Sunday Music Muse Day Howard Alden, George Van Eps, Hittin' on All Six

This Sunday Music Muse Day has all of us asking ..."What day is it?" The social distancing directive to stay home, because of the Coronavirus outbreak,  has the days blending into each other.  I tend to listen to music more than binge watch TV, so here my first pick, Howard Alden and George Van Eps Seven and Seven, jazz guitar duo session.  The title refers to the use of seven string guitars (extra bass string) by both players. This was recorded in 1992 around the time of Van Eps' 80th birthday (he passed away in 1998 at 85 yrs old) and was a follow up an early 1991 release,  13 String, where Alden play a 6-string guitar and Van Eps his 7-string. George Van Eps is credited with inventing 7-string guitar back in the 1930. He inspired jazz guitarists like John, and Bucky Pizzarelli, and Howard Alden  to pick up the 7-string.  The tradition continues with young players Charlie Hunter.  This CD is nice collection of jazz standards.  Well worth giving a listen.

Listen to George Van Eps reminded me of a collection he's that I featured before, Hittin' on All Six - A History of the Jazz Guitar, covering the early pioneers from the 1920 to 1950.  These are all great players recording before I was born. Hearing them gives a deeper appreciation of jazz guitarist like Bob Sneider who carry on the jazz guitar tradition.

The social distancing gives us all a chance to step back and maybe take stock of our hectic modern life and maybe re-order a priorities.  Lets hope we all come out the other side of this in a better place, socially, spiritually, and culturally.  Find some good music to accompany your journey.  Stay safe, stay clam, stay healthy.

Sunday Music Muse day - Johnny Smith, George Van Eps, Ralph Towner, Thelonious Monk.

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day, again finds us suffering cold, icy, weather in the what is supposed to be Spring.  Although our region seems to have been spared the ice storm predicted, it's still cold, grey and dreary.  The way to brighten the day is with some good music.  I started the morning with The Definitive Thelonious Monk on Prestige and Riverside, a 2 CD collection of Monk tracks from his albums on the those classic record labels.  I admit to coming late to Monk's catalog of music.  For me his name always conjures up visions of adventurous, and thoughtful music. The 18 page booklet contains tons of info, and reproductions of album covers.

As I settled into midday, I enjoy this CD of two legendary guitarists, Johnny Smith / George Van Eps Legends: Solo Guitar Performances.  This mellow and gentle CD glows with quiet fire and musical integrity.  Johnny Smith had a hit with Stan Getz in 1952 with "Moonlight in Vermont". His session on this CD was recorded in 1976.  George Van Eps lengthy career credits includes playing with Benny Goodman, and Frank Sinatra.  He is well known for his developing and using the 7-string guitar, which extended the low range. (I had trouble stringing a 6-string guitar, so playing 7-strings in out of the question for me). This is perfect background music for a winter day (in Spring) or a quiet gathering of friends.  Try it.

My last selection is Ralph Towner City of Eyes, which finds the adventurous guitarist displaying his multi-instrumental talent beyond his usual classical guitar with 12 string guitar, piano (actually his first instrument) and Synthesizer.  The group also includes Paul McCandless a band mate from Oregon, on Oboe and English horn.  A online review states "In essence, City of Eyes shows Ralph Towner as a musical explorer again, a composer and instrumentalist who can persuasively create aural travelogues through time, space, and terrain." I would agree and intend to enjoy the journey."

Eventually, spring will arrive, until then we have to use music to bring sunshine into our days. Enjoy.