Belated Sunday Music Muse Day - Charlie Byrd, Pat Martino, Warped Sky Stray Clouds

Here's a belated Sunday Music Muse Day post, because time slipped away from me yesterday as I worked finishing my Warped Sky Stray Clouds tune. But first, here are two selections from a trip to the Hi-Fi Lounge record shop, my first in four months. First up, Pat Martino Quartet Undeniable. The title is appropriate when talking about the legendary guitarist Pat Martino. This 2009 live set is fine addition to my Pat Martino collection.

My next selection is Charlie Byrd Homage to Jobim.  Another welcomed addition to my CD collection by an another jazz guitar great.  The pairing of Byrd and the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim is pure heaven.

As part of my Dragonfly Views blog I have a Sunday Music Muse Day post where I always hoped to present original music that I had filed away mostly unfinished and unheard. I can feel like Loon in this cartoon, sometimes.

Continuing my Warped Sky Stray Clouds tunes, here's "Shattered Man - Acid Jazz Mix". Shattered Man is a original tune, written in 1981 by Richard Miceli, my creative partner in the undiscovered Warped Sky Band, in 1981. It was adapted from a poem of his and I came up with music for him to improvise a vocal and flute against. Richard is big fan of Tom Waits, and I aways hear strains of the in his poems/lyrics. I'm amazed at the insights on personal relationships has lyrics reveals. The original version. with Richard's vocal and flute playing is included at the end of this video.

Again, that 1981 version was a 1st take we played it together. Although I screwed up, losing timing playing with the drum machine, it is a good version of the tune.

This new version was made with my vocals and guitar playing, and using a backing track created in Band in a Box music software. The "Acid Jazz Mix" in the title comes from the rhythm track used from the Band in the Box music program. You write in chords and a lead line and it creates a backing track, and even a solo performance, with varying degrees of success. I'm often surprised how simple tunes sound fleshed out by a full band, even an artificial one. As I get older it becomes apparent waiting for perfect has become an excuse not to do anything. So, these music posts are a way to finish off forgotten musical ideas, for the plain fun of it. Enjoy.

Sunday Muse Day - Warped Sky - Stray Cloud

Sunday Music Muse Day. "Is This Your Life Music" is an original tune written by me back in 1982. The lyrics seem to remain relevant to today's social-political climate. 

I felt the need to get them out there. As part of my Dragonfly Views blog I have a Sunday Music Muse Day post where I always hoped to present original music that I had filed away mostly unfinished and unheard, always putting it off because my playing leaves much to desired. never progressing above rank amateur. But as I get older it becomes apparent waiting for perfect has become an excuse not to do anything. So, rough edges and all here is the song, "Is This Your Life". But, sometimes you just have to get things out of your system.
This "2020" version is an update. I did a rougher version (if that's possible) back in 2017 after Trump was elected. This version made using a backing track created in Band in a Box music software. You write in chords and a lead line and it creates a backing track and even a solo performance, with varying degrees of success. So the video has two versions, one with sax part generated in BIAB, which is kind of funky. I'm think of submitting this and other tunes to HITRECORD, the online creative collaboration group, I could use all the help I can get.

Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Al DiMeola. Gilah Hekelman, my Warped Sky - Stray Clouds

I back after a summer break in August, due to a vacation, and basic summer laziness.  But, I did manage to pick up some new music to share. So, first up is Al Di Meola Elegant Gypsy and More Live. This latest CD from the jazz fusion guitarist best known for his work with Chick Corea's Return to Forever, the pioneering Jazz Fusion group in the 1970's and beyond.  This CD finds Di Meola revisiting tunes from his early solo album, Elegant Gypsy, made after he left RTF. for the most part the material holds up nicely.  I not overly impressed with the drummer.  (Also, I think Al's cover pose is pretentious)

My second pick is from one of the new generation of jazz guitarists, Gilad Hekselman Ask for Chaos.  I think I came across him on jazz post spotlighting new talent.  This CD is actually is just being released next week, Sept. 7.  it must have been a reviewer's copy.  Lucky I found it.  I can heard strains of Bill Frisell and John Abercrombie in his playing, and that's not a bad thing.

Here's another original tune as part of my Warped Sky - Stray Clouds project is Why Should I care? 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. . This started are just a collection of chords and no lyrics. This video has my first complete version played against a Band in a Box backing tracking. I have to admit musically it goes nowhere. I can't even label it "elevator music". I was trying for the feel of a Pat Metheny I like "Tell Her You Saw me", or Jeff Beck's "We Ended as Lovers, but I just couldn't pull it off. Still, it's another song off my incomplete list.

Hopefully I can stay on a better schedule with upcoming blog post, as Fall arrives. Enjoy.

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 - Brad Mehldau, Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane, Warped Sky Stray Cloud

Welcome to another Sunday Music Muse Day, where I share recently picked up CDs or items from my musical stash. First up, Brad Mehldau Highway Rider, a two CD set which, at first listen, seems like soundtrack to a unseen movie.  Actually, my wife and I thought parts of it was pretentious, but I like Brad Mehldau's other works, so I'm determined to give more intense listening before rendering final verdict.  With the inclusion of an orchestra, this has to regarded as a serious session.  Unfortunately the CD booklet offer no background info.   Online reviews call it a soundtrack to an imaginary film, at least I got that right.  One also states, Highway Rider is the "most fully realized original music the pianist has written to date", that being 2010.  So, maybe I have to venture outside of my comfort zone, a little.

The next selection is Kenny Burrrell with John Coltrane, is 1958 date lead by the guitarist Burrell for the classic jazz label Prestige with recording engineer, Rudy Van Gelder, a legend in his own right.The liner notes states this was a period when Coltrane, a giant of jazz saxophone, was starting to move from the Miles Davis band to forge his own direction.  I love finding gems and fill the gaps in my jazz music history.  History never sound so sweet.

Lastly, here is another tune in my Warped Sky:Stray Cloud project, a combination of songs from old tapes and new renditions of original tunes written and played by me in the 1980s.

Thief or a Savior, is an attempt at a Rock tune, although I don't have the voice for it. It was written back 1985, and never really completely until now.  (My vocals, rhythm guitar and bassline. The rest produced in the Band in Box music program) I still imagine a trio of female backup singers, but couldn't  manage that.

There is the making of an animated video in the song's storyline. Time will tell.  For me, it's one more off my music bucket list. Enjoy.