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This Week at CaféJazz.ca

March 7th, 2010
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This Week at CafeJazz.ca:
… Chris Standring takes center stage. Always known for his left leaning style, the new one from Chris veers further off the beaten path. It's called Blue Bolero and that's the feature cd on the showcase segment. In hour 2, we're starting with a clean slate of Fresh Trax. Passing the litmus test for this show are Dan Carlin & Friends and keyboardist Klay Dumas-Copas or Klay D-C for short. It's the first time for Klay on our show while also debuting are Nate Najar, Michael J Thomas, and the band Kilimanjaro. Then after we dispense with the Fresh Trax, we're balancing the new with the tried and true - and this time that includes music from Dave Koz and Chris Botti. As well, we have Brian Simpson plus Fridrik Karlsson - while sprinkled through out are selections by Candy Dulfer, Brian Bromberg, and Italy's Stefano Tirone as S-Tone Inc.!
In This Issue:

SHOWCASE CD :
Blue Bolero - Chris Standring

FRESH TRAX :
Private Party - Dan Carlin
Thoughts of You - Klay D-C
Samba De Noite - Nate Najar
Cali Trippin' - Michael J Thomas
Pepino - Kilimanjaro

AFTER HOURS : Land of the Sun
PLAYLIST: Playlist for Ed#561

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Showcase CD
Blue Bolero - Chris Standring:

Blue Bolero is guitarist's Chris Standring's 6th solo release and a project that well belies the fact he grew up on a small farm outside the quaint town of Aylesbury just north-west of London. In his youth, Standring studied classically and, after attending the London College of Music and writing for the BBC, he relocated to LA early in 1991. That was he connected with keyboardist Rodney Lee - in 1996 they released an acid-jazz album as Solar System and they've continued to collaborate to some extent ever since. In the meantime, Standring procured a gig backing Guitars Saxes & More and subsequently he joined Rick Braun's band! In 1998, he released his solo debut while scoring one of the huge hits for the year in Cool Shades! In the time since, Standring's left leaning style has continually provided some intriguing insights into a diverse and creative mindset. Now Chris bears left of that mark with Blue Bolero, his most adventurous record to date and a project with a somewhat autobiographical pitch!

Chris Standring - Blue Bolero
As Standring explains it traces "the journey he took as a musically driven youngster to the person he is today." Therefore it's now our pleasure to spotlight Chris Standring and that very release. To begin, we have the first single called Bossa Blue, a tune upon which Chris demonstrates that his "skills aren't limited to the electric guitar" - it features "nylon-string guitar soloing over a Latin rhythm" to which Standring adds "a subtle touch of jazz vocalese."
Chris Standring!!
Chris Standring - NAMM 2008
Coutesy of Chris's MySpace
Partially forgotten amid Standring's own account of the album is the track Sunrise, a contemplative nugget that may represent Chris's self-examination of musical conscience and it starts our second hour. Meantime, Please Mind the Gap "features orchestration and exquisite alto flute solo playing by Katisse Buckingham." It "takes its name from the London Underground train system and recalls Standring's adventures during trips to the big city." With themes ranging from cinematic to smooth, from reflective to refined, Blue Bolero is as daring a foray as any in a genre that otherwise prefers to play it safe! Chris Standring Then & Now on Ed #418 - September 24th, 2006

Quotes: MySpace
CD: Blue Bolero (2010)
Label: Ultimate Vibe Records
Links:

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Fresh Trax: Part One
Dan Carlin & Friends - Street Talk
Private Party - Dan Carlin & Friends:
A native of Portsmouth Virginia, Dan Carlin is a veteran fusion guitarist who's played with high-energy acts in the likes of Blue Cheer, Robert Conti, and Michael Pinera. Although his career stretches back to the 60s, Carlin only debuted as a soloist in 2006. Street Talk is now his 3rd release and based upon our past experience with Carlin's projects there was a keen level of anticipation prior to our initial review. Safe to say, that Dan did not disappoint. Sharing star billing with a few friends, contributors to the project include Dave Hooper on drums, Gary Meek on sax, and Rob Whitlock on keys with bassist Max Bennett featured as the special guest. From Street Talk we've selected the intimate vibe of a tune called Private Party!

CD: Street Talk (2010)
Label: Mastermind Sist Productions/Rhombus Records
Links:
Klay D-C - Ritmo
Thoughts of You - Klay D-C:
Fans of Roy Ayers may that recall Klay Dumas-Copas, aka Klay D-C, as a member of the band Ubiquity from '99 thru to 2004. Prior to that he was involved with The Jazz Steppers - as producer for their '98 debut, Klay helped the group earn a Music of Black Origin award for the year. In actuality, D-C's been a part of the jazz scene in the UK since his college days at Leeds, where he began writing fusion and focusing on piano technique. His first break came about when his band was asked to produce a record by the label co-owned by Shakatak's Bill Sharpe and DJ Ralph Tee. This led to Klay's involvement with the Jazz Steppers. Subsequently, he released his solo debut in 2008 and now with the issue of Ritmo, Mr. D-C is a genuine threat to crack the US market. Latin flavours run thick thruout and from it we have the colorfully rhythmic Thoughts of You!

CD: Ritmo (2010)
Label: dbug music multimedia
Links:

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Fresh Trax: Part Two
Nate Najar - Until Now
Samba De Noite - Nate Najar:
After picking up his first guitar at around 9 or 10, Nate Najar progressed quickly thru many styles - from R&B to rock and then on to jazz - all while developing a taste for the nylon string acoustic. Dating back to 2002, he's issued a series of mainly straight ahead releases fronting either a trio or a quartet. Of late, the St. Pete's Florida guitarist has been performing regularly with an increasing number of today's top names in Smooth Jazz - among them Eric Darius, Jackiem Joyner, Brian Simpson and Marion Meadows and this has ushered his own move to that arena. Considering himself a product of his many musical passions, Until Now is now around his fifth effort overall and from it we've selected the Latin flavoured mover entitled Samba De Noite!

CD: Until Now (2009)
Label: Blue Line Music
Links:
Michael J Thomas - City Beat
Cali Trippin' - Michael J Thomas:
Hailing from Cecilia, Kentucky, Michael J Thomas could easily have turned to country music had it not been for his parents and their penchant for the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, and the like. Initially he studied piano while picking up the sax in the seventh grade. In spite of an early rejection for the school band, Thomas re-doubled his efforts and ended up winning a scholarship to the University of Kentucky. Nonetheless, he left school in advance of completing his course of studies in pursuit of a career as a performer - by 19 the band he was with had opened for the Brian Setzer Orchestra, and Bill Haley's Original Comets. After moving to Destin, Florida in 1999, Thomas began cultivating a local following while sharing the Sea Breeze Jazz Festival stage with Dave Koz, Richard Elliot, and many others. City Beat is his debut and a project that was inspired by Thomas's wanderings through some of the world's greatest cities. Backed by a tight rhythm section, Thomas does some lusty soloing between Paul Scurto's stylish trumpet and Shannon Wallace's spunky electric guitar!

CD: City Beat (2010)
Label: Harbor Breeze
Links:
Kilimanjaro - Homecoming
Pepino - Kilimanjaro:
Following the success of their debut cd which rose to #3 in 1981, the band Kilimanjaro hailing from Vermont went on to appear at prestigious festivals around the world. Their '83 sophomore album faired almost as well reaching #5 and led to tours across the USA as well as a year-long gig with Paul Butterfield. And then here the story gets complicated as for many years the band members went on a lengthy detour from their lives as international 'tourists'. Forming a blues band of their own with BB King alumnus Big Joe Burrell, they became a regional event while individually pursuing a variety of diverse opportunities. In 2005, the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts was the spark that led to Kilimanjaro's resurgence. The long-dormant project was honored with a grant to create some new compositions for a reunion concert. In due course, this all led to the issue of Homecoming, the first release in nearly 25 years. Comprised of Paul Asbell, Chas Eller, and Tony Markellis, who have shared the stage for three decades, the sounds of the combo are rounded out by Lucas Adler a relative newcomer who joined the ensemble about ten years back. Garnering a critic's choice award from Jazziz Magazine, the cd is nothing short of rich & polished and from it we have the zippy stylings of the tune Pepino!

CD: Homecoming (2009)
Label: kilimanjaro.com
Links:

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After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Site and Select Affiliates :
Land of the Sun: … the third and final chapter in our current series - and as in the past two shows, the operative word is 'sun'. Each and every selection has that word or some sun-based phrase in its title. To that philosophy, we've also added artists or groups that may have the word sun in their name - yes indeed first we make the rules and then we break them! Daylight comes with George Benson and he's followed by Paulinho da Costa and Jeffrey B Suttles, then there's Chicago's Lake Effect. Lighting the fuse in set #2 it's Ken Navarro - and then we continue with Duncan Millar. Additionally, we have selections by the band Citrus Sun as well as Marcin Nowakowski, and Tony Darren. Then in the home stretch, there's Special EFX and Brian Culbertson as well as Earl Klugh while finishing it is saxman Walter Beasley with the tune for which named the feature! Playlist for Ed#561

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