Sunday Music Muse Day, Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, John Scofield, Ruseell Malone Kevin Eubanks

This week's Sunday Music Muse exposes my guitar-centric music leanings.  First up is Getz/Gilberto '76, featuring saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist Joao Gilberto from a historic live set at the famous iconic San Francisco jazz club,  Keystone Korner, in 1976.  This duo is best known for introducing Brazilian bossa nova to the United states in the 1960s.  This is a great CD, the kind you'll play to get your special someone in a romantic mood.  Trust me on that.

As my first selection had a taste of tasty guitar, the rest dives right in.  John Scofield Past Present, his latest release, sort of makes up for the last CD I acquired, with Medeski Martin and Wood.  This one is a solid outing with a quartet, featuring Joe Lovano, on saxophone, Larry Grenadier, on double bass, and  Bill Stewart, on drums.

My next selection is guitarist Russell Malone, Sweet Georgia Peach.  I've heard and seen articles about him but hadn't own any of his CDs.  This is a very enjoyable. I'd say a more traditional jazz guitar CD, very mellow and engaging.   I'll definitely look for more of his music.

My last selection is Kevin Eubanks Shadow Prophets.  I have several CDs by Kevin, which I like, but I must say this one, recorded in 1988 on the GRP label, is a little more "smooth jazz", than I would like.  Unlike his Turning Point CD, made in 1992 on the Blue Note label, which is more adventurous, in my opinion.  I definitely seems like a creative shift and grown happened between those CDs.

 Just for contrast here's the Turning Point cover.

So that's my additions to my jazz guitar listening choices.  Worth seeking out, if you have the chance.  Enjoy.

Rainy Sunday Music Muse Day - Ink Spots, John Martyn, Bossa Nova and Luiz Bonfa (almost)

Here's my Sunday Music Muse Day post for a very rainy day here in Rochester. We've been having heavy rain off and on for the past 24 hours. Not as bad as Texas, and my apologies to my west coast friends who still suffering due to lack of rain, I keep my complaining to a minimum. So, to ease into the gloomy morning, I started off with the Ink Spots - Greatest Hits. A collection of singles from 1939 - 1946, The Original Decca Recording. When the first note of "If I Didn't Care" played, Lisa said, "perfect choice" for the weather. All the tunes of the Ink Spots are just wonderful. Also, they all start with the same intro, and have the spoken word break in the middle of the song. The formula is sort of comforting.

 Next I pulled something from my hippie roots, John Martyn - Sweet Little Mysteries, the Island (Records) Anthology. I bought this years ago mainly because it included his One World album, which I still have. It features Steve Winwood of Traffic in keyboards. John Martyn has a gravelly vocal style like a Joe Cocker or Van Morrison, maybe. The main thing I like about One World is the ethereal mood of the cuts like "One World" and "Small Hours". I'll put youtube link in comments for you.

My last selection in a surprise or mistake, depending how you look at it. I picked this Luiz Bonfa -Non Stop Brazil CD at a Good Well shop years ago, and discover when I got home the CD in the case was a different one.

 
Luckily it was still a Bossa Nova collection, called Bossa Nova Brasil (their spelling not mine). Still a lot of good tunes on it.  Here the link for Bossa Nova Brasil CD track info.  But I still want to the Luiz Bonfa CD. Enjoy.