Belated Sunday Music Muse Day - Cindy Blackman, Giacomo Gates, Warped Sky Stray Clouds

Here's a belated Sunday Music Muse Day post, one day late.  I did get to go to my second favorite record shop. Record Archive, on Saturday, for the first time since Covid-19 closed everything down.  Record Archive open with all the health guideline in use, masks required to enter, hand sanitizer, social distancing, and even re-routing of entry and exit. I'm glad I found two good selections.  First up is Cindy Blackman Another Lifetime. "Lifetime" in this context is in tribute to this talented drummer's mentor and inspiration Tony William, and his original Jazz-Rock Fusion band "Tony Williams Lifetiime".   The original Lifetime included John McLaughlin on electric guitar and Larry Young on organ, with Jack Bruce (of Cream fame) joining the group on their second album.  Blackman Another Lifetime features songs from those early Tony Williams album, had a touring group Another Lifetime that played that music also. I also have a CD, Spectrum Road,  of a Tony Williams Tribute band featured the late Jack Bruce and Cindy listed as "Cindy Blackman Santana".  Cindy's playing does her mentor proud. She a dynamic drummer.  Worth a listen.

My next selection is Giacomo Gates  Fly Rite who's become a surprise favorite jazz vocalist of mine. For one, I much more into instrumental music, of all sorts. Giacomo Gates laid back style grew on me.  He's some what of a throw back to classic jazz scat singers, but he throws in a Jimi Hendrix tune, to keep things interesting.  I managed to see him live soon after moving to Rochester, and was surprised to discovery my friend, Mike Melito was the drummer on the gig (it was before Mike and I were introduced by Bob Snieder.  Fly Rite is Giacomo's second release from 1998.  

As part of my Dragonfly Views blog I have a Sunday Music Muse Day post where I always hoped to present original music that I had filed away mostly unfinished and unheard, always putting it off because my playing leaves much to desired. But as I get older it becomes apparent waiting for perfect has become an excuse not to do anything. But, sometimes you just have to get things out of your system. So, rough edges and all here is the song, "Dream Again". Dream Again is one of my original tune, written in 1981. I think it was my first 3/4, waltz tempo tune. The original version is included at the end of this video. This was actually the first time my friend Richard Miceli, who plays flute on it, played it together. This new version was made using a backing track created in Band in a Box music software. You write in chords and a lead line and it creates a backing track, and even a solo performance, with varying degrees of success. I'm often surprised how my simple tunes sound fleshed out by a full band, even an artificial one. Enjoy.

So, even in these strange days of a pandemic, there always a time for some good music, if nothing else, to help keep your sanity. Be safe, stay healthy, and wear a mask.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Stan Meets Chet, Chick Corea Vigil, and Jack Bruce Spectrum Road

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day features three interesting CDs, a pleasant surprise, mild disappointment, and an exciting find.

The pleasant surprise was the Verve Records re-issue CD, Stan meets Chet, as in Stan Getz, and Chet Baker.  Both men legendary jazz figures on their respective instruments, Stan Getz on the tenor saxophone, and  Chet Baker on the trumpet.  I couldn't pass up this CD as the liner notes states the LP of their meeting was long out-of-print.  I admit I've been late in getting to know the music  of both more closely.  So this CD will help in making up for that.

My mild disappointment is by Chick Corea, The Vigil, a CD some critic said was his best since the hay day of Return to Forever.  I had seen this CD several times and debated buying it, but after listening to the Return to Forever Anthology, which included the full Romantic Warrior album cuts, this past week.  I relented.  Well, let's just say there are echoes of the best RTF tunes in the CD, but unfortunately the bad excesses of the later RTF albums, like Musicmagic, are present, most annoying is the vocals of Gayle Moran Corea (a nice enough singer) singing Chick horrible lyrics.  I posted them so you can judge for yourself.  Even just as poetry, the lyrics just don't work.  I can console myself with the cover art, at least, Chick in a shiny suit of armor.   I think Chick has "thing" for that image.  Romantic Warrior has a knight in armor on it.

The exciting find is the CD, Spectrum Road, featuring the legendary Rock / Jazz bassist, the late Jack Bruce.  Jack, of course, is best known for being a member of Cream, the premiere Rock power trio, with guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker (FYI- one of my all time favorite Rock groups).  Those who know of Jack Bruce's jazz connections will know he played with an early version Tony William's Lifetime, with guitarist John McLaughlin, and organist Larry Young. Lifetime was truly a groundbreaking Jazz-Fusion group, playing a very raw and intense brand of music.  Spectrum Road is sort of a tribute to the late Tony Williams.  Eight of the ten tunes are Tony Williams compositions, from the Lifetime albums, and one each from William's "Believe it" and "Joy of Flying". The other players on Spectrum Road are guitarist Vernon Reid, of the Black Rock  group Living Color, on organ is John Medeski, of the "post-Fusion trio" Medeski, Martin and Wood, and finally drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, who I'm not familiar with, but she's on my musical radar now.

All in all, not a good collection.  Even the Chick Corea CD has some moments to enjoy.  With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I'll have more free to give these another listen.  Enjoy your turkey day.