This Week at CafeJazz.ca:
Ready for the
spotlight on this show is the combo 111 East. The Way of The East
is the debut, and we've selected a real nice trio of tracks, all
as part of the showcase segment. In the second half it's time to
unwind and relax with our Chill Out feature and some of the best
laid back grooves on today's downtempo scene. Appearing on this
installment are Tomazz and Alkemx - we have De Phazz with a remix
of a track by Ella Fitzgerald from the 50s. Plus there's Gretchen
Lieberum and Dave Sereny - and that's all in hour 2. But leading
in is a tune by Steve Laury that's become a staple on our show;
and we play this one each year right around this time. It's called
October and it's our curtain raising track!
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Showcase CD
The Way of the East - 111 East:
'Go
east young man' is a twist on a famous quote, and we're extending
this as a bit of a nod to the band 111 East on the occasion of
their debut offering! This initial release by the group is The
Way of the East and it's one of the first for the newly formed
111 East Jazz Records imprint. Behind both the band & the label
is James Bratton - a producer and multi-instrumentalist, as well
as a radio & record exec. Having led the rise of house music back
in 80s, Bratton earned both gold and platinum certification along
the way. Now joined by Patrick Bamburak on guitar & keys and Baron
Harris on bass & keys, 111 East is a hip trio intent on stretching
the boundaries of smooth - a philosophy that seems to mesh neatly
with our own! So it is that our 'musical soul mates' 111 East
now find themselves and The Way of the East as the focal point
for the spotlight feature. Featuring solid performances throughout
by all, Bratton's arranging and writing talents are fully on display
on the slick trio of tracks that we've selected for the occasion!
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James Bratton
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Leading into the feature is the track Sunset - with guitar, sax,
and some polished piano all backed by an upbeat vibe and a cool
percussive groove! The silky sheen of Satin Moon glistens at the
top of hour 2! Meanwhile the band truly shows us 'The Way of the
East' with the namesake track for the disc, a tune featuring hot
percussive elements, gritty guitar, and a bit of fiery flute. Now
in all likelihood, the east in their name 111 East is an allusion
to the eastern USA, New Jersey to be precise, where the band is
based; or perhaps there's even some connection to east being the
direction of the rising sun. Even so, we can't help but feel that
'their way' holds a deeper, more significant meaning as 111 East
unerringly lead us on a melodic pilgrimage toward a musical light
of their own!
CD: The Way of the East (2011)
Label: 111 East Jazz Records
Links: 
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| Chill-Out Feature:
Part One |
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Wait Till You See Him (De Phazz Remix) - Ella Fitzgerald:
Here's
an item that was written in the 40s, it was recorded in the 50s, and then
remixed in 2002. That was the year that the Verve record label loosened
the reins on 12 classic tracks from its jazz catalog and let a bunch of
top down tempo producers run wild. The object of our attention was composed
by the song-writing team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1942. It
was recorded often but perhaps the most noteworthy of these was by the
First Lady of Song, the legendary Ella Fitzgerald in 1956. It took nearly
50 years for the last piece of the musical puzzle to fall into place and
that was when German producer Peter "Pit" Baumgartner entered the picture.
Baumgartner is best known for his alter ego as the brain thrust behind
the project called De Phazz and so we have that unique combination of
talent for you today on the brilliant Wait 'Till You See Him the De Phazz
Remix!
CD: Verve // Remixed (2002)
Label: Verve Music Group
Links: 
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Coconut Bay - Tomazz:
Tomazz
is a 20 year veteran of the music business who started as a record engineer
in Philadelphia. After breaking in and working with a few independents,
he became the keyboard tech for Boyz to Men and Grover Washington, Jr.
He moved to New York in the mid 90s, joined the Hit Factory Studio, and
had the chance to engineer for Celine Dion, Will Smith, and others. By
the year 2000, Tomazz had shifted his focus to remixing and to producing
his own work. Lucid Dream issued in 2010 was his 3rd release and from
we're featuring a nifty tune entitled Coconut Bay!
CD: Lucid Dream (2010)
Label: Blue Claw Music
Links: 
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| Chill-Out Feature:
Part Two |
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Beata - Dave Sereny:
While
growing up, Toronto-based Dave Sereny was exposed to a variety of genres
by his older brother who also bought him his first guitar when Dave was
just nine. John McLaughlin was an early influence & then later Wes Montgomery
became important to Sereny's developing style. In high school, Sereny
gained an appreciation for jazz and played in a big band before going
on to study classical guitar at Berklee in Boston. Subsequently, he collaborated
with some of New York's finer players while performing with greats such
as Ritchie Cole, Jose Feliciano, and Mark Whitfield and at jazz festivals
from 'TO' to Tel Aviv. Then back in the GTA in 1996, the Brothers Sereny
formed Groove United, a record label established primarily to help promote
Canadian artists. It was late in 2004, that Groove United launched a five-cd
series covering a spectrum of jazz forms and it was here that Sereny's
efforts first came to attention of chill & smooth enthusiasts alike. The
cd earned Sereny consideration for our year end list of favorites while
additionally he gained a nod as a multiple nominee at the 2006 CSJA !
CD: The Jazz Room Presents ...
Smooth Jazz (2005)
Label: Groove United
Links:
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Three A.M. - Gretchen Lieberum:
Now
based in LA, Gretchen Lieberum was born and raised in Berkeley CA and
credits her father for turning her onto jazz. While she was growing up,
Gretchen was exposed to the styles of Billie Holliday, Nina Simone, and
Sarah Vaughan while otherwise she developed a love for many of the urban
beats on the Bay area's varied music scene. These inspired the young vocalist
to develop her own unique style, an exciting and eclectic blend of new
and old. By the time she was in college, Gretchen had also started to
compose and many of these songs eventually made their way onto Three A.M.,
her debut and an album that initially gained exposure thru the old MP3.com
back in the late 90s. Utilizing many modern techniques such as loops and
samples to create a backdrop for her unique and inviting voice, Ms Lieberum's
delivery on the title track is slow and burning and somewhat reminiscent
of the classic torch singers of the 30s!
CD: Three A.M. (1999)
Label: Independent
Links:
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Time to Lounge - Alkemx:
Alkemx
is the ambient alter ego for Piero de Asmundis, who started his career
as a pianist and composer. Based in Napoli Italy, de Asmundis has over
the years worked with many of his prominent jazz countrymen - but over
time he began taking a stronger interest in sampling and sequencers and
the Alkemx concept was born. With the strong presence that chill was enjoying
thru many regions of Europe, in 2002 the Rendezvous record label issued
Rendezvous Lounge, a chill-based affair compiled by Mark Gorbulew, the
resident DJ at the famous Au Bar in NYC. As the first in a 2-cd series,
the project featured a few of the most talented and renowned artists in
genre. From that effort, Alkemx's Time to Lounge was accorded the singular
distinction as the advance track for the disc!
CD: Rendezvous Lounge (2003)
Label: Rendezvous Entertainment
Links:
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our
Site and Select Affiliates : |
On this chapter of the show it's the 3rd and final
installment in our summertime series. Summer is definitely waning and
autumn is on its way so this is our farewell to the summer season with
a 13 track set; we have tunes such as Lost Summer from the very first
Jazzmasters release, Ken Navarro's gorgeous Summer of Love, and Chris
Botti's Indian Summer perhaps his best track ever. All the selections
are linked in some way, shape or form - with "summer" being integral to
their title. We're calling the feature Last Day of Summer for a track
by Eric Marienthal. Also appearing are Pieces of a Dream, Jay Rowe, and
Matt Marshak as well as Germany's DeeLight and Koop out of Sweden. So
for another hour the Winds of Summer will continue to blow starting with
that very tune from Michael O'Neil! !  |
