Sunday Music Muse Day - Keith Jarrett, Ben Goldberg wtith Charlie Hunter, The Bad Plus.

During a tough personal time,  the Sunday Music Muse day is a change to take my mind off things and feel slightly more normal  First up is the trio of Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette,  Always Let Me Go - Live In Tokyo.  I found this ECM 2 CD set to be a little uneven to me.  Some tunes are solid, but then other are unfocused, bordering aimless doodling.  Not a great outing in my opinion, so I checked the reviews on Amazon and the CD gets ratings from 1 star to 5 stars, with plenty of disagreements.  Most who like it championed its "Free Jazz' moments,  I guess those are the moments I don't like.

Next is a CD I picked up more for the 7-string guitarist, Charlie Hunter, than the leader Ben Goldberg.  The CD is titled Go Home, clarinetist, Goldberg, wrote and co-wrote all the tune.  The All about Jazz website finds Goldbergs music, "Eclectic and loose, but with grooves that will make believers out of even the most improv-averse, Go Home is the perfect combination of music for the head, the heart...and the feet."  I'd agree with that, this a bunch of young guys exploring new sounds, and worth a listen.

Last Item is the Bad Plus "Prog".  This trio is a very progressive jazz group who likes to cover rock tunes and turn them inside-out.  As they do with Tears for Fears "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", the first track on this CD, and others.   I definitely have to be an active listener for this CD. It's not a easy-listening CD by any stretch, but well worth the challenge.

So, went I need momentary escape from current life issues, there is always music.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Esperanza Spalding, Al DiMeola, Bill Evans, and Bad Plus.

Another Sunday Music Muse Day has arrived.  This week's selections finds a nice mix of old favorites and some catching to the buzz, sort to speak  That is the case with finally picking up Esperanza Spalding - Chamber Music Society, a Grammy winning CD by a Grammy winning artist (but to be honest, I rarely pay attention to the Grammy Awards, since so much of my favorite music never would make the list).  She definitely a amazing musician and earns, and deserves, all the praise and accolades she gets. Plus, the fact that her beating out Justin Bieber for 2011 Grammy Award for Best New Artist is just icing on the cake.

Next up is a old favorite fusion guitarist, Al DiMeola.   Flesh on Flesh continues Al's jazz fusion exploration of Mediterranean, Latin and Middle Eastern music.  I admit, in contrast to the taste pictures of Esperanza Spadling's on her CD, the reclining nude on Al's CD cover seems a little embarrassing.  Just enjoy the CD for the music.

There is nothing embarrassing about the next selection, the great pianist Bill Evans, the Everybody Digs Bill Evans CD.  Although the liner notes on the back of CD says Bill Evans was embarrassed by the four endorsement on the cover by Miles Davis, George Shearing, Ahmad Jamal and Julian Cannonball Adderley, only goes to show how humble he was.  No jazz lover's collection complete with lots of Bill Evans' music. I'm so happy to add stunning this trio set, featuring Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums, to the others I have.

My last selection is The Bad Plus - Give.  This interesting jazz trio makes music that keep the listener on their toes combining elements of modern avant-garde jazz with rock and pop influences.  For example, they cover Ozzy Osbourne's Black Sabbath tune "Iron man".  Check it out below.  I was first introduced to their music on my local jazz station, Jazz 90.1.  I find their music adventurous and complex, and the more you listen, the more levels of enjoyment you discover.  I've pick up some of their tunes in itunes, before, so it's nice to pick up full CD.

Thanks for dropping by.  Enjoy.