Andy Narell

Phil Sheeran proclaims himself a "fingerstyle guitarist" in the liner notes to Orchid, and he gives those agile digits quite a workout even on the more low-key tunes which reflect his intention to create a mood recording. With Sheeran, there is always more than meets the eye - just as he eases our expectations into complacency with gentle declarations like "In My Heart" (on which he and flutist Brandon Fields tease each other back and forth over a swaying percussion groove), he heads for the tropics or does the B.B. King thing ("She Likes the Blues"), all to explosive effect. "Sacred Ground" combines the island panning of Andy Narell, the Native American bamboo flute musings of Richard Warner and Sheeran's own darker acoustic guitar tones - all over Harvey Mason's slick rhythmic pockets. Then "Jungle" finds Sheeran at a unique crossroads - his guitar is gentle but Eric Marienthal's alto fires up over a mix of live Mason and spunky hip-hop machinery.

The music on A Quiet Revolution is sorted by general style, not chronologically. Discs 1 and 2, Elements and Peace, focus more on the label's pastoral textures, and disc 3 (Artistry) explores more ambitious or ensemble pieces. Disc 4 (Excursions) might be viewed by some long-time fans as "Wayward Hill," with its assortment of latter-day vocal stylings and traces of smooth jazz.

Truly one of the greatest 'modern' jazz albums. The album is filled with with wonderfully energetic music. 'Johnny Cat', the song that has gotten air time in local San Francisco Bay Area radio stations was the most popular song, but moody songs like 'In a Low Voice' really show the talents of these well known artists in this genre. I just hit the repeat button for hours to listen to my favorite song on this CD: 'Novato'. Steve Smith is amazingly talented and the talent that he assembles for this album is most impressive.

After an almost-two-year hiatus from the charts, the Queen of Soul returned in style with three Billboard R&B Top Ten singles, including the number one smash hit "Freeway of Love," which featured a festive rhythm arrangement, an electric sax solo by Clarence Clemons, and Aretha Franklin's lively vocals. It held the number one spot for five straight weeks. The title track, "Who's Zoomin' Who," has a sputtering bassline and chiming keyboards augmented by Franklin's soulful delivery, and her improvised ad libs are laudable, to say the least. The single peaked at number two for four consecutive weeks. She had another Top Ten hit with "Another Night," a midtempo number with a light rock feel.

2007 release from U-Nam, the French guitarist with a unique name and an acrobatic, soulful and sweet melodic style. Back From the 80's finely crafted music is firmly rooted in funky smooth Jazz but crossing into genres as excitingly diverse as R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop, Rock and Chill. This remarkable album offers fresh versions of classic and lesser-known gems from the `80's. But even more remarkable are U-Nam's brand-new songs inspired by his favorite songs from the decade. The CD gets a boost from the musical stylings of U-Nam's musical partner, Frank Sitbon, who co-wrote some tunes, played keyboards and sang background vocals.

When Dave Samuels first formed the Caribbean Jazz Project with, at that time, Paquito D'Rivera and Andy Narell, it was an extension of his own studies in Latin jazz that had been part of his music - both solo and with Spyro Gyra – since the mid-'70s. After two albums with the first team, the Project was set aside for other gigs. During this time, Samuels kindled musical friendships with flutist Dave Valentin and guitarist Steve Khan, and Samuels got excited about the possibility of playing off of a traditional Latin instrument – flute and the guitar, which wasn't.