David Stephen Koz is an American saxophonist, composer, record producer, and radio personality based in California.
Gregg Karukas is a smooth jazz pianist from Bowie, Maryland who first gained notice in Washington, D.C., then moved to Los Angeles in 1982. He backed Melissa Manchester before he co-founded the Rippingtons in 1986.
Wayman Lawrence Tisdale was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and a smooth jazz bass guitarist. A three-time All American at the University of Oklahoma, he was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival (JJF) is one of the largest jazz festivals in the world and arguably the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. The annual jazz festival is held every early March and was designed to be one of the largest jazz festivals globally. It was held for the first time in 2005, when approximately 125 groups and 1,405 artists performed in 146 shows. The first festival was attended by 47,500 visitors during its three-day stretch. The festival, which is also known simply as Java Jazz, was founded by Indonesian businessman Peter F. Gontha. Since 2022, the festival has moved to the end of May or early June. In 2025, the festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Brian Culbertson is an American smooth jazz/R&B/funk musician and producer. His instruments include the synthesizer, piano and trombone.
The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival is a free jazz music festival held annually in June at Rodney Square in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. The first festival was held in 1989 on the open lawn in the center of the city, and has grown into the largest free jazz festival on the East Coast. The event is held to keep alive the memory of Clifford Brown who died in a traffic accident in 1956 along with pianist Richie Powell. Pieces written by Brown and tribute pieces are often played. Some acts have been staged at the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, where a fee was charged.
Jeffrey H. Lorber is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Prototype by his band the Jeff Lorber Fusion.
Peter White is an English musician and composer who plays guitar, piano, accordion and harmonica. He is known for his 20-year collaboration with Al Stewart.
Forever, for Always, for Luther Volume II, released on November 21, 2006 by Rendezvous Entertainment, is a smooth jazz various artists tribute album, with ten popular songs written by Luther Vandross. The album was produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner, as a follow-up to their earlier GRP Records tribute album, Forever, For Always, For Luther.
Forever, for Always, for Luther, released on July 27, 2004, by GRP Records, is a smooth jazz various artists tribute album, with ten popular songs written by Luther Vandross. The album featured vocal arrangements by Luther, and was produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner.
Kirk Whalum is an American R&B and smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. Whalum has recorded a series of commercially and critically acclaimed solo studio albums. Along with several film soundtracks, with music ranging from pop to R&B to smooth jazz. While he's been bestowed with one win out of 12 Grammy nominations.
The Hampton Jazz Festival is a major musical event started in 1968, and features many of the world's major jazz artists. It is held during the last full weekend in June each year, with the primary venue being Hampton, Virginia's Hampton Coliseum. Festival organizers describe it as "the best available jazz, R&B and blues artists that are on tour during the time of the festival... packaged at a reasonable price." In 2024 it was re-branded as the Hampton Jazz & Music Festival, with an emphasis on a broader range of musical acts.
Michael Lington is a Danish-American contemporary saxophonist, songwriter, producer, recording artist and a purveyor of soul and contemporary jazz.
Hello Tomorrow is the ninth studio album by saxophone player Dave Koz. It was his first album released by Concord Records on October 19, 2010. Koz himself provided vocals on "This Guy's in Love with You". The album peaked at number 1 on Billboard Jazz Albums chart. On November 30, 2011, the album received a Nomination in the 54th Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Album.
Summer Horns is a collaboration album by Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot. It was released on May 7, 2013 via Concord Records. The album was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, losing to Steppin' Out by Herb Alpert.
Vincent Ingala is a contemporary/urban jazz multi-instrumentalist. The tenor saxophone is his main instrument of choice, though he plays drums, guitar, piano, and sings as well. He has released eight albums, his most recent being released on July 12, 2024.
Brian Simpson is an American contemporary jazz pianist and composer. He has released 11 albums as a solo artist, his most recent, Soul Connection, released in 2023.
Francis R. Cody was an American record producer, A&R and radio executive. Described by the R&R Magazine and The New York Times as "Smooth Jazz's Leading Alchemist" and "The Father of Smooth Jazz",
Worth Waiting For is the tenth studio album by jazz keyboardist Jeff Lorber, released on Verve Forecast in January 1993. The album topped the U.S. Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart at the end of July 1993. Worth Waiting For is the only album by Lorber to hit number 1 on that chart; five others rose to number 2. The album also hit number 33 on Billboard's Jazz chart, and number 71 on the R&B chart.
