Sunday Music Muse Day - MIles Davis, Gary Burton Quintet, John Stowell Michael Zilber Quartet.

After a break for a family vacation, I'm rested and back for another Sunday Music Muse Day with a little catching up to do.  First up is another Miles Davis Aura.  I have the LP, but I can't resist buying the CDs for convenience, since I only have my turntable connected to my computer, which I did when I planned to digitize my record collection, but I give up on that idea.  According to Wikipedia, "Aura is a concept album by Miles Davis, produced by Danish composer/trumpeter Pelle Mikkelborg, released in 1989. All compositions and arrangements are by Mikkelborg, who created the suite in tribute when Davis received the Leonie Sonning Music Prize in December 1984, the year Decoy was released."  It interesting that with the exception of guitarist John McLaughlin, acoustic bassist Niels Henning Oersted Pederson, and Mikkelborg, and all the players are unknown to me.  Mikkelborg I knew from several ECM records with guitarist Terje Rydal, and saxophonist Jan Garbarek.  Of course, the playing of Miles is the focus.

Next up is the Gary Burton Quintet, Dreams So Real - Music of Carla Bley.  As sub-title this a collection compostions by famed composer and band leader Carla Bley.  The quintet features Mick Goodrick on six-sting electric guitar and Pat Metheny on electric 12-string guitar.  Steve Swallow on bass, Bob Mose on drums, and Gary Burton Vibraphone. This is classic, highly rated recording, well worth a listen.

My last selection is the John Stowell Michael Zilber Quartet - Live Beauty.  This is live club date and it really has the nice small jazz club feel to it.  I have several early recording of guitarist John Stowell, from 1970s, in duets with bassist David Friesen.  Stowell just fell off my radar for many year.  But I did come across on him again recently.  Saxophonist Michael Zilber is new to me, but the pairing works very well.

I have a slight back log of CDs, but I'll limit this post to these three.  Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - The Record Store Day

Here's my Sunday Muse Day post.  I took part in the National Record Store Day activities by visiting two local stores and making some nice buys.  First stop was the Record Archive, where there was a big celebration with live music inside and food trucks outside.  The place was packed and everyone was having fun. I only picked up two albums for a $1 each, only for the covers, and CD of Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow. 

 The Stewart Copeland The Rhythmatist album cover is actually the second cover for record. The first featured masai warriors. Compare them below.

I have to assume the record company felt a photo of Steward was needed on the cover instead of leaping africans.  Go figure.
The Slave Stone Jam album was picked up for Ben Grimm "The Thing" on the cover.

 No, not really, but I thought of the  art of DE ES Schwertberger, Austrian artist and painter, when I saw the latest Fantastic Four Movie images.  His work has been shown in exhibitions in New York City, where he lived for a short time, and Switzerland.  I first saw his painting in Omni Magazine back in 1970s.   I actually visited his studio in NYC for UFO discussion.

My second stop was the HI-Fi Lounge, were Jazz 90.1 DJ, Derrick Lucas​, was spinning some jazz vinyl.  My thanks to Derrick for bringing HI-Fi Lounge to my attention,  It's just a few minutes from my home.  I made most of my Record Store Day purchases there.

 These include CDs by local talents, Bob Sneider​ and  Mike Melito​.  I've heard these guys live and it's nice to have their music in my collection.

 The other buys were Theo Croker - Afro Physicist, young hot trumpet, who will be featured in upcoming Rochester Jazz festival, and a Charlie Hunter Quintet CD, feature Charlie on his unique sounding 8 string guitar.

 All in all, a great music day. Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day, Farewell to Clark Terry

First and foremost we bid a heartfelt farewell to the great Clark Terry, who passed away today.  Here is announcement from his family:

RIP CLARK TERRY - December 14, 1920 - February 21, 2015.
"Our beloved Clark Terry has joined the big band in heaven where he'll be singing and playing with the angels. He left us peacefully, surrounded by his family, students and friends. Clark has known and played with so many amazing people in his life. He has found great joy in his friendships and his greatest passion was spending time with his students. We will miss him every minute of every day, but he will live on through the beautiful music and positivity that he gave to the world. Clark will live in our hearts forever.
With all my love, Gwen Terry."

  I'm happy to know that Clark considered my father, Sam Woodyard, as a close friend for many years.  I had the opportunity to meet Clark once in NYC about after Sam passed away.  He was very  a gracious and warm person.  His music will continue to enrich our lives for an eternity.
   Here's a favorite CD of mine by Clark Terry's that contains two re-issues albums, Clark Terry: Out on a Limb and Paul Gonsalves: Cookin', on which my father played drums.  The liner notes has a very funny story told by Clark about inviting Sam to the stage during a gig in Paris, when Sam was very sick.  It's very funny, and shows the love and respect the had for each other.
 

  So, I'd like to offer my deepest sympathies to Clark Terry family and friends.  I'll keep them and my thoughts, and my heart.  Rest in peace, Clark

Sunday Music Muse Day - Walk on the Wild Side

Here's my Sunday Music Muse Day post. Still enjoying tunes from my CD buys from last week. The Classic Jazz- Jazz Masters CD has so many great songs. One of my favorite is the Jimmy Smith's Walk on the Wild Side. Not to be confused with the Rock classic Lou Reeds Wild on the Wild Side. Some of you may not know the original Wild on the Wild Side was a movie theme from the 1962 film of the same name, performed by Brook Benton, and written Mack Davis, with music by Elmer Bernstein. This version earn a Oscar nomination for Best Original Song that year. The Jimmy Smith version reached No. 21 in the Billboards Top 100, in June 1962. You should look up each version on youtube. Enjoy.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Jazz Collections, One DVD and one turkey

So, here's my Sunday Music Muse Day offering. I hit the jackpot at the Record Archives store and picked up some nice additions to my music collection. The best find is the StarBuck compilation of Impulse (jazz label) cuts. The second title is a Duke Ellington-Coleman Hawkin's cut, "Limbo Jazz", which has my father playing drums and vocalizing on. I've been looking for full CD, but it's never at the records shops. So, until I find it will happily tie me over. I'll more info on each photo selection.

I'm embarrassed I don't have more Jobim music in my collection. So this helps to correct that.  Great samba classics from the master himself.

  

I posted about this group several weeks ago, and had them on my list I took to the record shop. Beside the jazz collections, it the only one on the list I got to cross off'       

Here are two selection from Norway and Finland.  This the second CD by Tord Gustavsen I have.  I'm  a sucker for ECM label artists.  There a spacey chamber jazz feel to his music.  The Jazz form Finland CD was a total gamble, I couldn't resist the 80 page booklet.  All the groups are unknown to me and pronouncing their name is a big challenge.  First listen through, only one cut out of the 13 was too crazy to like.

 Here's  interior spreads from the Jazz from Finland booklet.  As I said, good luck with pronouncing those names.

 These two buys below were part impulse. I remember liking the movie The Messenger, and thought it would a nice non-football Sunday movie. I have some early albums of bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma and liked them. Unfortunately this CD sucks, totally. His early stuff was a mix of Punk-Jazz , in the the vain of Ronald Shannon Jackson, and Living Color. This one is smooth jazz/funk/with a bad attempt at social message, it fails on all levels. The kicker is I picked this over a CD of bassist Stanley Clark first solo album, which I have the LP of already and love it. The bad choice cost 5 bucks.  But. I'll enjoy my other purchases to ease my pain.

Sunday Muse Day - Miles Davis & Sonny Rolliins, Al Martino, Al DiMeola

 For my Sunday Music Muse Day (also a day without football) I started with some Miles Davis & Sonny Rollins The Classic Prestige Sessions, 1951-1956. The perfect sounds to enjoy with my waffles and coffee breakfast by.

Then I popped in some Pat Martino from a CD "First Light" a re-issue with two of my favorites "Joyous Lake" and "Starbright". Both feature Pat using early guitar synthesizers and they still sound fresh.

  Keeping the electric groove going I rounded out the day with the Al DiMeola Project "Kiss My Axe". With Al on Gibson 175 electric guitar and PRS guitar with a Roland GR50 Syth Pick up and Classical Flamenco Acoustic Guitar.

 Check these out if you get a chance. I think you'll enjoy them.