Sunday Music Muse Day - Sam Woodyard - (January 7, 1925 – September 20, 1988) A remembrance.

 This Sunday Music Muse Day I have a remembrance. I usually prefer to celebrate the birthdays of the living, and departed, but this will popped up on the Duke Ellington Society group.  My father, Sam Woodyard, died on September 20, 1988, in Paris, France, of cancer.  Sam was the drummer for Duke orchestra from the the mid-1950s, most famously beginning with the famous 1956 Newport Jazz Festival concert..  Many consider him one of Duke's best drummers. Honestly, he wasn't a part of my life, as he choose his career over family, and believe me, there is no bitterness in that statement,  By way of closure, I had the chance to visit him in Paris, after the news of his illness was passed to his mother through Dizzy Gillespie,  a year before he passed, and I travel to Paris for his funeral and carried his ashes back home.  I'm proud of his musical legacy, and through the friends he made in Paris and elsewhere, I knew he was loved and comforted in his last difficult years.  His music will continue to touch jazz fan for all time. RIP Sam.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Johnny Hodges with Sam Woodyard, Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds me enjoying and celebrating a pair of 2-CD sets of  legendary jazz saxophonists.  First up is Johnny Hodges at Sportpalast, Berlin, a 2 CD live set recored in Berlin, Germany in march 1961.  Hodges uses fellow band mates of the Ellington Orchestra, including my father, Sam Woodyard, on drums.  This CD set was produced by famed produce Norman Granz who handled the European tour of this group, while Duke had gone Paris to work on the movie, Paris Blues, with Billy Strayhorn. It sounds like it was a win-win for everybody.  Most of the tunes are associated with the Ellington playlist, as to be expected.  It's always fun for me to find Sam on other jazz outings.  I think of this as collecting a nice music legacy for my kids.

Next is baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan Quartet, the original quartet with Chet Baker.  This collection of cuts recorded in the early 1950s is giving me a education in the West Coast Jazz style of the era.  It definitely has a more laid back feel than the East Coast style of artists like Miles Davis, and the Bebop of Dizzy Gillespie.  It's  alway fun to discovery the gems of the past in jazz made before I got into it in the 1970s.

Two sets double CDs, I'm looking forward to enjoying for a long time.  Cheers.

Sunday Music Muse Day - John Stowell - Michael Zilber, Duke Ellington revisited.

This Sunday Music Muse Day actually finds it feeling like Spring.  I got to go shopping with just a light sweatshirt on. At Bop Shop Records, I picked up John Stowell / Michael Zilber Quartet Basement Blues. It's a tasty and energetic outing with Stowell on guitar and Zilber on saxophones and piano.  This 2016 session is their third recording together.  Eight out of the ten tunes are originals  by members of the band, with a tune by Bill Evens (Very Early) and Jerome Kern ( Nobody Else But Me).  It a nice way to greet the Spring.

By second second selection has me revisiting some Duke Ellington selections, the result of a minor discovery.  I had, what thought was, an album cover of the Duke Ellington Piano in the Foreground mounted in a simple glass frame.  The cover features Sam Woodyard, my father, on the cover. This was given to me in Paris by a friend of Sam's.  I wanted to reframe this, but I discovered  it a was a color xerox of the cover, and I would have damaged it if I removed it from the backing.  But, I wanted to have a framed version of the cover to mount on the wall.  So, I looked for a copy at Bop Shop Records.  Owner Tom Kohn and the staff were very helpful, even letting me search their basement stash of Ellington stock. after not finding the Piano in the Foreground album in main floor stacks.  I did found a copy, and picked up another Storyville Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, with Johnny Hodges and his Orchestra, because it had a band photo with Sam in it.  Now I have to find good spot to mount both covers. 

Seems like Spring finally here to stay. Try to enjoy it to the fullest.  Good tunes always helps.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Duke Ellington Birthday, Jazzy Birthday (More or Les)

The Sunday Music Muse Day falls on Duke Eliington's birthday. What better way to celebrate that to spin some of my favorite Ellington Album and CDs.  Duke Ellington Piano in the Foreground is a favorite because actually like Duke small group sessions,  Having Sam Woodyard, my father pictured on the cover is a plus.

With Duke Ellington meets Coleman Hawkins, the biggest thrill is the first tune"Limbo Jazz", were Sam is heard vocalizing on the tune unaware the he's being recorded.  I'm so glad Duke release this cut as is.  I always get a kick out of hearing it. Of course the whole session is full of great playing by everyone.  The tune started my friendship with Tom Pethic when I thanked him on air for playing it on Jazz90.1, introduced myself. Thanks, Tom.

My finally selection is Duke Ellington Soul Call. I searched a long time to find the original LP after hearing the first cut La Plus Belle Africaine on a college radio station in the early 70s.  I was digging the drumming, without knowing it was Duke and my father playing on the drums. At the time I was more into Rock music, especially Cream, with drummer Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton on guitar, and Jack Bruce on bass. I happily picked up the CD reissue.

So, hope you find a way to celebrate Duke, too.

As a Part 2 to this Sunday Muse Day, and in honor of Duke, I sharing a rough version original tune Jazzy Birthday (More or Les).  The "Les" in the title refers to a old friend of Les Bernstein, not Les Paul the great guitar player, and father (inventor) of the solid body electric guitar, although it could, also. It's a work in progress.  Here are lyrics to this, but they're not ready, well... I'm not ready to torture people with vocals.  I could hear Giamono Gates doing it. 

I recently picked up the Band in a Box music program which lets you make backing tracks.  I going to use to put my old unfinished musical ideas down.  Sort of a musical "Dime-a-Dozen Project".  I have scores of half-baked idea collecting dust is folders.  A few are dusting off and presenting in some form.

This is actually what I started my Sunday Music Muse Day post to explore my music side.  They will never be a perfect, but I hope they're fun. 

Sunday Music Muse Day - Duke Ellington, Ahmad Jamal, John McLaughlin & the 4th Dimemsion, and Stanton Moore Trio.

This Sunday Music Music finds the first snow of the season has come and gone, and in it's wake the dark gloomy days of Rochester weather settles in as clocks have turned back to Standard time.  Nothing helps life the gloom that good music.  To that end we have, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra The Complete Ellington Indigos.   This is a CD re-issue of all the material from the original sessions recorded in September 9 to October 14, 1957.  It seems there were numerous releases in Mono and Stereo LPs, CDs that omitted certain tunes or used alternate takes.  It nice to find re-issues like this that extra material, so you don't mind buyng it again even if you have the original LP, (which in this case I don't) Of course, I'd be remissed if I didn't mention, my father Sam Woodyard, plays drums on the sessions.

Next, Ahmad Jamal Trio Cross Country Tour 1958 - 1961.  This is a two CD set full of wonderful jazz piano from the legendary pianist.  the 32 tunes presented are from several early Jamal LPs.  His classic "Poinciana" alone is worth the price of admission.  I only have one other Ahmad Jamal LP "One" form 1978.  The set will be welcomed addition to my collection.

Next, we have John McLaughlin & the 4th Dimension Live at Ronnie Scott's. It's a nice follow up seeing him perform at his Farewell tour date recently.  This was recorded in March of this year (2017) and many of the tunes were part of the farewell tour playlist.

Just to round out things is a CD of Stanton Moore Trio Emphasis! (On Parenthesis).  Moore is a drummer, and new to me, leading this drums, guitar, organ, trio.  The CD gets a 4/5 star review on All About Jazz site by reveiwer, Doug Collette, "Yet if Moore, Walter and Bernard weren't so technically skilled or fluent in such a variety of styles, the fruits of their collaboration might reside in the dolefully predictable rut of all too much funk. Instead, Emphasis! (On Parenthesis) is alight with a fresh camaraderie that exceeds the ambitious goals of the group's leader."  I found the music to be okay, but something was missing, it didn't complete gel to my ears. I'll have to give it a couple of more listens, before passing final judge. (Okay, the cover art grab my eye)

The sky is clearing a bit, but I'll still keeping good tune.  Hope you do the same.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Duke Ellington, Chick Corea and Gary Burton, Pat Metheny

Today's Sunday Music Muse Day selections are by way of the South Wedge Record Fair at the German House.  It was mainly for vinyl record collector, but there were some CDs to be had.  First off, it was nice to see Derek Lucas, music director and DJ from Jazz90.1 radio, spinning discs at two turntables near the entrance.  Derek added a great soundtrack to the event.  I found some CDs of a few favorites to add to my collection.  First is Duke Ellington The Pianist.  I thought I may have had this, but apparently I didn't, perhaps confusing it with Duke's Piano in the Foreground session, The Pianist has him playing in a small group, mainly just bass and drums.  My father, Sam Woodyard, plays drums on seven of the ten cuts, and he even has tune named for him, "Sam Woodyard's Blues".  That may it a must buy, just for that.  I actually like Duke small group recordings a lot.  You get to hear him stretch out more.   This will be a nice compliment to the  Piano in the Foreground CD.

Next is Chick Corea and Gary Burton Native Sense - The New Duets.  Corea and Burton are one of my favorite musical duos.  Since their first Crystal Silence album released on ECM in the 1973, I've would never pass up a chance to hear them.

Last selection is another favorite artist, Pat Metheny Group Speaking of Now, one of those CD of his I missed during a period when I was not buying any music much, not sure why. But, it's always good to catch up.

As the end of the election draws near, it's good to had some good music to distract us from the noise on the outside world.  Here's hoping for better days.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Michael (Mike) Melito Quintet, Buddy Rich, Steve Greene Trio, and Vieux Farka Toure

Welcome to another Sunday Music Muse Day.  This week's selections starts off with the beats of two swinging drummers. Counting off the downbeat first is Mike Melito (when he had a longer name, and longer hair), as the Michael Melito Quintet - My Conception, actually is Mike's recording debut as a leader.   Mike sure hit the ground running, and continues producing the swinging "hard bop" he set out to play.  I already have Mike's latest "New York Connections", and look forward to the CD release gig he has planned in October.  Mike is a big fan of my father, Sam Woodyard (drummer for Duke Ellington), and counts Sam as a major influence.  The more I hear Mike play, the more I hear bits of Sam in his playing, and feel Mike is keeping that swinging tradition alive, and progressing.

Next up is special find, legendary drummer Buddy Rich, The Roar of '74.  Billed as "the world's greatest drummer" during his career, with the impressive roster of big bands and artist he played with, and leading his own big band, it would hard to argue with that title. An added treat for me is that my father, Sam Woodyard is featured on percussion (bongos, hand drum, etc).  This a hot rocking set of tunes and great fun to listen to.

The next selection is another local Rochester musician, guitarist, Steve Greene Trio.  I heard Steve play a live set on our local jazz radio station, Jazz90.1, in the past. This is nice mellow jazz guitars and bass set.  I hope to catch Steve performing live sometime.

My last selection, actually was picked by my wife, Lisa, who saw this artist perform while she was visiting a friend in Hudson, NY, this weekend.  Vieux Farka Toure - Mon Pays is a CD by the Malian (Mali, in West Africa) singer and guitarist and son of the late Grammy Award winning Malian musician Ali Farka Toure, who many know from his CD with Ry Cooder, Talking Timbuktu.  Lisa really liked the live concert, and the infectious Afro-beats on this CD makes me jealous I didn't see him, too.

All in all, a nice collection of tunes to head into autumn with.  Enjoy.