Sunday MusIc Muse Day - Remembering Chick Corea (June 12, 1941 - February 9, 2021)

This Sunday Music Muse Day find us still absorbing the lost of jazz great Chick Corea. Chick's music was central in my growing interest in jazz in my early 20s.  First, as a sideman with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew, considered the birth of jazz fusion.  Then Chick's early  Return to Forever group, then the RTF electric band.  My most personal memory of Return to Forever was when I heard the original group, with Bill Conners on electric guitar, before being replaced by Al DiMeolo, playing a free summer concert in Central Park, NYC, near the Metropolitan Museum.  At the time I didn't catch their name. It was only months later when their record was released that recognize them as the band playing in the park.  From then on I was a fan of Chick and his music.  One other story, I answered a radio call in ticket giveaway question, "what was Chick Corea most famous tune?", the answer of course is "Spain". The prize was tickets to see Jaco Pastorius Word of Mouth Big Band.  (I think I take my friend Karen Donelson to it)  I just pulled most of the stuff under his name I have, but there are countless others from his long and distinguished career. 

Chick will truly be missed, but never forgotten. RIP and thanks for the music.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Oregon, Miroslav Vitous, Charlie Hunter, Return to Forever, Kneebody

I missed posting again last week, because of busy family weekend. Even though I pickup these CD last week I haven't had a chance to listen to them, so, maybe it was all for the best.  So this week's Sunday Music Muse selection include some old favorites, and some favorite musicians in different settings.  First up is the group Oregon Northwest Passage CD, featuring a favorite guitarist Ralph Towner.  Seven of the fourteen tracks are written or co-written by Towner and some are on another Towner solo releases.  It's nice to compare the different versions.

 Next up is Miroslav Vitous Infinite Search.  This is a reissue of the bassist's 1977 album, his first as a leader.   Miroslav Vitous was the original bassist and a founding member the legendary Weather Report.  The album Infinite Search was also released as Mountain in the Cloud, which is the cover I remember.  I thought I had the "Mountain" album, but checking  my collection and it's not there.  I seem to remember playing the LP, so it could have been an album I borrowed from the Lincoln Center Music library, which was a great way to preview music in the ancient, pre-internet days.  Vitous virtuoso playing moves freely between avant garde and free jazz.  This CD featured several key figures from the then-budding jazz fusion movement: John McLauglin, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, and Joe Henderson. Well worth a listen.

 Here's the Mountains in the Clouds LP cover.

Speaking of the Jazz Fusion, the next CD is Return To Forever, The Anthology, group the help define Jazz Fusion.  This Anthology is a nice compliment to the RTF Reunion CD I picked up a few months back.   One surprising note I discovered in the liner notes was Al Di Meola recalling how he came to join RTF.  He mentioned the guitarist Earl Klugh, of smooth jazz fame, actually followed Bill Conners before Al joined.  That was news to me.  I wonder if any tapes of those concert Klugh played with RTF still exist and will they ever see the light of day.

Next is another first outing, by 7-string guitarist, Charlie Hunter, with the Charlie Hunter Trio.  I just saw Charlie Hunter live a few weeks ago.  I've still deciding if I "totally" like his music.  It intrigues me enough that I keep picking up his CD, so there has to be something there.

So, that's this week selection.  Thanks for letting me share these.  Enjoy.

Another Delayed Sunday Music Muse Day

Life, a college visit, and the start of the NFL season, combined to push this week's Sunday Music Muse Day to Monday, again.  This time I have some interesting and solid picks for music lovers.
First up, is another great Jazz find with my father, Sam Woodyard, on drums.  It's a Verve Master Edition reissue of the LP Johnny Hodges, Soloist with Billy Strayhorn and THE Orchestra.  "THE Orchestra" has to been the Duke Ellington Orchestra, without the Duke.  Jimmy Jones is on piano, with Billy Strayhorn as bandleader and arranger.  I enjoy finding and listening to Sam's outings with other groups, although this has him familiar grounds.  It's a great set.

 Here the original cover.

 And the original back cover.

My next selection is a local band the I saw listed to play at the Little Cafe, a small music venue, the our independent movie theatre. I checked their website and sampled their tunes from their CD, Margaret Explosion - Live Dive.  From my first impression of their name, I expect it to been a female-centric, folk-rock band, but to my surprise they're avant-garde jazz band, as one review noted they "play spacey, floating dreamscapes with smart improvisational skill".  Margaret Explosion's music reminds me of "a little" Miles Davis "In a Silent way" era music.  Even, my wife Lisa like it on first listen.  Most of their tunes are totally improvisational live tracks, so in a way they only exist on CD, so if you see them live you should expect a "Greatest Hits" set.  I missed their show this past weekend, but plan to look out for their next performance.

I also like this animated video they  did the music for.

Next is another CD by guitarist Charlie Hunter, titled "Charlie Hunter".  I think it's his first release.  I'm such a sucker for the 8-string guitar sound he gets.  The radical neck design is so interesting.  Some of his stuff can be hit and miss, it's always worth giving it a listen.

The last selection really take me back, Return to Forever - Returns.  It's 2 CD set of the Chick Corea's Return to Forever fusion band with the original members, Al Di Meola, on guitar (actually Bill Conners was original guitarist on the first album) , Stanley Clark, on Bass, Lenny White, on drums, and Chick, of course on keyboards.  This are live track recorded during their 2008 world wide reunion tour, which I missed somehow.  It's fun to listen to the old standards played with new fire and intensity of players who have continue to grow and mature.   Many times there are music nods, musical quotes, to each member's solo efforts.  This is a nice compliment to the Corea-Mclaughlin CD I featured last week.

After a busy weekend, I'm looking forward to spending time with these great tune.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Conners and Meltdown Birth of Fusion

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day selections are rooted in the Jazz Fusion of the 1970s.  First up, guitarist  Bill Conners' Theme of the Gaurdian, which I own on vinyl LP and CD.

 Bill was the original guitarist for Chick Corea's Return to Forever, but Bill left after the first album and tour.  The picture of him on the back cover was probably from a RTF concert.  After leaving RTF, Bill Conners switched to acoustic guitar and released several solo efforts.  This being the first.  In the mid-80s Bill returned to the electric guitar with three CD's using a power trio, guitar, bass, drum, format.

Next up, today , is Meltdown - the Birth of Fusion, a nice sampling of well known 70's Jazz Fusion classics.

Truly  a good way to spend the afternoon.  Enjoy.