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This Week at CaféJazz.ca

March 20th, 2011
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This Week at CafeJazz.ca:
… ready for this show are Rocco & Rahj - Cool Burn is their release and we've selected a real nice trio of tracks all as part of the showcase segment. Taking centre stage in hour 2 is the Fresh Trax feature with a spiffy batch of new music. Making their debut are Greg Anderson, John Gatti, and Alexander Boynton Jr.; also appearing is Cliff deMarks plus we have the latest from Daniel Domenge. Then after the Fresh Trax are Pieces of a Dream and Michael Fair - also part of the set is Lonnie Liston Smith while bringing it on home is a track by Marc Antoine. In the meantime - we're flashing back to the 90s for a classic - from Russ Freeman and Craig Chaquico, it's Samba del Luna!
In This Issue:

SHOWCASE CD :
Cool Burn - Rocco & Rahj

FRESH TRAX :
Cotton Candy - John Gatti
Urban Vision - Daniel Domenge
Cosmic Sigh - Cliff deMarks
So Long Ago - Alexander Boynton Jr.
Blue Ocean - Greg Anderson

AFTER HOURS : Long Night Out
PLAYLIST: Playlist for Ed#607

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Showcase CD
Cool Burn - Rocco & Rahj:

John Altamura and Roger Keay are Rocco and Rahj and they go back 35-years to North Bergen County New Jersey. When they first met, the synergy was immediate - they built a studio and for the next four years they wrote, played and recorded together. But in 1978, Rocco opted for Florida's mild winters while pursuing opportunities as an audio engineer. Meantime, Rahj continued to build a career back in the NYC area. Just a couple of years ago, after suffering from 30 years of studio burnout, Rahj finally came to his senses and relocated to the Sunshine State. Now located in the Indian Rocks Beach area just a bit south of Clearwater FL, the two reconnected, picked up where they'd left off, and recorded Cool Burn. With Rocco on organ & keys and with Rahj handling guitars and synth programming here's a cd that literally burns with low-key intensity. This is pretty hip stuff and a nice fit for our show so we're now pleased to present a select offering from Cool Burn - all as part of the showcase segment!


Rocco & Rahj - Cool Burn
To begin, we have Syd's Summer Wave; inspired by Rocco's 7-year old niece who resides in Turks & Caicos, this was the first tune that Rocco & Rahj recorded after their reunion. Somewhere on the Beach is another Turks & Caicos inspired track and it's dedicated to their favorite place to hang. Finally we have Cool Burn the title track and a selection that Rocco and Rahj hold forth as one that really captures the essence of who they are as they approach everything they do with the 'cool burn' vibe.
Rocco & Rahj
Rocco & Rahj
The Kings of Beach Jazz!
As a side note, Rocco & Rahj were just as pumped to be part of our show as we were to be featuring them; so as a nod, they created a special Café Jazz Mix for each of the selections we're headlining. For that we're sending out some major league ups to Rocco & Rahj! Nonetheless, showing the polish of their many years of experience, as well as their considerable talents as writers, producers and audio engineers, Rocco & Rahj have not only created a new sub-genre in music with 'beach jazz', they now officially begin their reign as the undisputed kings!

CD: Cool Burn (2010)
Label: House Of Hofa Records
Links:

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Fresh Trax: Part One
John Gatti - Destinations
Cotton Candy - John Gatti:
Through a career spanning nearly four decades, John Gatti has amassed a diverse and wide-ranging résumé. Proficient on piano, organ, and harmonica, he is also an accomplished sax, clarinet and flute player. He has enjoyed stints with bands such as The Unknowns, Truth, and The Good Rats, while also appearing with the jazz-swing group Za Zu Zaz, in the late 70s - early 80s and then again for a reunion tour and live recording in 2000. Subsequently, Gatti free-lanced; in addition to session and production work, he scored and recorded commercials for companies such as Mercedes and American Airlines. Otherwise he played with bassist Jeff Gellis for five years ending around 2000. Since then, he has performed solo at area venues while back in 2002 the release of Life Lines, Heart Lines marked his solo debut. Destinations is Gatti's recently issued first jazz recording containing 13 tracks that were inspired by places he and his wife have travelled over past several years. These pieces celebrate the exotic as well as the familiar and are as distinctive as the trips that inspired them. From that cd, Gatti spins a little musical sugar on our show with Cotton Candy and a tune based on an excursion to Yankee Stadium!

CD: Destinations (2011)
Label: Independent Release
Links:
Daniel Domenge - Urban Vision
Urban Vision - Daniel Domenge:
Coming from the Montpellier region of France, Daniel Domenge has played professionally for over 20 years. His style is influenced by the likes of Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino and inspired by others such as George Benson and Chuck Loeb, yet Domenge's sound is all his own. He debuted a couple of years back with the cd Patchwork, a project that faired well on smooth jazz radio in general and on our show in particular. Encouraged by the success of that initial offering, the suave guitarist has a new effort on the hot plate, but at this point all we have to show is his first single. Entitled Urban Vision, it's a goodie and we're pleased to have that as part of today's Fresh Trax feature!

Single: Urban Vision (2011)
Label: Independent Release
Links:

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Fresh Trax: Part Two
Cliff deMarks - State of Feeling
Cosmic Sigh - Cliff deMarks:
If you're wondering who currently is THE most prolific musician on the music scene, then Atlanta-based Cliff deMarks certainly bears consideration. DeMarks graduated from Alcorn University with a degree in accounting and the hope that he could supplement his income by performing as a Church musician. Nonetheless he'd always dreamed of pursuing a career in music full time, but that was temporarily shelved while raising a family. Nonetheless, by the time the year 2000 rolled around, all the pieces were in place for deMarks to make a run at turning his dream into reality. Versed on piano, bass and drums, Cliff is also an excellent reed man and, in the time since his debut, he's issued over 45 albums in multiple styles. From the 2010 State of Feeling cd, we get to hang, chill, and relax to Cliff's down-tempo vibe on the tune Cosmic Sigh!

CD: State of Feeling (2010)
Label: deMarks Studios
Links:
Alexander Boynton Jr. - Doo Bee Doo Bop
So Long Ago - Alexander Boynton Jr.:
Although he hails from Chattanooga, Tennessee, bassist Alexander Boynton Jr. spent his formative years in LA where some of his most moving musical experiences were in church playing gospel music. After relocating to Vancouver Canada, Boynton connected with the group The Payola$ in about 1985. In his years with the Canadian rockers A-Train, as he became known, helped the band open for the likes of Bryan Adams, Super Tramp and Duran Duran. Following a 5 year Payola$ reunion tour which ended in 2008, Boynton returned to his R&B / gospel roots for the cd Doo Bee Doo Bop that was produced in conjunction with Jeff Lorber. The title may signify 'a moment filled with tingling anticipation', or perhaps 'the flash of realization that a momentous event is about to occur'. Regardless, from that solo debut which features the likes of Paul Jackson Junior, Jeff Golub, and others, Rick Braun guests on a mellow groover called So Long Ago!

CD: Doo Bee Doo Bop (2010)
Label: Independent Release
Links:
Greg Anderson - Blue Ocean Blue Ocean - Greg Anderson:
For many years Greg Anderson has been a fixture on the Southwest performance circuit while in addition he has had a couple of previous effort on Fervor Records. Freestyle in 2007 featured music reminiscent of the 60s surfer scene, while 2008's Bad Ass Guitarz presented a more raucous style. However on Blue Ocean, Anderson shows off some pretty impressive smooth jazz chops. In spite of the style on his previous solo efforts, smooth jazz is nonetheless familiar territory for the celebrated guitarist, and terrain he's traversed frequently over the past few years. Since 2006, Anderson has worked closely with producer and keyboardist John Costello. The two have collaborated on Cooler Shade of Jazz, Spheres, Apasionado, and Beyond Smooth - so as the two reunite, Blue Ocean therefore continues as a natural extension of that work. Replete with soaring melodies and laid-back grooves, we dive head first into the swell of the title track!

CD: Blue Ocean (2011)
Label: Fervor Records
Links:

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After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Site and Select Affiliates :
Long Night Out: ... on this edition we have a dozen selections - all in some way are connected to the concept of those hours occurring after daylight. We've tagged the feature Long Night Out for a track by Brian Culbertson - this being the second in our 'night series' - and to begin it's Rio Wave from Brazilian Nights! Playlist for Ed#607

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