Many of the NAC instrumentalists who play smooth jazz or instrumental pop will, at times, feature vocalists and get into adult contemporary. Smooth jazz favorites like Dave Koz, Kenny G, Boney James, and Najee are primarily instrumentalists, but they also work with vocalists at times -- Kenny G, for example, has featured adult contemporary star Michael Bolton. And similarly, Chad Beall is a smooth jazz/new age instrumentalist who doesn't exclude vocal offerings. Born and raised in Albuquerque, NM (where he still lives), Beall is an acoustic pianist, producer, songwriter, and lyricist whose work is aimed at smooth jazz, NAC, and new age audiences as well as adult contemporary audiences. His recordings fall into two categories: smooth jazz, new age and pop instrumentals, or adult contemporary tunes (many of them ballads) that feature vocalists. As a pianist, Beall brings to mind Bob James, David Benoit, and Alex Bugnon; he has also been compared to new age artists such as George Winston and Yanni. In 2002, the Albuquerque resident released his debut album, Dedications, on his own label, Shockwerks Media. In addition to producing the CD, Beall wrote all of the material; that includes seven instrumentals and five adult contemporary vocal offerings (which feature singers like Alisha Howard, Adrian Payne, and Lanny Anderson). ~ Alex Henderson