Highlights!
This week on Café Jazz, we have connected our regular two-hour program to the After Hours portion of the show as Bona Fide and Vince Mai appear during the show and then share billing on a special edition of our Then & Now. Other highlights include Michael O'Neill in our showcase spotlight and a Back Trax segment nothing short of incredible! Nonetheless, our continuing mission here at The Café remains to go boldly where no radio program has gone before, the strategy being to present music that is different and yet is true to the overall vibe. To that end, Brian Simpson, Annette, Steve Briody, Spyro Gyra, Four80East, Alan Hewitt, Ron Boustead, Brian Hughes, Gene Dunlap and Pieces of a Dream all contribute to the unique and refreshing flavour of this show !!

Showcase CD
Funky Fiesta - Michael O'Neill:
Michael O'Neill brings a lifetime of experience to the table in creating the blend of flavours presented on Funky Fiesta. O'Neill's first ever tour was with The Crusaders and Randi Crawford in 1979; he performed as a member of Stevie Wonder's band back in the early 80s; but most notable is the two-decade association he's enjoyed as George Benson's backup guitarist. In recent years, O'Neill has also had the chance to play for Natalie Cole and to play with a host of top Smooth Jazz artists, among them Boney James, Rick Braun, Peter White, Carl Anderson, Sheila E., Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, and Eric Marienthal.

However, after 25 years in music and a pair of previous releases, O'Neill is finally set to break thru as a soloist in his own right with his third and latest release. Being of half-Latin descent, O'Neill's natural affinity for Latin based music is evident. However, it's when combining R&B and funky jazz elements with his inherent leanings that his unique style really blossoms!!

Based in Los Angeles, O'Neill has earned a reputation as a guitarist's guitarist. Having played with many of the best in the business, turn about only seems fair. It's now O'Neill recruiting some of his favourite players who willingly contribute to making this his finest effort. With guest appearances from Everette Harp, Michael Lington, Airto, Nathan East, Gregg Karukas, Freddie Ravel, and Bobby Wells, the album provides some fabulous listening for music lovers with discerning tastes; not to mention, it's perfect our showcase feature.

We begin with Once in Brazil, with Airto featured on percussion and Freddie Ravel on keys. Funky, rhythmic and smooth, I Wanna Grow opens hour two. Meanwhile we've reserved Yeah, That's It, as the closing track. Our favourite on the disc, there's no shortage of all-star talent on this one. Bobby Wells and Freddie Ravel on keys, Nathan East on bass, and Everette Harp with some inspired sax work all contribute to the tune. Nevertheless, it's O'Neill's scatting with some of the finest licks in the entire session that make this selection a winner and one of Michael's best efforts to date!!

CD: Funky Fiesta
Label: Green Bean Records
Site: Michael O'Neill
Artist Page: Michael O'Neill

Easter Island - Russ Freeman :
For the past 20 years, Russ Freeman has led The Rippingtons, one of the seminal ensembles on the contemporary scene. However, a year prior to The Ripps' debut, the 25-year-old guitarist and producer had issued Nocturnal Playground. The rest is a matter of record as the success of that release paved the way for subsequent projects under The Rippingtons banner. In any event, we have one of the tracks that helped write the story as from 1986 and Nocturnal Playground we present Russ Freeman and Easter Island!

CD: Nocturnal Playground (1986)
Label: Brainchild Records
Site: Russ Freeman
Artist Page: Russ Freeman

Stone Groove - David Mann:
Whether you know it or not, you've probably heard David Mann's music before. The native of Ann Arbor Michigan was a diligent student of straight ahead jazz, before moving to a more modern blend. Just out of the New England Conservatory and fresh on the New York scene, David Mann launched his solo career in 1987. He spent a couple of years in the mid 90s as a member of the famed Tower Of Power horn section and in the past few years his name has appeared literally everywhere. His guest playing and his production expertise have graced releases for everyone from Nelson Rangell, Kim Waters, Steve Cole, and Pamela Williams, to Wayman Tisdale, Special EFX, Club 1600, and Matt Marshak. His 2001 Touch release showcased Mann's range of talents as a composer, producer, programmer, and as a player and was one of the finest albums of the year. Although he's been involved several other projects, Touch remains Mann's most recent solo release. Nevertheless, from that effort we have a great track called Stone Groove !!

CD: Touch (2001)
Label: N-Coded Music
Site: David Mann
Artist Page: David Mann

Magnolia Nights - Bill King:
It's hard to imagine any aspect of the music scene that Bill King hasn't been a part of. From his work as a musician, composer, and publisher to his efforts as a record exec and photographer, from broadcaster and producer to his role as organizer for the Toronto Beaches International Jazz Festival, Bill King has done it all. In the process, King's has become one of the most recognizable names on the Canadian jazz scene.

A native of Jeffersonville, Indiana, King won competitions in classical piano and clarinet en route to winning a scholarship to Oscar Peterson's Advanced School of Contemporary music, which he attended in 1963. By 1968, King had moved from Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan to Los Angeles to become music director and pianist for Linda Ronstadt. A year later, he joined Janis Joplin's band in the same capacity before moving to Toronto in 1969. However, King he returned to LA in 1976 as the music director for Martha Reeves. After gigs with The Pointer Sisters and John Klemmer, King relocated to Toronto in the late 70s.

Then in the 80s, King's career began to fire on all cylinders. After a stint with Ronnie Hawkins, he launched a record label, did some work a jazz broadcaster, co-founded The Jazz Report Magazine, and as the artistic director and emcee for the Beaches Festival, King he became a driving force in its success. In addition, he recorded several albums, and on this occasion, we revisited one of our favourite tracks, the moody and expressive title track from Magnolia Nights!!

CD: Magnolia Nights (1989)
Label: Gaia Records
Site: King at The BIJF
Artist Page: Bill King

Blue Sky Day - Light of the World:
Although they've recorded only sporadically over the past 30 years, perhaps no other group better typified the British jazz-funk scene than Light of the World. Formed in London in 1978, the unit featured a full sound that would rival any act of the day on either side of the Atlantic and operated in that fabulous space between jazz, funk, and soul.

The original personnel included David Baptiste and Kenny Wellington on trumpet, Jean Paul 'Bluey' Maunick and Neville McKreith on guitar as well as several other top funksters of the day. The band's debut single shook the UK dance floors but the release of their first LP was marred by the death of one their members during a promotional tour. Nevertheless, the band persevered and came back with an even expanded lineup for their subsequent release. Creative differences contributed to a split in 1981.

Baptiste & Wellington continued to work together in Beggar & Co., while Bluey & Peter Hind went on to form Incognito. 1982 and 1990 saw brief reunion projects that featured a slimmed down version of LOTW. In 1999, Wellington, Baptiste, and McKreith all original members reformed the band with Nate Augustin, from the second incarnation of the group and Frank Felix, later of Acoustic Alchemy, on bass rounding out the ensemble. The album Inner Voices was recorded and released later that the same year, and featured Camelle Hinds as guest vocalist. From that incredible outing we have the thoroughly uplifting Blue Sky Day!!

CD: Inner Voices (1999)
Label: Sanctuary Music
Site: LOTW at KUTE ; LOTW at Soul Walking
Artist Page: Light of the World