Sunday Music Muse Day - Gary Burton, Pat Martino

This Sunday Music Muse Day selections of two jazz giants who need no introductions.  First up, Gary Burton of Friends Departure. The legendary vibraphonist's friends include John Scofield, on guitar, and Peter Erskine, on drum. It pleasurable session recorded in 1997, and sounds fresh as ever.

From the first flurry of guitar notes, there is no mistaking the artistry on display on Pat Martino Live at Yoshi's.  This trio outing with Joey DeFrancesco on the Hammond B-3 organ, and Billy Hart on drums makes you envious of the jazz lovers in the club audience.  I'm glad to share their excitement and pleasure when listening to this CD.

It's a cool, but sunny spring day, so it might be good to take walk in the sunshine and return to enjoy an afternoon cup of tea, and some good tunes.  Enjoy.  

TGIF - Donna Levinstone art.

More Art for TGIF, from my bookshelf, a 1992 magazine profile of friend

Donna Levinstone, 

pastel artist. Donna is still producing your wonderful art. Enjoy the look back.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Steve Khan, David Ashkenazy with Gilad Hekselman

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds us having a much needed rainy day. Our lawn are turning green and the trees are budding new leaves.  A great time to settle in with my first selection Steve Khan Pathwork. This CD continues the fusion guitar exploration of Latin/Afro Cuban rhythms he started back in the 1980s with his Eyewitness bands (with the cool cover art by Folon). This an excellent CD that will have tapping your feet and bobbing to the infectious Latin/Afro Cuban beats.

My second selection is a David Ashkenazy Out with It.  This drummer is new to me and I admit I picked up the CD because I have CDs of the guitar Gilad Hekselman. This CD offer a nice selection of well played tunes, a mix from Wayne Shorter, Bill Frisell, a Beatles' tune, and originals by the leader Ashkenazy.  I think of these players as part of the post-McLaughlin/Coryell/Metheny generation.  Well worth a listen.

So, as the saying goes, "April shower, brings May flowers", lets enjoy the rain and some good music, knowing bright days are ahead.  

Conan vinyl album

Here's rare oddity for you, a Conan Album. I couldn't resist it being a Conan fan, although the Tim Conrad art doesn't scream "Conan" to me. I see a little hint of Barry Windsor-Smith in the figure. Actually, the album started as pitch for Conan audio book or radio series. Marvel's Roy Thomas was involved. Also, it was recorded at ZBS Media, the recording studio of ZBS Foundation who produce the Ruby, Galactic Gumshoe, and other audio adventure series.

I was looking for vinyl record of the missing sound track for one of my filmstrips but find instead, so my trip to the Bop Shop Records wasn't a waste.

Sunday Music Day - Clay Jenkins, Gene Bertoncini, Ike Strum, and Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds us celebrating Easter Sunday with family on bright sunny afternoon.  It also a good time to enjoy some good tunes from two groups of musicians who it seems couldn't come up with a group name.  First up is Clay Jenkins Gene Bertoncini Ike Sturm Joy, a trumpet, guitar, bass trio. Trumpeter Clay Jenkins is a member to Trio East with drummer Rich Thompson. I've seen Trio East often, and look forward to seeing them again, soon. The wonderful session is collections of well known tunes and an original by Jenkins, and guitarist Gene Bertoncini.  Worth a listen.

My second selection is Redman Mehldau Mcbride Blade - RoundAgain, as in Joshua Redman saxophones, Brad Mehldau piano, Christen McBride bass, and and Brian Blades drums. This is killer CD that the tune Floppy Diss is getting major air play on Jazz 90.1.  Again, well worth a listen.

It is Easter Day, so I  keeping this short and sweet.  Enjoy.

Sunday Muse Muse Day - Jacob Young, Jan Akkerman

This Sunday Music Muse Day started dark, moody and rainy, but brighten up my mid-afternoon. My first selection fits the mood of the day, Jacob Young Forever Young. I admit I picked up this 2014 release purely on the fact its ECM record and it was lead by a guitarist, although I'd never hear him or the any musicians on the CD.  From the ECM FB group I learned most of musician are Polish.  I often see ECM releases posted to the group that I've never seen in my trips to the record shops. I can hear Pat Metheny's influence in Jacob Young' playing and over all the music is pleasant enough, just not really memorable. Still, I will probably keep it in mind for quiet nights and rainy afternoons.

Keeping with a European theme, my next selection is Jan Akkerman The Noise of Art.  Akkerman is Dutch and best known in the U.S. as the guitarist with the Focus and hit 'Hocus Pocus'. I have some post-Focus solo albums of Akkerman. I have admit this CD sound very dated, in 80's Rock Fusion way. So much so I doubt I'll keep it around long, either it's library donation or record shop trade in.  Sorry Jan.

Enjoy.

George Segal RIP - Terminal Man

Sad to hear the news of the passing of actor George Segal this week. I remember him from the movie Terminal Man (1974), an adaptation of the Micheal Crichton book (1972). I did a magazine spread illo based on the book in my Illustration class at SVA. (The head anatomy is truly embarrassing.)