Announcing: Vancouver-based LG73 Internet radio has added Café Jazz to their Sunday morning program lineup from 10 til noon Pacific Time!! Check out the complete list of our affiliates on the audio page.

Highlights! Now for the show... Donny Osmond highlights today's Fresh Trax feature with his biggest hit in about 30 years. We'll also be hearing from Acoustic Alchemy and Hiroshima each with music from their latest releases. Allon Sams & Gail Jhonson round out the FT line up and one that is undoubtedly one of our finest to this point in the year. It all begins with Chieli Minucci and a hip track from Got It Goin' On and continues thru to Sam Cardon, Kenny G, Jeff Lorber, Nils, Pieces of a Dream, Maysa, Vlad, Boney James, Marc Antoine, Joe McBride, & Peter White ...only on Café Jazz, the smoothest show on radio!!

Showcase CD
Will Power - Will Donato:
So who will be the next rising sax star in Smooth Jazz? There are an ever-increasing number of music lovers that feel that it not only should be, but in fact will be Mr. Will Donato. Donato is an exciting young saxplayer based in Palm Springs, California. He has already amassed an impressive list of credits having worked with many great stars such as Steve Oliver, Steve Reid, and Gregg Karukas. In fact that was Will's sax work that was featured on High Noon, Oliver's big hit from a couple of years back.

Donato's resume also includes soundtrack work for the movies Thelma & Louise and The Untouchables. Well-known in the So-Cal area for his expressive playing & dynamic live performances, Donato has steady worked at expanding his presence in the Smooth Jazz arena and now has 4 releases as a leader. Will Power, already out for about a year, is his most recent & perhaps most focused effort to date. This album reflects the romantic spirit of Donato's music and is lovingly dedicated and I quote "as a celebration of love to my beautiful wife Diana".

So who will be the next rising sax star in SJ? After you hear his music, I'm betting that you too will eagerly be adding your voice to the ever-growing chorus that is shouting Donato's name. And so, it's with great pleasure then that we place Will Power in our music spotlight on this occasion.

We begin with a life-giving track that's highlighted by the guitar work of Steve Oliver. It's called New Life. Opening hour two is Espana, Will's current single that's really starting to catch on. This a fabulous piece with Oliver once again guesting in the guitar chair with Tony Guerrero on trumpet. And finally we present a powerful piece that's sure to get you moving & shaking called Earthshakin' !!

CD: Will Power
Label: Generation Records
Web Site: Will Donato

China Latina - Hiroshima:
Formed in 1979, Hiroshima has been a pioneering ensemble throughout their career as they integrate American music with elements that are distinctly Oriental. Led by Dan & June Kuramoto, the group is now celebrating their 25th year and has just released Obon their 13th recording. The album title signifies tribute as they honor their ancestors some of whom were imprisoned during WW II. Nevertheless, the band has always celebrated it's multiculturalism and perhaps no track better represents this aspect of their musicality than the one that we've selected for this occasion. From Obon, we present China Latina featuring June on koto !

CD: Obon
Label: Heads Up International
Web Sites: Hiroshima ; At Heads Up

Gimme Your Groove - Gail Jhonson:
Gail Johnson, who spells her stage name Jhonson, was born and raised in Philadelphia. Gail began on piano at the age of 10 and by 14 she had already played her 1st gig. Jhonson earned a BA in composition while attending Berklee in Boston and successfully auditioned for Morris Day in 1985. She relocated to Los Angeles soon after and set out on a performance schedule that included work with Jermaine Jackson, Bobby Womack, & Milli Vanilli. In the time since, she's toured and recorded with a host of notables, among them Vanessa Williams & Phil Perry. Gail has enjoyed a variety of television performances, has scored several stage plays & has also written a couple of instructional manuals. Presently Ms Jhonson splits her time between positions at Musician's Institute in Hollywood, and as the music director for Norman Brown. Still she found some time to record Keep The Music Playing, her debut. From that effort we have a great track called Gimme Your Groove, & a tune that features Pamela Williams, the first lady of sax!

CD: Keep The Music Playing
Label: Philly the Kid Music
Web Site: Gail Jhonson

The Crossing - Acoustic Alchemy:
Ever true to the original concept of the band, Acoustic Alchemy continue to define their sound by exploring a rich & diverse musical landscape. Greg Carmichael and Miles Gilderdale & company, discover new & dynamic paths to creativity as they delve ever more deeply into their art in a most unique and captivating fashion. This second incarnation of the band, has now released four albums of outstanding material with American / English as the latest installment. From that project we have an piece titled The Crossing. Snake Davis's superlative flute playing is featured on this one along with his contribution on various saxes. Combine that with the impeccable taste & presentation that Acoustic Alchemy has always exhibited, and you have a musical treasure! One of the finest tracks ever recorded under the Alchemy moniker!!

CD: American / English
Label: Higher Octave Music
Web Site: Acoustic Alchemy

Retreat - Allon Sams: Sams is a brilliant musician and producer based in his hometown of Tampa, Florida. For a time, Allon relocated to Los Angeles when he was offered an internship with Josef Zawinul, the famed leader of Weather Report. In the course of events, Sams met up with top producer Paul Brown and soon after he was collaborating with the likes of Peter White & Boney James. Although he spent seven years nurturing his career in the glitter capitol, Sams still wanted to record his own music. That and a desire to start a family and to be near his own parents made him decide to return to Tampa in the mid-90s. Setting up Studio A, his own production facility, has made Allon the go to guy in the Tampa Bay area. He's produced several outstanding projects for a few local artists, among them Les Sabler's Bridge The Gap, while continuing to further his own solo career. In that regard Sams has issued three great releases with Music & Laughter his most recent project. From that effort we've selected a fabulous selection entitled Retreat. That features John Mayeux on guitar, Robin Drake on bass, and of course always at his best, Allon Sams himself on keys.

*** And in late breaking news, Allon will be heading to LA later this year to
re-record the album. He'll be playing a grand piano and has lined up Grammy-winning Paul Brown to remix the tracks. So stay tuned for more from Mr. Sams in the not too distant future ! ***

CD: Music And Laughter
Label: Maestro Madness Music
Web Site: Allon Sams

Breeze On By - Donny Osmond:
If you were around at all in the 1960s or for that matter any time since, it would be hard to imagine that you haven't heard of Donny Osmond. For Donny & his brothers it all began when they were discovered in Disneyland & then became household names through a series of appearances on the old Andy Williams Show. From those first performances when he was only 5 through to being a teen idol, a world famous entertainer, & a TV show host, Donny Osmond has always carried himself with more than enough class to match his fantastic talent as a vocalist.

By the same token, if you were anywhere near a radio back in the late 70s you probably heard Breezin' from George Benson's album of the same name. That release reached #1 on both the jazz & pop charts for 1976. Now take that classic track, written by Bobby Womack & first made popular by Benson, combine it with original lyrics penned by Donny himself, add Osmond's outstanding vocals & you have Breeze On By. The track has already soared to the top of the charts in England. It's given Osmond his first top ten hit in over 30 years & it seems poised for similar success here in North America. Familiar but still fresh, this selection is a can't miss hit!

CD: What I Meant To Say
Label: Decca Records
Web Site: Donny Osmond