Top tracks
- I Don’t Want to Be in Love (feat. Marc Nelson)
- Step in the Name of Love
- Just Chillin
- Utopia
- Warm Passion
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Steppin' Up by Andre Ward
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fave it Smooth Jazz | Contemporary urban
12 tracks | 52 minutes
Released Apr 2006
on Award / Orpheus Music
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for a 30-second preview. All tracks are 192kbps high fidelity sound quality. Protected WMA $0.77 or unprotected MP3 $0.88.
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- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:38 Keep Running lyrics BUY MP3 04:38 Keep Running lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:38 Keep Running
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:35 Warm Passion lyrics BUY MP3 04:35 Warm Passion lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:35 Warm Passion
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:52 All I Ever Ask Featuring Chantel Rose lyrics BUY MP3 03:52 All I Ever Ask Featuring Chantel Rose lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:52 All I Ever Ask Featuring Chantel Rose
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:26 Step in the Name of Love lyrics BUY MP3 04:26 Step in the Name of Love lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:26 Step in the Name of Love
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:48 Utopia lyrics BUY MP3 04:48 Utopia lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:48 Utopia
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:10 If You Leave Me Now lyrics BUY MP3 04:10 If You Leave Me Now lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:10 If You Leave Me Now
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:44 City Vibe lyrics BUY MP3 04:44 City Vibe lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:44 City Vibe
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:52 Heaven in My Life (andre’a) lyrics BUY MP3 04:52 Heaven in My Life (andre’a) lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:52 Heaven in My Life (andre’a)
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:15 Holding Back the Years Featuring Maurice Jacobs lyrics BUY MP3 04:15 Holding Back the Years Featuring Maurice Jacobs lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:15 Holding Back the Years Featuring Maurice Jacobs
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:18 Just Chillin lyrics BUY MP3 04:18 Just Chillin lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:18 Just Chillin
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:14 Streets of Gold lyrics BUY MP3 04:14 Streets of Gold lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:14 Streets of Gold
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:40 Every Time I Open My Eyes lyrics BUY MP3 03:40 Every Time I Open My Eyes lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:40 Every Time I Open My Eyes
Style similar to Najee, Kenny G, Rob White, and Grover Washington
Editorial review
The challenge any new young smooth jazz saxman undertakes is trying to compete for airplay on radio stations that are more inclined to play discs by veterans that genre fans know and love. On his second release, Andre Ward makes a solid case for being a passionate and sometimes inventive, lyrical player, scoring winsome, easy-grooving gems like the first single "Every Time I Open My Eyes," the cool hip-hop-oriented "Warm Passion" (which includes the musician's propensity for potent horn harmonies behind the melody line), and harder-edged funk of "City Vibe." He balances this sort of pocket grooving with the sweet soprano ballad for his daughter, "Heaven in My Life." No doubt for commercial reasons, he includes a small handful of cover tunes, with mixed success. His energetic take on R. Kelly's "Step in the Name of Love" would no doubt sound fresher had more popular sax god Kim Waters not just done it (it's a popular tune this year in smooth jazz, with Bobby Lyle also offering a take). Maurice Jacobs' vocal on "Holding Back the Years" is nice, but Ward really stumbles with his spacy, EWI-led version of "If You Leave Me Now," which should probably have been played on soprano. Ward's definitely got some good material to offer the genre, and time will tell if he can rise from the ranks of new independent to the A list. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
Bio / Background
ANDRE WARD
With the ability to play the Soprano, Alto, Tenor Saxophone, and EWI ( electronic wind instrument) with skilled ease and passion, Andre Ward has been making noise on the Smooth Jazz scene winning fans over with his dynamic live performances. Having accomplished a top 5 position in Billboard Magazine’s Contemporary Jazz Chart with his debut album entitled “ Feelin’ You,” Andre is now ready to take the next step in his progression with his sophomore release appropriately titled “Steppin’ Up”.
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Andre started playing music at the age of five. The snare drum would be his first instrument that would introduce him to his love of music, but it would be the saxophone that would ultimately allow him to receive a music performing scholarship to the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston.
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