Sunday Music Muse Day - Gilfema with Lionel Loueke, Santana

On the beautiful, sunny, Sunday Music Muse Day, I've enjoyed a nice bike ride with Lisa to visit my inlaws, followed by a simple lunch at back yard picnic table.  So, that leaves time to enjoy some new tunes, and old in new packaging. First up, is Gilfema, "The name of the group comes from the musicians' names: Gil (Lionel Gilles Loueke), fe (Ferenc), ma (Massimo). They met at Berklee College of Music, coming from different backgrounds: Loueke from West Africa, Nemeth from Hungary, and Biolcati, an Italian born in Sweden." - Wikipedia.  I picked this up mainly for my interest in Lionel Loueke, the guitarist.  This 2005 release, it seems,  is just one of many I failed to come across before.  I do have several Loueke CDs, and listening to this one makes me more eager to seek out more. I love his infusion of his African roots in his playing and vocalizing. I'll have to break out of my bargain bin shopping habit and pay full price to catch up.

My next selection was a good used purchased, as I'm a sucker for the cool packaging of CD sets. Santana Dance of the Rainbow Serpent is a three CD anthology of Carlos Santana long and storied career. Since I just sold all my vinyl albums including the Santana's, this will be a nice substitute. It's curious there are no tunes  from Borboletta, my favorite album, especially the song Promise of the Fisherman, but luckily I have that CD.

All in all, a nice way to spend the rest of the day. Enjoy your's.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Mother's Day - Santana VI, Herb Ellis

Welcome to another Sunday Music Muse Day, on this Mother's Day.  I hope everyone took a moment to thank their dear love ones, or remember the ones who have passed on.

This week's first selection is Santana VI, the re-union CD of the original members the Carlos Santana band from the 1970s. According to the official website, "the wildly anticipated studio album that reunites the revered early ‘70s lineup of guitar icon Carlos Santana (guitar, vocals), Gregg Rolie (keyboards, lead vocals), Neal Schon (guitar, vocals), Michael Carabello (percussion) and Michael Shrieve (drums). The album signifies the first time in 45 years – since 1971’s multi-platinum classic Santana III – that the quintet has recorded together."  I have to say after one listen, the band still has the fire.  I saw Santana in concert last summer, and it's nice to hear the distinctive guitar sound again.  Even the cover art hints at the original album art.

My second selection is a nice compilation CD, Herb Ellis - The Concord Jazz Heritage Series.  According to the allmusic.com, "...the music on this 1998 retrospective CD is from the early days of the Concord label".  Again, for my part, I have very little Herb Ellis music except on various jazz guitar anthologies, including duets with fellow guitarists, Joe Pass and Barney Kessel,  but I know he is a guitarist who has influenced a generation of players.  That alone is reason enough to buy this CD.

So, these are two CDs to savior and enjoy.  Again, Happy Mother's day.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Carlos Santana concert at CMAC

Today's Sunday Music Muse Day finds me recovering from great concert I attended last night by legendary rock guitarist Carlos Santana and his group at CMAC (The Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center) an outdoor concert venue in the Town of Hopewell, is just east of the City of Canandaigua on the grounds of Finger Lakes Community College.  The concert is billed as the Corazón tour.  The evening started with small, but pleasant, tailgate party hosted my the friend and neighbor, Bruce Younger and his wife Fran. (Thanks, again, Bruce for getting the tickets, back in November) 

 This was my first time a CMAC, which is a nice open air venue, if you have good weather, which we did, it's a great place to take in a concert.  Santana give a great concert is his signature brand of Latin-favored hard driving rock.  The set included a lot of old favorites and hits.  He give a spot light to his son, Salvador Santana, a sort of passing the musical torch to the next generation.   I personally wasn't too impressed his music which seemed more aimed the Hip-Hop crowd.

 I mostly enjoyed hearing that classic Santana guitar tone. 

 So, of course I had to revisit my Santana collections of music.  I don't have everything he's done but I do have t a nice mix of the early Santana band LPs and the Devadip Carlos Santana period LPs.

 One of the Santana LPs the Lotus, 3 LP set, originally released in 1974 as a triple vinyl LP in Japan only.  It has a crazy amount packaging art and foldput posters, Only some are show here.

 I spent the afternoon playing a lot of Santana discography.  Not a bad way to spent a Sunday afternoon.