Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Frisell. The Nels Cline Singers

This fine Sunday Music Muse Day, finds us out of Thanksgiving leftovers. (We finished the last piece of pecan pie last night while watching a movie on Netflix)  So, today started with a normal weekly grocery shopping trip, before settling in for some afternoon jazz. Unfortunately, this will be brief, since both selections are less the enjoyable.  First is Bill Frisell Silent Comedy.  Believe me, if you buy, and  listen to it, you'll find the joke's on you.  I'm a big Frisell fan, and even got my 80+ year old mother-in-law into his music. But Silent Comedy sound like Frisell just doodling around with a new guitar effects rack without reading the instruction.  There is no real structure, or direction to the music. Only a hard core Bill Frisell completest, should go anywhere near this.  You've been warned.

I had to give my next selection a little bit of a break, The Nels Cline Singers Instrumentals.  I knew his music would be experimental and out there.  I'm not really familiar with vocal versions.  There is a musical concept here, free-form rock/jazz (?), but not one I lean toward.  So, this gets another pass for me, although there are some interest sections.

I'll give myself points for stepping out of my comfort zone in giving these both a full listen.  You win some, you lose some.

Mountain Maiden group promo/intro video.

Even with my best intentions, I had spelled some names wrong in my Friend's Anniversary video to Marie Mularczyk O'Connell, and Mountain Maidens, Candice Baranello and Lorraine Berger. So here's a correction and revision that can used as a group promo or intro video.

When I first saw this guitar wooden jigsaw puzzle, by, CRAFTHUB PUZZLES, I knew I had to do something with it for Mountain Maidens. 

 I hope the Mountain Maidens make good use of the video. These ladies are truly inspiring. 

Sunday Music Muse Day - Mark Isham, Miroslav Vitous Group with Michel Portal

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds us featuring CDs with the common theme of "remembering" other musicians and groups. First up is Mark Isham Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project.  Mark Isham, plays trumpet and keyboards in a wide range of genres including jazz, electronica, and he composes soundtracks for TV and film.  He played on several of my favorite albums, David Torn's Clouds about Mercury, and Andy Summer's Charming Snakes.  (He also allowed Lisa to use one of his tunes from his first album, Vapor Drawing, for an animation short she animated and produced) Miles Remembered is his tribute to the music that inspired him at the start of his career. I think he does a good job with this to capture the essence of Miles music without directly copying it. This is definitely worth a listen.

My second selection is Miroslav Vitous Group with Michel Portal Remembering Weather Reporter.  Vitous was one of the founding members of Weather Report, the legendary Jazz Fusion group, with Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter.  He left the group when their music shifted from its "free jazz" roots to a more commercial sound that brought the band great success.  So, I'm assuming this CD is Vitous' version of what (his) Weather Report music should sound like. I'm sorry to say I found it disappointing.  It does present a "Free Jazz" feel, but if this was the direction WR had stayed on, I doubt I would have been a fan for long.  Being an ECM release, it was worth giving it a listen.  I have, and enjoy other Mirolav Vitous recordings. But this, as a take on Weather Report's music, just falls flat for me.

Next week is Thanksgiving. Here's wishing everyone a wonderful, peaceful holiday with family, and friends.  Be sure to enjoy and share some music with favorite holiday dishes.

Robot Sunday - 3D sketch

For Robot Sunday, I inked a old robot sketch on this 3D Drawing Pad paper, using 3D glasses the see the effect. Well, it works slight with the naked eye, but I'm not sure if you'll see it on the screen.

Thundercats Tuesday - TC #102 - TC 106

I was the staff artist who designed the secondary characters, props, and backgrounds for last season of the original show's episodes #96 to #130. But really the Pacific Animation Company (PAC), the Japanese animation studio, was such a well-oiled machine, I only had to give them rough designs and they did their magic. I thought I might start sharing my designs on what I'll call "ThunderCats Tuesdays". Here's a batch for Show #102 - #106. The first image is the title page of the script, which was marked up to tell me which elements needed to be designed. Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Grant Geissman, Den Magraw & Eric Kamau Gravatt

This Sunday Music Muse Day find us planning for Thanksgiving in a week and a half. To me the sight of Xmas Trees is too soon for my taste, but in the retail world all the end holidays blend into media blur.  For this week's musical selection I'll start with guitarist Grant Geissman Bop! Bang! Boom!.  This CD is as enjoyable as the title and cover art.  Geissman came to fame through his playing with Chuck Mangione in the 1970's and wrote the theme for the Two and a Half Men TV show.  This 2012 CD is his 14th of 15 record releases.  According to Wikipedia, "In 2006, he released his thirteenth album as a leader, Say That!, on his own label, Futurism Records.^[  A throwback to the jazz that first influenced him, he has described the sound of this album as "Wes Montgomery meets Horace Silver meets Jimmy Smith."  I found that's a fair assessment.  This ai enjoyable CD to listen to and very entertaining, but there flashy moment grabs me, but I do recommend giving it a listen.  I will say Grant Geissman really goes all out on the cover art and insert art , and packaging graphics.  That alone grab my eye. 

My second selection, Dean Magraw & Eric Kamau Gravatt  Fire on the Nile, was a shot in the dark, as I had never heard of these musicians, and a duo of just drum and guitar is out of the ordinary.  I'm glad to say, I like this 2014 CD release. The music is a little hard to lock down, but my favorite track, "Sharrock", give a nod to the late progressive jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock.  I could hear echoes of his music in the tune.  Again, another CD worth a listen.

Again, this time chaos and worry, I hope you take care of yourself and find time to enjoy some good music to calm your soul.  Enjoy.

Accordion fold Book Art.

An artist posted to Inktober 2023 about an idea doe accordion book of sketches. I liked the post, and idea since I just found this old accordion book of mine from my SVA days. I’m think of doing a updated version.

Sunday Music Muse Day - John Scofield, Ralph Tower with Wolfgang Muthspiel and Slava Grigoryan

This post-Halloween Sunday Music Muse Day finds me enjoying two of my favorite guitarists who both record for ECM Records.  First, a new release by John Scofield Uncle John's Band.  Obviously, the title is a play on his name and a nod to the Jerry Garcia tune on the CD.  The late Jerry Garcia was a guitarist and leader of the Grateful Dead, the legendary Rock band. Being about the same age, I get his musical references when he includes versions of a Bob Dylan (Mr. Tambourine Man), Neil Young (Old Man) and Jerry Garcia tune (Uncle John's Band). Those were definitely songs of my youth, too. I'm liking this 2 CD trio session much more than the disappointing  solo CD released last year. I think has returned to his musical comfort zone.

Next, is a 2013 ECM by Ralph Towner, Wolfgang Muthspiel, and Slava Grigoryan  Travel Guide.  This is a guitar trio session of quiet, gentle, music. Perfect for those introspect moments, or listening while curled up with a good book.  I'm a long time fan of Ralph Towner, but fairly new to Muthspiel, only seeing he mentioned on posts in a ECM FB group.  Grigoryan is totally new to me. But, now I'll keep an eye out for their other works as sideman, or leaders.  That's how I've always discovered new music.

In these chaotic times, please take time to take care of yourself, may music be a part of that.  

Inktober 2023 - #25 - #31

Here's my last week of drawing for Inktober 2023. I'm trying to get back on a consistent posting schedule.

HumpDay: Odds and Ends - Discount Store browsing or "retail dumpster diving".

Here's some item I came across while browsing my local discount stores, like Ollie's Discount and 5 Below., which usually happen on Wednesdays "Hump Day". Most of the stuff I didn't buy. Starting with this Star Wars advent calendar. 

I did buy this Star Wars trade paperback after I saw the single issue $6 multi-comic bag. $2 for the TPB seems too good to pass up.

I missed on these bags of comics seen at a Wegmans grocery store.

Here's a cheap Transformer knock-off, seen at the 5Below Store but the package art is pretty good.

Another questionable advent calender.

I've seen and heard of the book but can't remember when, but I like the cover

I might go for this Game of Throne pop-up map when it goes on a further discount after the holidays.

I like browsing discount store. I think of it as "retail dumpster diving".  It's amazing how much stuff is just overproduced in the retail market, but sometimes you can find a cheap gem worth having.