Sunday Music Muse Day - Ben Monder, Bill Frisell

For this week's Sunday Music Muse Day I offer the battle of the "Bs", the Ben Monder and Bill Frisell.  First, Bill Frisell Beautiful Dreamer present another tasty offing of his eclectic and off beat modern Americana music with a usually trio featuring guitar, viola and drums. Well worth a listen, as always.

Interestingly, my second selection, Ben Monder Oceana feature a guitarist who's artist biography on the site All Music by David R. Adler states: "Guitarist Ben Monder has secured his place as one of most identifiable and sought-after stylists on the progressive jazz scene, an heir to the ethereal yet edgy approach of players such as John Abercrombie and Bill Frisell."  This is high praise indeed, comparing him to two of my favorites. I definitely feel the spacy vibe in his music.  I'll have to seek out more of his work.

As winter continues, there is plenty of time to chill out and enjoy some tunes as the snow winds howl outside. Stay warm and Enjoy.

Winged Friday Feb 15, 2019 - Tale of the HBO and the B-17.

For Winged Friday. I pulled this out specially for my Derek Carter It was a preliminary sketch for presentation piece for HBO, in the final piece they made me change the B-17 to a generic plane. This look much better

Here's the revised final sketch. They asked to omit FDR too. Idiots.  I remember HBO's logic was not to lock down a specific era or subject. Like the FDR was changed to a a generic politician.

I think at some point I should finish the B-17 into a full color rendered piece. Enjoy

Sunday Music Muse Day - John Abercrombie with Kenny Wheeler, Jim Vivian

This Sunday Music Muse Day selections have a solid common factor, the late great jazz guitarist John Abercrombie.  First up, is Kenny Wheeler It Takes Two with Abercrombie, another guitarist John Parricelli, and bassist Anders Jormin. From the lineup and music you could easily assume this was ECM release, but it is from CamJazz. In statement from their webpage, "A refined jazz label, launched in the year 2000, dedicated to releasing jazz recordings performed by some of the most outstanding Italian and international jazz performers of our times."  This ranges from a cool laid back rendition of Love Theme from "Spartacus" to Avant Garde  free improvisations.  If CamJazz other releases are of this quality, I'll definitely put them on my watch list.

The second selection is Jim Vivian Sometime Ago.  John Abercrombie  joins the Canadian bassist and leader as online reviewer Stuart Broomer states, "This session, led by bassist Jim Vivian, was recorded in Toronto in 2016 following a series of performances at Jazz Bistro. Five of the tracks are trio performances with drummer Ian Froman; three tracks add tenor saxophonist Mike Murley. It’s eminently listenable music, low-key modern jazz that possesses depths and details that reward close attention. Abercrombie, Vivian and Froman weave complex webs of subtly inflected lines, often on jazz standards."  I totally agree with the review. Again, the international appeal of jazz shines through.  I hope to visit Toronto soon, and plan to pay a visit to the Jazz Bistro, if it is still there.

Today had nice enough weather for us to take a walk in the park, and it was nice to return home to an afternoon snack, while enjoying these two CDs.  Hope you find time to enjoy some good tunes, also.

Dime-A-Dozen Project #8 Joppa of Khad - Blaickwolf Part 2 - The Saga.

[Dime-A-Dozen Projects is so named from a conversation with creative friends of mine as we lamented that when we were working full-time for someone else, we get these (in our minds) original "million dollar" ideas, that would, somehow, turn into "dime-a-dozen" ideas when we were out of work and on our own.]

Here's part 2 of the Joppa of Blackwolf post, Presented here is the overview outline of the Blackwolf Saga.

Here's the video overview:

 

 

I plan to revise and insert the "Scale of the Guardian" story here.

 

 This color page is a hint of Blackwolf's introduction to the Brotherhood of the Red Ring.

 Above is the the latest drawing of Vallia, the Barbarian Queen.

 My latest drawing of Blackwolf.

The Blackwolf Saga...TO BE CONTINUED,

Sunday Music Muse Day - John Stein, Kenny Werner Lionel Loueke

This Super Bowl Sunday edition of my Sunday Music Muse Day finds me skipping all the pre-game hype and enjoying the following tunes. First up, is a follow up one last's week selection with John Stein and Dave Zinno Wood and Strings. After enjoying my first intro to John Stein's music with his Color Tones CD, I picked up this one.  Wood and Strings is mellow guitar and bass outing squarely in the tradition and feel of legendary performances of Jim Hall (guitarist) and Ron Carter (bassist) as compared to in the liner notes by John Thomas, Field Editor of Fretboard Journal, a high end, high quality magazine for string instrument players. That very great compliment and worth earned with this CD.

 Next up is a CD titled Coalition with Kenny Werner pianist-composer (noted in online reviews as nominally the leader), Lionel Loueke, guitar, bass, and vocals, Miguel Zenon, alto saxophone, Benjamin Koppel, saxophones, ans Ferenc Nemeth, drums.  Online reviewers praise the music for its international flavor. I picked this up due to guitarist  Lionel Loueke, as he was the only musician on the project I knew,  I've given it several listens and it doesn't quite jell for me, and I really can't put my finger on why not.  The over all feel is too choppy in a way.  That's the best I can describe for now.  But, I haven't given up on it totally.  Some times to let music grow on you.

So, as kickoff nears, lets hope for good game. no blow out by half-time. (Sorry, not picking a winner) I usually mute the half-game show, since they rarely have a good a jazz act (just kidding).  Enjoy the game.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Jake Hertzog, John Stein

This Sunday Music Muse day find me encountering a typical Rochester morning. Up at 7:30 am to light snow, followed by heavy blowing snow result in near whiteout conditions. Ten minutes later bright sunshine, and still cold as the North Pole. You got to love it. Nothing better to do than to do a little house cleaning and listen to some new tunes.  I did just that with two guitarist who were new to me. I previewed them at the record shop and decided to give them a try.  First up, Jake Hertzog Throwback, it's in the vain of the post Pat Metheny new generation of jazz guitarists, like Gilad Hekselman and Matthew Stevens.  An online search describes him as "a critically-acclaimed guitarist, composer and educator whose music transcends genres ranging from jazz and jazz/rock to contemporary classical."  Throwback is solid outing, with able assist by Randy Brecker (Grammy Award winner with Brecker Bros. and countless others) on trumpet and flugelhorn.  The liner notes are by Bill Milkowski, who. I think, is friends with some of my musician friends.  Hertzog has six CDs out, so I'll have to keep an eye out for them.

Next up is and another shot in the dark for me is John Stein Color Tones. Again, the cover art and packaging caught my eye and I'm always on the hunt for new guitarists.  I quick online search reveals he is a "Internationally renowned jazz guitarist... born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri USA ...His talent for and love of music ultimately earned him a faculty position at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he is a Professor in the Harmony Department.  John Stein is an experienced teacher, clinician, recording artist, and author. John has performed as a leader or a sideman with some of the world’s finest jazz acts, and his compositions and performances cover the spectrum of jazz styles."  He has 14 releases to his credit, still I've never come across him before.  Color Tones is very enjoyable, easy swinging set of all original tunes, except for one.  I'll definitely pick up more of his other CDs, in fact there was another one at the record shop I'll pick up next time.

John Stein's cover art  make me miss the LP sized graphics, worth framing and hanging on a wall. Still the music the thing to enjoy.