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July 1st, 2007 Edition #448 Previously 
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Highlights
Hour One Café Salsa - ReDuX: Comprised of core members Archangel Menezes and Eddie Paton, ReDuX is a project that presents a potent blend of cool jazz with a Latin twist. Formerly based in L.A., Menezes is a Toronto media composer; meanwhile Eddie Paton contributed guitar to Robert Michaels' Juno-winning Allegro album and has toured with Johannes Linstead. Their RMx Volume 1 released a few years back is a trippy excursion into the realm of world, jazz, and electronica. Driven by catchy funk rhythms and infused with some infectious urban and electronic elements, we have the "cosmopolitan café atmosphere" of Café Salsa! CD: RMx Volume 1 (2004) Label: Race of Tan Records/North Ivar |
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Under The Moon and Over The Sky - Alexander
Zonjic: Although he's now known as one of the finest flautists in contemporary jazz, Alexander Zonjic started in music as a rock guitarist and actually didn't even own a flute until he was 21. Within a year, he'd learned the basics, was accepted into the music program at the University of Windsor and became immersed in the works of Bach, Mozart, and others. At much the same time, he developed a love for the style of jazzers such as Hubert Laws and Herbie Mann. Shortly after graduating, Zonjic connected with Bob James and ended up touring with James for about ten years. In the course of events, this led to the launch of Zonjic's own solo career with an eponymous debut in 1978. He's gone on to record over a dozen projects covering a wide range of styles, all while developing into a top radio announcer at Detroit's WVMV and honing his entrepreneurial skills as co-owner of Seldom Blues, a Detroit dinner club. Additionally, Zonjic has become one of our favourite featured performers - particularly for our SJIC series of specials - in keeping with which, we present Under The Moon and Over The Sky from the album that takes its name from the club! CD: Seldom Blues (2004) Label: Heads Up International Site: Alexander Zonjic |
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Can't
Go Back Now - Barry Aiken: Keyboardist Barry Aiken has been writing and performing professionally for over 25 years. Born in Trail, BC, Aiken grew up Northern Idaho while for a time in the 80s he attended university in San Diego, one of the early hot beds for smooth jazz. Having returned to his Idaho roots, Aiken opened his own music school & studio, where he teaches piano, drums, and composition. He's produced and recorded a variety of artists and created music for radio, TV, and film. More recently, Aiken joined Gino Vannelli for a 2006 promotional tour thru parts of Canada & Europe. Thruout, Aiken has built an enviable reputation with his high-energy performances, all while recording three of his own albums. From the 2004 Balboa Park release, the name being a reference to the park that's home to the famed San Diego Zoo and an allusion to Aiken's earlier time in California, we present the reminiscent stylings of You Can't Go Back Now! CD: Balboa Park (2004) Label: BareMic Music Site: Aiken/BareMic |
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| Highlights Hour Two | |
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Midnight
Reflections - Les Sabler: In what proved a major coup for Café Jazz, we broke the sound of Les Sabler & Bridge the Gap on the Canadian scene back in January of '03. The project went on to become not only our most played album by a Canadian artist for the entire year but also the most played in all of Canada, earning Sabler two smoothie nominations at the inaugural edition of the CSJA. Moreover, the project has maintained a spot in our top 10 most played list every year since. From what is undoubtedly one of the strongest projects ever recorded by a Canadian for the smooth genre, we present another outstanding selection and one of Sabler's personal favourites! CD: Bridge The Gap (2003) Label: Music Force Media Group; Sin-Drome Site: Les Sabler |
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Lowdown
- Greg Lowe: For the past 20 years, Winnipeg's Greg Lowe has enjoyed a multi-pronged career. From '86 thru until '90, he toured with The Lincolns, a Toronto-based R&B band - but since then, he's concentrated on composing and performing. He's written a variety of scores for TV, theatre, and film. Several compositions have been featured at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra's New Music Festival and in 2004, he completed a successful stint in Vancouver, directing the music and performing in "The River", a theatrical concert of Joni Mitchell's music, which he had helped during its debut in Winnipeg a couple of years earlier. Additionally, Lowe has recorded several fine solo projects so that now, from his 2001 Life So Far, we have one of his best in the track Lowdown! CD: Life So Far (2001) Label: Big Cheese Site: Greg Lowe |
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Kobe
- Bill King: With a career spanning decades, it's hard to imagine any aspect of music that Bill King hasn't been involved in. Hailing from Jeffersonville, Indiana, in 1963, King won a scholarship to Oscar Peterson's School of Contemporary music. In '68, he'd moved to LA to become Linda Ronstadt's pianist and music director. A year later, he joined Janis Joplin's band before relocating to Toronto in 1969. Returning to LA in '76 as music director for Martha Reeves, King also gigged with The Pointer Sisters and John Klemmer, before heading back to Toronto in the late 70s. In the 80s, King's career began firing on all cylinders. After a stint with Ronnie Hawkins, he launched a record label, did some work a jazz broadcaster, co-founded The Jazz Report Magazine, and as the artistic director and emcee for the Beaches Festival, King became a driving force in its success. In addition, he recorded several albums - on this occasion, we revisiting one of our favourite tracks from the '98 East Side Symphony cd! CD: East Side Symphony (1998) Label: Radioland Enterprises Site: Jazz Report ; King/Beaches |
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Site and Select Affiliates : |
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As we
continue to celebrate on our 5th Annual Made in Canada Smooth Jazz Special,
we've included more Canadian-style smooth grooves from Jamie Bonk, Frank
Mills, Molly Johnson and Michael Massaro. Also appearing - Dave Sereny,
Walle Larsson, Gordon Sheard, and JB Carbou as well as Nura, Alex Zografov,
Dave Dunlop, and Jesse Cook. Those and of course each & every selection
that we're playing is 100% Canadian - so please join us!
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