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La Dolce Vita...

Not trusting the drawing power of its co-billed veterans, singer-guitarist George Benson and singer-"vocal percussionist" Al Jarreau, or the eventfulness of their teaming, the producers of Givin' It Up have hedged their commercial bets with a full array of guest stars. But none of the guest singers ...

Jazz trumpeter Chris Botti is mostly exquisite on this concert DVD, which gives old fans and new arrivals a chance to hear him apply his rich, expressive playing to a number of old standards, as well as one or two of his own compositions. Botti, along with a remarkable band including Billy Childs on...

Way Up!...

English singer-pianist Jamie Cullum comes into view as an already heralded jazz-pop artist, signed to a million-pound contract and riding a CD that's already registered double platinum in the UK. The "jazz" label doesn't hang that comfortably on the 24-year-old Cullum--he's more in the mold of polis...

This Guy's in Love...

Style, sophistication, elegance...where can we find that old-school cool in our consumer culture of instantly disposable celebrity? Time to meet Patrizio Buanne. Tall, dark and handsome, perfectly groomed and impeccably dressed, the clean cut Italian with the rich baritone voice is an enigma. Ins...

Dave Koz crosses a number of pop boundaries on this CD, bringing tunes associated with genres from Motown ("I'll Be There") to New Country ("The Dance") into the smooth jazz orbit while somehow managing to put a personal stamp on them all. His perky soprano sax blends beautifully with Luther Vandros...

The party line on most Windham Hill products seems to be that it's either the greatest stuff since wave machines, or that it all sounds alike. On a Starry Night, with its collection of world songs and reputable artists such as Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, the Turtle Island String Quartet, and others,...

The opportunity to hear Eric Clapton stretch out in an unusual (for him) setting and in the company of musicians the likes of which he rarely plays with is the principal attraction of Legends - Live at Montreux, recorded in 1997 during the Swiss city's annual jazz festival. Clapton is joined by some...