It hasn’t been quite a fortnight since we’ve done a post, but we will admit to being a tad distant to the daily duties of musings. We’ll chalk it up to the first definition of dalliance on a daily basis.

Firsts for This Date
~1954 1st US Presidential airplane christened
~1963 1st live murder on TV-Jack Ruby shoots Lee Harvey Oswald

Fab Four Fact Fix
~1966, The Beatles get together for the first time since their return from the summer tour of the United States, ready to record a new album. The first song selected for recording is John’s ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, which will end up, not on the album, but on The Beatles’ next single. This day’s session is devoted entirely to ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’  (Do you remember what the “A” side of the single was? Hmm?)

Smoooth News
~Smooth jazz saxophonist Jessy J, whose “Tropical Rain” is the No. 1 song on the Smooth Jazz Top 20, has been recognized by the Walt Disney Company. She has been inducted into the Disney Magic Days Hall of Fame, which this year is celebrating its 25th anniversary at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Disney Magic Music Days is where bands, choirs, orchestras, dance troupes, and other performance groups from schools and community groups are welcome to audition to perform at the theme park.
Jessy was also selected as a Disney Rising Star performer. As part of the honor, Jessy will be performing at the inaugural Disney Jazz Celebration, where vocal and instrumental jazz ensembles will be immersed in a learning environment.
The event, to be held February 18-20, 2010, provides middle and high school instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles the opportunity to perform for nationally recognized jazz educators from across the country. The celebration will include world renowned jazz artists – such as Jessy J – master classes, jam sessions and concerts. It will also promote jazz education, talent interaction and will feature evening performances.
“During the course of the festival I’ll be interacting with thousands of young jazz musicians,” says Jessy. “And I can’t wait!”

Late Night Humor
(Leno)
~The postal service announced last week that they’ve lost $3.8 billion dollars last year. Hey, I have an idea- let’s put the government in charge of healthcare.
~President Obama was in China yesterday. To foster a spirit of goodwill, he wore the traditional clothes made by the children of China: L.L. Bean, J Crew, Banana Republic, Nike, Reebok . . .
~Experts now say that China wants a bigger role in world events. Really? What, being our landlord isn’t enough?
~While in China, President Obama gave a speech. He said that “being open to criticism makes democracy stronger and makes me a better leader because it forces me to hear opinions I don’t want to hear.” Then he went back to trashing Fox News.

(Fallon)
~The President is in China now, and he had 71 cars in his motorcade to drive from the airport to Beijing ? 71 cars. One car for the president, two for the Secret Service, and 68 for Obama’s advisers on the environment.
~They didn’t need 71 cars. Trust me, I’ve been to China ? they can fit nine guys on a scooter and still have room for a crate of fish.
~While he was there, Obama toured the Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace. Bill Clinton once visited the Forbidden City and the Imperial Palace, but they were both strip clubs in Vegas.
~At a global warming speech on Saturday night, Al Gore was heckled by more than 200 protestors in Boca Raton, Fla. It was brutal. You don’t want to get heckled in Boca. The crowd chanted: “What do we want? Dinner! When do we want it? Four o’clock!”

Word from Wikipedia
(with awe and reverential respect to http://justmakingconvo.com)
~The fortnight is a unit of time equivalent to fourteen days. The word derives from the Old English feorwertyne niht, meaning “fourteen nights”.  The word is rarely used in the United States, but is used regionally in Canada.  (Join ‘bschooled’ in using it thrice on this third day of the week?)

A Moment for Us?
~My computer isn’t on without some music flowing from it. I usually rotate with different genres on iTunes’ internet radio stations. Just a while ago, was treated with Change’s “The Very Best of You” (featuring Luther), Ohio Players’ “Skin Tight”, “Sweet Sensation” from Stephanie Mills, and Jermaine Jackson “Let Me Tickle Your Fancy”, among other great soul/funk classics via www.traxx.fm ’s Funk channel.

Deeep Thoughts
~ I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
~Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
~I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.
~There is great need for a sarcasm font.
~How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

Music Notes
~1991, Eric Carr (Paul Charles Caravello) drummer with Kiss died aged 41, of complications from cancer in a New York hospital. Carr replaced Peter Criss in 1980 and remained a band member until he became ill in 1991. For his Kiss stage persona, Carr was known as “The Fox.” 
~1991, Freddie Mercury died of complications from aids at his home in London’s Holland park aged 45, just one day after he publicly admitted he was HIV positive. Mercury was openly bisexual and enjoyed a colourful rock star lifestyle. During his career with Queen he scored over 40 Top 40 UK singles including the worldwide No.1 ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
~1993, American blues guitarist and singer Albert Collins died of lung cancer aged 61. Known as “The master of the telecaster”, he shared a Grammy for the 1985 album Showdown! which he recorded with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland.

~1945, Born on this day, Lee Michaels, LA, CA “Michaels’ choice of the Hammond organ as his primary instrument was unusual for the time, as was his bare-bones stage and studio accompaniment: usually just a single drummer, most often a musician known as “Frosty” (Bartholomew Eugene Smith-Frost) member of Sweathog (band) or with Joel Larson of The Grass Roots…Michaels did not achieve real commercial success until the release of his fifth album (Fifth), which produced a surprise U.S. Top 10 hit (#6 in the fall of 1971), “Do You Know What I Mean,” and a Top 40 follow-up, a cover version of the Motown standard, “Can I Get A Witness”.  (Lee does his own “musings” at http://leemichaels.com)
~1991, Cyndi Lauper married actor David Thornton in Manhattan, the wedding was officiated by Little Richard.
~1979 Marianne Faithfull is arrested at the Oslo, Norway, airport for possession of marijuana.
~1976 Jerry Lee Lewis is arrested outside of Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion after waving a pistol and demanding to see “The King.”
~1960 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” Elvis Presley. The song is the King’s 14th chart topper.
~1944 No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” Mills Brothers.

Glad you came by today…OH, and you’re looking especially good too…is that shirt/blouse/cape new?  Grrreat choice for a Tuesday!

It’s the first time in many years that I have a CD by Najee that I want to listen to! I mean like take off the shelf and play it. Not since ‘just an illusion’ has that happened. I felt that many of his subsequent releases, they all settled on some dull formula that was devoid of personality. Not only is “Mind over Matter” smooth, and laid back but also ‘human’ (I really don’t know what that means- but think about something that’s free of all pretences and authentic- and you are closer to the definition). Soft to the ear and kind to the soul, with a diversity of voices that bring colour to his musical palette. Guest voices feature some of my favourite musicians, but it’s not overdone either. The track I’m listening to for example is a slow melody, a duet between the piano and the sax with a nostalgic flavour, with a mellow percussion as a foundation. If I was naming it, I would probably call it ‘a prayer for my baby’ or something like that. It happens to be my favourite track on the CD and it’s called The Journey. Each of the tracks get the same distinction of acquiring a personality. As another reviewer has commented “Sometimes the planets line up and the right groove emerges on its own, and all anyone needs to do – musicians and listeners alike – is get on board and ride into a realm of limitless possibilities.”- It seems this happened for this CD- perhaps where the name of the CD came from. The album title, says Najee, is inspired by Miles Davis’ approach to songwriting, especially in the latter part of his career. “In his later years, he took a very loose and improvisational approach,” he says. “He would start with nothing more than a groove that Marcus Miller or some other member of his band would lay down. And from there he would just develop these melodies that were very simple but at the same time very compelling and very memorable. It was a creative process that bypassed the nuts and bolts of the song and just got right to the essence of it.”

I love this CD- a heady mix of smooth grooves (done right!), mellow tunes and down to earth artists just doing their thing! Definitely worth buying!

“Nouveau Latino is about the groove and the dancer, about romance and seduction through melody”. It is also a testament to Torres’ impeccable credentials as the pre-eminent Latin Jazz flautist of his generation.

In his brand new CD, Nouveau Latino, Nestor Torres returns to his Latin roots with a fresh approach, impeccable musicianship, and irresistible improvisations. Featuring songs from stars like Celia Cruz and Ruben Blades, Torres’ interpretations of these great Latin hits appeal to those discovering the songs for the first time as much as those who remember them.

11 hits from the 60s through the 80s, plus a couple of Latin Jazz Standards, makes this a great collection of songs that helped shape an era. “The blessing of having been part of the New York Salsa scene at its hottest cannot be expressed in words. Finally, the time is right for me to celebrate and share with my fans – and the world – at least part of a legacy I owe so much to”.

Nestor Torres pays homage to some of Salsa’s greatest stars, from the beginning of the genre to its heyday. Mon Rivera & Joe Cuba; Celia Cruz, Willie Colon, Cheo Feliciano & Ruben Blades. The Fania All Stars and Omar Alfanno. These artists are part of a dynasty responsible for creating a sound that transcended the Latino experience and went on to become an integral part of the mainstream. With Cuban music as the backbone and NYC’s El Barrio as the breeding ground, Salsa music came about as artists and musicians from different parts of the Caribbean and Latin America came together, bringing their own music and traditions to the mix: Puerto Rican Bomba & Plena, Brazil’s Samba, Dominican Republic’s Merengue, Colombia’s Cumbia, and Panama’s take on it all through the compositions of Blades and Alfanno.

For more information about Nestor Torres and his new album visit his website.

Tracklist:

1 .Body Heat 3:58
2 .Soul Saga (Song of the Buffalo Soldier) 4:58
3 .Everything Must Change 6:01
4 .Boogie Joe, the Grinder 3:09
5 .One Track Mind 1:01
6 .Just a Man 6:14
7 .Along Came Betty 3:31
8 .If I Ever Lose This Heaven 4:47
9 .Everything Must Change (Reprise) 4:52

Download Quincy Jones – Body Heat 1974 part 1:

Tracklist:

1 .Body Heat 3:58
2 .Soul Saga (Song of the Buffalo Soldier) 4:58
3 .Everything Must Change 6:01
4 .Boogie Joe, the Grinder 3:09
5 .One Track Mind 1:01
6 .Just a Man 6:14
7 .Along Came Betty 3:31
8 .If I Ever Lose This Heaven 4:47
9 .Everything Must Change (Reprise) 4:52

Download Quincy Jones – Body Heat 1974 part 1:

“You can drive to this, chill to this, step to this whatever you desire” quotes Michael. And that is the truth….”it’s romantic, sophisticated, and just plain inspiring” he adds….. It’s Inspirational Jazz!

“Melodies are what we sing. When we can’t remember words or the beat, the melody is what we all draw upon to reflect the songs that inspire us all,” confides Michael Houston, the catalyst behind this blend of melodic soulful but rhythmic collaboration of artists and some of music’s greatest moments.

This formula is what makes the Michael Houston Group, (producer/composer/ artist Michael Houston, vocalist Tonya Martin, saxophonist Adam Thompson, bassist Jeremy Taylor, drummer Josh Humphrey) so infectious to listen to!

Michael Houston’s latest release Turn It Up marks a milestone in his musical journey as a producer/ instrumentalist. “Houston is going his own way in Jazz; his crystalline keyboard sound recalls the Fender Rhodes style in the eighties.” quotes Chuck Workman- writer for Nuvo Magazine. Houston’s music combines a mixture funk grooves, retro sounds, infectious melodies and fiery improvisations.

A potent blend which will make you want to Turn It Up at CDBaby!

Hi everybody! If you are into Yanni, Enigma, Deep Forest, Kitaro, Sarah Brightman or Imogen Heap you might love Catya Maré.

Here´s some more information on her:

Catya Maré is a critically acclaimed, multiple award winning composer, violinist, music producer from Denmark who is now living in Los Angeles, California. 

She has performed as a classical violinist since her early childhood (first concert as a soloist with a large symphony orchestra at age 10), held the position of an alternating concertmaster with Aarhus Symfoni Orkester (DK) and has done numerous performances at international concert halls and major museums of art, such as National Galerie Berlin (Germany)  and Kunsthaus Zürich (Switzerland). 

Catya Maré started composing / producing her own music (world / orchestral / ambient / electronica / pop) in 2005. 

She was nominated for the Hollywood Music Award in November 2008 and won the Billboard World Songwriting Contest in February 2009. In August 2009 she was nominated for another prestigious music award: The Hollywood Music in Media Award. 

Her critically acclaimed albums “LIGHT LONGING” and “Remembering The Day” are available from all major digital music outlets and from Catya´s own web store at 

http://www.catyamare.com    or   http://www.myspace.com/catyamar .

Best Buy at:  http://www.soundloud.com/catyamare.aspx

In February 2010 her third CD  “Destination Love”  will be released worldwide.

Check her out and have a beautiful day!

Tracy

Hi there.

Need a Creepy Thought for the Day?
~”According to one study, using a cell phone while driving can be just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated, causing drivers to miss traffic signals and react more slowly to driving conditions. Frighteningly, the NHTSA estimates that more than 100 million U.S. drivers use their cell phone while driving and about 8% of drivers on the roadway at any given daylight moment are either conversing or texting on their cell phone.”-From RandomHistory.com

Can this fit under Fab Four Fact Fixin’s?
~1974, John Lennon was at No.1 in the US singles chart with ‘Whatever Gets You Through The Night.’ Elton John played on the session and made a deal with Lennon that if the song reached No.1, Lennon would have to appear on stage live with Elton. Lennon kept his side of the deal and appeared live with Elton. They played three songs together: ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’ ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds’ and ‘Whatever Gets You Through the Night.’ Backstage after the concert, Lennon got back with Yoko Ono after a temporary split.
~1979 Paul McCartney releases “Wonderful Christmas”

Music and Other Notes
~1973 John Lennon releases “Mind Games” album
~1973 President Nixon authorizes construction of the Alaskan pipeline
~1963, Nino Tempo and April Stevens went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Deep Purple’, it made No.17 in the UK.  (Remember from a few weeks ago, Nino and April are from Buffalo, NY?)
~1968, The Jimi Hendrix Experience went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Electric Ladyland’. The double album included ‘Crosstown Traffic,’ ‘Voodoo Chile’ and ‘All Along the Watchtower’ and featured guest appearances by Dave Mason, Steve Winwood and Al Kooper.
~2002, Texan multi-billionaire David Bonderman hired The Rolling Stones to play at his 60th birthday party held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. The bands fee was £4.4m.  (Wonder if that included  a complimentary beverage and slice of cake per band member?)

The Smooth ‘n’ Jazzy Corner Y’all
~Born in 1964, Diana Krall, Canadian singer, songwriter. Has become one of the best selling jazz artists of all-time. Nominated for eight Grammy’s, winning twice. Won three Juno awards in 2002, Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. “Krall and British musician Elvis Costello were married on December 6, 2003 at Elton John’s estate outside London. Their twin sons Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James, were born December 6, 2006 in New York City.”

~”Smooth jazz guitarist Nick Colionne has joined with The Pair Tree, a Chicago-area based nonprofit, and Mike Nordskog of Wine And Jazz magazine to create a national silent auction with all proceeds going to support breast cancer research. Colionne’s endorser, Epiphone Guitars, donated a Broadway archtop guitar and case, and Tobin James Cellars donated two nights at its on-property guest house and a magnum of 2006 James Gang Reserve Zinfandel autographed by Tobin James. Also included is a complete autographed Colionne discography and a guided wine tasting at the Tobin James Cellars.
Colionne has a long running history of contributing his efforts in support of fund-raisers focused on finding a cure for breast cancer and it’s totally personal. His mother is a two-time survivor of the disease, a close friend has been battling the disease for two years. “We all have someone we love who has been affected by this disease,” Colionne says, “and it’s time to put an end to it.”
The Pair Tree Foundation began with the efforts Denise and Alix Doro, Colionne’s friends, to support the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, a national campaign that raises awareness and funds for the cause with the participation of thousands of walkers every year. Their home is along the route taken by the Chicago-area walkers every year. They came up with a novel way to take a people-friendly approach to a very serious issue by hanging foam “pairs” from their front yard pear tree. Literally hundreds of walkers stopped to have photos taken under the tree, Chicago news stations sent crews out to record it, several thousand dollars were raised and a charity was born. The Doros approached Colionne to be their first celebrity endorser and he readily agreed.
The timing coincided with Nordskog’s desire to have Wine and Jazz support a charity during the holidays as the lastest issue highlights giving back. Colionne is the cover story, with the focus being on his work with kids and supporting charitable efforts.” (smoothjazznetwork.com)

Late Night Humor from recent shows
~Dave… The Late Show Top Ten
 *No Category*
10. Replace beef with Canada geese — it’s a Sullen-burger.
9. “Words George W. Bush Can’t Pronounce” for a hundred, Alex.
8. Claimed she could see Russian dressing from her house.
7. Vibrating underpants.
6. Don’t look now but Kate Hudson’s dating the Balloon Boy’s crazy dad.
5. Screw Thomas Edison — this blanket has sleeves!
4. Idiots who answer the phone, “Yello?”
3. You’re not Mrs. Paul and that’s no fish stick.
2. Is there anything in the healthcare plan to help Sammy Sosa’s face?
1. So desperate to get out of town you’ll fly Northwest.

*Leno
~Well folks, it’s happened again. This time at Heathrow Airport. A pilot was pulled off a United Airlines jet before take-off because he was drunk. Why is this happening? Here’s how drunk the guy was. He was pulled off a United jet, but he was a Delta pilot. That’s a bad sign.
~Has anyone seen this new movie, “The Men Who Stare at Goats?” It’s rated “R” here in the U.S., but in the Middle East it’s rated “X” for nudity. 

*Conan
~The AMA is urging the federal government not to classify marijuana as a dangerous drug and to do more research. That request came not only from the AMA but also from KFC.

*Fallon
~President Obama said that he would be happy to travel to Copenhagen in December for the Global Climate Conference, if his presence would make a difference. And then the Olympic Committee was like, “Yeah, makes a huge difference.”
~Listen to this. A United Airlines pilot was arrested in London for trying to fly 124 passengers while drunk. People became suspicious when he said, “If you look out your left window, you’ll see . . . Oh my god, do you guys wanna get pizza? Of course the passengers should have known something was up when he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Morgan speaking.”
~Finally, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer — who was forced to resign because he used prostitutes — will deliver a lecture tomorrow at Harvard’s Center for Ethics. Yeah, if you want to check out the speech, it costs 500 bucks for a half hour, 900 if you want to stay for the whole hour.

Deeep Questions
~Why do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight?
~Why do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
~Why can’t women put on mascara with their mouth closed?
~Why don’t you ever see the headline ‘Psychic Wins Lottery’?
~Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

Thanks for the visit…have yourself a merry little monday…

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jim Horn was fortunate to be involved in the thriving Los Angeles session scene. Over the next several years Jim found himself in the studio with such stellar names as The Mamas And Papas, Leon Russell and Joe Cocker.

His versatility and unique style on a number of his instruments earned him a sterling string of credits that include, Ringo Star, The Beach Boys, Lionel Ritchie, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, Barbra Streisand and Linda Ronstadt. Jim was part of the infamous Mad Dogs And Englishman band, which backed Joe Cocker.

After that, George Harrison recruited Jim for both his 1972 Concert For Bangladesh and subsequent Dark Horse tour. Fans of instrumental music and pop music are very familiar with Jim’s playing, although they may not realize it. It’s Jim’s flute solo on Canned Heat’s “Goin’ Up The Country”.The horn parts on The Fifth Dimension’s “Up Up And Away” and “The Age Of Aquarius”. Also Frank Sinatra’s hit “Strangers In The Night”, Elton John’s “Little Jeannie”, Leon Russell’s “Lady Blue”, Smoky Robinson’s “Tears Of A Clown”, and the beautiful intro oboe solo on The Carpenter’s hit “For All We Know”. Jim has also recorded with Steely Dan, The Rolling Stones, Diana Ross, Roy Orbison, Stevie Wonder, John Denver and Tina Turner.

Jim was part of the massive Garth Brooks in Central Park HBO special, during which he was featured on a solo on “New York State Of Mind” with Billy Joel. Jim Horn is still an “in demand” session artist in Los Angeles, London, Memphis, Nasville and New York. We believe Jim has played on more pop hit records than any other sax player in history.

Now he presents his solo project A Beatles Tribute. The album is just released at CDBaby.

Featuring Justin Young on Saxophone and an unbelievable cast of musicians which includes drummer Ricky Lawson (Michael Jackson, Anita Baker), bassist Alex Al (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson), vocalist/guitarist Sheldon Reynolds (Earth, Wind and Fire), guitarist Darrell Crooks (MD for Wayne Brady), bassist Hussain Jiffry (Herb Alpert) and many others! This is a must have album.

It also features cover songs from Michael Jackson (Heal The World), Robin Thicke (Lost Without You), Billy Joel (Just the Way You Are), Teddy Pendergrass (When Somebody Loves You Back) and a remix version of Robin Thicke’s Lost Without You. Purchase Justin Young’s Nothin’ But Love Album today at CDBaby.

This is an all-new arrangement. I’ve never actually done Jingle Bells before, although it might well be the most arranged of all holiday songs. It’s one of the simpler seasonal tunes, and it’s pretty easy to overwhelm it with harmony substitutions. It seems to me that I’ve seen and heard more arrangements that I considered to be poor than to be good.

Given that it has been arranged so many ways, it wasn’t until the idea for this approach developed that I thought I might have something at least a little bit original — and that also preserves the traditional happy-go-lucky  mood that I think most people associate with the song. Perhaps you can tell me how well the arrangement works.

The arrangement is — as usual nowadays — for guitar, bass and drums. On this recording the guitar is the 1949 L-4C about which I recently posted on the blog.

Here are the links to listen:

Stream

MP3

Welcome to my HOLIDAY Top 10 CD GIFT GUIDE! On the list is Kermit Ruffins, Count Basie, Harry Connick, Jr., Jeremy Davenport, Louis Armstrong, Wynton Marsalis, Sting, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood & Los Lonely Boys. From GREAT New Orleans Xmas music, to the ultimate Count Basie, to Country & Crooners and a variety of other genres.

I’ll guide you the right gift for everyone on your list! There’s some great deals out there in November, so don’t delay, start your gift buying today!

Here’s the rough Demo I threw together yesterday morning before work. I emailed this out to Paul and Anna so they’d have something to chew on before coming in last night.

The session went smoothly once we got started. I edited it a little bit this morning, but I have to run off to play some music for a big time company luncheon down in Westwood.

Paul and I were both stoked.

Well alright. Now that you’re here, let me share with you some things of interest I found for today…

Born on This Date…
~1944,  Memphis Tenn, Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & The MG’s). “While still in high school, Jones wrote the group’s instrumental “Green Onions”, which not only became a hit in 1962, but remains an enduring classic more than 40 years later.” And my personal favorite-”Time is Tight”.
“Jones produced three albums with his former wife, under the name Booker T. & Priscilla, as well as making the charts as a solo artist in 1981 with “I Want You”. He produced Priscilla’s sister Rita Coolidge, Bill Withers’s debut album Just As I Am (on which he also played several instruments), and Willie Nelson’s album Stardust. He has also lent his trademark keyboards to artists ranging in genre from Ray Charles to Neil Young to Natalie Merchant. Jones still plays with Booker T. & the MGs and his own Booker T. Jones Band.
Jones was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and was honored with a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement on February 11, 2007.”
1945,  Neil Young, Toronto, Canada. “Young was diagnosed with diabetes as a child and a bout of polio at the age of 6 left him with a weakened left side; he still walks with a slight limp.”
“…Young has consistently demonstrated the unbridled passion of an artist who understands that self-renewal is the only way to avoid burning out. For this reason, he has remained one of the most significant artists of the rock and roll era..”-from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s website

Firsts…
~1910 1st Movie stunt: man jumps into Hudson river from a burning balloon ~1933 1st known photo of Loch Ness monster (or whatever) is taken
~1946 1st drive-up bank window established (Chicago)

Fab Four Fix…
~2002, die-hard Beatles fans were enraged after Paul McCartney altered the song writing credits on his ‘Back In The US 2002′ album, changing them to McCartney and Lennon from Lennon and McCartney.

More Music…
~1966, The Monkees debut album started a 13-week run at No.1 on the US album chart, selling over 3 million copies in three months.
~1968, UK book and record chain W.H. Smiths refused to display The Jimi Hendrix Experience album ‘Electric Ladyland’ due to the naked girls featured on the sleeve. The album was then made available as two albums with changed artwork after the complaints.
~1990, Rolling Stone Ron Wood broke both his legs after his car crashed on the M4 motorway near Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Wood was trying to wave other cars past his when he was run over.

Smoooth Music…
~”Grammy Award-winning vocalist Michael McDonald this week stopped by the Smooth Jazz Top 20 studio to talk about his current release This Christmas. McDonald had a conversation with Smooth Jazz Top 20 host Allen Kepler, who is also president of the Smooth Jazz Network and Broadcast Architecture.
This Christmas showcases McDonald’s distinctive vocals on holiday favorites such as “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and “White Christmas,” as well as his versions of the Stevie Wonder Motown classic “That’s What Christmas Means to Me” and the Donny Hathaway song “This Christmas.” The album includes a special duet on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” with McDonald’s 17-year-old-daughter, Scarlett. There are three originals: “Every Time Christmas Comes Around,” “On This Night” and “Peace” the latter which McDonald wrote with Beth Nielsen Chapman.
McDonald also spoke to Kepler about the upcoming holiday shows in December that will see him performing in 11 cities, beginning December 5 in Snoqualmie, Washington, and continuing through December 20 in Detroit. McDonald also told stories of his successful summer tour with Boz Scaggs. The duo will continue the tour next year in Australia and New Zealand.
The Smooth Jazz Network’s programming is heard weekly on more than 45 radio stations across the US, Canada, India, Trinidad and the Philippines. The Smooth Jazz Top 20 is produced by Broadcast Architecture, the world’s leading smooth jazz programming, research and consulting firm for more than 20 years.”

Following Tweets from…
~Thisdayinmusic:  Today’s Anagram – Britney Spears – Rips teeny bras
~Thisdayinmusic:  Today’s Anagram – Alanis Morissette – SOS! I’m a senile tart!

Deeep Thoughts…
~”Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” -Mark Twain
~”Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”- John Lennon
~”Sincerity is the key. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”-George Burns
~”Ever notice that ‘What the hell’ is always the right decision?”-Marilyn Monroe

Thanks for swingin’ by today.
In case I don’t get to a post tomorrow, you’ll need to know this…
–>Paraskevidekatriaphobics — people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th.

"Bah-bye for Now...Ohhh, Nathaniel...How 'bout a glass of orange juice?"

Sunrise is a collection of catchy and inspirational songs played with a passionate approach that’s evident throughout the album. The record is dedicated to Joe’s father who passed away in late 2007. After hand picking some of Tucson’s most talented musicians he recorded Sunrise at Allusion Studios along with the help of the engineering guru Jim Pavett.

Joe Troup is an acoustic guitarist based in Tucson AZ. He originally hails from the Southwestern Michigan town of Kalamazoo. With his prized Les Paul Custom at his side Joe has played in numerous rock bands over the years. For a creative change of pace he switched gears in 2007 to play an Ovation acoustic guitar. You can listen this change to smooth jazz on his new album at CDBaby.

A GREAT BIG GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HAVE, AND ARE NOW SERVING OUR COUNTRY!

And Congrats to Local School…
~”West Seneca, N.Y. (WIVB) – The West Seneca West Marching Band wins the Governor’s Cup recently in the New York State Field Band Competition at the Syracuse University Carrier Dome. The band cinched the state title in the Large School 3 Division, competing against groups from across New York State.
The 58-member West Seneca West Marching Band is in its 13th year of competition and comprises students in grades six through 12 from both the East and West sides of town. In December of this year, the band will get a chance to bring this show to yet another competitive venue as it travels to Memphis, Tenn. To perform at the Liberty Bowl. During that trip, West Seneca’s group will compete against bands across the United States in the Bowl Games of America Field Band Competition.”  (WIVB.com)

From the Smooth ‘n’ Jazzy World
(smoothjazznetwork.com)
~”Smooth jazz pianist Marcus Johnson provided the entertainment at a special event to commemorate the efforts of African-Americans during the Civil War. On November 10, Blacks in Government, Parklawn Chapter, presented the second annual Region XI: Salute to the African American Civil War Veterans at Hogates Seafood Restaurant in Washington, D.C.
In addition to a performance by Johnson and his band, participants saw dramatic presentations by African American Civil War Museum re-enactors.
Johnson’s latest CD, Poetically Justified, features the smooth jazz single “Chillaxin’.” That song is now featured as the Feedback Track on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 hosted by Allen Kepler. To vote on the song, go to smoothjazztop20.com.”

In Case You Give a Rat’s Rear End (and you just might with this one)
(garden.com)
~This time of year, the soil in many gardens is very wet, and walking and working in the garden can compact and damage the soil. If you absolutely must work in the garden, protect the soil by laying down a sheet of wood to walk on. You should never till or dig wet soil.

Fetched Some Facts for My Friend’s Fab Four Fix
~1965, The final recording session for The Beatles Rubber Soul album took place, at Abbey Road, London. They needed three new songs to finish the album so an old song ‘Wait’ is pulled off the shelf and the group recorded two new songs from start to finish. Paul’s ‘You Won’t See Me’ and John’s ‘Girl’, the basic tracks for both songs being completed in two takes. Rubber Soul was completed, and finished copies of the album were in the shops by December 3 in the UK and December 6 in the US.

Elsewhere in Music Notes
~1985 After 18 years and several name changes, the group Starship scores its first No. 1 hit with “We Built This City,” a song originally written by Martin Page for his band Q-Feel.
~1972 Bassist Berry Oakley of the Allman Brothers Band is killed in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Ga., three blocks from the site of Duane Allman’s motorcycle death the previous year.
~1968 John Lennon & Yoko Ono appear nude on cover of “2 Virgins” album
~1973, thirty US radio stations broadcasted a ‘live’ Mott The Hoople concert. In reality it was the band recorded in the studio with the applause dubbed in.
~2006, the soundtrack album ‘Hannah Montana’ started a two-week run at No.1 on the US album chart.

Big Birthdays
~1925 Jonathan Winters born in Bellbrook, OH. Jonathan now lives near Santa Barbara, CA, where he spends time painting and has been presented in one-man shows of his art. “In 1987, he published Winters’ Tales: Stories and Observations for the Unusual. Other writings have followed, and he is said to be working on his autobiography….On January 11, 2009, Eileen, Jonathan’s wife of 60 years, died at the age of 84 after a 20-year battle with breast cancer.”

~1944 Jesse Colin Young born in Queens, NY. The Youngbloods and solo–”Get Together”, “Darkness, Darkness”, “Sunlight”.

~1962 Demi Moore born in Roswell NM

~1974 Leonardo DiCaprio born in Hollywood, CA

And a Happy B-day to Rob Y. today!

And Finally…Deeep Thoughts
(coolsig.com)
~When you’re in up over your head, the first thing to do is close your mouth.
~”It’s only when you look at an ant through a magnifying glass on a sunny day that you realise how often they burst into flames.”-Harry Hill
~”640 Kilobytes of computer memory ought to be enough for anybody.”-Bill Gates, 1981

Very nice seeing you again…thanks a lot!

…and no one reads it, does it make any sense?

It’s HARD to keep a running commentary for the sake of due diligence, especially when I’m not completely sure of its value at any given point. I’ve pretty much settled on the notion of doing it to learn how to do it, so that when it becomes important, it’ll be easy.

I’ve been recently blown away by my friend and homey SIDney Howard’s new project, “Mune-Pi”. It’s a funky, eclectic, grooving, jazzy project (my description) that amazes me more and more with every listen. The production and performance finesse from SID and the surrounding cast is incredible.

Full disclosure: I contributed guitar on three of the tracks, but I like the ones I didn’t play on more!
Check out and download “Mune-Pi” at http://mune-pi.com. Be sure to read the accompanying posts and entries…SID’s one of the best writers I’ve read.

It feels like a season of growth. I’d always been intimidated by the quality of SID’s work; he sent me a reissue of an album he did over ten years ago, and as I listened, I was taken aback by how different it sounded…now I could hear all the subtleties in the music I couldn’t before, and found myself being aurally and emotionally pulled into the music. On this most recent CD, SID asked me for guitar on the tracks that I actually would have picked myself to play on. It was much more than flattering, it told me that my friend was actually dialed into my strengths as a guitarist and musician and actually wanted what I, Mark, had to offer to his music.

That was huger than I can say. Thanks, Sid.

Also been running into a lot of fearless people these last couple of days…fearless about reaching out, sharing their hopes, fears, ideas, etc. Jeff Watts (of Las Vegas) and I have been talking about embarking on some collaborations. He’s a writer and producer in the R&B/hip-hop genre who reminds me a lot of myself when I was at his stage. Prolific, positive, productive. As someone who appreciates the difficulties of getting it all done yourself, I’m very impressed with what he’s been able to do, and I believe he’s one of those people you meet for a specific reason or to learn a particular lesson.

Another musician reached out to me for some feedback on a demo…a homeboy posted some very touching thoughts about his late mother on Facebook…a rehearsal where the bass player told me, “I don’t remember the changes, either, I just play it like I do!”…day after day there are lessons about how to move forward fearlessly, even when you’re not sure how.

So thank you, friends, colleagues, acquaintances. When I typed the subject line, I didn’t have any sense of purpose for this other than to let whomever reads this blog know that I am a real person, a real musician who’s wanted to do this since he was a little kid, and that’s a Long.Ass.Time. I’m not “following a dream” or “making a career change” following a mid-life crisis, this is who I Am.

I have to present my music to you with a confidence I may or may not feel, depending on where I am at the moment. Please know that it is important to me that you like my music and it offers you at least a little positive something when you listen to it.

It’s important to me that you know I work hard on it and at it. Not because my goal is to make a lot of money, but because I respect your time and attention, and want to offer you my best work. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to visit Yuletronica.com for a free download.

Hey, did you just hear a tree fall?

Howard C. Perkins aka Collage & Company presents lively smooth jazz that makes you want to move. It also has a variety of music for that special mood. Checkmate has more to offer than you await.

Make your move at CDBaby.

If you’re out and about in the southtowns today, be sure and give this guy a shout, fist-pump, and pat on the back…

Happy Birthday to Mr. TFB~With Love from Nancy Pelosi

     ~~~~~
Big Music Notes for Today
~2000 Billy Gilman’s “One Voice” video is the big winner for the 2000 Billboard Music Video Awards, presented at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City, Calif. The clip sweeps all four categories in which it is nominated: best country new artist clip, best contemporary Christian clip, best contemporary Christian new artist clip, and best jazz/AC new artist clip. ~1984, Former Rufus singer Chaka Khan was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I Feel For You.’ Written by Prince, the song featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica and the Rap was by Grandmaster Melle Mel. The repetition of Khan’s name by rapper Melle Mel at the beginning of the song was originally a mistake made by producer Arif Mardin, who then decided to keep it.
~1997, American session guitarist Tommy Tedesco died of lung cancer aged 67. Described by “Guitar Player” magazine as the most recorded guitarist in history recording with The Beach Boys, Everly Brothers, The Supremes, The Monkees, The Association, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Sam Cooke, Cher, and Nancy and Frank Sinatra. And played on many TV themes including Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, M*A*S*H and Batman.
     ~~~~~
From the Smooth ‘n’ Jazzy World
(smoothjazznetwork.com)~”Gerhardt Fuchs, a versatile drummer who just this summer appeared on Late Show With David Letterman during a performance with John Legend, died on November 8 after a freak accident, falling to his death in the elevator shaft of an industrial building in Brooklyn.
Fuchs, 34, had attended a benefit party on a building’s seventh floor and was stuck on a freight elevator between the fourth and fifth floors, police say. He had been trying to jump out of the stalled car when his jacket got caught on something, causing him to fall to the bottom of the shaft.
Fuchs grew up in Marietta, Ga., and moved to New York in 1995. He performed in a number of bands, including one from Toronto called MSTRKRFT, pronounced “Mastercraft.” It was in this band that Fuchs performed on the Letterman show with Legend, the featured vocalist on a song called “Heartbreaker” on the band’s Fist of God CD.”

God Bless his family and friends during this difficult time.

~Smooth jazz guitarist and vocalist George Benson appeared on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon November 9, as a guest of the show’s house band, the Roots. The addition of Benson’s much-copied guitar style will certainly complement the powerful full-band groove that the Roots bring on a nightly basis. Benson, whose current Smooth Jazz Top 20 hit “Living In High Definition” is from his Songs and Stories CD, sat in with the band for the duration of the show.
Songs and Stories CD debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and marked the 17th No. 1 album for Benson in the Billboard era. The CD is a collection of tunes penned by some of the most prolific and enduring songwriters of the last half-century. Some were written specifically for the recording, such as Lamont Dozier’s “Living in High Definition.”
On Wednesday, November 12, Benson will begin a tour of Europe, Russia and the Middle East.
     ~~~~~
Your Fab Four Fact Fix for Today
(thisdayinmusic.com)
~1967, The Beatles filmed three promotional films for their new single ‘Hello Goodbye’ at the Saville Theatre in London. Each of the three film clips featured different costumes and Beatle antics. In the first film they wear their “Sgt. Pepper” uniforms, for the second The Beatles are wearing everyday clothes, the third film clip features shots from the first two films, plus additional shots of The Beatles (especially John) doing the twist. A Musician’s Union ban on lip-sync broadcasts prevented the film being used on British television.
     ~~~~~
Big Firsts…Two of Them Today…Two Firsts
~1951 1st long distance telephone call without operator assistance
~1954 Iwo Jima Memorial (servicemen raising US flag) dedicated in Arlington
     ~~~~~
Oh Word, Man
~Paper clip: The larval stage of coat hangers.
~Profanity: The linguistic crutch of inarticulate bastards
~Punctuality: the virtue of the bored.
     ~~~~~
Big Birthdays
~1948 Greg Lake, singer/songwriter/producer/guitarist is born in Bournemouth, England. Lake contributed to King Crimson in the late ’60’s, and of course became a founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. He contributed to many of ELP’s songs, “but was particularly noticeable for his guitar-oriented and soulful tunes” such as “Lucky Man”, “From the Beginning”, “Still…You Turn Me On”, “C’est la vie”. And in 1975, Greg was responsible for adding a new holiday tune to radio station Christmas playlists…”I Believe in Father Christmas”.
 
~ 1944 Dave Loggins born in Mountain City, Tenn. Along with 1974’s “Please Come to Boston”, Dave wrote “Pieces of April” for Three Dog Night, “Morning Desire” for Kenny Rogers, “Nobody Loves Me Like You Do” recorded by Anne Murray and himself. And also wrote for Restless Heart, Wynonna, Reba, Alabama, Gary Morris, Toby Keith, and Don Williams. “Loggins also composed the theme music “Augusta” that is used on broadcasts of the The Masters Golf Tournament. “Augusta” was later released as part of a collection of songs about golf called The New Course Record. On this recording, Loggins shared the vocal duties with Birmingham-based singer and pianist Ray Reach.” Oh, and BTW, Dave Loggins is a cuz of Kenny Loggins.
~1945 Donna Fargo, born Yvonne Vaughan (!?) Mount Airy, NC, country singer (“The Happiest Girl in Whole USA”, “Funny Face”)
~1956 Sinbad comedian/actor born in Benton Harbor, Michigan. (Different World, At the Apollo, The Sinbad Show, Jingle All the Way)
     ~~~~~
And Finally…From Twitterville
(In case you don’t know, Twitter has Trending Topics that keep up with current themes and people’s tweets about them. These were from yesterday’s collection under #world’s thinnest books)
~”Directory of Straight Male Cher Fans”
~”How to Seduce a Woman” by Richard Simmons
~”Eloquent Speaking” by Larry The Cable Guy
~”Healthy Cooking with Paula Deen”
~”Decisive Governing” by Obama
~”The Pot, The Kettle; You Get The Picture” by David Letterman
~”The importance of pessimism” by Joel Osteen
~”Famous Antartican TV Personalities of the 18th Century”
~”Irish dancing volume 2 – Use of the arms”
~”The Playlist of Local Radio Stations”
~”My Wild Side” by Pat Boone

It was good to see you again…thanks…

Many believe that the arts mirror what is happening in the world and if that is the case, perhaps Lawson Rollins’ Espirito serves as a monumental soundtrack to the unification of our disparate cultures. The guitarist’s epic thirteen-song collection, to be released January 19th by Infinita Records, which is distributed by Baja/TSR Records, serves as the very definition of World Music with its seamless multicultural mélange of sound, style, composition and performance by musicians reflecting such culturally rich locales as Spain, Brazil, Cuba, Persia, Afghanistan, India and the U.S.

Rollins wrote the compositions for the album, his second solo release, which he produced with Shahin Shahida (of the Persian-American World Music group Shahin & Sepehr) and Dominic Camardella (3rd Force, Ottmar Liebert). Preceding the album release at radio will be “Moonlight Samba,” a sensual groove with an enchanting melody along with dexterous guitar soloing by Rollins, classy muted trumpet swatches, and dreamy vocals from Brazilian icon Flora Purim and her husband, master percussionist Airto Moreira.

Espirito evolved from Rollins’ critically-acclaimed debut disc, Infinita (2008), made by the same production trio and the same core ensemble consisting of Purim, Moreira, Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat (Shadowfax), Afghan vocalist Humayun Khan (harmonium), Jeff Elliot (trumpet), Randy Tico (bass), and Dave Bryant (drums, percussion). As grandiose as Infinita was, Rollins was determined to elevate every aspect of the 66 minutes of music on Espirito by stretching his wanderlust further outside his comfort zone, weaving a greater unifying theme throughout the compositions, assembling an even more diverse cast of players from all over the world, and utilizing a larger spectrum of sound captured in maximum fidelity.

Three of Infinita’s tracks – “Café Jobim,” “In Motion,” and the title track – scored major radioplay, and Espirito is primed with radio playlist possibilities. Songs like “Rumba del Sol” and the title track are festive, fun and celebratory. “Return to Rio” is whimsical while “Blue Mountain Bolero” is an exotic romancer. “Cape Town Sky” is constantly changing tempo while a gorgeous contemplative melody hovers radiantly above the horizon. The album concludes with “The Caravan Trilogy” – “Migration,” “Shadowland” and “Into the Light” – a poetic passage through time and geography spanning music’s migration from east to west starting in India and passing through Persia, the Middle East, Spain and onto the New World.

“I love the hybrid quality of World Music and how it allows for cross-cultural communication and exchange. The Spanish guitar is a true manifestation of the commingling of cultures with its ties to the Arabic oud, the Persian tar, even the Indian sitar, so drawing on those connections seems natural to me,” Rollins explained. “We took a far-ranging musical journey with the players on Espirito. Near the end (of the record), we slide into the ether. The notes slow down and evaporate into silence, a prayerful conclusion to the album, a moment of thankfulness for the alchemy that took place between the musicians.”

Originally from North Carolina, the San Francisco Bay Area resident was 15 when inspired to study classical guitar after discovering Andres Segovia. Rollins was drawn to Latin jazz, Bossa Nova and Spanish guitar while listening to recordings by jazz legends Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, and Duke Ellington. Rollins developed his own definitive style that incorporated flamenco, Bossa Nova, samba, salsa, Latin jazz, blues and classical nuances while honing a prodigious technical proficiency. In 1998, he partnered with Daniel Young to form Young & Rollins, which released four critically-acclaimed World Music albums, propelling the duo to become an internationally renowned touring act. In 2007, Rollins decided to focus on a solo career in which he would blend music from all over the globe in a panoramic setting containing an unlikely mix of instruments and provide the players an abundance of freedom in which to improvise. Infinita was the first creation. During the Espirito recording process, Rollins took a break to shoot a short solo guitar video clip, “The Fire Cadenza,” which spread virally through YouTube. The clip showcasing Rollins’ incendiary technique swiftly received over two million viewings, which spawned a second clip, “Santa Ana Wind.” Rollins has already begun composing songs for his third solo collection. Additional information is available at www.lawsonrollins.com and www.infinitarecords.com.

Rollins’ Espirito contains the following songs:

“Rumba del Sol”

“Moonlight Samba”

“Havana Heat”

“Café La Martinique”

“Return to Rio”

“Blue Mountain Bolero”

“Santa Lucia Waltz”

“Espirito”

“Cape Town Sky”

“Footprints”

“The Caravan Trilogy”: “Migration,” “Shadowland” and “Into the Light”