ACMJ International Blog

David Garfield LaVeLee Gig Friday! : SPECIAL NAMM GIG IN L.A.

January 20 • Friday night
David Garfield & The "Cats"
Shows at 8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Featuring Alex Ligertwood (Voc), James Harrah (Guitar), Michito Sanchez (Percussion), John Peña (Bass), David Garfield (keys), and Ricky Lawson (Drums) plus special guest Soren Reiff Jr.(Guitar)

La Ve Lee - Studio City Studio City, CA
12514 Ventura Blvd (At Whittset)
Call 818-980-8158 for reservations & information

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David Garfield says:-

We had a great time in Las Vegas January 6 for the CES show which featured some of Stevie Wonder's group and percussionist Daniel de los Reyes with a special guest appearance by Al Jarreau. Stay tuned for more upcoming show dates. In the meantime, check out our new video clips online at the following link:-
Creatchy Live Video Clips

You can see Karizma latest live (April 9, 2005 at Blue Motion Yokohama, JAPAN) and Carlos Vega Memorial Concerts since 2000 there. Check those out!

Michael Ruff 2 brand-new CD's now available to the public

Michael Ruff did his Scandinavian tour with "the tightest rhythm section ever" - Straitjacket; Marco Mendoza (bass/vocal), Joey Heredia (drums) and Renato Neto (keys) successfully in late November / early December of 2005. And 2 brand-new studio recording albums were released only for fans who could attend one of those gigs until the tour was over. Thus, many Michael Ruff fans (living in the other part of the globe) has been struggling to get those 2 CDs.
Having been temporarily out of stock as of January 13 due to heavy demand, these 2 CDs has become available to everyone through Fat Tuesday Records, Hawaii since January 4, 2006.

One is the studio album titled "Everything" recorded Ocotber 6-7-8 ,featuring Marco Mendoza, Joey Heredia, Renato Nato (keyboards) and James Harrah (guitar) with Olivia Ruff.

Label: RUFFMIX MUSIC (2005003)
Producer: Michael Ruff
Executive Producer: Niels Estrup (OWIT MUISC EUROPE Ltd.)
Release Date: Jan. 3, 2006 (public release)
Tracks:
1. El Asador 2.Grace 3. Jazz Sermon 4. Everything
5. The Meaning Of Love 6. Show The World 7. Just A Moment Alone
8. Charity 9. Cold Rain 10. I Don't Know Love 11. Chili Pepper Chicken

The other one is a solo album titled "Love never fades". Michael Ruff sings simply only with his playing piano and hammond organ on this album with no guests. According to Michael's comment, the recording was done in between and after every other thing in October in Hawaii and the songs were written in his car with a keyboard and a notebook on the seat.

Label: RUFFMIX MUSIC (2005004)
Producer: Michael Ruff
Release Date: Jan. 3, 2006 (public release)
Tracks:
1. Love Never Fades 2. Poet's Son 3. On This Day
4. The Way A Woman Works 5. How Special You Are
6. In The Hands Of God 7. Celia Luna 8. The Time Is Right
9. God Bless The Child 10. Waltz 11. Stella By Starlight

Lionel's Dad "Pie" is now easy to buy.

Pleased to advise you that Lionel's Dad (Mark T. Williams) latest CD "Pie" is now available through DSB Records, Germany.

In spite of my notice the 6th solo CD "Pie" would be soon available through his official website in August on this ACMJ International blog, the website is still under reconstruction. Thus, I have not reviewed this CD on Adult Contemporary Music In Japan, my main website yet as of today. Now, I have been noticed through a post for Joseph Williams Mailing List that this CD has been easily available through the above-mentioned retailer.

Enjoy Mark T. Williams latest effort!

CODE (Sherwood Ball meets Grand Illusion Update)

In February 2005, you might remember the article on this ACMJ blog noticing that Sherwood Ball, best-known for his contribution to Jay Graydon's project "Airplay For The Planet" was hardly working to record new songs for the new band with Anders Rydholm (bass, keyboards, guitars) and Ola af Trampe (guitar) from Swedish rock band "Grand Illusion". Now, here is the updated status:-

The name of this brand new band is published. It is "CODE". Since December 2004 they have been busy writing songs and reportedly almost 40 songs were ready for an album and among those songs they have narrowed it down to 14 which they recorded both in Sweden and the United States with 2 guest backgrand vocalists, Per Svensson and Rob Meister. They are now adding the final touch for this album. At this moment, the album will probably be released early summer 2006, but the exact date is not finalized yet.

The final 14 tracks for this album is yet to be announced, but the following 6 songs that are likely to be on the album: "In The Shadows", "Sign Up For Love", "My Time", "Alive", "Sworn To Silence", "Lucky Town".

A brand new website for the band Code have just been released so that you could keep track of all the things that's happening with the band Code, please go to www.codeband.net.

Marco Taggiasco feat Andrea Sanchini / Live at Circeo DVD

Marco Taggiasco, Italian music producer / keyboard player will release DVD capturing the live performance with Andrea Snchini shot on July 17, 2005 in San Felice Circeo, Italy. The live was done for the promotion of his latest release "Thousand Things". The DVD also includes 4 new songs and a bonus track. The DVD will be available soon through Marco Taggiasco's official website. Please be advised that you should inform whether you would like to have PAL format DVD or NTSC format DVD, so that your DVD player can play properly.

The Band:
Andrea Sanchini: Vocals
Marco Taggiasco: Keyboards, All Arrangements
Riziero RB Bixio: Drums
Fabio Penna: Bass
Daniele Loreti: Acoustic Guitar
Gabriele Pistilli: Sax

Tracks:
1. If I Could Teach My Heart 2. Never Too Late (For Love)
3. Burning For You 4. Fool For Love 5. Night Breeze
7. Ain't That Enough 8. Thousand Things 9. Hangin' On Tomorrow
10. What A Heart Can Hold 11. Healing Rain

America & Friends (with Stephen Bishop & Andrew Gold) Live DVD

I just found that Evolution Ltd., the new generation "boutique" video label in Hong Kong, has released never-ignored DVD+CD "America & Friends (with Stephen Bishop & Andrew Gold) / Live at the Ventura Theatre" on November 25, 2005. (Please note that CD only version has just released too.)

You can enjoy the recorded live of America, Stephen Bishop and Andrew Gold at the Ventura Theatre, California on 23rd April 2005 in your living room. The DVD format is as follows:-

Products Details Catalog No. : EVOD002A
Region Code : All
Picture Format : NTSC
Audio : DTS 5.1 surround / 2.0 Dolby Digital
Artist(s) : America & Friends
Release Date : November 25, 2005

Tracks (DVD/CD)
1. Thank You For Being A Friend - Andrew Gold
2. The Final Frontier (Theme From Mad About You) - Andrew Gold
3. Bridge To Your Heart - Andrew Gold
4. Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold
5. On And On - Stephen Bishop
6. It Might Be You (Theme From Tootsie) - Stephen Bishop
7. Save It For A Rainy Day - Stephen Bishop
8. Separate Lives - Stephen Bishop
9. Ventura Highway - America
10. I Need You - America
11. Three Roses - America
12. Baby It's Up To You - America
13. Sister Golden Hair - America
14. A Horse With No Name - America

* 58 minutes of bonus features including behind the scenes footage and a interview with Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, Stephen Bishop and Andrew Gold on DVD.

Chicago / Chicago XXX release on Feb. 28, 2006

Everyone would have really very high expect to Chicago XXX (Chicago 30), the brand-new original studio recording album of the band Chicago. Now the album seems to be scheduled for a February 28, 2006 Rhino/WEA record release. This will be Chicago's first studio release of new and original pop/rock material since 1991's "Twenty 1" due to famous unreleased album "Stone Of Sisphus" recorded in 1993. The album was recorded in Nashville and in Los Angeles over the summer of 2005 produced by Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus..

They have already previewed 2 tracks from this forthcoming album; "Feel" and "Caroline" during their Autumn 2005 concert tour.

Walter Parazaider, a member of the band says "There's some heavy rock'n'roll on the thing, some R&B and a ballad, but we tried to stay away from that 'Hard Habit To Break' formula". It is not so long before we can get the long-awaited full studio recording original album of the Chicago!

Bruce Gaitsch / Sincerely

Bruce Gaitsch, one of the best Westcoast/AOR guitarists will soon release his new new solo CD featuring his new McPherson guitars on Autumn Records USA, which is home to Nashville musicians whose CD's feature music played on a McPherson Guitar, a revolutionary acoustic guitar designed by Matt McPherson. The album is called "Sincerely".

I will let you know more details also due information when and how you can get Bruce's forthcoming CD, upon hearing from Bruce. Stay tuned!

2nd Vertigo Project featuring Joseph Williams

Frotiers Records Italy will be very active also in 2006. In addition to forthcoming TOTO brand new studio album "Falling In Between", former TOTO singer Joseph Williams – also featured on vocals on the forthcoming TOTO single “Bottom of Your Soul” - is currently busy recording the vocals of the second VERTIGO album. The songs which will be included on the record include in no particular order: “Not Gonna Live Forever” (written by Joseph together with Joey Carbone), “Save It All Alone”, “All For You”, “Goodbye – So Long”, “Part of Me”, “In The Blink of An Eye”, “There’s A Reason”, “Picking Up The Pieces”, “Hold Me” This time the lineup includes drummer extraordinaire Virgil Donati (SOUL SIRKUS, RING OF FIRE) and guitar virtuoso Alex Masi, with Fabrizio Grossi handling again bass and production duties.

The album is scheduled for release in mid 2006. Keep your eyes open to the updates!

Peter Cetera Live Schedule

Peter Cetera do more of his orchestra with an unplugged band gigs in 2006. Bruce Gaitsch will join the band again. Peter will peroform in Connecticut in January, and Illinois in February as below:-

January 21, 2006 Saturday at 9:00 pm
Foxwoods Casino, Mashantucket Connecticut

February 4, 2006 Saturday at 8:00 pm
Rosemont Theatre Des Plaines Illinois

And reportedly, Peter will perform live also in Orlando in February and furthermore in Sweden in March! We hope Peter will do more gigs this year everywhere in the world including Asia and Europe.