Groovin Hard

Check out our friend Chad Rager from this youtube video. The song is "Groovin' Hard". Chad Rager is a Strokeland Records artist. Check out his CD at http://www.strokeland.com.

This Weeks Featured CD

This week we are featuring Carmen Grillo's CD "Both Sides Of The Coin", released in 1998. We have two songs from this CD in our current rotation "Dr. In The House" and "Cookie".

About Carmen:

Born in Buffalo, New York, and raised in Santa Cruz, California, guitarist Carmen Grillo started his musical journey by playing saxophone and drums at the early age of 5. When his father took a young Carmen to a Ventures concert, he decided then and there he wanted to be a guitar player. Carmen credits The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, George Benson, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin among his early influences.

In his teenage years, Carmen fronted several local Santa Cruz bands, including Feel Machine and White Eyes, and regularly played all the local venues. In pursuit of more creative endeavors, Carmen left Santa Cruz in the late 1970s and moved to Los Angeles. He soon became an in-demand session guitarist and vocalist. His credits in the studio include Bill Champlin (Chicago, Sons of Champlin), Rita Coolidge, Donna Summer, Tom Scott and Tim Weisberg to name a few.

From 1980 through 1986, Carmen toured the world and recorded with Rita Coolidge (Higher and Higher, We’re All Alone), whom he credits with inspiring him to perform at a consistent and professional level night after night, regardless of conditions. Also, during that same time period, Carmen toured with Bill Champlin promoting his solo albums, Bill Champlin Single and Runaway. In 1985, Carmen co-wrote One More Day with James Pankow of Chicago, which appeared on the platinum selling album Chicago XVIII.

Carmen then joined the legendary horn-based soul band Tower of Power in 1988, where he became a driving force within the group. His writing, singing and guitar playing made him easily recognized by music fans around the world. He performed and recorded with TOP for the better part of a decade before leaving in 1997 to pursue other musical interests.

Those interests included opening the doors to his recording studio, Big Surprise Music, where he is a music producer and the chief engineer. One of his first recording projects was his solo debut, Both Sides of the Coin, which showcased all of his talents, from the sensitivity of his lyrics to the fire in his guitar playing. His many recording projects include producing long-time Tower of Power bass player Rocco Prestia’s solo debut, Everybody on the Bus, in 1999, which reunited the original Tower of Power rhythm section. Carmen also recorded TOP’s original trumpeter and horn arranger Greg Adams’ most recent CDs Firefly and Cool to the Touch.

Carmen is currently a member of the Bay Area band the Sons of Champlin, who were an early influence in the San Francisco music scene of the 1960s and 70s. The Sons continue to have a strong and loyal following to this day, and maintain a high level of musicality.

Among his most rewarding experiences now are mentoring others and sharing his vast knowledge, experience, humor and wisdom with future generations of aspiring guitar players and recording engineers, as well as being the Musical Director of Arise Christian Center in Westchester, California. In addition, Carmen is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), which presents the recording industry’s most prestigious award, the GRAMMY.

Carmen lives in Encino, California, with his wife, Denise, and their dog, Rocco.

Check Carmen out at :www.carmengrillo.com

Hey What's this....

Hey we got a mention on the Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns blog. In case your in Vegas, catch "Santa Fe" Monday nights at the Palms. Baddest band in town. Plus, you never know who's gonna show and gig with these guys. Bobby G. also runs a pretty bad ass blog over there, so check it out as well. Thanks Bobby for the press.

Here is the link: http://santafeandthefatcityhorns.blogspot.com/2008/02/feb-25th-gig-at-palms.html#links

Updated-Station Rotation

Our Current Rotation is as follows (not in rotation order):

•Afroskull -Space Chicken
•Anthony Setola-Oakland And Back
•Back To Basic-Key To Your Heart
•Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows-300 Pounds Of Heavenly Joy
•Bill Bergman & The Metro Jets-The Metro 3:30 A.M.
•Bill Champlin Live-Headed For The Top
•Blast-Do it 'till dawn
•BlowZone-Sucker Punch
•Bobby Purify-What's Old To You
•Brandon Fields-Studio Cafe Blues
•Carmen Grillo-Cookie
•Carmen Grillo-Dr. In The House
•Cold Blood-Funky On My Back
•Dave Dunlop-Mansata
•Dave Weckl Band-Tower Of Inspiration
•David Clayton Thomas-Mornin' Blues
•Derek Harris-Dance
•Doctor Funk-Step Up To The Plate
•Doug And The Slugs-It's Got To Be Monday
•Five Alarm Funk-Don Mega
•Frank Biner-Born On Broadway
•Fred Ross-Love, Love, Love
•Freeport-Keep it Up All Alone the Line
•Groove Hogs-Shoulda Read The Rules
•Heavy Metal Horns-Horns In The House
•Izit-Izit Everywhere Part 2
•Jack Hammer-Swim
•Liquid Soul-This And That
•Little Mike & The Sweet Soul Music Band-Free Ride
•Lon Bronson-This Story Must Be Told
•Louise Hoffsten-Shut Up And Kiss Me
•Manu Dibango-Soul Makossa
•Mark Dolin-Belly Up
•Max Carl Gronenthal-Show Me The Money
•Men From U.N.C.L.E.-Knock On Wood/Studio
•Michael Grimm-I've Been Loving You
•Nils Landgren-Give it up
•Patrick Allen-You Lit A Fire In Me
•Sage-King of the Avenues
•Santa Fe-Livin' For The City
•Santa Fe-You Don't Know Me
•Scott Martin-Menudo And Gritz
•St. Paul-Rich Man
•Steve Hilliam-Take Ur Pick
•Strokeland Superband-Bumped Up To First Class
•Ten Wheel Drive-Tightrope
•The Chops Band-Still NYC
•The Fabulous Counts-Dirty Red
•The Lincolns-Don't Fight It
•The Majestics-Medley-Philly Dog, Night Train, Shotgun
•The Maxwell Project-Radiation Funk/Meltdown
•The Mike Reilly Band-Whos Been Sleeping In My Bed
•The Rascals-Jungle Walk
•THE SUN MESSENGERS-Late Night Cruise
•THE SUPERGROOVERS-Super Groover
•The Tubes-Tip Of My Tongue
•Tom Saviano-Modern Life
•Tommy Castro-High On The Hog
•Tony Adamo-Mercy, Mercy, Mercy

An Evening With Fred Ross

This past Saturday night, while visiting the SF Bay Area, I had the opportunity to catch the one and only "Cornerstone of Soul" Mr. Fred Ross. Fred heads up "The Fred Ross Project" and is a featured artist at Harry Denton's Starlight Room at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco. The band plays a mix of Jazz, Standards, Soul, R&B, and just about every style immagined. The atmosphere at the Starlight Room is both elegant and casual. Great views of "The City" as well. The room has a large dance floor, with the band situated on the outer area, so your right there with them, as if you were in the band yourself. These guys hit it on all cylanders, from Fred's excellent vocals (Fred could sing the Phone book and nail it) to the outstanding musicianship of the rest of the cats in the band. If your in San Francisco you must check out the "Fred Ross Project". The Fred Ross Project can be found on the Internet at www.myspace.com/fredrossvocalist or www.fredross.com. Fred is also the musical director of the FamilyStoneXperience so check them out as they travel Nationally.

Raoul-SoulRadioOnline

News From Mark Dolin

Friends and countrymen (and countrywomen), Lend me your ear..... Wonderful things are happening for yours truly over the past few days. Since being nominated for the Phoenix Music Awards, I have been getting some nice recognition for my song "Don't Ever Stop Now", which is now on their site. Without going into detail, this could very well get me places in the LA Music scene, including the L A Music Awards.If you are so moved, please go to their site http://www.myspace.com/phoenixmusicawards and listen to my song (songs begin playing when you log on, it's sometimes necessary to scroll down one step on the player to get to my song, #6). They are taking a tally of "hits" on the songs and judging popularity by this measure. It would help me so much if you could do this. Thank you......mark