Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Frisell, Stan Getz

This Sunday Music Day sees two major local events coming to close. The Rochester Lilac Festival, and The PGA Tournament at the Oak Hill Country Club. We, wife, son and friends, took in the Lilac Festival last weekend, glad we did then yesterday was very rainy. I have no interest in the golf tournament, whatsoever, but happy for the interest it generates for the Rochester region.  My music selections this week leaves me with mixed feelings, also. First is Bill Frisell When You Wish Upon a Star, this is a CD of movie related tunes.  Frisell has done other CDs featuring movie themes including two "out there" ones with John Zorn, "Naked" and "The Big Gundown - John Zorn plays the music of Ennio Morricone".  I like the concept of When You Wish..., but the final product falls flat to me.  Bob Sneider & Joe Locke's two Film Noir Project CDs, "Fallen Angel" and "Nocturne for Ava" are much better.  Check those out when you can.  Still, I'll always take a chance on a Bill Frisell release.

Here are the covers of Bob Sneider & Joe Locke's Film Noir Project CDs.

Today's second selection is Stan Getz Reflection. Again, I like Stan Getz playing, and music, and readily admit I didn't iget nto his music until his Captain Marvel record, which I saw more as a pre-flight for Chick Corea's Return to Forever group.  Reflections has some classic and legendary players, but the 1963 arrangements sound very dated to me (I was 13 years old back then, so it wouldn't have been on my musical radar.  The strings and background vocals reminded me of 50's "cool, hip" (aka lame), bachelor pad movies. But, to each, his own. 

The weather here in Rochester has turned perfect, sunny and comfortable for those enjoying the last day of the Lilac Festival and PGA Tournament.  So, all's well, that ends well.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Nicki Parrott, David Finck

This Sunday Music Muse Day find us heading the New Year, for better or worst (depending how much you follow current events) with a sense of hope, or dread.  In any case there is alway music to ease our anxiety.  Today selections were actually prizes won by ruffle at the Jazz90.1 radio station Holiday Party for staff and volunteers, just before Christmas.  Both are a little out of my jazz comfort zone, but pleasant.  First up is Nicki Parrott From New York to Paris, a collect of vocals and tasty bass playing from a musician I hadn't heard of before. Although the liner notes states she was the bassist for guitar legend Les Paul for ten years.  That fact alone was worth a listen.  Plus, and she has 27 albums releases. This CD is more "lounge jazz" for my taste, but the quality of her singing, playing and recording production is top notch.  In fact, the CD is listed on a best jazz of the year list I've seen online.  It will make for dinner background music for the most part, for me.

My second selection David Finck BASSically Jazz, again a bassist lead group, featuring Joe Locke on vibes.  This CD also is more "lounge jazz" for my taste, especially the three vocal tracks, but well played.  But, I just may wrong about these two CDs and maybe they'll grow on me.

So, here wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and here's hoping sharing a little music will give you comfort in these uncertain times.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Pat Metheny, Quartet with Joe Locke

Having a pleasant, warm day as Fall officially arrives.  What better way to celebrate than with some good music. First up is Pat Metheny One Quiet Night.  This is a solo effort with Pat playing and exploring a single guitar, a baritone guitar.  He states in the liner notes,"...this (recording session) started and ended with just a single guitar and a mic.  This record is about essentially one sound, basically one mood, and taking the to go deep inside a single world."  That sums it up nicely.  This is intimate record, like ease dropping on a private conversation Metheny is having with himself.  I was glad he let us share the moment.

A nice compliment to the first selection is Quartet Live at the Deer Head Inn, featuring vibraphonist Joe Locke, a local musician I know from recordings with Bob Sneider.   This enjoyable live set  that the group stretches out on each of the five tunes, from 10-15 minutes each.  This is the second CD of Record for Deer Head Inn noted as "The oldest continuously running jazz club in the country", and it's still going strong.  If I'm ever in Delaware Water Gap, PA, I'll have to drop in there for a set.

Autumn Equinox has arrived and with it shorter day and longer nights.  Still, there will be good opportunities to listen good music.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Bob Snieder and Joe Locke, Steve Swallow, Emily Remler (revisited)

On this, another overcast day in Rochester, NY, the music of my Sunday Music Muse Day picks help brighten the spirits.  First up is a companion CD to one I featured last August, that being Bob Sneider & Joe Locke Film Noir Project, "Fallen Angel" (2006).  Nocturne for Ave is the second in their "Film Noir Project", again with Bob's brother, John Sneider on Trumpet. I could play both of these CD all day, and night,  and not get tire of them.  I hope they do more in the future. (My special thanks to Jack Garner, veteran film and jazz critic, who commented on my original Facebook post and told me this CD existed.  He also wrote the liner notes.  Very cool)

Next up is a 1991 solo outing by noted jazz bass player and composer, Steve Swallow titled 'Swallow".   His discography is too massive to list here. Steve Swallow is well known for his association as noted in his wikipedia page, "In 1978 Swallow became an essential and constant member of Carla Bley's band. He has been Bley's romantic partner since the 1980s. He toured extensively with John Scofield in the early 1980s".  My first exposure was to Steve Swallow was his playing with John Scofield, on LPs and live.  Both Bley and Scofield play on this CD. This CD's music easily lives up to the 4/5 star rating on the All Music site listing.

My last pick is a follow up to last week's, post about guitarist Emily Remler.  I mention I was totally thrilled with he last posthumous CD, This is Me,  and mentioned liking her early recordings, more.  As it would happen, I found a CD of it, The Emily Remler Quartet Take Two, and as the title and this quote from an All Music site reveiw states, "Emily Remler's second recording as a leader finds the 24-year-old guitarist still very much playing in the Wes Montgomery vein, although showing her own musical personality here and there."  Hearing it again, only confirmed this session was much more to my liking.

As I finish this post, it's now raining as the sun goes down.  But this music brightens my spirit. I hop you find some good music to do the same, always. Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day (A day late, again) - Joe Locke Quintet, Art of Love, Steve Khan, Claude Bolling

Again, my Sunday Music Muse Day post is a day late as we were enjoying having our sons home for college spring break.  But, I still had time to pick up several new CDs and enjoy an old favorite.  First up, is a local musician I was introduced to on a Bob Sneider CD, The Joe Locke Quintet Slander (And other Love Songs).  This third Milestone records recording the talented vibraphonist, continue his nod to Film Noir in tone and content, according to the liner notes.  i definitely have to catch him live sometime soon. This is another enjoyable outing.

Next is another blind faith pick, Art of Love - Robert Sadin - Music of Machaut.  The cover art intrigued me, and I recognized several of the musicians like Milton Nascimento, Brad Mehldau, and Lionel Loueke.  It's an adventurous  re-creation of medieval and renaissance music with a very modern touch. Reader reviews on All Music website gave it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars, and the reveiwer stated,"This beautifully executed CD should appeal to fans of jazz/classical crossover."  I'll have to give it more listenings to form a final opinion, but I can say I don't hate it.

My third selection was a result of partly the love of the CD cover art, and nostalgia, and in this case, nostalgia bite me in the ass.  Bolling's Greatest Hits, is a collection of tunes from the series of Claude Bolling's voluminous output of classical/jazz suites.  Although still enjoyable, I have to admit the music sounds very dated to me, now.  Well, I still like the illustrated cover art.

Finally I dug into my old CDs and pick an old favorite, guitarist Steve Khan Let's Call This, a trio outing with Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums.  I like the CD cover art by Jean-Michel Folon and like the music more. The tone Khan get out of his guitar instantly recognizable as his own.

That's it, enjoy the week, and every music you need that gives you joy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Chick Corea & Gary Burton, The Bob Sneider & Joe Locke Film Noir Project

Here with another Sunday Music Muse Day, featuring two nice finds that feature the vibraphone.  First is Chick Corea and Gary Burton, the New Crystal Silence.  The original Crystal Silence is a classic duet album of the Corea on piano and Burton on vibraphone released on the ECM label back in 1972,  I must almost played the grooves of that album, it was such a favorite. The New Crystal Silence is a two CD set recorded in 2007, wiht eh duet playing with the Sydney Symphony, of Australia.  The second CD in in studio affair, that even the master musicians surprised themselves by completing in several hours, through first takes, when they had planned several days studio time.  Their combined genius and interplay makes to a wonderful and very satisfying follow to the first album.

My other selection is a real treat for me as features a group of local artists who I happen to know.  The Bob Snieder & Joe Locke Film Noir Project, "Fallen Angel".  Leaders Bob Sneider, guitar (Bob Snieder Trio), and Joe Locke, vibraphone, are very active on the Rochester Jazz fronting their own groups, and in the case of Bob, hosting jam sessions at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival.  Actually, I'm sure all the personal have their groups, also, John Snieder (brother of Bob), on trumpet, Paul Hoffman, on piano, Grant Stewart, on tenor saxophone, Phil Flanigan, on bass, and a favorite, and friend, Mike Melito, on Drums.  Fallen Angel is a concept CD honoring Film Noir with interpretations of  Noir film themes, and tunes the sound like they should film themes. It's a very enjoyable CD.  Nice cover art, too.

 These are fun CDs, that I'll be enjoy for a long time.  Hope you check them out if you have the change.  Enjoy.