Smooth Jazz

Smooth Jazz is my other PASSION and a style of music that I love. In fact, it is pretty much the ONLY music that I listen too. I love the sweet sounds of the saxophone.......the upbeat sound of the trumpet..........the mellow sounds of the electric or acoustical guitar.........the soulful rhythm of the bass............and the ever present beat of the drums.

Smooth jazz had its beginning around the early 1990's. The New Age sound was starting to die off and the new sound was that of a more groove oriented kind of music. Light jazz instrumentalist artists were getting more play on radio stations, and listeners were being turned on to the new sound of smooth jazz.

The radio station that I listen to 24/7 in my home and car is WJZI Smooth Jazz 93.3FM. This link will bring you to their site and once there, you can listen to a simulcast of the show and the tunes they play!

Music has been a part of my life since as early as the 5th grade. From that time through my high school years, I played the trumpet. I was in symphonic band, marching/drill band and jazz band. I have a very real appreciation for the discipline that every one of these jazz artists have gone through to allow them to get to where they are today.

As a young trumpet player back in the 60's and 70's, the players that I grew up listening to and learning from were people like Al Hirt (I used to listen to his records and TRY and play along with him...lol), Herb Alpert (did the same with several of Alpert's tunes), Doc Severinsen (I played a Silver Severinsen Getzen.....made in Elkhorn, WI) and Maynard Ferguson. After I graduated I stopped playing, sold my horn, got out of the music scene and into the work field. I always had in the back of my mind that I wish I hadn't sold my horn and stopped playing.

~NEWS FLASH~

I am contemplating whether or not to pick up the trumpet once again after 27 years of not playing. I'm wondering if the old embouchure (lip muscles) can be retrained. I may be posting this journey on site, depends on how it plays out......so stay tuned ;)

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On the following pages, I will introduce you to some of today's hottest smooth jazz artists. I have been fortunate to see all of them in concert and have been lucky enough to talk to some and even get their autographs. They appear in random order and although I do have my favorites, they are all stars to me.

This jazz section would not have been possible had it not been for the generosity and support of the following photographers. Displaying their work, is a true honor and I thank each and every one of them for allowing me to share their talent with you.

~ATTENTION~

NO UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION OF ANY PHOTOGRAPHS WITHIN THIS JAZZ SECTION WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE FOLLOWING PHOTOGRAPHERS

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	Ronnie James - Free-lance jazz photographer from the Washington, D. C. area. He is a contributing photographer to Jazz Times magazine, the All About Jazz web site and you can find many of his concert photographs on today's hottest jazz artists personal
homepages. Find out more at RONNIE JAMES - Photographer Extraordinare. You can contact Mr. James at rejames@erols.com.

	Morrice Blackwell - Publisher / President of JazzReview.com This is your one stop shop for anything and everything related to jazz.
Site showcases jazz cd reviews, jazz artist interviews, jazz artist concert photographs, jazz listening room, FREE monthly jazz giveaways and so much more! Mr. Blackwell is also a well known jazz concert photographer, and showcases his work as well as others at this very fine site. You may contact Mr. Blackwell at morrice@jazzreview.com.

	Jose A. Pacheco - A contributing photographer for JazzReview.com, Mr. Pacheco is a photographer from Venezuela, and is well known by all jazz artists and respected throughout the jazz concert venues. He has his own website titled JazzContemporaneo.com,
where you will find many of his great up close and personal jazz concert photographs.

	Tasic Dragan is a concert photographer and independent artist currently living in Switzerland. He states, ""My passion for music still lives through my concert photography. Thanks to my years of
experience as the musician, I can precisely see, feel and recognize the most creative moments of the performer coming, so I can capture those deeply emotional mimics and gestures into one photo". Mr. Dragon is also a staff photographer for JazzReview.com and has his own website titled "Blue Cry". You may contact Mr. Dragon at nga@freesurf.ch.

	Dave Cheng is a freelance photojournalist based in Toronto, Canada. A contributing photographer to JazzReview.com, he is also available for spot news, sports, and feature assignments in southern Ontario,
Quebec and the northeastern US. You may also view more fascinating photo's of Mr. Cheng's at his own website http://www.vex.net/~dmc/.

If your ready.... sit back, relax and be prepared to be taken into a music genre that is gaining more popularity each and every day. I assure you that once you have seen and heard all, you too will be wondering when and where the next smooth jazz concert will be in your area!!!

Please continue on to meet some of the Smooth Jazz Artists I enjoy starting with Sax Artists.