| Jazz, Smooth Funk |
There are artists who spend a lifetime refining a single voice, and others who carry several at once, switching registers depending on the medium. Jackiem Joyner belongs unmistakably to the latter category. To some, he is best known as a writer of science-fiction novels, a storyteller fascinated by imagined futures, alternate realities, and the fragile psychology of human beings navigating complex worlds. To others, particularly listeners of contemporary jazz, he is a saxophonist of remarkable warmth and precision, with a résumé that quietly commands respect.
Over the years, Joyner’s horn has been heard alongside artists who are familiar names on Bayou Blue Radio and beyond: Angela Bofill, Najee, Jean Carne, Ronnie Laws, Keiko Matsui, Peter White, George Duke, among many others. These collaborations situate him firmly within the lineage of modern smooth jazz. And yet, to describe Joyner merely as a smooth jazz artist would be to miss the point entirely.
Much like his literary work, Joyner’s music resists confinement. If smooth jazz is often accused, sometimes unfairly, of predictability, Every Part Of Me feels like a deliberate rebuttal. Joyner draws from a broad musical palette: funk and rock provide rhythmic muscle, soul brings emotional gravity, and subtle folk influences surface in melodic phrasing and song structure. The album unfolds less like a collection of radio-friendly tracks than like a carefully sequenced narrative, each piece revealing another facet of its creator.
This sense of narrative cohesion is no accident. One can hear the mind of a novelist at work in the way the album progresses. Tracks do not merely follow one another; they converse. Themes recur, moods evolve, tensions resolve. In an era dominated by playlists and algorithmic listening, Every Part Of Me quietly insists on the album as a form, an experience meant to be absorbed from beginning to end.
The record also marks an important moment in Joyner’s career: his first release with Shanachie, a label whose reputation in smooth jazz and adjacent genres is beyond dispute. Shanachie is not simply a home for established artists; it is often where musicians arrive when their artistic identity has fully crystallized. Its catalog reads like a map of the genre’s most enduring voices, and Joyner’s presence there feels both earned and timely.
At the time of the signing, Joyner expressed his enthusiasm plainly: “I’m truly happy to be working with Shanachie. I’m confident that we will accomplish great things together.” Danny Weiss, Vice President of Jazz A&R at Shanachie, offered a telling perspective: “I already knew Jackiem’s beautiful tone and exceptional musical talent, but what truly impressed me was the scope and richness of his production. He is an immense talent.” That emphasis on production is crucial. This is not merely a strong saxophone album; it is a fully realized sonic environment.
What ultimately distinguishes Every Part Of Me, however, is its emotional transparency. Joyner has described this album as his most personal to date, and the claim holds up under close listening. “For years, I showed the world only what I could manage,” he explains. “But there comes a time when hiding becomes heavier than honesty. This album is about me, opening the door and letting every part of myself step into the light. The artist, the father, the dreamer, the man rebuilding his heart. Every part of me.”
That philosophy is audible throughout the record. The arrangements are elegant but never sterile, balancing rhythmic sophistication with melodic immediacy. The title track, “Every Part Of Me,” stands out as a centerpiece, nostalgic without sentimentality, driven by an irresistible groove that feels tailor-made for live performance. It is the kind of song that invites both reflection and movement, a rare balance that few artists manage convincingly.
Compared with Joyner’s earlier releases on Mack Avenue, this album signals a clear evolution. At Shanachie, he appears to have found his most complete artistic equilibrium, surrounded by collaborators who understand not only his sound but his intent. As Joyner himself puts it: “Every Part Of Me perfectly reflects my style and the journey I’ve taken as an artist to get where I am today. I remain true to myself, to my art, and to my authentic saxophone sound. This album is a testament to my evolution.”
One of the album’s more surprising qualities is its conceptual coherence, reminiscent of certain landmark releases from the early 1980s, a time when albums were designed as journeys rather than content bundles. There is something faintly evocative of the sequencing discipline found on early Michael Jackson records, where pacing, contrast, and emotional arc mattered as much as individual hits. Joyner channels that philosophy without nostalgia, adapting it to a contemporary jazz context.
In doing so, Every Part Of Me positions itself as more than a smooth jazz release. It is a mature, confident statement from an artist who has stopped editing himself for comfort or convenience. The album is likely to resonate far beyond the genre’s traditional audience, appealing to listeners who value sincerity, craftsmanship, and the courage to embrace complexity.
Jackiem Joyner, it turns out, is not choosing between his identities. He is finally allowing them to coexist, writer and musician, groove architect and emotional narrator. And in that openness lies the album’s quiet power.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, December 16th 2025
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Musicians :
Jackiem Joyner
Brian Simpson
Kyle Bolden
Kay-Ta Matsuno
Ray «The Weeper» Fuller
Jermone Randall
Brandon Harris
Thimoty Bayley Jr.
Gilbert Fambro
Tracklisting :
Boss
Where I Belong
Just Like That (Feat. Brian Simpson)
Begin Again
Here to Stay
Soul Connection
Every Part of Me
Never Letting Go
Endless Surrender
Silk
Every Part of Me Track Descriptions:
Every Part Of Me opens with the funky and spirited “Boss.” It’s retro-rock steady groove and reverb snare work is reminiscent of late ‘80s Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul. The relentless four-on-the-floor pulse will have you on the edge of your seat. Joyner manages to keep it retro but with a gritty funky modern edge. Joyner’s rhythmically charged and soul drenched sax, thumping bass lines and relentless groove is the perfect way to beckon us on his euphoric journey. Joyner explains about the title, “People always imagine bosses as the ones with all the clean suits or the boring boardroom speeches. That’s a lie. Bosses are born in fire. In risk. In the moments where hesitation kills and action makes things happen. They’re not afraid. They step forward when everyone else holds back—and the world adjusts.”
The sultry, tender and melodically pleasing “Where I Belong” is the perfect example of Joyner’s ability to enrapture you in the beauty of his writing. Joyner’s pop chords layered over a Hip Hop beat and emotive strings stir the emotions. He shares, “Sometimes you have to lose your place to find your peace. The fire shows you the door—but the love on the other side shows you who you really are.”
Chart-topping pianist and label-mate Brian Simpson unites with Joyner for the winning “Just Like That,” the album’s first single. The synergy between the two results in a buttery-smooth effervescent collaboration that is a high point on the album. For Joyner the song’s title is about rising above and defeating the odds. He shares, “They said it couldn’t be done. They said I’d fade out quietly. But that’s not how I’m wired. You can try to slow me down, but I don’t stop—I shift. I adapt. I rise. Just like that.”
The soaring triumphant beauty “Begin Again” showcases for Joyner’s mesmerizing and soaring soprano. It is as if he is singing through his horn which comes as no surprise as the saxophonist’s earliest music endeavors began singing in choirs.
“Here To Stay” captures the iconic 70s CTI Records vibe with this laid-cool, lush and glossy orchestrations and fusion of Jazz, Funk and Soul. Joyner explains the titles meaning is essentially about the soul’s will to survive. “There’s a point in every fight when the crowd stops watching, when they assume the match is over,” he says. “They see the fall, not the fire that’s still burning under the dust. That’s when I smile—because that’s when I know I’m not done yet. I’m here to stay.” Musically, Joyner draws from his love of 70s soul. He shares, “This track has a real
Teddy Pendergrass/Jackson 5 vibe. It’s a real fusion of 70s soul with an East Coast Hip-Hop backbeat. The strings complete that vintage vibe, but the beat makes it feel updated and modern.
The fiery R&B jam “Soul Connection” is bound to find a way into your heart with its alluring melody and snap-happy track. Joyner intentional fusion of different keys on the track conjures a retro feel that hits home for him. “The main keyboard texture is inspired by classic Yamaha DX7’s and Jupiter old school keyboard sounds you’d hear on Luther Vandross or Whitney Houston records — very recognizable tones. But the beat underneath is straight Hip-Hop — Biggie / 50 / Pac energy,” explains Joyner. “That contrast is really the identity of the song. It’s a head bopper!” “Soul Connection” is about the magic that happens when two souls finally recognize each other. “There’s no noise, no fireworks—just that quiet, unmistakable knowing: you’ve been found,” confesses Joyner. “Real connection doesn’t ask you to perform. It invites your truth. You stop guarding the door of your heart. You open it.”
The album’s arresting title track is a gorgeous Quiet Storm ballad that will stop you in your tracks. The song has special meaning for Joyner who explains the meaning behind the song and album title. He shares, “For years, I let the world see only what it could handle. But there comes a moment when hiding feels heavier than honesty. This album, this book—it’s me opening the door and letting every part of myself step into the light. The artist, the father, the dreamer, the man rebuilding his heart. Every part of me.” This vulnerability is heard on “Every Part Of Me.” Joyner calls the song the ‘emotional center of the album.’ “Musically, the chord movement is spiritually in the world of “The Lady in My Life” (last track on Thriller), but the heartbeat-style verses and the trap-influenced chorus make it completely my own,” explains the saxophonist. “It’s the most vulnerable I’ve ever been on a song. I think this track shows the passion and feeling of my playing on the alto. I really laid it out on this one. It should make you feel something. At least that is what I was hoping for!”
“Never Letting Go” is yet another track that sines a light on Joyner’s knack for crafting memorable anthem. Its swing and groove instantly reel you I with its soulful melody, smooth harmonies and neo-soul vibe. Joyner shares about the song’s origin, “The world will try to pull from your hands what was always meant to be yours. The test isn’t in how tight you hold on—it’s in how long you refuse to let go. Because there’s no law, no loss, no lie powerful enough to separate you from what your soul refuses to release.”
The give and take and pulsating flow of “Endless Surrender” was inspired by Joyner’s own personal evolution. He explains, “There’s a point when strength stops looking like resistance and starts looking like release. You’ve carried armor so long it’s fused to your skin, until something—or someone—walks into your life and asks nothing of you except the truth. That’s how surrender begins. Not with weakness, but with awareness.” The track conjures a late-’80s R&B meets Prince funk meets Cameo synth energy. Joyner exclaims, “Definitely the concert opener of the album. Layered into the arrangement are ’80s synth tones reminiscent of Cameo (“Back and Forth”), giving the song a bold retro feel that wakes you up the second it starts. It hits hard, it hits fast, and it grabs attention for sure!”
Joyner shares, “Silk” is for the adults in the room. It’s romance. It’s tension. It’s intention. Even without lyrics, listeners will know exactly what to do with this song. It is only fitting that Every Part Of Me comes to a finale with the ultra-smooth composition “Silk.” Silk, as you well know, is made from cocoons. It is inside of the cocoon where there is protection that allows the process of metamorphous to occur. For Joyner it is inside the making of this new music that has helped him to evolve to the point where he can comfortably stand before the world and say he is ready to share every part of himself.