Sunday Music Muse Day - Julian Lage, Anthony Wilson

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds us in the Memorial Day weekend.  A time to remember and reflect on the fallen who give their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms and rights they believed in. This week I have two young guitarists who are in the up and coming stage in their careers.  In looking up their backgrounds I found they came together for a special project, more later.  First up is Julian Lage Love Hurts, his latest release which get 4 out of 5 star review in All About Jazz website.  In this CD I hear a echoes of Larry Coryell in his playing.  That is not a bad thing.

Next is Anthony Wilson Adult Themes.  This young jazz guitarist, composer and arranger is the son Gerald Wilson, the famous bandleader.  Anthony Wilson has earn much praise in his own right.  His first self-named album earned a Grammy Nomination.  All Music reviewer Alex Henderson give Adult Themes 3 out of 5 stars, saying, "this CD is noteworthy not only because of Wilson's Wes Montgomery-influenced guitar playing, but also because of his arranging and composing".  He adds, "Adult Themes innovative, but this enjoyable date is certainly neither generic nor predictable. I agree with this last statement totally.  I'll have to seek out his other 9 releases.

In researching  their background I discovered Julian Lage and Anthony Wilson are part of a guitar quartet project inspired by a custom guitar builder John Monteleone. He commissioned Los Angeles-based composer Anthony Wilson to create an original song cycle that would showcase the instruments he build together.
Here's a youtube clip of the Seasons Quartet.

Again, enjoy the Memorial Day weekend.

Sunday Music Muse Day - John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds me overloaded with happy family events and milestones.  We're celebrating my wife's, Lisa, birthday and the college graduation of my oldest son, Spencer (how time flies).  After an emotional but tiring day, it nice to settle in with old musical favorites.  First up, John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension Now Here This.  This 2012 release reach number 25th on the Billboard's Jazz album chart.  Of course it is the top notch jazz fusion the legendary guitar is known for. It's always enjoyable to hear his CDs.

Next is another old favorite jazz fusion guitarist, Al Di Meola Anthology.  Di Meola, of course, came to fame with Chick Corea's Return to Forever.  This two CD set is made up of tunes from Meola's solo albums after leaving RTF.  It's nice to have this collection which cut down the temptation to buy CD of albums I already have.  Plus, there are a couple of unissued bonus tracks.

Again, it's nice listen to these as comforting old friends, as we celebrate new horizons.

Sunday Music Muse Day. Bill Evans, Ryo Kawasaki

This Sunday Music Muse Day find us celebrating Mother's Day. So here's wishing all you wonderful moms  a happy Mother's Day.  Here's some nice tunes to accompany the activities of the day. First Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard, a CD reissue of classic album with additional alternate takes.

Next up is Ryo Kawasaki My Reverie, a solo opening playing "music inspired by the great performances of the Late Bill Evans...", although it features no tunes written by Evans.  The liner notes might have explained more, but the text is in Japanese. In any case it is  solid CD to enjoy on a rainy afternoon, as it as as I write.

Again, enjoy Mother's Day and honor them all, living, and those no longer with us. Peace.

Robot Sunday - April 28, and May 5, 2019

Robot Sunday drawing for April 28, and May 5, 2019.

To be continued....

Sunday Music Muse Day - Johnny Hodges with Sam Woodyard, Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker

This Sunday Music Muse Day finds me enjoying and celebrating a pair of 2-CD sets of  legendary jazz saxophonists.  First up is Johnny Hodges at Sportpalast, Berlin, a 2 CD live set recored in Berlin, Germany in march 1961.  Hodges uses fellow band mates of the Ellington Orchestra, including my father, Sam Woodyard, on drums.  This CD set was produced by famed produce Norman Granz who handled the European tour of this group, while Duke had gone Paris to work on the movie, Paris Blues, with Billy Strayhorn. It sounds like it was a win-win for everybody.  Most of the tunes are associated with the Ellington playlist, as to be expected.  It's always fun for me to find Sam on other jazz outings.  I think of this as collecting a nice music legacy for my kids.

Next is baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan Quartet, the original quartet with Chet Baker.  This collection of cuts recorded in the early 1950s is giving me a education in the West Coast Jazz style of the era.  It definitely has a more laid back feel than the East Coast style of artists like Miles Davis, and the Bebop of Dizzy Gillespie.  It's  alway fun to discovery the gems of the past in jazz made before I got into it in the 1970s.

Two sets double CDs, I'm looking forward to enjoying for a long time.  Cheers.

Dime-A-Dozen Project #12 Preview -Nova Corps.

This is a preview of the next Dime-A-Dozen Project #12 - Nova Corps.  So, in pulling out art to prep for my video, I only had 4 or 5 drawings, and a 20 page story outline.  I realize I have to up my game on this to at least rough out some of the action scenes in the 20 page outline.  It seems my head is full of the scenes and action, but none of them make it to a drawing page.

As they say...To Be Continued.

Sunday Music Muse Day - Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker

The Sunday Music Muse Day lands on Easter Sunday and Passover holidays. Much peace and love to all my friends, and their families, who celebrate these holidays.  As for me I'll enjoy some tunes after a long walk grocery shopping trip with Lisa.  First up, is Pat Metheny Unity Band, a some what straight forward, muscular, group than some of his groups.  The playing borders on Hard Bop (?). Of course, I could be totally wrong on that.

My next selection is bitter sweet one, Michael Brecker Pilgramage.  I've knew late saxophonist mostly from the days of The Brecker Brothers Band the jazz/funk fusion group in the 1970s,  he had with his brother, Randy, who played Trumpet and flugelhorn. Pilgramage is a straight ahead jazz outing with stellar group of sidemen, including Pat Metheny.  That said, the music didn't grab me.  I found it unfocused. Music reviews on online gives this 5 stars, so what do I know. I admit the fact that this was his last session before passing away five months later is very sad.

Again, here's wishing everyone a peaceful and loving Easter/Passover holiday. Enjoy