Best of 2011

Here's a list of the best smooth jazz songs from the releases of 2011. Once again a reminder that these are not compiled from any sales charts or the suchlike, but these are the top 25 songs according to me. Album of the year has to go to Euge Groove for S7ven Large:

1. The Rippingtons – Bandol
2. Euge Groove – S7ven Large
3. Player A – Coming On
4. Boney James – Contact
5. Larry Carlton – I’ll Be Around
6. Richard Elliot - Panamera
7. Jessy J – Meant To Be
8. Acoustic Alchemy – Marcus
9. Euge Groove – Love Wont Let Me Wait
10. Neamen Lyles – Who Dat
11. Paul Hardcastle – Night Time Hustle
12. George Benson – My Cherie Amour
13. Euge Groove – To The Nines
14. Craig Sharmat – Something About You
15. Cindy Bradley – You Don’t Know What Love Is
16. Kool & Klean – I Smile
17. Richard Elliot – Metropolis
18. Neamen Lyles – Remember The Time
19. Euge Groove – Track 01
20. Acoustic Alchemy – Swamp Top
21. Boney James - Spin
22. Kim Waters - Heart Seeker
23. Maysa – Have Sweet Dreams
24. Jessy J with Paul Brown – Remember The Night
25. Nick Colionne – Windy Dance

And just in case you missed the rundown on the Live Show today. Here's the archive of it.

The SKY fm Smooth Jazz Sunday Live Show on livestream.com.

Oli Silk at Pizza Express Jazz Club This Weekend.

Only 4 days to go...




Book Now! SKY.fm/events

Here's one from Euge.

Recorded at Pizza Express.



Oli Silk next weekend.

http://www.sky.fm/events

Euge Groove currently rocking the UK

We're about midway through the UK mini tour with Euge Groove. Since last Friday he's been seriously rocking the house at Pizza Express Jazz club. There are still two nights to go there and then it's on to the Stables in Milton Keynes for Friday Night.

If you've not caught Euge's show yet then you should make a date for one of the remaining nights before you miss out.

Details and booking links on the SKY fm Events page.

Smooth Jazz 24/7 now live!

It's Tuesday. Launch day! And SKY fm's newest channel is on the air. Smooth Jazz 24/7 is now broadcasting and with an impressive line up of presenters.

And today we have two special guest presenters as well, so tune in at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific to hear Oli Silk's first ever stint as a radio jock. And at 3pm Eastern/12 Noon Pacific Dave Koz takes the chair for two hours.

Links for listening are available on the SKY.fm Homepage, and also on the Smooth Jazz 24/7 website.

You can also get the new channel and all of your smooth jazz radio favorites on your iPhone, Android or Blackberry with the Sky.fm Apps.

Press Release - Announcing a new radio channel at SKY fm

On Tuesday June 7th SKY.fm will launch a fourth smooth jazz channel to its existing line-up, entitled Smooth Jazz 247.

The playlist will be a compilation of the best material from Sky's other three smooth jazz channels, but with the addition of presenters throughout much of the day, including guest artist presenters from the world of smooth jazz.

SKY are hoping that the new channel will appeal to people who have lost their local smooth jazz station in the last year or two. The addition of presenters should provide a station sound that will be more familiar to US based terrestrial smooth jazz radio fans.

Many of the industry's top names have kindly provided some liners to help make things sound a little more personal than traditional Internet Radio fare and the whole delivery is designed to be very free flowing.

Expect further announcements over the coming weekend with regard to presenters and line-ups for the coming week. To keep on top of things, please follow the Smooth Jazz 247 Twitter and Facebook pages.

Brian Culbertson Sells Out The UK

Less than a fortnight to go until Brian Culbertson arrives for a series of shows on British soil, and already there's hardly a spare seat to be had at Pizza Express Jazz Club in London. Of all of the shows there, only Monday 9th May now has seats available.

There are still some seats to be had for the performances at The Stables in Milton Keynes on Wednesday 11th May and Pizza Express in Maidstone on Thursday 12th May, but don't delay if you want to catch Brian in the UK. Booking links and availability can be found on the SKY.fm Events Page.

Meanwhile here's an opportunity to capture that Pizza Express atmosphere with a video from the recent visit from Rick Braun & Richard Elliot.

Brian Culbertson Returns To The UK

It was just under a year ago now that Brian Culbertson made his first return to the UK in 10 years at Pizza On The Park in Knightsbridge The venue has since ceased to be, and whilst anyone who attended any of Brian's shows will tell you that he brought the house down, it wasn't literal. It was the end of the lease that saw off Pizza On The Park in the end.

The good news is that Brian is coming back in early May to play at a number of venues including Pizza Express Jazz Club, The Stables in Milton Keynes and Pizza Express in Maidstone. He'll be bringing along his father Jim Culbertson to play trumpet. The rest of the line up is Andy Whitmore (also on keyboards), Marc Parnell (drums), Otto Williams (bass) and Derek Nash (sax).

Tickets are already on sale. In fact, at the time of writing the early show on Saturday at Pizza Express Jazz Club is sold out, and the Friday and Sunday shows aren't far behind. So if you want to be sure of catching Brian's amazing show, then visit The SKY.fm Events Page for details of all dates and venues plus booking links and box office telephone numbers.

Rick Braun & Richard Elliot In The UK

There's only a week to go now until Rick Braun and Richard Elliot return to rock the UK for a 7 day mini tour. Last year's visit was a jaw dropping exprerience so if you missed it then you should definitely make a date for this time around.

The guys start at Pizza Express Jazz Club in London on Thursday March 3rd, and continue for another 6 shows in 5 nights until Tuesday 8th March. They finish up on Thursday 10th March at The Stables in Milton Keynes.

Seats are all on sale now and can be booked through The SKY fm Events Page. Alternatively you can book for Pizza Express on 020 7439 4962 and for The Stables on 01908 280 800.

Rick & Richard will be joined by Simply Red's Mark Jaimes on guitar, Andy Whitmore on keyboards, Frank Felix on bass and Marc parnell on drums.

Still not convinced? Take a look at a clip from last year...

Marc Antoine & Paul Brown in the UK

Smooth jazz returns to Pizza Express Jazz Club in London tomorrow when Paul Brown and Marc Antoine take up residency for 5 nights.

They started out at the Maidstone branch of Pizza Express last weekend and continue with six shows (2 on Saturday) at the London Jazz Club.

Joining them will be Oli Silk on keyboards, Otto Williams on bass and Tony Mason on drums. The Saturday night early show is sold out but currently there are seats available for all other shows. Call 020 7439 4962 or book online here.

The Best of 2010

Here's the list the best songs of 2010, as broadcast on the live show on Sunday 2nd january 2011.

Please note that these are not based on sales or requests. They are my choices. You won't be surprised to learn that I thought that Brian Simpson's "South Beach" was the album of the year:


1.Brian Simpson – Our Love
2.Renato Falaschi (w. Rocco Ventrella) – Waiting In Vain
3.Brian Culbertson – That's Life
4.Jonathan Butler – Make Room For Me
5.Marc Antoine – Dreamer
6.Dave Koz – This Guy's In Love With You
7.Brian Simpson – Lay It On Me
8.Oli Silk – All We Need
9.Fourplay – Love TKO
10.Norman Brown – Thinking About You
11.Brian Simpson – All I Want Is You
12.Oli Silk – Latin Haze
13.Brian Culbertson – It's Time
14.Paul Brown – Sugar Fish
15.Dave Koz – Anything's Possible
16.Brian Simpson – South Beach
17.Marc Antoine - Carmen B
18.Jazzmasters – Touch And Go
19.Paul Brown - Right Back At Ya
20.Jonathan Fritzen – Dance With Me
21.Fourplay – Pineapple Getaway
22.Andrea Razzauti – Black Sand
23.Chris Standring – Stop This Train
24.Jonathan Fritzen – Feeling The Groove
25.Steve Oliver – Global Kiss
26.Nils – Sara Smile
27.Jaared – Dancing With You
28.Jonathan Fritzen – Fly Away
29.Steve Oliver – Fun In The Sun
30.Mezzoforte – Wandering Soul