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.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Young Miles, Dexter Gorgon, Snarky Puppy and Metrople Orkest, and Bob Sniider and Paul Hoffman

Today's Sunday Music Muse Day offering picks up from purchases I made last week, but I wanted time to give them a good listen.  First up is a group, and new CD, that is getting a lot of airplay on  my local jazz station, Jazz 90.1, Snarky Puppy and Metropole Orkest - Sylva.  the release is actually a CD + DVD package of a recording and filmed live performance in the Netherlands. Wikipedia states Snarky Puppy is a "fusion band" that "features a collective of nearly 40 musicians".   This is a very interesting and engaging CD with music that almost defies categories, it just exists on own merit.  Sometimes it sound like a soundtrack to a complex movie you haven't seen, but want to.  I found I enjoyed it best by listening to the CD as one suite, and not just tracks.    More enjoyable is the performance on the DVD.  It was truly incredible watching interplay of this large ensemble of Snarky Puppy and Metropole Orkest.   Snarky Puppy has played  the Rochester International Jazz Festival recently.  I remember their keyboard player, Cory Henry, dropped in the after-hours jam session.  I definitely will have to catch them live the next time they're in the area.

Here's a video of one of the tracks.  Youtube has the full concert.

The next selection is a nice find, Dexter Gordon - The Other Side of Round Midnight.  This CD is music done for movie Round Midnight, which Dexter Gordon starred in.  I haven't seen the movie since the week it open in NYC, in 1986, but I remember enjoying it, so I'll have to check it out again soon.  In a lot of ways it reminds me of my father's last days in Paris.  The CD is loaded with living legends of jazz, like Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock Billy Higgins, John Mclaughlin, Wayne Shorter, the late Tony Williams, and many more.  This CD is a great companion the movie.

Here is the trailer for Round Midnight, (too bad it's such poor quality)

The next selection took some time getting through, with pleasure, of course.  Miles Davis - Young Miles, a 4 CD set of Miles first five years of recording 1945-50.  Since I picked up on Miles Davis at his Bitches Brew stage, I'm always playing catch up on the his earlier recordings.  This set really help full a gap in my musical education.

My last selection is a another nod to local talent, guitarist, Bob Sneider, and Paul Hofmann, pianist, titled "Interconnection".  It is a nice mix of a few standards, and originals by Bob and Paul, the center piece being Paul Hofmann's  "Jazz Suite for Guitar and Piano".  The interplay between these talented musicians is just wonderful.  I'll be listening to this for years to come.

Here taste of the Jazz Suite.

Be sure to check these out,  if you have the chance.  Enjoy.