Showcase CD
Blue Bolero - Chris Standring:
Blue
Bolero is guitarist's Chris Standring's 6th solo release and a project
that well belies the fact he grew up on a small farm outside the
quaint town of Aylesbury just north-west of London. In his youth,
Standring studied classically and, after attending the London College
of Music and writing for the BBC, he relocated to LA early in 1991.
That was he connected with keyboardist Rodney Lee - in 1996 they
released an acid-jazz album as Solar System and they've continued
to collaborate to some extent ever since. In the meantime, Standring
procured a gig backing Guitars Saxes & More and subsequently he
joined Rick Braun's band! In 1998, he released his solo debut while
scoring one of the huge hits for the year in Cool Shades! In the
time since, Standring's left leaning style has continually provided
some intriguing insights into a diverse and creative mindset. Now
Chris bears left of that mark with Blue Bolero, his most adventurous
record to date and a project with a somewhat autobiographical pitch!
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Standring explains it traces "the journey he took as a musically
driven youngster to the person he is today." Therefore it's now
our pleasure to spotlight Chris Standring and that very release.
To begin, we have the first single called Bossa Blue, a tune upon
which Chris demonstrates that his "skills aren't limited to the
electric guitar" - it features "nylon-string guitar soloing over
a Latin rhythm" to which Standring adds "a subtle touch of jazz
vocalese." |
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Chris Standring - NAMM 2008
Coutesy of Chris's MySpace
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Partially
forgotten amid Standring's own account of the album is the track
Sunrise, a contemplative nugget that may represent Chris's self-examination
of musical conscience and it starts our second hour. Meantime, Please
Mind the Gap "features orchestration and exquisite alto flute solo
playing by Katisse Buckingham." It "takes its name from the London
Underground train system and recalls Standring's adventures during
trips to the big city." With themes ranging from cinematic to smooth,
from reflective to refined, Blue Bolero is as daring a foray as
any in a genre that otherwise prefers to play it safe! 
Quotes: MySpace
CD: Blue Bolero (2010)
Label: Ultimate Vibe Records
Links: 
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| Fresh Trax: Part One |
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Private Party - Dan Carlin & Friends:
A native
of Portsmouth Virginia, Dan Carlin is a veteran fusion guitarist who's
played with high-energy acts in the likes of Blue Cheer, Robert Conti,
and Michael Pinera. Although his career stretches back to the 60s, Carlin
only debuted as a soloist in 2006. Street Talk is now his 3rd release
and based upon our past experience with Carlin's projects there was a
keen level of anticipation prior to our initial review. Safe to say, that
Dan did not disappoint. Sharing star billing with a few friends, contributors
to the project include Dave Hooper on drums, Gary Meek on sax, and Rob
Whitlock on keys with bassist Max Bennett featured as the special guest.
From Street Talk we've selected the intimate vibe of a tune called Private
Party!
CD: Street Talk (2010)
Label: Mastermind Sist Productions/Rhombus Records
Links:
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Thoughts
of You - Klay D-C:
Fans
of Roy Ayers may that recall Klay Dumas-Copas, aka Klay D-C, as a member
of the band Ubiquity from '99 thru to 2004. Prior to that he was involved
with The Jazz Steppers - as producer for their '98 debut, Klay helped
the group earn a Music of Black Origin award for the year. In actuality,
D-C's been a part of the jazz scene in the UK since his college days at
Leeds, where he began writing fusion and focusing on piano technique.
His first break came about when his band was asked to produce a record
by the label co-owned by Shakatak's Bill Sharpe and DJ Ralph Tee. This
led to Klay's involvement with the Jazz Steppers. Subsequently, he released
his solo debut in 2008 and now with the issue of Ritmo, Mr. D-C is a genuine
threat to crack the US market. Latin flavours run thick thruout and from
it we have the colorfully rhythmic Thoughts of You!
CD: Ritmo (2010)
Label: dbug music multimedia
Links: 
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| Fresh Trax: Part Two |
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Samba De Noite - Nate Najar:
After
picking up his first guitar at around 9 or 10, Nate Najar progressed quickly
thru many styles - from R&B to rock and then on to jazz - all while developing
a taste for the nylon string acoustic. Dating back to 2002, he's issued
a series of mainly straight ahead releases fronting either a trio or a
quartet. Of late, the St. Pete's Florida guitarist has been performing
regularly with an increasing number of today's top names in Smooth Jazz
- among them Eric Darius, Jackiem Joyner, Brian Simpson and Marion Meadows
and this has ushered his own move to that arena. Considering himself a
product of his many musical passions, Until Now is now around his fifth
effort overall and from it we've selected the Latin flavoured mover entitled
Samba De Noite!
CD: Until Now (2009)
Label: Blue Line Music
Links: 
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Cali
Trippin' - Michael J Thomas:
Hailing
from Cecilia, Kentucky, Michael J Thomas could easily have turned to country
music had it not been for his parents and their penchant for the sounds
of Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, and the like. Initially he studied
piano while picking up the sax in the seventh grade. In spite of an early
rejection for the school band, Thomas re-doubled his efforts and ended
up winning a scholarship to the University of Kentucky. Nonetheless, he
left school in advance of completing his course of studies in pursuit
of a career as a performer - by 19 the band he was with had opened for
the Brian Setzer Orchestra, and Bill Haley's Original Comets. After moving
to Destin, Florida in 1999, Thomas began cultivating a local following
while sharing the Sea Breeze Jazz Festival stage with Dave Koz, Richard
Elliot, and many others. City Beat is his debut and a project that was
inspired by Thomas's wanderings through some of the world's greatest cities.
Backed by a tight rhythm section, Thomas does some lusty soloing between
Paul Scurto's stylish trumpet and Shannon Wallace's spunky electric guitar!
CD: City Beat (2010)
Label: Harbor Breeze
Links:
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Pepino
- Kilimanjaro:
Following
the success of their debut cd which rose to #3 in 1981, the band Kilimanjaro
hailing from Vermont went on to appear at prestigious festivals around
the world. Their '83 sophomore album faired almost as well reaching #5
and led to tours across the USA as well as a year-long gig with Paul Butterfield.
And then here the story gets complicated as for many years the band members
went on a lengthy detour from their lives as international 'tourists'.
Forming a blues band of their own with BB King alumnus Big Joe Burrell,
they became a regional event while individually pursuing a variety of
diverse opportunities. In 2005, the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
was the spark that led to Kilimanjaro's resurgence. The long-dormant project
was honored with a grant to create some new compositions for a reunion
concert. In due course, this all led to the issue of Homecoming, the first
release in nearly 25 years. Comprised of Paul Asbell, Chas Eller, and
Tony Markellis, who have shared the stage for three decades, the sounds
of the combo are rounded out by Lucas Adler a relative newcomer who joined
the ensemble about ten years back. Garnering a critic's choice award from
Jazziz Magazine, the cd is nothing short of rich & polished and from it
we have the zippy stylings of the tune Pepino!
CD: Homecoming (2009)
Label: kilimanjaro.com
Links:
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our
Site and Select Affiliates : |
| … the third and final chapter in our current series
- and as in the past two shows, the operative word is 'sun'. Each and
every selection has that word or some sun-based phrase in its title. To
that philosophy, we've also added artists or groups that may have the
word sun in their name - yes indeed first we make the rules and then we
break them! Daylight comes with George Benson and he's followed by Paulinho
da Costa and Jeffrey B Suttles, then there's Chicago's Lake Effect. Lighting
the fuse in set #2 it's Ken Navarro - and then we continue with Duncan
Millar. Additionally, we have selections by the band Citrus Sun as well
as Marcin Nowakowski, and Tony Darren. Then in the home stretch, there's
Special EFX and Brian Culbertson as well as Earl Klugh while finishing
it is saxman Walter Beasley with the tune for which named the feature!
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