Artists
Soulive
Soulive is all about danceable, organ-driven instrumental groove-jazz. Their success is a result of fusing the soul-jazz of the past with a modern hip-hop feel. Krasno's spidery yet very direct guitar lines recall Grant Green. The rhythmic concepts employed date back to those learned from artists such as James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and Sly Stone.
Soundscape UK
In the mid-'90s, percussionist Chris Bangs and keyboardist Mick Talbot united while working on a project for the acid jazz unit Galliano. Since then they have put their energies into forming the music of Soundscape UK, which takes the soul and disco sounds of the '70s and morphs them into smooth, acid jazz grooves heavy on sax and vibes.
St. Germain
One of the few producers to pursue a real fusion of jazz and house music, Frenchman Ludovic Navarre began recording in the early '90s using various aliases (Subsystem, Modus Vivendi, Deepside) for a range of French imprints.
St. Petersburg Ska-Jazz Review
In 2001, the famous Russian ska-punk band Spitfire started a spin-off project called St. Petersburg Ska-Jazz Review in collaboration with members of the St. Petersburg-based, Afro-Caribbean band Markscheider Kunst.
Stacey Kent
New York native Stacey Kent never anticipated a career in jazz music: she was a Sarah Lawrence graduate with a degree in comparative literature. But her childhood days spent listening to the traditional beauty of Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole undoubtedly influenced her. While on holiday in Europe after graduating from college, she took up singing without much formal training and never looked back.
Stanley Clarke
A brilliant player on both acoustic and electric basses, Stanley Clarke has spent much of his career outside of jazz, although he has the ability to play jazz with the very best. He played accordion as a youth, switching to violin and cello before settling on bass. He worked with R&B and rock bands in high school, but after moving to New York he worked with Pharoah Sanders in the early '70s.
Steely Dan
Most rock & roll bands are a tightly wound unit that developed their music through years of playing in garages and clubs around their hometown. Steely Dan never subscribed to that aesthetic. As the vehicle for the songwriting of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan defied all rock & roll conventions.
Steps Ahead
Originally called Steps when it was formed in 1979 by vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, this group at various times has included tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker; keyboardists Don Grolnick, Eliane Elias, and Rachel Z; guitarist Mike Stern; bassists Eddie Gomez and Darryl Jones; and drummers Peter Erskine and Steve Smith, among others.