… on this edition, it's the Quarterly Review for the 3rd quarter in 2009.
Featured are many of the brightest and best from the past 90 days and
that includes selections by Rick Braun, Peter White, George Benson, and
the Greg Adams led East Bay Soul. Also appearing are L.A. Chillharmonic,
Dan Siegel, and Les Sabler; additionally we have Brian Bromberg, Paul
Taylor, and saxlady Jessy J. But we don't stop there as we're checking
out Anne Walsh, Clarence McDonald, Tea, The Parlett/Colah Project, Urban
Jazz Coalition, Four80East, Shane Isenberg, and Thomas Partl & HP Hoeger
- while spotlighted are Dean Grech, Johannes Linstead, Dominic Amato,
the Emilio Palame Band, and the smooth & funky saxwork of Danish saxman
Jakob Elvstrøm! There's only one place where you'll find them
all and that's right here on the Café Jazz Quarterly Review!
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Highlights
Hour One
Burnin' - Paul Taylor:
Released just
a few months back, the cd Burnin' is now Paul Taylor's 5th on Peak Records
and his 8th overall. The project sees Taylor reunite for the fourth
time with veteran hit makers Barry Eastmond and Rex Rideout and follows
hot on the heals of 2007's Ladies' Choice - his first ever Billboard
#1. The flow on this latest disc is virtually seamless in spite of the
switch between producers on alternating tracks - this perhaps is due
in no small measure to a rock solid rhythm section that features Darrell
Crooks on guitar and Michael White on drums on all the tracks. Meanwhile
Melvin Lee Davis handles bass duties on seven tunes with Ronnie Garrett
chipping in on three others. Additionally, Taylor stretches beyond his
usual soloing on soprano and alto sax, playing lead on tenor sax on
a majority of tracks for the very first time. The result, a gutsier
and more soulfully retro sounding package - from the effort we're featuring
Paul lettin' loose on the title track! 
CD: Burnin' (2009)
Label: Peak Records
Links: 
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I Don't Believe - Dean Grech:
He played his first
show at 11, studied guitar classically at 14, and then got hooked on jazz
so, that after attending Berklee in Boston, Dean Grech was well equipped
for a variety of gigs. He toured & played with numerous jazz & pop artists,
played for film & TV soundtracks, and also tried his hand at composing.
For a time he played at Disney in CA and performed on their world tours.
Influenced by great lyrical musicians such as Wes Montgomery and Johnny
Smith, Grech finally had to record some of the melodies that for years
had been flying around in his head. From that recent debut, we have I
Don't Believe - featuring Scott Martin on sax and Rick Shaw on bass, here's
a groovin' tune with strains that echo of some of the great swing sets
from the past!
CD: Look Out (2009)
Label: Rocket Ride Records
Links: 
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The
Happy Song (Felicidad) - Johannes Linstead:
Quickly becoming
known as one of Canada's top guitarists, Johannes Linstead won recognition
as the 2007 CSJA best guitarist. Strongly influenced by the cultures of
South American, the Caribbean, and other regions where he travelled as
a youth, he's received numerous accolades for the fiery passion of his
live performances. Additionally, there have has been a series of top-charting
albums! After his 1999 debut, Mediterranea, a 2004 release, went to #6
on Billboard and was named Best World Album by NAR while Café Tropical
reached #4 a couple of year later. Mistico, now his 7th and most recent
solo effort, is a project upon which Linstead continues to "explore many
of the nuances of the Spanish guitar" all while delving deeply into the
many varied elements of world music at his command. From that effort we've
selected the aptly named The Happy Song!
CD: Mistico (2009)
Label: Earthscape Media
Links: 
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| Highlights
Hour Two |
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Exciting
Times - Dominic Amato:
Born into a musical
family, early on Dominic Amato tried drums but eventually he followed
in his sax-playing father's footsteps. Even while honing his chops, Amato
expanded to piano and the EWI; nevertheless he'd been playing for years
before he ever had any private training. It was 2001 before that transpired
but, as Amoto's bio puts it, "what he learned from his instructor would
more than make up for lost time," as that instructor "was none other than
the world renowned …Eric Marienthal." Influenced by many of the biggies
such as Davis, Coltrane, and Sanborn, Amato remains a committed student
of his instrument. In 2004, having been approached by the band Turning
Point, Amato joined in the recording of their Matador release and currently
he tours with them as a featured player. This all set the stage for Amato's
own Nu Groove record deal and the release of his Fresh From the Groove
debut. Lucky enough to get matched up with Grammy-winning producer Michael
Broening, Amato's enjoying national airplay in the USA with several tracks.
As such, the title of the tune we've selected is a perfect reflection
of these "Exciting Times" in Signore Amato's career!
CD: Fresh From The Groove (2009)
Label: NuGroove Records
Links: 
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S'Easy
Daddy - Emilio Palame Band:
Buffalo native Emilio
Palame graduated from SUNY at Fredonia in 1976 and, drawn by the West
Coast scene, by 1978 he had relocated to LA. There he landed an 11-year
gig with Peggy Lee. Using this as a springboard, Palame became well known
on the studio circuit and performed and / or recorded with with Chuck
Mangione, The Mamas and Papas, Andy Williams, Sam Riney, Grant Geissman,
and many, many more. Additionally, he produced for film & TV and in 1990,
released his solo debut. Over the years, the veteran keyboardist has been
involved in a wide variety of projects and more recently, he assembled
an exciting 9-piece ensemble rooted in R&B and Jazz! From their debut
as the Emilio Palame Band, entitled we have a swingin' tune called S'Easy
Daddy featuring Palame on piano with Stan Sargeant on acoustic bass!
CD: Be Who You Are (2009)
Label: Zen Bug Records
Links: 
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Make
It Flow - Jakob Elvstrøm ft. Miss Mukupa:
Hailing from the
picturesque Danish Isle of Funen, Jakob Elvstrøm took up piano
at the age of 10 and then followed that with the trumpet at 12. However,
when he was in his mid-teens, his dad brought home a semi-smashed up alto-sax,
which he immediately fell in love with. After moving to Aarhus, the second
largest city in the country, to pursue a career in engineering, Elvstrøm
gigged with some of the local bands - however, his focus soon shifted
to obtaining a degree in Music Science. He studied at the Conservatory
for 4 years and it was during this period that he befriended Sigurd Barrett
with whom he's playing ever since. From '98 to '01, he lived in Copenhagen,
but moved back to a small town just outside Aarhus to marry his wife.
In addition to teaching & playing in a variety of projects, Elvstrøm
confides to playing funk in his garage while entertaining his two daughters!
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Inspired
and influenced by David Sanborn, Dave Koz, Candy Dulfer, and others,
and having played professionally for nigh on 20 years, Elvstrøm
figured it was high time to issue his debut. Now from the recently
issued SaxClub vol.1, we have the fluid and funky Make it Flow featuring
female Danish rapper Miss Mukupa!
CD: SaxClub vol.1 (2009)
Label: Calibrated Music
Links: 
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive
to our Site and Select Affiliates : |
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... as the QR continues with more of the best
from the past 90 days we have Matt Marshak and the band Zoé, as well
as Eliane Elias and Najee and that's our opening set. Frame #2 includes
John Adams and Marcus Johnson - there's David P Stevens, Bill Ortiz,
and Jesse Cook; while today's final inning features Linny Nance, Drew
Davidson, Swing Out Sister, and the latest from The Sax Pack!
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