Smooth Jazz #1 Hits

Overview

Simply put, this set from Concord Jazz collects 11 tracks that reached the top of Billboard's contemporary jazz chart -- we're not sure why Concord's trying to bring back the "smooth jazz" moniker -- from the late 2000s and 2010s. Highlights include Boney James' shimmering "Touch" from Send One Your Love; Fourplay's slick, funky "3rd Degree" from Let's Touch the Sky; George Benson's "Livin' in High Definition" off Songs and Stories; Mindi Abair's Grover Washington-esque "Be Beautiful" from her In Hi-Fi Stereo long-player, and the title track from saxophonist Paul Taylor's Burnin' album. Concord did their level best to cross-license the highest quality chart-toppers from these years, and came up with a summery, easy-grooving collection that should satisfy every contemporary (er, smooth) jazz fan's expectations. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	05/03/2011
Label:	Concord / Concord Jazz
UPC:	0888072328549
Rank:	65453

Tracks

1. Put the Top Down  - John Burk  - Jonathan Butler  - Tim Carmon  - Brian Culbertson  - David Delhomme  - Chuck Findley  - Gary Grant  - Omar Hakim  - Dan Higgins  - Dave Koz  - Marcus Miller  - Don Murray  - Ray Jr. Parker  - Seth Presant  - Lee Ritenour  -  Sheila E.  - Bobby II Sparks
2. Touch  - Isaiah Abolin  - Alex Al  -  Boney James  - Tim Carmon  - Lenny Castro  - John Klemmer  - Dean Parks  - David Rideau  - Lil John Roberts  - Bill Schnee
3. 3rd Degree  - Nathan East  -  Fourplay  - Bob James  - Chuck Loeb  - Harvey Sr. Mason  - Don Murray
4. Be Beautiful  - Mindi Abair  - Ray Bardani  - Richard Barron  - David Ryan Harris  - Rex Rideout  - Smitty Smith  - Dawayne Swan  - Michael White
5. Burnin'  - Darrell Crooks  - Melvin Lee Davis  - Barry Eastmond  - Barry J. Eastmond  - Chandler Harrod  - Dennis Moody  - Steve Sykes  - Paul Taylor  - Michael White
6. Bright  -  D.C.  - Simon Phillips  - Philippe Saisse  - Dan Savant  - Peter White
7. Till You Come to Me  - Scott Amendola  - Stuart Bogie  - Spencer Day  - Paul Ehrlich  - Vicky Ehrlich  - Jon Evans  - Yair Evnine  - Chrystal Monee Hall  - Justin Johnston  - Julie Kim  - Nathaniel Kunkel  - Brian Lee  - Dina Maccabee  - Rene Sazer  - Michael Spiro  - Shayna Steele  - Kate Stenberg  - Ben Yonas
8. Sweet Summer Nights  - Mel Brown  -  Najee  - Darren Rahn  - Jason Rahn  - Frank Selman
9. Tropical Rain  - Paul Brown  -  D.C.  - Richie Gajate Garcia  - Sergio Gonzalez  -  Jessy J  - Gregg Karukas  - Roberto Valle
10. Steady as She Goes  - Walter Beasley  - Randall Bowland  - James Lloyd  - James K. Lloyd  - Martin Walters  - Tony Jr. Watson
11. Living in High Definition  - George Benson  - J.J. Blair  - John Burk  - Guilherme Canaes  - Lamont Dozier  - Jeff Harris  - Taka Honda  -  Jubu  - Marcus Miller  - Don Murray  - Stefan Nordin  - Greg Phillinganes  - Seth Presant  - John Robinson  - John "J.R." Robinson  - Wah Wah Watson  - John Wroble  - Noel Zancanella

Album Credits

Performance Credits

George Benson   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Jessy J   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor),Flute
Boney James   Primary Artist,Keyboards,Sax (Tenor)
Fourplay   Primary Artist
Walter Beasley   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto)
Mindi Abair   Primary Artist,Vocals,Sax (Alto)
Paul Taylor   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Spencer Day   Primary Artist,Vocals
Najee   Primary Artist,Sax (Soprano)
Dave Koz   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto)
Peter White   Primary Artist,Guitar,Keyboards
Jon Evans   Bass
Jonathan Butler   Guitar
Wah Wah Watson   Guitar
Dean Parks   Guitar
Lee Ritenour   Guitar,Featured Artist
Alex Al   Bass
Lenny Castro   Percussion
Scott Amendola   Drums
Darrell Crooks   Guitar
Lil John Roberts   Cymbals
Nathan East   Bass
Randall Bowland   Guitar
Michael Spiro   Percussion
Ray Parker, Jr.   Guitar
Richie Gajate Garcia   Percussion
David Delhomme   Keyboards
Gary Grant   Trumpet
Harvey Mason, Sr.   Drums,Percussion
Marcus Miller   Bass
Darren Rahn   Keyboards,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor),Horn Section,Fender Rhodes
Chuck Findley   Trumpet,Trombone
Shayna Steele   Vocals (Background)
Jubu   Guitar
Chuck Loeb   Guitar
Greg Phillinganes   Piano
Tim Carmon   Keyboards,Fender Rhodes
David Ryan Harris   Guitar,Vocals,Featured Artist
Sheila E.   Percussion
Bob James   Keyboards
James K. Lloyd   Keyboards
Paul Ehrlich   Viola
Dina Maccabee   Viola
Yair Evnine   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Justin Johnston   Vocals (Background)
Gregg Karukas   Keyboards
D.C.   Keyboards
Frank Selman   Guitar (Electric)
Smitty Smith   Bass
Melvin Lee Davis   Bass
Julie Kim   Violin
John "J.R." Robinson   Drums
Kate Stenberg   Violin
John Robinson   Drums
Roberto Valle   Bass
Sergio Gonzalez   Drums
Barry Eastmond   Keyboards,Percussion
Vicky Ehrlich   Cello
Rene Sazer   Violin
Chrystal Monee Hall   Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Brian Lee   Violin
Mel Brown   Bass
Tony Watson Jr.   Saxophone
Rex Rideout   Wurlitzer
Michael White   Drums
Omar Hakim   Drums
Brian Culbertson   Keyboards
Jason Rahn   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Dan Higgins   Sax (Tenor)

Technical Credits

John Wroble   Engineer
Joe Tarantino   Mastering
John Burk   Producer
Richard Barron   Engineer
Nathaniel Kunkel   Mixing
Nick Phillips   Compilation Producer
Philippe Saisse   Engineer
Martin Walters   Mixing
Ray Bardani   Mixing
Noel Zancanella   Engineer
Dan Savant   Engineer
Marcus Miller   Producer,Programming,Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Darren Rahn   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Drum Programming,Horn Arrangements
Boney James   Producer,Programming,Arranger,Engineer
Lamont Dozier   Composer
Chris Clough   Project Assistant
Chuck Loeb   Composer
John Klemmer   Composer
Jessy J   Composer
Isaiah Abolin   Engineer
Fourplay   Producer
J.J. Blair   Engineer
James Lloyd   Composer
Barry J. Eastmond   Arranger,Producer
Don Murray   Mixing,Engineer
David Ryan Harris   Composer
Dennis Moody   Engineer
Peter White   Composer,Engineer,Producer
Najee   Composer
Seth Presant   Engineer
Paul Brown   Mixing,Arranger,Engineer,Producer
Steve Sykes   Mixing
Bill Schnee   Mixing,Engineer
James K. Lloyd   Producer,Programming,Composer
Mighty Simon Phillips   Engineer
Spencer Day   Composer,Producer
Jeffrey Spector   Project Assistant
Abbey Anna   Project Assistant
Gregg Karukas   Arranger
D.C.   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Programming
Guilherme Canaes   Engineer
Chandler Harrod   Engineer
Stuart Bogie   String Arrangements
Dave Koz   Composer
David Rideau   Engineer
Taka Honda   Engineer
Rikka Arnold   Project Assistant
Ben Yonas   Engineer,Producer
Andrew Pham   Package Design
Melvin Lee Davis   Engineer
Jeff Harris   Engineer
Stefan Nordin   Engineer
Pollyanna Kwok   Project Assistant
Darnell Gamble   Project Assistant
Jill Weindorf   Project Assistant
Barry Eastmond   Engineer
David Creel   Project Assistant
Paul Shin   Project Assistant
Evelyn Mowbray   Project Assistant
John Theodore Klemmer   Composer
Rex Rideout   Producer
Michael White   Engineer
Mindi Abair   Producer
Brian Culbertson   Composer