Internationally renowned authors musicians and recording artists Frank Villafranca and Andrew D. Gordon have composed a collection of grooves and melodies in the Smooth Jazz Genre creating an exciting supplemental jazz study series for beginner intermediate and advanced jazz students and musicians. The smooth jazz grooves in this 46 page book feature a variety of contemporary rhythm section styles including RandB Jazz Funk Top 40 Rock Gospel Hip Hop and Latin. These stylistic influences are frequently associated with smooth jazz. Popular artists in this genre include The Super Groovers David Sanborn Eric Marienthal Kenny G Dave Koz David Benoit Tom Scott Gerald Albright Candy Dulfer Wilton Felder Boney James Chris Botti Chuck Mangione Sade George Benson Peter White Lee Ritenour Earl Klugh Larry Carlton Jeff Lorber Brian Culbertson George Duke Joe Sample Spyro Gyra Pat Metheny Four Play The Yellow Jackets and The Rippingtons. On each of the 20 tracks the groove is separated into 3 melodic ideas. Each melodic idea (example or riff) is played first by the saxophone with the groove followed by just the rhythm section groove without sax. The 1st example is usually the easiest the 2nd slightly harder and the 3rd the most difficult.  

Saxophone and String Orchestra-As a musical genre of the 18th century it is unusual that a divertimento is composed for the Alto Saxophone an instrument which was not developed until the mid-19th Century. Yet Roger Boutry (b. 1932) proves with his Divertimento for Alto Saxophone that the combination of style and instrument make for a thrilling performance. French composer Boutry won many prizes during his time at the Paris Conservatoire as well as for his professional work. He has over 100 published works in which he successfully unites diverse modern and traditional trends. He was named Personality of the Year in 1989 for all of his artisticactivities. Divertimento is cast in three movements beginning in a highly rhythmic and syncopated way before moving on to a moody and balladlike second movement that ends with a cadenza. This leads into the third movement a light presto finale. Boutry's Divertimento for Alto Saxophone and Piano accompaniment is an essential and varied addition to the advanced saxophonist's repertoire.