Sunday Music Muse Day - Grant Green, Tal Farlow

This very cold Sunday Music Muse Day is a celebration classic jazz guitar, Both of my selections are from players who I heard of, or maybe read about in Guitar Player magazine long before discovering their music for myself. That may have to do with the fact their recordings career where at in the 50s. and 60s.  In anycase, first up is Grant Green Born to be Blue a session of jazz standards recorded for Blue Note  in 1961 at the famous Van Gelder Studio, in Englewood, New Jersey. My biggest kick out of listening to this CD was finally being able put a name to the opening notes of tune, "Born to Be Blue", which is used for promo for Jazz90.1 a lot.  There is a plenty of bluey jazz guitar to like in Grant Green playing.

Next is Tal Farlow's Finest Hour.  Again, his name appeared in many Guitar Player Magazine features about influencial jazz guitar legends.  Since my interest at the time (mid-1970s) was jazz fusion, his music wasn't one I sought out.  It's never too late to learn about and enjoy a guitar legend like Tal Falow, and I'm doing my best to catch up.

As the east coast is getting slam by a heavy snow storm, we feel lucky to escape with only single digit temperatures.  To everyone, stay warm, stay safe. 

Code M.D. Rough sketch

Trying to get the fingers moving again. Here's rough sketch of one of my Dime-A-Dozen Project character. A sci-fi detective, A. Blackmon (aka Lance St. Claire, aka Lwason St. Clair) of the M.O.J.O squad, aka Code:M.D: Metro Detective. Yeah...it confusing. In anycase I have to decide what's next, inkpen, or digital.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Dave Liebman Big Band, Chet Baker Quartet

Another snow covered Sunday Music Muse Day, to enjoy a warm drink, and good jazz music.  First up, Dave Liebman Big Band A Tribute to Wayne Shorter, an excellent CD by the well known and multi-talented saxophonist.  It's a big band he formed in 2000, with this session recorded in 2014, highlighting the compositions of the legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter, many made well known as a leader, and as a member of the classic Miles Davis groups, and co-founder of Weather Report, the pioneering jazz fusion group. The 10 minute version of "Speck No Evil" with the soloist Vic Juris on guitar is standout for me on the session. I have several Liebman CDs but this may turn out to be my favorite.

Next up is Chet Baker Quartet Jazz at Ann Arbor a collection of live recordings of Baker earliest outings as leader. I admit coming to enjoy Chet Baker very late in my jazz listening, mainly in the past ten years.  But's it's never to late enjoy the his classic sound, and vocals.

So, stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy whatever brings you pleasure.  

Digital Art Noodling

 Still haven't serviously dived in the digital art, but here are some mindless doodliings in Procreate on my iPad.

Hopefully, more to come soon.

Sunday Music Muse Day - John Abercrombie , Miroslav Vitous.

This Sunday's Music Muse Day finds us waiting for a possible snow storm tomorrow after several days of single digit temperatures.  Also the TV is filled with NFL playoff games.  I've cut back on watching football games since my son finished playing college football. So, I'll just spent some time with these ECM releases. First up, John Abercrombie November, a tasty outing with Marc Johnson on Base, Peter Erskine on drums, and John Surman on saxophones. This is full of quiet intensity that's trademark of John Abercrombie playing and ECM releases.

Next up is Miroslav Vitous Group, artist and title. There are two common conections,  John Surman plays on this session, also, and bassist Miroslav Vitous and drummer Peter Ershine were members of the Weather Report, the pioneering Jazz Fusion group. Vitous was actually a founding member who left when he thought the band was moving away from its more avant garde jazz roots. His replacement was Jaco Pastorius. This is one of his solo efforts, showing he still had lots to offer in his own right.

Although there is a possiblity of 6 to 10 inches of snow, I'm not too concerned since I have tomorrow off for MLK Day.  More time reflect on King's legacy, and enjoy more music.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Larry Coryell, Matthew Stevens

This Sunday Music Muse day find us enjoying  chilly winter day, where a light snowfall has melted away in the past 24 hours, but it's still our usual overcast day.  Just the thing for some afternoon tunes. First up, Larry Coryel Tricyles. A single line on the cover of this 2021 release states, "Deluxe Edition: The Compete Session ReMixed & Re-Mastered from the Original Recordings" of a trio session recorded in 2002 in Germany, and remixed in 2021. 

My next selection is Matthew Stevens Pittsburgh.  This is a solo session by the young guitarist who recently was touring with Esperanza Spalding before the pandemic lockout.  This session was recorded during the Covid lockdown.  It's an interesting set, but clocking in at about 32 minutes it's very short by modern CD standards.  Here's hoping for longer CD in the future.

Now, to setlle in with a warm afternoon drink, and more music.  Enjoy the rest of your day.

Postscript: Carbon & Silicon, Shangri-La By Mathieu Bablet

I finished reading the Silicon & Carbon. and Shangri-La, the graphic novels by Mathieu Bablet.   They are immersive and thought provoking.  I'd glad I took a leap of faith and supported the Kickstarter project the published them. 

I really hadn't known of Mathiew Bablet work. and at first impression his character design has a European style I associate with art I saw in Heavy Metal Magazine in the 70s and 80s. The facial design was so what crude, but a came to like it. What was really impressive is this mechanical and architectual drawings of the world he built for his story. If you like the Matrix films, Carbon & Silicon, especially is worth reading.

I highly recommend them both.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Kamasi Washington, Jim Hall

Happy New Year to everyone, again.  It's shaping up to be a importent and maybe politically turbulent year, for the country, so lets start off with some good music.  First up is Kamasi Washington The Epic his three disc debut released in 2015 to wide critical acclaim.  There is plenty to explore in the set and this time he didn't hide the third CD like he did with his second three CD release. This is a selection well worth a deep dive in listening.

My second selection maybe a little more easily accessible, Jim Hall Youkali is interesting session that feature the playing of late trumpet legend Chet Baker, on tracks produced and recorded by Rudy Van Gelder with Jim Hall and a rhythm section.  This might feel a little overproduced for my taste sometimes, but still worh a listen.

All in all a good musicial start to the year.  I hope you find time to more music this coming year. Enjoy.

Robot Sunday - Jan.2, 2022 - Carbon & Silicon, Shangri-La Graphic Novel Kickstater Package.

Happy New Year, and lets start of with a Robot Sunday post.  This is my answer to the question, "what did you do during last year's pandemic?"  It seems I donated to several Kickstarter projects I sort of lost track of, and this is one of them.  The Carbon & Silcon, Shangri-La graphic novels, by artist Mathieu Bablet,  hardbound books in a slipcase, and additional goodies including two mini-posters, a flip-book (two-way) production sketchbook, art stickers, a metal robot head pin, two-sided  engraved metal coin, and signed book place.

I remember seeing this Kickstarter project and being interested in the Heavy Metal  Magazine tye art and content.  I actually forgot we package I finally settled on.  It's really is impressive. The quality printed books arre over 200+ page each with gold edged pages.

I'm going to have a good time digesting graphic novel package. Plus, there are still a couple of Kickstarter projects heading my way this year, two complicated sci-fi/fantasy board games, another Steve Rude oversized book, a comic themed card game, a guitar instruction book featuring Bob Sneider, and an indie documentary video on guitarist John Scofield. Hey, just doing my part ti boost the economy, right?