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This Week at CaféJazz.ca

November 6th, 2011
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This Week at CafeJazz.ca:
In the spotlight on this edition it's Acoustic Alchemy. The current release is Roseland and we've chosen a real nifty trio of tracks, all as part of the showcase segment. The second half of the show sees the latest in new music with the Fresh Trax feature. Headlining this edition are Paolo Rustichelli, Terry Disley, and Konstantin. Meantime we have newcomers to the show in Tony Saunders and Louie Cruz Beltran to round it out. But the first item is by Fattburger guitarist Evan Marks form his '95 solo debut - with the prospect of two full hours of nothing but great music the title of this track nicely expresses our mood in Feels So Right!
In This Issue:

SHOWCASE CD :
Roseland - Acoustic Alchemy

FRESH TRAX :
Bigger Than Outside - Tony Saunders
Take Five - Terry Disley Experience
Summer Wind - Konstantin
Esperando - Louie Cruz Beltran
Funky Love - Paolo Rustichelli

AFTER HOURS : Run For Cover
PLAYLIST: Playlist for Ed#632

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Showcase CD
Roseland - Acoustic Alchemy:

Led by Greg Carmichael on the nylon string guitar and by Miles Gilderdale on the steel acoustic & electric guitar, the rest of the Alchemy bunch includes Fred White on piano and the Grainger brothers, Greg and Gary on drums and bass respectively. Likely the last viable holdover from that era in the 80s and 90s when new age was all the rage, the concept of Acoustic Alchemy has not only endured, it has blossomed again and again. Few if any would have envisioned the trails blazed by the current Alchemy configuration when the band was formed by Carmichael and the late Nick Webb nearly a quarter of a century ago. Aided by non-stop touring and by embracing change without limitation, 'they've weathered personal setbacks, dramatic shifts in musical trends, and in recent years, sweeping changes in the music industry'. Yes the Alchemy boys are back with Roseland, their first release in four years as the band explores the avenues where genres intersect.


Acoustic Alchemy - Roseland
In spite of acoustic being foremost in their name, there's a sonic edge to this set courtesy of Gilderdale who lived life as a rocker before turning to alchemy in 1996. Recorded in Gilderdale's home studio in York, England, this is the band's one & only self-produced album and the first on their newly formed and self-owned Onside Records label. I'm guessing that Onside is an allusion to the sport of soccer in much the same way as was the 2000 album entitled The Beautiful Game. But I digress.
Acoustic Alchemy
Modern-day Alchemists L to R: Miles Gilderdale, Fred White (keys), Greg Carmichael, Gary Grainger (bass), Greg Grainger (drums)
From a project rife with elements of rock, reggae, folk, and jazz, it's time for a bit of prestidigitation, Alchemy style! And as usual we've hand picked a slick trio of tunes starting off with the title track. One of the albums more tender offerings in A Kinder Loving leads into the second half of the show, while in the end 'sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind' is a tune with a North-African flavour that was named for the Moroccan city of Marrakesh. With Roseland, Acoustic Alchemy once again delivers on the promise of their name with a project that's diverse, melodic and inspired!

CD: Roseland (2011)
Label: Onside Records / Heads Up
Links:

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Fresh Trax: Part One
Tony Saunders - Romancing The Bass
Bigger Than Outside - Tony Saunders:
Tony Saunders was singing by the age of 5 and by 8 he was playing the piano. Being the son of the late keyboardist Merl Saunders proved a definite advantage as a couple of his early teachers were Herbie Hancock and Sly Stone. Saunders took to music quite naturally. He was awarded a fellowship to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for the piano but even so, by 14 he'd received his first bass as a gift from Tom Fogerty of CCR fame and that in time became his instrument of choice. Tony's first recording gig was as part of The Man Child Singers with his brother and sister when in 1969 they wrote a jingle for the SF Giants. Saunders began playing with his dad & his Rainforest Band as a featured musician when he was just 18. He's gone on to score movies, videos, TV shows and commercials, he's produced many cds, he's played with many of the day's Gospels greats, and in addition he's worked with and performed on behalf of several charitable and social issues oriented organizations. In recognition, for his efforts, Saunders is a two-time Emmy winner while he's also received numerous other awards. Romancing the bass is his 3rd release and from it we have the soulful and radio-ready opening track!

CD: Romancing The Bass (2011)
Label: San Francisco Records
Links:
Terry Disley Experience - Brubeck vs. Guaraldi
Take Five - Terry Disley Experience:
After many years of playing with the stars, Terry Disley is living his dream of life as a jazz musician. Classically trained and a 2 time Grammy nominee, Disley has been featured on hundreds of records backing the likes of Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, and many others. In the smooth arena, Disley is likely best known for having toured and recorded with Acoustic Alchemy for six years in the 90s. However, since 1997, San Francisco has been home base and in the intervening years, Terry has developed into one of the Bay areas hottest jazz commodities with countless live appearances and a string of impeccably recorded releases. The latest is called Brubeck vs. Guaraldi as Disley pays homage to two of the legends in jazz. From that effort we have terrific take on the Brubeck classic Take Five!

CD: Brubeck vs. Guaraldi (2011)
Label: Disley World Music
Links:

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Fresh Trax: Part Two
Konstantin - Groove Jazz N Chill #1
Summer Wind - Konstantin:
A versatile and experienced sax player, Konstantin Klashtorni is well-travelled coming to us from The Ukraine by way of Venezuela, The Netherlands, and various locales in between. He began his studies in jazz at the State College in Kiev and through his travels he gained exposure to a wide variety of influences and styles. He debuted in 2004 and in the intervening years, he's strung together a series of well received albums and made some inroads on the smooth scene. Always inspired by the music of Paul Hardcastle and The Jazzmasters, a couple of years back Konstantin came up with the idea to pursue a parallel path - so it was that the Kool&Klean concept came into being. Envisioned as a studio project, Konstantin issued two Kool&Klean volumes that nicely blurred the lines between smooth and electronica. Now hot on the heels of that success comes his latest in Groove Jazz N Chill #1, and a project Konstantin claims may be his best yet. From Groove Jazz N Chill #1 we're hip to the tune Summer Wind!

CD: Groove Jazz N Chill #1 (2011)
Label: KVK Music
Links:
Louie Cruz Beltran - Paint The Rhythm
Esperando - Louie Cruz Beltran:
As early as third grade, Louie Cruz Beltran was playing bongos and learning the guitar. "The beauty of Afro-Cuban music stole my heart," says Beltran who began his formal music education while attending Bakersfield City College in the early 1970's. During a trip to the Bay Area, Louie had the honor of meeting the legendary Coke Escovedo; it was Escovedo's influence that led Beltran to form his first Latin/Salsa Rock Band. Since then Beltran has performed with great artists such as Ray Baretto, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Santana, Hubert Laws and Pete Escovedo. In addition to performing regularly at various West Coast venues, Beltran and his Latin Jazz Orchestra have headlined the Beverly Hills and Pasadena Playboy Jazz Festivals. Paint the Rhythm now his third release. From a project that showcases Louie's range as a composer, vocalist and world class percussionist we present a beautiful original instrumental entitled Esperando!

CD: Paint The Rhythm (2011)
Label: Corniche Entertainment
Links:
Paolo Rustichelli - Funky Love Funky Love - Paolo Rustichelli:
Composer and instrumentalist Paolo Rustichelli was born the son of a three-time Oscar nominated composer. He took to music quite naturally and after studying piano, composition and orchestra conducting he pioneered the use of synthesizers in film scores. In 1991, Paolo relocated from Rome to LA. His debut followed a few years later and achieved chill-out success as part of the Buddha Bar compilation series. Then in 1997, the multi-talented keyboardist released Mystic Man, an album that featured Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter. The single Paisa from that release reached the Top 10, but for the better part of the next decade Rustichelli became more noted for his work as a score producer. The 2006 Neopagan marked a return to the smooth arena with Soul Italiano scheduled for release in 2012 as the follow up. From that soon to be issued cd we have Funky Love, the cinematic 2nd single!

CD: Soul Italiano (2012)
Label: Next Age Music
Links:

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After Hours ~ Exclusive to our Site and Select Affiliates :
Run For Cover: … another in the connections series and a segment that's somewhat different from some of our previous ones - all the tracks are cover tunes, from pop to jazz and everything in between. We're calling the segment Run For Cover after a track by Wayne Jones - there are 12 of these including Love's Theme by Rick Braun, Steve Cole's take on The Guess Who classic Undun, and Terry Disley's read on Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven. Be sure to check the playlist for complete details as well as for info on the original record on this, the first installment in a multi-part feature! Playlist for Ed#632

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