Sunday Music Muse Day - John McLaughlin & Shakti, Detroit Rising

This first September Sunday Music Muse Day find me presenting two selection from two different ends of the music spectrum. First is Shakti This Moment, the CD celebrating the 50th anniversary tour of the legendary group featuring John McLaughlin, playing Indian inspired music. It makes me feel old to say I saw the original group, in NYC, on their first tour.  I had hoped to see a 50th tour date in Newark, NJ, in late August, but it wasn't possible.  So I have this CD to enjoy instead.

From the mystical sounds of Shakti we move to the opposite edge of the musical spectrum with the music of the Detroit Rising, A Cosmic Jazz Funk Adventure.  I have to admit, the cover art and graphics were the first draw.  It reminded me a little of the art of Android Jones.  The collective of musicians played with P-Funk, The Parliaments, Prince and Herbie Hancock, so if you like George Clinton and Funkadelics you might found this interesting. It definitely has the Jazz-Funk groove.  A little unfocused for my taste, but worth a listen.

So, with Labor Day, summer is over. Let look forward to good days again. 

Sunday Music Muse Day - John McLaughlin, Stephane Grappelli with Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine

This Sunday Music Muse day has me visiting several favorite guitarists and a true legend of jazz violin with a French connection.  First up, John McLaughlin The Heart of Things - Live in Paris.  This is live date featuring the material and almost the same personal of the studio CD of the same name.  I have to admit it's not the most memorable of McLaughlin's recordings, but still worth a listen.

My second selection is Stephane Grappelli Young Django, a CD in tribute to Django Reinhardt, the legendary gypsy jazz guitarist that with Stephane Grappelli performed in the Quintette du Hot Club de France in the 1920s and 30s as the most influential band in history of  European jazz. Django's playing definitely inspired the two guitarists here, Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine, who "chose the tunes for this record...some of Django's and Stephane's most beautiful compositions." I remember seeing a vinyl record of this in a import section back in the 70's but it was too expensive for my poor starving artist budget at the time. It's nice to finally own.

Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Father's Day Edition - The Guitar Trio - John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia, Warped Sky - Stray Clouds

Happy Father's Day to all dad of all kind, shapes, and sizing.  All the best, on this Sunday Music Muse Day.  My buddy Rodney Mean shared a concert video of a version of the super charged acoustic Guitar Trio of John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, and Paco DeLucia from 1979.  I inspired me to pulled a two albums with Al Di Meola, which I think was the original lineup and the on that recorded and toured in the U.S.  :The Friday Night In San Francisco - Live, (1981) and Passion Grace & Fire.  and later The Guitar Trio CD (1996) I remember attending a NYC concert with McLaughlin, Di Meola, and De Lucia, probably about the late 70s. The blazing speed and shear barrage of notes never seem to diminish the high quality of the music.

Keeping with theme of Father's Day, here's a song about children. (Actually another (embarrassing) attempt to clear the backlog of undeveloped and unfinished music ideas.) "Flowers" is an original tune written by friend Peter Grosett back in 1982. Peter and I met at the Guitar Center in NYC, where we were taking lessons and started practicing. Peter was pursuing a career in Jazz guitar, and I was just trying to justify having a guitar. He was always a more accomplished player than I, but somehow we clicked and we liked playing together. We even did a couple of pay-for-tips gigs a East Village cafe, La Figero, and at an uptown venue. One of the joys of playing with Peter was his sharing his original tunes. "Flower; was actually performed in public, vocals and all. (There is reel-to-reel of it I need to transfer before it rots) 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, "Flowers". I hope it give a hints of the good song Peter wrote. This backing track was 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 admit the version came out more "smooth jazz" than I would like, and BIAB sound can be clunky and rough, but thats Jazz.

Peter and I are still in touch and his creative paths has turned to photography. I'm glad I was able to incorporate one of photo in this video. I hope my Peter like it as a tribute to his all around creative spirit. old and new. Enjoy

Sunday Music Muse Day Ralph Towner 80th Birthday, John Mclauglin

This Sunday Music Muse Day must bring good Karma, as I picked my first selection, Ralph Towner My Foolish Heart,  to start my morning before I found out it was Ralph's birthday. Happy birthday Ralph, and thanks for the music.

Next is a collection of John McLaughlin CDs I found in one shopping trip to Record Archive.  With McLaughlin being one of my favorite I have to have them all.  I will admit I'm a little disappointed in the Remember Shakti CDs, as there isn't as much of John guitar playng as I would want.

The other three are electric band released in 2008, 2010, and 2015. With McLaughlin's blistering sonic barrage of notes you always find true gems of inspiration. The tune 'El Hombre Que Sabia" on the Black Light CD is one for me. 

I have more than enough full my listening hours with pleasure.  Hope you'll do the same. Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter.

Happy New year.  Here to start of the first Sunday Music Muse day with John Mclaughlin & the 4th Dimension- Jimmy Herring & the Invisible Whip - Live in San Francisco (man that's mouthful of title).  Yesterday (Jan. 6) was John Mclaughlin's 77th birthday and I heard a radio interview from the end of the 2018 farewell tour that this album form the last concert is from.  I caught the first concert of the this final tour, at the University of Buffalo.  I'm glad I got to see McLaughlin. who's one of my favorite musical artist, not just as a great guitarist. 

The radio interview was very insightful.  One gem of interest was that he was invited to join Weather Report at its inception by co-founder bassist Miroslav Vitous, but turned down the offer as he was forming Mahavishu Orchestra.  Weather Report is favorite non-guitar-centric groups.  I think you can get feel for they would sound with a guitarist from their tune The Moors from I Sing the Body Electric album, their second, featuring Ralph Towner. 

I sort of glad McLaughlin didn't join Weather Report as it might have meant no Mahavishu Orchestra.  What void in my music collection that would have been.

Speaking of Weather Report, my next selection is from another founding member legendary saxophonist, Wayne Shorter.  Wayne Shorter - Emanon is his latest release by 85 tear old recent Kennedy Center Honors recipient .  Emanon is multimedia concept project with 3 CDs and 84 page science fiction graphic novel, illustrated by Randy DuBurke. I'm not familiar with the artist. The music is as adventurist as his early solo. Amazing.

Interestingly, this is not Wayne's first example of comic book art attached to his music.  I came across an old album of his, Phantom Navigator, that has Wayne comic book art from his teen years on the inner sleeve.

There are other examples of jazz players who were into sci-fi, like bassist Stanley Clarke  and drummer Lenny White of Return to Forever.  I'll have to do a post them sometime.

For now, enjoy the coming New Year.