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JazzBeatsRadio salute James Mtume a Music Pioneer

Percussionist James Mtume, the beat behind Miles Davis and later 'Juicy,' dies at 76

Mtume was a funk and soul group that rose to prominence during the early 1980s and had several R&B hits during its career. Its founder, former percussionist James Mtume, previously played and toured with Miles Davis in the early 1970s. Other members of the group included Reggie Lucas, Philip Field and vocalist Tawatha Agee. Mtume also gained recognition after having its hit single "Juicy Fruit" extensively sampled by many hip-hop artists, most notably by the Notorious B.I.G. in the 1994 hit song "Juicy".

During the start of the group's career, they recorded three albums, their first for Strata East (1972) titled Alkebu-Lan- The Land of the Blacks, and two for the independent label Third Street Records: Kawaida (1973); Alkebu-Lan^[2] (1975); and Rebirth Cycle^[3] (1977). However, not finding pop or R&B chart success, they signed to major label Epic Records in 1978, releasing the albums Kiss This World Goodbye (1978), and In Search of the Rainbow Seekers (1980), which found modest success on the R&B chart. Their 1983 album Juicy Fruit, however, provided Mtume with its biggest hit, when the title song reached number one for eight weeks on the U.S. R&B chart, and was certified gold by the RIAA,^[4] despite shying just off the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 at 45.

Mtume's 1984 album You, Me, and He also proved to be a success with the title song reaching number 2 on the R&B chart. Their final R&B top ten hit was "Breathless" (1986) from their final album Theater of the Mind. Mtume continued recording with Epic Records until the late 1980s. Group member Tawatha Agee subsequently went solo in 1987.

JazzBeatsRadio Top 5 Artists

JazzBeatsRadio Salute Michael Franks and Herbie Hancock

Norman Brown

Grammy award-winning contemporary Jazz/R&B superstar Norman Brown has sold over 2 million albums in his extraordinary career and virtually lives at the top of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charts. His charisma and versatility afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with a cross-section of Jazz & R&B superstars including George Benson, Brian McKnight, Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Chante’ Moore, Jeff Lorber, Peabo Bryson, Boney James, Miki Howard, and Gerald Albright. Jazz Times Magazine touts him as “a culmination of Jimi Hendrix and George Benson with some of Wes Montogmery thrown in.” Allmusic raves that Brown is “one of contemporary jazz’s brightest lights...a master player and improviser.” Udiscover Music named him one of the top “50 Best Jazz Guitarists Of All Time.”

Tom Browne New Music click the picture

With over three decades of recordings and sharing the concert stage with luminary figures of jazz music, Tom Browne continues to captivate listeners as an entertainer who has successfully mixed stage presence and musical artistry with a sincere audience connection and warmth. “People don’t just come to hear your music,” says Browne, “they come to connect with you!”

Tom is perhaps best known for what music icon George Benson said of his “believability in any musical style; his ability to communicate!” This ability to emerse ones-self into the musical era, style and dreamscape of a composition, and then artistically create as though you are perfectly at home in that location, is a rarity among musicians. Perhaps this ability is resultant of Browne’s upbringing near Jamaica, New York where greats like Count Basie lived on one block and James Brown on another. “It was the merger of so many musical influences and styles that created the Jamaica scene, and certainly my approach” says Browne.

JazzBeatsRadio welcomes Lorna Diane

Weeknights 6pm to 10pm

with the Jazz Night Flight

The Dave Koz Radio Show is now on JazzBeatsRadio

Saturdays and Sundays 10am and 10pm

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JazzBeatsRadio Welcome Bob Baldwin

About NewUrbanJazz:

NewUrbanJazz was launched on October 1, 2008. On February 5, 2008, CD101.9 (NYC) flipped the format to Rock 'n' Roll, and shortly after, several stations flipped up and down the East Coast. "NUJ was tested in 2004 at WJSJ/Jacksonville, Fl. and the results were favorable", says the native New Yorker. We began to add unknown US-based and international artists to the lineup quietly and was received with high marks. We have a couple other formulas that proved to be effective, so it only made sense to roll out our program."

Saturdays and Sundays 2pm est.

The Wind Down with Will Downing

Listen to the Wind Down with Will Downing Friday nights at 10pm on JazzBeatsRadio.

Artist of the Month Saxophonist BK Jackson

BK Jackson, recording artist

Bernard “BK” Jackson is an international-performing saxophonist, electrifying audiences across the globe with his unique playing style, energetic stage presence and unparalleled passion for music that touches the soul. A native of Tampa, Florida, he goes by the stage name “BK Jackson” and has crossed musical paths with industry giants such as B.B King, Brian McKnight, Bruno Mars, Hunter Hayes, Chaka Khan, Fantasia, Zac Brown Band and more. Most notably, BK spent three years touring domestically and abroad with musical icon Prince, performing timeless hits for sold out arenas night after night as a member of his 11-piece horn section, known as New Power Generation (NPG) Hornz.

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George Duke

Classic McCoy Tyner and Phyllis Hyman

In Search Of My Heart

Celebrating 6 years and reaching over a Quarter Billion Listeners

We Are Jazz Beats Radio.... PeriodT.

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Esperanza Interview with Captain Darrel Davis

Esperanza Spalding & Darrel Davis Interview

JazzBeatsRadio Commercial Goes Live

After 4 years of streaming Live around the World JazzBeatsRadio first TV Commercial hit the Atlanta Market on April 13th. "This is a mile stone and we're moving into the right direction as we start our United States Publicity Campaign", says General Manager Darrel Davis.

Thanks to all the thousands of supporters of Smooth Jazz through out the years who supported our station. We will continue to bring you the Best in Smooth Jazz 24/7.

We would like to welcome all the new listeners to JazzBeatsRadio. Click on the LISTEN LIVE button up top to join in the Live stream. You can also listen on any mobile device or go to the iTunes Radio Store. We thank you for tuning in to the Smooth Jazz Station JazzBeatsRadio.com

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The 11th Annual Miami Jazz in the Gardens was a big success.....

With featured acts performing Jazz, Funk, Soul, and R&B gave the thousands of fans one of the Hottest Concerts in the country. Major Acts Charlie Wilson, Usher, Brian Culbertson, Babyface, Janelle Monae, Kool & The Gang, Average White Band, Regina Belle, Michael McDonald, Najee, Alex Bugnon, and Fred Hammond was one of the Hottest line-up so far for this great concert.

The entire two day concert was electrifying in every way a music lover could imagine. Concert goer Gwen Wells from Chicago, IL said " Uncle Charlie turn the Saturday Night in to a old school Blue Light in the basement party."

The SunLife Stadium where this smorgasborg of talent and fans came together to party raised the bar for the event planners for the 2017 Miami JazzIn The Gardens. If you miss this year concert, please plan ahead for the 2017 event.

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Featured Artist Jeanette Harris

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Jeanette Harris is the scintillating saxtress of smooth jazz. This lady understands that energetic and captivating performances matched with uplifting and inspiring vibrations in the music are the solid platinum recipe for success. Fans already recognize her for her wonderful cover of Stevie Wonder’s “All I Do,” which hit Billboard’s smooth jazz singles chart from her previous album, Saxified. Classically trained in both sax and piano, a graduate of Boston’s famed Berklee College of Music, and the saxophonist for the late, great Teena Marie’s final year of touring, Jeanette has weathered the fiercest challenges to bring the world her own brand of soulful healing vibes. That baptism awaits in her fourth CD, Summer Rain, on which Jeanette had a hand in writing all of the selections except her lovely cover of the Luther Vandross classic “Here and Now.” Its 11 sunny songs wrap the listener in the glow of fun love grooves and sweet romance.