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Highlights! A fabulous showcase feature, an incredible assortment of Back Trax & more!! All contribute to making this edition one that's not to be missed!! There's music from some of our perennial favourites such as Nils, Acoustic Alchemy, Chieli Minucci, Allon Sams & Les Sabler to name a few. Also appearing are Paul Taylor, Matt Dusk, Bass X, Chuck Loeb, George Scott, Sade, & Eric Darius... a perfect blend of new & old as well as an appealing mix of established stars & those deserving broader recognition. That's all right here on Café Jazz, where the music is always unique, relaxing, and fresh!! |
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| Showcase CD Perfect Island Nights - Bobby Caldwell: Bobby inherited his love of music from his parents who were both musicians and who hosted one of the first variety shows in the early days of television. It was through the program that Caldwell was exposed to a wide array of music and thereby he discovered his career path. Admittedly his initial forays into music were a bit rebellious as he performed selections by Hendrix and Cream in small clubs across America. Bobby enjoyed a variety of influences though, including Little Richard with whom he played lead guitar for two years. However, Caldwell soon discovered his niche when he turned to a blend of jazz and R&B. His breakthrough came in 1978 with What You Won't Do For Love. The success of that hit and his subsequent projects, firmly entrenched Caldwell as a staple artist in the SJ format for most of the 80s and 90s and propelled him to super stardom in Japan. Additionally, Caldwell developed into a prolific and highly sought-after songwriter, having penned tunes for the likes of Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Al Jarreau, and The Commodores among many others. |
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| For a time, Bobby shifted his focus when he starred as Frank Sinatra in the Las Vegas production of The Rat Pack is Back. This prompted the release of a pair of projects that featured standards from the big band-era. Now after a hiatus of about six years, the king of the pop/jazz ballad is back with Perfect Island Nights. True to the mood that the title suggests, Perfect Island Nights is a warm & inviting musical sojourn. It's brimming with intoxicating melodies that explore the universal themes of love & romance, all under Caldwell's able guidance. As we begin the showcase feature, we present the team of Bobby Caldwell & Deniece Williams. Ms Williams is an award winning vocalist whose own career also stretches back to the 70s. Together they deliver a fantastic version of Where Is The Love. That song was a huge hit for Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway back in 1972 and as such, it's understandably a tough tune to cover. However, Caldwell & Williams are more than up to the task! | |
(Photo Courtesy of Bobby's Web Site)
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Then opening hour two is the title track which perfectly captures the
sensation of a warm moon-drenched tropical evening complete with swaying
palms & a refreshing ocean breeze all under a starlit sky. It's
undoubtedly one of the finest ballads to have been recorded in many
a year and it's also my personal favourite on the disc. And to conclude
the feature we have I Need Your Love, a tune with a decidedly rock edge
& one that well illustrates another facet of Caldwell's range &
versatility as a vocalist. Perfect Island Nights provides the perfect
back drop for an hour of musical bliss as Bobby Caldwell presents what
may well be his finest effort to date! CD: Perfect Island Nights Label: The Music Force Media Group Web Sites: Bobby Caldwell |
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| Back Trax: Part Two | ||
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Alone
With You - Brian Culbertson: Culbertson's
name has been synonymous with outstanding music since he first broke
onto the SJ scene just over 10 years ago. Brian's dad was a high school
band director and helped him develop an ear for music as well as teaching
Brian a variety of instruments. Culbertson began on piano at the age
of eight, but soon added drums, trombone and bass to his musical arsenal.
Bored with classical recital pieces, he began composing in junior high
and experimented with a synthesizer and an old four-track recorder.
Soon after graduating, Culbertson headed to Chicago to further his musical
studies and with the help of a family friend, he signed a deal with
Mesa/Blue Moon. Shortly thereafter Brian more or less single-handedly
recorded his debut album, Long Night Out, in the bedroom of an apartment
that he shared with three college buddies. The project was a resounding
success. It rose as high as #2 and occupied the Top Five of the adult
contemporary charts for ten consecutive weeks. From that effort, we're
presenting the track that started it all !! |
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Smooth
Groove - The Jazzmasters:
Back in 1984, Paul Hardcastle emerged on the music scene with an infectious
blend of jazz and dance music. He scored a major hit in the UK with "19",
a record that featured a commentary on the war in Vietnam. Meanwhile another
track called "Rainforest" became a #1 hit on the dance charts on both
sides of the Atlantic. For the next few years, Hardcastle experienced
varied success with his own albums while he turned to producing and remixing
for other artists. That all changed in 1993, with the release of Hardcastle's
first in a series of Jazzmasters projects. The Sound of Summer, as Hardcastle
nicknamed the album, experienced unprecedented popularity in Japan and
then in due course, it swept across the USA and around the world enjoying
a response that was overwhelming. On this occasion though we're heading
to the follow up project, the suitable titled Jazzmasters II, which was
issued a couple of years later. From that album we're featuring Smooth
Groove, a track that nicely reflects our musical philosophy. It's highlighted
by the sax work of Snake Davis & remains one of Hardcastle's best!
CD: The Jazzmasters II (1995) Label: JVC Web Site: Paul Hardcastle |
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Sleight
of Hand - Joyce Cooling:While
she was growing up in the New Jersey and New York areas, Cooling developed
tastes that ranged from diverse to eclectic. One day she inherited a
large number of Jazz albums which spurred her love of that musical style.
A few years later Joyce moved to San Francisco and began dabbling in
keyboards and percussion. Although music had long been the most passionate
part of her life, a career as a musician seemed remote. However things
began to take on an entirely different perspective when she started
an African drumming class. Then things suddenly crystallized when she
heard a solo by guitar legend Wes Montgomery. According to Joyce, "
From then on, it was as if the guitar had chosen me". Teaching herself how to play, Cooling developed a finger picking style that's given her a totally unique sound. She performed a variety of gigs including many straight-ahead sessions & gained oodles of credibility by appearing with jazz giants such as Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Airto and Charlie Byrd. In the mid-80s she met Jay Wagner and the two instantly discovered their songwriting compatibility. It wasn't until 1996 however, when South of Market, her San Francisco inspired hit, and her album Playing It Cool took the contemporary jazz world by storm. Both soared to #1 and Joyce was named the best new Smooth jazz artist of the year. From that album we're featuring a track that leaves no doubt whatsoever as to Joyce's creativity & talent as a guitarist! CD: Playing it Cool (1997) Label: Heads Up International Web Site: Joyce Cooling |
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Web Site: | |
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Exciting
news for lovers of new music!! On this installment, we have new music
& nothing but new music as we present a total of 14 never-before-been-played-on-our-show
tracks. The new cd from Jeff Golub just arrived & I must admit I'm more
than just a little impressed. It definitely ranks as one of the finest
releases to this point in the year & I'll have a tune from it on today's
edition. We're also exploring a few recent projects among them cds from
Jeff Kashiwa & Michael Haggins. Then there are recent arrivals from
DTTB & Walter Beasley. Richard Elliot has a new cd that's coming out
soon. We have the advance from that as well as one from Jim Brickman
& his new one. There's more brand new music from Marcus Miller &
Lalah Hathaway and we're introducing the sounds of Ralph T. Lofton,
JD Project , Jeanette Harris & Jackiem Joyner. But we're not done yet
since we also have a great track from Dave Sereny & The Jazz Room Presents
Smooth Jazz. That's it, a total of 14 never-before-been-played-on-our-show
tracks. With all these fresh selections, you know it's gonna be great!
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