Sunday Music Muse Day - Bill Frisell, Stan Getz

This Sunday Music Day sees two major local events coming to close. The Rochester Lilac Festival, and The PGA Tournament at the Oak Hill Country Club. We, wife, son and friends, took in the Lilac Festival last weekend, glad we did then yesterday was very rainy. I have no interest in the golf tournament, whatsoever, but happy for the interest it generates for the Rochester region.  My music selections this week leaves me with mixed feelings, also. First is Bill Frisell When You Wish Upon a Star, this is a CD of movie related tunes.  Frisell has done other CDs featuring movie themes including two "out there" ones with John Zorn, "Naked" and "The Big Gundown - John Zorn plays the music of Ennio Morricone".  I like the concept of When You Wish..., but the final product falls flat to me.  Bob Sneider & Joe Locke's two Film Noir Project CDs, "Fallen Angel" and "Nocturne for Ava" are much better.  Check those out when you can.  Still, I'll always take a chance on a Bill Frisell release.

Here are the covers of Bob Sneider & Joe Locke's Film Noir Project CDs.

Today's second selection is Stan Getz Reflection. Again, I like Stan Getz playing, and music, and readily admit I didn't iget nto his music until his Captain Marvel record, which I saw more as a pre-flight for Chick Corea's Return to Forever group.  Reflections has some classic and legendary players, but the 1963 arrangements sound very dated to me (I was 13 years old back then, so it wouldn't have been on my musical radar.  The strings and background vocals reminded me of 50's "cool, hip" (aka lame), bachelor pad movies. But, to each, his own. 

The weather here in Rochester has turned perfect, sunny and comfortable for those enjoying the last day of the Lilac Festival and PGA Tournament.  So, all's well, that ends well.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan Paul Desmond Quartet, Warped Sky - Stray Cloud

Welcome to another Sunday Music Muse post.  This week offers a series of double doses of baritone sax goodness, in the person of Gerry Mulligan, on a legendary label, with a legendary producer.  First is Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi, which finds another giant of the saxophone, Stan Getz, joining Gerry Mulligan for a October 1957 session produce by Norman Granz for the Verve label.  You can't get more steeped in jazz legacy than that.  They even swapped horn on the last three tunes, so you get to hear both play tenor and baritone saxophones.  This re-release also includes tunes not on the original album. That's nice treat. I'll have to review my Jazz history, Mulligan and Getz are considered part the West Coast jazz of that period considered softer that the East coast player.  They sound good to me.

Next up is the Gerry Mulligan Paul Desmond Quartet, recorded in August of 1957.  Again, this of product of Verve, and Norman Granz. The liner notes states Mulligan and Desmond first played together when Desmond sat in with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, who Desmond famously played with, at Carnegie Hall (NYC) in 1954.  Mulligan said they formed "a natural affinity".  It wasn't until this 1957 date the that affinity was fully explored.  Lucky of all music fans it was.

Here's another original tune is part of my Warped Sky - Stray Clouds project. Warped Sky - Stray Cloud, is a combination of songs from old tapes and new renditions of original tunes written and played by me in the 1980s. Today's tune is Without You - Mystical Heart. This started are just a collection of chords. Somehow I had two different songs with the title "Without You", one with lyrics and this one without.  This video has my first complete version played against a Band in a Box backing tracking.  A feature in Band in A Box suggest song titles based on the chord and it suggested "Mystical Heart", it's not a bad title, so I added it.  Another feature is the video of the real musician playing the musical part, in this case the guitar solo. It's curious my ballads start to sound Country, which I never really like.  That may be the Band the Band tracks style. Still, it's another song off by incomplete list. For added plus I used an old illustration of mine in the video.

Enjoy, your week.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Stan Getz, Rusell Malone, again.

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day turns out to be a follow up, or extension, to two selections from last week.  Stan Getz Moments in Time is the companion CD to the Getz / Gilberto '76 released by Resonance Records. Moments is the live set of the Getz quartet without Joao Gilberto.  Together the two CDs comprise the complete historic live set at the famous iconic San Francisco jazz club,  Keystone Korner, in 1976.

The other selection is two CDs of guitarist Russell Malone Live at the Jazz Standard Volume 1 & 2.  These are nice sets recorded at the NYC club with a quartet with Jonathan Blake on drums, Martin Bejerano on piano, Tassili Bond on bass, and Malone on guitar. Seeing the CDs together I couldn't pass up getting both.  Jann Nyffeler, Jazz 90.1 DJ,said she was glad I kept the set intact.  Thanks, Jann.

 To add the today's Music Muse, I went to see the  Miles Ahead movie.  I enjoyed it.  I'm sorry I miss a special event co-hosted by Derrick Lucas at the Little Theater, for International Jazz Day, yesterday.  I'm sure I'll catch up with Derrick at one the upcoming jazz event to spring and summer.

Sunday Music Muse Day, Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, John Scofield, Ruseell Malone Kevin Eubanks

This week's Sunday Music Muse exposes my guitar-centric music leanings.  First up is Getz/Gilberto '76, featuring saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist Joao Gilberto from a historic live set at the famous iconic San Francisco jazz club,  Keystone Korner, in 1976.  This duo is best known for introducing Brazilian bossa nova to the United states in the 1960s.  This is a great CD, the kind you'll play to get your special someone in a romantic mood.  Trust me on that.

As my first selection had a taste of tasty guitar, the rest dives right in.  John Scofield Past Present, his latest release, sort of makes up for the last CD I acquired, with Medeski Martin and Wood.  This one is a solid outing with a quartet, featuring Joe Lovano, on saxophone, Larry Grenadier, on double bass, and  Bill Stewart, on drums.

My next selection is guitarist Russell Malone, Sweet Georgia Peach.  I've heard and seen articles about him but hadn't own any of his CDs.  This is a very enjoyable. I'd say a more traditional jazz guitar CD, very mellow and engaging.   I'll definitely look for more of his music.

My last selection is Kevin Eubanks Shadow Prophets.  I have several CDs by Kevin, which I like, but I must say this one, recorded in 1988 on the GRP label, is a little more "smooth jazz", than I would like.  Unlike his Turning Point CD, made in 1992 on the Blue Note label, which is more adventurous, in my opinion.  I definitely seems like a creative shift and grown happened between those CDs.

 Just for contrast here's the Turning Point cover.

So that's my additions to my jazz guitar listening choices.  Worth seeking out, if you have the chance.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd, Kenny Burell with Art Blakey, and Verve/Remixed 1 and 2

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. 

Sunday Music Muse Day - Stan Meets Chet, Chick Corea Vigil, and Jack Bruce Spectrum Road

This week's Sunday Music Muse Day features three interesting CDs, a pleasant surprise, mild disappointment, and an exciting find.

The pleasant surprise was the Verve Records re-issue CD, Stan meets Chet, as in Stan Getz, and Chet Baker.  Both men legendary jazz figures on their respective instruments, Stan Getz on the tenor saxophone, and  Chet Baker on the trumpet.  I couldn't pass up this CD as the liner notes states the LP of their meeting was long out-of-print.  I admit I've been late in getting to know the music  of both more closely.  So this CD will help in making up for that.

My mild disappointment is by Chick Corea, The Vigil, a CD some critic said was his best since the hay day of Return to Forever.  I had seen this CD several times and debated buying it, but after listening to the Return to Forever Anthology, which included the full Romantic Warrior album cuts, this past week.  I relented.  Well, let's just say there are echoes of the best RTF tunes in the CD, but unfortunately the bad excesses of the later RTF albums, like Musicmagic, are present, most annoying is the vocals of Gayle Moran Corea (a nice enough singer) singing Chick horrible lyrics.  I posted them so you can judge for yourself.  Even just as poetry, the lyrics just don't work.  I can console myself with the cover art, at least, Chick in a shiny suit of armor.   I think Chick has "thing" for that image.  Romantic Warrior has a knight in armor on it.

The exciting find is the CD, Spectrum Road, featuring the legendary Rock / Jazz bassist, the late Jack Bruce.  Jack, of course, is best known for being a member of Cream, the premiere Rock power trio, with guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker (FYI- one of my all time favorite Rock groups).  Those who know of Jack Bruce's jazz connections will know he played with an early version Tony William's Lifetime, with guitarist John McLaughlin, and organist Larry Young. Lifetime was truly a groundbreaking Jazz-Fusion group, playing a very raw and intense brand of music.  Spectrum Road is sort of a tribute to the late Tony Williams.  Eight of the ten tunes are Tony Williams compositions, from the Lifetime albums, and one each from William's "Believe it" and "Joy of Flying". The other players on Spectrum Road are guitarist Vernon Reid, of the Black Rock  group Living Color, on organ is John Medeski, of the "post-Fusion trio" Medeski, Martin and Wood, and finally drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, who I'm not familiar with, but she's on my musical radar now.

All in all, not a good collection.  Even the Chick Corea CD has some moments to enjoy.  With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I'll have more free to give these another listen.  Enjoy your turkey day.