About Mindi Abair

Background information
Birth name: Mindi Abair
Born: May 23, 1969 (age 43)
Genres: Smooth jazz, contemporary jazz, pop, soul
Occupations: Saxophonist, vocalist, keyboardist, flutist, composer, radio host, band leader
Instruments, Vocals, saxophone, keyboard, flute
Labels: Heads Up, Concord Music Group, Verve
Website: www.mindiabair.com

Notable instruments
Selmer Mark VI Saxophone

Mindi Abair (born May 23, 1969 in St. Petersburg, Florida) is an American smooth jazz saxophonist with a strong Top-40 pop music background. Mindi has toured and/or recorded with the Backstreet Boys, Duran Duran, Mandy Moore, Josh Groban, Adam Sandler, Keb' Mo', Lalah Hathaway, Lee Ritenour, Teena Marie, John Tesh, Bobby Lyle, Jonathan Butler, Peter White and Rick Braun.

               Mindi Abair with her silver plated Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone

In 1999 she independently released a pop album, Always and Never the Same. In 2003, Abair moved from pop to jazz. She signed to Verve Records and released the album It Just Happens That Way, which peaked at #7 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and remained in the Top 10 for 19 consecutive weeks.[citation needed] Billboard magazine named It Just Happens That Way one of the top 10 Contemporary Jazz CDs of the year.[citation needed] Her hit single “Lucy’s,” was #1 on R&R[clarification needed] for a record-breaking eight weeks. Her 2004 release Come As You Are peaked at #9 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charts. Her 2006 release Life Less Ordinary peaked at #2 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and remained in the top 20 for 45 weeks.[citation needed] Her songs "True Blue" and "Bloom" hit #1 on R&R.[citation needed] She signed to Concord Records in 2007, and her latest 2008 release Stars broke the usual genre barriers, with her single “Stars” (written and produced by Matthew Hager) charting #29 Adult Contemporary R&R simultaneously with her single “Smile” hitting top ten on the R&R jazz airplay charts.[citation needed]

In 2010, Abair released a CD called "In Hi-Fi Stereo," produced by Rex Rideout.
Abair also plays the flute and keyboard and sings, and she has hosted the nationally syndicated radio program Chill with Mindi Abair since 2007, which focuses on chill out music. Since April 23, 2005, she has been married to guitarist Jason Steele.

Early life

Mindi Abair was born in St. Petersburg, Florida and spent much of her early life on the road with her father’s band, The Entertainers. She came from musical roots. Her father, Lance Abair, played saxophone and keyboards, and her grandmother Virginia Rice was an opera singer, piano and vocal instructor. She started playing the piano at age five, and started playing alto saxophone at the age of 8 when her elementary school band instructor laid out instruments on the first day of band class and instructed each student to pick the instrument they most wanted to play. She acted as drum major of her high school marching band her junior and senior years of high school. And as a senior in high school, she auditioned and won the 1st chair alto saxophone for the Florida All-State Jazz Band. Mindi spent her first year of college on a full scholarship at the University of North Florida, a jazz program started by Rich Matteson (North Texas State University). She then transferred to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where she attended on scholarship and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Woodwind Performance. During her years at Berklee, Mindi studied with Joe Viola and George Garzone on saxophone. She formed her first band in college.

Early career

After graduation from Berklee College of Music in 1991, Mindi moved to Los Angeles, where she began booking her band into clubs, coffee shops and hotels. She played solo on the street at 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica and garnered the attention of jazz keyboardist Bobby Lyle, who hired her to record on his “Power of Touch” CD and tour with him. Her touring possibilities expanded over the next decade, as she toured as a saxophonist/singer and keyboardist with Adam Sandler, John Tesh, Jonathan Butler, Teena Marie, Rick Braun, and Bobby Lyle. She was featured on saxophone in the Go West video “Tell Me”. And in 1996, on Adam Sandler’s HBO Special, and recorded on his platinum CD “What’s Your Name?” playing the saxophone solo on “The Lonesome Kicker” and singing on various tracks. In 1999, Mindi joined the Backstreet Boys for their Millennium World Tour, and spent the next year and a half as their saxophonist, keyboardist and percussionist. She put together Mandy Moore’s first band, and acted as musical director, keyboardist, background singer and percussionist for many of her first television appearances and shows. On her off time from touring, Mindi released her first complete solo record “Always and Never the Same” independently.

She also filled in as the saxophonist with the CBS Orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman on April 3 & 4, 2012. http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/the_wahoo_gazette/

Mindi has been featured on the 2011 American Idol season as a soloist with Paul McDonald and Casey Abrams and playing behind contestants Jacob Lusk and Haley Reinhart. Steven Tyler remarked to Paul McDonald after her debut on the show “Forget you, who’s your sax player?

Mindi has also been featured several times on the 2012 American Idol season with Phillip Phillips.



Discography

•     Always and Never the Same (1999)
•     It Just Happens That Way (2003)
•     I Can't Wait for Christmas (2004)
•     Come As You Are (2005)
•     Life Less Ordinary (2007)
•     A Peter White Christmas with Mindi Abair and Rick Braun (2007)
•     Stars (2008)
•     In Hi-Fi Stereo (2010)

By: Rufus Simamora

About Kaori Kobayashi

Born: October 20, 1981 (age 30)
Origin: Japan
Genres: Jazz
Occupations: Composer, Jazz musician
Instruments: Alto saxophone, Flute
Years active: 2005–present
Labels: Victor Entertainment
Website: Kaori Kobayashi


Biography

Kobayashi was born on October 20, 1981 in the Kanagawa Prefecture. Her father was a photographer and her mother, a piano teacher. Beginning at a very young age, Kobayashi learned to play the piano. When she was 13 years old she joined a brass band and started to play the flute. Four years later she stopped playing in the band, instead choosing to start a relationship with the saxophone. After that she turned to jazz.
After four years, having learned from Bob Zangu how to play the saxophone in a jazz setting, she entered the Senzoku College of Music. After graduating, she got a contract with the label Victor Entertainment and her first album, Solar, appeared.

 Albums

•     Solar, Kaori's Collection (2005)
•     Fine (2006)
•     Glow (2007)
•     Shiny (2008)
•     The Golden Best (2009)
•     Luv Sax (2009)[4]
•     Precious (2011)
•     Seventh (2012

Watch kaori kobayashi videos:

Recording in studio:
Kaori Kobayashi - Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You

Kaori Kobayashi - Rock With You

Kaori Kobayashi - Precious

Performs Live:

Kaori Kobayashi - Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You

Kaori Kobayashi - Airflow

By: Rufus Simamora

Mouthpiece

Mouthpiece adalah bagian dari peralatan yang dianggap paling penting. Disitulah yang menjadi getaran bibir atas angin (udara bergerak). Sumber dari pada bunyi Brass terletak di mouthpiece. Karena penting sekali, maka tidak heran kalau ada lebih dari 100 merk mouthpiece dan ribuan bentuk dibuat untuk alat musik saxophone.

berikut referensi untuk melihat jenis-jenis mouthpiece saxophone:

website : mouthpiece museum


By: Rufus Simamora

About Kenny G

Background information
Birth name           : Kenneth Bruce Gorelick
Also known as    : Kenny G
Born                      : June 5, 1956 (age 56)
Origin                   : Seattle, Washington, US
Genres                   : Smooth jazz, Adult contemporary
Occupations         : Musician, songwriter, record producer
Instruments     Primary: Soprano saxophone Secondary: Alto saxophone, Tenor saxophone, Flute
Years active          : 1973–1982 (group) 1982–present (solo)
Labels                    : Arista (1982–2006) Concord (2008–present)
Associated acts     : Robin Thicke, Foster the People
Website    kennyg.com

Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American adult contemporary and smooth jazz saxophonist. His fourth album, Duotones, brought him breakthrough success in 1986. Kenny G is the biggest-selling instrumental musician of the modern era, with global sales totaling more than 75 million albums.


Early life

Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington to Jewish parents (his mother was originally from Saskatchewan, Canada) and grew up in the city's Seward Park neighborhood, which is a center of the city's Jewish community. He came into contact with a saxophone when he heard someone performing with one on The Ed Sullivan Show. He started playing the saxophone in 1966 when he was 10 years old. He learned how to play under the direction of local trumpeter Gerald Pfister and by practicing along with records (mostly of Grover Washington, Jr.), trying to emulate the sounds that he was hearing. His first saxophone was a Buffet Crampon alto. Kenny G attended Whitworth Elementary School, Sharples Junior High School, Franklin High School, and the University of Washington, all in his home town of Seattle. When he entered high school, he failed on his first try to get into the jazz band, but tried again the following year and earned first chair. In addition to his studies while in high school, he took private lessons on the saxophone and clarinet from Johnny Jessen, once a week for a year.
He was also on his high school golf team. He had loved the sport ever since his older brother, Brian Gorelick, introduced it to him when he was ten years old, which is the same age he was when he started playing the saxophone.

Career

Kenny G's career started with a job as a sideman for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973 while 17 and still in high school. He continued to play professionally while studying for a major in accounting at the University of Washington in Seattle and graduated magna cum laude. He played with the funk band Cold, Bold & Together before becoming a credited member of The Jeff Lorber Fusion. He began his solo career after his period with Lorber. Kenny G signed with Arista Records as a solo artist in 1982, after label president Clive Davis heard his rendition of ABBA's "Dancing Queen". He has released many solo albums and collaborated with various artists including Andrea Bocelli, Whitney Houston, Peabo Bryson, Aaron Neville, Toni Braxton, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Natalie Cole, Steve Miller (which marked the only time he appeared on a rock and roll album), Dudley Moore, Lee Ritenour, The Rippingtons, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra, Smokey Robinson, Bebel Gilberto, George Benson, Chante Moore and Aretha Franklin. Influenced by the likes of saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. his own albums are usually classified as smooth jazz.

He received success quite early on, with both G Force and Gravity, his second and third studio albums respectively, achieving platinum status in the United States. These sales were topped by his fourth studio album, Duotones, which sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. alone. His sixth studio album, Breathless, became the number one best selling instrumental album ever, with over 15 million copies sold, of which 12 million were in the U.S. He broke another record when his first holiday album, Miracles, sold over 13 million copies, making it the most successful Christmas album to date.
In 1997, Kenny G earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. Using circular breathing, Kenny G held an E-flat for 45 minutes and 47 seconds at J&R Music World in New York City. That same year, Kenny G's song "Havana", from his album The Moment, was remixed by noted DJs Todd Terry and Tony Moran and released promotionally to dance clubs in the U.S. These mixes went to No.1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs chart in April 1997.
Kenny G's 1999 single, "What A Wonderful World" was criticized in its overdubbing of Louis Armstrong's classic recording. The primary criticism is that a revered recording by an artist such as Armstrong, known especially for improvisation, should not be altered, especially by a musician whose range and depth of understanding of classical jazz was already in question. Some columnists counter the criticism by suggesting that Kenny G's recording would expose a wider audience to classic jazz, though the overall response to his recording tended to be negative.
Kenny G has recorded some Chinese songs, such as "Jasmine Flower" (茉莉花) or "The Moon Represents My Heart" (月亮代表我的心). His music is noticeably popular in China. His recording "Going Home" is often played at closing time at public places or at the end of classes at schools. Mass transit systems in Tianjin and Shanghai play these songs when trains approach terminus stations.

As of 2003, Kenny G was named the 25th-highest selling artist in America by the RIAA, with 48 million albums sold in the USA as of July 31, 2006. In 1994, Kenny G won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for Forever in Love.

In October 2009, Kenny G appeared with the band Weezer in an AOL promotion of their album Raditude by soloing during "I'm Your Daddy". Kenny G said he knew nothing of Weezer before the performance. Though some music critics thereby rejoined in the common criticism of his work,[23][24] the unlikely combination was fairly well received by AOL's magazines Spinner.com and Popeater.com.

In February 2011 Kenny G and his music were featured in a Super Bowl XLV ad for Audi called "Release the Hounds. Kenny G later starred in a short film detailing his time as Head of Riot Suppression for the Luxury Prison.
Recently, he made an appearance in the music video for pop star Katy Perry's single Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) as Uncle Kenny. On the October 8, 2011 episode of Saturday Night Live, Kenny appeared with his soprano sax along side alternative rock band Foster the People as they performed their song "Houdini."

Equipment

Kenny G plays the Selmer Mark VI Soprano, Alto and Tenor Saxophones. He has created his own line of saxophones called "Kenny G Saxophones".[citation needed]

Personal life

Kenny G is married to Lyndie Benson-Gorelick, with whom he has two sons. After 20 years of marriage, Benson-Gorelick filed papers requesting a legal separation in January 2012.
Kenny G lives in Malibu, California. He is an avid golfer and has a handicap of +0.6. He has participated in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament seven times as of 2007 and teamed with Phil Mickelson to share the AT&T pro-am title in 2001 with the team of Tiger Woods and Jerry Chang. In the Golf Digest rankings of Top 100 in Music, according to golf handicap indexes of major musicians, he was first in 2006 and second in 2008. He is a member at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California.

Kenny G is an aircraft pilot and has a De Havilland Beaver seaplane that he flies regularly. He is also an early investor in the Starbucks coffee house chain.

Discography


By: Rufus Simamora

About Gerald Albright

Background information
Born                   : August 30, 1957 (age 54)
Origin                : Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres               : Jazz
Instruments       : Saxophone, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Flute, Vocals
Years active       : 1987–present
Labels                 : GRP, Peak, Atlantic/Wea, Polygram
Associated acts  : Will Downing
Website   Official website

Gerald Albright (born August 30, 1957) is an American jazz saxophonist.

Albright has sold over 1,000,000 albums in the U.S. alone[citation needed]. His self-produced music features him on bass guitar, keyboards, flutes, drum programming, and background vocals.

Biography

Born in Los Angeles, Albright grew up in its South Central neighborhood. He began piano lessons at an early age, even though he professed no great interest in the instrument. His love of music picked up considerably when he was given a saxophone that belonged to his piano teacher. It was further reinforced when he attended Locke High School, a breeding ground for many young West Coast musicians.[citation needed] After high school, he attended the University of Redlands where he received a B.S. degree in business management, minoring in music. Already a polished saxophonist by the time he enrolled in college, Albright suddenly switched to bass guitar after he saw Louis Johnson in concert.

Immediately after college, Albright began to master his talent by working extensively in the studio with such artists as Anita Baker, Ray Parker, Jr., The Temptations, and Olivia Newton-John. A few months after graduating from college, Gerald joined Patrice Rushen, who was in the process of forming her own band, in which he played the saxophone. Later, when the bass player left in the middle of a tour, Albright replaced him and finished the tour on bass guitar. Consequently, he often performed on both instruments. Around the same time he also began to tour Europe with drummer Alphonse Mouzon.

He has also toured with Jeff Lorber, Teena Marie, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Johnny Hallyday, Anita Baker and many others. In addition to numerous appearances at clubs and jazz festivals, Albright had also been a part of the popular Jazz Explosion tours, which saw him teaming up with contemporary jazz stars like Will Downing, Jonathan Butler, Hugh Masekela, Chaka Khan, and Rachelle Ferrell, among others.

Albright has also made several television appearances on shows such as A Different World, Melrose Place, and BET jazz segments, as well as piloting a show in Las Vegas with Designing Women star Meshach Taylor.

Albright was one of the ten featured saxophonists who performed at Bill Clinton’s inauguration. He was also featured at the Presidential Summit, as well as several private functions for the President.

Albright is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Albright now lives with his family near Denver, Colorado.

Equipment

• Saxophones

Gerald Albright plays his own signature series model of saxophone made by Cannonball Musical Instruments. The GA5-SB is the current model shown above, with a polished black-nickel bell on a silver plated body.

• Necks 

Of the two necks that are furnished with the Cannonball saxophones, Gerald generally uses the "Fat Neck" (as shown above), with the octave vent tube located on the bottom of the neck—a design somewhat similar to that of some vintage Conn 6M models.
Mouthpieces & Reeds

• Tenor Sax - Sugal Kirk Whalum II with Hahn Reeds

• Alto Sax - Custom Beechler HR Diamond Inlay with Hahn or LaVoz "medium-hard" Reeds

• Soprano Sax - Dukoff D7 with Hahn Reeds

Trivia

Gerald Albright's saxophone work is featured in the PlayStation video game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. His saxophone work can be heard during the game's closing theme song "I Am the Wind" (which, coincidentally, also features smooth jazz keyboardist Jeff Lorber). Albright is an avid golfer, and a pair of golf clubs is somewhat hidden in the hand-engraving motif he helped design for his signature series saxophones.

Discography    

• Just Between Us, 1987, Atlantic/Wea label   
• Bermuda Nights, 1988, Atlantic/Wea label    
• Dream Come True, 1990, Atlantic/Wea label  
• Live at Birdland West, 1991, Atlantic/Wea label   
• Smooth, 1994, Atlantic/Wea label   
• Giving Myself to You, 1995, Atlantic/Wea label  
• Live to Love, 1997, Atlantic/Wea label   
• Pleasures of the Night with Will Downing, 1998, Polygram label   
• The Very Best of Gerald Albright, 2001, Atlantic/Wea label    
• Groovology, 2002, GRP label   
• Kickin' It Up, 2004, GRP label    
• New Beginnings, 2006, Peak label   
• Sax for Stax, 2008, Peak label   
• Gerald Alston Sings Sam Cooke with Gerald Alston, 2008, LST CO. INC.  label  
• Pushing the Envelope, 2010, Telarc label

By: Rufus Simamora

About Jeff Kashiwa

 Website : Official Website

Is a jazz saxophonist native to Seattle, who became known on the music scene in 1989 as a member of popular fusion jazz group The Rippingtons. Kashiwa joined The Rippingtons following Brandon Fields, exit from the group. Kashiwa prepared himself for the role by learning every song in the group's library prior to being hired, making his eventual step into Field's large shoes seemingly effortless. 

Kashiwa recorded his first two solo albums, ("Remember Catalina" and "Walk A Mile"), during his tenure with The Rippingtons. In 1999 Kashiwa left the group to concentrate on a solo career with his own band, Coastal Access, which included Melvin Davis (Bass), Allen Hinds (Guitar), Dave Hooper (drums) and Dave Kochanski (Keyboards/Synths). Eric Marienthal and Paul Taylor both covered the sax player spot in The Rippingtons for a few years, but Kashiwa rejoined the group in 2007 for their 20th Anniversary Tour, and continues to appear with the group on occasion.

In 2004, Kashiwa called on some of his saxophone peers and started a new group that would feature the instrument, as well as their collective musical passion for jazz, funk and R&B. "The Sax Pack" features Jeff Kashiwa, Steve Cole & Kim Waters. Along with being cohesive musically, the trio share a unique and comical camaraderie on stage. The Sax Pack released two CDs, "The Sax Pack" (2008) and "The Pack is Back" (2009) on Shanachie Records.

Kashiwa plays soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute and the EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument). His involvement in music encompasses composing, producing, performing and teaching.

Kashiwa attended Berklee College of Music in 1981-83, where he developed an interest in straight-ahead jazz. Kashiwa later transferred to Cal State Long Beach and received his Bachelors Degree in Music in 1985. Kashiwa currently teaches Music Technology courses at Shoreline College, as well as private music lessons for students of all ages.

Partial Discography

•     Remember Catalina (1995)
•     Walk a Mile (1997)
•     Another Door Opens (2000)
•     Simple Truth (2002)
•     Peace Of Mind (2004)
•     Play (2007)
•     The Sax Pack (2008)
•     Back In The Day (2009)
•     The Pack Is Back (2009)

By: Rufus Simamora

About Eric Mariental

Background information
Born                    : December 13, 1957 (age 54)
Origin                 : Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres                : Jazz
Instruments       : Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo
Years active       : 1987–present
Labels                 : GRP, PolyGram, Peak
Associated acts : Chick Corea Elektric Band, The Rippingtons, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Jeff Lorber Fusion
Website     Official website

(born December 13, 1957 in Sacramento, CA) is a Los Angeles-based contemporary saxophonist best known for his work in the jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, and pop genres.

After graduating from high school in Southern California in 1976, he studied at the Berklee College of Music[1] in Boston, Massachusetts, where he studied with the saxophone professor, Joe Viola. By the time he left Berklee, Eric had achieved the highest proficiency rating given by the school. In 1995 Eric was awarded the Berklee Distinguished Alumnus Award for outstanding achievements in contemporary music. He has since gone on to perform in over 65 different countries, recorded 13 solo CDs and has played on hundreds of records, films, television shows and commercial jingles.

Marienthal started his professional career in 1980 with famed New Orleans trumpeter Al Hirt.[2] After returning to Los Angeles, Eric became a member of the Chick Corea Elektric Band.[2] He recorded 6 CDs with that band and 2 of those CDs were Grammy award winners.

Marienthal went on to perform with artists such as Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Aaron Neville, Johnny Mathis, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, David Benoit, The Rippingtons, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Patti Austin, Lou Rawls, David Lee Roth, The Yellowjackets, B.B. King, Ramsey Lewis, Patti Labelle, Olivia Newton-John, and many others.

Six of the songs that Marienthal has recorded have made it to the top 10 of the National Contemporary Jazz Radio Charts and two have made it to #1. His "Oasis" CD hit the top 5 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart. Shortly after that, he was voted one of the year's "Favorite Alto Sax Players" in Jazziz Magazine's Reader's Poll along with David Sanborn and Phil Woods.

Marienthal has also written 3 instructional books, "Comprehensive Jazz Studies & Exercises", "The Ultimate Jazz Play Along" and "The Music Of Eric Marienthal" as well as 3 instructional videos, "Play Sax From Day One", "Modern Sax" and "Tricks Of The Trade", all published by Warner Brothers Publications, which is now Alfred Publishing/Belwin Jazz.

Every summer since 1999 Eric has put on an annual fundraising concert for High Hopes Head Injury Program. High Hopes is a non-profit organization in Orange County, California that works with people who have suffered traumatic head injuries. With the help of many guest artists who have donated their time to perform, these concerts have raised well over a half million dollars for this charity.

His music can be heard during The Weather Channel's "Local on the 8s" segments and his song "Big Country" is included in their 2008 compilation release, The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II.

Eric Marienthal currently occupies the lead alto chair of Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, playing alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, and piccolo.

Eric Marienthal released in 2012 album It's Love. Album was produced by guitarist Chuck Loeb, who also appears on the tracks. Also in this studio band are Yellowjackets' keyboardist Russell Ferrante, drummer Gary Novak, and bassist Tim Lefebvre.

Equipment

• Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone with a Beechler Metal #7 mouthpiece and 'Olegature' ligature

• Yamaha Custom Z Alto Saxophone with a Beechler Metal #7 mouthpiece and 'Olegature' ligature

• Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone with a Berg Larsen Metal 100/2 mouthpiece and Brancher ligature

• Yamaha YSS 62 Soprano Saxophone with a Selmer Super Session #H mouthpiece and Harrison ligature

• Muramatsu Flute

Vandoren traditional 2.5 reeds

Discography

Studio albums:

•     It's Love, 2012 - Peak Records/Ent. One Music
•     Just Around the Corner, 2007 - Peak Records
•     Got You Covered, 2005 - Peak Records
•     Sweet Talk, 2003 - Peak Records
•     Turn Up the Heat, 2001 - Peak Records
•     Walk Tall: Tribute to Cannonball Adderley, 1998 - PolyGram/i.e.Music
•     Easy Street 1997 - PolyGram/Verve/i.e.Music
•     Street Dance, 1994 - GRP Records
•     One Touch, 1993 - GRP Records
•     Oasis, 1991 - GRP Records
•     Crossroads, 1990 - GRP Records
•     Round Trip, 1989 - GRP Records
•     Voices of the Heart, 1987 - GRP Records

Compilation albums:

    Compilation Collection, 1997 - GRP Record



By: Rufus Simamora

About Dave Koz

Background information
Born                 : March 27, 1963 (age 49)
Origin              : Encino, California
Genres             : Smooth jazz
Occupations   : Musician, Radio host
Instruments    : Saxophone, Piano, drums, EWI
Years active    : 1990 – present
Labels              : Capitol Records (1990–2008), EMI, Rendezvous Entertainment, Concord Records (2009–present)
Associated acts : Bobby Caldwell
Website     davekoz.com

Life and career

Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in Encino, California. Koz attended William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills, California performing on saxophone as a member of the school jazz band. He later graduated from UCLA with a degree in mass communications in 1986, and only weeks after his graduation, decided to make a go of becoming a professional musician. Within weeks of that decision, he was recruited as a member of Bobby Caldwell's tour. For the rest of the 1980s, Koz served as a session musician in several bands, toured with Jeff Lorber. Koz was a member of Richard Marx's band and toured with Marx throughout the late 1980s. He also played in the house band of CBS' short-lived The Pat Sajak Show, with Tom Scott as bandleader.
In 1990, Koz decided to pursue a solo career, and began recording for Capitol Records. His albums there include Lucky Man, The Dance, and Saxophonic. Saxophonic was nominated for both a Grammy Award and an NAACP Image Award.

In 1994, Koz began hosting a syndicated radio program, The Dave Koz Radio Show (formerly Personal Notes), featuring the latest music and interviews with who's who in the genre. Dave co-hosted of The Dave Koz Morning Show With Pat Prescott on 94.7 The Wave, a smooth jazz station in Los Angeles for six years. He decided to leave the show in January 2007 and was replaced by Brian McKnight.

In 2002, Koz started a record label, Rendezvous Entertainment, with Frank Cody and Hyman Katz.

In an April 2004 interview with The Advocate, Koz came out publicly as a gay man. Later the same year, he was named by People magazine as one of their "50 Hottest Bachelors" in their June issue.
Dave and the late Wayman Tisdale performing at the Dave Koz & Friends Smooth Jazz Cruise 2006

In 2006, Koz was selected to host a syndicated afternoon show for Broadcast Architecture's new Smooth Jazz Network. The show, based in Los Angeles, is broadcast on other Smooth Jazz stations across the country. Koz and Ramsey Lewis are the only two Smooth Jazz personalities to host two different syndicated shows during the week.

Capitol Records/EMI's "Forever Cool" (2007) features Koz in a new arrangement of "Just in Time" with the voice of the late Dean Martin.

Koz has promoted annual Dave Koz & Friends Jazz Cruises since 2005.

Koz is the host of a weekly half-hour television series named Frequency put on by Fast Focus.[2] Koz interviews musicians on the show such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Jonathan Butler, and Kelly Sweet. At the end of each interview, he plays along with the musician, adding some of his saxophone riffs to one of their hit songs.

Koz was also the bandleader on The Emeril Lagasse Show. The band, Dave Koz & The Kozmos, featured Jeff Golub (guitar), Philippe Saisse (keyboards), Conrad Korsch (bass guitar), and Skoota Warner (drums).

Koz plays a Yamaha silver alto sax (YAS-62S) with a #7 Beechler metal mouthpiece, a Yamaha straight silver Soprano sax (YSS-62S) or a vintage Conn curved soprano sax with a #8 Couf mouthpiece, and a Selmer Mark 6 Tenor sax with a Berg-Larsen 90/2 hard rubber mouthpiece. As for reeds, he uses size 3 Rico Plasticover.

On September 22, 2009, Koz received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In October 2010, Koz performed "Start All Over Again" in a Desperate Housewives season 7 episode Let Me Entertain You, alongside singer Dana Glover.

Discography

• 1990     Dave Koz     
• 1993     Lucky Man  
• 1996     Off the Beaten Path (Live in Trinidad)   
• 1997     December Makes Me Feel This Way 
• 1999     The Dance
• 2001     A Smooth Jazz Christmas 
• 2002     Golden Slumbers: A Father's Lullaby
• 2003     Saxophonic (2003)  
• 2005     Golden Slumbers: A Father's Love
• 2007     At the Movies Memories of a Winter's Night 
• 2008     Greatest Hits 
• 2010     Hello Tomorrow    

Singles

• 1990     "Emily"
• 1991     "Castle of Dreams","Nothing But the Radio On" 
• 1993     "You Make Me Smile","Faces of the Heart (ABC Daytime's General Hospital Theme Song)
  1994     "Lucky Man" 
• 1999     "Together Again"
• 2000     "Careless Whisper" (featuring Montell Jordan),"Know You by Heart"
• 2006     "Somewhere/Summer of '42"
• 2007     "The Pink Panther Theme","It Might Be You","White Christmas"
• 2008     "Life in the Fast Lane","White Christmas"
• 2010     "And Then I Knew","Put The Top Down"
• 2011     "Starting Over Again","Anything's Possible"Compilation appearances

    The Weather Channel Presents: The Best of Smooth Jazz, (2007)

By: Rufus Simamora

About Kirk Whalum

     

(born July 11, 1958) is an American smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. He toured as Whitney Houston's opening act for several years and has recorded a series of well received solo albums and film soundtracks, with music ranging from pop to R&B to smooth jazz. Kirk’s musical accomplishments have brought him a total of 12 Grammy nominations.

Kirk won his first Grammy award in 2011 for Best Gospel Song (“It’s What I Do”-featuring Lalah Hathaway) alongside lifelong friend and gifted writer, Jerry Peters.

Biography

Whalum performing in a September, 2007 music festival in Nashville.

Kirk Whalum born July 11, 1958 in Memphis, Tennessee, was surrounded by music as he grew up in the R&B capital of the South. Kirk attended Melrose High School and Texas Southern University where he was a member of the World Famous Ocean of Soul Marching Band. In addition to singing in his father's church choir, Whalum also learned to love music from his grandmother, Thelma Twigg Whalum, a piano teacher, and two uncles, Wendell Whalum and Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum, who performed with jazz bands around the country. These influences proved lasting, as he told John H. Johnson's magazine "Ebony Man" in a 1994 profile, "The music I like to play and write encompasses the four elements I grew up with: Memphis R&B, gospel, rock, and jazz. The emphasis, though, is on melody, period.

In 1986, he performed at Jean Michel Jarre's giant concerts Rendez-Vous Houston and Rendez-Vous Lyon. At each concert, he performed the track Last Rendez-Vous, AKA Ron's Piece in place of Jarre and Whalum's mutual friend, saxophonist and astronaut Ron McNair, who died in the Challenger disaster. As part of the Challenger mission, McNair was due to perform the piece live from space as part of the Houston concert.

The '90s also brought Whalum a diverse series of session and touring jobs, working with artists like Whitney Houston, Willie Norwood, Babyface, Nancy Wilson, Yolanda Adams, Take 6, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Barbra Streisand, Kirk Franklin, Edwin Hawkins, Quincy Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Al Green, and Luther Vandross. He also has worked on a number of film scores, including those for The Prince of Tides, Boyz n the Hood, The Bodyguard, Grand Canyon, and Cousins (film).

In 2005 Whalum recorded the Babyface Songbook (2005) with R&B icon Babyface's best songs of the past 15 years, including "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," "I'll Make Love to You," "When Can I See You," and others. Joining in the intimate and stylish proceedings are other smooth jazz notables, including trumpeter Rick Braun, soprano saxophone player Dave Koz, and guitarists Norman Brown and Chuck Loeb among others. Whalum also contributed to the 2008 documentary film Miss HIV.

Discography

• Floppy Disk (1985)
• And You Know That (1988)
• The Promise (1989)
• "Mad About the Wolf" from Simply Mad About the Mouse (1991)
• Caché (1993)
• In This Life (1995)
• Joined at the Hip w/ Bob James (1996)
• Colors (1997)
• Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter 1 (1998)
• For You (1998)
• Unconditional (2000)
• Hymns in the Garden (2001)
• The Christmas Message (2001)
• The Best of Kirk Whalum (2002)
• Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter 2 (2002)
• Into My Soul (2003)
• Kirk Whalum Performs the Babyface Songbook (2005)
• Ultimate Kirk Whalum (2007)
• Roundtrip (2007)
• Promises Made: The Millennium Promise Jazz Project (2008)
• Everything Is Everything: The Music of Donny Hathaway (2010)
• The Gospel According to Jazz Chapter III (2010)
• "Romance Language" (2011)

Official Website

By: Rufus Simamora

Peran Musik dalam gereja

A. PERAN GEREJA DALAM PELAYANAN MUSIK

”KepadaKu telah diberikan segala kuasa di sorga dan di bumi. Karena itu pergilah, jadikanlah semua bangsa muridKu dan baptislah mereka dalam nama Bapa dan Anak dan Roh Kudus, dan ajarlah mereka melakukan segala sesuatu yang telah Ku-perintahkan kepadamu. Dan ketehuilah, AKU menyertai kamu senantiasa sampai kepada akhir zaman.” (Matius 28:18-20)

”Hendaklah perkataan Kristus diam dengan segala kekayaannya di antara kamu, sehingga kamu dengan segala hikmat mengajar dan menegur seorang akan yang lain dan sambil menyanyikan mazmur dan puji-pujian dan nyanyian rohani, kamu mengucap syukur kepada Allah di dalam hatimu.” (Kolose 3 : 16)

Melalui kedua ayat di atas kita belajar tentang AMANAT AGUNG bagi Gereja. Ada 4 hal yg penting untuk dilakukan oleh Gereja : pemberitaan Injil, pengajaran, persekutuan, dan ibadah. Ke-4 hal tersebut harus mendasari peranan dan tugas Gereja dalam dunia ini. Sesungguhnya di antara 4 hal tsb, ”ibadah” adalah inti dari ke-4nya. Ia harus mendasari ke-3 unsur yg lain, karena yg lain tidak dapat berperan tanpa adanya ibadah. Ibadah bukan hanya sekedar nama atau stempel bagi pengikut Kristus, tetapi dinamo yg menggerakkan dan menghidupkan semua orang maupun aktifitas yg dilakukan oleh Gereja. Berdasarkan Amanat Agung maka semua pelayanan Gereja harus mengandung 4 hal tsb, tidak terkecuali ”MUSIK”. 

Musik adalah elemen yg penting dalam ibadah Kristen, sehingga sifatnya lebih ”vertikal”, meskipun unsur horizontalnya jg tidak dapat dilupakan. Musik Gereja atau lebih tepat disebut ”Musik Ibadah” mempunyai Visi dan Misi. Inilah yg membedakan musik ibadah dengan musik sekuler. Dan karena Visi dan Misi Gereja terdapat dalam Amanat Agung, maka musik ibadah juga demikian adanya.

B. APAKAH MUSIK GEREJA ITU?

Apakah arti MUSIK itu? Ia telah memberikan peranan yg sangat penting dalam sejarah manusia. Mengapa? Sebab ia merupakan ekspresi/ungkapan isi hati manusia. Setiap orang mempunyai berbagai macam emosi, dan emosi memerlukan saluran. Saluran bagi ungkapan emosi manusia dapat berupa gerakan badan atau vokal. Ungkapan fisik dapat berupa tarian, dan ungkapan vokal dapat berupa musik. Ungkapan-ungkapan semacam ini lambat laun menjadi suatu seni. 

Musik punya pengaruh yang kuat bagi emosi manusia, ia dapat menjadi alat yg hebat untuk merangsang emosi pendengarnya-mengangkat, memberi inspirasi, mendorong, memperangkap seseorang, dan dapat menjatuhkan atau menghancurkan seseorang.

Apakah yg dikatakan oleh Alkitab mengenai Musik? Sesungguhnya Alkitab banyak berbicara tentang musik. La Mar Boschman dlm bukunya ”Rebirth Of Music” menulis :

”Music is mentioned in the Bible over 839 times. God must consider music important to mention it that many times in His Word. God doesn’t waste words. He doesn’t fill in spaces in the Bible. Each word is there for a reason. Hell is mentioned a little over 70 times, yet how much do we know about hell? Most of us can describe it very vividly. We can picture the flames leaping up at us, yet hell is only mentioned 70 times. Music is mentioned 12 times as often, god must consider music very important. In fact, it is one of the major emphases of the Bible.”

Musik merupakan anugerah Allah kepada manusia. Martin Luther sebagai Bapak Reformasi mengatakan : ”Music is a gift of God, not of men”. Ronald Allen dan Gordon Borror, penulis buku “Worship, Rediscovering The Missing Jewel”, mengatakan : “Allah menganugerahkan musik agar kita dapat memperkembangkannya dan menggunakannya untuk mengungkapkan kreatifitas kita di dalam penyembahan dan ibadah kepada Allah”.

Dalam kitab Mazmur yg merupakan BUKU NYANYIAN orang Yahudi dapat kita lihat pentingnya peranan musik dalam ibadah. Sebagai contoh dalam Mazmur 95 : 2 “Biarlah kita menghadap wajahNya dengan nyanyian syukur, bersorak-sorak bagiNya dengan nyanyian mazmur.” Dalam Alkitab bahasa Inggris kata “nyanyian mazmur” itu bunyinya : “music and song”, sehingga artinya jelas sekali bahwa tekanan untuk mendekati Allah melalui musik itu diutamakan.

 

Setelah kita ketahui asal-usul musik dan maksud dari musik tersebut, marilah kita selidiki dalam kitab Keluaran 20 tentang 10 Perintah Allah yg melarang penggunaan beberapa macam cabang seni untuk sarana beribadah (contoh : membuat patung). Tetapi tidak satu katapun yg melarang penggunaan musik untuk beribadah. Sehingga kesimpulan kita ialah Allah mengijinkan penggunaan musik untuk ibadah bani Israel. Musik sangat berkembang dalam kehidupan bani Israel, bahkan mencapai puncaknya pada masa pemerintahan raja Daud yg juga terkenal sebagai seorang ahli musik. Bahkan ia telah melihat kuasa yg terkandung dalam musik yg dimainkannya ketika ia harus melayani raja Saul di istana. Setiap kali Saul dapat ditenangkan kembali pada waktu Daud memainkan musik. Ketika Daud menjadi raja, ia yakin bahwa musik mempunyai peranan penting bagi pelayanan ibadah dalam Bait Allah. Hasil karyanya yg terutama adalah dibentuknya organisasi musik dalam Bait Allah, yg merupakan organisasi musik gereja yg pertama (I Tawarikh 25). Sejak saat itu musik memegang peranan penting dalam Bait Allah.

By: Rufus Simamora

Musik Gereja

Musik gereja adalah musik yang berkembang di kalangan Kristen juga pada zaman sebelum kekristenan: Yahudi, terutama dilihat dari penggunaannya dalam ibadah gereja. Seorang tokoh musik gereja, Mawene Seorang Teolog Perjanjian Lama Indonesia, namun juga perhatian dalam Musik Gereja, dalam bukunya Gereja yang Bernyanyi menyebutkan musik gereja merupakan ungkapan isi hati orang percaya (Kristen) yang diungkapkan dalam bunyi-bunyian yang bernada dan berirama secara harmonis, antara lain dalam bentuk lagu dan nyanyian. Sama dengan musik secara umum, dua unsur; vokal dan instrumental harus diperhatikan, dan terkhusus dalam bermusik di gereja yang sarat dengan makna teologis dan berkenaan dengan iman umat, dua hal itu sangat penting untuk disajikan secara tepat agar umat mampu menghayati imannya dengan bantuan musik.

Musik dan Kehidupan

Musik merupakan simfoni kehidupan, menjadi bagian seni yang mewarnai kehidupan sehari-hari manusia di muka bumi. Tanpa musik dunia sepi, hampa dan monoton karena musik mampu mencairkan suasana, merelaksasi hati serta menstimulasi pikiran manusia sebagai pemeran cerita kehidupan. Musik tak sekedar memberikan efek hiburan, tetapi mampu memberikan makna untuk membangkitkan gairah dan spirit hidup untuk memberdayakan dan memaknai hidup. Mendengarkan musik, menghayati dan menikmatinya merupakan aktivitas yang menyenangkan dan bisa membuat kita nyaman. Efek inilah yang secara medis dan psikologis menimbulkan reaksi positif pada kondisi fisik dan psikis manusia, termasuk saya dan kita, lalu apakah manfaat musik yang sebenarnya dalam kehidupan kita sehari-hari?

Ada beberapa manfaat musik berkaitan dengan keseharian kita dan penggunaannya sebagai terapi. 

- Pertama , musik bermanfaat untuk menjaga kesehatan dan kekebalan tubuh kita karena musik ternyata bersifat terapeutik dan bersifat menyembuhkan. Menurut Campbel, musik mampu menghasilkan stimulan yang bersifat ritmis. Stimualan ini kemudian ditangkap oleh pendengaran kita dan diolah di dalam sistem saraf tubuh serta kelenjar otak yang mereorganisasikan interpretasi bunyi ke dalam ritme internal pendengarnya. Ritme internal ini mempengaruhi metabolisme tubuh manusia sehingga prosesnya berlangsung dengan lebih baik. Metabolisme yang lebih baik akan mengakibatkan tubuh mampu membangun sistem kekebalan yang lebih baik. Dengan sistem kekebalaan yang lebih baik, tubuh menjadi lebih tangguh terhadap kemungkinan serangan penyakit.

- Kedua, musik dapat meningkatkan intelegensi karena rangsangan ritmis mampu meningkatkan fungsi kerja otak kita. Ritme internal yang dihasilkan musik membuat saraf-saraf otak bekerja, rasa nyaman dan tenang yang distimulasi musik membuat fungsi kerja otak bekerja optimal. Bila hal ini sering dilakukan, fungsi kerja otak kita akan semakin prima, sehingga kemampuan berpikir kita lebih jernih dan tajam, serta bisa mencegah kepikunan (alzheimer). Perlu kita ketahui bahwa bagian kanan otak kita berkaitan dengan kecerdasan dan perkembangan artistik dan kreatif, bahasa, musik, imajinasi, warna, pengenalan diri, sosialisasi dan pengembangan kepribadian. Karena itu, rangsangan ritmis dari musik yang diperdengarkan juga dapat meningkatkan kemampuan berbahasa, meningkatkan kreativitas, serta meningkatkan konsentrasi dan daya ingat kita.

- Ketiga, musik bisa menimbulkan reaksi psikologis yang dapat mengubah suasana hati dan kondisi emosi , sehingga musik bermanfaat sebagai relaksasi yang dapat menghilangkan stress mengatasi kecemasan, memperbaiki mood dan menumbuhkan kesadaran spiritual. Sebagai sebuah bentuk seni, musik tak hanya menciptakan harmoni nada yang enak didengar, tetapi juga memberikan kesan indah yang mampu menggugah dan mengantarkan manusia pada kesadaran yang dalam dan penuh, menelusuri lorong-lorong hampa dalam ketidakberdayaan harapan. Kesadaran akan fitrah kemanusiaan yang tak bisa lepas dari masalah kesadaran akan keberadaan kekuatan Yang Maha Sempurna sehingga timbul kepasrahan untuk berserah kepada-Nya. Penyerahan diri inilah yang bisa mengurangi bahkan menghilangkan beban pikiran dan perasaan yang menekan. Rangsangan ritmis yang dihasilkan musik mampu membuat pikiran rileks, serta menimbulkan perasaan-perasaan positif , tenang, nyaman dan optimis bahkan bahagia.

- Keempat, musik bermanfaat sebagai alat dan media komunikasi antar manusia karena musik merupakan bahasa universal yang mampu memadukan perbedaan, menciptakan perdamaian dan solidaritas kemanusiaan. sejarah sering kali mencatatkan peran dan manfaat musik sebagai sarana pergaulan dan media komunikasi yang bisa dipahami semua orang, sekalipun kita tidak memahami bahasa tiap-tiap bangsa. Dalam kehidupan nyata sehari-hari pun, musik sering kali menjadi alat komunikasi dengan orang yang kita cintai, mewakili perasaan hati, ungkapan kerinduan bahkan kemarahan.

Berkaitan dengan manfaat musik tersebut,  jenis-jenis musik juga sangat mempengaruhi manfaat yang dirasakan setiap orang, khususnya bagi yang menjalani terapi musik. Bagi saya mendengarkan atau bermain musik sendiri, sebenarnya bisa menjadi terapi terutama ketika saya mengalami kejenuhan, bosan, bad mood. Musik bisa memunculkan kembali semangat dan motivasi untuk melakukan sesuatu yang berguna. Dengan musik, kita tidak saja mampu menghayati dan meresapi alunan nadanya, tetapi juga mampu memahami diri dan orang lain di sekitar kita, serta menghayati esensi hidup yang sebenarnya.

By: Rufus Simamora