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.
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