Smooth jazz on a summer night

August 9, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Youngstown Jazz Festival

Jazz icon Najee may have never played in Youngstown, but the saxophonist-flautist has spent plenty of time in the area working with Warren resident and Pieces of a Dream founder James Lloyd. For two different albums, the soul and jazz-minded Najee recorded four songs in Lloyd’s home studio.

“It’s actually great going there because James is a very proficient musician and songwriter and producer,” said Najee (born Jerome Najee Rasheed), calling from Los Angeles. “He’s had major success in the jazz world, and for me it’s really just about working with him. It didn’t really matter where it was, but it just so happens he’s comfortable in his home environment.”

In addition to working with Lloyd in new traditional jazz project Alter Ego, Najee and the Pieces of a Dream leader teamed up once again for the song “Sounds for Sore Ears.” The straight-ahead jazz track appears on Najee’s latest album, “The Smooth Side Of Soul,” which also includes guests ranging from Phil Perry and Jeff Lorber to Chris “Big Dog” Davis and more. The album, his 15th project over the past quarter of a century, features hit smooth-jazz singles “Perfect Nites” and “One Night in Soho.”

When the platinum- recording artist thinks about the mind-set behind “The Smooth Side Of Soul,” a few tracks stand out.

“It’s pretty much a diverse record, really, but ‘Fu Fu She She’ is just a fun track, kind of one of those character songs,” Najee said. “And then also there’s the one with Phil Perry called ‘Just to Fall in Love.’ It’s really a disco song, and it kind of takes you back to the mid- to late ’70s. I’m playing flute on there. It’s one of those types of things people like to dance to, and it worked out very well.”

In many ways, “Just to Fall in Love” brings Najee full circle. It turns out his first recording session ever came when he was 16 years old playing flute on a disco track.

So whether it’s disco, jazz or R&B, the chameleonic Najee is right at home. This explains why he’s been able to overcome the smooth-jazz label bestowed upon him by the media and industry.

“It’s a marketing term to categorize musicians who weren’t playing traditional jazz,” Najee said. “For me, I never really liked any titles. To me, you play music or you don’t. And I play what feels good for me.”

These days, what feels good to Najee is spending as much time as he can on the road, which usually means playing theater gigs and festivals. It’s the latter that brings him to the Youngstown Jazz Festival taking place Saturday in downtown’s Central Square. Apparently, audience members are in for quite a treat.

“My band is hot,” Najee said. “I don’t mean to brag. People come, they dance and hear some of the classics. We’re going to have a great party out there; it’s going to be nice.”

Considering Najee is coming back to the Northeast Ohio area, any chance a certain special guest who lives in the area will join him on stage?

“Yeah, I think you know who it is, but I don’t want to give it away,” Najee said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”