Sunday Music Muse Day - Jan Garbarek Group, Chet Baker

This Sunday Music Muse Day find us suffering warm weather, in the 90º s, but not as hot as my west coast friend with 100º + heat.  It's a perfect day to crank up the AC, grab a summer drink and listen to some cool jazz.  So, first up is Chet Baker CAREER 1952-1988. Trumpeter Chet Baker is the poster child of cool jazz of the 1950s and 60s. This 2 disc anthology of his career broken in two aspects, his trumpet playing and his singing. The CD set come with 66 page documenting Baker creative and often tragic career due to his battle with drug addition.  But the genius of the music always comes through.

By second choice is Jan Garbarek Group Photo With...("...Blue Sky. White Cloud, Wires, Windows, and a Red Roof ". is the full title, but some one have to good sense to shorten it on the cover.). A reviewer notes, "Each piece breaks a piece from the longer title and rolls it out into a photo in its own right."  Saxophonist Garbarek is a stable of ECM Records, as are the other musicians on the session, either as leaders, or sidemen. Guitarist Bill Conners was one of the main reasons I picked this up as it follows his departure from Chick Corea's Return to Forever in the late 70s to pursue a solo career and more acoustic guitar playing.  This 1978 recording sound fresh and timeless as you would expect from an  ECM recording.

So, stay cool, and enjoy the day.

Sunday MusIc Muse Day - Remembering Chick Corea (June 12, 1941 - February 9, 2021)

This Sunday Music Muse Day find us still absorbing the lost of jazz great Chick Corea. Chick's music was central in my growing interest in jazz in my early 20s.  First, as a sideman with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew, considered the birth of jazz fusion.  Then Chick's early  Return to Forever group, then the RTF electric band.  My most personal memory of Return to Forever was when I heard the original group, with Bill Conners on electric guitar, before being replaced by Al DiMeolo, playing a free summer concert in Central Park, NYC, near the Metropolitan Museum.  At the time I didn't catch their name. It was only months later when their record was released that recognize them as the band playing in the park.  From then on I was a fan of Chick and his music.  One other story, I answered a radio call in ticket giveaway question, "what was Chick Corea most famous tune?", the answer of course is "Spain". The prize was tickets to see Jaco Pastorius Word of Mouth Big Band.  (I think I take my friend Karen Donelson to it)  I just pulled most of the stuff under his name I have, but there are countless others from his long and distinguished career. 

Chick will truly be missed, but never forgotten. RIP and thanks for the music.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Conners, Marc Johnson, Warped Sky Stray Clouds - Jazz October Birthdays

 This Sunday Music Muse Day selections were inspired by group comments on a  ECM Facebook group.  Group members highlight their favorite ECM release, news, or comments about a musician connected to the famous German record company.  I'm slightly amazed at the number of ECM artists I never heard of, and more so, of the releases of material of artist I've known.  My first selection, Bill Conners Return, came from the mention of Bill Conner's birthday September 24th.  (I featured him in my Jazzy Birthday video). Bill Conners recorded several solo albums, and various sideman sessions, with ECM, after leaving Chick Corea's Return to Forever.  After returning to more electric jazz fusion with his power trio, he seem to stop recording after 1987.  I hadn't come across Return in my recording shopping trips, so I bought it online. The CD "Return" was his return to recording back in 2005, and his last release, so far.  He seem to have preferred teaching than recording.  Return is a nice collection of post-bop jazz rather than fusion, which might disappoint some fans, but I like it.  He does give a nod to his power trio records by including the tune, It Be FM, which I remember from his Assembler CD, released in 1987. 

My next selection, also come from comments on the ECM group page.  Marc Johnson Shades of Jade.  I have several of this excellent bassist's albums and CDs starting with Bass Desires back in 1986, with guitarists Bill Frisell and John Scofield, but also his many sideman appearances with other favorite musicians like Peter Erskine and the late John Abercrombie. Again, the ECM group highlighted releases I never come across, so I'm going to start buying them online, instead of waiting to come across them in random shopping trips. I like Marc Johnson playing and here he share writing credit with his partner, piano and singer Eliane Elias, a well known musician and artist in her own right. It's solid, enjoyable session. I know I'll be returning to many times.

Continuing with my Warped Sky - Stray Clouds posts of unheard, and buried personal music.  I have decided to use my last entry "Jazzy Birthday" as a monthly theme to celebrate the birthdays of jazz musicians.  There is no way I can include ever musician with a birthday in any month, so I've limited it to mainly ones I have in my music collection, so I can post a selection with person presented. At the risk of embarrassing them, this month features some local jazz musicians and friends connection to them, starting with friend Mike Melito, Nancy Kelly (with Bob Sneider), and Clay Jenkins (with Trio East and Rich Thompson).  

Happy October "Jazzy Birthday" birthday to all.

 

Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Conners

This Sunday music Muse Day I had a single pick, Bill Conners Of Mist and Melting.  This is one of ECM re-issue of classic albums from their deep catalog.  This Bill Conners was the original electric guitar in Chick Corea's Return to Forever, the legendary Jazz-Fusion group.  Bill Conner left after the first album to pursue a solo career.  Of Mist and Melting is one in series of albums for ECM where he plays acoustic guitar.  I already had this on vinyl from it's original release in 1978, but couldn't resist getting it for the convenience of the CD format. 

I actually have cassette tape of an unreleased solo concert of Bill Conners, playing classical guitar  at the Tralfamadore Cafe in Buffalo, NY.  (early 1980s ?) from Public Radio program.

I'm always tempted to upload this to youtube for Bill Conners and ECM fans, I'm torn on the issue of bootleg material that doesn't benefit the artist. Having a lot of professional musician friends, as an artist myself control of your is important.  I'm hoping the concert still exist in vault somewhere and it released someday.

Another Belated Sunday Music Muse Day post - Terje Rypdal, David Darling, Jan Garbarek with Bill Conners.

Here's another belated Sunday Music Muse Day, featuring some vinyl records, which I don't have on CD.  First up is saxophonist Jan Garbarek Places, an 1977 ECM release, featuring Bill Connors (post Chick Corea's Return to Forever) on acoustic guitar, Jack DeJohnette on Drums and John Taylor on organ and piano. I'm almost positive I picked this up because of Bill Connors.  I think I appreciate it more now than when I first bought, as I was still into the heavy guitar fusion style. My tastes have mellowed over the years and ECM recordings helped.

My second choice is another ECM release (1984) Terje Rypdal David Darling Eos (note the album title doesn't appear on the front cover). By the 80's I was interested in picking up any by ECM, and had several by guitarist Rypdal, a very esoteric player. This duet album with cellist David Daring definitely fits that description.  I still need to explore it more.

I think I'll be digging into my vinyl stack in the coming weeks.  It's like visiting old friend, who you lost touch with.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Conners and Meltdown Birth of Fusion

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day selections are rooted in the Jazz Fusion of the 1970s.  First up, guitarist  Bill Conners' Theme of the Gaurdian, which I own on vinyl LP and CD.

 Bill was the original guitarist for Chick Corea's Return to Forever, but Bill left after the first album and tour.  The picture of him on the back cover was probably from a RTF concert.  After leaving RTF, Bill Conners switched to acoustic guitar and released several solo efforts.  This being the first.  In the mid-80s Bill returned to the electric guitar with three CD's using a power trio, guitar, bass, drum, format.

Next up, today , is Meltdown - the Birth of Fusion, a nice sampling of well known 70's Jazz Fusion classics.

Truly  a good way to spend the afternoon.  Enjoy.