Sunday Music Muse Day - Ron Carter, Ron Carter and Jim Hall

This Sunday Music Muse Day is in tribute to the great Ron Carter, the legendary premier I actually jazz bassist. It actually started with airing of the movie documentary, Ron Carter Find the Right Note, on PBS. It was a great profile of Carter careers, offering revealing insight into a truly inspiring human being and genius musician. This film is a must-see for anyone interest in music and especially jazz fans.

I was thinking while watching the film, I'd like to hear whole versions of the music featured throughout it. Bop Shop Record had a copy of the soundtrack in their new release section, which I snapped up immediately.

 

Just by chance, I also came upon a another golden find, Ron Carter and Jim Hall Telepathy, this is a two disc CD set of two recordings of this stellar guitar/bass duo, Live at Village West (1984) and Telephone (1986), record live at the Concord Pavillion, August 1984.  These are intimate sessions, of subtle warm and interaction. They're a pleasure to the other Carter/Hall I have.

Again, I highly recommend seeing Ron Carter Finding the Right Notes film. It's very emotionally moving.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Jim Hall & Ron Carter, Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, and Paul Motian

We had nice weather this Sunday Music Muse Day, made more enjoyable with a short to the Brighton Farmer's market to catch part of the jazz music set by friends, Bob Snieder and Mike Melito, with Jimmy Highsmith, a local saxophonist. We hadn't seen Bob and Mike in over year.  Lisa and I picked some lunch from food truck to take back home. At home, I played today's selections, a sort of double play with Ron Carter in common, while I worked on my Inktober drawing for today.  First up, Jim Hall and Ron Carter Duo Alone Together.  This is just a classic 1973 Milesstone Records released album that should be in any jazz lover's collection. I never owned the original vinyl record, but remember taking it out of the Lincoln Center Music Library in NYC. I'm not sure I appreicated the quiet beauty of it in my mid-twenty, my Jazz Fusion period.  I'm happy to enjoy it now, helped by listening to the music of Bob and Mike.

My next selction, Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian, is trio session from 2006. Again, there is an enjoyable mix of what I call "Jazz Americana" in Bill Frisell music, that is just a pleasure to listen to and enjoy. The playing of veterans Ron Carter on bass, and Paul Motian on drums, make this a outstanding CD.

All in all a great day. 

Sunday Music Muse Day - John Scofield, Charlie Haden & Jim Hall

This Sunday Music Muse Day I get to celebrate my first visit to one of my favorite record shop since the pandemic hit four months ago.  I finally returned to the Bop Shop Record, yesterday, they're on limit 3 day schedule and are following all the proper covid-19 guidelines for retail store.  Actually, Tom, the owner, had called me earlier in the week about a special order I placed back in January.  Unfortunately, since I wasn't sure when the shop would  open, or if he found the CD, I bought it online. But, Tom was good about it, and I was able to get one of this week selection instead.  I picked up John Scofield Swallow Tales, his new release from ECM.  The is special CD as it celebrates and is a tribute to Steve Swallow, legendary jazz bassist and composer, who plays on the set, and is long time friend and playing partner of Scofield. You can tell the music is a labor of love by Scofield.  Well worth checking out.

My next selection is Impulse release of Charlie Haden and Jim Hall, a live duet CD including several favorite Haden tune I associate with records with Pat Metheny.  This CD is a real treat by two giants in the world of Jazz.  I can easily highly recommend it. 

As part of my Dragonfly Views blog I have a Sunday Music Muse Day post where I always hoped to present original music that I had filed away mostly unfinished and unheard, always putting it off because my playing leaves much to desired. But as I get older it becomes apparent waiting for perfect has become an excuse not to do anything. But, sometimes you just have to get things out of your system. So, rough edges and all here is the song, "November Night 2020". November Night is one of my favorite original tune, written in 1980. The original version is included at the end of this video. This was actually the first time we, my friends Rodney Means and Richard Miceli, played it together. That version was posted back in 2008.

This "2020" version was made using a backing a backing track created in Band in a Box music software. You write in chords and a lead line and it creates a backing track and even a solo performance, with varying degrees of success. I'm often surprised how my simple tunes sound fleshed out by a full band, even an artificial one. One area I need to work on is sound mixing in Garageband, I'll get there. Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Gary Burton Quartet, Bill Evans & Jim Hall

This Sunday Music Muse Day, find us in the western region of upstate New York bracing for a forecast of dangerous high winds of 50 to 65 miles a hour.  There be a chance of rain with that, but the real concern is overturned trees and downed power lines, resulting in blackouts.  We're hoping for best.  To ease the tension I'm listening to Gary Burton Quartet Live, with Pat Metheny (guitar), Steve Swallow (bass), and Antonio Sanchez (drum).  This live set record in 2007, is sort of a reunion of the classic Gary Burton Quartet of the 1970s, with the exception of Sanchez.  Burton relate in the liner notes how he is amazed at guitarist since he tried learning guitar as a teenager, and "never could figure out ...all the different fingerings."  By contrast he said, "most guitar players don't play the vibes, but the exception to that would be Pat Metheny".  It seems Burton lent Metheny a vibraphone one summer, before he join the band, and with a few months he was playing better than Burton's students.  That's a cool story.  The CD has the quartet revisiting old tunes with a fresh approach from experiences learned on musical paths they travel since playing in the original group.  It would be nice to pull out the original group recording for comparison.  On a side note, the cover is by Peter Max the quintessential artist of the hippie movement of the late 1960s and early 70's.  I like the art, but the type design and placement makes this look like a kid's music CD.

To further ease the tensions and enjoy the clam before the storm, I put on Bill Evans & Jim Hall Intermodulation. This CD is a re-issue of the follow up 1966 LP to their classic 1962 duet session, Undercurrent.  I had the good fortune to have picked up Undercurrent in the past year, so this is a great compliment to it.

As I write this, winds are picking up. So wish us luck. 

Sunday Music Muse Day - Paul Desmond, Ben Wendel.

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds the weather turning into a pleasant autumn day after a very cool, and rainy morning, yesterday. Today's selection are in the same vain, a contrast in old and new, in terms of jazz saxophonists.  First up is Paul Desmond Feeling Blue, the legendary saxophonist well known for his work with equally legendary pianist Dave Brubeck's groups. The liner notes states Paul Desmond didn't use piano players in his sessions "to avoid comparison with the Brubeck sound he helped to create".  The notes continues: "he preferred the pure sound of the guitar".  That is abundantly evident in the playing of the great Jim Hall on this compilation of sessions recorded in 1961 through 1964.  There are lot a great jazz standards played on this CD that's has fresh sounding as ever.  Prefect listening for a fall afternoon, or any time.

My second choice, is a young saxophonist,, Ben Wendel Frame. He is relatively new to me, but I have a duet,"October" with guitarist Gilad Hekselman, save on my youtube music playlist. It seems it will be included on new release of Wendel titled, The Seasons.  Twelve duet with twelve different musicians.  (I know a FB friend mentioned this CD, but I can't remember who, sorry) I'll keep an eye out for it.  Frame is fine compliment to the Paul Desmond, it's a contemporary feels with solid playing on all original tunes by Wendel, with the except of Dizzy Gillespie tune, "Con Alma", showing respect for jazz roots.

Autumn has arrived, and with falling leaves and crisp afternoon to enjoy a warm drink and cool jazz.  Sounds like a good plan to me.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Evans & Jim Hall, Benny Green & Russell Malone

Welcome to another Sunday Music Muse Day.  This week's theme is jazz piano-guitar duos. First up is a classic date by two jazz legends on their respective instruments, Bill Evans & Jim Hall Undercurrent, recorded in 1962.  Undercurrent was followed up with a second duet album, Intermodulation in 1966.  A quote from a editorial review notes: "Duet albums were rare in 1962 and encounters of this quality are still rare. Bill Evans and Jim Hall, two modern jazz giants, were in peak creative form at the time, Evans leading his own trio and Hall working with Sonny Rollins's quartet at the time."  One listen is all it takes to totally agree. Of the added alternate takes on the CD, I actually prefer the alternate of My Happy Valentine to the one on the original LP release.

The second duet is Benny Green & Russell Malone Birdbird record in 2004, that makes it a 52 year difference from the Evans/Hall date, the beauty of jazz is the continuity of the tradition.  Their set is not as introspective as the Evans/Hall duet, as a Jazztimes review noted, "Pianist Benny Green and guitarist Russell Malone are contemporary jazz musicians in the best sense of the term; great musicians whose repertoire includes blues, soul, pop, bop, Afro-Latin and even hip-hop." So, this CD is a much more lively affair, and a good contrast to this Evan/Hall duet.

Both selections are good to enjoy on this cold, almost spring afternoon.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Sound of Wood & Steel, Jim Hall, Alan Holdsworth

Sorry, I skipped a week (for no particular reason), but I'm back with another Sunday Music Muse Day.  This week features all guitar music, I admit that's my preference most of the time.  First up is two CDs slightly outside of my jazz leanings, Sounds of Wood & Steel (1) & 2/  A Windham Hill Collection of acoustic guitar music produced in partnership with the Taylor Guitars company.  All the performers used Taylor guitar on the CDs. Windham Hill used to be described as New Age label, mostly presenting instrumental acoustic music. I picked up some Windham Hill albums ages ago. Most of the guitarists on these CDs are new to me, except Michael Hedges, Will Ackerman, and Leo Kottke/  I have albums by all three.  Generally this is a nice set of music, pleasant, but not memorable.  It is nice background music for a lazy, peaceful afternoon, or quiet dinner party, so it's not all bad.

Next is, Grand Slam,Live at the Regattabar, with Jim Hall on guitar, Joe Lovano on saxophones and alto clarinet, George Mraz on Bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. I sure Tom Pethic influenced this purchase.  I'm sure I've hear Joe Lovano played on his radio show many times.  Great stuff, getting a 4 1/2 out  of 5 star rating on the All Music web site.  This is one for serious listening.

Finally, Alan Holdsworth All Night Wrong, a live set recorded at a venue in Japan during a 2002 tour. This is 4 out of 5 star rated CD by the great fusion guitar, and a favorite of mine, who passed away just a few months ago.  I'm glad to add this to my collection.

With the passings of Holdsworth, Larry Coryell, and the recent death of John Abercrombie, all long time favorite guitarists of mine, those sad events pushed me to buy tickets for John McLaughlin's farewell tour this November.  I'll be seeing at University of Buffalo, and I'm taking my son, who is just starting to play guitar.  I hope he like the concert.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Larry Coryell, Yusef Lateef, Jim Hall & Bill Frisell

Picking up after the holidays, here is this Sunday's Music Muse post.  It find me starting off the New Year with a couple of favorite guitarists, and a classic jazz artist.  First up. Larry Coryell Barefoot Man: Sanpaku. The title of this 2016 release in a nod to Larry's first album Barefoot Boy released in 1971 on Flying Dutchman Records. Larry's musical journey has been a long storied one.  His playing is still solid, but to my ears this wouldn't be as memorable as Barefoot Boy.

Next up if another guitar duo parting of Jim Hall & Bill Frisell Hemispheres.  This a duel CD set with one CD, a duet session, which unfortunately is damaged and doesn't play in my player.  The second CD is is quartet session with Scott Colley on bass, and Joey Baron on drums.  This CD has some tasty music that makes up for the lost of the first CD.  I may have to hunt down another copy.

The last selection is Yusef Lateef The Golden Flute.  I realize I don't have many Lateef albums or CDs, with the except of his classic, Eastern Sounds, with famous version of "The Love Theme from Spartacus" with Lateef on oboe.  This classic reissue helps fill that hole in my collection, nicely.

Hopefully, 2017 will hold many more musical treasures to be found and shared.