Sunday Music Muse Day Howard Alden, George Van Eps, Hittin' on All Six

This Sunday Music Muse Day has all of us asking ..."What day is it?" The social distancing directive to stay home, because of the Coronavirus outbreak,  has the days blending into each other.  I tend to listen to music more than binge watch TV, so here my first pick, Howard Alden and George Van Eps Seven and Seven, jazz guitar duo session.  The title refers to the use of seven string guitars (extra bass string) by both players. This was recorded in 1992 around the time of Van Eps' 80th birthday (he passed away in 1998 at 85 yrs old) and was a follow up an early 1991 release,  13 String, where Alden play a 6-string guitar and Van Eps his 7-string. George Van Eps is credited with inventing 7-string guitar back in the 1930. He inspired jazz guitarists like John, and Bucky Pizzarelli, and Howard Alden  to pick up the 7-string.  The tradition continues with young players Charlie Hunter.  This CD is nice collection of jazz standards.  Well worth giving a listen.

Listen to George Van Eps reminded me of a collection he's that I featured before, Hittin' on All Six - A History of the Jazz Guitar, covering the early pioneers from the 1920 to 1950.  These are all great players recording before I was born. Hearing them gives a deeper appreciation of jazz guitarist like Bob Sneider who carry on the jazz guitar tradition.

The social distancing gives us all a chance to step back and maybe take stock of our hectic modern life and maybe re-order a priorities.  Lets hope we all come out the other side of this in a better place, socially, spiritually, and culturally.  Find some good music to accompany your journey.  Stay safe, stay clam, stay healthy.