D.S. Wilson · Pocket Change

Saxman D.S. Wilson teamed up with Artist/Producer Steve Oliver as well as Gold and Platinum Producer Jeff Carruthers, along with an all-star cast to produce Wilson’s fourth solo Smooth Jazz album entitled “Metamorphosis”. The album features a contemporary sound with catchy melodies, along with solid grooves and influences from Wilson’s background in Rock, Pop, and Blues. Buoyed by the Top 20 success of his previous album “Skyline” (produced by Adam Hawley), Metamorphosis represents Wilson’s growth journey from being a part-time musician in the corporate world to leaving the corporate world for full-time music career. The single “Pocket Change” was released on Jan. 5th, 2024 and is the first advance single from the new album.

D.S. Wilson: Saxophone, Piano, Keys
Jeff Carruthers: Guitars, Keys, Programming
Steve Oliver: Guitars, Programming
Eric Valentine: Drums
Chris Miskel: Drums
Maurice Fitzgerald: Bass
Cornelius Mims: Bass

Emm Gryner · Business & Pleasure

Emm Gryner is an award winning singer, songwriter, actor and best-selling author. Emm sang and played keyboards in David Bowie’s band, and appears on numerous recordings, including his landmark 1999 SNL appearance, Bowie at The Beeb and Toy. Bowie’s acclaimed Glastonbury 2000 documents her performance in front of more than 100,000 fans at Worthy Farm. With Trapper she shared arena stages with Def Leppard, and she also helped bring the first music video recorded in outer space to the world.

Detroit radio formed the soundtrack of Emm’s life and career and her brand new record is a celebration of that music. From Motown,jazz and pop, to Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac and the Doobies, Business & Pleasure is infused with the sunshine soul and stellar playing of the late 70s and early 80s. These songs, produced by Fred Mollin, written with poet Michael Holmes, and recorded with drummer Shannon Forrest (Toto), keyboardist Pat Coil (Michael McDonald), bassist Larry Paxton (Alison Krauss), and guitarists Tom Bukovac (Taylor Swift) and Pat Buchanan (Hall & Oates, Dolly Parton), embody a take on yacht rock that sails deep into the 2020s and introduce the world to a bold new character: a powerful woman whose passion, presence, conviction, humor and grace serves to unite the world in music, joy and love, once again.

Simon Denizart · 9-4 / Music Box

Originally from Créteil, French pianist Simon Denizart arrived in Montreal in 2011 and wasted no time in getting his music heard. Initially working with the Canadian label The 270 Sessions, he produced three albums, Between Two Worlds (2015), Beautiful People (2016) and Darkside (2017). This productive period earned him the Radio-Canada Revelation award in 2016 and two ADISQ nominations in 2017 and 2018. 

Released in 2021 on the Laborie Jazz label, his fourth album NOMAD offers a dynamic and original encounter between the piano and the calabash. It was again nominated for an ADISQ award in the Album of the Year Jazz category that same year. 

Critically acclaimed, "Croyez-nous c'est un sacré talent" (Radio-Canada), "Simon Denizart, retenez bien son nom!" (FIP - Jane Villenet), he performs all over the world (France, Canada, Czech Republic, Cuba, etc.) and leaves no one indifferent. 

"Simon Denizart is a pianist in a class of his own, with obvious jazz influences, but also rock, world music and even neo-classical music" (Jérôme Davieau, sors-tu.ca). "Cultivating a fluid, dynamic sound that brings him very close to the late Swedish pianist Esbjörn Svensson" (Christophe Rodriguez, sortiesjazznights.ca), he plays sensitive, energizing music, sprinkled with subtle, accessible melodies. 

In 2023 he began a new collaboration with the prestigious Canadian label Justin Time Records, which produced his forthcoming fifth album: Piece of Mind.

Dee Lucas · On The Verge

Saxophonist Dee Lucas has released a brand new single titled "On The Verge’". In this offering, the soprano saxman delivers both a catchy and infectious hook combined with a story-telling melody spreading inspiration and optimism as the overall message. 

"On The Verge" is a ANOTHER smooth but energetic song from Dee’s 10th solo album No Boundaries which is destined to be a favorite among Smooth Jazz listeners. 

"On The Verge"

Dee Lucas - Soprano Saxophone

Melvin Baldwin - Drums

Bob Baldwin - All other instruments

Listen Dee Lucas "On The Verge" on SmoothJazz Weekend Radio Playlist

Herb Alpert · Slow Down

"Slow Down" is the latest single from Herb Alpert's new album, Wish Upon A Star. The track was written and produced by Herb and his longtime collaborator, fellow Smooth Jazz artist and keyboardist Jeff Lorber. The upbeat, funky groove is grounded in Lorber's syncopated comping while Herb's trumpet melodies soar high above. Lorber interjects with soulful interludes on both organ and piano. The sound is filled out with Mitchell Long's skillful guitar and Gary Novak's locked-in drums. 

Wish Upon A Star is the 88-year-old Alpert's 49th studio album and includes covers of iconic tunes like Jerry Reed's "East Bound And Down", Elvis Presley's "(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame", The Beatles' "And I Love Her", and Cat Stevens' "Father And Son". 

Listen Herb Alpert "Slow Down" on SmoothJazz Weekend Radio Playlist

Jeff Lorber Fusion · The Drop

“I think it’s easy to write music but it’s hard to write great music,” confesses trailblazing and Grammy-winning keyboardist, composer and producer, Jeff Lorber. “I am always looking for inspiration, and it doesn’t take much for me to drop whatever I’m doing to chase an idea for a new song if I hear something that inspires me.” A consummate musician, Lorber’s passion, technical wizardry, forward-thinking and earnest approach, and sheer musicianship, have inspired legions of musicians for over five decades. A groundbreaking Fender Rhodes pioneer along with Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample and Bob James, Jeff Lorber is also one of the most in-demand producers in Contemporary Jazz. September 22, 2023, Lorber will release his latest inspired work on Shanachie Entertainment, The Drop, an album of originals which unites him with an all-star cast including bassist and longtime Jeff Lorber Fusion members bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Gary Novak, guitarists Paul Jackson, Jr. (also a member of Jazz Funk Soul with Lorber and Everette Harp), Snarky Puppy’s Marc Lettieri, bassist Cornelius Mims, drummer Gary Novak and saxophonist David Mann, among others. Lorber’s goal for his anticipated recording was simple. “I focus on making music that’s fun, exciting and fresh that I enjoy, and that I hope other people will feel uplifted and energized by when they listen to it,” shares Lorber, who is a big fan of audible and kindle books, with a keen interest in science fiction and detective books.

Willie Bradley · Ride The Vibes ft. Ragan Whiteside

Willie Bradley is a native of Orangeburg, SC and a graduate of South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC where he earned his BS Degree in Music Education and Performance. Over the course of his career, he has become a go –to musician for many of soul music’s greats over the years. His music reach spans worldwide and can be heard on Smooth Jazz Radio Stations to include Sirius XM, Music Choice, Pandora, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

In 2014, Willie released his debut Contemporary Jazz CD “Another Day & Time” produced and co-written by keyboardist/Recording Artist Nicholas Cole.

On his sophomore CD project (2018) “Going With The Flow”, Willie showed the music world that he was not just going with the “average” flow of things. Together with multi-award-winning producer Preston Glass, (Kenny G., George Benson, Earth Wind & Fire and many more) they brought together a fantastic group of songs as well as a cast of stellar musicians. This musical adventure was merely an appetizer of sweet things to come.

Rainforest Band · Smooth Sexy

Rainforest Band is a contemporary jazz ensemble hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area. The group features Saxophonist Dave Ellis, Bassist Tony Saunders, Guitarists Vernon “Ice” Black and Lorn Leber, Keyboardist Sylvester Burks and Drummer “Big Thomas” McCree.

Each member has individually recorded and performed with some of the biggest names in music including Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Herbie Hancock, Whitney Houston, Eric Clapton and Aretha Franklin. The members have known each other and have collaborated on various projects for over 25 years.