HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Happy New Decade !

Imagine someone telling you, ten years ago, that you'd soon be listening to your favorite music on Internet Radio. That you'd be able to program that music yourself (pausing so you don't miss a note, clicking to skip a song you don't want to hear). That there'd only be a couple of commercials per hour. That all of that would be possible was just a dream ten years ago.

Now, it's a dream come true! ChiTown Smooth Jazz has brought all of that (and more) into your life.

The imaginative staff at ChiTown Smooth Jazz is dedicated to exploring future innovations. The possibilities are limitless. Making your musical dreams come true is our goal.

Everyone at ChiTown Smooth Jazz wishes you a Happy, Healthy, Smooth Jazzy New Year !

Yours Smoothly,
Danae Alexander

The Only Constant is Change

If there's one thing that's true about radio, it's that you seldom get to say goodbye. For instance, in my life I've worked at seven stations and never been given the chance to do a last show. Management just doesn't like the “final show” idea.

That is why AccuRadio, Inc., the company behind ChiTownSmoothJazz.com, is a business unlike any other I've encountered in my career in broadcasting, and it's entirely in a good way. Take, for example, the fact that they're allowing me the chance to put up this final blog, knowing it's my opportunity to say goodbye.

Recently, I received an offer to program and host the midday show on WLFM 87.7, the over-the-air radio station which replaced WNUA 95.5 as Chicago's Smooth Jazz station this past May. The opportunity was, quite simply, too good to pass up.

My voice and name will slowly disappear from this site over the next few weeks. However, because of a unique arrangement between my current and future bosses, I will continue to work on the music at ChiTownSmoothJazz. I will still be here but behind the scenes, making sure the music remains true to our original vision for the site when it was launched this past June. ChiTownSmoothJazz.com isn't going away. And, of course, Danae Alexander will continue to be the familiar, welcoming voice that invites you into just about every channel here.

Last but definitely not least, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to every listener who's discovered us during the past six months. The support and encouragement Kurt Hanson, President of Accuradio, and I received along the way were remarkable and indicated to us that we were doing something right. You made the entire endeavor worthwhile. The countless emails, phone calls and comments in they take each one seriously.

Thank you for listening. To you and your family, we wish you all the blessings of a wonderful holiday season.

Rick O'Dell

Operations Manager – Smooth Jazz

Rick@accuradio.com

The Smooth Groove Christmas Show Next Sunday

Bryan Lubeck is one of the most underrated musicians in Chicagoland. If you've seen him in action at, say, Walter Payton's Roundhouse in Aurora or "Smooth Jazz at South Shore" in Michigan City, Indiana, over the years, you know the depth of this man's talent. Most of us, however, have never had the pleasure of being there when Bryan has strapped on his six-string. Now, here's your chance, this coming Sunday, December 13.

Bryan will be performing his annual "Smooth Groove Christmas Show" in Merrillville, Indiana, at the Merrillville United Methodist Church, at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are only $15 at the door.

All proceeds will be donated to Bryan's annual charity effort, "Coats for Kids and Families," which has already given away more than 1,100 coats to needy area residents.

ChiTownSmoothJazz is proud to feature Bryan Lubeck on our "Smooth Jazz Christmas" and "Christmas Instrumentals" channels with his music on the stellar holiday CD, We Three Strings.

SIMPLE PLEASURES

Ever since I can remember, my two sisters and I were given identical "nighties" to wear on Christmas Eve. I realize now how very wise my Mother was to give us something to look forward to on the eve of the BIG DAY. It was a wonderful distraction that helped to dissolve some of the angst we felt over that "naughty and nice list" thing.

Even though our parents are no longer with us, we have kept the tradition going. We each take a turn providing the "nighties" for Christmas. Over time the family has expanded ( marriages, children ) so the "nighties" have evolved into T/sweat shirts with a theme. We've let our creativity flow turning what was an adorable yearly photo-op of three little girls into a group of ten holiday revelers trying to stop laughing long enough to even take a photo!

It's my turn this year and I've just put the finishing touches on ten T-shirts. The theme is.....
oh, I forgot it's TOP SECRET....that's part of the fun. No one can see them until Christmas Eve.
I have to confess that, although I'm a "grown up", the level of excitement my Mother initiated years ago still exists.

I shared this with you to let you know that, in the midst of the current economy where everyone is cutting back, holding on to a simple, inexpensive tradition can turn frowns into smiles and warm family memories.

Wishing you the happiness that simple pleasures bring this holiday season and always.

Sincerely,
Danae Alexander

An Evening with Ramsey Lewis

It's been years since Ramsey Lewis and his Trio performed their "Home for the Holidays" series at a downtown venue (how I miss that!), so we'll take Ramsey live any way we can get him in the month of December. Ramsey will be performing a benefit concert for the Supporting Excellence Endowment tonight, Friday, December 4, at the UIC Forum.

For tickets and information, click here.

Nominees for the 52nd Grammy Awards

We applaud these ChiTownSmoothJazz artists on their Grammy nominations announced yesterday:

Chris Botti - In Boston (Best Pop Instrumental Album & Best Long Form Music Video)

Hiroshima - Legacy (Best Pop Instrumental Album)

Booker T. Jones - Potato Hole (Best Pop Instrumental Album)

The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman - Modern Art (Best Pop Instrumental Album)

Spyro Gyra - Down the Wire (Best Pop Instrumental Album)

Beyonce - "At Last" (Best Traditional R&B Performance)

Jim Brickman - Faith (Best New Age Album)

Philippe Saisse - At World's Edge (Best Contemporary Jazz Album)

Randy Crawford & Joe Sample - No Regrets (Best Jazz Vocal Album)

The winners will be announced Sunday, January 31, 2010. The full list of nominees is available here.

Congratulations to our Dave Koz Christmas Concert Ticket Winners

Each of these loyal ChiTownSmoothJazz listeners be joining us Saturday night at the Auditorium Theater for Dave's reunion Christmas tour:

Nakiah Brown

Leanne Delia

Teresita Dinnsen

Kinnin Flores

Enya Masangkay

Yolanda Sartin

For your tickets and more information on the show, please click here.

It's Christmas Time in the City (and Suburbs)

These perennial Chicagoland favorites ought to take the edge off holiday season stress:

Daley Plaza in the Loop invites children to bring their holiday wish lists and have their picture taken with Santa at their Santa House while mom and dad stroll the annual Christkindlmarket through December 24. More information here.

Adler Planetarium presents its final "Star of Wonder" through January 3rd.

Brookfield Zoo's 28th annual "Holiday Magic" runs weekends in December.

Lincoln Park Zoo presents "ZooLights" with free admission through January 3rd.

The Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe features the Wonderland Express and miniature Chicago landmarks through January 3rd.

The Promenade Bolingbrook presents "Symphony in Lights," 250,000 LED lights synchronized to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, through December 31.

Navy Pier presents "Winter Wonderfest" every day beginning December 4th.

Win Tickets to "Dave Koz & Friends: A Smooth Jazz Christmas" from ChiTownSmoothJazz!

Santa Koz is Coming to Town December 5 at the Auditorium Theatre

ChiTownSmoothJazz has six pairs of tickets we're giving away next week. To enter, send us an email to Rick@accuradio.com with the following:

1. Your name and daytime phone number.

2. "Dave Koz Concert" in the subject line of your email.

We'll select six entries at random with each winner receiving two tickets to the concert. Entry deadline is Tuesday, December 1, 2009. (To enter by mail, send a postcard with your name, address and daytime phone number to:

Dave Koz Concert

ChiTownSmoothJazz.com

400 North Wells, Suite 408

Chicago, IL 60654)

To purchase tickets to the show, click here.

You won't want to miss the show. Dave will be appearing with the original lineup from his first Smooth Jazz Christmas tour back in 1998: pianist David Benoit, guitarist Peter White, trumpeter Rick Bran and singer Brenda Russell. It promises to be a wonderful, festive night.

Traveling Music

One of our loyal listeners, “SaxFan” in Louisville, Kentucky, asked in the Shoutbox last week for a few CDs which would make for good listening during those long holiday driving trips. In the car I prefer a CD that has decent energy and a fair amount of hit material. Here are a few that I've always enjoyed listening to through the years while we made our way over the river and through the woods:

Acoustic Alchemy – Reference Point (GRP)

David Benoit – Best of, 1987-1995 (GRP)

Chris Botti – The Very Best of Chris Botti (GRP)

Boney James – Sweet Thing (Warner Bros.)

Jazzmasters – The Greatest Hits (Trippin' 'n' Rhythm)

Joe Sample – Spellbound (Warner Bros.)

And some festive holiday season fare:

The Very Best of Christmas (new release for 2009) (Trippin' 'n' Rhythm)

Making Spirits Bright (featuring G. Albright, R. Elliot, D. Krall and more) (GRP)

Vince Guaraldi – A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy)

Boney James – Christmas Present (Concord)

Diana Krall – Christmas Songs (Verve)

Dave Koz & Friends – A Smooth Jazz Christmas (Capitol)

Eric Tingstad & Nancy Rumbel – The Gift (Narada)

Peter White – Songs of the Season (Columbia)

Have I left out anything? Drop me a note (Rick@accuradio.com; I'm also on Facebook), and I'll add your suggestions to the list.

Rick O'Dell

Operations Manager – ChiTownSmoothJazz.com

Win a Gift Pack of The Year's Best New Releases

We're giving away holiday gift packs featuring the year's best new releases in Smooth Jazz. Included among the CDs in each gift pack is my pick for the year's finest new holiday CD, The Very Best of Christmas on Trippin' 'n' Rhythm Records.

The Very Best of Christmas features Paul Hardcastle, Tim Bowman, Gregg Karukas, U-Nam, Oli Silk and others performing our favorite songs this time of year.

To enter, it's very simple. All you have to do is send me an email to Rick@accuradio.com. Please include:

1. Your name.

2. Your email address. (And we'll never sell your email address to a third party.)

3. Where you listen to ChiTownSmoothJazz.com.

(You can also enter by regular mail with a letter or postcard to: Rick O'Dell, ChiTownSmoothJazz, 400 North Wells, Suite 408, Chicago, IL 60654.)

We'll select winners at random starting soon.

What's New at ChiTownSmoothJazz.com

Just added to the ChiTownSmoothJazz.com playlist:

Cindy Bradley - "Bloom"

CD: Bloom (Trippin' 'n' Rhythm)

Smooth Jazz has always suffered from a shortage of talented women musicians, so it's a treat to introduce this Buffalo-born trumpeter on her major label debut.

Craig Chaquico - "Songbird"

CD: Follow the Sun (Shanachie)

Yes, it's the melody made famous by Kenny G, a tune that's become a standard of Smooth Jazz. For the first time, we get to hear a guitar playing the lead. Much like Paul Brown's take on "Winelight" and Norman Brown's read on "Skating," the effect is ear-catching.

Paul Hardcastle - "The Circle"

CD - The Collection (Trippin' 'n' Rhythm)

Paul's son, Paul Jr., who up to this point has been featured occasionally on his father's CDs only in the liner notes, steps forward to make a statement of his own--on saxophone. That's the younger Paul Hardcastle making a memorable first impression playing all the sax solos.

Everette Harp - "Texas Groove"

CD - First Love (Shanachie)

Doing a little "background check" on the big man, I was stunned to learn this is his 17th year in Smooth Jazz, his debut coming in 1992. Since then, he's lost a ponytail but gained a consistently powerful tone that cuts through on his ninth CD.

Brian McKnight - "What I've Been Waiting For"

CD - Evolution of a Man (Koch)

He's no longer just a smooth crooner. Add in a successful morning show on radio (KTWV/Los Angeles) and his new "Brian McKnight Show" on TV, and you've got a multi-media star in full bloom.

Enjoy!

Rick O'Dell

Operations Manager - ChiTownSmoothJazz.com (Rick@accuradio.com)

A Smooth Jazz Christmas Your Way

If 22 years of playing Christmas music have taught us anything, it's this: listeners take it very seriously. People absolutely know what they like when it comes to the music of the holiday season. Requests start coming in as early as mid-October, and they don't stop until about the time the final present is unwrapped Christmas day.

That's why, as we launch the first ever SMOOTH JAZZ CHRISTMAS channel at ChiTownSmoothJazz.com, we want to make sure we're doing it right. When you have a moment, please consider these questions:

What are your favorite holiday songs?

Which ones should we absolutely add to our Christmas music channel?

At the same time, which Christmas songs should we avoid playing?

Some titles and artists would be most helpful.

Drop us an email: Rick@accuradio.com.

We'll be incorporating your suggestions into Smooth Jazz Christmas this holiday season, and we'd really appreciate your input. Thanks!

Rick O'Dell & Danae Alexander - ChiTownSmoothJazz.com

Coming Soon . . .

. . . THE SMOOTH JAZZ CHRISTMAS CHANNEL

What's New at ChiTownSmoothJazz.com

Just added to the ChiTownSmoothJazz.com playlist:

Greg Adams - “Five to Eleven”

CD: East Bay Soul (Ripa)

If you were a fan of Tower of Power back in the day, you've been enjoying the music of Greg Adams for a long time, just as I have. Upon leaving the group he founded in 1995, the trumpeter and composer released a solo album that has become a Smooth Jazz standard: Hidden Agenda. His new CD, East Bay Soul, is his fifth solo project and embodies a little of everything he's capable of: urban rhythms, soulful ballads, a Tower of Power throwback track or two, and some tasty smooth jazz on “Five to Eleven.”

Ashling - “Jazzman”

CD: Sweet Feelings (SF)

This first generation Irish-Canadian was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, but has lived most of her life in San Francisco. Her solo debut features saxman Gerald Albright on the title track as well as the song you'll hear on ChiTownSmoothJazz, a fresh take on Carole King's 1974 hit. I've often wondered why no one else ever took a crack at this song, which seems to be right in the pocket both lyrically and texturally for Smooth Jazz.

The Sax Pack - “Can't Help Myself”

CD: The Pack is Back (Shanachie)

The trio doesn't miss a beat on their sophomore CD, bringing us a handful of energetic original tracks that pick up right where their first CD left off. When Steve Cole, Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters and company hit the road in support of the new release, try and catch them in action. It'll be an evening of unexpected pleasures, right down to the razor-sharp wit and humor of each of the three headliners.

Enjoy!

Rick O'Dell

Operations Manager - ChiTownSmoothJazz.com

From Rick's Smooth Jazz Notebook

As I put the finishing touches this week on the music for the new Sunday Brunch channel, thoughts were popping into my head left and right. Since I know many of you go way back with me when it comes to Smooth Jazz, I'll share with you what I was thinking as I uploaded one vintage track after another into our online music library.

• There's an awful lot of darn good instrumental music from the late '80s and early '90s that doesn't get any kind of airplay anymore. I can understand that over-the-air radio has given up on it, what with the sad state of Smooth Jazz on terrestrial radio. But it's scarce on the internet too, and there's no reason for that. That's why I had to bring back the Sunday Brunch.
• Anyone out there remember the group Uncle Festive? They were Barry Manilow's touring band in the '70s and '80s and, with crowds going wild for Barry, they even had their own fan club. By the middle 1980s, the quartet was performing on its own. Drummer Bud Harner went onto become one of the leading record reps in Smooth Jazz.
• A listener once described Lonnie Liston Smith's “Quiet Moments” to me as “the national anthem of Smooth Jazz.” Indeed, it embodies everything we love about the genre. But another tune of Lonnie's, “London Interlude” is, to my ears, equally mesmerizing and a vastly underrated track.
• I know we liked going deep into CDs when the format started, but Horizont's Silent Moon was exceptional, even for that era. When I got to the station in 1989, WNUA was playing six tracks from it. You better believe I added all six to the Sunday Brunch channel.
• Between 1986 and 1992 Acoustic Alchemy did some unbelievably compelling stuff, making them one of the pillars of the “New Adult Contemporary” radio format, as it was called back then. Greg Carmichael and the late Nick Webb were creative geniuses at their peak. Today, their CDs of the period, such as Natural Elements and Reference Point, still hold up extremely well.
• On the other hand, some material from the early days of the format just doesn't hold up as well, mainly because it was poorly produced, sounding like it had been recorded in a garage. The New Adult Contemporary format in its early days had a reputation of playing just about everything that came its way, and sometimes it was to our detriment. If anything's changed from the late '80s, it's the production values.
• Smooth Jazz has more than its share of one-hit wonders, including a French keyboardist named Serge Blenner. Played for only a brief time on WNUA between 1987 and 1989, his “Love Talk” is unique for its use of a human laugh track. And he actually makes it work. Listen for it here.
• What was in the water up there in the Pacific Northwest? A large number of key artists in the early days of Smooth Jazz hailed from there: Kenny G., Jeff Lorber, Dan Siegel, Tom Grant, just to name a few.
• If any tune could ever be called “smoldering,” it's Santana's “Aqua Marine.” Speaking of Santana, another of his tracks from that time in his career, “Love Is You,” has to be one of the greatest rock-influenced instrumental melodies ever.
  

Have a track from the early days of Smooth Jazz that you find especially moving or interesting? Tell me about it, and I could add it to my Notebook and the Sunday Brunch channel. Drop me a line at this address: Rick@accuradio.com.

Congratulations, Pam and Jim!

When major characters on a TV show get married to each other, I've learned it's nothing to celebrate. Even as a nine-year-old, watching Maxwell Smart marry Agent 99 on the original Get Smart, I felt something wasn't quite right. The idea of a wedding didn't fit a show that had gotten me hooked because of its gadgets, secret agents and world takeover plots. And Get Smart is just one example. I can't think of a single show that got better after two of its main characters got married.

That being said, I'm strangely optimistic about tonight's episode of The Office, where we get to see Jim and Pam finally tie the knot. Maybe it's because it's totally believable--we've all seen an in-office romance or two blossom and go all the way to the altar, just as Jim and Pam's has. Maybe it's because their courtship was so charmingly, innocently depicted on screen during the first two seasons that I've been rooting for them ever since. Maybe it's because John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer are creating characters who are so much fun to watch on screen. Or maybe it's because they're headed down the path we knew they'd be going eventually, and once they do, we can move onto their next (mis)adventure.

Usually, when a show decides to weave a wedding into its plot lines, it's a sign that the well of creative inspiration is running dry. I don't think that's the case, however. Jim and Pam's big day makes a lot of sense, and it happens to be just the latest in a series of hilarious plot points in another strong season of The Office. I know what I'll be doing at 8:00 tonight. Don't call me then.

Our Music's Not a Priority to Big Radio

WVMV

1995-2009

Smooth Jazz lost another station this weekend. Detroit's WVMV, which had been around since December of 1995, switched to a Top 40 format this past Friday.

The owners of WVMV, CBS Radio, were quick to put a positive spin on the format change, issuing a statement on their website saying, “new media and new technologies have given us the chance to still keep this [smooth jazz] programming on the air.”

So, how will the format be kept on the air? “Get an HD receiver, and you'll still hear us.” Without an HD receiver, though, the only way to listen to WVMV will be their audio stream. And, be it HD Radio or internet, it'll be only the remnants of WVMV, because the station no longer features the full complement of announcers.

Moreover, when it comes to a radio format, do you know what being shifted over to HD radio means? It's the equivalent of “You get to keep your job, but we're transferring you to Nome, Alaska.” As a format, when you're sent off to HD land, it's all but over--HD is where radio formats go to die. So, “still being available on the air on HD radio” isn't exactly the gift you might think it is.

This isn't as much an indictment of how corporate radio operates as it is just another example of how little the Smooth Jazz fan means to them when it comes to over-the-air radio. They're in the business of making money, and they obviously don't believe Smooth Jazz is a moneymaker anymore. It's as simple as that.

Thankfully, we have internet radio riding to our rescue. As conventional over-the-air radio stations have dropped the Smooth Jazz format, internet radio has rushed in to fill the gap. As a result, Smooth Jazz fans have never had more and better choices than they do right now—on the internet. Think about it. Just a few years ago, if you were a listener of WVMV (or, here in Chicago, WNUA), that was the only station you could turn to for Smooth Jazz. If they were playing songs that weren't your cup of tea, well, you had no other station to switch to. These days, by listening on the internet, you give yourself choices. Lots of them. Twelve channel choices for Smooth Jazz here at ChiTownSmoothJazz.com, for example.

So I say, let Big Radio wipe Smooth Jazz off the face of the over-the-air radio dial. The listening's better—much better—here on the internet.

Koz Christmas Concert Tickets

Tickets are officially on sale for Dave Koz & Friends, A Smooth Jazz Christmas. Here's the link.

Dave's Christmas elves this year include David Benoit, Peter White, Rick Braun and Brenda Russell. We'll get to see them at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre on Saturday, December 5.

Smooth Jazz Q&A

The Inline Six

Lately I've heard some jazzy-sounding jingles playing in between songs on ChiTown. Were they done by Smooth Jazz musicians? (Lois - Brookfield, Ill.)

You could say that. They were composed and produced by a group called The Inline Six, a talented Chicago-based ensemble. Led by Jay Martini and Mitch Germaine, The Inline Six is as much at home creating jingles for ChiTown as they are playing impassioned renditions of smooth and "rough" jazz numbers, R&B, rock and blues.

They'll be in action next on Saturday, October 17, at Old Chicago/Elk Grove Village, 1000 Busse Road. And you can follow them on Facebook as "The Inline Six."

Is the Dave Koz and Friends Smooth Jazz Christmas concert all Christmas music? (Susan - Chicago, Ill.)

No. It's about 60% Christmas classics (along with Dave's spirited Hanukkah song) and 40% non-holiday tunes. The non-holiday material is made up of the Smooth Jazz hits by the individual performers in the band (Rick Braun, Peter White, David Benoit and Brenda Russell).

Dave and the band are able to move effortlessly from Christmas songs to non-Christmas songs and back in a show that's festive and fun from beginning to end.

Special pre-sale tickets are available through 10:00 pm tonight (Thursday, October 1) by clicking here. The official on-sale will be tomorrow morning (Friday, October 2) at 10:00am.