Bryan Loren

Halie Loren conceives a new style of jazz singer on her fourth album, After Dark. While the lively alto is not averse to putting her own stamp on evergreens like "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "In a Sentimental Mood," her conception also extends to songs borrowed from various branches of the pop/rock era including folk-rock singer/songwriters (Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" and Joni Mitchell's "Carey"), pop/R&B (Stevie Wonder's "Happier Than the Morning Sun"), and country-pop (Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe"). She is also willing to take on material closely associated with notable interpreters (Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Waters of March," Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose"), and to mix in the occasional composition of her own.

Guitarist/vocalist George Johnson and bassist/vocalist Louis Johnson formed the band Johnson Three Plus One with older brother Tommy and their cousin Alex Weir while attending school in Los Angeles. When they became professionals, the band backed such touring R&B acts as Bobby Womack and the Supremes. George and Louis Johnson later joined Billy Preston's band, and wrote "Music in My Life" and "The Kids and Me" for him before leaving his group in 1973.

This is one of the most beloved comtemporary jazz recordings that I own. I fell in love with JUST AN ILLUSION when it was first released, and because of that one song, I brought the cassette. LOVED IT! Years later, I found it in cd format and purchsed it again, only to have it taken from me. Came across it again and brought it. Now, it stays with me. The additional vocal performances by Jeffrey Osbourne, Will Downing, Freddie Jackson & Caron Wheeler, the instrumentals….everything just came together and fit perfectly. This is one of those cd's that can be played anywhere…at home while relaxing, in the car…just anywhere. This is a classic that smooth jazz fans will not forget.

When Rick James died of a heart attack on August 6, 2004 at the relatively young age of 56, some of his admirers were surprised that the funk/soul icon lived as long as he did. Saying that James, who spent a considerable amount of time in the fastest stretches of the fast lane, subjected his body to extensive abuse over the years would be an understatement. Regardless, James was a major talent – some of the most talented musicians are also among the most self-destructive – and his die-hard fans never quit hoping that he would eventually recapture the commercial and creative success he enjoyed during his late-'70s/early-'80s heyday. Recorded in 2003 and 2004 and released posthumously in May 2007, Deeper Still ended up being James' swan song.

Before Milwaukee-born singer/songwriter Eric Benét began his solo career and began his ascent to international recognition as a best-selling contemporary recording artist and performer, he was a member of a short-lived duo with his sister Lisa that was known simply as Benét. The duo released a CD on EMI Records in 1992 that has become a curio collectible for fans of quality music and all curious about Eric’s formative roots as a recording artist.