For those not in the know, Philippe Saisse is a French smooth jazz and new-age music multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer and arranger.

He was born in Marseille and raised in Paris and after studying at the Conservatoire de Paris he won a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music.

He became the protégé of Gary Burton and debuted on Al Di Meola's Splendido Hotel and also worked with Nile Rodgers and Felicia Collins on the album Outloud; and wrote also for David Sanborn.

Indeed, Saisse has also worked in the alternative rock, jazz fusion and rock world for David Bowie, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, Gato Barbieri, Paul King, The Rolling Stones and others.

Between 1988 and 1990 he performed as the regular house band keyboardist in The Sunday Night Band, during the two seasons that the highly acclaimed music performance program Sunday Night ran on NBC late-night television "Night Music" episodes No. 104 (1988), No. 113 (1989), No. 114 (1989), No. 121 (1989).

Saisse's 2008 solo album, At World's Edge, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Although it did not reach the commercial success normally expected of an album boasting a cast of highly ranked musicians, it reunited Saisse with two old friends: bassist Pino Palladino, and drummer Simon Phillips.

The three performers then joined together as an instrumental rock/jazz fusion trio ensemble, PSP or Phillips Saisse Palladino. Their debut album, PSP LIVE, on the C.A.R.E Music Group label (of Munich) and the Forest Records label was supported by a minor tour of Europe from 2009 through February 2010, spotlighting the talents of each performer in the songs chosen for their set list.

The trio finished up their tour in Japan at the end of March, 2010, having allowed Palladino time in February to honor his responsibilities as the touring bassist with The Who; at the Super Bowl XLIV half-time show in the United States.

Saisse was also a member of Dave Koz & The Kozmos, the house band of The Emeril Lagasse Show and in 2014, he worked with Japanese drummer Senri Kawaguchi on her second album Buena Vista.

In 2016, he worked with her again, composing many tracks for and playing in her album Cider ~ Hard and Sweet, which was released in December, 2016. In 2017, they performed together with Armand Sabal-Lecco at the 2017 Tokyo Jazz festival before touring a number of locations round Japan; including one at Motion Blue in Tokyo which won the Nissan Jazz Japan Award 2017 for Best Live Performance.

Releasing June 21st, 2019 via Bandar-Log Music, the newly remastered version of The Philippe Saisse Trio's 2006 hit record, Body & Soul Sessions will grace our ears once more.

Chock full of high-spirited and super swinging tunes, the French-born Saisse whips up an all-cover 12-track collection, balancing pure, playful '60s and '70s pop and soul with the ultra-retro sounds of smooth jazz ala 'Do It Again' (which went to #1 on the Radio & Records Smooth Jazz Chart).

1. 'Do It Again'
2. 'September'
3. 'Lady Madonna'
4. 'Harley Davidson'
5. 'Lovely Day'
6. 'Fire and Rain'
7. 'Constant Rain (chove chava)'
8. 'The Dolphin'
9. 'Comment Te Dire Adieu'
10. 'Body and Soul'
11. 'We're All Alone'
12. 'If I Ever Lose This Heaven'

Kicking things off with those ultra-retro sounds of smooth jazz on Steely Dan's 'Do It Again,' they back that up beautifully with both a joyful rendition of Earth, Wind & Fire’s 'September' and then a piano-led 'Lady Madonna' (Beatles).

An euphoric, hand-clapping Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg's 'Harley Davidson' was always a smart choice for the album with Bill Withers' 'Lovely Day' a magnificent rendition to behold once again.

A cover of James Taylor's 'Fire and Rain' brings the mood down to lo-fi, before the Latin hipsway essence of Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 come to the fore on their cover of 'Constant Rain (chove chava).'

The magical sunshine of 'The Dolphin' (Luiz Eça) is a genuine treat to behold here (if not only for the fact that it is considered a jazz standard, having being recorded by artists as diverse as Stan Getz, Bill Evans and Denny Zeitlin, et al), and that's backed by 'Comment Te Dire Adieu' (a French adaptation of the song 'It Hurts to Say Goodbye,' written by Gainsbourg and originally performed by Françoise Hardy in 1968).

Up next is the title track, a popular song and yet another jazz standard (written in 1930 with music by Johnny Green and lyrics by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Eyton), it's late night, underground jazz bar appeal always undeniable.

The album then rounds out with Boz Skaggs' brilliantly moody 'We're All Alone' and then the jazzy R&B piano sway of 'If I Ever Lose This Heaven,' which was written by Pam Sawyer and Leon Ware and was first released by Quincy Jones in 1974.

Oh, and if you are wondering where Saisse came up with the interesting choice of album cover art pose, well, in 1960, a young Ramsey Lewis posed for the cover of his Ramsey Lewis Trio album Stretchin’ Out with drummer Red Holt and bassist Eldee Young framing the background.

46 years later, pianist Saisse replicated Ramsey’s cool cover for his then brand-new CD featuring drummer Scooter Warner and bassist David Finck.

Once again, the remastered album drops June 21st, 2019 for the first time on vinyl and will also be available as a CD and in digital form.

Amazon CD Purchase Link