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March 23rd, 2008 Edition #476 Previously 
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| Omar's 2002 debut went Top 15 on Billboard's New Age chart, while Akram recruited the expertise of Gregg Karukas to produce half of his sophomore release which followed a couple of years later. This strategy paid off in that project being ranked the #2 contemporary instrumental album for the year by the Wind & Wire. Reprising his partnership with Karukas, Akram now delivers Secret Journey, his third and arguably most refined effort to date. The album is to say the least, an exotic affair for which Omar's motivation was to provide a musical escape, particularly for those unable to get away physically from the pressures of their daily lives. Some of the compositions capture the heritage of Akram's Afghani ancestors - however, untied to the culture of any particular region, he incorporates a wide array of world flavours! Therefore, it's with distinct pleasure that we now thrust Omar Akram and Secret Journey into the soft glimmer of our showcase spotlight! We've selected a trio of tracks that range from the alluring to the mystical and begin with a tune inspired by the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World !! | |||
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| Fresh Trax: Part One | |
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Dorcas's Lament - Dr. Guy's MusiQologY:
Dr. Guy's MusiQologY is the musical alias for Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr. A Ph.D. graduate from the University of Michigan, Ramsey is currently Associate Professor of Music History at the University of Pennsylvania. He's also taught at Harvard and Princeton while specializing in several disciplines including African-American music and jazz. In addition, Ramsey fronts the band Dr. Guy's MusiQologY, which moves beyond traditional jazz by fusing elements of R&B, Latin, and Hip Hop. Y the Q? is the debut and from it we have the track Dorcas's Lament!! CD: Why the Q? Label: Ramsey Records Site: Dr. Guy's MusiQologY |
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Jamaican Winds - Jaared: Chronically suffering from asthma as a child, Jaared Arosemena was six when a doctor advised he learn a wind instrument to help strengthen his lungs. From then on, music became his passion and by the time he turned 18, Jaared had earned all-national player recognition in the USA. With a style influenced by David Sanborn and other top players of the day, Jaared toured with Maysa and other notables such as Peter While before launching his own solo career. His debut garnered Jaared consideration as Best New Artist of the Year for 2002 - Addiction now being his third and latest release. From that effort, we've selected Jamaican Winds with Steve Oliver guesting!! CD: Addiction Label: Trippin 'n' Rhythm Records Site: Jaared ; Trippin |
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| Fresh Trax: Part Two | |
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She's All That - Bob Baldwin : At a clip of nearly one label for every release, Bob Baldwin now marks his Nu Groove Records debut with NewUrbanJazz.com, his twelfth project in a string that extends back to the early 90s. Baldwin's sophomore release reached #7 on the charts and thereby established him as a force in the contemporary movement. Over the years, he's solidified that position by collaborating with many of the genre's top talents - including the late Grover Washington Jr., and Pieces of a Dream. Subsequently, Baldwin relocated to Atlanta where he embarked on a four-year stint touring with Marion Meadows while continuing to advance his solo career. With the release of his latest effort, Baldwin affirms his course in music, a path that he's trodden successfully for quite some time, although perhaps not quite with the fullness of his present conviction. From the NewUrbanJazz.com release, we've selected She's All That, upon which Baldwin is joined by Marion Meadows on sax and Ragan Whiteside on flute. The result is a genuine gem with the full potential to become a modern-day classic!! CD: NewUrbanJazz.com Label: NuGroove Records Site: Bob Baldwin ; Baldwin/NuGroove |
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Traveling Light
- Gerald Veasley : After being initially exposed to gospel and R&B, Gerald Veasley discovered jazz and in particular, came to appreciate the music of Weather Report and Return to Forever. The Philadelphia native earned a full four-year academic scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania and after graduating, he embarked on the first of several high-profile sideman gigs. In short order, Veasley backed Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie and followed that with a stint with his longtime friend and mentor, the late Grover Washington Jr. In 1988, Veasley was hired by Weather Report's Joe Zawinul continuing in that capacity thru until 1995. In the meantime, Veasley issued his solo debut in 1992. Your Move now brings Veasley's release total to eight, all of which have been on the Heads Up label. From this most recent effort, we've selected a track co-written by Veasley and label mate Chuck Loeb with Loeb also contributing guitar to the excellent Traveling Light!! CD: Your Move Label: Heads Up International Site: Gerald Veasley ; Veasley/Heads Up |
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On
The Upside - Steve Oliver: |
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Site and Select Affiliates : | |
| This week .... something just a bit different as we take a unique approach to song selection. Every track on this edition has "island" as part of it's title so we're calling the entire segment Island Time. Our line-up includes music from The Rippingtons, Paul Hardcastle, Acoustic Alchemy, Shakatak, and Ronny Jordan. Included as well are Daryl Stuermer, Kevin Kooyumjian, Michael Franks, Ronny Jordan, and Shilts. Meanwhile a definite program highlight has to be the selection from Terry Disley that lent it's name to this feature!! |
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