Sunday Music Muse Day - Jack DeJohnette, Nils Petter Molvaer

This fine spring Sunday Music Muse Day find us having another light snow day. Yeah, that's spring up in upstate New York.   We try to enjoy it the best we can. For me, I'll just play some good tunes from ECM Records, a favorite label of mine. First up, Jack Dejohnette ONENESS.  I love Dejohnette's drumming, and as a leader he presents some interest groups.  I find this to be one of more subdued outings  but still very satisfying.

My second choice, Nils Petter Molvaer Solid Ether is nice compliment to the DeJohnette CD, but this 1998 releases presents a mix of jazz and electronica.  A online review states trumpeter Molvaer credits Miles Davis as a major influence.  I can definitely hear echoes of Bitches Brew that in the session.  I admit I picked this up totally blind, not knowing anything about his music, only on the strength of the ECM label. I'll be looking for more of Molvaer's CDs.

It's late afternoon, and the sun is shining and snow's melting.  Lets count our small blessings.  Enjoy.

Robot Sunday - Orpheus completed.

For Robot Sunday, Orpheus the wooden robot model has been completed.  There a special feature, a music box.  

It's hard to see but there is light inside the body.

The one bad piece was the center gear wasn't small enough to engage the other gears under fly gear.

On to the next the project.

Sunday Music Muse Day - John McLaughlin, Stephane Grappelli with Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine

This Sunday Music Muse day has me visiting several favorite guitarists and a true legend of jazz violin with a French connection.  First up, John McLaughlin The Heart of Things - Live in Paris.  This is live date featuring the material and almost the same personal of the studio CD of the same name.  I have to admit it's not the most memorable of McLaughlin's recordings, but still worth a listen.

My second selection is Stephane Grappelli Young Django, a CD in tribute to Django Reinhardt, the legendary gypsy jazz guitarist that with Stephane Grappelli performed in the Quintette du Hot Club de France in the 1920s and 30s as the most influential band in history of  European jazz. Django's playing definitely inspired the two guitarists here, Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine, who "chose the tunes for this record...some of Django's and Stephane's most beautiful compositions." I remember seeing a vinyl record of this in a import section back in the 70's but it was too expensive for my poor starving artist budget at the time. It's nice to finally own.

Enjoy.

Robot Sunday - Orpheus build

For Robot Sunday, I finally started to build this wooden robot model I got two Christmas ago. It's like starting a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. Now I remember why I put off starting it. I'll see how long it take to finish. Day1: Two arm and leg assembled.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Frisell , Paul Motian Trio with Bill Frisell

This Sunday Music muse Day finds us enduring the flip-flop nature of Upstate New York weather.  Last week we have 73º, and this week more snow.  The cold keeps me inside to enjoy more music. This week is a double dose of Bill Frisell showing his eclectic range as a leader, and sideman.  First up, Bill Frisell Have a Little Faith, this 1992 release shows why I, and others,  think of his music as "Jazz Americana".  This CD's tunes selection shows that perfectly with works of Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, John Philip Sousa, Stephen Foster, plus Bob Dylan, and McKinley Morganfield (aka bluesman Muddy Waters). He even throws in a Madonna tune "Live to Tell" into the mix.

My second selection is Paul Motian Trio Trioism, with Bill Frisell joining  Motian on drums, Joe Lovano and Dewey Redman saxophones.  The music here is much more avant garde, not really casual listening, but if you in the mood for more jazz edge, give it a try.

Besides the snow, we have to adjust to Daylight Saving Time starting today. We enjoy the longer daylight, but pay for it trying to get up for work tomorrow morning.

Phantom Style Guide -1992 King Freatures

I'm ramping up to some spring cleaning and starting to organize old art files, again.  Here's a work in progress at gathering some art rough sketches I did for King Features for their Phantom character of comic strip and comic book fame.  I have several copies of the finished style guide, and I wonder if there's any interest by Phantom collector in my original roughs as they are official items, not fan art. We'll see.

Sunday Music Muse Day - David Grisman Quartet, Oregon with Ralph Towner

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds that winter has took a holiday, it's still the first week in March and it's 74º, sunny, but with extremely high winds.  Lisa and I started to take walk and changed our mind because so much stuff was being blown around.  So, instead I listen to these two selections, both outside of my jazz comfort zone.  First up, David Grisman Quartet Dawgwood. I have other CDs by mandolinist  Grisman and his drummerless acoutic groups.  His music is hard to catagorize, I think of it as Americana blend of folk, swing, and jazz.  Grisman just calls it "Dawg Music". Just dawg on good foot tapping music.  Worth a listen.

My second selection is Oregon 45th Parallell, with Ralph Towner on 12 string and classical quitars, piano nand syntheszers,  Trilok Gurtu on percussion, Glen Moore on bass, and Paul McCandless on saxopne and windwoods.  Oregon is another group that is not easy to catagorize.  As a instrumental group the music you could think of them as playing world folk-fusion.  Three of the members, Towner, Moore and McCandless have their roots from the Paul Winter Consort of the 70's, and all have established solid solo careers, which is testiment to musicanship. Oregon over the years his had several changing line ups, but the music remains fresh and enjoyable.

Hopefully the wind will die down and we can enjoy a litte of the warmth of the day, before forecast of snow, again, in day or two. Enjoy