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JazzWeek with airplay data powered by jazzweek.com • March 13, 2006 Volume 2, Number 16 • $7.95 In This Issue: BET Jazz Becomes ‘BET J’ . 4 Najee Wins NAACP Image Award . 5 Essentially Ellington Finalists . 6 Music and Industry News In Brief . 7 Reviews and Picks . 14 Jazz Radio . 18 Smooth Jazz Stylistically Unapologetic: Radio. 25 Radio SPYRO GYRA Panels. 24, 29 News. 4 Q&A with Jay Beckenstein ... page 10 Charts: #1 Jazz Album – David “Fathead” Newman #1 Smooth Album – Richard Elliot #1 Smooth Single – Richard Elliot JazzWeek This Week EDITOR/PUBLISHER Ed Trefzger egistration will open on Monday, March 13 for the Jazz- MUSIC EDITOR Tad Hendrickson Week Summit 2006. Because of the change in our busi- Rness structure and ownership, we were delayed in making CONTRIBUTING EDITORS final arrangements until three months later than we had planned. Keith Zimmerman Kent Zimmerman In the interim, all available hotel rooms in downtown Roches- CONTRIBUTING WRITER/ ter, N.Y., were booked for a large religious convention during the PHOTOGRAPHER weekend we had originally targeted. As a result, we’ve had to move Tom Mallison the Summit one week later than our originally published dates of PHOTOGRAPHY June 8-10. We apologize for the inconvenience. It is our plan to Barry Solof have firm dates for 2007 by December of this year. Founding Publisher: Tony Gasparre This year’s Summit will run from Thursday, June 15 through Saturday, June 17, coinciding with the final three days of the ADVERTISING: Devon Murphy Rochester International Jazz Festival. The host hotel will be the Call (866) 453-6401 ext. 3 or Rochester Clarion Riverside. Reservation information for the ho- email: [email protected] tel will be available on Monday, March 13 as well. We have ample SUBSCRIPTIONS: opportunities for sponsorships and there are hospitality arrange- Free to qualified applicants Premium subscription: $149.00 per year, ments available with the hotel. w/ Industry Access: $249.00 per year All details will be available in next week’s issue and at jazz- To subscribe using Visa/MC/Discover/ week.com on Monday, March 13. AMEX/PayPal go to: http://www.jazzweek.com/account/ ••• subscribe.html Our advertising manager Devon Murphy is a big fan of both traditional and smooth jazz. He makes his editorial debut in this AIRPLAY MONITORING BY issue in a Q&A with a group that finds itself at home in both camps, too, as he chats with Spyro Gyra’s Jay Beckenstein. This week, we also welcome WESM and music director Yancy Carrigan back aboard the jazz panel as a reporting station. Mediaguide 1000 Chesterbrook Blvd. ••• Suite 150 Thanks to those of you who have recently become subscribers. Please Berwyn, PA 19312 encourage those you know in the business to sign up for a complimentary subscription at jazzweek.com. JazzWeek (ISSN 1554-4338) is published weekly by As you plan your advertising buys, please feel free to contact Devon Murphy at (866) 453-6401 extension 3, or at [email protected]. ������������� He’ll also be reaching out to you over the next several weeks. 2117 Buffalo Road Suite 317 – Ed Trefzger, Editor Rochester, NY 14624 phone/fax: (866) 453-6401 [email protected] Copyright ©2006 Trefzger Media LLC jazzweek.com • March 13, 2006 JazzWeek 2 Contents March 13, 2006 News . 4 BET Jazz Becomes ‘BET J’; Channel Now on DirecTV . 4 Najee Wins NAACP Image Award . 5 IPO Recordings Inks Distribution With Allegro Group . 5 Groov Marketing Moves, Will Add Second Branch . 5 Essentially Ellington Finalists Announced by JALC. 6 Music and Industry News In Brief ... 7 5 Birthdays . 9 Features Artist Q&A: Jay Beckenstein of Spyro Gyra . 10 Reviews . 14 Mimi Fox . 14 Sathima Bea Benjamin . 14 Gutbucket. 14 10 Jaco Pastorius Big Band . 15 Christian Scott . 15 3ósity . 16 Jazz Charts . 18 Jazz Album Charts . 19 Jazz Add Dates . 20 Jazz Current CDs . 21 Jazz Radio Panel . 24 18 Smooth Jazz Charts . 25 Smooth Album Charts. 26 Smooth Singles Charts . 27 Smooth Current CDs . 28 Smooth Radio Panel . 29 Classifieds . 17 25 Cover Photo: Spyro Gyra; standing (L to R): Tom Schuman, Julio Fernandez, Jay Beckenstein; seated: Scott Ambush, Ludwig Afonso (courtesy Heads Up International) JazzWeek Volume 2 Number 16 jazzweek.com • March 13, 2006 JazzWeek 3 News BET Jazz Becomes ‘BET J’; Channel Now on DirecTV WASHINGTON, D.C. – BET Net- of the complete musical and cultural new programming initiatives this year works has replaced its BET Jazz chan- ‘Journey’ rather than only jazz.” and BET J will add an exciting di- nel with BET J, effective March 1. BET Networks also announced mension to that with its eclectic mix of According to a network statement, that DirecTV will now carry BET J musical and cultural content.” “Jazz today is seen, heard and felt in on Channel 330. MTV Networks ne- BET J will offer lifestyle, musi- a number of related genres includ- gotiated this new carriage agreement cal and cultural fare 24 hours ing blues, soul, R&B, Caribbean and as part of its Affiliate Sales and a day. Advertising and mar- neo-soul music. ... BET J reflects these Marketing representation of keting elements promoting powerful cultural roots, and the over- BET Networks. With the Di- BET J will carry the tagline all diversity of music and culture to- recTV launch, BET J has built “Cool Like That” to reinforce day.” a total distribution platform the new branding. According “The African-American commu- that reaches approximately 21 to BET, the new slogan rep- nity looks to BET to reflect the cul- million homes. resents “the sophisticated and ture, and in doing so they have come In addition to DirecTV, other dis- chilled vibe of the rhythms, shows and to expect innovation and diversity in tributors already carrying BET Jazz artists being presented on the chan- programming under our BET Net- that will now offer the revamped chan- nel, from cool cats like Miles Davis, works brand,” said BET Chairman nel for viewers include Charter Com- Duke Ellington and Wynton Marsalis and CEO Debra L. Lee. “We are hap- munications, Cablevision, Comcast, to smooth poetic divas like Jill Scott, py to respond and to evolve to meet Cox Communications and Time War- India Arie, and Erykah Badu.” their needs.” ner Cable. New programs on the BET J chan- “BET Jazz was one part of a jour- “We are thrilled to expand our nel will include “Soul Sessions,” as old ney which now will deliver an even partnership with DirecTV and provide school and new school R&B and Soul broader cross-section of African- their customers with another unique artists pefrom together; “Influenc- American culture,” said Paxton Baker, programming offering,” said Nicole es,” an intimate chat with contempo- Executive Vice President and General Browning, President, Affiliate Sales rary soul and R&B artists about the Manager for BET Digital Networks. and Marketing, MTV Networks. influence that traditional jazz has had “We’ve long been the catalogers and “We’re proud to be a part of the on their music, including artists such chroniclers of a great artistic voyage BET J evolution and to add what we as Floetry, Dwele, and Meshell Nde- that has been authentically Black and know will be an enormously popu- geocello; classic soul videos on “Video authentically BET at every turn. Our lar network to the DirecTV program- Soul Gold”; “My Two Cents,” a topical new chapter under BET J will be even ming lineup,” said Dan Fawcett, Ex- talk show combined with music video; more exciting, enticing and multicul- ecutive Vice President, Programming and “The Best Shorts: A BET J Show- tural. In fact, the ‘J’ in our new net- Acquisition, DirecTV, Inc. “Music has case,” which will include short drama, work name is now more indicative played a key role in a number of our comedy and suspense films. JW jazzweek.com • March 13, 2006 JazzWeek 4 News Najee Wins NAACP IPO Recordings Inks Distribution With Allegro Group Image Award NEW YORK – IPO Recordings has announced that it has signed an exclusive CLEVELAND, Ohio – Heads Up mier event celebrating the outstand- distribution agreement with The Allegro International recording artist Najee ing achievements and performances Group for the distribution of IPO’s jazz and won an NAACP Image Award in the of people of color in the arts. Honor- classical catalogs in the USA and Canada. category of Outstanding Jazz Artist at ees, presenters and performers have in- New York-based IPO Recordings was the 37th NAACP Image Awards. started in 2003 and has received wide With two platinum and four gold critical acclaim for its releases. These albums, saxophonist Najee is one of the include a series of new jazz recordings by pioneers of contemporary jazz and one some of the legendary figures of modern of the best-selling instrumentalists in jazz, including Hank Jones, James Moody, the world. His current Heads Up re- Benny Golson, Bob Brookmeyer, Roland lease, My Point of View, includes guest Hanna, Roger Kellaway, Frank Wess, Richard Davis and Jimmy Owens. The appearances by three vocalists, veter- first IPO Jazz release to be distributed by an Will Downing and newcomers Lo- Allegro is Mean What You Say, a quartet mon Andrews and Sisaundra. Other date led by Grammy Award winner Eddie session personnel include keyboardists Daniels. James Lloyd, Rex Rideout and Chris “Big Dog” Davis. It was his debut re- lease for the label. Groov Marketing “I am truly honored to receive Moves, Will Add such a prestigious award,” Najee said. Second Branch “I have been involved with various local NAACP chapters around the LOS ANGELES – Effective March 1, Groov country for the past eighteen years, Marketing and Consulting has moved.