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Norah Jones to Release New Album in Spring
Jan 31, 2012 - Good news for all the Norah Jones fans out there! The singer is set to release a new album in spring called 'Little Broken Hearts.'  This will be Jones' fifth studio CD and she will be joined by producer and musician, Danger Mouse who is notably the backbone for the project. He also co-wrote many of the tunes with her.

Jones will really be promoting this project with tons of shows this year. She is set to appear at many festivals including a stint at the Hollywood Bowl.

Though she has never out-performed her debut album, "Come Away with Me," from 2002, the nine-time-Grammy winner, with the famous rootsy voice, just keeps belting out the tunes. Norah insists on writing songs that speak to her soul more than returning to the same radio-formula hits of the past. MORE

Springsteen to Release Wrecking Ball in March
Jan 24, 2012 - Bruce Springsteen is full speed ahead with his new album due out in March. “Wrecking Ball” will be his 17th studio album and is produced by heavy hitter Ron Aniello (Patti Scialfa, Jars of Clay) and talent thrown in from Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machines) and members of the E Street band.

“The lyrics tell a story you can't hear anywhere else and the music is his most innovative of recent years,” Springsteen manager Jon Landau said in a statement, via Rolling Stone. “The writing is some of the best of his career and both veteran fans and those who are new to Bruce will find much to love on Wrecking Ball.”

The album’s title comes from a debut track that Springsteen and the E Street Band played at Giants stadium in 2009. The song “Land of Hope and Dreams” is another single that will resurface on the new album, a song that was first performed at their 1999 reunion tour. Sources say a world tour looks possible for the Boss and the E Streeters in March as well. Stay tuned!  MORE

Paul McCartney to Perform at Grammy’s
January 24, 2012 - It’s a done deal as Paul has announced (via his website) that he will be preforming at the 54th annual Grammy Awards in L.A. on Feb 12. This is also a very special occasion for him as he’s nominated this year for Best Historical Album for Band On The Run. McCartney is definitely no stranger to the stage and if he wins this one it will be his 15th Grammy win in all.

Paul is keeping the pace steady leading up to the Grammy’s with his upcoming album release of “Kisses On The Bottom” scheduled to come out Feb 7th. This will be his fifteenth solo studio album and the fans are excited since his last album was almost five years ago.

McCartney has also been named the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year and that is for recognition of a musician’s artistic and philanthropic efforts. Hats off to you Sir Paul!  MORE

John Mayer Introduces New Custom Guitar
January 23, 2012 - John Mayer has been out of the spotlight since he cancelled numerous gigs last year to undergo throat surgery. His decision to finally go under the knife was necessary after attempts to rest his voice did not help. In the meantime, John had to regroup and push back the release of his new album.

He still continues to recuperate and although not 100% with his voice Mayer made his first public appearance attending the National Association of Music Merchants Conference in California to introduce his new custom made guitar with Martin, “Rolling Stone”reports. His limited edition of these six string guitars will be sold for $14,000 and only to select dealers.

John also has a new album “Born And Raised” due out later this year and this ties in nicely for him getting back in touch with his musical roots. MORE

Etta James Dies at the Age 73
Jan 20, 2012 - Etta James, an iconic R&B American singer known for her classic songs “ At Last” and “Something’s Got A Hold Of Me” has died today at the age of 73.

Recognition and appreciation has rolled in for James over the years. She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2000 and in 2001 she was honored with a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement. Etta was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of fame in 2003.

Etta is survived by her two sons Donto and Sametto who are both musicians that performed in her band. MORE

Lionel Richie Honored with Humanitarian Award
Dec 5, 2011- It is no surprise that today, iconic superstar Lionel Richie is set to receive from the Harvard Foundation at Kirkland House, the 2011 Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award.

Richie has written and recorded many billboard hits and has co-written a few songs aimed solely to benefit hunger victims in Africa and also for the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. He also gives back in supporting and helping to raise funds and world awareness for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

"The students and faculty of the Harvard Foundation are pleased to present the 2011 Humanitarian Award to Mr. Lionel Richie in memory of the late Reverend Peter J. Gomes," said Dr. S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation. "Richie is one of our nation's most creative musical artists, who has inspired many through his artistic and philanthropic endeavors. Reverend Gomes would be proud of the selection of the legendary musician, Lionel Richie, for this singular honor. We are honored to have him as our special guest on the Harvard campus."

Each year the Harvard Foundation presents the Humanitarian Award to an individual who has gone above and beyond and in leading by example has been a huge inspiration for all of us. The Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award was created to give props to the life and work of Reverend Peter J. Gomes, Minister in the Memorial Church and the Plummer Professor of Christian morals. Gomes, along with President Derek C Bok came together and founded the Harvard Foundation. MORE

George Michael Recovering from Pneumonia
Nov 28, 2011 - Oh no, is what I thought when the news came out that George Michael was recently stricken with respiratory complications in Vienna, Austria. It was so bad that George has to cancel his show two hours before it was about to start, get himself into an emergency room and looked at fast!
The 48 year old pop singer was diagnosed with a lung infection and on the insistence of doctors rest is his only option. He cut out a number of shows on his ‘Symphonic’ tour to fight the illness and then decided to pull back completely.
With all the rumors floating around that Michael’s health might be deteriorating, his supposedly new boyfriend Fadi Fawaz says the singer is “getting stronger” as he battles pneumonia.
Our thoughts are with you as you get better cause you “gotta have faith!” MORE

Man Sues After Forgetting Why He Loves Playboy Mansion
Nov 30, 2011- This lawsuit might make sense if Playboy was built around watching men’s hairy butts. It appears that a man who attended the “Leather Meets Lace” party at the Playboy Mansion recently thinks the admission charge is unfair.

According to TMZ, Steve Frye is suing on behalf of all men who allegedly had to pay $1000 for admission while “gorgeous ladies” did not!  Frye claims the double standard is sex discrimination and offering these women free admission “promotes harmful, negative stereotypes.”

Maybe these guys forgot why they all go to the Playboy mansion, it’s certainly not to hang out and look at the paintings! Oh, and one last thing that puts this all in left field is that proceeds from this event went to charity. MORE

The Doors Lost Song Found
November 22, 2011 - Well, what do you know! A newly found track by The Doors discovered just in time for the 40th anniversary reissue of the band’s 1971 release, “L.A. Woman.”

The Doors producer, Bruce Botnick recently discovered the lost track “She Smells So Nice” while rummaging through the album’s session tapes for the reissue due Jan 24, Rolling Stone reports.

The two-CD set includes a bonus disc featuring covers of Willie Dixon’s “(You Need Meat) Don’t Go No Further” and Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want).” The second disc of the L.A. Woman reissue includes eight ‘never heard before’ versions of songs from the album.

“L.A. Woman” was The Doors 6th album and the last one recorded before Jim Morrison’s death. The album was released in April, 1971 and Morrison died in July, 1971.

Interestingly “L.A. Woman” was also the album that separated the band to their long time producer Paul Rothchild who didn’t like the bands direction. He was quoted as saying the project only had two good songs, the hits, “Riders on the Storm” and the title track. He later called the album “dog meat.”

Rothchild died in 1995 from lung cancer. He was 59. MORE

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Back in 2012
November 22, 2011 - If you click on the official website of Springsteen you will see that it indeed confirms a new album and tour are in the works for 2012.

Excited European fans can see Springsteen and The E Street Band from the middle of May until the end of July and the U.S. and world tour dates are still in the making.

The tour will be E Street’s first in three years and without the incredible presence of Clarence Clemons, who died last June from a stroke at age 69. There has been no word on who is going to fit in his shoes. Also, original keyboardist Danny Federici died in 2008 at age 58 from melanoma.

As for the new album? Springsteen says the band is “incredibly excited” for the new year and the music for the new album is “almost done” untitled, and with no release date yet determined.

The Boss and the boys are pumped about everything they are planning for 2012. We just have to stay tuned! MORE

Death of the CD Expected By 2013
November 22, 2011 - Industry insiders are saying that the compact disc may be a thing of the past within 2 years! I remember when that little shiny disc wiped out the cassette tape and I thought that would never happen.

According to Side Line Music Magazine, the CD is set to expire by 2013 and will be in motion to start elimination sometime into 2012. The only CD’s that will be out there will be limited edition prints from major record labels. Here we are now left wrapping our minds round streaming and digital download options with retailers such as iTunes and Amazon. The truly bad news is a digital download has inferior sound to a CD, so once again I guess speed kills.

The magazine tried to get a statement from some of the big labels to confirm the extinction of the CD and no one would come forward but some employees and associates of the labels said indeed things are in the works.

Are The Police Returning?
Nov 16, 2011- Well, if you’ve got the main member of the band saying no then that’s a big fat no! In an interview with Billboard Magazine, Sting, vocalist/bassist of the band (that was most popular in the 70’s and 80’s) can’t see the trio getting back together again. “You know, it's something I am very proud of but I’m not sure there would be a reason to open it again except for nostalgic reasons, and I think we did that” in 2007-2008, he said. “I thought we did it very successfully. The timing was perfect. Everybody was happy to see us. So you know say, ‘OK, let’s close the book….”

 Here’s a double whammy too for Sting fans as he says they shouldn’t expect a solo album anytime soon either. Ouch!

Right now Sting is promoting his 25 Years box set, one-CD greatest hits album and iTunes app. “It’s hard to know what the new model is. I think the app is the new model,” says Sting. “People are going to stop buying CDs. People are going to stop selling and making them, so I am looking for different ways to get music to people, and the application at the moment seems to be the favorite.” Looks like Sting is just moving with the times. MORE

Want to Get Rid of Kim Kardashian? Sign the NO MORE KARDASHIAN Petition
November 16, 2011 – Want to get rid of Kim Kardashian? Take all the cameras out of the room. Your problem will be solved.

Enough is enough is what many people are saying about Kim Kardashian and her publicity-seeking clan. Well, maybe you can do something about it or at least get a message across.

Someone with the log-in name janesmith is targeting the Kardashian’s and E-Online. Here is her message;

I am asking people to sign a petition that will be forwarded to E! Online to request that the show ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ ends.

Please sign. However, if you leave comments, no foul language, belittling etc should be used. Example, what you see on comment boards.

I need for everyone to post this link to Facebook.. Twitter.. Email. This will close November 30th. We need several thousand to be heard!

Also please forward this link. We need many signatures!

Sign the petition here. http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/no-more-kardashian.html

Rumors Are True: Black Sabbath Reunion
November 16, 2011 - Let it be known that Black Sabbath gives full props to producer Rick Rubin for getting the band back together. Ozzy Osbourne, Tommy Lommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward confirmed that the rumors were indeed true. The band is in fact getting back together to hit the studios after Christmas to start recording their new album. Wow, the first album in 33 years and all this excitement is set for release in fall of 2012 and will of course coincide with a world tour.

Lommi says the experience is “like putting on an old glove” and Osbourne pipes in that they have written seven or eight songs. These guys mean business! To help mark the 10th anniversary at next year’s Download Festival in England the band is already scheduled to make an appearance there.

Sabbath did try to bring a new album back into the works in 1999 but that fizzled out and the band was last seen together on stage in 2006 when they were honored into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.

So cheers, long live Sabbath! - MORE

What’s My Name Again? Townshend of the Who Recalls Fight with Daltrey
November 14, 2011 - Pete Townshend recalls the moment when Who band mate Roger Daltrey, punched him so hard with one strike that he lost his memory for two days! Can you say ouch!

The fight apparently took place when The Who were finishing the last touches on their album Quadrophenia released in 1973. Daltrey was hanging out in the studio to wrap up some final mixes and Townshend already felt he was done with it.

The guitarist tells the Times: “I walked into the studio having not slept for two days after doing the final mixes. I had been in my big Mercedes limousine drinking brandy. Roger was in the studio, having waited for me for the last five hours.” ‘We’ve done it!’ I shouted at him. “Yeah? Well I’ve been here since one o’clock and I’m going.’ Roger said. “‘You can’t fucking go,’ I said. He pushed me out the way. I spat at him – and I got knocked out,” said Townshend. Pete recalls coming around an hour later and his memory non-existent for two days! Now that’s a punch!

Townshend recently put together a new edition of Quadrophenia and he personally feels it was the last great album by The Who. He also says once Daltrey gets back from his solo band tour he hopes they will hit the studios again together. READ MORE

Will The Rolling Stones Tour for 50th Anniversary?
November 14, 2011 - Whenever a band goes to reissue an album, we are always left wondering whether or not they will go on tour to promote it!

This is definitely the case with the Rolling Stones who are promoting the release of two “Some Girls” projects: a reissue of the 1978 album, containing 12 tracks from the original sessions; and, "Some Girls Live in Texas 1978" on DVD and Blu-ray.

This is all good when the band is talking 1978, but what about now? The Stones are being hit with the big question if they will put together a tour to mark their 50th Anniversary. Fans are talking since Keith Richards also told Rolling Stone Magazine that he is planning to meet with Charlie Watts and Ronnie Woods later this month in a London studio. "We're just going to play a little together, because we haven't played for three or four years," Keith explains. "You don't necessarily want to rehearse or write anything – you just want to touch bases. That's a good start: me, Charlie and Ronnie. Mick's welcome, and I'm sure he'll turn up, but right now we just want to get our chops down."

I get a feeling if the moment moves them anything is possible and the fans are always standing by. READ MORE

Dr. Conrad Murray Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter
November 7, 2011 – Michael Jackson fans are cheering in the streets right now. Dr. Conrad Murray has just been found guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter.

All twelve jurors found Michael Jackson’s last doctor responsible for his death.

A sentencing date was set for November 29, 2011. Murray was denied bail for his own safety and for the safety of the public. He was led away in handcuffs.

A “Journey” Reunion Ain’t Gonna Happen!
November 4, 2011 - Whenever I see the words in print “Journey “and “Steve Perry” I wonder if this is going to be it, are we finally going to see a reunion or something? Well, let it be known that according to Steve Perry (former lead singer of Journey) that just ain’t gonna happen! Even with a new Journey package in stores now with “Greatest Hits Volume 2” and the song “Don’t Stop Believin” playing like a mantra in our ears?

In a phone chat about this project to The Associated Press Perry says,’  "It's like any emotional, committed relationship. At some point, they seem to all have a shelf life and bands are no exception."  He also admits that "Life has moved us all on in different places in our lives. They're doing what they're doing — they have been since '98. And I've been doing what I'm doing, which is living my life and having a personal life.”

Being out of the spotlight, Steve says that he is in a good space and does not totally rule out touring again, it just won’t be with Journey.  Well,  I guess this case is closed, but I won’t stop believin! - By Shannon Edwards

Update: At the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards on Nov 10 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York Journey will receive the “Legend Of Live” Award. Guitarist Neal Schon will be there to pick up the honor.

How many of you follow Journey since Steve Perry left the band?  Who was your fav. lead singer of Journey? take a poll?  MORE

Michael Bublé Works Harder for What He’s Got!
November 4, 2011 - Here is a Canadian crooner who has won over the hearts of many with his genuine voice, captivating smile and boyish looks. The singer has sold over 35 million records worldwide and has won many awards during his solo career.

Michael works harder for what he’s got and realizes how much he could lose, especially while sitting at the top of his game. ''I’m more afraid of failure now than I have ever been,” Bublé told British magazine GQ. “It's only recently I've understood the maths of what make artists go up and down. They make too much money. They have too many people blowing smoke up their ass. You have to have that fear and desperation. Always want to do something better.”

Buble’ is now getting set for the festive season promoting his new Christmas album, which is no doubt going to be another hit. The 36-year old performer feels very fortunate to have many devoted fans and consistent record sales.

Now Even More Chances to Win an iPad-2 From Smooth Jazz Now – LISTEN TODAY TO WIN
August 3, 2011 – Last week “Smooth Jazz Now” called out one name to win a new Apple iPad-2. Today, starting, at 12/noon (eastern) we will give up to 4 listeners a chance to win the hottest gadget in the world.

John Beaudin will call out a name at noon, if that person does not call us back, at  (917) 310-7625, within 15 minutes he will call out another name at 12:15PM, then 12:30 and finally at 12:45.

These are the top-of-the-line iPad 2’s with Wi-Fi + 3G and 64 gigs. You can't buy a better iPad!

Make sure you are a member of our mailing list. You need to be to win! If you are not a member then simply join via the pop-up that appears when you go to listen to Smooth Jazz Now Radio. (Top right hand side of each page of our site)

Want to increase your chances to win? Just forward our weekly emails to a friend and our tracking system will let us know. You will get an extra chance to win with every person you forward our mailer to. Why not increase your odds.

Members of our mailing list also have a chance to win a “Mountain of 100 Classic CD’s” on Wednesday, August 31 at 1:10PM. Just listen for your name. Also “Smooth Jazz Now” hands out "Classic Albums Ten Packs” each weekday. Listen to Smooth Jazz Now at 11:10AM,  1:10PM, 3:10PM and 5:10PM (all times eastern) with John Beaudin. If you hear your name call us back at (917) 310-7625 within 15 minutes and the albums are yours!

The new iPad-2 is thinner, lighter and faster than it’s predecessor. It’s a must have! MORE

Smooth Jazz Now Tightens Up The Sound
August 2, 2011 – With two more Smooth Jazz stations (WLOQ in Orlando and Wave/Toronto) giving up on the format this week we thought it was time to mix up the genre, just a bit! “Smooth Jazz Now” has decided to add more life to this format.

You may have noticed a gradual change in our sound during the last month. We have re-listened to every song on our station, carefully, to make sure they represent a sense of positivity, an interesting journey and most of all we listened for melody. “There has been too much generic groove in this format,” says “Smooth Jazz Now” Program Director John Beaudin. “So many of the songs sound the same and lack melody and life so we made sure to add more familiar songs with more tempo.” Consider it a “Greatest Hits” format for Smooth Jazz.

“We are lucky,” says Beaudin, “we get hundreds of calls each week from our listeners with fantastic requests and great advice – we are listening to them on where this format should go.”