“Because it’s the 10th album and there are 10 songs,” said Grammy Award winning Jazz guitarist Les Sabler when I asked where the name of his new album “Ten” – out October 9, 2026 – comes from.
The infamous skills of guitarist Les Sabler started making an impact with his 1990 debut project “Hidden Treasures.”
“When I started out, I had no idea what to do,” Sabler explained when I complemented him on the impact he has had on the Jazz genre. “There was no Internet but somehow, I made an impact with my first album. You can learn how to do it and over the years I’ve learned more because there is more information available.”
Les Sabler’s third album “Bridge the Gap” produced a #1 hit in Canada, where he is a native. He also garnered the “Album of the Year” and “Guitarist of the Year” nomination by the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards. The second single on this new album titled “Patches Groove” features Michael “Patches” Stewart and it reached #2 on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Song of the Year Chart. The first single was “Hot Chicken.”
I asked about the song title “Hot Chicken” and Les said, “I recorded it with Greg Manning…three songs in three days and one is “Hot Chicken.” It has a funky groove. Hot chicken is a specialty in Nashville. They even have a ‘Hot Chicken’ Festival in Nashville!”
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Les Sabler attended Concordia University and studied Jazz, then he went on to graduate school studying at the University of Miami. I asked him about being a Canadian living in the U.S.
“I been in Nashville since 1978. I’ve been a U.S. citizen since 1996. I still go back to Canada. I value Canada, but this is my home,” he said proudly.
Featured on the “Ten” album, which is also available as a vinyl album, are multi-Billboard chart-topper Greg Manning on piano; Eric Valentine on drums; Jazz Society of Oregon Hall of Famer Mel Brown on bass; two-time Grammy Award nominated Michael Stewart on trumpet; Allon Sams on piano; Grammy Award winning Gregg Bissonette on drums; Brian Allen on bass; David Garfield on piano, and Grammy Award winning Luis Conte on percussion. Grammy Award winning guitarist Paul Brown, Grammy nominated bass player Brian Bromberg and guitarist Jeffrey Smith wrote Les Sabler’s “Café on the Square” track on the “Ten” album. Bass player Nelson Braxton co-wrote “Corner Pocket” and “Sunset Comfort” with Les.
“Greg introduced me to Eric Valentine,” Les told me when I asked. “I continue to work with him. He is on 50 #1 songs! ‘Patches Groove’ is named after Patches (Michael Stewart). He was with Al Jarreau for many years, and I wanted interplay between the trumpet and guitar. It became my first #1 hit. To hit #1 at this stage of my career is great. I hit #2 on Billboard too.”
Les Sabler through the years has collaborated with Grammy Award winning Jeff Lorber and Grammy nominated Eric Marienthal. His Spotify plays last year were an amazing 6.6 million. In total he has garnered 21.6 million streams. The “Ten” project is produced by Greg Manning, Paul Brown and Nelson Braxton.
“Part of creating music is to get it out there,” he said as we ended out interview talking about the business of being an artist. “Because it (music) uplifts people’s spirit…it generates feelings you don’t know how to express.” www.LesSabler.net
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million for her column The Pulse of Entertainment. She is the publisher of the digital magazine www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com, which has an estimated 160,000 visitors a month. An entrepreneur, Dr. Moseley’s company, Freelance Associates, is a business management/public relations strategic planning and consulting firm that is celebrating 32 years in 2025. Dr. Eunice also serves as professor for the School of Business at Stanton University in Anaheim, California and serves as promotions director (at-large), journalist and business consultant for The Baltimore Times. Dr. Moseley founded the Uplifting Minds II Foundation (www.UpliftingMinds.com) in 2023, a 501 C3 with a mission to empower the underserved through three major programs – One Stop Business Shop, the ULMII Professional Conference and the ULMII Academy (business management and public relations).EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), was launched by Dr. Eunice in 1999, to educate aspiring artists/musicians about the business of entertainment – www.UpliftingMinds2.com. Next ULMII Entertainment Conferences for Baltimore on Saturday April 18, 2026, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and for Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2026, presented by The Pulse of Entertainment and the ULMII Foundation. The ULMII conferences are free with virtual access via Zoom. ULMII entertainment conference offers a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and International Talent Competition where the top three scored acts receive the ULMII Best Act Award and over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services and cash!
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