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Best of
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Best of 2022
Top 10 Albums of 2022
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Album of the Year
Jessy J.
"Blue"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
1.
Jessy J.
"Blue"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
2.
David Benoit
"A Midnight Rendevous"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
3.
Candy Dulfer
"We Never Stop"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
4.
Rebecca Jade
"A Shade of Jade"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
5.
Rick Braun
"Rick Braun"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
6.
Boney James
"Detour"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
7.
Chris Standring
"Simple Things"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
8.
Paul Brown
"Promised Land"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
9.
Najee
"Savoir Faire"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
10.
Grant Geissman
"Blooz"
40 Best Songs of 2022
Debut Artist of 2022
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Debut Artist of the Year
Singer Rebecca Jade
From San Diego she popped onto the scene this year Big Time. Performing on Board, with “everybody,” throughout the Dave Koz Cruise through the British Isles in May. Dazzling Producer Art Good who was in attendance.
She then showed up on Catalina Island inside Eric Darius show, Closing Weekend, on a Saturday Afternoon. Dave Koz who appeared that night asking both Rebecca and Eric to stay and to join him on a number of songs in his show which was and were amazing. Even as she was on the Island her debut album, ‘A Shade of Jade’ dropped nationally.
Art Good finally was able to listen late in November after a couple of very hectic JazzTrax months. He had a couple other artists in mind for this honor but both had released their debuts in the previous year and then earlier this month had Rebecca had her 1st single “Show Me,” hit the Billboard Smooth Jazz Charts TOP 10! At the last minute it became crystal clear that Rebecca was the JazzTrax Debut Artist of 2022.
Best of 2022
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Best Song of the Year
"Lost Words"
By
Phillippe Saisse
with
Marc Antoine
‘Jarreau’s Lost Words’ as the Song was to have been Sung by Al. When he passed away before getting it recorded it became an instrumental with Marc’s guitar replacing Al Jarreau’s “Lost Words.”
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Best Smooth Jazz Vocal of the Year
“If You Believe”
Sung by
Jean Baylor
on
Yellowjackets
‘Parallel Motion’
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JazzTrax Best Live Performance of the Year
Dave Koz
Saturday Evening, Oct. 21st
35th JazzTrax Festival
in the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom, looking out to sea, on Catalina Island
This choice was never in doubt, from Dave’s dramatic entrance from the outside verandah overlooking the Pacific Ocean to his bringing back up on stage his new friends Rebecca Jade and Eric Darius.
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JazzTrax Best Live Performance of the Year
Continued
Dave Koz
Saturday Evening, Oct. 21st
35th JazzTrax Festival
in the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom, looking out to sea, on Catalina Island
Rebecca Jade here singing “The Promise” with Chris Walker as Dave intro-ed it saying there was No Sax on the Song so he was going down into the Front Row to watch it himself, which he did (Picture is on JazzTrax Picture Page). To having Eric Darius do David Sanborn’s record recorded part on “Side by Side” with Koz.
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JazzTrax Best Live Performance of the Year
Continued
Dave Koz
Saturday Evening, Oct. 21st
35th JazzTrax Festival
in the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom, looking out to sea, on Catalina Island
To standing ovation after standing ovation from a Totally 100% Sold Out JazzTrax Festival Ballroom Audience. You can hear a portion of this incredulous evening on the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival Radio Special.
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Best Song or Album Title of the Year
“Catalina Nights”
No. #1 Billboard
By
The Braxton Brothers
Come on .. what else would JazzTrax Pick Written by Wayne Braxton one romantic night with his wife in Avalon Song they claim they’d love to bring … to Avalon for a Catalina JazzTrax Night …
JazzTrax Moment of the Year
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JazzTrax (or Art Good’s) Moment of the Year
Dave Grusin
Onstage With
Art Good
When in August, just 2 months out, we were alerted that David Sanborn had to cancel his West Coast Tour. Due to health reasons he could not fly lengthy flights, we were in a quandary how to replace him at such a late stage with almost all acts having their Fall Schedules Set In Place. We found that Lee Ritenour had a brief lay-over at his home in L.A. that weekend before flying to Europe. We also noticed he had been doing dates with the legendary Dave Grusin.
Now in his late 80’s, the co-founder of the GRP Recording Company who launched the careers of so many smooth jazz stars, let alone owner of Grammy’s and Oscars, his television and movie work extending from the 60’s as Music Director of the Andy Williams Show to the 70’s “Theme from St. Elsewhere,” to the motion picture music soundtracks for the likes of ‘Tootsie,’ “On Golden Pone,’ “The Firm’ and so many more, let alone his own Solo Albums. Grusin had never ever graced the JazzTrax Live Performance Stage before so it was Art Good’s ‘Personal Moment of the Year’ when he walked up to Dave sound checking his keys in prep for Rit’s evening performance.
Dave looked up and said “Hi Art … Long Time … “ Art asked if Dave had ever, during his Hollywood music days of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, come to Catalina Island. Dave replied, “Once .. on (legendary film director) Sydney Pollack’s boat (yacht.) But never before in the Avalon Ballroom .. until today.” Finally at Age 88 Dave Grusin and Art Good were having a conversation .. 26 miles across the sea.
JazzTrax In Memorium 2022
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In Memoriam
NICK COLIONNE
“The Big Windy Cat” We lost Nick unexpectedly on New Year’s Day. We’re expecting a final album from Nick on the anniversary of his passing. It’s 1st Single “What You Do To Me,” went Billboard #1 in the Spring. This was Summer of 2013 at the Big Bear JazzTrax Summer Music Festival, sitting with George Duke. It was George’s Final Ever Stage Appearance. Now it’s likely Nick and George are making music together … up there …
Best of 2021
Top 10 Albums of 2021
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Album of the Year
Jesse Cook
"Libre"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
1.
Jesse Cook
"Libre"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
2.
Andy Snitzer
"Higher"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
3.
Randal Clark
"imaginary World"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
4.
Jeff Lorber
"’Space-Time"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
5.
Larry Carlton & Paul Brown
"Soul Searchin"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
6.
Brian Simpson
"All That Matters’"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
7.
Mark Jaimes
"Hear at Last"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
8.
Four 80 East
"Mixed Up"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
9.
Dave Koz & Cory Wong
"The Golden Hour"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
TIE
10.
Vincent Ingala
"Fire and Desire"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
TIE
10.
Adam Hawley
"Risin’ Up"
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Top 10 Albums of the Year
TIE
10.
Richard Elliot
"Authentic Life"
Top 10 Songs of 2021
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Song of the Year
Jazmin Ghent
"Get Ready"
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
1.
Jazmin Ghent
"Get Ready"
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
2.
Jesse Cook
"Jaleo"
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
3.
Four 80 East
"Speak Easy"
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
4.
Randal Clark
"Discovery"
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
5.
Larry Carlton and Paul Brown
"Aftershock"
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
6.
Jeff Kashiwa
"Saratoga"
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
7.
Andy Snitzer
"Bloom"
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
8.
Dave Koz and Cory Wong
“Getaway Car"
and
Most Dangerous Song of the Year
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
9.
Jesse Cook
“One World One Voice”
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Top 10 Songs of the Year
10.
Jeff Lorber
"Sun Princess"
Debut Artists of 2021
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Debut Artist (s) of the Year
Guitarist Mark Jaimes
"Hear At Last"
Summer 2021 Solo Debut
After years on guitar with Simply Red Lives in London with Special Guests Peter White & Rick Braun.
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Debut Artist (s) of the Year
Saxophonist Randal Clark
"Imaginary World"
Spring 2021 Solo Debut
Produced by Randy Brecker with Special Guests Jeff Lorber and Randy Brecker.
Lives in Salt Lake City.
Best of 2021
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Best Live Performance of the Year
Both at Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival
Jeffrey Osborne
Saturday Night October 16, 2021
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Best Live Performance of the Year
Larry Carlton
Saturday Night October 23, 2021
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Best Smooth Jazz Vocal
Patti Austin
On
Mark Jaimes
"Midnight Rendezvous"
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Best Song or Album Title
Four 80 East Album
"Mixed Up"
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Prettiest Song of the Year
Gregg Karukas
"Sound of Emotion"
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More Best Songs of 2021
“We’ll See”
“Midnight Rendezvous”
“Miel’s Song”
From Simply Red guitarist Mark Jaimes Summer Solo Debut
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More Best Songs of 2021
“Trailblazer”
“Times Arrow”
From Salt Lake City Saxophonist Randal Clark’s Springs Solo Debut.
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More Best Songs of 2021
“Feel the ID”
“Family Reunion”
From the Summer Collaboration by Dave Koz & Cory Wong.
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More Best Songs of 2021
“Blue Bird"
"Your Smile”
From Kenny G’s new album in 6 years … “Legacy”
Dan Siegel (2 combined songs) both featuring Rogerio Jordin
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Biggest NO.1's
On the Billboard Smooth Jazz Chart
JazzTrax Moments of the Year
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JazzTrax Moments of The Year-1
Flutist Kim Scott
On stage saying “Covid is Real. I got Covid, My husband got Covid, Our son got Covid. We lived but we were really sick. Covid is REAL. “
She then played “BELIEVE.”
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JazzTrax Moments of The Year-2
Keyboardist Nicholas Cole
who had to cancel his JazzTrax Festival performance a week out because he caught Covid.
But his band leader continued the show and Kay Ta called Nicholas on cellphone. Put phone to microphone and Nicholas greeted festival audience and then played intro to song on his piano from North Carolina. Cell phone to microphone to JazzTrax Audience.
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BUT THE REAL
JAZZTRAX MOMENT OF THE YEAR ….
We Did It.
The JazzTrax Festival Came Back.
It Happened.
We MADE IT !!!!!
JazzTrax Festivals
Ask any Questions at
JazzTrax@Live.com
611 South Palm Canyon Drive
Suite 7-458
Palm Springs, CA 92264-7402
