Cain Jose Caramago

This is a wonderful, big-voiced, contemporary West Coast bluesman and superb guitar player. There are several horns in the band, giving it a great, huge sound. Even better things will be coming.

This record doesn't get enough credit. The tunes are great and the playing is tight. Cain's guitar playing is top-notch and will have you shaking your head over and over again. Lizz Fischer's keyboard's are smooth as are the drums and bass. This is a lesser known band and this record is a little hard to come by, but well worth the effort!
The eclectic creativity of Cain’s music owes something to his mixed background. Part Greek, part African-American, he was imbued with a love of the blues by his father who grew up on Beale St. in Memphis. Thus inspired, Cain took up the guitar at the age of eight. Studying at San Jose City College, he developed his precocious talent absorbing different techniques and influences as a multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, bass guitar, clarinet, alto and tenor saxophones…

With Lovesick, Jackie Cain and Roy Kral produced an album that had every bit as much optimism and flower-powered innocence as did any album coming out of San Francisco in the summer of love. But this is decidedly not folk-rock or rock music – it's vocal jazz of the highest degree. It is high-spirited, sexy, life-affirming, sometimes silly, but always wonderful. Jackie Cain proves what a fine singer she is, and Roy Kral shows what a fine pianist he is. Their vocal harmonies are every bit as irresistible as those of Simon & Garfunkel, with the added ingredients of swing and scat thrown in. The duo and their rhythm section truly sound like they are having "A Big Beautiful Ball".

Born in Shanghai in 1955, Xiaogang Ye is regarded as one of China’s leading contemporary composers. He has written music in a variety of genres, including symphonic and chamber works as well as scores for the stage. Ye has also composed music for films and the two works recorded here are both examples of this. Sichuan Image consists of 29 brief and atmospheric pieces composed to accompany a filmed travelogue of the scenic province in Western China. In preparation for the work, the composer visited mountains, river, villages and ancient historical sites in Sichuan. Lending further colour to the large symphony orchestra, four Chinese musicians perform on traditional instruments.