Sunday Music Muse Day - Esperanza Spalding, Brad Mehldau

After a little break in weekly Sunday Music Muse Day, here's two selections worth checking out. First, Esperanza Spalding Emily's D+Evolution. If you're tuned in to the buzz about Kate Bush's tune "Running Up that Hill", used in the Netflix series Stranger Things, you'll enjoy this unique outing by a young multi-talented musician.  She's best know as a highly awarded jazz bassist and college music instructor.  This could be a concept album and "Emily" a alter-ego.  In any case, It a very densely produced modern style. I find the vocal styling hard to follow without reading the lyrics, but that could be my old ears. My favorite tune is the tune " Unconditional Love (Alternate Version) with blistering guitar solo by Matthew Stevens.

Second, is Another CD that could seen as  concept album, Brad Mehldau Jacob's Ladder.  Again, Brad Mehldau best known as jazz pianist, the music on this CD draw heavily from progressive rock music of the 70s, ike Rush's "Tom Sawyet", Yes "Starship Trooper, to take a journey in a different music direction.

So,  both my selection are taking a several listening explore, but they're growing on me.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Jack DeJohnette, John Mclaughin and Chick Corea, Egberto Gismonti, and Bill Frisell, Raplh Towner, again.

Sunday got away from me, so here's my Sunday Music Muse Day post a day late.  Actually three of the selections were ones that I delayed buying in an effort to stay on a budget.  Luckily, they were still there at the music shop.  First is Jack DeJohnette, Sound Travels, a wonderful CD which finds the legendary drummer also playing acoustic piano and adding a vocal to one of the tune. Joining Jack is some exciting  young players, like Esperanza Spalding on acoustic and electric bass, and vocals, with Lionel Loueke on electric guitar.  Both Spalding and Loueke were recent purchases.  Sound Travel was one of my delayed purchases, but seeing  Spalding and Loueke as sidemen help put this on my "to buy list".  I'm glad I did.

Here a short promo video on the making Sound Travel.

Next up, two of my favorite jazz musicians from the early Jazz Fusion of the 1970s,  guitarist John McLaughlin, and piano and keyboards master Chick Corea on a 2 CD set titled John McLaughlin and Chick Corea - Five Peace Band - Live.  Listening to this music brings flashbacks of the heady days of Mahavishu Orchestra and Return to Forever, their respective groups.  An added treat is a guest spot by keyboardist Herbie Hancock joining his former Miles Davis band mates on  tune "In a Silent Way / It's About that Time"  from the Miles playbook.  Great stuff, and I like the "Fillmore East" type CD cover graphic.

The next selection is also, a 2 CD set by Egberto Gismonti, world renowned Brazilian multi-instrumentalist and composer, titled Saudacoes.  I have a many of Gismonti's ECM LPs from the 1970s and 80s and saw him  perform several times in NYC.  If your exposure to Brazilian music has been only Samba do yourself a favor and explore Egberto Gismonti's music "his works reflecting the musical diversity of Brazil. From the Amazon Indians' batuque to the Carioca samba and choro, through the Northeastern frevo, baião, and forró, Gismonti captures the true essence of the Brazilian soul in a way that is primitive, yet sophisticated, and reflects it through his personal vision, elaborated by years of classic training and literacy in a wealth of musical languages in which jazz plays a significant role." (http://www.allmusic.com/artist/egberto-gismonti)  This CD adds that legacy.  The first CD is a 7 part suite Sertoes Veredas - Tribute to miscegenation. Quoted from the liner notes the music "takes a musical journey through Brazil, revealing, in a diffuse way, the different faces of its people, culture and history."    The second CD is a set of  guitar duets with his son Alexandre Gismonti.  Egberto's use of the 10-string classical guitar always amazed me.

The next two selection are happy follow ups to previous CDs.  Bill Frisell - Floratone  is a great companion to his Unspeakable CD I listed week week.  Again, members of the group used tape loops and the whole production reminds of the Miles Davis Bitches Brew era music, a little spacey, but very inviting and interesting.

The last pick is another Ralph Towner CD, Lost and Found, which finds Ralph in a group setting.  I couldn't pass up picking this up.  There is always room for more Ralph Towner in my music collection.

Enjoy, your Labor Day. 

Sunday Music Muse Day - Esperanza Spalding, Al DiMeola, Bill Evans, and Bad Plus.

Another Sunday Music Muse Day has arrived.  This week's selections finds a nice mix of old favorites and some catching to the buzz, sort to speak  That is the case with finally picking up Esperanza Spalding - Chamber Music Society, a Grammy winning CD by a Grammy winning artist (but to be honest, I rarely pay attention to the Grammy Awards, since so much of my favorite music never would make the list).  She definitely a amazing musician and earns, and deserves, all the praise and accolades she gets. Plus, the fact that her beating out Justin Bieber for 2011 Grammy Award for Best New Artist is just icing on the cake.

Next up is a old favorite fusion guitarist, Al DiMeola.   Flesh on Flesh continues Al's jazz fusion exploration of Mediterranean, Latin and Middle Eastern music.  I admit, in contrast to the taste pictures of Esperanza Spadling's on her CD, the reclining nude on Al's CD cover seems a little embarrassing.  Just enjoy the CD for the music.

There is nothing embarrassing about the next selection, the great pianist Bill Evans, the Everybody Digs Bill Evans CD.  Although the liner notes on the back of CD says Bill Evans was embarrassed by the four endorsement on the cover by Miles Davis, George Shearing, Ahmad Jamal and Julian Cannonball Adderley, only goes to show how humble he was.  No jazz lover's collection complete with lots of Bill Evans' music. I'm so happy to add stunning this trio set, featuring Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums, to the others I have.

My last selection is The Bad Plus - Give.  This interesting jazz trio makes music that keep the listener on their toes combining elements of modern avant-garde jazz with rock and pop influences.  For example, they cover Ozzy Osbourne's Black Sabbath tune "Iron man".  Check it out below.  I was first introduced to their music on my local jazz station, Jazz 90.1.  I find their music adventurous and complex, and the more you listen, the more levels of enjoyment you discover.  I've pick up some of their tunes in itunes, before, so it's nice to pick up full CD.

Thanks for dropping by.  Enjoy.