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the hottest tracks of the season from Tim Bowman & Wayman Tisdale. We're
beginning the show with the former and ending it off with the latter and
in the process we've created a satisfying groove sandwich with over 20
fantastic tracks in between. I hope that you'll savour the flavour!
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Highlights Hour One
Summer Groove - Tim Bowman:
Tim Bowman's
early exposure to music came about through his family's involvement
in their church. He was just 11 when he was totally floored by a
guitarist that he saw performing there. This single event, perhaps
more than any other, infused within Bowman the desire to master
the instrument. He played at his church for eight years and won
a two-year scholarship to the Detroit Music School. According to
Bowman those years were the most enlightening of his life. After
high school, Tim worked on an automobile assembly line for just
a few months before he was laid off. From then on, music became
a primary focus in his life. He played in a gospel group, which
also featured his sister, Vickie. It was through Vickie, that he
met Marvin Winans, an aspiring young gospel artist whom Vickie would
soon marry. Keeping things in the family, so to speak, Bowman was
given a call when Marvin needed a guitarist for his group The Winans.
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| Not too long afterward, Winans signed a
record deal and group's fortunes soared as they became the
best-selling gospel group of the 80s. Bowman stayed with the
group for six years as their guitarist and for some of that
time he also acted as their music director. He left in 1987
in order to avoid burnout and to spend more time with his
family. It wasn't until 1996 that Tim decided to get back
into music in a serious way. |
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He laid down a few tracks
and although there was label interest, he chose to manufacture the
album on his own in order to remain true to the music that he wanted
to record. WJZZ in Detroit began playing several tracks in heavy
rotation which correspondingly generated sales. In turn these generated
a record deal. The release of Bowman's debut nationally in the USA
resulted in top 20 status for the cd and the associated single on
a couple of charts. With the issue of This Is What I Hear, which
is now Tim's 4th release, Bowman's blend of smooth jazz and gospel
music, has resulted in one of the quintessential tracks for the
summer of 2004. From that effort we present the cool groove of Summer
Groove!
CD: This Is What I Hear
Label: Liquid 8 Records
Site:Tim
Bowman |
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Nosotros - Frankie Cendejas:
Frankie
Cendejas was moved to play music by his family who had been performing
for generations. Born in Los Angeles and raised in nearby Norwalk,
California, Cendejas began on drums and then later switched to the
trumpet, an instrument that came very naturally to him. He played
in a marching band and then started performing professionally while
still in high school. It was also during this period that his dad
would take him to sit in at various clubs where his Uncle Jimmy
& his band were gigging. Cendejas lists his Uncle & also his grandfather
Rudy, as the two individuals who were the most inspirational to
him in his career. Frankie later played with a Gospel group, a time
which helped him mature not only as a musician but perhaps even
more so as a person. In the course of things Cendejas was signed
to a record deal. |
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He performed locally & internationally with
many jazz, R&B, and Latin based bands and worked with a variety
of artists such as Juan Carlos Quintero, Greg Vail, & Tony Guerrero
(all familiar names to our show) as well as with a lengthy list
of others. Through it all though, Frankie has always remained passionate
about performing the traditional Latin music that he grew up with.
It was through the encouragement of family & friends that Cendejas
has just completed his debut release and we have a selection from
it for you. Enjoy this superb romantic ballad from the 2004 Winner
of the Orange County Award for Best Traditional Latin Artist !
CD: Del Pasado al Presente
Label: HMP
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Fragile Heart - Michael van Droff:
Perhaps
more than anyone else, Michael van Droff is the man who is most
responsible for the growth of Smooth Jazz in Germany. Michael was
heavily influenced as a vocalist by Gino Vannelli, his first music
idol. He hoped to get a record deal on this side of the Atlantic
but, when he was unable to do so, he launched California Sunset
Records in his homeland. Van Droff's contributions to the music
scene however, go well beyond that. He's been a driving force in
pioneering the cause of the genre in Germany. Indeed, without Michael's
activities as a musician, producer, label-owner, promoter, radio-DJ,
and entrepreneur, the music that he loves would still be largely
unknown in that country. He's earned the recognition and respect
of the Smooth Jazz community both nationally and abroad. And, although
he's still never released an entire solo project, Michael has recorded
several superb tracks including the one that I'm playing on this
program. |
Check out the fabulous sounds of Michael's Fragile
Heart from the compilation Wave Music Volume 7, available exclusively
on van Droff's own CSR label and due for release on October 25th.
CD: Wave Music Volume 7
Label: CSR
Site: Michael
van Droff |
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After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Web Site: |
On
this edition we have more of the smooth summery grooves of 2004. Included
are tracks from Michael Lington, Bobby Lyle & Kim Waters. There's
the latest from Everette Harp & Fourplay. As well, we have new
music from the Jeff Lorber project known as Shades of Soul featuring
Chris Botti. There's more though as we play music from Ricardo Scales,
Kevin Russell, Craig Boyd, & Phillip Martin. And as part of our
continuing Café Jazz mission to boldly go where no radio program
has gone before, you will hear Anita Baker from her latest cd with
a tune that no one else seems to have latched onto yet. As well from
Bridge to Havana, I've selected a track that's just a bit different
for our show with N'Dea Davenport & Rene Bands on vocals. It's
a fun piece and also features some scorching sax from none other than
Dave Koz! All in all, there are fourteen selections packed into just
over 60 minutes !
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