Jazz Blue Notes

IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT: While jazz lore is ripe with tales of exciting jam sessions, it is usually the straight-ahead artists who get to challenge one another in the live setting, with the more contemporary artists relegated to studio work and "greatest hits" live sets.

This situation was addressed during the 1999 Montreux Jazz Festival with several events curated by Warner Bros.' jazz division, where contemporary jazz artists were given the opportunity to strut their stuff on the standards that make up their collective songbooks.

"We wanted to present some of our smooth jazz artists in a live setting, so people could see what they make happen musically," explains Warner Bros. jazz executive VP/GM Matt Pierson. "In a straight-ahead setting, when guys get on stage and jam, they call a blues or a standard, and they just blow. I wanted to have a vibe where the more contemporary players could call their own standards, like 'Watermelon Man' or 'Westchester Lady,' and get to challenge one another."

Featuring the bulk of the label's jazz roster, many of the proceedings are captured on the two-CD set "Casino Lights '99" (Warner Bros., Nov. 14), a sequel of sorts to 1989's "Casino Lights," which featured artists such as Al Jarreau, Michael Brecker, and Larry Carlton, who returns on "Casino Lights '99" as a member of Fourplay. " '99" showcases such musicians as Rick Braun, George Duke, Bob James, Kirk Whalum, and Boney James, joined by some of their more straight-ahead label brethren: Kevin Mahogany, Mark Turner, and Kenny Garrett.

"In Europe, straight-ahead jazz does very well, but some of the more contemporary artists don't enjoy the same recognition," states Pierson. "The European audience expects jazz to have that particular straight-ahead swing. Hopefully, we gave them an opportunity to see how these artists create their music, to understand their personal visions."

Vocalist Gabriela Anders, who is featured with the George Duke Band on Duke's "Brazilian Love Affair," as well as on her own "Fire Of Love," says that the audiences were initially "a bit passive, but as we played they became very passionate and responsive to the music. The musicians were all very excited to be working together, and you hear that in the performances."

According to Randall Kennedy, Warner Bros. VP of jazz marketing and sales, crowded fourth-quarter retail shelves necessitate "putting the album up front, and attracting consumers by virtue of the artists who perform." The label has also made available a download of James' "Westchester Lady" for retail Web sites. Although "Watermelon Man" has been serviced to smooth jazz radio, both smooth and traditional jazz radio outlets have been encouraged to play tracks from the full set.

Additionally, the full album has been serviced for play in movie theaters nationwide during November and December. Kennedy estimates that "Casino Lights '99" will be heard in approximately 13,000 theaters, amounting to roughly 25 million impressions.