Sunday Music Muse Day - Steve Brown / Guillermo Bazzola, John Stein

The Sunday Music Muse Day marks the opening weekend of the Rochester International Jazz Festival. I'm looking forward to catching some of the performances.  In the meantime, here's two guitar offerings to act as a warm up.  First, John Stein Lifeline, a compilation of 20 + years of Stein's recordings. After buying my first John Stein CD back in 2019 , I wrote, "quick online search reveals he is a "Internationally renowned jazz guitarist... born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri USA ...His talent for and love of music ultimately earned him a faculty position at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he is a Professor in the Harmony Department.  John Stein is an experienced teacher, clinician, recording artist, and author. John has performed as a leader or a sideman with some of the world’s finest jazz acts, and his compositions and performances cover the spectrum of jazz styles."  He has 14 releases to his credit, still I've never come across him before. " Well, counting this 2 disc set I have sixof his CDs , and will continue to seek out more. His being a jazz guitar instructior and performer reminds me of my friend Bob Sneider, will be was busy this performing the RIJF, in several venue., including MC at the after hours jam seesion. Check the festival schedule to seek him out. Maybe someday, there's be a John Stein-Bob Sneider festival gig.

My second selection is semi-shot in the dark.  Steve Brown / Guillermo Bazzola - Jazz Guitar Duo, Una Penquena Alegria. Although, I do have another CD by Guillermo Bazzola I bought without hearing of him before. I sampled a cut at the Bop Shop Record store and thought was worth a try.  I did enjoy it, so this was also worth a chance.  Steve Brown was also another guitarist I wasn't familiar with, but this duo recording makes me want to hear more of his music.

Again, if you have a chance, go out and support our local jazz by attending a couple of the many performances of the RIJF.  There are always plenty of free events on Gibb Street, renames "Jazz Street", and at Parcel 5, across the Sibley Building on Main St.  See you there.
 

Sunday Music Muse Day - Ben Wendel, Guilermo Bazzola

Today's Sunday Music Muse Day finds me inside as the cold snowy weather settles in before the Thanksgiving holiday this week. Just by coincidence, the first selection is Ben Wendel The Seasons, a concept album by the young saxophonist. (Rich Thompson, recommend this CD, Thanks Rich) It is a studio recordings based on his original series of twelve duets released over twelve months on youtube, in 2015. The project was inspired by the classical twelve piano pieces by Tchaikovsky called The Seasons. The music on this CD is performed by "a quintet made up of artists from the original video series.  The music is transformed from the intimate settings of duos to something much grander in the hands of these master musicians", writes Wendell in the liner notes. Although I enjoy these versions overall, I like the video version of the selection "October", a duet with guitarist, Gilad Hekselman, much better. Give it a listen and see of you agree.

My next selection is one of those leaps of faith, as I knew nothing about this guitarist, Guillermo Bazzola Hora Libre,  I picked the CD as it looked interesting,  I sampled the opening cut at the record shop, and it didn't sound bad so I bought it. After listening to it several times I glad I did. It a quartet with guitar, Hammond organ, saxophones, and drums.  Here's all the info could find on the CD, from the Apple Music Review:

"About Guillermo Bazzola

Argentinean jazz guitarist Guillermo Bazzola started playing as an amateur by the end of the 1970s, taking guitar classes in 1979. Two years later, the musician joined a band called Combop, playing along with Mariano Tito soon after. In 1986, Guillermo Bazzola composed the soundtrack for a cultural documentary broadcast by a local television station. In 1989, the artist was awarded by Partners of the Americas, getting a scholarship after participating in an international jazz seminar. In 1998, the guitarist, composer, and arranger had the opportunity to play along with Sid Jacobs while participating in a festival called Guitarras del Mundo (Guitars of the World). A year later, Guillermo Bazzola formed the Summer Quartet with drummer Hernán Mandelman, bassist Rodolfo Paccapelo, and Rodrigo Domínguez, recording an album called 3D, released by PAI Records. In the year 2000, the talented guitarist teamed up with pianist Ernesto Jodos, issuing Long Ago."  Basically that's it, but that's enough his music speaks for it, solid playing with an international jazz feel, proving music is our universal language. Worth listening to.

Winter is coming, maybe sooner than we like.  Keep warm, and keep listening to good music.