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Showcase CD
All We Need - Oli Silk:
Hailing
from London's west end, Oli Silk played a variety of gigs thru
his teens while he debuted in October 2000 as half of the smooth
duo Sugar & Silk. After a pair releases with bassist and long-time
friend Danny Sugar, Oli next surfaced in 2004 on the debut for
saxman James Vargas. Vargas had been the featured saxplayer on
Sugar & Silk's sophomore cd and so now Silk returned the favour;
he produced the album, shared in the writing credits, and appeared
on all the tracks. The record caught the attention of Trippin'
N Rhythm Records, who released the project in the US; this then
led to an appearance by Vargas and Silk at the Catalina Island
Jazz festival. Silk's own So Many Ways debut followed a couple
of years later; an outstanding first effort the project earned
Oli recognition as the Café Jazz break-thru performer for the
year! Now you might say that we were a bit ahead of the curve,
not unusual for a leading-edge, progressive program such as ours.
Nonetheless we were in good company as Oli was also named Art
Good's Jazz Trax debut Artist!
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seems without fail that we hear from Oli every couple of years or
so and sure enough, Oli's The Limit's The Sky follow up released
in 2008 gained him a nod as a nominee at the inaugural ASJA. Building
on the momentum, Oli returns with All We Need, his highly anticipated
third offering and likely his most polished project to date! So
it's with a measure of satisfaction that we nudge Oli into the showcase
spotlight! |
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Oli Silk & Cindy Bradley at Catalina
Island 2009
~ photo by Sherry Fisher
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Leading
in, is All We Need the title track that's in rotation at many finer
smooth stations and that's currently climbing the charts. Trumpet
lady and label-mate Cindy Bradley guests on Tokyo at the top of
hour 2; the two have performed together on several occasions within
the past couple of years and upon the track in mention they engage
in an inspirational exchange. Meanwhile joining Oli on Ahead of
the Weather, the show closer, is Carl Stanley on sax. And so with
this trio of selections, it becomes fairly obvious that in so far
as quintessential smooth listening is concerned, all we need is
Oli and his appropriately titled cd!
CD: All We Need (2010)
Label: Trippin 'n' Rhythm Records
Links: 
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| Fresh Trax: Part One |
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Magic - Michael Paulo:
Beginning
his career in his native Hawaii, Michael Paulo recorded four albums with
the group Kalapana before he relocated to LA in 1981. A couple of years
later he joined Al Jarreau's touring band and continued in that capacity
for the better part of ten years, while also issuing an '88 solo debut.
For a good part of the 90s, Paulo managed Noteworthy Records and toured
with other performers, while also issuing a few more well-received cds.
Although his own output has been a bit infrequent thruout the past decade,
Michael has nonetheless remained active on the smooth scene. Currently
he produces The Temecula Wine and Music Festival while continuing as host
for Dolphin Days in Hawaii for year 14; moreover he's an artist in residence
at The Java Jazz Festival - one of the largest in the world! On the record
front, he's appeared on releases by Peter White, Steve Oliver and LA Chillharmonic
among others. His new release was arranged and conducted by David Benoit
and features the Magenta Symphony Orchestra out of Jakarta. From that
effort we have Michael on a pretty piece called Magic, the aptly-titled
opening track!
CD: ... and the Magenta Symphony
Orchestra (2010)
Label: Apaulo Music Productions
Links:
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Postcard from Cannes
- The Rippingtons:
Over
the course of the past 25 years, Russ Freeman has frequently shown an
affinity for naming selections and albums, or occasionally both, for exotic
locals; Morocco and Aruba are just two of many that come to mind. The
latest is called Côte d'Azur, a project that was inspired by Freeman's
love of the French Riviera. All the selections relate to his extensive
travels in region with his wife, Yaredt Leon, a successful songwriter
in her own right who actually co-wrote a couple of the tracks with her
husband and travel companion. From that effort we now feature Postcard
from Cannes, a favourite tourist destination that also plays host annually
to the famed film festival! 
CD: Côte d'Azur (2011)
Label: Peak Records
Links: 
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| Fresh Trax: Part Two |
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Contigo - Hp.Hoeger & Sugar Shake:
When
last heard from Hanspeter Höger came to us as half of the Austrian duo
recording as Thompascal and Hp. Hoeger. Based in the picturesque region
of Tyrol, Partl & Höger had collaborated for about 15 years with several
projects and a variety of tracks on various compilations. Featuring some
choice sampled vocals by an unidentified singer, Not In Love With Me,
was our #2 vocal track in the past year. Now Hp. is back but this time
he's hooked up with song-writer Christian Mueller otherwise known as Sugar
Shake. Music Matters is their debut and from the effort we present Contigo,
another prime example that the Euro-vibe is alive and well!
CD: Music Matters (2010)
Label: Hanspeter Höger, Sugar Shake
Links: Hp:
SS: 
CD: 
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My
Hero, (Uncle Jim) - SureWill:
A veteran
arranger, composer, and music director, SureWill is the moniker under
which William Clark now records. Although his primary instrument is the
keys, SureWill is a multi-instrumentalist well-versed on drums, bass,
the alto sax and clarinet. With a background of over 30 years in music,
he began playing in his church in Buffalo NY, but in the time since he's
worked with Grammy-winners such as Al Jarreau, George Duke, and Janet
Jackson. Having performed at a variety of premier jazz festivals and at
several televised awards shows, SureWill is more than ready to step out
of the shadows on his debut - from that release we have the funky and
rhythmic My Hero (Uncle Jim)!
CD: Out Of The Shadows (2010)
Label: Sureraq Music
Links: 
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Berlin Boogie - Mezzoforte:
Mezzoforte
released their self-titled debut in 1979, and a few years later, they
scored an international hit with the track Garden Party. Now over 30 years
later, they still tour regularly with all original members sometimes appearing
as part of a 6 to 10 piece band. As almost the entire world knows, Iceland
recently experienced a mammoth volcanic eruption. But in the spring of
2008, the members spent a few days in a summer house in the southern part
of the country writing music for the current album. Their close proximity
to Hekla, Iceland's best known volcano sparked a song called Sleeping
Volcano. Little did they suspect that a few months later an earthquake
measuring 6.1 would trigger eruptions in Eyjafjallajökull, a mere 50 kilometers
away. From that project, suitably titled Volcanic, Mezzoforte dust it
up with the track Berlin Boogie, Germany's capitol and its largest city!
CD: Volcanic (2010)
Label: Mashhad Music
Links:
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our
Site and Select Affiliates : |
| … it's the final installment in The Best of 2010. Cued
are 13 tracks that somehow escaped the main portion of our review - it
would be remiss to omit these selections … so this last part of the re-cap
remedies that situation. Included are selections from George Duke and
Paul Brown as well as from Walter Beasley, Larry Carlton, and Gerald Albright
… on The Best of 2010 - The Epilogue Edition!
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