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Showcase CD
Global Kiss - Steve Oliver:
One
of the most dynamic players in the game is back with his first
studio effort in about four years. Since being named the '99 Debut
Artist of the Year, Steve Oliver has averaged somewhere around
200 live appearances annually. His 2008 One Night Live captured
the power and passion of Steve in a live gig while his 2006 seasonal
release entitled Snowfall showed yet another side to this multi-dimensional
performer. Following tours thru Spain, Germany, and London England,
Oliver was genuinely inspired by the different cultures in Europe
and decided to pursue a global theme for his newest release. While
incorporating influences from R&B and other elements that have
become hallmarks of his style, Oliver's focus grew to include
percussive world rhythms. Aided by Tom Schuman & Bonny B (both
from Spyro Gyra), as well as by Marion Meadows, Darren Rahn, Nate
Harasim, and Alan Hewitt, Global Kiss is now his 7th and latest.
The number seven proves lucky indeed for all of Steve's fortunate
fans now royally treated to this world-wide musical embrace and
so it with some alacrity that we spotlight Steve Oliver and that
cd - in so doing we're pitching a sequence of three tasty tracks!
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Steve Oliver - '07 DVD Shoot!
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Leading
in we have True Vision with Bob Baldwin and Marion Meadows guesting.
One of Steve's most tender ballads opens hour 2 - it's called Long
Road and features Nate Harasim and Will Donato. While in the end,
it's Global Kiss the title track - the Middle Eastern melody is
highlighted by Humberto Vela armed with a wide array of percussive
weaponry including dumbek, tabla, and jimba, while all the keyboard
sounds are triggered by Steve himself from his guitar! With an endearing
album so broad in its scope that it had to be called Global Kiss,
Steve Oliver rightly shows he's at the cutting edge of today's scene!
CD: Global Kiss (2010)
Label: SOM Entertainment
Links: 
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| Back Trax: Part One |
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Spend A Little Time - Rohn Lawrence:
New
Haven Connecticut native Rohn Lawrence has been playing guitar in one
form or another since he was about two-a-half. Influenced by the likes
of Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian and John Tropea, early on Lawrence
played with many of the local funk bands such as The Lift, which included
saxophonist Marion Meadows. Developing into a first call musician, he
moved on to high profile gigs with Najee and others before debuting in
1994. With a pair of solo releases to his credit Lawrence appeared poised
for the spotlight but for the most part he's enjoyed a great career as
a sideman playing with many of the best in the genre. On this occasion,
we return to his '98 sophomore cd for the smooth but punchy groove of
a tune called Spend A Little Time!
CD: See Ya Around (1998)
Label: Jazzateria
Links: 
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Garuda
- Lenny Mac Dowell & Cristoph Spendel Project:
His
real name is Friedemann Leinert and he trained classically before his
involvement in the progressive German scene of the 70s. In the 80s he
set out on his own and adopted the moniker Lenny Mac Dowell for his 84
debut. Subsequently Mac Dowell focused his attention to launching Blue
Flame Records and for the most part spent his time producing, arranging,
and playing for other artists. There was an occasional issue here and
there, including Autumn Breath, wherein Mac Dowell collaborated with Christoph
Spendel, the noted keyboardist who for a time in the 90s, played with
Special EFX. From that blend of new age and other influences, we've selected
a super tune entitled Garuda and named for a large mythical bird that
appears in Buddhist mythology!
CD: Autumn Breath (1989)
Label: Blue Flame
Links:
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| Back Trax: Part Two |
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Butterfly
- Herbie Hancock:
Herbie
Hancock took up piano at the age of seven and by 11 he was soloing with
the Chicago Symphony. After attending Grinnell College, Donald Byrd invited
him to join his group and shortly after, Hancock debuted as a lead man.
Nonetheless, a couple of years later, in 1963, he joined Miles Davis for
a 5-year stint; then as an alumnus of the Davis school of jazz, he formed
his own band. In due course, that ensemble evolved into one of the most
exciting avant-garde units of the day. From one in a series of landmark
albums, the '74 Thrust release, we selected the tune Butterfly … and as
one reviewer, Richard S. Ginell, put it, the track is "a match for any
tune he's written before or since, with shimmering synth textures and
Bennie Maupin soaring on soprano"!
LP: Thrust (1974)
Label: Columbia
Links: 
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James
- Catrin Finch:
Catrin
Finch began to master the harp at the age of 6 in her native Wales - by
the time she was 11, she had played the World Harp Congress in Paris as
well as performing at a BBC concert at Royal Albert Hall as principal
harpist for the National Youth Orchestra. Following studies at the Purcell
School, she went on to win a variety of awards and honors. Appointed the
harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales, Ms Finch had several releases in the
classical realm before the issue of her '94 Crossing the Stone cd, wherein
she covered a variety of styles. From that effort, we have Catrin's plucky
rendering of the Pat Metheny composition entitled James!
CD: Crossing The Stone (2003)
Label: Sony Music
Links:
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Ties
That Bind - Andy Snitzer :
Philadelphia
native Andy Snitzer was studying at the University of Miami, when he was
discovered by Bob James - he went on to tour and record with the renowned
keyboardist all while earning an MBA. After landing a position with the
JP Morgan Investment firm, Snitzer also emerged as a sought after sessionist
before debuting with Ties That Bind in 1994. After scoring a chart-topping
hit with You've Changed, Snitzer fully moving to a career in music - he
toured in support of the Rolling Stones and recorded with artists from
Bette Midler to Aretha Franklin. Meantime, he's continued as front man
with a half-dozen efforts to his credit. However, on this occasion we're
returning to Snitzer's debut where, aided by the likes of Bob James and
Harvey Mason, we've selected the activated dynamism of the title track!
CD: Ties That Bind (1994)
Label: Warner Bros.
Links:
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| After Hours ~ Exclusive to our
Site and Select Affiliates : |
… it's the first of a 4-part mini series, wherein
we use our direction-finder to musically explore the 4 points of the compass.
Yes indeed, be it north, south, east or west - if a group or selection
has some connection to one of these, you're likely to find it as part
of these editions - on this occasion the operative concept is East West
Connection and that's named after the band out of the UK. Selections will
include East River Drive and Westchester Lady by artists such as Kyle
Eastwood and the band Westbound. So as we set course for these diametrically
opposed headings, we've used our GPS to choose a dozen such tracks!
First up we have Steve Oliver with West End from his debut. East Bay is
from Boney James. Theo Bishop gives us Westside followed by Eastside from
Four80East! Russ Freeman takes us for a cruise along East River Drive
at the start of set #2; Denver's Dotsero treat us to Westchester Lady;
East Coast is by Gabriel, while Surgical Spirit is from East West Connection
- the very band for which we named this edition! In the third and closing
set there's 101 Eastbound by Fourplay; Way Out West is from Jeff Kashiwa;
the group Westbound provide the tune Ivan; while in the end it's a track
called Now and that's by Kyle Eastwood … hope you enjoy the feature while
we have a little fun doing musical "1-80s" all along the way!
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