Sunday Music Muse Day - Grant Green, Tal Farlow

This very cold Sunday Music Muse Day is a celebration classic jazz guitar, Both of my selections are from players who I heard of, or maybe read about in Guitar Player magazine long before discovering their music for myself. That may have to do with the fact their recordings career where at in the 50s. and 60s.  In anycase, first up is Grant Green Born to be Blue a session of jazz standards recorded for Blue Note  in 1961 at the famous Van Gelder Studio, in Englewood, New Jersey. My biggest kick out of listening to this CD was finally being able put a name to the opening notes of tune, "Born to Be Blue", which is used for promo for Jazz90.1 a lot.  There is a plenty of bluey jazz guitar to like in Grant Green playing.

Next is Tal Farlow's Finest Hour.  Again, his name appeared in many Guitar Player Magazine features about influencial jazz guitar legends.  Since my interest at the time (mid-1970s) was jazz fusion, his music wasn't one I sought out.  It's never too late to learn about and enjoy a guitar legend like Tal Falow, and I'm doing my best to catch up.

As the east coast is getting slam by a heavy snow storm, we feel lucky to escape with only single digit temperatures.  To everyone, stay warm, stay safe. 

Sunday Music Muse Day - Tom Rizzio, Grant Green

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds me enjoying a beautiful picture perfect fall day. I must admit I was not inclined to anything but relax and enjoy it with a heavy amount of laziness.  To aid in my desire, I picked Tom Rizzo Day and Night.  Guitarist Rizzo is totally new to me, I picked up this CD on blind faith, him being a guitarist and my being familiar with some of the tunes, like Infant Eyes by Wayne Shorter.  Checking online after listening to it, I discovered Rizzo was a west coast musician, but with a solid Rochester connection. A radio profile states: "Rizzo’s passion for the guitar led him to teach as well as to perform with many of the jazz greats who were faculty members of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Then at age 25, he hit the road with the Maynard Fergusson Big Band. That gig lead to a 10-year dream job as one of the youngest members of "The Tonight Show" Orchestra with Doc Severenson"  I'm wondering if my musician friends who are Eastman instructors have crossed path with him.  This is a pleasant sounding session with solid playing.  I good find by any measure.

By second selection, find me rediscovering a jazz guitar legend, Grant Green First Session.  As the title notes this is a CD release of Green's first recording session on November 16, 1960. but the producer Alfred Lion shelved this session, and recorded Grant in January 1961, and released First Stand as his official debut album.  It hard to imagine what the producer found lacking in this.

All in all, a fine fall day.  Hope you got to enjoy it, too

Sunday Music Muse Day - Andy Summers, Grant Green

Today Sunday Music Muse Day finds me diving into a backlog of new purchases.  First up is Andy Summers Green Chimneys, The Music of Thelonious Monk, and as the title states it a collection of all Thelonious Monk tunes.  This is an early companion to another DC "Peggy's Blue Skylight" that was all Charlie Mingus tunes he released two years later..  In the Liner notes Summers relates how, as a teenager, he saw Thelonious Monk perform in England and how it have a massive impact on him.  Although best known as a member and guitarist for the Police, with Sting and drummer, Steward Copeland, Summers deep jazz root shows in his solo work after the Police.

My second selection is Grant Green Grantstand on the classic Blue Note label.  This 1961 session is tasty sample of soul-jazz groove of the era with fun, straight-ahead playing.

My post is short and sweet this week, but music leaves a lasting impress. Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - The Hudson Project, Grant Green

On this Sunday Music Muse Day, a snowy Spring day at that, I'm warming my soul with two good musical selections.  I like picking through the used CD bins in hope of finding new artists, and old favorites in new settings, and this first pick fits the latter.  The Hudson Project has several of my favorite players,  guitarist John Abercrombie, and drummer Peter Erskine, with saxophonist Bob Mintzer and bassist John Patitucci in a live set recorded in New York City for a performance/clinic tour for D'Addario Company. Each player is a talented leader in their own right.  This set has eight tunes, two by each band member.  It is a really enjoyable CD.

My second selection, offers the funky side of jazz, with Grant Green Ain't it Funky Now!  The title says it all.

These will hold me until next time.  There is a special retail event coming in the next week or so, National Record Day, Saturday, April 18.  All my CD/record stores will be having sales, exclusives, and in store events, so some good buys should present themselves.  I'll be sure to share them here.