BEST OF

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JazzTrax

Best of

2023

Best of 2023 Logo

AND NOW … ANNOUNCING

THE JAZZTRAX BEST OF 2023

This will be Presented Week Ahead of and through New Year’s Weekend
in Audio on STREAMING JazzTrax
but for the 1st Time Austin Good has turned this into a PLAYLIST ..
Listen Now

Top 10 Albums of 2023

  • Album of the Year

    Bob James

    "Jazz Hands"

    Bob James Jazz Hands

    It’s LOADED .. Absolutely Loaded, Bob must have been born with Melodies in his head because they just keep on coming.

    From the moment Quincy Jones discovered Bob at a 1963 jazz festival, to at age 83 when he just gave us one of our finest Fri Night Performances at the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival including ADDING the 1920’s Al Jolson radio hit, “I Left My Heart in Avalon,” to the start of his classic song “Westchester Lady” ( hear it happen on the Catalina Island JazzTrax Radio Special at JazzTrax.com)

    This newest from Bob arrived in September and it was obvious … it IS THIS YEAR’s BEST

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    2.

    Keiko Matsui

    "Euphoria"

    Euphoria Keiko Matsui

    Songs this lovely Japanese Pianist brought to Catalina Island this past October. See this album’s “further honor” below.

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    3.

    Roberto Restuccia

    "Lounge KatZ"

    Roberto Restuccia Lounge KatZ

    See Roberto’s also “further honor” below Break-Out Guitarist from the U.K. Who also made his JazzTrax Stage Debut this past October and OutSold Everybody in the JazzTrax CD Store. He’d debuted with his 1st solo album during Covid Year, but this is the one that pushes him Front & Center.

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    4.

    Slim Man & his Funky Bona Fide Band

    "Slim Man Bona Fide"

    Slim Man Bona Fide Slim Man & his Funky Bona Fide Band

    Songs created just down the street and over a few from the JazzTrax Studio in Palm Springs. Slimmie finally combines his vocals and funky Bona Fide instrumentals into ONE Album. Half & Half. Songs he also brought to Catalina Island where he stunningly began his show which began our festival with “The National Anthem.”

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    5.

    Jonathan Butler

    "Ubuntu"

    Ubuntu Jonathan Butler

    Another Half & Half Album. Half JB Vocals. Half JB Instrumentals. As pleasing as they come. The violinist is …. Jonathan’s wife.

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    6.

    Four 80 East

    "Gonna Be Alright"

    Gonna Be Alright Four 80 East

    Songs crossing the Border Canada into America once again. Listening to “At the Post” almost feels like a reprise of what we consider their signature song “Last Flight to L.A.” from almost 20 years ago.

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    7.

    Euge Groove

    "Comfort Zone"

    Comfort Zone Euge Groove

    Hasn’t been on stage of late as he works through a few things, but never hesitant in the recording studio which he loves. It’s got guests like Candy Dulfer and Richard Elliot and contains what JazzTrax proclaims “The Prettiest Song of the Year.” Listed below.

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    8.

    Lemek

    "Emergence"

    Emergence Lemek

    Already with 2 Billboard No. #1 Hits the past 12 months, but those 2 songs finally found their album home with Lemek’s “emergence.” His release of his very first album, in September, at age 24. Songs he brought to Avalon for his JazzTrax Stage Debut, with his Dad, on sax, Quintin Gerard W., & Dad’s 2 (also in the past 12 months) #1 Billboard hits as well.

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    9.

    Nick Colionne

    "Just Like That"

    Just Like That Nick Colionne

    Sadly Nick’s Final Album Project We lost him 2 years ago on New Year’s Day, but he left us with a whopper, packed with songs that kept getting released, kept hitting the Billboard Charts, kept giving him #1’s clear into This Year. Nick’s Songs Live On …

  • Top 10 Albums of the Year

    10.

    Peet Project

    "Sweet Lemon"

    Sweet Lemon Peet Project

    And the Bad Boys of Budapest have just tipped us off they’ll have another new album to send across The Pond, This Summer

40 Best Songs of 2023

Listen to the JazzTrax Top 40 Songs of 2023 LIST on Youtube
CLICK HERE

Listen to the JazzTrax Top 40 Songs of 2023 on Spotify
CLICK HERE

Listen to the JazzTrax Top 40 Songs of 2023 on Apple Music
CLICK HERE

Listen Straight Through to what JazzTrax Considered to be The Best 40 Songs of This Year The JazzTrax Top 40 Songs of the Year PLAYLIST created by Austin Good

  • More Best Songs of 2023

    1. Bob James

    2. Skinny Hightower

    3. Slim Man’s Bona Fide

    4. Keiko Matsui and Lalah Hathaway

    5. Bob James

    6. Roberto Restuccia

    7. Euge Groove

    8. Four 80 East

    9. Michael Broening

    10. Kayla Waters

    “The Other Side"

    “Groove Factor"

    "Lunch with the Queen"

    “Love and Nothing Less”

    “The Secret Drawer”

    “It’s a Blues Thing”

    “Let’s Hold Hands"

    “At The Post”

    “Shine a Light”

    “Abundance”

  • Continued-2

    More Best Songs of 2023

    Roberto Restuccia

    Bob James

    Terry Disley

    Peet Project

    Keiko Matsui

    Slim Man

    Bob James

    Jonathan Butler

    Lemek

    Four 80 East

    "A Matter of Persuasion"

    “Mambalicious”

    “Say No More”

    “Sweet Lemon”

    “Prairie Morning”

    “Saving Grace”

    “Beerbohm"

    “Rainbow Nation”

    “Co-Motion”

    “This Time Around”

  • Continued-3

    More Best Songs of 2023

    Euge Groove

    Bona Fide

    Kayla Waters

    Keiko Matsui

    Jeff Lorber Fusion

    Steve Oliver

    Skinny Hightower

    Jonathan Butler

    Brian Bromberg

    Cindy Bradley

    “Junior”

    “Coupe de Ville”

    “Undulation”

    “Steps on the Globe”

    “New Mexico”

    “Open Waters”

    “Brazilian Nights”

    “Bon Appetit”

    “The Magic of Moonlight”

    “Gimme the Night”

  • Continued-4

    More Best Songs of 2023

    Randal Clark

    Bob James

    Roberto Restuccia

    Jonathan Butler (with Stevie Wonder)

    Jeff Lorber Fusion

    Bob James

    Brian Bromberg

    Lemek

    Peet Project

    Steve Cole

    Steve Oliver

    Roberto Restuccia

    Jeff Lorber Fusion

    Peet Project

    Jazz Holdouts

    “Moving Too Fast”

    “Sea Goddess”

    “Stand Up”

    “Superwoman" (where were you when I need you)

    “The Drop”

    “Come Into My Dream”

    “Nico’s Groove” (for Nick Colionne)

    “Through the Valley”

    “Wait for Me”

    “Attitude”

    “Skyway”

    “Butterfly”

    “Altered State”

    “Donut Jam”

    “Piermont Nights”

    Now Take a Look At WHAT’S COMING IN 2024

Debut Artist of 2023

Debut Artist of the Year

U.K. Break-Out Guitarist

Roberto Restuccia

Roberto Restuccia

Best of 2023

  • AND NOW ... 2023’s JazzTrax BEST SONG

    Bob James

    “The Otherside”

    Bob James
  • Best Smooth Jazz Vocal of the Year

    "Love and Nothing Less"

    Sung by

    Lalah Hathaway

    on

    Keiko Matsui’s

    "Euphoria"

    Lalah Hathaway
    Lalah Hathaway above and below in studio with Keiko Matsui
    Lalah Hathaway
  • JazzTrax Best Live Performance of the Year

    Always the BIG Question. After a Boney James performance closing our Opening Weekend, along with a 1st by Sergio Mendes on the Island. After Craig and Keiko and Acoustic Alchemy and Gerald and a 1st everywhere anywhere live concert by the Jazz Holdouts, “how to close it all………..?”

    When suddenly Art Good spotted a benefit concert early in the year Memorializing the Songs of the late great Al Jarreau. With Regina Belle adding in her theme song from the Disney movie ‘Aladdin’ “A Whole New World.” With Bobby Lyle on keys and Eric Marienthal on sax and Chris Walker who put the whole thing together, sounding so exactly like Jarreau, singing Al’s never to be forgotten songs. After All Chris had for years been Jarreau’s bassist and back-up singer. Alas, we never got Jarreau himself to our Smooth Jazz Island so this was a bit of a make-up. It was the Perfect Climax to JazzTrax 2023 26 miles across the sea.

    Best Live Performance Chris Walker

    left to right, Regina Bella, Chris Walker, back-up singer, saxophonist Eric Marienthal, keyboardist Bobby Lyle In a Musical Tribute to Al Jarreau

  • JazzTrax Best Live Performance of the Year

    Chris Walker’s

    "A Musical Tribute to Al Jarreau"

    with Regina Belle, Bobby Lyle and Eric Marienthal

    Sunday Evening, Oct. 22nd

    Closing Show 36th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

    BUT

    Best Live Performance Chris Walker

    Chris Walker & Regina Belle singing 'Aladdin' from Disney's A Whole New World Avalon Ballroom Closing Night JazzTrax Festival

    Best Live Performance Chris Walker

    Chris Walker & Regina Belle Musical Tribute to Al Jarreau on Catalina Island

  • JazzTrax Best Live Performance of the Year ... Part Two

    Austin Good had HIS Pick for Best Live Performance

    Because ya know, our Youngers Retro Music like we could never have imagined ourselves, having to find an Oldies Station in our Youngers Years unless we’d bought the Single or the Vinyl Album ourselves. Still at age 24 Austin knew Ronnie Laws great songs of the 1970’s Ronnie was The Hottest Saxman comin’ out of L.A. He kept asking, “Dad, when are you gonna book Ronnie again? It’s been 20 years.” Ronnie loves Austin for straightening his Dad out and getting him finally back to the Island. During his show, right after he’d played his all time classic song, “Always There,” Spike Lee who inexplicably showed up that day at the JazzTrax Festival jumped up on stage .. “for a moment.”

    Best Live Performance Ronnie Laws

    Ronnie Laws right, with Spike Lee left, joining Ronnie onstage

  • JazzTrax Best Live Performance of the Year ... Part Two

    Austin Good had HIS Pick for Best Live Performance

    Ronnie Laws

    Saturday Afternoon, Oct. 14th

    Best Live Performance Ronnie Laws
  • Prettiest Song of the Year

    Euge Groove

    “Let's Hold Hands"

    On

    "Comfort Zone"

    Euge Groove

JazzTrax Moment of the Year

  • JazzTrax (or Art Good’s) Moment of the Year

    Stand Up To Cancer

    Game 4 of The World Series

    Chase Field, Phoenix Arizona Oct. 31st

    Arizona DiamondBacks

    vs

    Texas Rangers

    Stand Up To Cancer
    Stand Up To Cancer Moment
  • JazzTrax (or Art Good’s) Moment of the Year

    Continued

    The National League Champion Arizona DiamondBacks versus the American League Champion Texas Rangers Being at ANY World Series is ANY Year’s Moment of the Year

    The D-Backs hardly expected to be there, but sweeping the Dodgers. Then unexpectedly taking out the much favored Phillies before running into almost a buzz saw with the Rangers who were winning their 1st World Series,……3rd trip in.

    Dad, coming off a month on Catalina Island, called Son, on film festival assignment in Savanah, Georgia. “I know your Dodgers didn’t make it, but the World Series is just a 3 hour drive across the desert from Palm Springs, in Phoenix. Wanna Go?” To which Son replied,”Dad …….. is that a Question?”

    Art really didn’t see IT coming.

    ”The Moment”

    Art and Austin Good
    Art and Austin Good (Father & Son) at Game 4 of The World Series
  • JazzTrax (or Art Good’s) Moment of the Year

    Continued

    He’d watched the STAND UP TO CANCER moment on television in previous World Series. In fact, it was “That Moment” in the 2017 World Series, in Houston, when the Astro’s Manager’s STAND UP TO CANCER Sign had the name Kevin Towers on it.

    Kevin had been a Diamondbacks and a San Diego Padres General Manager over the course of 20 plus years and had kept his illness pretty secret until there was His Name on a STAND UP TO CANCER sign being held up by Houston’s manager at that 2017 World Series 6 years ago.

    Kevin was a long time family friend of Art and Austin Good. In fact, 1 Dodger Series, Summer of 2014 that Art and Austin drove over to Phoenix for, Towers texted Art. “You guys here?” Yep we are Kevin. “Well, end of this inning, come over to your elevator and I’ll bring you down to sit in my D Backs GM’s Box for a few innings.” He did make Austin cover up his Go Dodgers t-shirt, but there we were in the GM’s Box of the Arizona DiamondBacks. Amazing moment of itself.

    Kevin passed away within the year of that 2017 STAND UP TO CANCER Moment, but here Art and Austin were, at the World Series, in that same Ballpark in Phoenix, standing up and holding their own STAND UP TO CANCER signs.

    Stand Up To Cancer
    "STAND UP TO CANCER"
    previous World Series
    Kevin Towers
    (pictured)
    AJ Hinch
    2017 Houston Astros Manager
  • JazzTrax (or Art Good’s) Moment of the Year

    Continued

    It wasn’t just A Moment. It was like 2 minutes, total dead silence, 50,000 fans

    Holding up, many defiantly, our STAND UP TO CANCER signs. Many with the names of a loved one, or a friend, or anyone, they knew who had CANCER.

    Art lost his mom to cancer at age 6. Kevin Towers had lost his battle with cancer. Art didn’t see the emotion coming ….. and then it swept over him Like a Wave. Caught his son by surprise who has rarely seen his Dad emotional, (Unless MAD at a computer or something Not Working).

    Son handed Dad a tissue. An Incredibly Powerful 2 Minutes, total silence by 50,000 fans who STOOD UP TO CANCER at the World Series, and Millions More STANDING UP TO CANCER in front of their televisions or computers coast to coast at home.

    Because you never know when it might be you. SO STAND UP

    Art Good Stand Up to Cancer
    Art Good Stands Up To Cancer
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