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This Week at CaféJazz.ca

March 13th, 2011
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This Week at CafeJazz.ca:
… in today's spotlight it's Cal Harris Jr. The debut is Inside Out and we'll have a sampling of 3 great tracks, all as part of the showcase segment. In the second half we're firing up the Wayback Machine for another exciting Vintage Collection - this time there's nothing less than a stellar assortment with musical mementos courtesy of Gabriela Anders and Ronny Smith. Steve Nieves is on the show, while also appearing are Bryan Anderson and Sammy Peralta. Then right after the Vintage Collection we're kickin' it new skool with Brad Rambur and Nate Harasim - also in the set is a bit of beach jazz from Rocco & Rahj while Mezzoforte wrap it up!
In This Issue:

SHOWCASE CD :
Inside Out - Cal Harris Jr.

VINTAGE COLLECTION:
Diamond Drive - Steve Nieves
Special Love - Bryan Anderson
Together Again - Gabriela Anders
Laid Back - Ronny Smith
Trust Me (I Gotta Go) - Sammy Peralta

AFTER HOURS : We Got Love (Tonight)
PLAYLIST: Playlist for Ed#606

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Showcase CD
Inside Out - Cal Harris Jr.:

His promo literature reveals that Cal Harris Jr. has been working toward his debut for over a decade, but in reality it's been close to a lifelong ambition. Harris grew up in Los Angeles the son of sound engineer Calvin Harris - Cal Sr. worked the famed LA Motown Studios and was a Grammy-nominee. So it was that Cal Jr. had his earliest exposure to music wandering the studio halls and it was within this context that he developed his strong love for music. Following in his father's footsteps, Harris found his niche as an in-demand engineer and in that regard he's worked with many of the giants in the industry such as Earth Wind and Fire, Whitney Houston, and Prince. Even so, after many years behind the scenes, Cal felt the time was right to step out and reveal his passion for playing and composing. Entitled Inside Out and issued in August of 2010, Cal's coming out was brought to life by his savvy as a writer, mixer, & arranger as well as his keyboard skills. Additionally, Harris recruited a few AAA-cats to share in the fun! With talent galore and impeccable production to match, Inside Out shows all the polish Harris has gained from of a lifetime of experience!


Cal Harris Jr. - Inside Out
Cal Harris Jr. Cal Harris Jr.
And so we're pleased to present Cal and that release as part of the spotlight segment! First up is the shuffle groove of the lead single - the radio edit of the title track. The understated elegance of Secrets features the delicate and intricate interplay between Cal on piano and the guitar of Darrel Crooks and that's at the top of the second hour. In the end we sign off with a tune that we've grown to luv; it's called She Loves the Water and it's easily one of the finest contemporary efforts we've come across in years. With contributions from Michael White on drums, Shem Von Shreck on bass, and Harold Todd on this sax, here's a slice of pure unadulterated groove heaven! With a fresh and varied approach, Inside Out is a bold musical statement and an album upon which his gifts convey Cal Harris Jr. to the next level!

CD: Inside Out (2010)
Label: CHI International Music
Links:

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Vintage Collection: Part One
Steve Nieves - Dream Harvest
Diamond Drive - Steve Nieves:
Veteran Steve Nieves started making a name for himself on sax, percussion, & vocals in his home town of San Diego while he was still in his teens. By his twenties he'd worked alongside some top players, including future members of the group Fattburger, before he relocated to LA in 1981. Signing on as front man for the group Jakata in 1984, Nieves began a longtime friendship with producer Steve Barri. He enjoyed a high profile gig appearing on a Dave Mason record, and then had a lead role in starting up the band Jango with Barri earlier this past decade. For the past few years he's backed Lao Tizer but back in 1998 Steve had released a solo album called Dream Harvest. From that effort we've selected Diamond Drive - a real nice tune that was later reprised on a Jango cd!

CD: Dream Harvest (1998)
Label: JVC Records
Links:
Bryan Anderson - Slow Your Roll
Special Love - Bryan Anderson:
Hailing from Baltimore Maryland, Bryan Anderson started bass as a teen and played his first steady gig in his church. He moved to Atlanta in 1992 where, in addition to a variety of projects, he performed all around the ATL area and recorded 3 solo cds. With subsequent stops in San Diego and Charlotte, NC, the songwriter/producer has 6 projects in all to his credit. Describing his sound as "groove music", Anderson blends smooth, funk, and Latin flavors with an occasional island vibe. This time out we're checking out Special Love from the 2005 Slow Your Roll cd! Recorded during Bryan's time in San Diego, the album features a few AAA-cats with John Rekevics on sax & flute, Evan Marks on guitar, and Derek Cannon on trumpet & Kevin Esposito on trombone as the front line on the track in question!

CD: Slow Your Roll (2005)
Label: MiLeta Records
Links:

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Vintage Collection: Part Two
Gabriela Anders - Eclectica
Together Again - Gabriela Anders:
Growing up in a musical family, Argentine-born Gabriela Anders studied classical guitar privately while taking piano at the Conservatory in Buenos Aires. After high school, she moved to New York where she learned orchestration for brass and strings as well as composition. In time, her studio and club work took off while a demo sent to Warner Bros. led to a record deal. Wanting was her 1999 major label debut and, featuring arrangements and production by Paul Brown and George Duke as well as by Ms Anders herself, the album elicited considerable praise for its unique fusion of Brazilian, Latin, and jazz influences. A few years later, Anders continued her journey of introspection with a collection of exotic and sultry songs infused with funky yet sensual, tropical beats. Released in 2003, the project pushed traditional boundaries as it transcended genres - from the well-titled Eclectica, we have what was the first single in Together Again and Gabriela's homage to her love land of Brazil.

CD: Eclectica (2003)
Label: gabriela anders
Links:
Ronny Smith - Laid Back
Laid Back - Ronny Smith:
Growing up in the Baltimore Maryland area, Ronny Smith was first exposed to music thru both his church and in school. Inspired by the sounds of Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, George Benson, and others, Smith learned to play guitar without any formal lessons. During his college days, Pat Martino became one of his greatest influences but nonetheless, Smith left college in his senior year and enlisted in the army. Soon after, he became a member of the US Army Band and engaged in a tour of duty that took him thruout the USA and Europe. Subsequent to his army stint, Smith launched his solo career and now has a catalogue of 5 cds. In spite of many fine moments on each of his discs, Smith has unfortunately for the most part flown below the radar. Even so, we're checking out a great moment from early in his career, the title track from Ronny's 2002 sophomore cd!

CD: Laid Back (2002)
Label: K&A Music Group
Links:
Sammy Peralta - On The One
Trust Me (I Gotta Go) - Sammy Peralta:
NY native Sammy Peralta was awestruck when he attended a classical concert as an elementary school student. By fourteen, he was performing with the Manhattan Borough-Wide Orchestra in places such as Carnegie Hall, but he didn't begin to fully appreciate his potential until he entered New York University. He's since gone on to become a prolific force in the world of Mix, Club, & Dance while working with artists such as Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, and Kenny G. Additionally, Peralta has been described as one of the "sickest" club DJ's on the NYC scene. With a love for a variety of musical forms, Peralta credits jazz as a prime influence for his inspiration. Now there is a brand new cd that's just been issued, but for this VC feature, we're dipping back into Sammy's initial decade-old jazz release. From On The One that was co-produced by drummer and former member of Return to Forever Lenny White, we have the rhythmic Trust Me (I Gotta Go) featuring Sammy on keys, piano, sax, and percussion!

CD: On The One (2000)
Label: Encoded Music
Links:

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After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Site and Select Affiliates :
We Got The Love (Tonight): ... for this edition it's the first in a new series. After doing a bit of research we discovered one of the most frequently used terms in the smooth jazz lexicon is the word night. We rummaged thru the archives and came up with about 80 or so selections and so, on this occasion it's the first in what will be a 7-part feature. Included are Richard Elliot's Up All Night, there's Brian Hughes with On Moonless Nights, while Maybe Tonight is from Nestor Torres, on a feature called We Got the Love (Tonight) after a tune by Espirito! Playlist for Ed#606

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