ACMJ International Blog

RADIOACTIVE 3rd release almost done

MTM published the news regarding Tommy Denander's main project "Radioactive" and so on yesterday as follows:-

Tommy Denander has almost completed his new RADIOACTIVE album that will be called "Taken". This is his 3rd release under the name and any fan of the previous one's won't be disapointed. As before it features some big name guests including several Toto guys, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tommy Funderburk, Kelly Keagy, Jim Jidhed and many more.

EUROVISION TIME AGAIN
For the 3rd year in a row Tommy has placed a song in the Eurovision song contest, in 2033 he competed in Sweden, in 2004 in Finland and now it's time for Norway!. The song is called "I Am Rock 'n Roll" and features a lot of Tommy's trademark guitars.

YAMAHA SIGNS TOMMY
Tommy has signed a new endorsment deal with Yamaha for guitars, amps, effects and other great stuff, he is extremely pleased with the first guitar his been given and says it's one of the best he's played in his life..

Vinyl Kings / Time Machine

It was July,2002 when Vinyl Kings released their album "A Little Trap" inspired and dedicated to the Beatles.
As you might recall, Vinyl Kings is comprised of legendary musicians: Josh Leo, Larry Lee (ex Ozark Mountain Daredevils), Jim Photoglo, Vince Melamed, Larry Byrom (ex Steppenwolf), Harry Stinson, and Michael Rhode. For most of visitors on this "ACMJ International Blog", Larry Lee's 1982 solo album "Marooned" and/or Jim Photoglo's early 80's solo albums "Photoglo", "Fool In Love With You" and "The Thin Man" must be one of your favorite albums.

And now again Vinyl Kings just released their follow-up album on January 20, 2005 titled "Time Machine". The Vinyl Kings members self-reviewed this album by saying "What if the Beatles and the Beach Boys found themselves in a studio together? A "Revolver" meets "Pet Sounds" experience." Once you will listen to this album, I believe you will totally agree with this. Why don't you ride Vinyl Kings' Time Machine ?

Tracks:
1. Time Machine
2. Mr. Greedyman
3. '67 (Home)
4. Your Turn To Shine
5. Sycamore Bay
6. Pale Blue Dot
7. One Love At A Time
8. Just Another Day
9. Pray For Peace
10. Eloise
11. And Love You

Cy Curnin / Mayfly

We will have one of the long sought album soon. It is Cy Curnin's solo album "Mayfly". This album had been scheduled to be released by Thoughtscape Sounds in 1998. Actually, "Thoughtscape Sounds '97 Sampler CD 2" were released with two tracks from this album, one of which is the title track "Mayfly" and the other is "Day To Day" in 1997.

As well, Cy Curnin is the lead singer of the so-called early UK new wave band "The Fixx". The Fixx first appeared in 1982, with their debut album "Shuttered Room". And the 1983 album "Reach the Beach" was immediately acclaimed in the States led by its catchy single, "One Thing Leads to Another".They extablished their firm position in the movement so called as "British Invasion".

Their 1991 album "Ink" is the key relating to this Cy's solo effort. The album featured outside songwriter's materials including the song "Falling in Love" produced by Bruce Gaitsch and written by Bruce and Bill Champlin. The song was really different from other Fixx's tunes in terms of melodies and arrangement. After this collaboration, Cy Curnin started to record his first solo album with Bruce Gaitsch and the project was called as "Hat" for the first time. Meanwhile, Cy also dedicated his vocal talent also for Bruce Gatisch's acclaimed 2nd solo album "Aphasia" released in 1997.

As I wrote, the Cy Curnin's solo project had been ready to go until 1997. Although Thoughtscape Sounds had announced to release the album, the album had been unreleased since then. And now, we will have this album very soon. The album includes very impressive and AOR/Westcoast style materials including very beautiful song "Breath With Me". And I should let you know who participated in this recording sessions besides Bruce and Cy: Janey Clewer, Suzi Carr, Dave Boruff and Bill Champlin! Thus this long sought album should be worth buying.

Label: Rainman, USA
Release Date: February 22, 2005
Tracks:
1. Traded The Wind For Gold
2. Mayfly
3. When Push Comes To Shove
4. Days Of Our Lives
5. I'm Getting Out
6. Breathe With Me
7. I Should Be So Lucky
8. Unshakable Faith
9. Day To Day
10. Suburban America

Marco Taggiasco / Thousand Things

Early January of 2005, I have received an e-mail from an arranger and producer from Italy. He wrote that he worked as arranger in the pre-production field for many years during the 80s and 90s and gigged with his bands or as a musical director for others in the same period. And he added that he used to arrange in a style that mostly recalls David Foster, especially on ballads, but my new record is more in a west-coast mood. Songs owe something to Michael McDonald and Bobby Caldwell. So as he guess, It did not take a long time to visit his website to check how his music would be like. It is Marco Taggiasco's first contact to me with his new promotional release "Thousand Things" recorded in February 2004.

According to the official biography, Marco Taggiasco works as arranger, producer and songwriter. During the late 70s and the 80s he gigged with his own bands, which included horns and percussion and featured some of the best session players from the italian scene. The sound was an orchestral kind of fusion recalling Crusaders and Bob James stuff in a way, with an original songs based repertoire. In the 90s he concentrated his activity in the studio, working as arranger and producer for singers and eventually as bandleader for their live acts. His works also include arranging for big bands and writing music for theatre and short movies.
At the end of the 90s he released the promo EP “Three Love Ballads”, containing 3 songs written and produced in a classical adult contemporary style. The purpose of the record was to let publishers know about the songs. In the 2000s he met Andrea Sanchini, a young male vocalist and they decided to collaborate and eventually to make a record. So they started working on “Thousand Things”, a project born to see if there’s still an interest in adult contemporary music, beyond the big names and the historical records they have left along their careers.

The CD features 7 songs written by Taggiasco and Sanchini, with Marco Taggiasco as arranger and producer. The first track "Never Too Late (For Love)" reminds me of Eric Tagg's melodies. The voice of Andrea Sanchini is very similar to that of Bill Cantos. I am sure that he has huge potential vocal talent. As regards his high tone voice area, sometimes unstable and I cannot deny he should have much more experience and vocal lessons from now on. And Marco might consider how to end his materials instead of fading out. In spite of such kind of small things, this CD is the first recommendable material in 2005.

Tracks
1. Never Too Late (For Love)
2. Thousand Things
3. Fool For Love
4. Ain't That Enough
5. Angel Of August
6. Burning For You
7. Hangin' On Tomorrow

It will locally be promoted with concerts and radio interviews. On the internet it will be presented to the AOR/Fusion sites to check for feedback and possible distibution deals.

For contacts and more information, please visit the artist's official website (http://www.marcotaggiasco.com).

Marc Jordan / A Hole In The Wall

Marc Jordan's 3rd solo album "A Hole In The Wall" (Remastered CD) will be available again soon. This 1983 album was released only for Japanese market which followed his masterpiece 2nd solo alobum "Blue Desert" produced by Jay Graydon. It was one of the best AOR/Westcoast albums featuring many well-known musicians including Foster & Graydon, Richard Page & Steve George (i.e. Pages) and Steve Lukather.

Label: Westwood Records, Japan (SDCF-1021)
Release Date: January 26, 2005
Tracklisting is as below (no bonus tracks for this reissue):-

1. SLIPPING AWAY
2. MARGARITA
3. SHE USED TO BE MY WORLD
4. A HOLE IN THE WALL
5. WHERE DID WE GO WRONG
6. IT'S ONLY LOVE
7. LOVE LIKE A WHEEL
8. THIEVES
9. DANCE WITH ME
10. HOLD ON

Honk - expanded reissue

The current drummer of the band Chicago, Tris Imboden related old album is now available on CD. It is HONK's so-called "puppet" album. Honk started in 1970 as a quartet comprised of Steve Wood, Tris Imboden, Don Whaley and guitarist Mike Caruselle who had left shortly. In 1971, Richard Stekol and Craig Buhler joined the band. In 1972, Beth Fitchet started gigging and then joined the band. Honk had a opportunity to participate in the movie soundtrack for a surf movie titled "Five Summer Stories" and the track "Pipeline Sequence" had a huge radio success in Honolulu. Thus, 20th Century Records signed the band. And in 1973, Honk released the so-called “puppet” album. Their 2nd album followed in 1974 under Epic, which turned out to be the last studio album the band would make. In 1975, the band broke up. Before leaving from 20th Century Records, they finished their unreleased 2nd album, several songs of which were later included on their officially released 2nd album but rest of them remained unreleased until now. And now, the reissued "puppet album" includes those unreleased tunes also, thus this reissue is said to be "expanded reissue"!

The CD is now available at Hip-O Select!

Tommy Funderburk solo album "Anything For You" release final update

Link: ACMJ International Blog: Tommy Funderburk solo album "Anything For You" release update.

Tommy Funderburk's solo album will be available soon as I reported here on ACMJ Blog and on my main website hot news page. I would like to let you know that Japanese version will feature a bonus track "Dig A Little Deeper"!

Bobby Caldwell / The Best

The king of AOR, Bobby Caldwell's long-awaited AOR/Westcoast oriented new album "Perfect Island Nights" will be released early spring of this year. And I have wrote on my main web "Adult Contemporary Music In Japan", his masterpiece debut album has also been reissued with "Can't Say Goodbye" original LP version. In addition, the Best, another Bobby Caldwell's song collection CD are now available.

Probably, you would say "Bobby Caldwell's Best CD again? How many best hits album of his has been released !?"
Actually, 1992's "Greatest Hits" (Japan only), 1998's "Timeline"(Japan only), 1998's "The Anthology Part 1" (USA) , 2001's"Time & Again - The Anthology Part 2" (USA) and 2001's "Songmaster" were released.

In commercial sense, it is very important to release another collection CD just before brand-new release so that music-lovers can revisit Bobby's past works. What is the attractive point of this time "The Best" release? The Best includes several meaningful tracks:

"Show Me Your Devotion"
The duet with Marilyn Scott taken from her solo album "Sky Dancing"

"Janet" (short urban mix)
1985's promotional only version, which is totally different from the original version

"Jamaica" (with The Jazz Crusaders)
The original version is on Bobby's 3rd album "Carry On". This version is self-cover version taken from 1995's Jazz Crusaders album "Happy Again".

How about this CD?

"Fanfield's- A Fans Tribute To TOTO" re-release

"Fanfield's" is well-known "A Fan tribute to their beloved TOTO". In May 1997 a member of the Toto Mailing List sent a message to the list suggesting making a cover of a Toto song by using the mpeg3 audio sample format, so different musicians could add their own parts to the song. This idea fast turned into a more serious project. The musicians on the list agreed that using samples wouldn't be good enough, and that the song(s) should be recorded in "real" studio's. They decided to try to form bands consisting of members of the mailing list and record a couple of songs as a tribute to their beloved band: Toto. Since it turned out to be impossible to use only mailing list musicians some bands were formed of mailing list members with the addition of other musicians. In the end four groups ended up recording songs for the Toto Tribute Album:
1) A band with musicians from Holland (and a keyboard player from Germany)
2) A band with musicians from Sweden
3) A band with musicians from Holland and the U.S.A. who recorded their songs by the adding the different parts in their own home studio's and sending the master tapes to each other
4) A band consisting of Ed and John James

John, of the James Brothers was on tour with Toto as a background singer in the mid to late 90's. And another remarkable vocalist must be Phil Vincent, who already had some success as an AOR/melodic rock solo artist.

The initial release of ‚Fanfields – A Fans’ Tribute To Toto“ is out of print for a long time, now Target Records, Germany have secured an exclusive new release. This time re-release of “Fanfields” was remastered. The participating international musicians, among them Phil Vincent, who got to know each other through the Toto mailing list, leave the big hits aside. Instead they perform their own versions of lesser known gems like “Endless“ or ‚St. George And The Dragon“ and Live-favorites like ‚Home Of The Brave“ and ‚White Sister“.‚Hey Little Girl“ is even a song that you won’t find on any Toto-album it was only performed live e.g. on the bands “Hydra”-Tour. You can find more information on this exclusive release, soundbytes and what Bobby Kimball and Fergie Frederiksen say about “Fanfields” on the Fanfields-webpage