This Week at CafeJazz.ca:
In the spotlight
on this edition it's Acoustic Alchemy. The current release is Roseland
and we've chosen a real nifty trio of tracks, all as part of the
showcase segment. The second half of the show sees the latest in
new music with the Fresh Trax feature. Headlining this edition are
Paolo Rustichelli, Terry Disley, and Konstantin. Meantime we have
newcomers to the show in Tony Saunders and Louie Cruz Beltran to
round it out. But the first item is by Fattburger guitarist Evan
Marks form his '95 solo debut - with the prospect of two full hours
of nothing but great music the title of this track nicely expresses
our mood in Feels So Right! |
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Showcase CD
Roseland - Acoustic Alchemy:
Led
by Greg Carmichael on the nylon string guitar and by Miles Gilderdale
on the steel acoustic & electric guitar, the rest of the Alchemy
bunch includes Fred White on piano and the Grainger brothers,
Greg and Gary on drums and bass respectively. Likely the last
viable holdover from that era in the 80s and 90s when new age
was all the rage, the concept of Acoustic Alchemy has not only
endured, it has blossomed again and again. Few if any would have
envisioned the trails blazed by the current Alchemy configuration
when the band was formed by Carmichael and the late Nick Webb
nearly a quarter of a century ago. Aided by non-stop touring and
by embracing change without limitation, 'they've weathered personal
setbacks, dramatic shifts in musical trends, and in recent years,
sweeping changes in the music industry'. Yes the Alchemy boys
are back with Roseland, their first release in four years as the
band explores the avenues where genres intersect.
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spite of acoustic being foremost in their name, there's a sonic
edge to this set courtesy of Gilderdale who lived life as a rocker
before turning to alchemy in 1996. Recorded in Gilderdale's home
studio in York, England, this is the band's one & only self-produced
album and the first on their newly formed and self-owned Onside
Records label. I'm guessing that Onside is an allusion to the sport
of soccer in much the same way as was the 2000 album entitled The
Beautiful Game. But I digress. |
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Modern-day Alchemists L to R: Miles
Gilderdale, Fred White (keys), Greg Carmichael, Gary Grainger
(bass), Greg Grainger (drums)
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From a project rife with elements of rock, reggae, folk, and jazz,
it's time for a bit of prestidigitation, Alchemy style! And as usual
we've hand picked a slick trio of tunes starting off with the title
track. One of the albums more tender offerings in A Kinder Loving
leads into the second half of the show, while in the end 'sweeping
cobwebs from the edges of my mind' is a tune with a North-African
flavour that was named for the Moroccan city of Marrakesh. With
Roseland, Acoustic Alchemy once again delivers on the promise of
their name with a project that's diverse, melodic and inspired!
CD: Roseland (2011)
Label: Onside Records / Heads Up
Links: 
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| Fresh Trax: Part
One |
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Bigger Than Outside - Tony Saunders:
Tony
Saunders was singing by the age of 5 and by 8 he was playing the piano.
Being the son of the late keyboardist Merl Saunders proved a definite
advantage as a couple of his early teachers were Herbie Hancock and Sly
Stone. Saunders took to music quite naturally. He was awarded a fellowship
to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for the piano but even so,
by 14 he'd received his first bass as a gift from Tom Fogerty of CCR fame
and that in time became his instrument of choice. Tony's first recording
gig was as part of The Man Child Singers with his brother and sister when
in 1969 they wrote a jingle for the SF Giants. Saunders began playing
with his dad & his Rainforest Band as a featured musician when he was
just 18. He's gone on to score movies, videos, TV shows and commercials,
he's produced many cds, he's played with many of the day's Gospels greats,
and in addition he's worked with and performed on behalf of several charitable
and social issues oriented organizations. In recognition, for his efforts,
Saunders is a two-time Emmy winner while he's also received numerous other
awards. Romancing the bass is his 3rd release and from it we have the
soulful and radio-ready opening track!
CD: Romancing The Bass (2011)
Label: San Francisco Records
Links: 
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Take Five - Terry Disley Experience:
After
many years of playing with the stars, Terry Disley is living his dream
of life as a jazz musician. Classically trained and a 2 time Grammy nominee,
Disley has been featured on hundreds of records backing the likes of Paul
McCartney, Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, and many others. In the smooth arena,
Disley is likely best known for having toured and recorded with Acoustic
Alchemy for six years in the 90s. However, since 1997, San Francisco has
been home base and in the intervening years, Terry has developed into
one of the Bay areas hottest jazz commodities with countless live appearances
and a string of impeccably recorded releases. The latest is called Brubeck
vs. Guaraldi as Disley pays homage to two of the legends in jazz. From
that effort we have terrific take on the Brubeck classic Take Five!
CD: Brubeck vs. Guaraldi (2011)
Label: Disley World Music
Links:
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| Fresh Trax: Part Two |
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Summer Wind
- Konstantin:
A versatile
and experienced sax player, Konstantin Klashtorni is well-travelled coming
to us from The Ukraine by way of Venezuela, The Netherlands, and various
locales in between. He began his studies in jazz at the State College
in Kiev and through his travels he gained exposure to a wide variety of
influences and styles. He debuted in 2004 and in the intervening years,
he's strung together a series of well received albums and made some inroads
on the smooth scene. Always inspired by the music of Paul Hardcastle and
The Jazzmasters, a couple of years back Konstantin came up with the idea
to pursue a parallel path - so it was that the Kool&Klean concept came
into being. Envisioned as a studio project, Konstantin issued two Kool&Klean
volumes that nicely blurred the lines between smooth and electronica.
Now hot on the heels of that success comes his latest in Groove Jazz N
Chill #1, and a project Konstantin claims may be his best yet. From Groove
Jazz N Chill #1 we're hip to the tune Summer Wind!
CD: Groove Jazz N Chill #1 (2011)
Label: KVK Music
Links:
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Esperando - Louie Cruz Beltran:
As early
as third grade, Louie Cruz Beltran was playing bongos and learning the
guitar. "The beauty of Afro-Cuban music stole my heart," says Beltran
who began his formal music education while attending Bakersfield City
College in the early 1970's. During a trip to the Bay Area, Louie had
the honor of meeting the legendary Coke Escovedo; it was Escovedo's influence
that led Beltran to form his first Latin/Salsa Rock Band. Since then Beltran
has performed with great artists such as Ray Baretto, Mongo Santamaria,
Tito Puente, Santana, Hubert Laws and Pete Escovedo. In addition to performing
regularly at various West Coast venues, Beltran and his Latin Jazz Orchestra
have headlined the Beverly Hills and Pasadena Playboy Jazz Festivals.
Paint the Rhythm now his third release. From a project that showcases
Louie's range as a composer, vocalist and world class percussionist we
present a beautiful original instrumental entitled Esperando!
CD: Paint The Rhythm (2011)
Label: Corniche Entertainment
Links:
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Funky Love
- Paolo Rustichelli:
Composer
and instrumentalist Paolo Rustichelli was born the son of a three-time
Oscar nominated composer. He took to music quite naturally and after studying
piano, composition and orchestra conducting he pioneered the use of synthesizers
in film scores. In 1991, Paolo relocated from Rome to LA. His debut followed
a few years later and achieved chill-out success as part of the Buddha
Bar compilation series. Then in 1997, the multi-talented keyboardist released
Mystic Man, an album that featured Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, Herbie
Hancock, and Wayne Shorter. The single Paisa from that release reached
the Top 10, but for the better part of the next decade Rustichelli became
more noted for his work as a score producer. The 2006 Neopagan marked
a return to the smooth arena with Soul Italiano scheduled for release
in 2012 as the follow up. From that soon to be issued cd we have Funky
Love, the cinematic 2nd single!
CD: Soul Italiano (2012)
Label: Next Age Music
Links: 
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our
Site and Select Affiliates : |
… another in the connections series and a segment that's
somewhat different from some of our previous ones - all the tracks are
cover tunes, from pop to jazz and everything in between. We're calling
the segment Run For Cover after a track by Wayne Jones - there are 12
of these including Love's Theme by Rick Braun, Steve Cole's take on The
Guess Who classic Undun, and Terry Disley's read on Led Zeppelin's Stairway
to Heaven. Be sure to check the playlist for complete details as well
as for info on the original record on this, the first installment in a
multi-part feature!  |
