This Week at CafeJazz.ca ...
… it's Paul
Brown + Marc Antoine in the spotlight. We're featuring a three-pack
of tracks from Foreign Xchange and we're bringing those to you as
part of the showcase segment. In hour two, there's another exciting
installment in the Back Trax saga with more favourites from back
in the day - this batch is exceptional!! Highlights are courtesy
of Johnny Clegg & Juluka and the legendary Donald Byrd. Also appearing
is Jay Leach, there's vintage Jade Warrior from the 70s as well
as a track from Chris Brisciano & Sojourn. Then later in the hour,
it'll be time for some of the great ladies of smooth jazz with Althea
Rene as well as vocalist Anne Walsh; in addition there's Paula Atherton
and Cindy Bradley; while featured thru-out are the likes of Special
EFX, Rick Braun, David Benoit, and Oli Silk. But, as we get ready
to take-off on a radio show unlike any other, we're checking out
a tune from Richard Smith's LA Chillharmonic!
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Showcase CD
Foreign Xchange - Paul Brown + Marc Antoine:
The
phrase 'foreign exchange' takes on added meaning with this aptly
titled cd from Marc Antoine & Paul Brown. The popular guitarists
- Brown a two-time Grammy winner while Antoine is a former debut
artist of the year back in '94 - are now label mates at Peak Records
and in 2008 year they joined forces as part of a 30-date tour
of the US. This led to an open invitation that Antoine join Brown
on a track or two for a follow up to his '07 White Sand cd. The
initial sessions between the LA-based Brown and the Madrid-based
Antoine proved catalytic and ignited a flow that developed into
a complete & genuine co-venture - one that blossomed in the true
spirit and to the full promise of the album title! The project
was recorded at Brown's Funky Joint in Sherman Oaks, CA and Antoine's
studio in Spain - the essential ingredient being the chemistry
provided by their distinct yet complementary styles. Augmenting
that base is some select talent, particularly in the likes of
Philippe Saisse who appears virtually throughout!!
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Marc A & Paul B
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Therefore,
it's with pleasure that we now pause and present Messrs Brown +
Antoine and Foreign Xchange as part of the showcase segment. We've
selected three deliciously tasty tracks beginning with Brother Earl
- a tune upon which the guitar duo pay tribute to the memory of
the recently deceased session drummer Earl Palmer - the great back
up on this track being provided by Saisse on keys, Roberto Vally
on bass, Lenny Castro on percussion, Jerry Hey on trumpet, Bill
Richenback on trombone, and sax-man Dan Higgins. The distinctly
Parisian flavour of Bridges of Paris, complete with synth-accordion
by Saisse and the flute playing of Jessy J, romantically eases us
into the second half of the show while sealing the deal so to speak,
it's the hopeful spirit of the title track! Catchy and creative,
contrasting but coherent, in Foreign Xchange Paul B + Marc A provide
a project often charming yet always compelling!! 
CD: Foreign Xchange (2009)
Label: Peak Records
Sites: Paul
Brown 
Marc Antoine
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| Back Trax: Part One |
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"E" Jam - Sojourn:
Led
by Chris Brisciano on guitar & keys and hailing from Kansas City, the
band Sojourn debuted on the national scene in the USA in 2001 with Slammin'
The Groove. The project featured an 'in the pocket" sound and faired well,
cracking the top 100 albums for the following year. From that release,
we have the #51 charting single in a tune called E Jam with Steve Phillips
on sax on the track!!
CD: Slammin' The Groove (2001)
Label: Mr. Briskers Records
Sites: 
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Lansana's Priestess - Donald Byrd:
During
a prolific career that extends back over a half century, trumpeter Donald
Byrd's playing crisscrossed many styles. The Detroit native got his start
early on performing with Lionel Hampton while he was still in high school.
Military service interrupted his university education but after playing
in an Air Force band, he obtained a bachelor's degree and then later a
master's. Honing his craft playing with the likes of Art Blakey and John
Coltrane, there was a period in the 50s when Byrd was considered the finest
hard-bop trumpeter on the planet. Noted for a clear & concise tone and
his melodicism, he recorded a series of memorable albums as a leader for
Blue Note thru to the late 60s. Inspired by the lead of Miles Davis, Byrd
then began a shift into fusion & West Coast funk and it's here that we
pick up the story. With the help of the Mizell brothers (Fonce & Larry),
he perfected a breezy and commercially potent style that incorporated
smooth soul into a fresh pseudo-funk-fusion that has withstood the test
of time, and we have an outstanding example - from the 1973 Street Lady
release, there's the track Lansana's Priestess. With Jerry Peters pounding
on the keys and Roger Glenn's inspired playing on flute, here's a tune
that echoes of a great past while being a musical harbinger of a future
era!!
CD: Street Lady (1973)
Label: Blue Note
Sites:
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| Back Trax: Part Two |
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Festejo
- Jay Leach:
In
addition to sitting with the house band on American Idol, Jay Leach
has backed Gladys Knight, Roy Orbison, and many others. Growing up in
Wichita Kansas, Jay was about 8 when, upon the insistence of his grandmother,
he began in music by taking up the Hawaiian Steel Guitar - when he was
14 he switched to the electric variety. Coming to LA in the early 70s
to pursue a career in music, Leach experienced what might be called
an epiphany, if you will - he left music and for a time seriously entertained
the idea of going into the ministry. However, after about a year he
realized that music was his real calling. With private lessons and thru
a combination of studies, by the late 70s Leach landed a gig as Barry
Manilow's guitarist. In the time since, he's composed for film and TV,
created numerous commercials, and as an LA sessionist, he's appeared
on over 70 contemporary Christian albums.
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Additionally, he's done hundreds of church and university concerts
and issued three instructional publications. Meanwhile a nearly
fatal collision with a drunk driver followed by a lengthy convalescence,
spurred Jay to embark on a solo career - he's now recorded seven
albums. On this occasion we're returning to Beyond Words from 1997
for it's opening track. Aided by the likes of Bill Cantos on keys,
Abe Laboriel on bass, Alex Acuna on percussion, and Justo Almario
on flute, it's a tune called Festejo - or celebrate!!
CD: Beyond Words (1997)
Label: Playlist Record Co.
Sites:
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Bride
of Summer - Jade Warrior:
Formed
in about 1970, Jade Warrior was one of the most eclectic bands to ever
come out of Britain. As part of a press release (although the truth of
the statement was never substantiated), Jade Warrior was a term used to
describe Samurai who were expected to be artists and poets as well as
deadly champions - it was chosen by founding members Jon Field (percussion
and flute) and the late Tony Duhig (guitar) to describe the contrasting
styles they wished to blend. Field & Duhig had played together in a variety
of groups before hitting on the Jade Warrior concept and then, joined
by Glyn Havard (bass and vocals) they recorded 3 albums in the space of
3 years on the Vertigo Label. They continued to record minus Havard, at
times somewhat sporadically, thru until the 90s and Duhig's passing. Recently
the band reformed with a slightly altered line-up but on this occasion
we returned to the early days for one of their prettiest pieces in the
tune Bride of Summer from 1971 and the album Released!!
CD: Released (1971)
Label: Vertigo
Sites: 
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Fever - Juluka:
Hailing
from Rochedale in Lancashire, England, Johnny Clegg grew up in Israel,
Zambia, South Africa, and Rhodesia before his family finally settled in
Johannesburg in 1965. Early on, he was befriended by a Zulu gardener,
from whom he learned a bit about Zulu culture as well as the traditional
"inhlangwini" form of dancing. It was during the very height of apartheid,
and Clegg's involvement with black musicians would often cause him to
run afoul of the law. Word of Clegg spread and eventually reached the
ears of a migrant Zulu worker named Sipho Mchunu who became Clegg's friend
and musical partner - together they would transform South African music.
As Johnny and Sipho, they scored their first hit in 1976 and then a few
years later in 1979, with Clegg & Mchunu as the core members, Juluka was
formed. |
In
Zulu, the term Juluka means the "sweat that comes from dancing"
and as such, it perfectly described the style they created.Although
their music was banned from the air, they accessed their audiences
by touring and became a hit by strictly word of mouth. In the six
years that they were initially together, Clegg and Mchunu recorded
two platinum and five gold albums and became an international success.
On this occasion we're featuring Fever with vocals by the "white
Zulu" as he came to be known in France - the track is without doubt
a personal all-time favourite and one that ever so nicely caps an
exceptional BT segment!!
LP: Stand Your Ground
(1984) - Warner Bros.
CD: Scatterlings of Juluka (The Very Best of
Juluka) (1991) - Rhythm Safari
Sites: 
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our
Site and Select Affiliates : |
| Today's chapter is part 2 in a 5-part series wherein
each & every spin selection has time or some variation as part of its
title. Naturally enough we're calling it One More Time after a selection
by Fattburger. So stay tuned for tracks such as Right on Time, Quality
Time, and Never A Time, with 13 timely tunes in all. Opening the show
is Richard Smith and he's followed by Clarence McDonald, the band 813,
& Mike Catalano. Birds of a Feather launch set #2 and we continue with
Tom Schuman, Gerald Veasley, the previously mentioned Fattburger, and
Terry Disley. Meanwhile the final frame has Daryl Stuermer and saxman
Andre Ward in addition to Dave Sereny - then in the end it's electric
violinist Evan Garr ! |
