"Here's Love" by Liz Allen Hope (Jazz Artist from Georgia(GA))

RadioIndy is pleased to present Liz Allen Hope with a GrIndie Award for their CD "Here's Love"

 

"Here's Love" by Liz Allen Hope is an inspirational smooth jazz album driven by Liz's soulful R&B vocals. Together with her saxophonist/flautist husband Paul Hope, Liz brings you a classic contemporary sound and soothing vocal melodies. The arrangements are complementary to Liz's outstanding and soothing vocals, and very relaxing. With a band of seasoned veterans, this album is truly solid. The professional production allows the fine instrumentation to nicely cut through in the recording. Highlights are "You Can't Run From Love" with a great hook and sweet backing vocals. "Escalady" is not only Liz's nickname, it is a grooving little Samba. "I've Got Something For You" features some beautiful guitar work, a strong vocal performance and a catchy chorus. If you enjoy smooth jazz and artists such as Sade and Anita Baker, you'll enjoy this CD.

-William and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Liz Allen Hope's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

"Soul Collective" by Bradley Leighton (Jazz Artist from California(CA))

RadioIndy is pleased to present Bradley Leighton with a GrIndie Award for their CD "Soul Collective"

 

"Soul Collective" by Bradley Leighton is a smooth jazz fusion album with groove and an upbeat flair. The arrangements are solid and very active. There is quite a lot going on in every song and yet it all comes together. The musiciansship throughout is outstanding. The sax and flute work in particular on this album really stand out, playing quite well off each other. The production on the CD gives an excellent classic smooth jazz sound. Highlights are "Cafe' Con Leche" with Latin elements in the percussion and a vibe that makes you feel like you are walking on clouds. "Ode to Billy Joe" has a funky bassline, mellow flute and nice accentual elements. "Undercover" is one of the strongest arrangements and features some fantastic guitar work. If you enjoy smooth jazz and listening to outstanding jazz musicians, you'll love this CD.

-William and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Bradley Leighton's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

“Harmon Nicks” by Sean Garvey (Jazz Artist from San Francisco, California(CA))

RadioIndy is pleased to present Sean Garvey with a GrIndie Award for their CD "Harmon Nicks"

 

"Harmon Nicks" by Sean Garvey highlights Sean's amazingly innovative acoustic guitar style. Althought the acoustic guitar work on this CD is mesmerizing and complex, the songs are very enjoyable from a casual listeners perspective. The CD is filled with innovative acoustic guitar work and a nice variety of style. The CD makes us wonder why more of us don't use non-standard acoustic guitar tuning. The simple production nicely allows the intricate sounds of the acoustic guitar to shine through in the recording. "The Waltz of the Caterpillar" is a quick moving, upbeat composition to get the heart started. "Gravity" does what one would expect. It tends to center the fabric of the CD with strength and vitality. The strong finger work on "Salvia Envelope" displays Sean's impressive talent. This CD is a great selection for anyone who enjoys acoustic guitar music.

-Lea & The RadioIndy Team

Check out Sean Garvey's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

“Maria Manna” by Maria Manna (Jazz Artist from British Columbia, Canada)

RadioIndy is pleased to present Maria Manna with a GrIndie Award for their CD "Maria Manna"

 

"Maria Manna" is a wonderful display of Maria's sensuous vocals on some great standards. This is a gentle and versatile presentation of old standards. Using variety of tempo and interpretation with the songs of a simpler age gives this CD a special quality. Maria's vocal talents shine through on the CD, and are nicely accompanied by exceptional back-up musicians. The piano and sax interlude on "Candy" add much to the mood of moonlight and flowers. The upbeat and syncopated jazz style of "Bye Bye Blackbird" nicely accentuates the talent of this remarkable vocalist and the accompanying musicians. From jazz, to the Latin rhythms and sensual love songs displayed on this CD, the musical variety makes the CD more interesting from a listener's perspective, and demonstrates the impressive flexibility and versatility of Maria's vocals. If you enjoy listening to beautiful renditions of old classics on a romantic evening, this is a perfect CD to add to your collection. -L. Plumier and the RadioIndy Reviewer Team
Check out Maria Manna's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

“Looking Forward to Remembering the Future” by Stanley Sagov (Jazz Artist from Boston, Massachusetts(MA))

RadioIndy is pleased to present Stanley Sagov with a GrIndie Award for their CD "Looking Forward to Remembering the Future"

 

"Looking Forward to Remembering the Future" by Stanley Sagov is a soothing and serene collection of jazz tunes that demonstrate an intricate exploration of versatility. This album is exceptionally unique, and thereby irresistible. These compositions stretch the boundaries of traditional jazz forms with their fluid, ever-changing natures and use of ambient sounds. This is especially notable in "Falling With Didgeridoo." Moreover, the variety and intricacy of the individual musicians on "Friday Night At The Cadillac Club" denotes the highly-skilled and innovative instrumentation that is not easy to duplicate. The piano work on "2 Chord, Toobad" is strong and forceful. This song also flaunts some great trumpet and sax solos and duos. "Hope For Peace Piece" slows things down a bit and exudes a heavenly piano intro. Furthermore, "Stanley's Kwela" adds a light Latin jazz flavor, giving a glimpse of the versatility of these accomplished musicians. Topped with unmatched production, this CD is a must-have for the jazz enthusiasts.

-Lea & The RadioIndy Team
Check out Stanley Sagov's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

"Light and Darkness" by Ivan Valentini (Jazz Artist from Italy)

RadioIndy is pleased to present Ivan Valentini with a GrIndie Award for their CD "Light and Darkness"

 

"Light and Darkness" by Ivan Valentini is a fresh contemporary jazz album that gives your body and mind a workout. The arrangements are unique, mixing traditional Jazz elements with "outside the box" type soloing. The vibe of the album is very mystical and a bit haunting. There is intense and nicely restrained power about it. The album is also packed full of great performances. The musicians are truly top notch. The clarity of the recording is excellent, allowing the instruments to clearly cut through in the recording. Highlights are "Sottane Emiliane" with harrowing strings, eerie Sax and obscure changes. "Linda's Mood" is gorgeously dark and cinematic, with an offbeat rhythm and beautiful strings. "Riflessi di Viloa" is upbeat and driving, with some great guitar, string and Sax work. If you like experimental jazz and listening to musicians who are masters of their instruments, you should pick up a copy of this CD.

-William and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Ivan Valentini's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

“Changes” by Robert Payne (Jazz Artist from South Africa)

RadioIndy is pleased to present Robert Payne with a GrIndie Award for their CD "Changes"

 

"Changes" by Robert Payne is a jazz CD that demonstrate's Robert's exceptional talent and versatility. Taking center stage on this CD is Rober's virtuoso jazz piano skills. Robert nicely changes his style on different tracks throughout the CD. Regardless of the style, his piano work makes for great listening. The production and recording quality are excellent, allowing the outstanding individual instrumental work to cut through the recording clearly. This is truly a rare experience. Each instrument is nicely highlighted in the recording, for instance the flute in "Satisfy your Soul." The Sax solo in "Diminished Dreams" pulls and draws energy from the surrounding drums and keyboard. The piano work displayed in "Realization" is exquisite and followed in that selection by an impressive sax solo. If you enjoy listening to master musicians showcase their talents into finely crafted tracks, you'll enjoy this excellent jazz CD.

-Lea & The RadioIndy Team
Check out Robert Payne's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites