… on this edition
it's a special called the Quarterly Review - the 3rd for 2011. Featured
are all best tracks from the past 90 days and a line-up that includes
Richard Elliot, Spyro Gyra, and Paul Hardcastle. Also appearing
- David King, Michael e, and Down to the Bone. In addition we have
selections from Bob Baldwin and Michael Franks plus a six track
feature with Terry Wollman, Damian DelRusso, Westbound, and Watson's
Riddle as well as the Cates Fomin Project and Wayne Jones - all
part of a 3-month highlight reel ! |
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Highlights
Hour One
Gettin' Ready to get Ready - Terry Wollman:
Originally hailing
from Miami, guitarist Terry Wollman graduated from Berklee in Boston with
a Bachelor's in arranging before heading off to LA. There he rose through
the ranks while building a reputation as a top notch session player and
producer. Released in 1988, Bimini was his debut that sported an all-star
cast - Joe Sample, Abe Laboriel, and Dean Parks all contributed to the
disc. A versatile musician able to move from jazz and pop, to rock, blues,
and R&B, Buddha's Ear is Wollman's 3rd cd issued under his own name -
from that effort we're featuring Gettin' Ready to get Ready. With an eclectic
mix of influences from a string quartet to some soothing & fluid guitar
lines and a bit of soaring sax courtesy of Tom Evans, here's a solid track!
A melodic & rhythmic gem, they really don't come any finer insofar as
this show is concerned!
CD: Buddha's Ear (2011)
Label: Ollie Llama Music
Links: 
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Looking Through Rain - Damien DelRusso:
Born with a degenerative
eye condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, Damien DelRusso is now nearly
totally blind. However, as he writes, "My love of music has helped me
through some difficult times," and that in spite of this situation, he
considers himself "lucky to be blessed with the talent of being able to
create songs". With a repertoire of over 1000 selections, DelRusso has
played many of the finer eateries throughout the Essex and Morris counties
in New Jersey but house parties have become his current specialty. In
addition DelRusso has written over 300 songs; nearly a dozen of the best
can now be found on DelRusso's debut, entitled Looking Through Rain. The
name for the project was chosen to reflect how the world appears to DelRusso
and its release "has been a dream come true". With $1.00 from the sale
of each CD going to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, from that effort,
we have the inspired title track with David Mann on sax, Matt King on
keys plus a top notch band!
CD: Looking Through Rain (2011)
Label: All Eyes Productions
Links: 
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Bahia - Westbound:
It was recorded
in Italy, but bound to be noticed out here in the west is Gone for a Walk,
the second release by guitarist Cristian Rocco and drummer Enrico Catena
as Westbound. Rocco and Catena first connected in 2001, after more than
a decade of session work and touring in Italy and abroad. Inspired by
the works of Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton, and David Benoit, they were
united by a common passion for the West Coast sound - hence the name.
In 2003 they realized a long-held ambition with the independent release
of "Miles Away", which in spite of being issued miles away from its primary
target, still found the mark on this side of the pond with air play on
many outlets, including our own hip but humble show. Gone for a Walk builds
on that. The project was produced and arranged in collaboration with LA-based
bassist, songwriter, and producer Roberto Vally, a familiar name on the
smooth circuit whose previous musical collusions have involved the likes
of Paul Brown, Bob James, Bobby Caldwell, and others. With superstar trumpeter
Rick Braun guesting on the title track Westbound really hit their stride,
yet equally as good is our choice Bahia, a feel good Latin-flavoured strut
featuring Paola Ceretta on flute!
CD: Gone for a Walk (2011)
Label: WtbMusic
Links: 
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| Highlights
Hour Two |
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Day's Ahead - Watson's Riddle feat. Chuck Leavell:
"Watson's Riddle
is an exciting new project featuring four musicians of distinction, some
of the most recorded gentlemen in southern rock and pop music." So writes
Sandy Shore of smoothjazz.com. Giving their names to the band are veteran
guitarist Steve Watson, who's backed Bruce Hornsby and Dolly Parton, and
drummer Paul T. Riddle, a founding member of the Marshall Tucker Band.
Meanwhile with a career that includes legendary gigs with the Allman Brothers
and The Rolling Stones, Chuck Leavell is featured on keys, plus there's
rock-solid bassist Tim Lawter, also formerly of the MTB. Offering moments
from introspection to playful funkiness, there's interaction galore on
this their debut that's certain to have wide-ranging appeal. So, the thing
that makes Watson's Riddle so refreshing isn't any riddle at all. It's
a savvy bunch of musicians laying down a polished yet emotionally engaging
jazz, pop and R&B set!
CD: Watson's Riddle (2011)
Label: Palmetto Records
Links: 
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Barefoot - Cates Fomin Project:
Pianist and composer,
Stan Fomin was born in the Ukraine, where he trained classically and where
he obtained a Masters Degree in Music in 1967. He emigrated to Canada
in 1998, and quickly established his jazz credentials on the vibrant Toronto
music scene and since his arrival in the 'great white north' he's collaborated
and shared stages with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bob James, Warren
Hill, Jeff Golub, Paul Brown, Najee, and Demo Cates. For his part, Demo
Cates too is one of Canada's finest musical imports, having made the short
diagonal move to TO from 'the motor city'! For a time, saxman Cates toured
with the late Lenny Breau while he was nominated for Juno Awards on vocals
in both 1985 and 1988. Additionally, Cates has studied acting at the Lee
Strasberg School in New York City, and for many years he was a cast member
for Toronto's production of "The Lion King".
In 2008, the two regional icons joined forces for Journey With Us their
debut as the Cates Fomin Project and a release which garnered international
attention as well as earning the pair an appearance at the 2010 CSJA.
Music For Your Soul is their follow-up 5-track EP and from it we have
the easy strolling on the beach sounds of Barefoot!
EP: Music For Your Soul (2010)
Label: Cates Fomin Publising
Links:
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Closed for the Holidays - Wayne Jones:
Australian Wayne
Jones started out in music on drums when a mishap in his teens left him
with only partial use of a thumb. With his aspirations as a drummer sidelined,
Jones was undeterred and took up the bass instead and he's since gone
on to become a bit of a phenom - over the past 3-decades, he'd played
nearly every style imaginable. The next logical step in the journey proved
the slightly misnamed but highly memorable Forgotten Melody released in
2006! "Luckily for music lovers we only had to wait until 2009 for the
follow up 'Saturday Street', further cementing Jones' reputation as a
world-class instrumentalist and tunesmith … Now in 2011, Jones unleashes
his finest work yet, the six track recording 'Closed For The Holidays'."
(Greg Phillips, editor Australian Musician magazine.) In the same article
Jones states, '"The last two were good and I think I have learned things
while over in the States and I feel I have progressed in my writing and
playing … I really have a great feeling about this one. I feel I have
arrived." The statement isn't just bravado either. After merely a listen
or two, there's little doubt that legions of smooth enthusiasts are going
to be in complete agreement! From Closed for the Holidays, we have the
namesake track featuring special guest Mike MacArthur on sax as well as
a sparkling trumpet solo by Rick Braun!
EP: Closed for the Holidays
(2011)
Label: Dim & Dimmer Records
Links:
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive
to our Site and Select Affiliates : |
As the story of the QR continues to be told,
we're back with more of the best from the past 90 days. Included on
this chapter of the show are Acoustic Alchemy, Cindy Bradley, Eddie
Gip Noble, Kenny Love, Roman Street, and 111 East. There's new music
from Paolo Rustichelli and George Benson as well as from Eliane Elias
and Leon Huff. Plus we're introducing Drew Simpson, Mark Stephens, and
Kenyon Carter, as well as the team of Michael Rosati & Jason Weber -
on an x-citing 14 track set! 
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