This article is provided as a courtesy from Smooth Jazz Network ™ for more Smooth Jazz Network and Smooth Jazz Top 20.

Kirk Whalum is adding to his ever-expanding discography with the upcoming, Everything Is Everything, scheduled for release on August 31 [Rendezvous Music/Mack Avenue Records]. The album is a tribute to the music of Donny Hathaway, and Whalum is giving a few hints as to what fans can expect. For one, “It’s the first time you’ll hear me with a chamber orchestra.”

The idea for the tribute seemed a natural follow-up to Whalum’s last project, The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter III, which prominently featured Hathaway’s daughter, Lalah. He told a reporter, “I think there are certainly some common denominators with me and [Donny]. My brand of music reflects the fact that I’m a messenger. I’m a Christian and I’m influenced by the Bible. My message is love. That’s been a theme of my albums and it certainly is with this album. I think there is more of a need for love in society than ever before. We’re going through some difficult, turbulent times. But we’ll get through them with some love.”

Naturally, Lalah Hathaway appears on the project, which also features guest shots from Rick Braun (flugelhorn), Jeff Golub (guitar) and R&B group Musiq Soulchild.

This article was posted by Brian for Smooth News and is provided as a courtesy from Smooth Jazz Network ™ for more Smooth Jazz Network and Smooth Jazz Top 20.

John Legend is heading back to the 60s and 70s for his next project. The singer will release Wake Up! on September 21, a collection of cover songs from a more socially-conscious era.

Legend says he handpicked 10 songs from artists including Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway. The first single, “Wake Up, Everybody” is his rendition of the 1975 hit by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. ”These songs sound so relevant now,” Legend said in a statement. “On most of them, you wouldn’t change a lyric. ‘Wake Up Everybody’ had four verses — the first one is a general statement, the second is about education, third is about health care, and the fourth is about making a better environment. No editing needed.”

The project is a collaboration between Legend and The Roots and will include one original track, “Shine.”

This article was posted by Brian for Smooth News and is provided as a courtesy from Smooth Jazz Network ™ for more Smooth Jazz Network and Smooth Jazz Top 20.

Smooth jazz saxophonist Jackiem Joyner has completed a new, self-titled CD that will be released Aug. 3 on the Artistry Music record label.

The 30-year-old’s upcoming CD is his first since Lil’ Man Soul, which featured the No. 1 single “I’m Waiting For You,” which was also named by the Smooth Jazz Top 20 as the top single for 2009. It also has “Take Me There,” a former No. 1 song now No. 5 on the Smooth Jazz Top 20.

Joyner’s first major-label CD, 2007’s Babysoul, offered the single “Stay With Me Tonight.”

The new CD has 10 songs, including covers of Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” and Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall.” Other tracks include “The Reunion,” “Dance With Me,” “Push” and “Turn It Up,” the latter with guitarist Paul Jackson Jr.

Joyner is currently on tour as a member of Keiko Matsui’s band. The band performs today (June 25) through Sunday (June 27) in Oakland, CA, and Tuesday (June 29) through July 3 in Seattle.

Jackiem Joyner track listing

1. The Reunion – 4:11
2. Dance With Me – 4:45
3. Back Together Again – 3:53
4. Off the Wall – 4:13
5. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – 4:07
6. Push 5:06
7. Home – 4:15
8. If This Isn’t Love 3:45
9. Turn It Up – 4:37
10. My Last Goodbye – 4:11

This article was posted by Brian for Smooth News and is provided as a courtesy from Smooth Jazz Network ™ for more Smooth Jazz Network and Smooth Jazz Top 20.

Smooth jazz saxophonist Boney James says he’s looking forward to returning to the stage after a fiery accident that almost took his life. James suffered cuts and bruises, two broken teeth and a fractured jaw in the accident on May 15 when he was rear-ended by a speeding motorist on the San Diego Freeway in Southern California. He was returning from a show at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach Jazz Festival.

“Playing my horn for first time since accident!,” James wrote today (June 24) on his website. “The July gigs are on!”

James’ first show after the crash is July 3 in Healdsburg, CA, at the Rodney Strong Vineyards. Other stops include St. Charles, MO, at Ameristar Casino; Winter Park CO, at the town’s jazz festival July 25; San Diego at Humphrey’s July 31; and the Long Beach Jazz Festival Aug. 13.

“I’m really excited to get back to playing shows,” James says. “I broke my two front teeth in the accident and couldn’t blow for six weeks. I still have a brace on them and might still lose the teeth, but I’m able to play and need to get back on stage. I do feel very lucky to be alive, and being able to play my horn again is the best thing in the world.”

James says he was stopped in traffic in his BMW 535, talking on his car speaker phone with his wife Lily Mariye, when an alleged drunken driver rear-ended his car at 70 mph. Passersby pulled James from his car. James later learned that they feared the car that hit him, which was fully engulfed in flames, would set his own car on fire.

Boney James tour schedule

07/03/10 Healdsburg, CA Rodney Strong Vineyards    
07/08/10 St. Charles, MO Ameristar Casino 
07/09/10 Kansas City, MO Ameristar Casino
07/10/10 Omaha, NB Omaha Jazz Festival 
07/25/10 Winter Park, CO Hideaway Park (Winter Park Jazz Festival)
07/31/10 San Diego, CA Humphrey’s By The Bay
08/13/10 Long Beach, CA Rainbow Lagoon Park (Long Beach Jazz Festival) 
08/27/10 Philadelphia, PA Festival Pier  
09/18/10 Sacramento, CA Radisson Hotel Sacramento  
10/15/10 Rehoboth Beach, DE Rehoboth Beach Convention Center  
10/16/10 Cincinnati, OH Aronoff Center For The Arts  
11/12/10 Charleston, SC TBA  
12/04/10 Las Vegas, NV Boulder Station Hotel & Casino  

This article was posted by Brian for Smooth News and is provided as a courtesy from Smooth Jazz Network ™ for more Smooth Jazz Network and Smooth Jazz Top 20.

Composer, arranger, producer bassist Stanley Clarke this week has released a self-titled CD by the Stanley Clarke Band. The band features acoustic pianist Hiromi, electric pianist Ruslan Sirota and drummer Ronald Bruner Jr.

Among the 11 songs is a cover of the Chick Corea song “No Mystery.” In addition, Hiromi composed “Labyrinth” and Sirota composed “Soldier.” Other tracks include “Here’s Why Tears Dry,” “Sonny Rollins,” “Bass Folk Song #10” and “I Wanna Play For You,” the latter with Clarke on the talk box.

The Stanley Clarke Band is now touring the U.S. and Canada and will tour Euorpe before returning to the U.S. in September.

Clark has performed in the past with Corea, Gil Evans, Stan Getz and Pharoah Sanders, among others. He had his biggest hit single with George Duke with the 1981 song “Sweet Baby.”

Clarke has composed the soundtracks to the movies Passenger 57, What’s Love Got To Do With It and Boyz N The Hood.