This Week at CafeJazz.ca:
… ready for
this show are Rocco & Rahj - Cool Burn is their release and we've
selected a real nice trio of tracks all as part of the showcase
segment. Taking centre stage in hour 2 is the Fresh Trax feature
with a spiffy batch of new music. Making their debut are Greg Anderson,
John Gatti, and Alexander Boynton Jr.; also appearing is Cliff deMarks
plus we have the latest from Daniel Domenge. Then after the Fresh
Trax are Pieces of a Dream and Michael Fair - also part of the set
is Lonnie Liston Smith while bringing it on home is a track by Marc
Antoine. In the meantime - we're flashing back to the 90s for a
classic - from Russ Freeman and Craig Chaquico, it's Samba del Luna!
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Showcase CD
Cool Burn - Rocco & Rahj:
John
Altamura and Roger Keay are Rocco and Rahj and they go back 35-years
to North Bergen County New Jersey. When they first met, the synergy
was immediate - they built a studio and for the next four years
they wrote, played and recorded together. But in 1978, Rocco opted
for Florida's mild winters while pursuing opportunities as an
audio engineer. Meantime, Rahj continued to build a career back
in the NYC area. Just a couple of years ago, after suffering from
30 years of studio burnout, Rahj finally came to his senses and
relocated to the Sunshine State. Now located in the Indian Rocks
Beach area just a bit south of Clearwater FL, the two reconnected,
picked up where they'd left off, and recorded Cool Burn. With
Rocco on organ & keys and with Rahj handling guitars and synth
programming here's a cd that literally burns with low-key intensity.
This is pretty hip stuff and a nice fit for our show so we're
now pleased to present a select offering from Cool Burn - all
as part of the showcase segment!
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begin, we have Syd's Summer Wave; inspired by Rocco's 7-year old
niece who resides in Turks & Caicos, this was the first tune that
Rocco & Rahj recorded after their reunion. Somewhere on the Beach
is another Turks & Caicos inspired track and it's dedicated to their
favorite place to hang. Finally we have Cool Burn the title track
and a selection that Rocco and Rahj hold forth as one that really
captures the essence of who they are as they approach everything
they do with the 'cool burn' vibe. |
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Rocco & Rahj
The Kings of Beach Jazz!
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As a side note, Rocco & Rahj were just as pumped to be part of our
show as we were to be featuring them; so as a nod, they created
a special Café Jazz Mix for each of the selections we're headlining.
For that we're sending out some major league ups to Rocco & Rahj!
Nonetheless, showing the polish of their many years of experience,
as well as their considerable talents as writers, producers and
audio engineers, Rocco & Rahj have not only created a new sub-genre
in music with 'beach jazz', they now officially begin their reign
as the undisputed kings!
CD: Cool Burn (2010)
Label: House Of Hofa Records
Links: 
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| Fresh Trax: Part
One |
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Cotton Candy - John Gatti:
Through
a career spanning nearly four decades, John Gatti has amassed a diverse
and wide-ranging résumé. Proficient on piano, organ, and
harmonica, he is also an accomplished sax, clarinet and flute player.
He has enjoyed stints with bands such as The Unknowns, Truth, and The
Good Rats, while also appearing with the jazz-swing group Za Zu Zaz, in
the late 70s - early 80s and then again for a reunion tour and live recording
in 2000. Subsequently, Gatti free-lanced; in addition to session and production
work, he scored and recorded commercials for companies such as Mercedes
and American Airlines. Otherwise he played with bassist Jeff Gellis for
five years ending around 2000. Since then, he has performed solo at area
venues while back in 2002 the release of Life Lines, Heart Lines marked
his solo debut. Destinations is Gatti's recently issued first jazz recording
containing 13 tracks that were inspired by places he and his wife have
travelled over past several years. These pieces celebrate the exotic as
well as the familiar and are as distinctive as the trips that inspired
them. From that cd, Gatti spins a little musical sugar on our show with
Cotton Candy and a tune based on an excursion to Yankee Stadium!
CD: Destinations (2011)
Label: Independent Release
Links: 
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Urban Vision - Daniel Domenge:
Coming
from the Montpellier region of France, Daniel Domenge has played professionally
for over 20 years. His style is influenced by the likes of Wes Montgomery
and Pat Martino and inspired by others such as George Benson and Chuck
Loeb, yet Domenge's sound is all his own. He debuted a couple of years
back with the cd Patchwork, a project that faired well on smooth jazz
radio in general and on our show in particular. Encouraged by the success
of that initial offering, the suave guitarist has a new effort on the
hot plate, but at this point all we have to show is his first single.
Entitled Urban Vision, it's a goodie and we're pleased to have that as
part of today's Fresh Trax feature!
Single: Urban Vision (2011)
Label: Independent Release
Links:
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| Fresh Trax: Part Two |
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Cosmic Sigh - Cliff deMarks:
If
you're wondering who currently is THE most prolific musician on the music
scene, then Atlanta-based Cliff deMarks certainly bears consideration.
DeMarks graduated from Alcorn University with a degree in accounting and
the hope that he could supplement his income by performing as a Church
musician. Nonetheless he'd always dreamed of pursuing a career in music
full time, but that was temporarily shelved while raising a family. Nonetheless,
by the time the year 2000 rolled around, all the pieces were in place
for deMarks to make a run at turning his dream into reality. Versed on
piano, bass and drums, Cliff is also an excellent reed man and, in the
time since his debut, he's issued over 45 albums in multiple styles. From
the 2010 State of Feeling cd, we get to hang, chill, and relax to Cliff's
down-tempo vibe on the tune Cosmic Sigh!
CD: State of Feeling (2010)
Label: deMarks Studios
Links: 
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So Long Ago - Alexander Boynton Jr.:
Although
he hails from Chattanooga, Tennessee, bassist Alexander Boynton Jr. spent
his formative years in LA where some of his most moving musical experiences
were in church playing gospel music. After relocating to Vancouver Canada,
Boynton connected with the group The Payola$ in about 1985. In his years
with the Canadian rockers A-Train, as he became known, helped the band
open for the likes of Bryan Adams, Super Tramp and Duran Duran. Following
a 5 year Payola$ reunion tour which ended in 2008, Boynton returned to
his R&B / gospel roots for the cd Doo Bee Doo Bop that was produced in
conjunction with Jeff Lorber. The title may signify 'a moment filled with
tingling anticipation', or perhaps 'the flash of realization that a momentous
event is about to occur'. Regardless, from that solo debut which features
the likes of Paul Jackson Junior, Jeff Golub, and others, Rick Braun guests
on a mellow groover called So Long Ago!
CD: Doo Bee Doo Bop (2010)
Label: Independent Release
Links:
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Blue Ocean - Greg Anderson:
For
many years Greg Anderson has been a fixture on the Southwest performance
circuit while in addition he has had a couple of previous effort on Fervor
Records. Freestyle in 2007 featured music reminiscent of the 60s surfer
scene, while 2008's Bad Ass Guitarz presented a more raucous style. However
on Blue Ocean, Anderson shows off some pretty impressive smooth jazz chops.
In spite of the style on his previous solo efforts, smooth jazz is nonetheless
familiar territory for the celebrated guitarist, and terrain he's traversed
frequently over the past few years. Since 2006, Anderson has worked closely
with producer and keyboardist John Costello. The two have collaborated
on Cooler Shade of Jazz, Spheres, Apasionado, and Beyond Smooth - so as
the two reunite, Blue Ocean therefore continues as a natural extension
of that work. Replete with soaring melodies and laid-back grooves, we
dive head first into the swell of the title track!
CD: Blue Ocean (2011)
Label: Fervor Records
Links:
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our
Site and Select Affiliates : |
... on this edition we have a dozen selections - all
in some way are connected to the concept of those hours occurring after
daylight. We've tagged the feature Long Night Out for a track by Brian
Culbertson - this being the second in our 'night series' - and to begin
it's Rio Wave from Brazilian Nights! 
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