This little trip to Lorber's discography is allowed in order to understand the key question. Would he perform on this Smooth Jazz Festival smooth jazz?
To answer the question: Lorber opened the show with Live Wire of his new album Galaxy . Unlike on his new album that is still too soft washed for a few fusion fans, he searched at his concert more the fusion approach of his early years.
Follow-up was the tune Montserrat. Without string and horn arrangements just concentrated on his Yamaha Motif XF 7 the food seemed to some concert-goers too unwholesome. Those who preferred more smooth jazz were soon leaving the venue. The enthusiasts of Lorber's music remained and followed with suspense Lorber's keyboard runs.
They were rewarded with further masterpieces, such as Singaraja, Galaxy, Chinese Medicinal Herbs (originally on Water Sign and re-issued on Now Is The Time), He Had A Hat, Pacific Coast Highway (State Of Grace), The Underground and Pixel. The musicians were playing focused on a very high level. The lasting music connoisseurs were not sparing in their applause.
Saturday night was opened by local hero and guitar wonder Marc Antoine. A true gypsy by lineage and lifestyle, Marc Antoine is like a musical sponge, soaking in everything around him at all times. "If I'm walking in New York," he says, "and I hear a salsa band in a club nearby, I get in that mood and immediately start thinking of writing a tune in that style." His goal every year is simply to travel everywhere and anywhere his wanderlust and muse take him.
When you hear the name of a known artist, you associate a special style or music with this musician. Classical Soul , Urban Gypsy , Madrid , Universal Language , Cruisin , The Very Best of Marc Antoine , Mediterraneo , Modern Times , Hi-Lo Split , and Foreign exchange  are indices for Marc's Gypsy and Latin influenced contemporary jazz. With his latest album My Classical Way  Marc leaves the contemporary jazz style and creates his music on classical themes.
His recent heart disease had him thrown a little off course and forced him to cancel a number of concerts. These physical impairments were not to observe on this event. He was in the old freshness and vigor.
Marc started his concert with On The Strip, a typical summer breeze from his album Cruisin' . With his romantic Spanish guitar he quickly spellbounded his audience. The next song Latin Quarter from his album Urban Gypsy  is certainly his signature hit, which still receives lots of airplay. A piece with a high recognition value. The audience was grooving with the infectious melody.
In his early 20's Claude Debussy wrote Reverie. Marc transforms this theme into Dreamer, the first presentation from his album My Classical Way . Mas que Nada, Jorge Ben's world hit from his first album Samba Esquema Novo , ignited the second stage rocket of general enthusiasm.
The song Spooky was new arranged by Buddy Buie and lead guitarist J.R.Cobb, both part of the group Classic IV and later as part of the group The Atlanta Rhythm Section. This song from the '60s found Antoine's relaxed expression. The second song from the album Hi-Lo Split , the title tune was a jam tune in the spirit of the Spanish Flamenco school.
Classical Soul from Marc's legendary same titled album  was another blissful song enthusing the listeners. Funky Picante from Mediterraneo had the same stunning impression. In the spirit of the best to last Marc enjoyed his fans with Sunland from his album Madrid  . He finished the concert with the encore Spain, a new song he first performed at this festival accompanied by Warren Hill. Both have just recorded the song in Marc's studio for his upcoming album.
Marc developed during his concert a cozy atmosphere, where the audience clearly felt well. No wonder were in the audience also Marc's wife, Rebeca, and his son Alex, who together with Marc used the weekend for a short holiday. A great smooth jazz family.
Top act of Saturday night was saxophonist Warren Hill. Hailing from Toronto Canada Hill he graduated at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music. After his move to Los Angeles he was lucky enough to release during the Golden Age of music business his solo albums Kiss Under the Moon , Devotion , Truth , Shelter , Life Thru Rose Colored Glasses , Love Life , Love Songs , A Warren Hill Christmas , PopJazz  and La Dolce Vita . The time between record releases were larger, which shows the decline of the record industry even with this artist.
I met Warren Hill at the height of his career in 2005, when he hosted the famous Warren Hill Smooth Jazz Cruise for the last time. My enthusiasm for the genre, the artists and the amazing cruise are still be read in my report. So it was for me a special joy to see this great artist again.
Warren started his show with Lennon and McCartneys rousing Come Together, a cover from his album Pop Jazz, taking the song to another realm. Play That Funky Music was originally written by Rob Parissi for his band "Wild Cherry". Warren made party with that song. This was rhythmically heavy and you only momentarily miss the vocal. Heck  everyone knows the song so well, you hear the lyric in your head anyway!
In his youth Warren played as lead guitarist in a rock band. As child he was impressed by the super long white hair on the cover of Edgar Winter's Frankenstein. If you ever saw Edgar Winter performing this tune on sax and mini moog, you know, why Warren was infected. Frankenstein is a constant gem in his repertoire.
Warren continued with Play It Like You Mean It and Our First Dance. This song is dedicated to Warren Hill's wife and was played with great emotional impact. Highly recommended as Wedding song. Do You Feel What I Am Feeling from his album Truth has that romantic appeal of his early years.
Another Goodbye from his album Devotion is further song that has never lost its luster. The Latin tinged Mambo 2000 from Love Life reminded me of Carlos Santana's Oye Como Va. Try to catch the song, when Warren is joined by a good percussion player.
Still In Love, a sentimental grapy tune with a strong romantic mood, was Warren's testimony of love to his attending wife. With Gimme Some from his album Dolce Vita Warren heatened up the scene, before he ended his show with the energetic Skinny Dippin' from the same album.
A surprise guest at the show was Warren's young daughter Olivia. She performed God Bless The Child by Billie Holliday. An irresistible blend of youth and fresh jazzy professionalism. Watch the video at YouTube. Olivia has won many fans that night and received standing ovations. Also remarkable her second song Somewhere Over The Rainbow singing and playing on her Ukulele. Very touching! Don't forget to visit her website.
Hailing from Motor City Detroit came singer/songwriter UN, who created the musical flow of Sunday midday. During his concert he revealed many details about his life. Encouraged by his mother to use his God given talent, he learned by self teaching to train his singing voice. After his move to L.A. he released his self-titled debut album.
Listening to his voice Luther Vandross or Curtis Mayfield come to mind. Far away from any stardom this man is down to the earth and a model of kindness. 
From his album he presented songs such as What You want To Do For Love, I Can Remember, Lady You Are, Fifth of September, Hit Da Shaw, You Complete Me. Emotional songs full of memories and passion.
Some of the songs he introduced with stories about his personal living, especially his relationship. Une states: My goal is to make music that touches the very soul of a person and to take them on a journey with me on the byways of love or the passages of hurt. I want my music to be a spiritual ride we (the listener) both could share in.
Tributes to his idols were the covers Sailing and Sexual Healing. With his Wake-up shouts he got the necessary attention of the listeners and was well supported by Eric Darius on the sax side.
The little photo shy David Benoit headlined the Sunday show starting with Kei's song. Since launching his recording career in 1977, David Benoits expansive career as a contemporary jazz pianist has included over 25 solo recordings. David has dedicated this song to his wife Kei,  with which he is married since 27 years, and released it on his album Freedom At Midnight ,  considered as influential genre classic. 
A slightly changed version is to find on his new album Conversation.
As second song I found on the playlist New Creation. That was by the way the originally chosen title of David's album Earthglow. David remembered: "New Creation was suggested but as we began to discuss artwork and concept, the title seemed uninspired and lacking a theme. I went back and reviewed all the song titles and Earthglow jumped out at me. I believe it was the best word to illustrate the spirit of the project."
The show continued with Every Step Of The Way, a look back on his album from 1990. The song has nothing lost of its beauty. With Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Benoit presented his first song from his upcoming album Conversation. Benoit adapted the theme music from the original Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie, composed by Theodore Shapiro and developed it to new heights. Not far away from the Charlie Brown themes Benoit's typical style.
Next in line was Letter To Evan, the title melody of the same-named album . The title tune is composed by none other than the legendary Bill Evans. David adapted the song in a more acoustic set. Blue Rondo  la Turk is a jazz standard composition by Dave Brubeck. The main theme is performed in 9/8 rhythms using the classic rondo form of Mozart's Rondo alla Turca. David says: "This is a classic and rather than re-invent it, we stayed true to the original." Not easy to follow the original weird rhythm structure. But David did it all in perfection.
Freedom At Midnight is David's signature melody since his GRP debut album in 1987. The introduction and later the refrain are a magnificent take on Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata performed in the style he often did on many of his live shows since several years.
Final tune on David's concert was Botswana Bossa Nova from his album Earthglow . Benoit commented: I loved the world mix of exotic ethnic percussion, African voices along with Brazilian beats..." Connoisseurs of Benoit's music will certainly recognize the seamless continuation of the style of his earlier period. A great initiator for this impression is David's genius working on Quincy Jones' Soul Bossa Nova, a song of timeless attraction.
David was accompanied by star musicians Eric Darius, Warren Hill and Marc Antoine in the tradition of previous Smooth Jazz Festivals. Musical backbone of this festival was a German band consisting of keyboardist and musical director Lutz Deterra, bassist Gnter Asbeck, drummer Heiko Braun, guitarist Martin Feske and saxophonist Michael Hgel.  They assured with great commitment, loyalty to the tune and musical perfection the success of the festival.
I have good news for those, who missed this grandiose event and for those, who would like to come for a second time. Promoter Christian Bner and the local management of Protur Biomar Gran Hotel & Spa will invite you to the 2nd Annual Smooth Jazz Festival Mallorca next year.
The long awaited 1st annual Smooth Jazz Festival 2008 was hold in Bregenz August 29/30th. The town is located on the eastern shores of Lake Constance, the third-largest freshwater lake in Central Europe, between Switzerland in the east and Germany in the northwest. Visitors came from all parts of Europe: Germans, Austrians, Swiss, Dutch's, Italians, French's, even Russians were sighted. The event was packed with top-acts, the weather was fine, the venue first-class and the management of Bernd Leinfelder, Christian Bner and their crew engaged and very gentle. The excellent catering-service delivered with cocktails and  nouvelle cuisine the feeling of Californian wine yards to the lake shore. After Michael van Droff, who organized Smooth Jazz events years ago, this was the first endeavor to bring smooth jazz to Europe again.
The event opened by the Italian group Gabin. The band consists of the musicians Massimo Bottini and Filippo Clary. While Clary works in Rome as a dj, is Massimo Bottini an experienced jazz-bassist who performed with Billy Cobham, Joe Scofield and other cats of the jazz scene.
Their self-titled debut-album contains their first hit Doo Uap, Doo Uap, Doo Uap.  (It has that sample of Ella Fitzgerald singing "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing" over and over again, a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills). This song was also released on the Htel Costes compilation #5. They also performed Into My Soul (a hit produced with Dee Dee Bridgewater on their album Mr. Freedom).
First top act of the evening was the formation of Chieli Minucci (guitars), Alex Bugnon (keyboards) and Marion Meadows (sax) supported by Pat Appleton's band. Chieli himself is probably best known today as head of the Grammy-nominated Jazz-band Special EFX", which he co-founded with the late George Jinda. The performance was an abridged version of the usual program because they only performed a few tunes, two of the jazz fusion genre.
The second tune was composed by Alex Bugnon. It was a surprising jazz fusion performance because we are used to Alex's mellow ballades. A further tune is often played by Chielli and was recorded for his album Renaissance (1996), Cause We've Ended As Lovers. This rendition of a Stevie Wonder hit showcases Chielli's soaring guitar and Marion Meadows on sax.
Marion is called the Womanizer and the jazz-loving ladies worldwide know why. He had definitely a nice weekend. The audience called for an encore, all requests were in vain.
Top-act of the evening was the German group De Phazz. The Heidelberg band De Phazz was founded in 1997 by Pit Baumgartner as an open band-project. They got famous, among others, with their radio hit The Mambo Craze from their second album Godsdog. The name De Phazz is derived from destination
f(ph)uture jazz.
Mastermind Pit Baumgartner at the rehearsal with a typical movement.
On live acts the group is fronted by the singers Pat Appleton and Karl Frierson, both great entertainers and singers. Pat's lascivious movements and Karl's jokes are welcoming extras to their soulful vocals. Karl's shattering James Brown scream happened again. Save yourself this cry, Karl! Please! We still join your crusade.
De Phazz heavily showcased tracks from their latest album Days of Twang (2007). The cover of the album was screened on the great canvas during the show. The group is known for their downbeat jazz, chill out and lounge music which was enjoyed by the crowd.
Late after midnight the evening was finished by Praful's sound experience. Sax-, Flute- and Bansuri- player Praful is a native German who chose Amsterdam as his home base in the late 80's. Over the last two decades he has emerged himself in Jazz, Dance, Trip Hop, Latin and West African Music and especially in the musical cultures of Brazil and India. In the states he is best known by his albums One Day Deep (2003) and Pyramid In Your Backyard (2005).
On Saturday the festival was opened by Pat Appleton and her band. Pat has a diverse style reaching from Rock, to Pop, Soul and more.
Pat presented songs from her debut-album album What's Next? (2007). From the African-flavored Homeland in the style of Angelique Kidjo to the appealing Nudity, that was a big package for the audience. Her live performance is a lot more rockish as on her modest album.
First main act of the evening was undoubtedly Peter White, who was joined by Jaared and Rocco Ventrella on sax, later by Marion Meadows as surprise act.
Peter presented highlights of his previous albums like Who's That Lady, a demand of the management, the Led-Zeppelin-flavored Bueno Funk, Promenade, The Closer I Get To You, the propelling Papa Was A Rolling Stone
and also a hit of Jaared's new album Addiction, the rendition of Earl Klugh's Jamaican Winds.
Peter White fulfilled Pat Appleton's great wish to sing with him Basia's Just Another Day. The first time I had the opportunity to listen to Peter's vocal performance. At the end of Peter's show Marion Meadows joined the team to perform with the others Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water.
Top act on Saturday was Candy Dulfer joined by her band and a new singer. Candy presented songs of her new album Candy Store like Summertime and Everytime. The tune also encompass Jan van Duikeren's awesome horn arrangement in the tradition of Tower of Power.
Further highlight was Candy's world-hit Lily Was Here, which she re-recorded with Dave Stewart for his new double-album The Dave Stewart Songbook Vol.1 (2008). Dave Stewart's role played guitarist Ulco Bed. He is also responsible for the funky rhythm in Candy's group Funky Stuff. So to hear on Pick Up The Pieces by the AWB and Funky Nassau with which Candy cooked the audience.
Life Of The Party was a noteworthy part of the show. A tune which Prince had recorded for his album Musicology (2004). This song is part of her program since Prince has released the album. Candy has recorded the tune together with Prince and strongly believed that he composed the song her in mind. Famous words of Prince: "When I Need Sax, I Call Candy".
Anew Candy performed a duet with drummer Kirk Johnson. Candy followed Kirk's beat in such a breathtaking tempo that even Jaared, who observed Candy's concert, was deeply impressed. Sax-A-Go-Go (1993) should also be mentioned as part of her program.
The festival was closed by Adani & Wolf, backed by Rocco Ventrella.
My thanks to Bernd Leinfelder, Christian Bner and their crew for creating such a great festival. There are not many idealists from that caliber like these guys. They have promised to continue this event and I am absolutely confident that they will succeed in this endeavor. So visit www.smoothjazzfestival.de next year again. It is worthwile.
Unfiltered and unfined, Roth's 2001 Merlot is a deep, opaque brick red in the glass. Highly aromatic, the nose is rich and youthful with intense black cherries, grilled steak and Moroccan spice. As is true with most Roth creations, this wine is fruit forward, but balanced  with cherries, spearmint, sweet basil and faint smoked meat flavors. Full bodied but still remarkably elegant, this is a wine of nearly ideal balance that should improve with cellar time  probably up to ten years.
Yup, Long Dog Winery is one of those wineries; you know the kind where you pull into the parking lot, scratch your head and wonder if youre really in the right place.  You look around and see row upon row of immaculately kept vines, yet you still wonder where to find the winery store.  You continue to scan your surroundings and see what looks like a small shack not more than a stones throw away and you surmise that that might be the wine store, although it could also be located in the bigger ramshackle building to your right.  You spy wooden fencing and upended wine barrels on either side of an overgrown, foot trodden path, and you convince yourself to take this path to the newer looking shack on the left.  Meanwhile, you tell yourself over and over again this must be the place.  Long Dog Winery is one of those wineries alright.  The kind that keeps you wondering and guessing  but once you get to the door of that shack and open it; youre left with no doubts.  This is the place.
Inside is a small tasting room, sparsely furnished with a few wine racks made from wooden crates, some tables for brochures and information leaflets and a tasting bar directly in front of you, which is the focal point of the room.  Because PEC has had tough winters over the past few years, and because Long Dog is dedicated to making wines from 100% County-grapes, the selection is limited and their production is limited too.  The first time I visited a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were all that graced the shelves and were available for tasting.  The Pinot Gris had just recently sold out.  The second time I popped my head through the door, 3 months later, another wine had materialized on the shelf, but one of the previous two was sold out  so there were still only 2 kinds of wine from which to choose.
Long Dog Winery, in my estimation, is one of the jewels in the Prince Edward County crown:  a dedicated winemaker who is dedicated to the region and is dedicated to making the best wines from only the best estate grown fruit.  In fact, James has sold some of his grapes off to other wineries when he has felt the quality just wasnt up to his exacting standards, and they won an award using my Gamay, he told me  which should tell you that his standards must be pretty high.
Just so you dont think hes some lone nut in this venture, youll most likely meet Victoria Rose, James wife, who looks after the wine store.  She chides him good naturedly about his standards and his dates of release (which change if he believes the wine is not yet ready  I tell people summer, but James dates are always changing, so dont quote me on that)  but she also loves her wine, loves the occupation and loves to talk about the winery venture they have undertaken together.  And for conversation there is nobody better in the County, they have an opinion on everything from the LCBO to field hands.  James is adamant about his workers, no migrant workers, he told me, I like local people, put money back into the local economy  theres not many of us, but theres enough and we get the job done.
Getting the job done is right  and Long Dog should be on your list of must-places when visiting Prince Edward County.  It might take you a little time, and you might be confuse about whether youre in the right place  but youll know when you get there and youll be so glad you did.    
The Oasis Contemporary Jazz Awards may have been cancelled, but that didnt stop the genres biggest fans from descending on what some call Americas Finest City for a quickly but well organized, fun filled high energy weekend everyone involved has now dubbed The Lemonade Weekend  as in, When life gives you lemons, make
Credit goes primarily to Bruce Nazarian, aka The Digital Guy, a dedicated industry veteran whose Digital Guy Foundations activities include being the producer and host of The Digital Guy Radio Showwhich you can hear on a number of great smooth jazz internet outlets. As the terrestrial format narrows and many stations flip to other genres, these fan-created shows and stations are keeping things humming. On Saturday, March 12 at the very cool and vibey club Anthology, Nazarian hosted an all-afternoon extravaganza to showcase a handful of impressive up and comers, including powerhouse 18 year old saxman Vincent Ingala, keyboardist Greg Manning (with saxophonist Jimmy Reid) and saxman Brad Rambur.
Between Manning and Rambur, one of my favorite East coast saxmen, Jaared, brought down the house packed with fans and genre bigwigs alike (most of whom came by my table to say hi to me and my BFF Teri). Even The Koz (who played the benefit for cancer at the aircraft carrier show the night before) and Bob Baldwin were there! Fattburger guitarist Evan Marks was a featured guitarist for most of these sets, while another great electric master, U-Nam, sat in with saxophonist Art Sherrod. Thanks to my fellow journalist and smooth jazz fan extraordinaire Lynn Olson for her detailed write up at www.lynnjazz.com to help me get all the names right. I kept getting interrupted (in a good way) by people saying Have we met, or do we just know each other on Facebook? and missed some of the details!
Ken Levinson, who was Bruces partner in crime in making The Lemonade Weekend a success, told me that Peter White was planning a 6 pm special performance at the Hard Rock Hotel, so Teri and I left a little before a jam session at Anthology that featured all of the above artists plus bassist Darryl Williams, drummer Tony Moore, Paul Brown, guitarists Blake Aaron and Elan Trotman and sax player Terje Lie. Im sure I missed an amazing performance but that would have left me too tired to enjoy an incredible and relaxed two hour evening set in a Hard Rock seminar room featuring the always adaptable and friendly Peter playing with Jaared and percussion great Ramon Yslas. It was one of the guitarists best gigs in recent memory (topped only by his 2009 down home performance on bales of hay in Catalina), made all the more impressive because he was originally only slated to play his Wayman Tisdale tribute Bright at the scheduled Awards.
I knew Peter and Jaared would be amazing but I (along with the 100 or so in attendance) was most blown away by the vocal and sax talents of Vincent Ingala. I met his parents later and they gave me a copy of his exciting debut CD North End Soul. Its so inspiring to see young players so dedicated to their craft and so professional at a young age. It was fun to watch videos of this Peter White gig later on YouTube. Because the show was in a seminar room, Teri and I were joking Wheres the Powerpoint Presentation? Well, Peter was using a computer for some of the backing tracks! A lot of people wore Lemonade Weekend T-shirts and water with lemon was the drink of choice! Now people have taken to calling Nazarian The Lemonator and there is talk about making The Lemonade Weekend an annual jazz event. For more information on The Digital Guy: www.thedigitalguy.net.
Awards show? What Awards show? Combining all that great music with dinner at a wonderful nearby Italian restaurant and an overnight stay at the trendy Hard Rock Hotel (my first stay ever, and a nice getaway for me and Teri!) made for a lovely, memorable experience  AND I didnt have to get all dressed up in a suit. So I ask, you like lemons? I like lemons! 
Some of the four star wineries are every bit as good as the five star wineries, but they have not produced the mandated minimum of 10 vintages. Why is this important? Because anyone can make a good wine in a good year. Anyone can hit one out of the park once in awhile. But doing it across an entire lineup of wines, year after year, in good vintages and not-so-good vintages, is what demonstrates greatness.
The same principle applies to almost any creative endeavor. Can you do it consistently well, in a wide range of circumstances, over a considerable timespan? Or are you what the radio industry used to call a one hit wonder?
I recently tasted through a lineup from DeLille Cellars and their sister label, Doyenne. Winemaker Chris Upchurch has been at it a long while, and it shows. There is a consistency not only across the spectrum stylistically, but also a stylistic thread that runs through the vintages. The wines express not only a sense of place, but a sense of time  a reference to the particular vintage in the bottle. Its a level of complexity that few wineries  few winegrowing regions  can attain.
The passage of time inevitably redefines our impressions of things. Songs, movies, paintings, theater, dance  all these and more can age well or badly. They may look outdated and tired, or they may acquire a new luster with the passing of time. Timelessness is the word we most often attach to great art.
Individual wines are ultimately going to fade with time. But the reputation and credentials of a winery can continue to grow, if the people involved at every level are willing and able to take the long way home.
 
Steve Oliver blew a passionate Global Kiss to fans everywhere on his 2010 album release, scoring two number 1 hits (Global Kiss and Fun In The Sun) on the Billboard chart. Further defining his unique role as a musical World Citizen. On his latest collection, the dynamic guitarist and vocalist keeps the universal spirit alive. On World Citizen, Oliver creates an amazing array of sounds with his guitar, guitar synth and voice (singing three lead vocals and many wordless passages), and introduces his skills on the violin on Fiesta.
 
There is something unique and special about the combination of Wine and Jazz. It is the perfect pairing that takes you to a place of relaxation, enjoyment, and fun. Through our website, we bring this perfect lifestyle combination to you.
The concept of Wine of Jazz began with the goal of enhancing the wine and jazz scenes in Southern Californias Temecula Wine Country. The Temecula Wine and Jazz Newsletter was first published in 2002 and mailed to residents, businesses and all Temecula wineries. This two-page newsletter included a review of a CD from one of the top contemporary jazz musicians who had performed at one of Temeculas wineries, a review of a Temecula wine, a calendar of music events at wineries, and a wine themed quote. Response was overwhelmingly positive from fans, musicians and wineries alike. The newsletters name was soon changed to Wine and Jazz and the WineandJazz.com website was developed.
The continued enthusiastic response led to the formation of the Wine and Jazz Experience Wine Club in 2005. Each delivered bi-monthly shipment included two bottles of specially selected wine, a contemporary jazz CD and photo autographed by the featured musician, two commemorative wine glasses, a commemorative coin, all inside a custom carrying case.
Wine and Jazz Autograph Sessions were the firsts of its kind by bringing the top jazz artists and wineries to a popular Los Angeles area jazz club for fun-filled autograph signing events broadcast live on the radio. Some of the artists featured in these were Nick Colionne and Tobin James cellars (Paso Robles), Michael Lignton and Rodney Strong Vineyards (Sonoma), Peter White, Mindi Abair, Rick Braun and Rideau Vineyards (Santa Ynez), Brian Culbertson and Miner Family Vineyards (Napa Valley), Brian Simpson and Malibu Family Wines (Malibu), and others.
September 2008 marked the preview issue of Wine and Jazz magazine as a unique national publication celebrating the perfect lifestyle combination. Editorial included features on the wine regions of California and the Pacific Northwest; musicians and vintners who work in and enjoy this dual lifestyle; pairings of wine with jazz CDs; food and wine pairings by popular Canadian-based wine author Natalie MacLean; a gallery featuring artists who express their love of wine and jazz on canvas; celebrity jazz columnists including Mindi Abair, Michael Lington and Dee Dee Bridgewater; top-notch jazz writers Jonathan Widran, Baldwin Smitty Smith, Beverly Packard and Cameron Smith; widely respected wine writers Paul Gregutt (author of Washington Wine and Wineries: The Essential Guide) and Wineologist Len Napolitano.  Regretfully, Wine and Jazz magazine will remain dormant for an undetermined length of time beginning after the publication of Vintage 3 Track 2 (October 2011).