Welcome to the blog of Dennis J. Woodyard - Journeyman Artist, and Dragonfly Entertainment. Former TV animation producer/director, storyboard artist, character designer, writer, concept artist, Flip book designer, and other professional credits.
Today's Sunday Music Muse Day will be short and sweet with two well know jazz player. First up, Wayne Shorter Quartet Beyond the Sound Barrie, is a collection of live recording from November 2002 - April 2004, from touring dates in North America, Europe, and Asia. The liner notes doesn't outbreak out exact date and location on each tune. The quartet consist of Shorter on saxophones, Danilo Perez on piano, John Patitucci on bass, and Brian Blade on drum. Younger, but talented and experienced players. It worth a listen, as all Wayne Shorter music is.
Next up is the Gerry Mulligan Quartet Dragonfly, a CD I've had for a long time, and remember picking it up just because it had "dragonfly"as its title. Although, I do like Gerry Mulligan's playing, this session is too tame, and bland to get excited about. Best I can say about it is it's not bad background music.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and have a good week.
This Sunday Music Muse day, is a solemn one, as we mourn the passing of Wayne Shorter, the legendary jazz saxophonist, who musical legacy will live on forever. Like many other fans, I’ve be sampling and listening to selected music from his long and celebrated career. My selections nearly scratch the surface. I admit, I used Wayne’s stature to counter any statement that Kenny G played jazz saxophone. To his family, friends, and band mates, past and present, i add my humble condolences.
Another snow covered Sunday Music Muse Day, to enjoy a warm drink, and good jazz music. First up, Dave Liebman Big Band A Tribute to Wayne Shorter, an excellent CD by the well known and multi-talented saxophonist. It's a big band he formed in 2000, with this session recorded in 2014, highlighting the compositions of the legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter, many made well known as a leader, and as a member of the classic Miles Davis groups, and co-founder of Weather Report, the pioneering jazz fusion group. The 10 minute version of "Speck No Evil" with the soloist Vic Juris on guitar is standout for me on the session. I have several Liebman CDs but this may turn out to be my favorite.
Next up is Chet Baker Quartet Jazz at Ann Arbor a collection of live recordings of Baker earliest outings as leader. I admit coming to enjoy Chet Baker very late in my jazz listening, mainly in the past ten years. But's it's never to late enjoy the his classic sound, and vocals.
So, stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy whatever brings you pleasure.
Happy New year. Here to start of the first Sunday Music Muse day with John Mclaughlin & the 4th Dimension- Jimmy Herring & the Invisible Whip - Live in San Francisco (man that's mouthful of title). Yesterday (Jan. 6) was John Mclaughlin's 77th birthday and I heard a radio interview from the end of the 2018 farewell tour that this album form the last concert is from. I caught the first concert of the this final tour, at the University of Buffalo. I'm glad I got to see McLaughlin. who's one of my favorite musical artist, not just as a great guitarist.
The radio interview was very insightful. One gem of interest was that he was invited to join Weather Report at its inception by co-founder bassist Miroslav Vitous, but turned down the offer as he was forming Mahavishu Orchestra. Weather Report is favorite non-guitar-centric groups. I think you can get feel for they would sound with a guitarist from their tune The Moors from I Sing the Body Electric album, their second, featuring Ralph Towner.
I sort of glad McLaughlin didn't join Weather Report as it might have
meant no Mahavishu Orchestra. What void in my music collection that
would have been.
Speaking of Weather Report, my next selection is from another founding member legendary saxophonist, Wayne Shorter. Wayne Shorter - Emanon is his latest release by 85 tear old recent Kennedy Center Honors recipient . Emanon is multimedia concept project with 3 CDs and 84 page science fiction graphic novel, illustrated by Randy DuBurke. I'm not familiar with the artist. The music is as adventurist as his early solo. Amazing.
Interestingly, this is not Wayne's first example of comic book art attached to his music. I came across an old album of his, Phantom Navigator, that has Wayne comic book art from his teen years on the inner sleeve.
There are other examples of jazz players who were into sci-fi, like bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White of Return to Forever. I'll have to do a post them sometime.
It's a rainy Sunday Music Muse Day for me, so what better way to spend the day than listening to Weather Report Live and Unreleased. a two disc set of live performances recorded in the U.S. and London between 1975 and 1983, with five different versions of the band. The only constant is Joe Zawinul, keyboardist and Wayne Shorter, multi-saxophonist. Weather Report is one of my all time favorite groups, especially being non-guitar based, which hooked me on a lot of fusion bands. I first saw this on youtube and thought it was fan made bootleg, since I had never seen it. I'm glad it is a official release.
Continuing with Weather Report is The Wayne Shorter Quartet Without a Net. This 2013 recording of live dates was Wayne's first Blue Note release since 1970. Wayne shows he lost none of his sense of adventure on this 4/5 star rated CD. Happy to said he's still going strong at 84 years old.
Just to make it an all Weather Report day, Peter Erskine Behind Closed Doors Volume One. This CD by the former Weather Report drummer, is a collection of previously unreleased tracks between march 1979 and March 1996, with a array of talented comtemptories, like John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Marc Johnson, Bill Dobbins, to name a few. I've enjoyed Peter Erskine post- Weather Report music as a leader and composer. I hope I come across Volume 2 soon.
It's still raining outside, but listening to music on these CDs brightens the forecast. Hope you find good music in your forecast. Enjoy.
This week's Sunday Music Muse Day selections finds me enjoying some well known favorite musicians, and a legend who I didn't have a record or CD by. First up is the eclectic guitarist Bill Frisell Ghost Town CD. A review on All Music website says "While Bill Frisell has released plenty of albums under his own name, this is his first
true solo album -- the first on which he plays all of the instruments
himself. These include electric and acoustic guitar, six-string banjo,
and bass, as well as the occasional looped sample." I didn't notice this until I was listening to it. Bill's range of musical ideas are always amazing, it hard to label him, so I don't try and just enjoy his work. His blend of jazz, country, and blue grass, and folk, always make me think of the composer Aaron Copland, who was Instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition.
My second selection is Chick Corea Origin- Live at the Blue Note. This is premiere of a new group Corea put together with a talented batch of young players.
My third selection is Wayne Shorter The All Seeing Eye. This Blue Note re-issue of a session recorded in October 15, 1965 gives a hint of the what Wayne brought to later sessions with Miles Davis Bitch Brew era. I found the music bold and daring.
My last selection is Elvin Jones At this Point in Time. I have to admit, although I have many records with Elvin as a sideman, this is the first I have of him as a leader. I also have to admit the Elvin's persona has always scared me, he looks so intense on his album covers. His music can be just a intimidating, but I intent to face my fear and give it a solid listening.
