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| Highlights
! We open with Never A Dull Moment by Dennis "Finger Roll" Nelson and that sets the stage quite nicely for a program that's vital and fresh. We're checking out the sounds of Brian Hughes on the showcase cd segment. Along the Way is his latest and first since he relocated to LA a few years ago. Then of course there's new music on the FT segment. Included in this batch of fresh listening we have a nice mix of heavy hitters in SJ - Dave Koz, David Benoit and Marc Antoine; together with a couple of up and coming artists - trumpeter Kafele and The Bliss out of Geneva. But we don't stop there. There is more new music from the aforementioned Mr. Nelson as well as tracks from Nick Colionne, Daryl Hall, Eric Marienthal & Alex Bugnon as we delve a bit more deeply into each of their current releases. Special EFX, Chris Botti, Gabriel Mark Hasselbach and Bass X all contribute to the unique vibe of the show and as we dust off releases from a few years back, we'll be hearing from Rick Braun, Gregg Karukas, Peter White, Thom Rotella, Soundscape UK, and the pairing of Russ Freeman & Craig Chaquico. Never a dull moment describes this outing exceedingly well. |
| Showcase CD Along the Way - Brian Hughes: On this, the first new release from Brian in about four years, the former Torontonian is joined by bassist Tim Landers, Neil Wilkinson, a top British session drummer, percussionist Jason Hann, and longtime band member pianist Les Portelli. The chemistry is undeniable as Brian’s music is taken to a new level. Titled Along the Way, the cd is a reference of sorts to Hughes’ relocation from Toronto to LA a few years ago and a bit of a nod to his years of touring and to the experiences that he’s enjoyed along the way. Hughes has found the move to Southern California highly inspirational and this is well reflected by the melodies and performances on the collection. So as we showcase Along the Way we feature the title track, Endless Road and Wherever You Are. CD: Along the Way Label: A440 Music Group Site: Brian Hughes |
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| Fresh Trax: Part One | |
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Just
To Be Next To You - Dave Koz: Saxophonic is the new one and I don’t mind saying it’s a goodie. As you may know we’re a bit reluctant to jump on musical bandwagons, but we’re adding our voice to the growing chorus of cheers for Dave and this latest effort. Quite often it's too easy for established stars to stick with what has worked for them in the past, but not so with Mr. Koz and this latest release. On this, his fifth solo album to go along with a couple of Christmas cds and a recent collaborative effort, Dave ventures into some new territory. Yet he maintains the familiar style that has endeared him to so many fans. The result is a product that contains much of Koz's best work to date. One of the tracks that we find particularly appealing is Just to be Next to You, a pretty piece written by Dave & his brother Jeff, and we have that one for you. *Café Jazz Pick of the Week.* CD: Saxophonic Label: Capitol Records Site: Dave Koz |
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Mellow
Moonlight - Kafele: Kafele was first exposed to jazz by his parents and then later, he gained an appreciation for hip-hop and R&B from his siblings. While earning a degree in Physics from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Kafele pursued his interest in music by also studying Jazz Music Theory. After graduating, he moved to Chicago and just recently launched his own record label. With the release of Prodigal Moon, his debut, Kafele introduces his vision of music, one wherein the tunes are created as an expression of one’s inner self. From that release we’ll be featuring a wonderfully moody piece titled Mellow Moonlight. CD: Prodigal Moon Label: Kapano Records |
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| Fresh Trax: Part Two | |
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Le
Grand - David Benoit: One of the most popular players since the early days of SJ, Benoit is an acknowledged pioneer in the genre. In the 25 or so years since he launched his solo career, Benoit has created a very impressive and wide-ranging resume. Included are scores for film and TV, classical compositions, orchestra conducting, and as well he’s appeared as a guest educator on several occasions at various musical faculties. He’s also a credited charter member of the Rippingtons, has earned 3 Grammy nominations and with the release of Right Here, Right Now has 23 solo albums to his credit. From this latest effort, we have a very pretty tune that David had a tough time naming but one which he ended up calling Le Grand because it reminded him of something Michel Legrand might have written. CD: Right Here, Right Now Label : GRP Site: David Benoit |
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Relax,
Unwind - The Bliss: Scottish born Angela Higney and Italian recording artist Piero Calvi-Parisetti together record as The Bliss. Neither is a full time musician but rather they’ve spent most of their professional lives working for and on behalf of humanitarian organizations. Based in Geneva Switzerland, a few years back they embarked on an initiative, to make whatever contribution they could to help fight the spread of HIV/Aids through their music. In that regard, they are contributing approximately $4.00 from the sale of each copy of Silk, their latest cd to the Aids Support Center in Swaziland. In addition, their independent record label has donated well in excess of $10,000 to the World Food Program. Thanks to the internet, Higney and Calvi-Parisetti have enjoyed a pair of top selling cds on MP3 and airplay in over 14 countries. A great sound in support of an extremely worthy cause, we give you The Bliss. CD: Silk Label: MP3 |
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Senor
Groove - Marc Antoine: Ever since I first heard Marc Antoine’s music back in 1994 or so, I’ve always considered him to be not only one of the most talented guitarist in SJ but also one of the most innovative. Antoine has the uncanny knack of seamlessly incorporating elements of his classical training with jazz, world, and many contemporary urban influences. Starting with the release of Classical Soul, his solo debut, Marc has shown much promise as a leader in the SJ genre and a player with unlimited potential. Although all of his previous releases have shown many flashes of Antoine’s brilliance, with the issue of Mediterraneo, his sixth and most recent effort, Antoine leads us to the Promised Land. This latest project is packed with great grooves, fabulous guitar, innovative ideas, and memorable melodies. In short it's his most consistent effort to date and for us ranks as his finest outing thus far. *Café Jazz Pick of the Week.* CD: Mediterraneo Label: Rendezvous Entertainment Site: Marc Antoine |
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| Indispensable Smooth Jazz Listening: |
| Each and every week we recommend
a few cds that would be welcome additions to any Smooth Jazz library.
This is music that you should not do without and as such we endorse these
cds as indispensable. Listen to the final set in this edition of the show
as we finish with a flourish by playing sensational tracks from each of
the following. Rick Braun - Full Stride (1998 ~ Atlantic) Gregg Karukas - Sound of Emotion (1991 ~ Positive Music) Thom Rotella - Can't Stop (1997 ~ Telarc) Peter White - Promenade (1993 ~ Sindrome) |
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