* * *

1.   George Coleman-Ron Blake, “Speak Low”(from Joey DeFrancesco, ORGANIC VIBES, Concord, 2006) (Coleman, Blake, tenor saxophone; DeFrancesco, organ; Byron Landham, drums)

I have an inkling of who it is, but I’m not exactly sure. But it’s very proficient playing.  I was  trying to see if I could recognize the drummer, and I wasn’t sure. It could be a few people. I’d like to hear what it is afterwards. I thought I’d figure that one out, but I’m stumped as to who it is. It’s an extremely hard tempo to play well on. But it’s well played. The rhythm section in particular was very proficient, very solid, forward-driving. That’s about it. [Anything about the lines or sound? Do you think it’s a younger player or older player?] It sounds like one of the saxophone players is older and one is younger. The first saxophone player I gathered was older (I’m not sure who it was) and the second one who soloed being younger. I’m don’t know whose record it is. Concept of sound is the first way I can tell, and the types of lines in general – without being too specific about it. Maybe to the point of the phrases, and when a given person decides to play a given phrase – and where. That was my general feeling. I don’t know whose record it is. I couldn’t quite tell. I was assuming maybe it was the organ player’s record. That was my first impression. Maybe the organ player wanted to get young and old together, or something like that, with maybe his rhythm section. Is it Joey DeFrancesco? I’m surprised I got it! But I don’t know who either saxophone player is. I think I could tell at a slower tempo, but at that tempo I can’t tell. 3 stars. [AFTER] I got it!! Well, I had an idea. As a whole, not their most individual playing.

2.   Joe Henderson, “Foresight and Afterthought” (from BLACK NARCISSUS, Milestone, 1968/1994) (Henderson, tenor saxophone; Ron Carter, bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums)

Oh, you gave me an easy one. Joe Henderson, “Foresight and Afterthought,” with Jack DeJohnette and Ron Carter. This is one of my favorite Joe records. I have it on a compilation and also on the actual record. But I used to listen to this record every day for two or three years, I was so into it, and others by Joe Henderson around that period. That was around 1989-90-91. It’s just so incredible! I think of Joe as someone who brought together quite a bit of what happened before, so he brought together, say, a certain amount of free playing, a certain amount of saxophone tradition, like bebop playing and swing before that, and players of his generation and before. Also, from a saxophone player’s standpoint, he started a certain type of tune. For example, some tunes that have free playing, and a lot of tunes that have been written since, that are kind of like some through-composed, some not, with sort of compact, condensed areas of changes. That type of tune…he’s the one who started all that, basically. In this period it’s great, because his sound is maybe somewhat lighter than earlier records. It’s incredible, because he gets a feeling of playing live in the studio, which is extremely difficult to do. It sounds like other records that are live records from around the same period. He sort of wrapped together everything that he did before and sort of looking to what’s going to happen in the future, and it’s all done in the studio in one period. It’s incredible. Also, that recording and others around that period, it’s an excellent example for him of mystery and logic and rational playing brought together. He’s the master of that of the saxophone players I’m aware of. 5 stars.

3.  Jimmy Greene, “Take Advantage”(from TRUE LIFE-STORIES, Criss-Cross, 2005) (Greene, tenor saxophone; Xavier Davis, piano; Reuben Rogers, bass; Eric Harland, drums; Harry Connick, composer)

Nice tune. Nice form. It flows very nicely, it’s very melodic, nice motion between the sections. Very well played, very swinging and very well done. Very professional-sounding. Before I heard the solos, I thought it was John Ellis as a sideman on someone else’s record.  I don’t know who else it could be. I thought maybe Jimmy Greene because of some aspects of the size of his sound in the middle register, but the lines and phrasing didn’t quite sound like what I knew to be him from when I played with him and hearing him on other people’s records. I’m less familiar with his playing recently. Maybe Reuben Rogers on bass, and Eric Harland on drums. It’s a nice performance that rests on its own terms. It didn’t sound like a standard, or if it was, it was a pretty complex and obscure one. It didn’t sound like a normal standard. I thought it was an original written in a certain style. 4 stars.

4.   David Murray, “Steps” (from 4TET & STRINGS, Justin Time, 2006) (Murray, tenor saxophone, composer; Lafayette Gilchrist, piano)

I thought it was Sam Rivers for the first few  seconds because of the sound and vibrato, but as soon as I listened a little more, I knew it wasn’t. I don’t know who it is. I especially liked the section during the piano player’s solo. Wow, that was beautiful. I really loved that. I liked especially certain sections of the arrangement with the strings. I liked the tenor player. To a certain extent I like that kind of playing over let’s say a string section or something where there’s some clear harmony written, but I’d say the soloist isn’t necessarily addressing tonality in a specific sense, maybe more like sounds and certain colors than addressing tonality. I enjoy that, because there’s a certain amount of mystery that it adds to music. I personally prefer also having that and really addressing the harmony in a specific way as well. I enjoy that even more. But I really like the mystery added, again, by that type of playing. Of course, part of the reason why I enjoyed the piano player’s solo more is because both of those elements were both in play, maybe because of the instruments played. 4 stars.

5.   Chris Byars, “The Lion of Yerevan” (from Ari Roland, SKETCHES FROM A BASSIST’S ALBUM, Smalls 2006) (Byars, tenor saxophone; Sacha Perry, piano; Ari Roland, bass; Danny Rosenfeld, drums)

I’m not sure who the saxophone player is. It sounds like Lucky Thompson, the saxophone player who did the record “Tricotism.”  There’s a tune of his that I play, too. I’m not sure if it’s him, but it sounds like he’s coming out of that tradition. I don’t think it’s him, but it sounds somewhere in that area. Otherwise, I can’t think of who it would be off the top of my head. It’s fantastic. I don’t know this recording. It sounds like it could be from the late ‘50s or early ‘60s; for example, a bass player from the late ‘30s or early ‘40s recording a record later, like maybe in the ‘50s. It’s the harmonic language and the sound of the recording. It sounds like something recorded in the late ‘50s or early ‘60s. That’s my guess. 4½ stars. [AFTER] I’m not surprised. I’ve heard those guys a fair amount of times. It sounded like someone from that period who had their own original material that I didn’t know of. It’s totally fresh. It sounds like they’re completely in it, and it sounds like that music is alive and they’re in that language, as if they were living then and playing it now. It’s amazing. It’s great.

6.   James Carter, “Blue Hawaiian” (from GOLD SOUNDS, Brown Brothers, 2005) (Carter, tenor saxophone; Cyrus Chestnut, keyboards; Reginald Veal, bass; Ali Jackson, drums)

It sounds like James Carter. Why did it take me so long? I’m not that familiar with his playing, and in the very beginning he didn’t play that much, he was introducing the melody, and it sounded like it could be some other people from, say, the Chicago school of saxophone players, if you want to call it that – the avant-garde, more or less, to some extent. I haven’t listened to them a lot; I’m aware of them and have listened to them to some extent. I need to check them out more, but I’m just aware of it. So at first I was wondering which one, but as it went on I was aware of James, one, because it sounded like a new recording, and two, because of the amount that he was playing – as in playing a lot and not leaving any space for anyone else, really. On a good note, as far as the amount of effects and facility on the instrument, it’s amazing. There are some things he was doing with sound that were incredible, very difficult to do. There’s one thing in particular, somewhere on the horn, maybe A-flat to B-flat, something like that, back and forth, and there were some kind of harmonics with something else going on. Sound-wise, it was kind of amazing. Really interesting. That ability is fantastic, and I enjoy that part. I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, there’s the prowess on the instrument, and the sound that the rhythm section was getting together. Even though it was a vamp, the relationship between the bass and keyboard – it was nice, what they had going. There was one little interlude between the solos, right after the tenor solos, that was really nice. My reservation is sometimes a little too much playing. If there was less, it would have been more pleasurable to listen to. I liked the song. It was a vamp more or less with some little interludes to break it up. 3stars.

7.   Greg Tardy, “As the World Rejoices” (from Greg Tardy, THE TRUTH, Steeplechase, 2005) (Tardy, tenor saxophone; Helen Sung, piano; Sean Conly, bass; Jaimeo Brown, drums)

That sounds like  Greg Tardy playing saxophone. I didn’t know if this was his record, because I haven’t heard any of his records or heard him write tunes like this. But I thought it was fantastic. It sounds really beautiful. It was an excellent composition, especially the relationship between bass and melody. It’s nice, because it’s the type of tune where you can hear the harmony just with bass and melody alone. That says a lot about the composer’s understanding of harmony. Also fantastic is the way that even though it was somewhat rubato in some sections, it still had a nice rhythmic tension, which is sometimes hard to get. It was very well done. The sound was great. I think Greg is playing a Radio-Improved that he’s shown me. Totally beautiful. 4½ stars. The only reason I don’t say 5 is just because I reserve 5 for established classics.

8.   Michael Brecker, “Prince Lasha” (from Odean Pope Saxophone Choir, LOCKED & LOADED: LIVE AT THE BLUE NOTE, Half-Note, 2006) (Brecker, tenor saxophone; Craig McIver, drums)

I don’t know what to say about that. I can’t say I liked it very much. Wow. I think I’ve heard the piece before, but I’m not sure. But on that performance the band was…wow. I mean “wow” in the negative sense. The band performance was a bit atrocious, I have to say. The time wasn’t quite happening. I don’t know what was going on. At first I thought the tenor player was Brecker, but it’s not what I’m used to. Maybe it’s other things…I don’t know what happened. It sounds like maybe someone else who sounds like him. There are certain lines that he was playing that I’m not used to hearing him play. Also, part of it is execution. I’m used to hearing even more immaculate execution and time. But on the other hand, if he’s dealing with the drummer, whoever it was, it would be hard to deal with that maybe even for him. So I don’t know. It could be someone else who sounds a lot like him, would be my guess. I was going to say maybe Tommy Smith or… I don’t know that many people. It could be Bob Mintzer, but I’m used to hearing him sound different. Or Bob Berg, But not quite. 1 star. One thing that made me think it was Brecker was sound, and there were other things he executed that were so him, that I haven’t heard anyone else do. Even for him, dealing with that, I can see why he was – for him – not as immaculate on phrases or time or whatever as he normally would be. It sounds like he’s trying to keep everyone together.

I love Michael Brecker. I think he’s fantastic. He’s an incredible saxophone player, musician, person. Musician in an ideal sense, in terms of work ethic, reason for playing, the feeling of emotion that he puts out and gives people. It’s sad for me to hear him in that situation, because it’s pulling him way down, way below what he can do. To me, he’s just keeping them together, baby-sitting them. That’s what I think. I’ll be flat-honest about it.

In terms of recordings, there are so many great ones, but one of my favorites is Brecker with strings, a Claus Ogermann date. Man, it’s super-bad. It’s an immaculate record. [Has he influenced you?] Yeah. He’s probably influenced everybody. Maybe some people would not like to admit it. But of course. Definitely. Absolutely. Yes, in many ways. Should I say how? I don’t know how to put it… Well, specifically, like many saxophone players, when I was in early college and high school, I spent a lot of time trying to sound like him. Actually, in certain ways… I did certain transcriptions, and had books with transcriptions where he kind of, among others, taught me how to play the saxophone, and certain things he could do with it… I mean, there are certain things that he’s done with the saxophone and taking, say, the language of Coltrane and people like that, and done certain things that are characteristically him. He’s not just let’s say a disciple of Trane or whatever. Not to me. He’s really added to the canon. Anyway, so he’s influenced me and maybe others in the sense that he’s kind of stretching certain ways of playing the saxophone very specifically, certain things that he can do on the saxophone. There are certain things that I didn’t realize you could do with it until I heard him play. They’re just technical things that are also musical. It’s hard to explain it. But certain things that are very difficult to do. Certain scalar things, certain patterns very, very fast to play within a range of 2½ to 3 octaves, using the upper register is a big one. The way he plays and improvises certain lines. Also the way he uses false fingerings, certain things he did that are very difficult to do, that are his. It’s his vocabulary. Out of a certain tradition, like all of us, but it’s his thing. And when he’s in an environment not like this one, it’s incredible. [Did you keep abreast of his later records?] Yeah, somewhat. Totally incredible. In fact, another thing that’s great about him is that he’s one of those people that I would like to be like, just continuing to blossom. Just better and better. It’s just incredible. Now it’s like he has all the technique and sound, deeper and more open. It seems on his last records, he’s had more opportunity to show various things he can do and changed his own playing even more. Still evolving.

9.   Ned Goold, “In The Still Of The Night” (from THE FLOWS, Smalls, 1999/2004) (Goold, tenor saxophone; Ben Wolfe, bass; Ron Steen, drums)

It’s Ned Goold. I don’t know the tune; I haven’t played it. I don’t know who’s in the rhythm section. He’s a great saxophone player. I could tell because his lines are very intervallic, but still in the ‘40s-‘50s vernacular. So that’s how I recognized him. It’s very interesting playing. It’s difficult to do that and still play the changes well. 3½ stars.

10. Chris Potter, “Morning Bell” (from UNDERGROUND, Sunnyside, 2006) (Potter, tenor saxophone; Wayne Krantz, guitar; Craig Taborn, fender rhodes; Nate Smith, drums; Thom Yorke, composer)

It sounds like Chris Potter. I’m not familiar with this tune, but it’s a great composition. I really enjoyed that. It sounds like a Radiohead tune or influenced by it. It’s the form and the harmony. There are certain basslines or certain parts of the harmony, certain things in minor thirds that make it sound like that. I don’t remember exactly, but some other spots that are like that. [Can you take a brief tangent and discuss what about Radiohead’s make them appealing to musicians in this period?] I don’t know actually. But there are a lot who are into it, including myself. Maybe because at least a fair amount of musicians are listening to other music besides jazz, and are into various popular musics, whatever they are, and then those that are of that genre, let’s say rock-influenced or whatever. I think that because the sound on their records is so great, and also they’re pretty meticulous about sounds – getting the sounds right, the sound of the record. Plus the tunes. The songs are great. It’s really good songwriting. I think a big part of it is that. Even if you just play the song without really soloing that much, like this one, they’re just nice forms to hear, and there seems to be something close about maybe what some of us are doing and what they’re doing that may be influencing us. Maybe it’s because a fair amount of us are willing to address popular music from our generation. That includes anything from something we listened in high school on – anything from the ‘80s and ‘90s. And Radiohead, among others, seems to be a good example of that. I thought that performance was fantastic, beautiful. I can’t say anything bad about it! It’s all great, fantastic. I wish I could play that well. He’s totally incredible. 4½ stars.

11.   Donny McCaslin, “Soar” (from SOAR, Sunnyside, 2006) (McCaslin, tenor saxophone; Ben Monder, guitar; Scott Colley, bass; Antonio Sanchez, drums; Pernell Saturnino, percussion; Shane Endsley, trumpet; Luis Bonilla, trombone)

It’s pretty bold to start that long with percussion. It’s interesting. I like that. I’m not sure who this is, but it sounds like an Avishai Cohen tune, or something in that scene – an active section of the tune, sort of syncopated in a scalar sense. It sounds like an Israeli vibe, or sounds influenced by it. I don’t know who it is, though. It’s a great song. I can’t quite place the guitar player. Tenor player sounds fantastic. Whoo! Killing. Sounds like some people I know, but I’m not sure if it’s them. Maybe younger people who sound like them. It sounds Latin-influenced, some type of Caribbean-Latin thing. This is a nice interlude section. It’s a great tune, a great composition. It’s really well-done. Beautiful. [FINAL SECTION] This last section is really nice! Wow. What a great arrangement. Great ending, too. Just falls right off. A little arrangement of whatever those revolving changes were. 4 stars. [AFTER] I thought it was Donny, but there was something about his sound that sounded different, so to be honest, I thought it was someone who was sounding like Donny, or checked him out.

12.   Branford Marsalis, “Laughin’ and Talkin’ with Higg” (from ROMARE BEARDEN REVEALED, Rounder, 2004) (Branford Marsalis, tenor saxophone; Wynton Marsalis, trumpet; Eric Revis, bass; Jeff Watts, drums)

Sounds like Wynton and Branford. I don’t know whose record this is, and I’m not sure if I’ve heard this record. Oh, I figured it would be Branford. I’m not sure if it’s recent or not. It’s Jeff Watts, and I would imagine Eric Revis or Reginald Veal depending on how recent it is. It’s incredible playing, understanding of swing rhythm and all those things – just the obvious things. But not only a great understanding of the swing tradition, but it’s their own language they’ve created. I’ve been influenced by it. Many people have. The way that they play that maybe objectively speaking or maybe, according to some who may be against them or not like what they’re doing, who think they’re too conservative or something… It seems like they have so much control, especially over this, that it sounds like they’re playing really free. They have a lot of creative ability. They’re  really connected, and really complementary to each other, not necessarily a thing where someone will play a certain phrase and someone else will play the same thing, but actually complementing – two different melodies that work together type of thing. They do it very well. And it’s improvised. That’s another thing that’s great, is they’re really improvising, really making up lines, but still in the whole vocabulary and vernacular of the tradition. Rhythmically it’s great, Jeff Watts’ innovations and the innovations of that group of people, whether it’s Branford’s bands or Wynton’s bands, especially Wynton’s band in the ‘80s, like ‘85, like J-Mood and Black Codes From The Underground. This was right before I went to college, so everybody was listening. Not everybody, but those that wanted to play mainstream jazz were into that, and so was I.  So yes, it’s totally incredible. 4½ stars.

The Playboy Jazz Festival returns to the Hollywood Bowl this weekend for the 33^rd time with another celebration of America’s great musical art.  And the Festival’s long, remarkable  string of successes, over the course of more than three decades, is best described by Playboy’s founder, Hugh Hefner.

“I’ve had a lot of things to be proud of in my life,” says Hef.  “But nothing more, quite frankly, than the Jazz Festival.”

Most people see the Festival from one or both of two perspectives: As a non-stop parade of world class jazz (and beyond) talent.  And as a similarly continuous party in the Southern California outdoors, reaching from bright afternoon sunlight to cool night breezes.  Combine the two, with the music, the wine coolers, the feasting and the occasional dancing in the aisles, and it’s no wonder why the Festival has been packing the Bowl for so many years.

It’s seems to me, however, that there are other aspects to the weekend that are also intriguing.

Some of those aspects are always present.  Like, for example, the sociology of the Festival.  What do I mean by that?  Take a walk around the entire perimeter of the venue, from bottom to top and down again.  And you’ll see a shifting array of listeners and activities: the up close garden boxes with their catered lunches and fine wines; the devoted jazz fan groups who purchase entire blocks of seats to be together; the folks in the garden chairs, coolers and umbrellas at the very top, viewing the proceedings mostly on the large video screens.

Other aspects are unique to the programming of each Festival.  This year, for example, Sunday’s schedule includes the presence of no less than four extraordinary guitarists, whose styles embrace the full range of the instrument’s jazz identity.

John Scofield

Start with John Scofield, who’s performing in a duet format with Robben Ford halfway into Sunday’s program.  Sco, as he’s called by friends and fans, has been a visible presence on the jazz scene since the ‘70s, performing with everyone from Charles Mingus and Miles Davis to Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny.  But he’s also crossed over comfortably into genres.  His website notes, correctly, that his “music generally falls somewhere between post-bop, funk-edged jazz and R & B.”

Robben Ford

Robben Ford’s career also dates back to the ‘70s.  And he’s been crossing boundaries comfortably ever since the beginning.  His blues credentials were established early, backing blues legend Jimmy Witherspoon.  From there he went to Tom Scott’s L.A. Express, backing both George Harrison and Joni Mitchell.  After that, a stint with Miles Davis followed by his own numerous bands.

Buddy Guy

The great, veteran blues guitarist Buddy Guy is in the spotlight for the headliner position on Sunday night.  Although his early career was largely spent in the shadows, backing the likes of Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Junior Wells, he finally came into his own in the ‘80s and ‘90s.  Since then, his uniquely personal blues style, which can at any time verge into soul music, rock and even a touch of avant-garde, has firmly established him as one of the great blues guitarists.  To read a recent iRoM Q & A with Buddy Guy click HERE.

Stanley Jordan

Stanley Jordan, performing in Harmony 3 with Ronnie Laws and Walter Beasley, is one of the guitar world’s most unusual artists.  Using a two-handed tapping technique on the strings (rather than the plucking or strumming) he has the capability of playing the guitar with the melodic fluency and harmonic textures of a keyboard instrument.  The results are extraordinary, enhanced by the compositional imagination Jordan brings to every solo he takes.

Chuck Loeb

And it’s not just on Sunday that the Festival is showcasing jazz guitarists.  On Saturday’s program, the group Fourplay is now featuring guitarist Chuck Loeb as a vital ingredient in their mix of jazz, pop and r & b elements.  A veteran of Stan Getz’s band, Michael Brecker’s Steps Ahead and his own jazz fusion band, Metro, he has also been a busy studio musician, leading his own groups for a couple of decades before joining Fourplay.

That’s a lot of different views of the jazz guitar over a two day period.  And it’s another example of the many engaging levels of interest present in the programming and the performances at this year’s — and every year’s — Playboy Jazz Festival.

For information about the Playboy Jazz Festival click HERE.  Or call the information line:    (310) 450-1173.

Q: What made you first get into jazz, and music in general?

My dad played the trumpet and had a band, although it was not his full-time job. I grew up in Detroit, so he also took me to all the concerts that toured through the area. I got to see all the famous big bands when they were on tour, like Woody Herman Band, Maynard Ferguson, Count Basie, and the Ellington Band. Then of course my dad also had all the jazz greats playing at home too, like Louis Armstrong.

My sisters were all into the Beatles and Rolling Stones so I heard that a lot growing up too, which is great since now I play with the Stones.

Q: So, what was your “career path” as an artist?

When all the Motown bands left the Detroit area for California in the early to mid 70s, many of the “sidemen” stayed in the area. I had the chance to play with these guys from a very young age. That was really great. Then I went to the University of North Texas for my undergrad and got my masters from the University of Michigan. And I am actually working on my DMA at the Manhattan School of Music right now. From 1983 to 86 I was in the Maynard Ferguson band, so I guess that would be considered my first “touring gig.”

After that, I moved to New York, where I have lived since. I play a lot in the city and travel all around to play with many people and many different types of music. I have had the chance to work with lots of great musicians, including Donald Bird, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson.

Q: When did you start working with the Rolling Stones and how did you get this gig?

I started touring with the Rolling Stones in 1999. I had worked with their trombone player, Mike Davis, before and the saxophone spot opened up so he called me. They needed someone who could play saxophone as well as keyboard and organ and I could do it. So it really was a matter of who you know, being in the right place at the right time, and being a versatile and well-rounded musician.

Q: What is your favorite concert, or road experience?

Well, two things come to mind…

Many years ago I was booked on a recording session with Elvin Jones, who is my favorite jazz drummer of all time. I was very excited to be part of this session. Then on the same evening of the Jones session, I was booked to play a Stevie Wonder concert. Stevie is my favorite singer. Talk about an exciting day!

The second one was a Stones gig in Rio, on the Copa Cabana Beach, where we played for 1.5 to 2 million people. The concert promoter could not give an exact count because of the huge size of the crowd! They had to build a bridge over the road to the stage–over all the people–simply so the band could get to the stage to play the show. The “awesome factor” of that many people is almost indescribable.

Q: What inspired “The Rolling Stones Project” and the follow-up album, “Stone World”?

I had been wanting to do a “jazz album” of current popular music for awhile. I wanted to do something totally new and not just new arrangements of the same old standards from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Having been with the Stones for several years by then, I thought, “why not do this project with their tunes as ‘modern day’ standards?” Charlie Watts got into the project first and was going to be the guest drummer on a couple of tracks. Then Keith Richards got in on a few tracks, and by the time the first album was finished, we had over twenty-five guest artists on it. The second album ended up with seventy-five guests, including all the original Stones members again, as well as an overall all-star lineup.

Q: What new projects are on the horizon for you?

I will have two new CDs coming out this year. The first one that will be released was actually recorded in between the time of The Rolling Stones Project and Stone World. The second is a live CD recorded more recently in a New York club called Smalls. It features John Patitucci, Chris Potter, Billy Drummond, and Kalman Olah.

I also have many recordings and video footage of additional Stones songs done in big band arrangements that I would like to release sometime in the near future as well.

Mostly, in my own projects, I don’t want to be classified as only a jazz artist. I want to do projects where I have a chance to make great music with all the great musicians that I have had the honor to work and play with over the years.

Don’t miss your chance to see Tim Ries and The Rolling Stones Project featuring Bernard Fowler on Thursday, June 9!

Denise Helbing is Manager of Partner Programs at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Cover of Claus Ogerman and Michael Brecker's "Cityscape"

Released in 1982 by Warner Bros. Records, Cityscape was the work of arranger [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Claus Ogerman[/lastfm] and jazz musician [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Michael Brecker[/lastfm]. Louis Lozowick’s cover lithograph told the story before the seal was even broken on the record.

The cover of Cityscape, designed by Simon Levy, features a black and white lithograph by the famed artist, Louis Lozowick. Having emigrated to the US in the early 20th century, Lozowick settled in New York City and integrated the hard-edged geometry of urban life into his work. The perfect choice for this album’s cover, the soft grays and browns of the artwork against the hard lines of the buildings very much portray what’s inside.

Considered one of his finest collaborations, Cityscape found Ogerman, the renowned conductor and arranger at his best, supporting the dusky tenor sax of Michael Brecker with broad swatches of cinematic strings.

The title cut, for example, with its deep swirling cellos provide counterpoint to Brecker’s delicate solo, evoking a morning sunrise. But then the tempo increases, Brecker’s solo becomes more fiery and the noise of a downtown begins to swell, all the while the orchestra remaining a passive yet stable force.

Look at the artwork and take a listen.

Things are winding down for the evening, so I’ve decided to do some pre-bedtime listening, courtesy of my computer’s ITunes Shuffle.  I’m going to listen to whatever pops up, with no exceptions! Here’s the list of what came up…my library on my hard drive is kind of limited, because I store most of my music on an external drive, but (deep breath) here goes.

1.  Kneebody, “Wide Open,” from Kneebody – This is a really short track, and sounds more like a brief idea than a full fledged tune.  These dudes are really cool guys though and amazing musicians.  So far so good.  What’s next?

2. Hermeto Pascoal e Grupo, “Tres Coisas,” from Festa Dos Deuses – Another short track.  I like this album a lot, but this is not one of my favorite tracks…it’s just a spoken word thing in Portuguese…maybe it’s Hermeto speaking? Anyway…NEXT!

3.  Charlie Parker, “Si Si” – I hate Charlie Parker…just kidding.  This tune I’m less familiar with.  Thank you Almighty Shuffle for revealing the mysteries of bebop.

4. Arthur Rubinstein – Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, Var. 12 – OK Shuffle…what’s the deal with all of the short tracks? The longest one so far has been the Charlie Parker track which was under three minutes.  This one’s a beautiful variation from this work, and I highly recommend listening to this piece in its entirety.  Some of this work has the same impact of the Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor.

5. John Coltrane – “Mr. Day,” from Coltrane Plays the Blues – Finally something to sink my teeth (or ears) into! One of my favorite tunes from this album.  Very happy and bouncy. I need to revisit this album for sure.

6. Hermeto Pascoal – “Chapeu De Baeta”  also from Festa Dos Deuses – This is a totally trippy track.  Spoken word and crazy music.  It reminds me of one of those psychadelic music videos from the 60′s.

7.  Arthur Rubinstein: The Prelude from the Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, Var. 12 – I have to admit, I almost skipped this one because it’s only a 7 second track, and this piece already came up.  But it was nice to hear the main theme that this entire work is based on.  Shuffle, make the last three good ones.

8. Michael Brecker,  “The Impaler” from Two Blocks from the Edge – Thank you Shuffle.  This is a great track with amazing playing from everyone.  I’ve been checking out this album a lot lately, along with Tales from the Hudson.  Brecker is in absolute top form here. It goes without saying that his passing was such a loss to music!

9. Marta Argerich – Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit: Le Gibet – I bought this album a while back, which also has Argerich performing the Prokofiev Concerto No. 3 and the Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major, and admittedly I haven’t checked this album out that much – I have listened to the Ravel Concerto a fair amount, which is totally beautiful.  This particular movement of Gaspard is haunting and very excellent night music.  Once again, this is stuff I need to check out some more!

10.  Wayne Shorter, “The Big Push,” The Soothsayer – See, this is why I love the ITunes Shuffle.  I have hardly ever listened to this album, even though I love Wayne Shorter.  This is a nice way to end the evening’s listening.

I’ll have to do this again when I’m plugged into my full library…

Jaco Pastorius – Jaco Pastorius {Epic-Legacy}_mp3@320

Personnel:
Jaco Pastorius – electric bass,

with;
Don Alias, Randy Brecker, David Sanborn, Michael Brecker,
Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Lenny White,
Hubert Laws; and many others. (See scans for full personnel)

Tracklist:
01. Donna Lee
02. Come On, Come Over
03. Continuum
04. Kuru-Speak Like a Child
05. Portrait of Tracy
06. Opus Pocus
07. Okonkole Y Trompa
08. (Used to Be A) Cha-Cha
09. Forgotten Love
10. (Used to Be A) Cha-Cha (bonus track)
11. 6-4 Jam (bonus track)

Label: Epic-Legacy
Orig. Rel. Date: 1976
Quality: mp3@320kbps
Scans: Yes
Size: 188 MB.

Download (HF)

It really can be a small world in jazz sometimes. Drummer Antonio Sanchez, born in 1971 in Mexico City, graduated from the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City and then went off to school in Boston at Berklee and then to the New England Conservatory, where one of his teachers was Panama’s Danilo Perez.

When Cuban-born Paquito D’Rivera called Perez to try to fill a drum seat in Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra, Sanchez was off and drumming. Before long he had toured with Perez and was part of the Pat Metheny Group.

But Sanchez is hardly limited. He has released his first album as a leader and also performed with Marcus Roberts, Charlie Haden and the late Michael Brecker, among others. When Sanchez joined Metheny, Gary Burton and Steve Swallow in their reunion, Metheny said: ” (Sanchez) freed us all up to dig deep, back into this material, with a whole new perspective on it.”

It’s no surprise Sanchez made his career in the arts — his grandfather, Ignacio Lopez Tarso, is a well-known actor who has starred in Mexican soap operas.

Sanchez: “Just to lift your spirit, that is the sole purpose of music, I think. Music can completely change the way you feel in a second.”

Sanchez currently lives in New York and teaches at NYU when he’s not playing.

Next Monday: Puerto Rico

From the album’s liner notes:

some journeys are merely trips
from one place to another. But the
best of journeys are much more –
they are rich voyages, true passages
from which a traveler returns
enlightened with new knowledge
and fresh insights

A previous Grammy winner, and a 2011 Grammy nominee. Herbie Hancock: “but there are still amazing musicians – like Danilo Perez . . .  He is not afraid of anything.”

That said; I will have it up-to-date sooner than later. I will.

Actually, I’m not the only one who has a lot on their plates right now. Al from Mouth Radio cannot make it in tonight, which means – another two-hour What Planet Is This?! tonight, starting at 7:00 PM!

I hope you can join me for another epic journey through space and time as we hear some neat poppy-electro stuff, some experimental jazz, some traditional jazz, some folk and roots, blues… That’s right folks. We will be stargazing across the universe of sound tonight. Don’t worry, though. Nothing too weird. I promise.

Update:

Title: Night By Night
Performer: Chromeo
Composer: Patrick Gemayel, David Macklovitch
Label: (none)

Title: One Evening
Performer: Feist
Album: Let It Die
Composer: Leslie Feist, Jason Charles Beck
Label: Arts & Crafts

Title: When I Was A Cowboy (Western Plains)
Performer: Alvin Youngblood Hart
Album: Big Mama’s Door
Composer: Huddie Ledbetter, John Lomax, Alan Lomax
Label: OKeh

Title: Midnight Poppies/Crooked Birds
Performer: Medeski, Martin & Wood
Album: End Of The World Party (Just In Case)
Composer: John Medeski, Billy Martin, Chris Wood
Label: Blue Note

Title: This Can’t Be Love
Performer: Cannonball Adderly
Album: Best Of Cannonball Adderly
Composer: Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart

Title: Say It Isn’t So
Performer: Bob Moyer Big Band
Album: (untitled)
Composer: Irving Berlin

Title: Ne me Quitte pas
Performer: Nina Simone
Album: I Put A Spell On You
Composer: Jacques Brel
Label: Philips

Title: Little Tiger
Performer: Jason Collett
Album: To Wit To Woo (EP)
Composer: Jason Collett
Label: Arts & Crafts

Title: Cymbal Rush
Performer: Thom Yorke
Album: The Eraser
Composer: Thom Yorke
Label: XL

Title: For All We Know
Performer: Robin McKelle
Album: Introducing Robin McKelle
Label: RCA Victor, Sony Music

Title: Rainwater Motivational
Performer: Kelly Jefferson Quartet
Album: Spark
Composer: Kelly Jefferson
Label: (none)

Title: Diablo Rojo
Performer: Rodrigo y Gabriela
Album: (untitled)
Composer: Rodrigo Sánchez, Gabriela Quintero
Label: ATO

Title: Amelia
Performer: Herbie Hancock (featuring Luciana Souza)
Album: River: The Joni Letters
Composer: Joni Mitchell
Label: Verve

Title: One Day (Song For Jared)
Performer: Two Banks Of Four
Album: Saint-Germain des Prés Café VI
Composer: Robert Gallagher, Dilip Harris, Dominic Oakenfull
Label: Wagram

Title: I Can See Your Dreams
Performer: Michael Brecker
Album: Nearness Of You
Composer: Michael Brecker
Label: Universal

Title: Katon
Performer: Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Album: Freedom Jazz Dance
Composer: Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Label: Delmark

Title: Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Performer: Do Make Say Think
Album: Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn
Composer: Do Make Say Think
Label: Constellation

Title: Killing Me Softly With His Song
Performer: Fugees
Album: The Score
Composer: Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel
Label: Ruffhouse/Columbia

Title: You Are Never Alone
Performer: Socalled
Album: Ghettoblaster
Composer: Josh Dolgin
Label: Sony Music Canada

Title: Secret Love
Performer: Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban
Album: Mambo Sinuendo
Composer: Paul Francis Webster, Sammy Fain
Label: Nonesuch

Title: Ballad Medley
Performer: Stan Getz And The Oscar Peterson Trio
Album: (untitled)
Composer: Richard Rogers, Lorenz Hart (Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered); Fred Ahlert, Roy Turk (I Don’t Know Why I Just Do); George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin (How Long Has This Been Going On); Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin (I Can’t Get Started); Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen (Polka Dots And Moonbeams)
Label: Verve



d.c.k.

Here are a few videos of  Michael: