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Highlights
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| So who else is on? The first set alone includes Steve Oliver, Richard Elliot, Germany's Michael Van Droff with what may very well be the North American debut of the incredible Fragile Heart, and Roger Smith. The final set has music from Ken Navarro, Shakatak, Eric Marienthal, Brenda Russell, and Paprika Soul. And in between those sets? Why nothing less than two full hours of pure musical bliss ! |
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Showcase CD Confidential - Peter White: Confidential is Peter's recently released ninth album. For fans of White's music, it might best be described as a typically brilliant affair and one which provides yet another fabulous chapter in the story of one the most endearing artists of our times. It's rare that a performer is able to strike a balance between creativity, musical integrity, & popularity. But such a player is Mr. White. In the process Peter has met not only with deserved critical acclaim but he's also enjoyed considerable commercial success. For over a dozen years now, Peter has created not only some of the most melodic & memorable music in SJ but has also helped define the genre with a string of chart-topping releases. Always distinctive, Peter's inviting acoustic guitar work has seduced many a listener with the warmth of his playing and beautiful instrumentation, including yours truly. In this regard, Confidential is no exception and as such it's a fantastic choice as the subject for today's feature. |
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The project took over a year to record as Peter strove to summon emotions
from deep within himself. "By 'confidential' I mean personal and revealing;
that's exactly what this record is to me. I play from the heart, which
is where music ultimately comes from. It's about tapping into the soul
and allowing the emotions within to pour forth. The battle is to trust
your instincts without trying to be too clever, which only ends up corrupting
the process and seldom works anyway." As we showcase Confidential, we open with the title track cowritten by Brian Culbertson and featuring a tasty bit of piano work by Culbertson. Are You Mine with Mindy Abair on sax kicks off hour 2, while we close with Coast Road Drive, the album's opening selection and one that features Paul Brown. CD:Confidential Label: Columbia Site: Peter White |
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| Fresh Trax: Part One | |
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The Good Life - David Lanz:
Bridging the gap between the worlds of pop and contemporary playing, Lanz has for the past 20 years or more been one of the most popular artists in instrumental music. While in his teens he played in several rock bands. However, at the same time David began to develop his style as a solo pianist based on the enthusiastic response to his music by patrons in Seattle nightclubs. At first, Lanz had to get away from the idea that this new age style of playing was just a diversion from his rock aspirations. But, in time he came to embrace it and in the course of things released Heartsound, his solo debut. The cd helped move the Narada label into the mainstream of record companies. It also launched Lanz's highly successful career. Several top selling solo albums followed to go along with three popular collaborations with guitarist Paul Speer. After the success of his foray into SJ a couple of years ago, Lanz is set to release his follow up project called The Good Life, which moves even further in that direction. From that effort, we present David Lanz with The Good Life, the advance single and the title track. CD: The Good Life Label: Decca Site: David Lanz |
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Can You Hear Me - Everette Harp:
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| Fresh Trax: Part Two | ||
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P'zazz!
- Lynn Cannon: |
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Here
She Comes - Boney James: |
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 CD: Pink Panther's Penthouse Party Label: Virgin Records Koop's Site: Koop/MySpace Pink Panther Site: PinkPanther.com |
Summer
Sun - Koop: Out of Sweden come Magnus Zingmark and Oscar Simonsson who record as Koop. In 2001 they released Waltz for Koop, their sophomore album. On the project, the pair continue to explore an easy swinging style, one which has often been described as nu-jazz. Simultaneously sounding retro & fresh, the men of Koop draw their inspiration from the pre-fusion period of the 60s. The result is a breezy Latin-tinged affair that is well illustrated by the track that we've chosen. It's called Summer Sun and features teenage sensation Yukimi Nagano on vocals. |
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| However, on this occasion we pulled the selection from a compilation issued by MGM Music & Virgin Records. The album celebrates the 40th anniversary of the release of the Pink Panther. From Pink Panther's Penthouse Party, we present Summer Sun by Koop to wrap up this installment of the FT segment. |
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