I’ve posted over 500 tweets of contemporary jazz news, release dates, and site information on Twitter in the last few months. It’s how I communicate quick contemporary jazz items of interest. In today’s quick-moving world, this is how I get most of my information – through brief, one-sentence notifications. Later, I can go back and [...]

Here is a list of new CDs and DVDs coming in May that I’m aware of. Click to order the CD from Amazon.com, or to download MP3s. Your purchases through these links help the site! May 5 Poogie Bell Band – Get on the Kit

Contemporary jazz guitar collaborations between label mates have resulted in some memorable recordings over the history of the genre. The first ones that pop in my head are George Benson and Earl Klugh (Collaboration on Warner Bros.) and Lee Ritenour and Larry Carlton (Larry & Lee on GRP). Peak Records joins in on the tradition [...]

Radio & Records, an industry staple, has ceased publishing its smooth jazz chart. It had been published for 15 years. Carol Archer, the only editor for the format for its entire tenure, posted a fond farewell. Carol was one of the first to write about jazz on the web back in the mid-90s. She mentioned [...]

The new Rippingtons recording, Modern Art, is out today. The Rippingtons is a Russ Freeman project that I very much enjoyed in the 80s and 90s. Freeman has kept it going for over 20 years with above-average pop-jazz compositions and a changing roster of musicians. Modern Art marks some changes in the group: a new [...]

Here are some new DVDs you might be interested in. Some are already available and the rest will be out by the end of the month. Clicking through and buying these through Amazon.com earns the site a commission. Amazon.com Widgets

Try It Out Tuesdays offers a free full MP3 of an artist. Today’s artist is producer/keyboardist/composer/engineer Hart Ramsey. Click the play button for the song “What About Love” from Charge It To My Heart. If you like what you hear, hit the Shopping Cart icon to buy it. Hart Ramsey – Charge It To My [...]

One constant in the contemporary jazz world is the planning and reliable execution of Heads Up recordings. I just got the list for 2009 and it’s another winner for contemporary jazz fans. I’ll elaborate more in later posts but here’s what’s on the schedule: January Incognito – More Tales Remixed – remixes of songs from [...]

It’s very rare that I buy entire recordings these days. After checking out the samples of this latest Mark Farina compilation, I will be buying Mushroom Jazz 6. Twenty tracks for $9.99 and I liked all but five of these acid jazzy/nu jazzy works. Amazon.com Widgets

Marcus Johnson is presenting three new recordings under the brand FLO – For the Love Of. FLO: Standards covers classics like “On Green Dolphin Street,” “Body and Soul,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “Goodbye Port Pie Hat” and features Johnson, Bobby Lyle, Michael Price, and drummer Lenny Robinson. Like FLO: Standards, the title of FLO: Romance [...]