SaxRules

Madrid is the latest Smooth Jazz CD released by the extremely talented guitar playing Marc Antoine who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Marc Antoine fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. I wish it weren't the case but, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Madrid. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. Madrid is a pleasantly varied, mix of 10 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly superb...

The exceptionally talented Jazz artist Joe Henderson has released him CD entitled In N Out. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Joe Henderson fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of In N Out Joe Henderson's artistic excellence is on full display as Henderson has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date. Unfortunately, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with In N Out. Every track is enjoyable and was...

Ready For Freddie is the latest Jazz CD put out by the richly talented Freddie Hubbard who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Freddie Hubbard fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. Freddie Hubbard has been a heavy hitter in the Jazz genre for quite a while now and Ready For Freddie is an excellent illustration as to why. Ready For Freddie has a pleasantly varied, mix of 7 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly gifted artist. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are him own real life experiences. At different points touching on the...

Richly talented Smooth Jazz artist Boney James has released his latest album titled Sweet Thing and Wow! It's good. Sweet Thing grabs your attention right from the very first note with East Bay and won't let go until the very last note of the very last song It's All Good, which by the way is another great track. Sweet Thing has a pleasantly varied, mix of 10 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly gifted artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. If you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you'll enjoy this CD. Overall Sweet Thing is an outstanding release. I give it my double thumbs up. You will not be disappointed with...

The exceptionally talented Jazz artist Scott Hamilton has released him CD entitled Ballad Essentials. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Scott Hamilton fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Ballad Essentials Scott Hamilton's artistic excellence is on full display as Hamilton has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date. This CD grabs your attention right from the start with Skylark and won't let go until the very last note of the very last song Tonight I Shall Sleep With A Smile On My Face, which is another great track by the way. Scott Hamilton possesses the characteristic of...

Sweet Spot is the latest Smooth Jazz CD released by the very talented piano playing Kevin Toney who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Kevin Toney fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. The CD launches with a great track, Mister T, that I suspect will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It really is a very nice track. Smooth Jazz music fans will recognize some of the well known contributors n the project including Pamela Williams, Craig T. Cooper and Paul Jackson Jr. plus a few other notables as well. I give Sweet Spot my highest recommendation. It just plain belongs in any serious music collectors collection...

The super talented Smooth Jazz artist Joyce Cooling has released her CD on the Narada recording label, entitled This Girl's Got To Play. Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. This Girl's Got To Play has a pleasantly varied, mix of 10 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly outstanding artist. One of the nicer things about a CD like this is when the talent is this rich even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite genre you still can't help but appreciate the greatness of the artist. If you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music...

Meeting Place is the latest release from Smooth Jazz Sensation Ken Navarro, and is another winner from this talented musician. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all. Meeting Place has a pleasantly varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly outstanding artist. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are his own personal experiences. At different...

One word describes the CD T.G.I.F. from Fattburger... AWESOME! Unfortunately, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with T.G.I.F.. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. T.G.I.F. has a pleasantly varied, mix of 9 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly outstanding group. If you're a Fattburger fan, or just a fan of Smooth Jazz music this is a CD your collection simply should not be without. While this entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 1...

I can describe the latest release from Smooth Jazz sensation Craig Chaquico for you with just one word... Outstanding! Four Corners launches with an outstanding track, The Drifter, that I anticipate will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It's a really nice track. One of the nicer things about a CD like this is with this level of talent even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite genre you still can't help but appreciate the greatness of the artist. Overall Four Corners is excellent from beginning to end. One of those CDs that after a few listens the songs are just etched into your memory. A must have for the Smooth Jazz fan. Really sensational from beginning to end. While the...

One word describes the CD Welcome from Santana... AWESOME! I wish it weren't the case but, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Welcome. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you've got one of Santana's most impressive releases ever. Overall Welcome is an outstanding release. Quite possibly...

One word describes the CD Celine Dion from Celine Dion... AWESOME! Celine Dion has been a super star in the Pop genre for quite some time now and Celine Dion is an excellent illustration as to why. Celine Dion has a pleasantly varied, mix of 13 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly outstanding artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are her own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions like love, and the pain of failed relationships can certainly be heard. I'm of the opinion that Celine Dion is certainly Celine Dion's best work in a few...

3rd Force, the highly talented Smooth Jazz group has released their latest CD titled Force Field and Wow! It's really a good one. Unfortunately, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Force Field. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. One of the nicer things about a CD like this is when the talent is this rich even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite style you still can't help but appreciate the greatness on display here. I give Force Field my highest recommendation. It...

The exceptionally talented Jazz artist Keiko Matsui has released her CD entitled Moyo. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Keiko Matsui fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Moyo Keiko Matsui's artistic excellence is on full display as Matsui has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be her best work to date. Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. These days it's a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it...

p>When offered the opportunity to review En Este Momento, Claudia Acuna's latest album, I jumped at the chance. I am a huge fan of Latin Jazz in general, and Claudia Acuna in particular. Once the album arrived, I wasted no time in ripping open the cover and getting down to business. I was not disappointed. The music in En Este Momento is awesome. Some CDs grab you by the throat during the first song and by the end of the album, the hook is in you so deep you can't escape. Others come on to you with slow intoxication, seeping through your consciousness like a mellow liquor. For me, En Este Momento provided the latter kind of listening experience. The first time I listened to the album I knew I liked...

Not sure what's happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better From The Redwoods To The Rockies gets. From The Redwoods To The Rockies simply put is one of Russ Freeman's best CDs to date. The CD kicks off with a great track, Riders Of The Ancient Winds, that I suspect will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It really is a very nice track. From The Redwoods To The Rockies has a pleasantly varied, mix of 10 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly superb artist. Russ Freeman possesses the characteristic of being able to bowl you over with his talent alone. The kind of artist I really enjoy listening to. If you're even mildly...

100 Ginuwine is the latest release from Pop Artist Ginuwine, and I can only think of one word to describe this CD... AWESOME! 100 Ginuwine opens with a great track, Little Kidz, that I anticipate will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It really is a very nice track. Ginuwine is one of those musicians that has the ability to just win you over with him talent. The kind of artist it's really a treat to be able to listen to. Listen to this CD and I believe you'll find there's not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and Ginuwine is clearly in top form. So much so that if you're even mildly into Pop music you'll enjoy this album...

I can describe the latest release from Jazz sensation Jim Brinkman for you with just one word... Outstanding! It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it's own. Jazz music fans will recognize some of the well known guests that have been assembled to play along with Brinkman on several of the tracks. Artists like Dann Huff and Dan Shea just to name a couple. Listen to this CD and I believe you'll find there's not much to dis-like about it. The...

Gift is the latest Christmas CD put out by the richly talented Jim Brickman who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Jim Brickman fans, and Christmas fans alike will be pleased with this one. Gift will grab your attention right from the very first note with Joy To The World and doesn't let go until the very last note of the very last song The Gift, which by the way is another great track. One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you've got one of Jim Brickman's most impressive releases ever. Overall Gift is a solid release...

Kevin Toney, the richly talented Smooth Jazz artist has released his latest album titled Strut and Wow! It's really a good one. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn't a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all. One of the nicer things about a CD like this is with this level of talent even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite genre you still can't help but appreciate the greatness of the artist. Listen to and I think you'll agree that the song choices are excellent, the production is outstanding and Kevin Toney's piano...

"Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak..." -Jeremiah 1:6 All during high school, I wanted to fit in, but never did, for various reasons. I wanted to do everything, yet did very little due to lack of confidence. I was musically inclined, playing various instruments, but mainly stuck to the baritone saxophone because my jazz band teacher, Bert Hughes, loved the fact that I was the only female to play so well in one of his bands. My passion, though, was drumming. He and I went round and round; him telling me I was more talented with the sax, and me pleading for chances to be a more active drummer. I'd sneak in at football games to the drummer's line, produce my own sticks and convince one...

Beneath This Gruff Exterior is the latest Rock CD put out by the very talented guitar playing John Hiatt who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident John Hiatt fans, and Rock fans alike will be pleased with this one. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn't a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all. If you're a John Hiatt fan this is a CD your collection flat cannot be without. In fact, this is one of those CDs that you don't even have to be a fan of Hiatt, or even Rock to know is good...

With only few weeks until the holidays many start their preparations and rehearsals for upcoming concerts and celebrations. For many the annually returning question is what to play? Will it be something new or the same evergreens from last year? Will it be something traditional and classical or perhaps an original contemporary theme? If you are having difficulties deciding what to play, particularly taking into account your limited (or perhaps non existing) budget for new sheet music, here are few ideas that may be of help. Know your audience Probably the most important factor in making your performance a success is to know who will be in the audience and what they will likely appreciate listening...

Hero is the latest Gospel CD put out by the very talented Kirk Franklin who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Kirk Franklin fans, and Gospel fans alike will be pleased with this one. This CD will grab your attention right from the outset with Lookin' For You and won't let go until the very last note of the very last song Sunshine, which is another great track by the way. These days it's a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs. I'm of the opinion that Hero is certainly Kirk Franklin's best work in a few years. A totally enjoyable CD and an outstanding release. What I call must...

Richly talented Smooth Jazz artist Chieli Minucci has released his latest CD titled Night Grooves and Wow! It's really a good one. Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. The nice thing about a CD like this is with this level of talent even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite style you still can't help but appreciate the greatness of the artist. Overall Night Grooves is an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up and is most definetly a worthy addition to any Smooth Jazz collection. Truly an outstanding...

Eventually is the latest release from Rock Sensation Paul Westerberg, and is another winner by this talented musician. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn't a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it's own. These days it's a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs. I'm of the opinion that Evantually is certainly Paul Westerberg's best work in a few years. A totally enjoyable CD and an outstanding...

There are so many people who inspire me in my life. One of the most significant in my life was Earl McCray, my grade school and high school music teacher. He believed in me when I did not know how to believe in myself. Just a bit of background which puts that in perspective. I say this from the heart in order to inspire others to know they can not only survive difficult situations but actually thrive. Picture me as a little 3 year old girl with long dark brown finger curls spiraling down my back. I am standing in the Kansas sunshine out by the barn on the farm with my daddy. He looks down at me and says, you're just a d_____ girl. I didn't want you. I wanted a boy who would be worth something." You...

The exceptionally talented Jazz artist Jackie McLean has released him CD entitled Action. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Jackie McLean fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Action Jackie McLean's artistic excellence is on full display as McLean has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date. Jackie McLean has been a heavy hitter in the Jazz genre for quite some time now and Action is an excellent illustration as to why. Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy...

The exceptionally talented Rock artist Freddie Hubbard has released him CD entitled Breaking Point. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Freddie Hubbard fans, and Rock fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Breaking Point Freddie Hubbard's artistic excellence is on full display as Hubbard has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all...

Not sure what's happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Go With The Flow gets. Go With The Flow stated simply is one of Walter Beasley's best CDs to date. This one will grab your attention right from the start with Go With The Flow and won't let go until the very last note of the very last song Over And Over, which is another great track by the way. Go With The Flow is a pleasantly varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly outstanding artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are his own real life experiences. At...

Duke Robillard has assembled a superb group of talented musicians featuring Sunny Crownover on vocals as they cover a selection of songs from the 20's, 30's, and 40's from the Great American Songbook on the release Introducing... Sunny and Her Joy Boys. Sunny and Her Joy Boys: Strictly from Dixie; You're Driving Me Crazy; That's My Desire; Stop You're Breakin' My Heart, You're My Thrill; Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea; I Don't Mind; Travelin' All Alone; Today I Sing The Blues; Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams; I Got It Bad (and that ain't good); Undecided; I'm Satisfied; A Hundred Years From Today. Personnel: Sunny Crownover: Vocals; Billy Novick: Clarinet, Alto Saxophone; Duke Robillard...

The exceptionally talented Rock artist Freddie Hubbard has released him CD entitled Red Clay. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Freddie Hubbard fans, and Rock fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Red Clay Freddie Hubbard's artistic excellence is on full display as Hubbard has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date. Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. Rock music fans will recognize some of the well known guests that have been...

Art Porter has released him most recent album entitled Lay Your Hands On Me. Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. Lay Your Hands On Me is a pleasantly varied, mix of 10 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly gifted artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are him own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions like love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable...

st that the next article will help you to better understand this topic. As everyone knows having fun is a very serious business. You will need to select the place where you will be spending your vacation time. In addition to these you will need to see about arranging your stay in the various hotels that are situated in that place. So where can you go that is near home and yet very exotic? A vacation in Mexico sounds fantastic however you will need to select the accurate place. One such place that you can go to is that of Cancun vacation packages are available for you to investigate. These will have many interesting things for you to see and do, and you can book a hotel for you to stay. They are very...

Curtis Ousley sure ended up with the perfect nickname! King Curtis was indeed the "king" of the rock & roll saxophone. His sound was big, rich, sweet and very expressive. One of the few that you just know who it is when you hear it. Born in 1934, he was just a young teenager as the jump blues and rhythm and blues scene of the 40's gave birth to rock & roll by the end of that decade. He had made his move from Texas to New York in the early 50's and landed a gig with Lionel Hampton's band. This was the same band that Illinois Jacquet played with about 10 years earlier. Jacquet of coarse had rocked the sax world with his screaming sax solo on Flying Home with this same band. King Curtis had...

Not sure what's happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Mysterious Traveller gets. Mysterious Traveller simply put is one of their best CDs to date. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn't a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it's own. Mysterious Traveller is a nicely varied, mix of 7 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly gifted musicians. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind...

The exceptionally talented Pop artist Robert Wyatt has released him CD entitled Cuckooland. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Robert Wyatt fans, and Pop fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Cuckooland Robert Wyatt's artistic excellence is on full display as Wyatt has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date. Cuckooland launches with a great track, Just A Bit, that I suspect will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It's a really nice track. One of the nicer things about a CD like this is when the talent is this rich even if Pop isn't your favorite style you still can't help...

I can describe the latest release from Contemporary Country sensation Randy Travis for you with just one word... Outstanding! It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it's own. These days it's a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs. If you're a Randy Travis fan this is a CD your collection flat cannot be without. In fact, this is one of those CDs that you don...

Marion Meadows, the richly talented Smooth Jazz artist has released his latest album titled Next To You and Wow! It's really a good one. I wish it weren't the case but, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Next To You. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish. The nice thing about a CD like this is when the talent is this rich even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite style you still can't help but appreciate the greatness of the artist. Overall Next To You is excellent...

Not sure what's happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Between Us gets. Between Us stated simply is one of Steve Cole's best CDs to date. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn't a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all. Between Us is a nicely varied, mix of 10 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly superb artist. The nice thing about a CD like this is when the talent is this rich even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite genre you still can't help but...

Not sure what's happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Under The Table and Dreaming gets. Under The Table and Dreaming stated simply is one of their best CDs to date. Under The Table and Dreaming opens with an outstanding track, The Best Of What's Around, that I suspect will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It really is a very nice track. Under The Table and Dreaming is a pleasantly varied, mix of 12 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly talented musicians. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can...

I can describe the latest release from Jazz sensation Wayman Tisdale for you with just one word... Outstanding! It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn't a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all. One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you've got one of Wayman Tisdale's most impressive releases ever. If you're even mildly into Jazz music you'll enjoy this CD. Overall In The Zone is...

The exceptionally talented Jazz artist Billy Cobham has released him CD entitled Total Eclipse. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Billy Cobham fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Total Eclipse Billy Cobham's artistic excellence is on full display as Cobham has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn't a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all. One of the...

I can describe the latest release from Smooth Jazz sensation Rippingtons for you with just one word... Outstanding! It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it's own. Black Diamond has a nicely varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly outstanding artist. One of the really nice things about a CD like this is with this level of talent even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite genre you still can't help but appreciate...

Build a contact base of other meeting professionals, suppliers, vendors and angels you can call on at the last minute to help you out. Wholesale suppliers of clip-on sunglasses, generally limit their customer base to retailers only, but sometimes they will offer discounts to individuals looking to buy many pairs at once. Some suppliers also sell vintage saxophones that are repaired and in good condition. In the bad old days, suppliers were the purveyors of knowledge and customers were at their mercy when making purchase decisions. Here's how companies of any size can start to save money by looking for bartering opportunities with their suppliers...Barter Rule 1: Virtually anything your company pays...

'Champian: Vocalist/Pianist Champian Fulton With David Berger & the Sultans of Swing'; City Hall Records This is an enjoyable romp through a bountiful 14 songs ranging from classic (Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things") to now-obscure pop (Billy Reid's "The Gypsy") to original (Berger and Hendricks's "Never-The-Less"). Berger's band has a lot of punch within the precisely controlled and intimate framework of his sharp arrangements, which wonderfully highlight Fulton, an early twentysomething with a musicality and sophisticated delivery that belie her tender age. A native of Norman, Oklahoma, Fulton was influenced early on by her jazz trumpeter father, Stephen, and his musician friends, among...

Duke Ellington Starring in “The Evolution of Jazz” Duke Ellington is considered to be one of the greatest figures in the history of American music. Edward Kennedy 'Duke' Ellington was born in Washington D.C. on April 29, 1899. His parents were James Edward and Daisy Kennedy Ellington. They raised Duke as an only child, until his sister, Ruth, was born when Duke was sixteen years old. Duke, even as a teenager had a great talent for music. In the beginning of his musical life, Duke began to take a promising interest in a new type of music that would later be called jazz. Choosing to base his career on a new idea may not have been smart, but Duke did take this chance and in turn became one of the...

"If you don't like what's happening in your life, change your mind." --The Dalai Lama There's a new event in the neighborhood. Every day around 3:30 pm, a neighbor with a new drum set begins practicing -- at full volume. The drummer must be on his deck or screened porch, because there doesn't seem to be any buffer. Sometimes he practices with a background tape turned up as loudly as I imagine it can be. The combined effect is a bit like Jimi Hendrix on a very bad day and is hard to ignore, especially on warm days when my windows are open. As I sit at my home office computer, trying to compose sage advice, some days I have to concentrate pretty hard. The music is so loud neighbors three blocks away...

Have you always harbored a secret desire to learn to play electric guitar, but have never really gotten around to actually doing it? Like many of us, you may have too many excuses why you can't learn the electric guitar. Perhaps you're too old, or too busy, or even too poor to afford lessons. The truth is, any of these excuses can certainly be good enough to keep you away from learning a new skill. But does the fact that you're ignoring a challenge and a desire from deep within make you want to put forth the extra effort - and learn to play electric guitar? Maybe you feel that you're just not skilled enough to take up a musical instrument at this point in your life. Sure, it would have been easier...