Sunday Music Muse Day - Dexter Gordon Quartet, Geni Bertoncini with Mike Mainieri, Michel Moore and Corsello

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds me enjoying two solid jazz sessions. First, Dexter Gordon Quartet At the Subway Club 1973.  Dexter Gordon is well known as an "expatriate" jazz musician living and working in Europe, at a time when America offer them less opportunities to work. He's also famously known for the movie Round Midnight, for which Gordon was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor after which he returned to U.S. to much acclaim. These live recordings as marvelous example of his playing. I remember liking Round Midnight, as it reminded me of my father's experience of moving to Paris after the death of Duke Ellington, and staying until his own death there in the late 80's. The jazz life could hard, and beautiful. at the same time.

Next up, is Gene Bertoncini Reunion, with Mike Mainieri (Vibes), Michael Moore (Bass), and Joe Corsello (drums). This 2012 session is the reunion of guitarist Bertoncini player with the players he first met and played together with in the 1970's, in various combos.  They formed a strong and lasting musical bond. The strength of the bond and friendship show sin their excellent interplay.  Well worth a listen, often.

It's been a changeable couple of day, cloudy, rainy, then sunny, then overcast again.  Perfect weather to just cool out and listen to some good music.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Kenny Barron / Dave Holland Trio, Dexter Gordon

This Sunday Music Muse Day find us starting November and the end of Daylight Saving Time, turning our clocks back an hour.  This always screws with my sleep cycle. To help ease in the it, first up I have Dexter Gordon One Flight Up.  This  reissue CD of the classic Blue Note record of Dexter and other jazz expatriates, like Kenny Drew, and a native European young (18 year old) bassist   Neils-Henning Orsted Pederson was recorded in Paris on June 2, 1964.  It's noted that moving to Europe, at that time period, allowed many jazz musicians more playing opportunities and financial security, than the shrinking American club scene. The changing music scene with the rise of the Rock & Roll, the Beatles, and other popular groups, added uncertainty to the normal struggle of a black musicians, and plain working class blacks, in the late 1950's and '60s America.   Seeing Dexter Gordon's name always reminds me of the movie Round Midnight (1986), which has a semi-autobiographical storyline of ex-patriot musician in Paris.  Dexter was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Its story also reminds me of my father's last years in Paris. This CD shows a triumph of spirit, and is damn good listening.

Next is a newer release Kenny Baron / Dave Holland Without Deception.  A trio session with Barron on piano, Holland on bass, and featuring Johnathan Blake on drums.  The maturity of the key players is without parallel and a joy to behold.  This is tasty session well worth listening.

As darkness descends early in the day than I 'd like, I have these tunes to brighten my spirits.  I hope you find some to do the same. Enjoy. 

Sunday Music Muse Day, Joey DeFrancesco, Dextor Gordon, and Pat Metheny

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day offers a nice blend of classic Jazz sounds from well known artists.  First up, Hammond B-3 organist, Joey Defrancesco Ballads and Blues, featuring guitar legend Pat Martino on two cuts.  The Hammond B-3 is such a distinctive sound in jazz, and Joey DeFrancesco is a major force in keeping that sound alive and well in today's jazz arena.

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day offers a nice blend of classic Jazz sounds from well known artists.  First up, Hammond B-3 organist, Joey Defrancesco Ballads and Blues, featuring guitar legend Pat Martino on two cuts.  The Hammond B-3 is such a distinctive sound in jazz, and Joey DeFrancesco is a major force in keeping that sound alive and well in today's jazz arena.

Last, but no least, another Pat Metheny CD, Pat Metheny Group We Live Here.  There is always room for another Metheny offering in my collection.  He still is one of my all time favorites.  Part of that is I discovered him at the very start of his career and it's like we grew up together.  I think a lot of us may feel that way about artists we bonded with, when we were young.  You find yourself so happy they're still making good music that you enjoy.

It is a chilly cloudy day, just the thing to sit back and listen to some good tunes.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Young Miles, Dexter Gorgon, Snarky Puppy and Metrople Orkest, and Bob Sniider and Paul Hoffman

Today's Sunday Music Muse Day offering picks up from purchases I made last week, but I wanted time to give them a good listen.  First up is a group, and new CD, that is getting a lot of airplay on  my local jazz station, Jazz 90.1, Snarky Puppy and Metropole Orkest - Sylva.  the release is actually a CD + DVD package of a recording and filmed live performance in the Netherlands. Wikipedia states Snarky Puppy is a "fusion band" that "features a collective of nearly 40 musicians".   This is a very interesting and engaging CD with music that almost defies categories, it just exists on own merit.  Sometimes it sound like a soundtrack to a complex movie you haven't seen, but want to.  I found I enjoyed it best by listening to the CD as one suite, and not just tracks.    More enjoyable is the performance on the DVD.  It was truly incredible watching interplay of this large ensemble of Snarky Puppy and Metropole Orkest.   Snarky Puppy has played  the Rochester International Jazz Festival recently.  I remember their keyboard player, Cory Henry, dropped in the after-hours jam session.  I definitely will have to catch them live the next time they're in the area.

Here's a video of one of the tracks.  Youtube has the full concert.

The next selection is a nice find, Dexter Gordon - The Other Side of Round Midnight.  This CD is music done for movie Round Midnight, which Dexter Gordon starred in.  I haven't seen the movie since the week it open in NYC, in 1986, but I remember enjoying it, so I'll have to check it out again soon.  In a lot of ways it reminds me of my father's last days in Paris.  The CD is loaded with living legends of jazz, like Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock Billy Higgins, John Mclaughlin, Wayne Shorter, the late Tony Williams, and many more.  This CD is a great companion the movie.

Here is the trailer for Round Midnight, (too bad it's such poor quality)

The next selection took some time getting through, with pleasure, of course.  Miles Davis - Young Miles, a 4 CD set of Miles first five years of recording 1945-50.  Since I picked up on Miles Davis at his Bitches Brew stage, I'm always playing catch up on the his earlier recordings.  This set really help full a gap in my musical education.

My last selection is a another nod to local talent, guitarist, Bob Sneider, and Paul Hofmann, pianist, titled "Interconnection".  It is a nice mix of a few standards, and originals by Bob and Paul, the center piece being Paul Hofmann's  "Jazz Suite for Guitar and Piano".  The interplay between these talented musicians is just wonderful.  I'll be listening to this for years to come.

Here taste of the Jazz Suite.

Be sure to check these out,  if you have the chance.  Enjoy.