Sunday Music Muse Day - Wes Montgomery, Kurt Rosenwinkel Group

We're enjoying a picture prefect summer weekend here in upstate NewYork. When not outside soaking up the sunshine, a pleasant change for Rochester, I'm enjoying these 2 live CD sets from two ends of the jazz guitar spectrum.  First up, Wes Montgomery Back in Indiana Avenue, another excellent package from Resonance Records of newly discovered early recordings of the legendary jazz guitarist. The liner notes states these are some of the earliest recordings of Wes classics, like "Four on Six, which is the first cut on the CD, and a favorite Wes Montgomery tune of mine. This is a must for a lover of jazz guitar.  I highly recommend the all the Resonance Records releases of Wes and other artists.

Next up, is a one of young contemporary jazz guitarist who may have come to know Wes Montgomery through the playing of Pat Metheny or Larry Coryell.  Kurt Rosenwinkel Group The Remedy - Live at the Village Vanguard.  I've listened to several his CDs before this 2 CD live set, and I get he's a talented player, but his music doesn't grab me as memorable.  More guitar noodlings than solid compositions for my tastes.  But, he's popular and critics' favorite, so to each, his own.

With the chance of good summer weather, do yourself a favor and take in some live music.  I plan to. Enjoy

Sunday Music Muse Day - Leni Stern, Kurt Rosenwinkle

On this Sunday Music Muse Day, Mother Nature is playing an early April Fools Day joke on us as spring flower are being cover with snow fall. Maybe listening to some CDs I picked up at the South Wedge Record Fair, today, will help me get the last laugh.  First is Leni Stern Recollection, it's a anthology of tunes from various prior releases of the fusion guitarist.   The cuts include guitarists Bill Frisell and Wayne Krantz, plus drummer Paul Motian.  Not  lightweight players.  The CDc starts with two vocal tunes, with hint of country music in a slight Bonnie Raitt vain (who I like) which I find not to be her strong suit. I enjoy her instrumentals much better. Still there is much to like in this CD set.

Next up is Kurt Rosenwinkel Heartcore.  This is my second CD I've picked up by the young guitarist, who has a been acclaimed as a raising star in the new generation of jazz players.  With my first listen I have to agree with Nate Chinen writing a review for JazzTimes (Oct. 1, 2009), "Heartcore will have its critics, and they’ll fall into one of two camps: those who revile Rosenwinkel’s electronic “corruption” of jazz and those who think his concoction is merely sonic wallpaper. What both sides will have missed is the luminous melodic allure of the album, along with its subtle intricacies of texture. The disc has its shortcomings...Somewhat uneven but almost ceaselessly fascinating, the album reveals not only Rosenwinkel’s purest motivations but also the possibilities of his alternative approach." I'll have to give it more time, but I'm not hearing the greatness some critics have professed to have hear in his playing. He's not this generation's Pat Metheny or Larry Coryell in my opinion, so far.

The snow is still falling lightly, but it will melt away before nightfall, but I can still her Mother Nature giggling at us.  Time to turn up the music.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kalnein Fischbacher Group, Sunny Jain Collective, and Al Di Meola World Sinfonia

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day features a batch trio of new artists, and an old favorite. First up, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Caipi.  I've read about this young guitarist as being uprising star on the jazz scene. It's seems he has been around awhile and has a solid growing following. But this is my first extended listen to him, and I must admit, I'm not hearing what all the fuss is about.  The music here borders on "Smooth Jazz" to my ears.  One online reviewer gave Caipi 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  While another said, "For the music from "Caipi... sounds virtually nothing like what listeners have come to expect from him during the past couple of decades."  So I'm of the mind to seek out his earlier record before giving final judgement.

My next new artist (at least to me) is Kalnein Fischbacher Group - One Man Disco.  I freely admit this CD cover art caught my eye, first. This quote from their web page gives a hint of what to expect: "With post-modern vigor this remarkable quartet morphs trace elements of Jazz, Rock and Indian music into the present, where they flitter throughout the eight original compositions by the two bandleaders, underscored with rhythmic furor and melodic flights of inspiration."  The only online reviews give them 5/5 stars.  I found the music adventurous very much like the post-Weather Report world music of Joe Zawinul.  This music can't be pigeon-hole in any one category, it just needs to be enjoy on it's own merit.  I like it.

The next selection is Sunny Jain Collective - Mango Festival.  I picked up this drummer's CD because I saw one of his sidemen was guitarist Rez Abbasi who's CDs I had picked up this last year.  Reading the liner notes it states Sunny Jain was raised in Rochester, as noted in a online profile: "Born to Punjabi immigrant parents and raised in Rochester, NY, Jain has become an highly recognized musician who's group, Sunny Jain Collective, has been touted as a leading voice for the new music Indo Jazz (a movement of first-generation South Asians equally steeped in the jazz tradition and the music of their cultural heritage). With 3 critically acclaimed CD releases (another 20 as a sideman), multiple tours throughout the world, and numerous of media accolades, Jain is an Indian-American trailblazer."  His resume will make you head spin.  He's very talented. this CD is great introduction, I'll be seek out his other works.  It shows the strength of diversity.

My last selection is by a old favorite guitarist Al Di Meola with his World Sinfonia - The Grande Passion. A review on All Music website states, "A rich, moody tapestry with flashes of fire, this CD incorporates elements of jazz, fusion, classical, Latin, tango, and Middle Eastern music", earning it a 4/5 star review. This music beyond fusion and enjoyable to the max.

Again, these selections shows the riches cultural diversity can offer us, if we open our hearts and minds to it. Enjoy.