Canaan composed, arranged, and recorded all four instrumental tracks and two vocal tracks on Caught Up In The Clouds, as well as a reimagined version of the beloved hymn “For The Beauty Of The Earth.” Canaan’s keyboard-driven melodies are at the core of the EP, which also features a variety of guest appearances.
The ethereal “Spirit Rain” features Los Angeles-based saxophonist Donald Hayes (Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan), while the upbeat “Hidden Spot” features South Carolina rockers The Unapologetic Kind guitarist Tristan Auman. Additionally, Jennifer Robbins sings on the Psalm 23-inspired “Surely,” and “Like A Thief In The Night” features vocals from Southern California Christian recording artist Athena.
Over the last two decades, Michael Canaan (pronounced Kuh-nahn) has played a crucial role in the development of the Smooth Christian Jazz genre. He created and hosted “The Dove,” a Charlotte, North Carolina-based radio show dedicated to the emerging Smooth Christian Jazz scene, in 2000.He also launched one of the genre’s most popular websites, which featured reviews, exclusive artist interviews, and the latest faith-based Smooth Jazz releases. Canaan married and started a family while continuing to refine his talents as a composer and arranger after walking away from these media pursuits. Caught Up In The Clouds marks his return to the limelight, allowing him to realize a long-held ambition to write, record and release original music.
