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November 2nd, 2008 Edition #500 Previously 
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Week at CafeJazz.ca: 7th Annual - The Very Best of Cafe Jazz!
The longest-running independently produced smooth jazz radio program on the planet hits another milestone! With this 7th annual installment of The Very Best of Café Jazz, we're celebrating 500 editions since crackling onto the air back in the fall of 1997. We've dug deeply into our musical archives for some favourites buried by time and some of the best music we've played over the course of the last dozen years. The key ingredients are courtesy of Pamela Williams, Brian Simpson, Special EFX, Steve Oliver, Terry Disley, and Matt Marshak - those and a few others that have helped define Café Jazz as the hippest show on radio. So without any further delay we just get right into the music and two full hours of the absolute best that we have to offer! |
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Sol to Soul - Freddie Ravel: With influences ranging from Chopin, Bach, Brahms, and Mozart, to Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Tower of Power, Freddie Ravel's fascination with music started at the age five and led to studying jazz and classical composition at CSUN (Cal State University Northridge). Graduating with honours, Ravel rose in the ranks to become a first call studio musician. Supported by his Euro-Colombian heritage, the multi-platinum composer's ability to blend musical styles has afforded him the opportunity to participate in a variety of collaborations - with artists as diverse as Quincy Jones, Sergio Mendes, Al Jarreau, & Madonna. By age 23, he was performing worldwide with Mendes whereupon he landed a record deal. Beginning with his '91 solo debut, Ravel has enjoyed a modest yet successful career as a front man with three well-received releases to his credit the last of which went to #1 in the USA with Sunny Side Up. More recently, Freddie was nominated for a Grammy for co-writing and producing "Givin It Up" for Al Jarreau and George Benson. Additionally, Ravel has received rave reviews for his appearances as guest composer and pianist with the 70-piece California Philharmonic Orchestra. From Ravel's '95 sophomore effort, we have the fiery & sensuous title track! CD: Sol to Soul (1995) Label: Verve Forecast Site: Freddie Ravel ; Freddie's Space |
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Dida - Paul Horn: Paul Horn may well have inherited his love of music from his mother, "a professional musician back in the 20's, she recorded, had her own radio show in New York City, sang and played piano." ** A native of New York, Horn began on piano at the age of 4, took up the sax at 12, and then while majoring on clarinet at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, he started flute, later earning a Master's from the Manhattan school of music. Moving to LA, Horn established his straight-ahead jazz credentials playing with Chico Hamilton's Quintet from 1956 thru until 1958; he played with Duke Ellington Orchestra's on the Suite Thursday project while for about 15 years in all, he did studio work with artists such as Nat King Cole and Tony Bennett. But in the late 60's, Horn underwent a spiritual transformation. In spite of achieving many of his musical goals, he felt unfulfilled and began to search inwardly. During a trip to India in 1968, he snuck a tape machine into the Taj Mahal, and recorded what proved to the first of a series of reflective and meditative masterpieces thereby launching a brand new phase in his career as the "grandfather of new age music."** In 1970, Horn moved to Victoria, BC where he formed his own quintet and where he continued to innovatively expand into a variety of areas. His 1974 Visions release yielded a genuine masterpiece of the era in the gorgeous track Dida. Gently merging jazz and new age, Horn creates a mood-inducing gem that transcends time and space! LP: Visions (1974) Label: CBS Records Site: Paul Horn ; Bio by R.Phillips ** |
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| Highlights Hour Two | |
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It's
the Thought That Counts - Benoit/Freeman: David Benoit and Russ Freeman first worked first worked together back in 1986 on Moonlighting, the landmark debut from The Rippingtons. Subsequently, Freeman pursued a career as leader of The Ripps, the most successful contemporary ensemble of the 90s, while Benoit continued to grow in stature as one of the most popular artists in genre. However, in 1994, the pair came together for a full-fledged collaboration appropriately titled The Benoit/Freeman Project. Considering their previous work, this was in a sense a reunion album and not surprisingly, the teaming of two top artists in smooth jazz resulted in one of the top albums of the year. The success of The Project for many years fuelled demand for a follow-up record, which eventually came to fruition with Project 2 a full ten years later. Nevertheless, their initial effort has well
with stood the test of time and among other excellent selections, it provided
one of the quintessential smooth jazz tracks of the 90s!
CD: The Benoit/Freeman Project (1994) Label: GRP Records Site: David Benoit ; Russ Freeman |
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Desert Hideaway - David Garfield: Born in Chicago, David Garfield started on piano when he was seven and immediately he experienced a connection. He relocated to LA in the mid 70's, and in the time since, his name has become one of the most respected on that city's club circuit and session scene. He's scored and recorded for films and commercials, produced over 20 albums, launched his own label, and appeared on nearly 80 additional projects while working with Cher, Boz Scaggs, & Larry Carlton, to name but a few. He toured with Earl Klugh and for 5 years in the 80s, he was musical director for George Benson with whom he continues to tour on occasion. Additionally, Garfield has led a pair of high-energy fusion projects in the bands Karizma & Los Lobotomys. Finally, in 1997, he launched his solo career fronting an all-star cast on a tribute to the late Jeff Porcaro. Although he's enjoyed several releases, in 2004, Giving Back was Garfield's re-entry into the smooth arena with a project that proved one of the finer break-thru albums for the year! CD: Giving Back (2003) Label: Creatchy Records Site: David Garfield/Creatchy |
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Optimistic
- Gerald Veasley: After attending the University of Pennsylvania on a full four-year scholarship, Gerald Veasley held several high-profile sideman gigs. In short order, he shared the stage with Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie and followed that by a stint with his longtime friend and mentor, the late Grover Washington Jr. In 1988, Weather Report cofounder Joe Zawinul hired Veasley as a back up and he continued in that capacity thru until 1995. In the meantime, Veasley signed with Heads Up International releasing his solo debut back in 1992. Additionally, he's amassed an impressive résumé having performed and/or recorded with Special EFX, Joe McBride, the late George Howard, Pamela Williams, Eric Marienthal, and many more. At the same time, Veasley has developed into a premier bass player in the contemporary field and now has eight releases to his credit. On this occasion, we're checking out the '99 Love Letters release for one of his finest tracks to date! CD: Love Letters (1999) Label: Heads Up International Site: Gerald Veasley ; Gerald's Space |
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Site and Select Affiliates : |
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The adventure
continues with more of "the VB of" - our 7th annual installment! Included
are George Benson, Gregg Karukas, John Smatla's Ultrablue, and Wayne
Jones - and that's in the first set alone! Those are followed by the
band Fourplay, Jonathan Cain, Danny Jung, and Brazil's Marcos Valle;
while Torcuato Mariano, Euge Groove, and The Crusaders round out the
hour. We've included 11 dyn-a-mite selections in all beginning with
a track from 1997 - the year that it all started for us here at the
Café!
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