Welcome to the blog of Dennis J. Woodyard - Journeyman Artist, and Dragonfly Entertainment. Former TV animation producer/director, storyboard artist, character designer, writer, concept artist, Flip book designer, and other professional credits.
For this fine spring Sunday Music Muse Day two jazz guitar that were included in the CD set Progressions: 100 Years of Jazz Guitar. First, jazz guitar pioneer Charlie Christian, The Immortal Charlie Christian. It's mono recording of after hours sessions. It has a very relaxed feel to it.
My second selection is Kenny Burrell Blue Muse. Kenny Burrell came into his own in the 1960s. This CD was recorded 2002. Burrell is still alive (91 years old) but due to poor health hasn't performed in years, to my knowledge. He certainly has earned his place in the ranks of great jazz guitarists.
Again, you can find Christian and Burrell in this collection of jazz guitar greats.
This Sunday Music Muse Day find me wishing for a end to winter, and licking my wounds from filing my tax returns. To ease the pain of both, here's two totally different jazz CDs. First up, is a CD picked up on two day trip to Buffalo, NY, and Niagara Falls, Canada. I always try to hit local music shops when I travel in hopes of finding hidden musical gems. This trip was a bust, except for this funky CD of a 1950's LP, Jazz for Playboys, featuring guitarists Kenny Burrell and Freddie Green. Just the title, and cover art, made it a must buy. But seriously, this classic 50's jazz and it was recorded by the Rudy Van Geider, the legendary recording engineer, in Hackensack, NJ, I'm assuming at his famous studio. All I can say is, "Cool Daddy-O".
My next selection, was recorded in 2009, the studio debut of Julian Lage Sounding Point. Lage has grown to be regarded as one the outstanding young guitarist on the jazz scene. I just featured a Gary Burton CD with Lage on it. Sounding Point was nominated for a 2010 Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Not too shabby for a debut album. As public service I'm listing the sideman as the type on the CD is in 0.05 pt type. You'd need a microscope to read it.
Bela Fleck – banjo on "The Informant", "Long Day, Short Night", and "Alameda"
Julian Lage – guitar
Chris Thile – mandolin on "The Informant", "Long Day, Short Night", and "Alameda"
Ben Roseth – saxophone on "Clarity", "All Purpose Beginning", "Peterborough", "Quiet, Through and Through", and "Motor Minder"
Taylor Eigsiti– piano on "Tour One" and "All Blues"
Aristides Rivas – cello on "Clarity" and "All Purpose Beginning"
Jorge Roeder – bass on "Clarity", "All Purpose Beginning", "Quiet, Through and Through", "Lil' Darlin'", and "Motor Minder"
Tupac Mantilla – hand percussion on "Clarity", "All Purpose Beginning", "Lil' Darlin'", and "Motor Minder"
I admit some tunes on the CD were "meh" at first listen, but it's worth going back to again.
Here's hope that spring comes soon. Until then, stay warm with cool tunes. Enjoy.
Welcome to another Sunday Music Muse Day, where I share recently picked up CDs or items from my musical stash. First up, Brad Mehldau Highway Rider, a two CD set which, at first listen, seems like soundtrack to a unseen movie. Actually, my wife and I thought parts of it was pretentious, but I like Brad Mehldau's other works, so I'm determined to give more intense listening before rendering final verdict. With the inclusion of an orchestra, this has to regarded as a serious session. Unfortunately the CD booklet offer no background info. Online reviews call it a soundtrack to an imaginary film, at least I got that right. One also states, Highway Rider is the "most fully realized original music the pianist has written to date", that being 2010. So, maybe I have to venture outside of my comfort zone, a little.
The next selection is Kenny Burrrell with John Coltrane, is 1958 date lead by the guitarist Burrell for the classic jazz label Prestige with recording engineer, Rudy Van Gelder, a legend in his own right.The liner notes states this was a period when Coltrane, a giant of jazz saxophone, was starting to move from the Miles Davis band to forge his own direction. I love finding gems and fill the gaps in my jazz music history. History never sound so sweet.
Lastly, here is another tune in my Warped Sky:Stray Cloud project, a combination of songs from old tapes and new renditions of original tunes written and played by me in the 1980s.
Thief or a Savior, is an attempt at a Rock tune, although I don't have the voice for it. It was written back 1985, and never really completely until now. (My vocals, rhythm guitar and bassline. The rest produced in the Band in Box music program) I still imagine a trio of female backup singers, but couldn't manage that.
There is the making of an animated video in the song's storyline. Time will
tell. For me, it's one more off my music bucket list. Enjoy.
Yesterday was National Record Store Day, when independent record shops collectively celebrate the love music shopping and collecting enjoy by music lovers of very stripe. I visited two of my favorite shops, in my neighbor, Hi-Fi Lounge and the Bop Shop. Both have special event. Jazz 90.1 DJ Derek Lucas was spinning vinly at Hi-Fi Lounge, and Bop Shop have live entertainment. Fun was had by all. I managed to pick up a few classic CDs. First was, George Benson White Rabbit. I think this is re-issue of his greatest known LP before he became the vocal mega-pop star with later album.
Next is another re-issued classic, Lee Morgan Sidewinder. The tune Sidewinder shows up on a lot of jazz compilations I have, it get play a lot on the radio, but it's still nice the whole LP (CD).
My last CD is a compilation of tracks by guitarist Kenny Burrell, Verve Jazz masters 45. You can never have too much Kenny Burrell. So, I'll be spending some time enjoying my Record Day picks. Hope you found so music to enjoy, too.
Sorry, I missed a week, but life happens. This week's Sunday Music Muse day includes two CD re-issued of classic jazz albums and a modern update on a classic labels tunes. First up, Jazz Samba, by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd. This CD of the 1962 recordings, according the the liner notes, Jazz Samba was "the first album of true bossa nova music by jazz artists and the one that broke the bossa nova wave in the 1960s America." I can believe that from the first notes of the "Desafinado", the opening track, which has appeared on many of my compilation records, and CD, but it never sounds dated.
The second classic re-issued CD is Kenny Burrell at the Five Spot Cafe, although the original cover reads "Kenny Burell with Art Blakey On View at the Five Spot Cafe". Either way, it's stellar outing by the legendary guitarist.
My next two selections are to be consider as one unit, Verve//Remixed 1 & 2 CDs. I'd heard several selections from these CDs on alternate radio stations like KCRW in Los Angeles and liked them. Verve records, the classic jazz label, opened their vast vaults to young DJs, producers, and remixers working in electronica and club dance music. It was always interesting to hear snippets of a jazz classics in the new context. This may be some young listeners first exposure to jazz, and hopefully it will lead to them seeking out the origins of the samples.
These CDs make for a nice mix of old and new. Well worth considering for enjoyable listening.
Time again for another Sunday Music Muse Day. I originally started these to help me keep up my interest in playing music, but they seem to have become an excuse to buy more CD's. Actually, that's not a bad thing, as I was missing the pleasure of adding new music to me collection. Especially, as I find myself fulling more holes in my jazz collection as this week's selections do. First up is Django Reinhardt: Nuages with Coleman Hawkins, a nice collection of the legendary Gypsy guitar's playing with the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, from the 1930's and 40's. The Quintet also featured legendary violinist, Stephane Grappelli. I have some Django tunes on several guitar anthology LPs, but it's nice to have solid collection on one CD. The bonus is the the two cuts alto saxophonist, Coleman Hawkins, joins him on. The picture of Django is an iconic image of a "Jazzman", it just draws you it.
Continuing with the concept of filling gaps in the my collection, is The Modern Jazz Quartet Blues on Bach. By the title you can tell the music is themed around the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. I always loved the sound of the Modern Jazz Quartet, but surprisingly never pickup a LP. I always enjoyed hearing them on the radio. So this gives me a chance to spend more time with their music.
Here's another Rudy Van Gelder Edition CD which he transferred and remastered a classic Blue Note album with 24-bit technology, Kenny Burrell Midnight Blue. I can't get enough of this classic jazz guitar playing.
A nice thing was I have a copy of the first tune on the CD, Chitlin Con Carne on the Best of Blue Note CD, I featured before. In case you missed it, here it is again. There a lot of great classic tunes on it.
I spied more of these Rudy Van Gelder Edition CDs at the record shop. I may have to pick them up. Until then, enjoy.
