As I Know It

A Tribute to Michael Brecker 5

2012-01-14T17:19:00.003-05:00

This morning I went on Bill McCann's "Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz" on WCDB 90.9 FM to pay tribute to Michael Brecker. Today's four hour program marked the fifth year of annual tributes to the late saxophonist.

This year I broke the program into four segments featuring Michael's playing with the Brecker Brothers, his work with Steps (Ahead), his solo albums and his work as a sidemen in the 70's, 80's and 90's.

Here's what was played:

“D.B.B.” (4:51)

CD: Brecker Brothers - The Brecker Brothers (1975)
Track: #9

Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), David Sanborn (alto sax), Bob Mann (guitar), DonGrolnick (keys), Will Lee (bass), Harvey Mason (drums), Ralph McDonald(percussion)

“Grease Piece” (5:50)
Brecker Brothers - Back to Back(1976)
Track: #7
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), David Sanborn (alto sax), Steve Khan (guitar), DonGrolnick (keys), Will Lee (bass), Christopher Parker (drums), Ralph McDonald (percussion)

“Squids” (7:45)
Brecker Brothers - Don’t Stop the Music (1977)
Track: #4
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Steve Khan, Hiram Bullock (guitar), Don Grolnick, DougRiley (keys), Will Lee (bass), Steve Gadd (drums), Ralph McDonald (percussion)

“Inside Out” (9:31)
Brecker Brothers - Heavy Metal Bebop (1978)
Track: #2
Composer: Randy Brecker

RandyBrecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (bass), Terry Bozzio(drums)

“Tee’d Off” (3:44)
Brecker Brothers – Détente (1980)

Track:#4
Composer: Michael Brecker

RandyBrecker (trumpet), Hiram Bullock (guitar), George Duke (synth), Mark Gray(fender Rhodes), Neil Jason (bass), Steve Jordan (drums)

“Bathsheba” (6:00)
Brecker Brothers - Straphangin’(1981)
Track: #3
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Mark Gray (keys), MarcusMiller (bass), Richie Morales (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

“Sperhical” (5:58)
Brecker Brothers - Return of the BreckerBrothers (1992)
Track: #9
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Mike Stern (guitar), George Whitty (keys), Will Lee(bass), Dennis Chambers (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

“The Nightwalker” (8:44)
Brecker Brothers - Out of the Loop (1994)
Track: #8
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Dean Brown (guitar), George Whitty (keys), James Genus(bass), Steve Jordan (drums), Steve Thornton (percussion)

“Not Ethiopia” (10:59)

CD: Steps Ahead Smokin in the Pit (1980)
Track: Disc 2, Track #2
Composer: Michael Brecker
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Kaumi Watanabe (guitar), Don Grolnick (piano), EddieGomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Kyoto” (6:59)
Steps Ahead - Step by Step (1980)
Track: #2
Composer: Mike Mainieri
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd(drums)

“Patch of Blue” (7:50)
Steps Ahead Paradox (1982)
Track: #3
Composer: Mike Mainieri
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine(drums)

“Islands” (6:23)
Steps Ahead Steps Ahead (1983)
Track: #3
Composer: Mike Mainieri
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Eliane Elias (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine(drums)

“Original Rays” (9:04)

MichaelBrecker – Michael Brecker (1987)
Track: #6

Composer: Michael Brecker, Mike Stern, Don Grolnick
Pat Metheny (guitar), Kenny Kirkland (piano), Charlie Haden (bass), JackDeJohnette (drums)

“Chime This” (7:50)

MichaelBrecker – Don’t Try This At Home(1988)
Track: #2

Composer: Don Grolnick

MikeStern (guitar), Don Grolnick (piano), Charlie Haden (bass), Adam Nussbaum

“Never Alone” (5:36)
Michael Brecker – Now You See It … NowYou Don’t (1990)

Track: #4
Composer: Michael Brecker

JimBeard (keyboards), Victor Bailey (electric bass), Omar Hakim (drums), Don Alias(percussion)

“Slings and Arrows” (6:20)

MichaelBrecker – Tales From The Hudson (1996)

Track: #1

Composer: Michael Brecker
Pat Metheny (guitar), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Dave Holland (bass), JackDeJohnette (drums)

“How Long ‘Til the Sun” (7:39)

MichaelBrecker – Two Blocks From The Edge(1998)

Track: #7

Composer: Michael Brecker

JoeyCalderazzo (piano), James Genus (bass), Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums)

“Arc of the Pendulum” (9:00)

MichaelBrecker – Time Is Of The Essence(1999)
Track: #1

Composer: Michael Brecker

PatMetheny (guitar), Larry Goldings (organ), Elvin Jones (drums)

“Incandescence” (5:21)

MichaelBrecker – Nearness of You – The BalladBook (2001)

Track: #6

Composer: Michael Brecker

PatMetheny (guitar), Herbie Hancock (piano), Chalie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette(drums)

“Night Jessamine” (5:23)
Michael Brecker Quindectet – Wide Angles(2003)
Track: #5

Composer: Michael Brecker

AlexSipiagin (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Peter Gordon (french horn), SteveWilson (flute), Iain Dixon (clarinet & bass clarinet), Charles Pillow (oboe& English horn), Mark Feldman (violin), Joyce Hammann (violin), Lois Martin (viola), ErikFriedlander (cello), Adam Rogers (guitar),

JohnPatitucci (bass), Antonio Sanchez (drums), Daniel Sadownick (percussion)

“Loose Threads” (8:34)

MichaelBrecker – Pilgrimage (2007)

Track: #8

Composer: Michael Brecker
Pat Metheny (guitar), Herbie Hancock (piano), John Patitucci (bass), JackDeJohnete (drums)

“Freight Train” (11:28)

Jack Wilkins – Merge (1978)

Track: #9
Composer: Tommy Flanagan
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Jack Wilkins (guitar), Phil Markowitz (piano), JohnBurr (bass), Al Foster (drums)

“Ethereggae” (8:23)
John Abercrombie – Night (1984)
Track: #1
Composer: Jan Hammer
John Abercrombie (guitar), Jan Hammer (keys), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

“Thieves in the Temple” (17:42)
Herbie Hancock – The New Standard - Livein Japan (1996)
Track: #2
Composed by Prince
John Scofield (guitar), Herbie Hancock (piano), Dave Holland (bass), JackDeJohnette (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

Top 10 of 2011

2011-12-17T11:58:00.002-05:00

Here are ten albums I really enjoyed this year:

1. Mathias Eick - Skala (ECM)

Best known for his work with the ten-piece Norwegian band Jaga Jazzist, the trumpeter's second solo album is a collection of melodic, pop-influenced instumental compositions. If this is what jazz sounds like in Norway, I'm moving.

www.mathiaseick.no

2. Le Boeuf Brothers - In Praise of Shadows (Nineteen-Eight Records)

Twin brothers Remy (saxophone/clarinet) and Pascal (piano/keyboards) have created an incredible hybrid recording that features an acoustic quintet + string quartet paired with an added layer of post-production electronics.

www.leboeufbrothers.com

3. Chris Tarry - Rest of the Story (Nineteen-Eight Records)

The latest collection of songs from the Canadian bassist and his working quintet was released as as a beautifully packaged book & CD set - complete with 100 pages of Tarry's original fiction - but the music easily stands on its own.

www.christarry.com

4. Death Cab for Cutie - Codes & Keys (Atlantic)

Another collection of finely crafted, tuneful, ear-cathing songs - given a studio shine - from one of my favorite pop bands. While their previous effort Narrow Stairs felt like a misstep, this one sounds like a worthy successor to Plans.

www.deathcabforcutie.com

5. Magnus Öström - Thread of Life (ACT)

The drummer from the late Esbjorn Svenssen's trio has created the closest thing we'll ever get to a new EST album. If only his choice of cover art was as tasteful as the music.

www.magnusostrom.com

6. Yellowjackets - Timeline (Mack Avenue)

Joyful, unpretentious contemporary jazz from a group that's been around for three decades. These four guys are partially responsible for turning me on to jazz back in the early 90's.

www.yellowjackets.com

7. Bon Iver - Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)

At first listen I was less than thrilled, but this music grew on me with repeated listens. Best experienced with headphones and a view of nature. Big thanks to Matt Loiacono for introducing me to this album.

www.boniver.org

8. James Farm - James Farm (Nonesuch)

An all-star, collaborative quartet featuring saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland. I hope this group is just getting started.

www.jamesfarmmusic.com

9. Coldplay - Mylo Xylto (Capital)

The production on this album alone makes for an interesting listen, but the English foursome has once again found a way to craft a collection of uplifting, listener friendly tunes that sound familiar, yet new. Plus, it makes for a great soundtrack to my new running habit.

www.coldplay.com

10. MuteMath - Odd Soul (Warner Brothers)

Nice combination of vintage and contemporary sounds paired with creative song writing and killer vocals. Plan and simple - this music rocks.

www.mutemath.com

What were your favorites this year?

A Tribute to Michael Brecker 4

2011-01-15T14:43:00.006-05:00

This morning I went on Bill McCann's "Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz" on WCDB 90.9 FM to pay tribute to the late saxophonist Michael Brecker. Today's four hour program marked the fourth year of annual tributes to the biggest musical influence in my life.

The music was broken down into several sections focusing on Brecker's work as a sideman from the '70s & '80s; his playing with large ensembles; music from his own albums and songs from his work as a sideman in the '90s & '00s.

Mel Lewis – Mel Lewis & Friends (1977)
6 – Sho’ Nuff Did (10:20)
Composed by Thad Jones
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Cecil Bridgewater (trumpet, first solo), Gregory Hebert (alto sax), Hank Jones (piano), Ron Carter (bass) Mel Lewis (drums)

Jack Wilkins – Merge (1977)
5 – What Is This Thing Called Love? (8:05)
Composed by Cole Porter
Randy Brecker (flugelhorn), Jack Wilkins (guitar), Phil Markowitz (piano), John Burr (bass), Al Foster (drums)

Chick Corea – Three Quartets (1981)
5 – Folk Song (5:47)
Composed by Chick Corea
Chick Corea (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

Jaco Pastorius – The Birthday Concert (1981)
1 – Soul Intro/The Chicken (8:00)
Composed by Jaco Pastorius/Pee Wee Ellis
Jaco Pastorius (bass), Bob Mintzer (tenor sax), Don Alias (congas), Peter Erskine (drums), big band

Franco Ambrosetti – Gin and Pentatonic (1985)
3 – Yes or No (8:07)
Composed by Wayne Shorter
Franco Ambrosetti (trumpet), Lew Soloff (trumpet), Michael Mossman (trumpet), Steve Coleman (alto sax), Alex Brofsky (French horn), Howard Johnson (tuba/bari sax), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Dave Holland (bass), Daniel Humair (drums)

GRP All-Star Big Band – All Blues (1995)
8 – Mysterioso/Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are (8:12)
Composed by Thelonious Monk, arranged by Michael Abene
Chick Corea (piano), big band

GRP All-Star Big Band – All Blues (1995)
7 – Blue Miles (8:12)
Composed by Chick Corea, arranged by Russell Ferrante
Chick Corea (piano), big band

Michael Brecker – Michael Brecker (1987)
3 – Choices (8:06)
Composed by Mike Stern
Pat Metheny (guitar), Kenny Kirkland (piano), Charlie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker – Don’t Try This At Home (1988)
1 – Itsbynne Reel (7:41)
Composed by Michael Brecker & Don Grolnick
Mike Stern (guitar), Don Grolnick (piano), Charlie Haden (bass), Jeff Andrews (electric bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Mark O’Connor (violin)

Michael Brecker – Now You See It … Now You Don’t (1990)
5 – Peep (7:25)
Composed by Michael Brecker
Joey Calderazzo (piano), Jim Beard (keyboards), Victor Bailey (electric bass), Jay Anderson (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums), Jon Herington (guitar)

Michael Brecker – Tales From The Hudson (1996)
8 – Willie T (8:13)
Composed by Don Grolnick
Pat Metheny (guitar), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Dave Holland (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker – Two Blocks From The Edge (1998)
5 – Cat’s Cradle (6:43)
Composed by Joey Calderazzo
Joey Calderazzo (piano), James Genus (bass), Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums)

Michael Brecker – Time Is Of The Essence (1999)
4 – Timeline (6:06)
Composed by Pat Methney
Pat Metheny (guitar), Larry Goldings (organ), Elvin Jones (drums)

Michael Brecker – Nearness of You – The Ballad Book (2001)
11 – I Can See Your Dreams (3:50)
Composed by Michael Brecker
Pat Metheny (guitar), Herbie Hancock (piano), Chalie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker Quindectet – Wide Angles (2003)
4 – Timbuktu (7:58)
Composed by Michael Brecker
Alex Sipiagin (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Peter Gordon (french horn), Steve Wilson (flute), Iain Dixon (clarinet & bass clarinet), Charles Pillow (oboe & English horn), Mark Feldman (violin), Joyce Hammann (violin), Lois Martin (viola), Erik Friedlander (cello), Adam Rogers (guitar), John Patitucci (bass), Antonio Sanchez (drums), Daniel Sadownick (percussion)

Michael Brecker – Pilgrimage (2007)
4 – Tumbleweed (9:36)
Composed by Michael Brecker
Pat Metheny (guitar), Brad Mehldau (piano), John Patitucci (bass), Jack DeJohnete (drums)

John Patitucci – Now (1998)
5 – Labor Day (9:30)
Composed by John Patitucci
John Scofield (guitar), John Patitucci (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)

Steve Khan – Crossings (1993)
10. While My Lady Sleeps (6:24)
Composed by Bronislau Kaper/Gus Kahn
Steve Kahn (guitar), Anthony Jackson (electric bass), Denis Chambers (drums), Manolo Badrena (percussion)

McCoy Tyner – Infinity (1995)
7 – Impressions (11:11)
Composed by John Coltrane
McCoy Tyner (piano), Avery Sharpe (bass), Aaron Scott (drums)

Horace Silver – The Hardbop Grandpop (1996)
1 – I Want You (5:17)
Composed by Horace Silver
Claudio Roditi (trumpet), Steve Turre (trombone), Ronnie Cuber (bari sax), Ron Carter (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)

Doky Brothers – Doky Brothers (1995)
1 – While We Wait (5:56)
Composed by Niels Lan Doky
Niels Lan Doky (piano), Chris Minh Doky (bass), Teri Lyn Carrington (drums), Frank Stangerup (acoustic guitar)

Don Grolnick – Medianoche (1996)
5. Cape Verdean Blues (4:54)
Composed by Horace Silver
Don Grolnick (piano), Dave Valentin (flute), Mike Mainieri (vibes), Andy Gonzalez (bass), Don Alias (timbales & percussion), Steve Berrios (bongos, drums & percussion), Milton Cardona (congas & percussion)

Charlie Haden – American Dreams (2002)
11 – Bird Food (7:29)
Composed by Ornette Coleman
Charlie Haden (bass), Brad Mehldau (piano), Brian Blade (drums)

Jeff “Tain” Watts – Bar Talk (2002)
4. Mr. JJ (9:51)
Composed by Jeff “Tain” Watts
Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums), Branford Marsalis (tenor sax), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Eric Revis (bass)

Top 10 of 2010

2010-12-05T21:34:00.018-05:00

Here are ten albums I really enjoyed this year:

1. Brad Mehldau - Highway Rider (Nonesuch)
In 2002, pianist Brad Mehldau teamed up with pop producer Jon Brion to produce Largo - an incredibly influential jazz/rock crossover album that successfully combined spontaneous improvisation with pop production values. Eight years later the two have reconvened to produce Highway Rider - a fifteen song double album featuring Mehldau's regular trio of bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard augmented by saxophonist Joshua Redman, drummer Matt Chamberlin and a chamber orchestra. The music melds the duo's previous jazz/pop hybrid with a decidedly classical influence featuring Redman's saxophone improvisations floating seamlessly over the top.
www.bradmehldau.com

2. Myron Walden In This World - What We Share (Demi Sound)
For most of his career Myron Walden has primarily been known as an alto player. Recently his focus has shifted to the tenor and this year he documened this transition with a handful of new releases from several different bands. In This World is comprised of Walden on tenor/soprano sax & bass clarinet; Mike Moreno on electric & acoustic guitars; Jon Cowherd on fender rhodes; Yasushi Nakamura or Chris Thomas on acoustic bass; and Kendrick Scott or Brian Blade on drums. The music is lush and melodic. It's gentle and restrained yet contains an undercurrent of urgency that keeps it moving forward.
www.myronwalden.com

3. Christian Scott - Yesterday You Said Tomorrow (Concord)
Trumpeter Christian Scott has molded his own unique brand of improvised music that owes as much to jazz as it does to rock. He's developed his own unique compositional style but the rendition of Thom Yorke's "The Eraser" is what won me over.
www.christianscott.tv

4. Phantogram - Eyelid Movies (Barsuk)
The duo describes their music as "a mix of organic and electronic sounds, with swirling guitar, spaced-out synths, and chopped up samples and rhythms" and that's about an apt a description as I could have come up with. And they're from Saratoga.
www.myspace.com/phantogram

5. Kneebody - You Can Have Your Moment (Winter & Winter)
Forward thinking music by five musicians that play as one. Kneebody once again continues to create intriguing music that defies categorization.
www.kneebody.com

6. The Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers (SubPop)
Prior to this release, The Album Leaf was the alter-ego of Jimmy LaValle. On A Chorus of Storytellers the multi-instrumentalist added a full band to help pump out his signature brand of atmospheric pop.
www.thealbumleaf.com

7. Sting - Symphonicities (Deutsche Grammophon)
Sting's music played a big part in my musical upbringing - Branford Marsalis' sax solos on Bring On The Night were some of the first things I ever transcribed - and hearing these songs arranged for orchestra reminded me just how much I enjoy the Englishman's songs.
www.sting.com

8. John Ellis & Double Wide - Puppet Mischief (ObliqSound)
Saxophonist John Ellis continues to seamlessly blend myriad influences with a great sense of humor. Seriously, how many jazz musicians do you know that would pose with two puppets on their album cover? Imagine the highbrow ethos of NYC jazz mixed with the party spirit of New Orleans street bands and you'll start to get an idea of what this music sounds like.
www.johnaxsonellis.com

9. Rob Wilkerson - Nest
Saxophonist Rob Wilkerson presents an album of accessible instrumental music featuring original compositions and covers of Radiohead, Elliot Smith and Beck. More jazz should sound like this.
www.robwilkerson.com

10. Broken Bells - Broken Bells (Columbia)
Danger Mouse + The Shins' James Mercer = very catchy music.
www.brokenbells.com

: : : :

Here's a link to a playlist of this music on iTunes Ping.

Put a fork in 'em?

2010-09-06T13:16:00.004-04:00

With a month left of the 2010 baseball season, I think it's safe to say that the Boston Red Sox will not be playing very far into October. I can't say that I had high hopes going into the year with the only changes being the off-season acquisitions of Adrian Beltre, Mike Cameron and Marco Scutaro, but the team has managed to stay somewhat in the post-season race even with injuries to nearly the entire starting line-up.

Seriously, here is the opening day line-up with players in bold who have not spent significant time on the DL this season:

Jacoby Ellsbury LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Victor Martinez C
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Beltre 3B
J.D. Drew RF
Mike Cameron CF
Marco Scutaro SS

I hate to make excuses, but I wonder how many other teams would have faired as well as the Sox have with two-thirds of their starters not playing ball? To me, Youk and Pedroia are the heart and soul of this team and both have been injured for the majority of the season.

As far as the healthy guys are concerned - Ortiz is having yet another good year after yet another incredibly slow start, Beltre has surprised everyone by putting up some tremendous numbers and Scutaro has been consistent if nothing else. Previously unknown players (to me at least) like Darnell McDonald and Bill Hall and rookies Daniel Nava and Ryan Kalish - not to mention a somewhat-healthy Mike Lowell - have helped keep the team close to the top of the highly competitive AL East.

That said, after this past weekend's abysmal sweep by the visiting Chicago White Sox, the East Coast Sox find themselves ten games behind the Yankees in the East and third overall in the Wild Card race behind the Rays and - the White Sox.

Yes, there is still a month to go and yes, there are still series versus the Yanks, Rays and White Sox left to play, but it is hard to imagine a happy ending at this point. I haven't given up on my favorite team, but I am looking forward to the start of football season ...

Recommended listening: Matthew Carefully (Loiacono) "Community Balloon"

2010-06-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Last week Collar City Records released guitarist George Muscatello's brilliant Angel Dust.

This week the label has released Community Balloon by the multi- talented Matthew Carefully.

In the fall of 2008, Matthew Carefully, aka Matthew Loiacono, started an email list to reach out to friends and fans on a weekly basis. Community Balloon is a collection of songs culled from responses to a request he made from his subscribers to submit ideas for potential songs. According to Collar City Records:

The content that came back after the initial call for entries was nothing short of excellent. Matthew received ideas, lyric snippets, poems, sound samples, challenges, and much more. He began to create songs from this material and delivered them to the list each week. Seven weeks went by and judging by the feedback he received from list members, he realized that the songs were some of the best compositions he'd written to date.

I'd tend to agree. Songs like "Shape," "The Age of Reason II" and "Clever" are easily my favorite compositions from Matthew's ever-growing catalog of original music.

Click here to sample/purchase the music directly from Matthew.

Community Balloon is also available through Collar City Records, iTunes, Amazon MP3, and eMusic.

Recommended listening: George Muscatello "Angel Dust"

2010-05-27T09:00:00.002-04:00

This week Collar City Records released guitarist George Muscatello's brand new album entitled Angel Dust - a truly enjoyable listening experience that I can safely say sounds like nothing I've ever heard before.

While the recording features a handful of collaborators - including drummer Danny Whelchel, bassist Mike DelPrete, pianist Adrian Cohen, poets Pierre Joris & Nicole Peyrafitte and yours truly on saxophone - Angel Dust is all Muscatello.

Shades of metal, classical, jazz, and funk are performed by guitar after guitar layered one on top of another to create a unique tapestry of sound that could only come from one of the most unique musical visionaries I've ever met.

Have a listen for yourself and stream the first two tracks of the album here.

Then go pick up a copy of the album from George, iTunes, Amazon or eMusic.

Recommended listening: Brad Mehldau "Highway Rider"

2010-03-18T13:15:00.001-04:00

In 2002, pianist Brad Mehldau teamed up with pop producer Jon Brion to produce Largo - an incredibly influential jazz/rock crossover album that successfully combined spontaneous improvisation with pop production values.

Eight years later the two have reconvened to produce Highway Rider - a fifteen song double album featuring Mehldau's regular trio of bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard augmented by saxophonistJoshua Redman, drummer Matt Chamberlin and a chamber orchestra.

The music melds the duo's previous jazz/pop hybrid with a decidedly classical influence featuring Redman's saxophone improvisations floating seamlessly over the top. My favorite music is the kind that takes me on a journey when I close my eyes, and this album certainly qualifies.

Take a listen for yourself - Highway Rider by Brad Mehldau

Recommended listening: John Ellis & Double-Wide "Puppet Mischief"

2010-03-11T13:05:00.001-05:00

Brooklyn-based saxophonist John Ellis has released a second album featuring the band he calls Double-Wide.

Puppet Mischief features the talents of Brian Coogan on organ, Matt Perrine on sousaphone and Jason Marsalis on drums, plus special guests Gregoire Maret on harmonica and Alan Ferber on trombone.

As has been the case on his past few releases, all of the compositions are by Ellis. He continues to seamlessly blend myriad influences with a great sense of humor. Seriously, how many jazz musicians do you know that would pose with two puppets on their album cover? Imagine the highbrow ethos of NYC jazz mixed with the party spirit of New Orleans street bands and you'll start to get an idea of what this music sounds like.

Check out Puppet Mischief for yourself and let me know what you think - Puppet Mischief by John Ellis & Double- Wide.

By the way, Double-Wide played to a small but enthusiastic crowd at Red Square in Albany last Thursday night. Click here for J Hunter's review, here for photos by Andrzej Pilarczyk or here for photos by Al Brooks - all on albanyjazz.com.

A Tribute to Michael Brecker 3 - Brecker Brothers & Steps Ahead

2010-02-27T15:18:00.006-05:00

This morning I joined host Bill McCann for his "Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz" radio program on WCDB 90.9 FM and presented a four hour tribute to the late Michael Brecker.

In January of 2007 I went on the program and played a three-part program made up of Brecker's early work as a sideman, his work as a leader and his sideman work from his later career. The next year I stuck mainly to the saxophonist's work as a leader, playing two or three of my favorite tracks from each of his nine solo releases as well as a collection of various jazz standards he played on.

Today I chose a program made up of music by the two groups's Brecker was most closely associated with throughout his career - the Brecker Brothers and Steps Ahead.

Here's what was played ...

A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL BRECKER 3:
BRECKER BROTHERS & STEPS AHEAD 2/27/10

“Tee Bag” (13:45)
CD: Steps Ahead Smokin in the Pit (1980)
Composer: Mike Maineri
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Some Skunk Funk” (5:53)
CD: Brecker Brothers The Brecker Brothers (1975)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), David Sanborn (alto sax), Bob Mann (guitar), Don Grolnick (keys), Will Lee (bass), Harvey Mason (drums), Ralph McDonald (percussion)

“Rocks” (4:41)
CD: Brecker Brothers The Brecker Brothers (1975)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), David Sanborn (alto sax), Bob Mann (guitar), Don Grolnick (keys), Will Lee (bass), Harvey Mason (drums), Ralph McDonald (percussion)

“Fawlty Tenors” (10:48)
CD: Steps Ahead Smokin’ in the Pit (1980)
Composer: Don Grolnick
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Night Flight” (6:18)
CD: Brecker Brothers Back to Back (1976)
Compser: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), David Sanborn (alto sax), Steve Khan (guitar), Don Grolnick (keys), Will Lee (bass), Steve Gadd (drums), Sammy Figueroa, Rafael Cruz (percussion)

“Tabula Rasa” (8:20)
CD: Brecker Brothers Don’t Stop the Music (1977)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Steve Khan (guitar), Don Grolnick, Doug Riley (keys), Will Lee (bass), Lenny White (drums), Ralph McDonald, Sammy Figueroa (percussion)

“Sponge” (6:23)
CD: Brecker Brothers Heavy Metal Bebop (1978)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (bass), Terry Bozzio (drums)

“Funy Sea, Funky Dew” (8:02)
CD: Brecker Brothers Heavy Metal Bebop (1978)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (bass), Terry Bozzio (drums)

“Uncle Bob” (11:00)
CD: Steps Ahead Step by Step (1980)
Composer: Don Grolnick
Mike Maineri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Bullet Train” (5:32)
CD: Steps Ahead Step by Step (1980)
Composer: Mike Maineri
Mike Maineri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Steve Gadd (drums)

“Not Ethiopia” (5:45)
CD: Brecker Brothers Straphangin’ (1981)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Mark Gray (keys), Marcus Miller (bass), Richie Morales (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

“Take A Walk” (11:56)
CD: Steps Ahead Paradox (1982)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Mike Maineri (vibes), Don Grolnick (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

“Song for Barry” (5:07)
CD: Brecker Brothers Return of the Brecker Brothers (1992)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Mike Stern (guitar), George Whitty (keys), Armand Sabal-Lecco (bass), Max Risenhoover (synth & percussion programming)

“Above & Below” (7:05)
CD: Brecker Brothers Return of the Brecker Brothers (1992)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Mike Stern (guitar), George Whitty (keys), Armand Sabal-Lecco (bass),

“Pools” (11:22)
CD: Steps Ahead Steps Ahead (1983)
Composer: Don Grolnick
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Eliane Elias (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

“Both Sides of the Coin” (6:15)
CD: Steps Ahead Steps Ahead (1983)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Mike Mainieri (vibes), Eliane Elias (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

“Slang” (6:12)
CD: Brecker Brothers Out of the Loop (1994)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Dean Brown (guitar), George Whitty (keys), James Genus (bass), Steve Jordan (drums), Steve Thornton (percussion)

“African Skies” (7:50)
CD: Brecker Brothers Out of the Loop (1994)
Composer: Michael Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Dean Brown (guitar), George Whitty (keys), Armand Sabal-Lecco (bass), Rodney Holmes (drums), Steve Thornton (percussion)

“Harpoon” (7:45)
CD: Brecker Brothers Out of the Loop (1994)
Composer: Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Dean Brown (guitar), George Whitty (keys), James Genus (bass), Steve Jordan (drums), Steve Thornton (percussion)

“Sumo” (9:08)
CD: Steps Ahead Live In Tokyo 1986
Compser: Michael Brecker
Mike Maineri (vibes), Mike Stern (guitar), Daryl Jones (bass), Steve Smith (drums)

“Trains” (9:27)
CD: Steps Ahead Live in Tokyo 1986
Composer: Mike Maineri
Mike Maineri (vibes), Mike Stern (guitar), Daryl Jones (bass), Steve Smith (drums)

Recommended Listening: Phantogram "Eyelid Movies"

2010-02-25T15:07:00.002-05:00

A few years back, local musician-about-town Matthew Loiacono introduced me to the music of a duo based in Saratoga Springs called Charlie Everywhere.

The band - comprised of vocalists and multi- instrumentalists Sarah Barthel and Joshua Carter - were quickly signed to Barsuk Records (former home of Death Cab for Cutie among others), changed their name to Phantogram and began an astounding ascent to national acclaim.

The duo describes their music as "a mix of organic and electronic sounds, with swirling guitar, spaced-out synths, and chopped up samples and rhythms" and that's about an apt a description as I could have come up with.

Phantogram's debut album Eyelid Movies has racked up some serious listening time on my iTunes/iPhone/IPod and garnered critical acclaim from a wide array of sources including ABC and NPR.

Check it out for yourself.

Recommended Listening: Myron Walden & In This World "What We Share"

2010-02-18T14:57:00.004-05:00

I spent a decent amount of time listening to music on a recent road trip to Michigan with Alex Torres' band. One recording that I kept playing over and over was Myron Walden's What We Share by a group he calls In This World.

For most of his career Walden has primarily been known as an alto player. Recently his focus has shifted to the tenor and he's documenting this with a handful of new releases from several different bands.

In This World is comprised of Walden on tenor/soprano sax & bass clarinet; Mike Moreno on electric & acoustic guitars; Jon Cowherd on fender rhodes; Yasushi Nakamura or Chris Thomas on acoustic bass; and Kendrick Scott or Brian Blade on drums.

The music is lush and melodic. It's gentle and restrained yet contains an undercurrent of urgency that keeps it moving forward.

Take a listen for yourself.

Top 10 + 5 of 2009

2009-12-23T17:53:00.020-05:00

Here are ten jazz records and five not-jazz records I really enjoyed this past year:

1. Ben Wendel - Simple Song (Sunnyside)
A collection of nine intricately composed and arranged, yet highly accessible original compositions - as well as an arrangement of John Coltrane's "Lonnie's Lament" and a beautifully orchestrated version of Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing" - featuring Wendel on soprano and tenor sax as well as melodica and bassoon.

www.benwendel.com

2. Ben Allison - Think Free (Palmetto)
A perfect sythisis of jazz, rock and country music that's easy on the ears yet contains enough harmonic twists and turns to keep things interesting.

www.benallison.com

3. Chris Potter - Ultrahang (Artistshare)
The latest chapter by Potter's electric and eclectic quartet features a combination of original material and covers of songs by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell performed by guitarist Adam Rogers, keyboardist Craig Taborn and drummer Nate Smith.

www.chrispottermusic.com

4. Gary Burton - Quartet Live (Concord)
Gary Burton + Pat Metheny + Steve Swallow + Antonio Sanchez. = good music, but some serious demerits for the gaudy cover art.

www.garyburton.com

5. Dave Douglas - A Single Sky (Greenleaf)
The first of two recordings by the prolific trumpeter on my list, this one features arrangements by Douglas and Jim McNeely performed by the Frankfurt Radio Bigband (featuring some killer tenor solos by Tony Laktos) ...

6. Dave Douglas - Spirit Moves (Greenleaf)
... while this one features the five-piece brass ensemble Brass Ectasy performing nine original compositions plus covers of Otis Redding and Steve Cropper's "Mister Pitiful" and Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Douglas' trumpet is joined by french horn, trombone, tuba and drums, played by Vincent Chancey, Luis Bonilla, Marcus Rojas and Nasheet Waits respectively.

www.davedouglas.com

7. Sam Yahel - Hometown (Positone)
Primarily known for his organ work, Yahel switches to piano on a collection of tunes by composers ranging from Thelonious Monk & Duke Ellington to John Lennon & Bebel Gilberto.

www.samyahel.com

8. Kendrick Scott - Reverence (Criss Cross)
A collection of compositions by iconic jazz composers - Shorter, Heath, Pearson, Hancock, Dorham, Coleman, etc - given a modern spin by a quintet featuring saxophonist Walter Smith, guitarist Mike Moreno, pianist Gerald Clayton and bassist Derrick Hodge.

www.kendrickscott.com

9. Le Boeuf Brothers - House Without A Door (Le Boeuf Brothers)
I don't know much about these twin brothers but I really like the music they create.

www.lbjazz.com

10. Joshua Redman - Compass (Nonesuch)
The saxophonist mixes and matches two bassists and two drummers in a variety of configurations on a collection of mostly original music. He calls this ensemble a "Double Trio" and seeing them perform live was a highlight of the year.

www.joshuaredman.com

Some music that isn't jazz that caught my ear this year:

Brian Blade - Mama Rosa (Verve)
U2 - No Line on the Horizon (Interscope)
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (Warp Records)
Death Cab For Cutie - The Open Door EP (Atlantic)
Super 400 - Sweet Fist (Rock Ridge Music)

Recommended listening: Ben Allison "Think Free"

2009-09-17T11:00:00.003-04:00

One of my absolute favorite musicians is bassist/composer Ben Allison. While I thoroughly enjoy his bass playing, I find myself most enamored by his work as a composer.

To my ears Allison's music is a perfect sythisis of jazz, rock and country music. It's easy on the ears with enough harmonic twists and turns to keep things interesting. He always surrounds himself with a first-rate band and the group assembled for his latest release is no exception.

On Think Free the bassist/composer is joined by Steve Cardenas (guitar), Shane Endsley (trumpet), Jenny Scheinman (violin) and Rudy Royston (drums) for eight original compositions.

The record isn't technically out yet, but you can stream the entire thing and purchase a copy (CD/MP3/FLAC) through the Palmetto Records website.

Take a listen, I think you'll enjoy what you hear.

Recommended listening: Terence Blanchard "Choices"

2009-08-20T22:34:00.000-04:00

Trumpeter Terence Blanchard has just released a brand new album with his long-standing group entitled Choices.

For the past few years the New Orleans native has surrounded himself with a band comprised of musicians half his age who contribute their unique aesthetics and compositions to the group's sound.

In addition to regulars Kendrick Scott (drums) and Derick Hodge (bass), relative newcomers Fabian Almazon (piano) and Walter Smith III (saxophone) round out the core quintet. They are joined by former Blanchard band member Lionel Loueke (guitar) and vocalists Bilal and Cornel West.

West's contributions - spoken word vignettes culled from an hour-long conversation with the trumpeter - are what set this record apart from previous releases and help give the music a sense of urgency - at least to my ears.

Take a listen yourself ...

Recommended listening: Robert Lindquist "Old Roads ... New Paths"

2009-08-06T22:32:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year pianist Rob, ahem, Robert Lindquist, released his second album on Narrow Path Records - Old Roads ... New Paths.

The record features an acoustic jazz trio - featuring bassist John Menegon and drummer Jeff Dowd - performing new arrangements and re- harmonizations of classic jazz standards.

If you like swinging straight ahead jazz, do yourself a favor (while supporting some homegrown talent) and purchase this record!

Recommended listening: Elbow "The Seldom Seen Kid"

2009-07-30T22:27:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week I joined the sea of humanity on the lawn of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center for a concert by Coldplay.

The foursome put on an memorable show, complete with dazzling lighting, multiple stages (including one out on the lawn!), a Michael Jackson cover and countless giant yellow balloons.

As engaging as the headliner was, it was one of the opening acts that left the biggest impression on me.

Elbow are an established British band that has yet to make a splash on this side of the pond. They've been around since 1990 and have released several albums and EPs including their latest - The Seldom Seen Kid- which I've been listening to nearly non-stop since Monday.

The band opened their set with the album's lead-off track - "Starlings" - which is about as mellow of a song as I've ever heard, that is until the guitar players picked up trumpets, unleashed one long blast of brass and then went right back to their axes as if the exchange had never happened.

The rest of their set followed suit - mostly mellow pop music along the lines of Pink Floyd and Radiohead - with enough melodic and harmonic twists to keep it interesting. Front-man Guy Garvey engaged the crowd with his witty between-song banter and self-depreciating and at time comical lyrics.

Recommended website: Nippertown

2009-07-16T22:22:00.000-04:00

Thought I'd change things up a bit this week and recommend something other than music ... by recommending a website that writes about music - and lots of other art-related happenings in the Capital Region - Nippertown.

Nippertown is an online magazine created by former Times Union scribe Greg Haymes and his wife Sara Ayers. The two write about art, music and anything else that interests them. Of particular note at this time of year is the ongoing Real Good for Free list of free performances in the area.

Greg's weekly column in the Times Union's Preview section was unparalleled in its coverage of the local music scene and it's great to see him back at it online!

Recommended listening: Jesse Lewis "Atticus"

2009-07-02T22:18:00.000-04:00

When I met guitarist Jesse Lewis earlier this year, he gave me a copy of his second album Atticus and I was blown away.

The record is a collaboration between Lewis and bassist Joseph Davancens, also an avid songwriter and composer of electronic music. Other musicians featured on the recording include Obed Calvaire (drums), Rohin Khemani (percussion & tabla), Jon Irabagon (flute), Amali Premawardhana (cello) and Pascal Archer (clarinet).

There are so many musical styles seamlessly blended together on Atticus that I don't even know how to begin to describe the sound. Best bet is to take a listen for yourself.

Recommended Listening: Dave Douglas "Spirit Moves"

2009-06-18T22:14:00.001-04:00

Dave Douglas is back with yet another new record. After releasing killer albums with his "Keystone" and "Quintet" groups in the past two years, the trumpeter has just released Spirit Moves with his five-piece brass ensemble - Brass Ectasy.

While the material is what one would expect from the prolific composer - nine original compositions plus covers of Otis Redding and Steve Cropper's "Mister Pitiful" and Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" - the instrumentation is a departure from his previous ensembles. Douglas' trumpet is joined by french horn, trombone, tuba and drums, played by Vincent Chancey, Luis Bonilla, Marcus Rojas and Nasheet Waits respectively.

Recommended Listening: Darcy James Argue's Secret Society "Infernal Machines"

2009-06-11T22:10:00.001-04:00

I've read several recent articles on an apparent big band revival and composer Darcy James Argue's name always seems to be at the forefront of the movement.

His ensemble, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, has just released its debut recording Infernal Machines to rave reviews.

Argue describes the music made by his 18-piece group as "steampunk big band." I hear it as a combination of rock, classical and jazz music that will hopefully tune a younger generation of listeners in to instrumental big band music.

The composer's blog also serves as the band's website and there are a ton of free mp3s of live performances available. If you like what you're hearing, support the musicians and purchase the album!

Recommended Listening: Chris Potter "Ultrahang"

2009-06-04T22:02:00.002-04:00

Saxophonist Chris Potter has just released a new record with his group "Underground."

The album, entitled Ultrahang, features Adam Rogers (guitar), Craig Taborn (Fender Rhodes) and Nate Smith (drums) on a collection of original material and covers of songs by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell.

Potter is releasing the album himself through ArtistShare. Since 2003, ArtistShare has been allowing fans to show appreciation for their favorite artists by funding their recording projects in exchange for access to the creative process, LTD Edition recordings, VIP access to recording sessions and even credit listing on the CD.

Recommended Listening: Ben Wendel "Simple Song"

2009-05-28T21:57:00.002-04:00

I was first introduced to the playing of saxophonist Ben Wendel through his work with the genre-defying band Kneebody.

After listening to the band's records countless times, I had the privilege of seeing them perform live at Bennington College a few years back and was blown away not only by Ben's playing but how personable he was after the show. We've kept in touch over the years and I was elated when he sent me a pre-release version of his new record Simple Song this winter.

Simple Song is a collection of nine original compositions - as well as an arrangement of John Coltrane's "Lonnie's Lament" and a beautifully orchestrated version of Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing" - featuring Ben on soprano and tenor sax as well as melodica and bassoon! The music is intricately composed and arranged but highly accessible.

I've been listening to this record a lot and encourage you to do the same. "Simple Song" is out now and available from iTunes and the countless other places music is sold online.

Recommended Listening: Matthew Loiacono "Penny Riddle" & "Kentucky"

2009-05-21T21:42:00.005-04:00

For this week's recommendation I'd like to direct your attention to the multi-talented Matthew Loiacono.

I've known Matthew for a long time - he was the original drummer in first incarnation of the BPQ when I moved back to Albany from Cincinnati. Over the years the multi instrumentalist has become an integral part of the Capital District's music scene, most notably as a member of "upstate porch rock" favorites, the Kamikaze Hearts.

More recently Matthew has focused his efforts on a solo career and running the Collar City Records label as well as an all encompassing blog/website documenting his endeavors, both musical and otherwise.

Last year, as part of the RPM Challenge he produced an incredible album entitled Kentucky using only his voice and his mandolin, though you'd never guess it by listening to the music. I've listened to this record quite a bit and I often find myself humming these melodies at the most unexpected times.

Earlier this year Matthew released Penny Riddle - a collection of eight one minute songs - an EP for the Twitter generation if you will. Matthew expanded his instrumental pallet on this one, even including several tunes with drum loops. It's a credit to his song-writing skills to hear what is accomplished in just sixty seconds. In addition, Matthew also printed up some sharp looking t-shirts featuring the cover artwork of Phil Pascuzzo.

Both Kentucky and Penny Riddle are chock full of great tunes and I highly recommend checking them out!

Recommended Listening: David Caldwell-Mason "Sharp As Knife"

2009-05-14T10:00:00.003-04:00

Over the years I've had the pleasure of performing with pianist David Caldwell-Mason on numerous occasions. His constant creativity and unique approach to the piano never ceases to amaze me.

David has just released his debut CD Sharp As Knife which features his long standing trio of bassist Kellen Harrison and drummer Bryan Bisordi.

To my ears the music has shades of jazz, classical, gospel, indie rock and electronica all blended into a sound that is uniquely David's.

Top 10 + 5 of 2008

2009-01-16T13:53:00.018-05:00

Better late than never, here are ten of my favorite jazz recordings as well as five of my favorite non-jazz records from 2008 ...

1) AARON PARKS - Invisible Cinema (Blue Note)
Terence Blanchard's former pianist creates a varied instrumental soundtrack to an untold story.

2) BRIAN BLADE FELLOWSHIP - Season Of Changes (Verve)
After an eight year hiatus the Fellowship returns with another collection of songs that transverse music genres with ease.

3) JOHN ELLIS & DOUBLE WIDE - Dance Like There's No Tomorrow (Hyena)
Ellis' inventive writing and saxophone playing backed by organ, drums and ... sousaphone!

4) BEN ALLISON & MAN SIZE SAFE - Little Things Run The World (Palmetto)
The bassist's new quintet performs his signature blend of jazz/folk/rock on seven originals and a cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy."

5) MIKE MORENO - Third Wish (Criss Cross)
A studio snapshot of originals and jazz standards by the likes of Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson and Billy Strayhorn.

6) MATHIAS EICK - The Door (ECM)
Incredibly atmospheric ECM debut from trumpet player previously heard on recordings by Jacob Young and Manu Katche.

7) MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO - January (ECM)
Impeccably recorded mix of originals and compositions by Gary Peacock, Ennio Morricone, Tomasz Stanko, Carla Bley and Prince.

8) LAGE LUND - Early Songs (Criss Cross)
Modern jazz originals played by top notch musicians.

9) DAVE DOUGLAS & KEYSTONE - Moonshine (Greenleaf)
The evolution of the trumpeter's electric band continues.

10) LEONARDO CIOGLIA - Contos (Quizamba)
Intriguing set of originals performed by the bassist and John Ellis, Mike Moreno, Stefon Marris, Aaron Goldberg and Antonio Sanchez.

Contrary to popular belief, I do listen to quite a bit of music that isn't jazz. Here are five records that caught my ear in 2008 ...

1. COLDPLAY - Viva la Vida (EMI)
If it were possible to wear out mp3s, I'd be looking for another copy of this.

2. Q-TIP - The Renaissance (Motown)
This became my gym soundtrack for about three months straight.

3. DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - Narrow Stairs (Atlantic)
Not as good as Plans to my ears, but a solid record nonetheless.

4. METALLICA - Death Magnetic (E/M Ventures)
This brought me back to freshmen year of high school.

5. MATTHEW LOIACONO - Kentucky (Collar City Records)
Solid set of original tunes performed on mandolin from the original BPQ drummer!

A Tribute To Esbjorn Svensson & E.S.T.

2008-06-28T12:38:00.007-04:00

Bill McCann once again invited me on his "Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz" radio program on WCDB 90.9 FM this morning, this time to pay tribute to the late Esbjorn Svensson and his group E.S.T.

Over the course of two hours we played a mix of tunes from the albums Somewhere Else Before, Strange Place For Snow, Seven Days Of Falling, Viaticum, Live In Berlin, Tuesday Wonderland and Live In Hamburg. Here's what was played:

A TRIBUTE TO ESBJORN SVENSSON & E.S.T. 6/28/08

“Elevation Of Love” (6:44)
CD: Seven Days Of Falling (2003)
Track: #7

“Goldwrap” (6:15)
CD: Live In Hamburg (2007)
Track: #4 on disc two

“Tide Of Trepidation” (7:13)
CD: Viaticum (2005)
Track: #1

“Dodge The Dodo” (5:25)
CD: Somewhere Else Before (2000)
Track: #2

“Eighthundred Streets by Feet” (6:49)
CD: Tuesday Wonderland (2006)
Track: #8

“Behind The Yashmak” (15:32)
CD: Live In Hamburg (2007)
Track: #5 on disc two

“The Well-Wisher” (3:47)
CD: Viaticum (2005)
Track: #3

“Seven Days Of Falling” (6:27)
CD: Seven Days Of Falling (2003)
Track: #2

“Tuesday Wonderland” (6:32)
CD: Tuesday Wonderland (2006)
Track: #2

“Serenade For The Renegade” (4:26)
CD: Strange Place For Snow (2002)
Track: #2

“Did They Ever Tell Cousteau” (6:05)
CD: Seven Days Of Falling (2003)
Track: #5

“What Though The Way May Be Long” (6:23)
CD: Viaticum (2005)
Track: #9

“A Picture Of Doris Traveling With Boris” (7:36)
CD: Viaticum – Live In Berlin (2005)
Track: #1 of disc two

“Dolores In A Shoestand” (17:39)
CD: Live In Hamburg (2007)
Track: #2 on disc two

Here are the two YouTube videos I made reference to during the broadcast of Esbjorn's playing outside of E.S.T. It's great to hear him doing his thing in a group with Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny and others. The song is spread over two videos but in my opinion it's best viewed as a whole, played back to back.

Melody/Michael Brecker's solo:

Solos by EsbJorn Svensson, Pat Metheney, Nils Landgren:

While I'm at it, here's a video of E.S.T. playing "Behind The Yashmak" live at Jazz à Juan Les Pins festival in France in 2003:

Esbjorn Svensson 1964-2008

2008-06-19T22:42:00.005-04:00

It has been several days since I learned of the passing of Esbjorn Svensson. The pianist was only 44 years old and died in a scuba diving accident on Saturday. When Michael Brecker passed away last year it was after a fairly long illness. Svensson's death came as a shock and hasn't quite sunk in yet.

Other than Brecker, I cannot think of a musician who has had such a huge impact on me and the way I view music, jazz in particular. Svensson was the leader of the European trio E.S.T. which, though the initials stand for the obvious, was truly a co-operative unit with bassist Dan Berglund and drummer Magnus Ostrum. The pianist wrote the music initially but the three musicians sculpted it in such a way that there really wasn't a typical jazz situation of 'leader & sidemen' but rather a band. I think that is what appealed to me the most about the group - they created jazz music rich in improvisation and virtuosity but never at the expense of the overall group sound.

While E.S.T. had become something of a pop phenomenon all over Europe the group never gained the same level of notoriety here in the states. I first learned of their music through a friend who passed along this N.Y. Times piece in 2001. I was intrigued enough to pick up a copy of Somewhere Else Before and later Strange Place For Snow. While I enjoyed the albums I was truly hooked after witnessing an amazing performance to a nearly empty amphitheater at the start of the 2003 SPAC Jazz Festival. Since then I've acquired everything the trio has ever recorded and saw them perform two sets at the Jazz Standard in 2006.

The song that sticks out in my memory from that SPAC performance and also embodies all that I enjoy about E.ST. is "Behind The Yashmak." It's really just a sketch of a tune that's fleshed out with some incredible group interplay and amazing drumming that builds to a frantic climax and abrupt ending. If you have the patience and 15 minutes to spare, I highly recommend putting on a pair of headphones and checking out this version of the tune from last year's Live In Hamburg recording (especially if you don't consider yourself a fan of jazz.) It's truly amazing music.

Behind The Yashmak (Live In Hamburg).mp3

If you like that, go buy some music.

Instant gratification

2008-04-05T16:05:00.005-04:00

Next Friday I am venturing south - 116 E. 27th to be exact - to witness a performance by trumpeter Dave Douglas and his group "Keystone".

Douglas leads a plethora of bands but has focused quite a bit on his "Quintet" and "Keystone" groups in recent years. Keystone is what I would call the trumpeter's "electric band" featuring trumpet, saxophone, fender rhodes piano, electric bass, drums and turntables. The group creates soundtracks for the silent films of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, a relativly unknown star with a tragic story. While I enjoyed watching the films as I listened to the music initially, the compositions and performances work just as well on their own.

Next weekend Douglas will record the four days of Keystone performances at the Jazz Standard and have them available for download on his website within 24 hours of each performance. This is the same set up he used for the Quintet's Live At The Jazz Standard recordings done in December of 2006. This was a pretty unheard of undertaking in the jazz world though I'm pretty sure genres outside of that realm have been doing the same for some time now. Since jazz is such an "in the moment" art form I'm surprised that other artists haven't followed suit.

In any case, we're looking forward to the instant gratification of witnessing a couple of sets and then downloading them when we get home to re-live the moment over and over again!

A Tribute To Michael Brecker 2

2008-03-02T12:40:00.004-05:00

I went on Bill McCann's "Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz" radio program on WCDB 90.9 FM this weekend and presented another four hour tribute to the late Michael Brecker. In January of 2007 I went on the program and played a three part program made up of the saxophonist's early work as a sideman, his work as a leader and his sideman work from his later career. This time around I stuck mainly to his work as a leader, playing two or three of my favorite tracks from each of his nine solo releases. After that I had planned on playing a collection of his playing on various jazz standards but we wound up winging it as the next DJ was a wee bit late in getting to the studio. As enjoyable as it was to hear Brecker's music, both in preparing for the program and then listening to it as it aired, I was once again reminded of how great a loss the world suffered in his untimely passing.

Here's a list of what was played ...

A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL BRECKER 2 - 3/1/08

Michael Brecker – Michael Brecker (1987)
7 – My One And Only Love (8:18)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Kenny Kirkland (piano), Chalie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker – Michael Brecker (1987)
4 – Nothing Personal (5:29)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Kenny Kirkland (piano), Chalie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker – Don’t Try This At Home (1988)
3 – Scriabin (7:47)
Herbie Hancock (piano), Charlie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker – Don’t Try This At Home (1988)
6 – Everthing Happens When You’re Gone (7:13)
Joey Calderazzo (piano), Charlie Haden (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums)

Michael Brecker – Don’t Try This At Home (1988)
7 - Talking To Myself (5:10)
Mike Stern (guitar), Don Grolnick (piano), Jeff Andrews (electric bass), Peter Erskine (drums), Jim Beard (synthesizers)

Michael Brecker – Now You See It … Now You Don’t (1990)
2 – Minsk (9:03)
Jon Herington (guitar), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Jim Beard (synthesizers), Victor Bailey (electric bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums), Judd Miller (EWI programming)

Michael Brecker – Now You See It … Now You Don’t (1990)
6 – Dogs In The Wine Shop (6:33)
Joey Calderazzo (piano), Jim Beard (synthesizers), Victor Bailey (electric bass), Don Alias (percussion), Milton Cardona (percussion), Steve Berrios (percussion), Judd Miller (EWI programming)

Michael Brecker – Tales From The Hudson (1996)
3 – Song For Bilbao (5:44)
Pat Metheny (guitar), McCoyTyner (piano), Dave Holland (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

Michael Brecker – Tales From The Hudson (1996)
5 – African Skies (8:12)
Pat Metheny (guitar), McCoyTyner (piano), Dave Holland (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

Michael Brecker – Two Blocks From The Edge (1998)
1 – Madame Toulouse (5:20)
Joey Calderazzo (piano), James Genus (bass), Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

Michael Brecker – Two Blocks From The Edge (1998)
8 – Delta City Blues Into (:49)
9 – Delta City Blues (4:52)
Joey Calderazzo (piano), James Genus (bass), Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

Michael Brecker – Time Is Of The Essence (1999)
6 – Renaissance Man (for Eddie Harris) (8:36)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Larry Goldings (organ), Bill Stewart (drums)

Michael Brecker – Time Is Of The Essence (1999)
9 – Outrance (10:07)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Larry Goldings (organ), Elvin Jones (drums)

Michael Brecker – Nearness of You – The Ballad Book (2001)
1 – Chan’s Song (5:15)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Herbie Hancock (piano), Chalie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker – Nearness of You – The Ballad Book (2001)
8 – My Ship (7:10)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Herbie Hancock (piano), Chalie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker Quindectet – Wide Angles (2003)
8 – Evening Faces (7:14)
Alex Sipiagin (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Peter Gordon (french horn), Steve Wilson (flute), Iain Dixon (clarinet & bass clarinet), Charles Pillow (oboe & English horn), Mark Feldman (violin), Joyce Hammann (violin), Lois Martin (viola), Erik Friedlander (cello), Adam Rogers (guitar), John Patitucci (bass), Antonio Sanchez (drums), Daniel Sadownick (percussion)

Michael Brecker Quindectet – Wide Angles (2003)
10 – Never Alone (5:42)
Alex Sipiagin (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Peter Gordon (french horn), Steve Wilson (flute), Iain Dixon (clarinet & bass clarinet), Charles Pillow (oboe & English horn), Mark Feldman (violin), Joyce Hammann (violin), Lois Martin (viola), Erik Friedlander (cello), Adam Rogers (guitar), John Patitucci (bass), Antonio Sanchez (drums), Daniel Sadownick (percussion)

Michael Brecker – Pilgrimage (2007)
3 – Anagram (10:09)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Brad Mehldau (piano), John Patitucci (bass), Jack DeJohnete (d)

Michael Brecker – Pilgrimage (2007)
7 – Half Moon Lane (7:17)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Brad Mehldau (piano), John Patitucci (bass), Jack DeJohnete (d)

-----

Michael Brecker – Two Blocks From The Edge (1998)
10 – Skylark (5:05)
Joey Calderazzo (piano)

Jack Wilkins – Merge (1977)
3 – Invitation (12:58)
Randy Brecker (flugelhorn), Jack Wilkins (guitar), Phil Markowitz (piano), John Burr (bass), Al Foster (drums)

Various Artists - Who Love You – A Tribute To Jaco Pastorius (1998)
1 Third Stone From The Sun (7:21)
Joey Calderazzo (piano), John Patitucci (bass), Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums)

Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove - Directions In Music – Celebrating Miles Davis & John Coltrane (2002)
5 – Naima (7:29)

Bob Mintzer & Michael Brecker - Twin Tenors (1993)
5 - Two T's (8:16)
Bob Minzter (tenor sax), Don Grolnick (piano), Michael Formanek (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

Mike Stern - Is What It Is (1994)
1 – Swunk (7:53)
Mike Stern (guitar), Jim Beard (synthesizers & piano), Will Lee (electric bass), Dennis Chambers (drums)

Jack Wilkins – Merge (1977)
5 – What Is This Thing Called Love (8:05)
Randy Brecker (flugelhorn), Jack Wilkins (guitar), Phil Markowitz (piano), John Burr (bass), Al Foster (drums)

Michael Brecker – Time Is Of The Essence (1999)
3 - Half Past Late (7:54)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Larry Goldings (organ), Bill Stewart (drums)

Top 10 of 2007

2007-12-25T23:15:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again ...

1) SAM YAHEL TRIO - Truth And Beauty (Origin)
Previously known as Yaya3 and the Joshua Redman Elastic Band, the trio of organist Sam Yahel, saxophonist Joshua Redman and drummer Brian Blade eschews their usual electronics in favor of a stripped down organ combo sound on a collection of memorable compositions by the leader and covers of Ornette Coleman and Paul Simon.

2) KNEEBODY - Low Electrical Worker (Colortone Media)
Kneebody continues to create intriguing music that defies categorization. I had the pleasure of seeing the band perform at Bennington College this fall and was blown away, as expected. How this band can continue to stay just below the radar is beyond me.

3) KENDRICK SCOTT ORACLE - The Source (World Culture Music)
A varied collection of modern jazz compositions penned by the drummer featuring saxophonists Seamus Blake, Myron Walden & Walter Smith III, guitarists Mike Moreno, Lage Lund & Lionel Loueke, pianists Aaron Parks & Robert Glasper, bassist Derrick Hodge and vocalist Gretchen Parlato.

4) MIKE MORENO - Between The Lines (World Culture Music)
Having heard bootleg versions of several of these compositions, this studio collection of eight well crafted originals by the guitarist was well worth the wait. This one grew on me more and more with every listen.

5) E.S.T. - Live In Hamburg (ACT)
Released late in the year, this two disc set documents an evening with the Esbjorn Svennson Trio exactly as it went down from start to finish. These guys continue to be my hands-down favorite band in the world and the only thing that kept this from creeping up to number one was the fact that I love their studio recordings so much.

6) JEROME SABBAGH - Pogo (Sunnyside)
The French saxophonist's follow up to North (Fresh Sound New Talent) finds him surrounded with the same cast of characters - guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Joe Martin and drummer Ted Poor - interpreting eight of his intriguing original compositions.

7) MANU KATCHE - Playground (ECM)
On his second ECM release the drummer employs the same rhythm section as his debut - pianist Marcin Wasilewski and bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz (on loan from trumpeter Tomasz Stanko's quartet) - together with with a young horn section comprised of saxophonist Trygve Seim and trumpeter Mathias Eick. The music is a great mixture of what one would expect from the ECM label with a touch of Katche's pop background seeping in. David Torn's subtle guitar on two tracks is an added bonus.

8) SEAMUS BLAKE - Way Out Willy (Criss Cross)
It's been a while since Seamus Blake put out a record under his own name. He's always been one of my favorite musicians and this collection of six originals was, to use the overused cliche once again, well worth the wait. The saxophonist is joined by a pair of his usual compatriots - pianist Dave Kikoski , and drummer Bill Stewart - and two younger musicians - guitarist Lage Lund and bassist Orlando LeFleming.

9) BRAD SHEPIK TRIO - Places You Go (Songlines)
This was a pleasant surprise for me this year. I was familiar with Brad Shepik but I had never checked out his work as a leader. I think I first discovered this recording through MySpace and it's another organ trio but with leader's guitar instead of sax. These ten tunes just stuck with me - I never get tired of listening to this record.

10) MANUEL VALERA - Vientos (Anzic)
I'm not usually a fan of chamber jazz recordings but pianist Manuel Valera came up with just the right combination of jazz quartet and woodwind quintet for my tastes. The tunes are great and Joel Frahm absolutely tears it up on tenor and soprano.

Honorable mention:

EBERHARD WEBER - Stages of a Long Journey (ECM)
I first heard this music on Jason Crane's "The Jazz Session" podcast and immediately downloaded it from iTunes. This is an incredible recording of a live concert with the bassist's all star combo - featuring vibraphonist Gary Burton and saxophonist Jan Garbarek among others - backed by a full orchestra. Beautiful, beautiful music.

I also listen to music that isn't jazz from time to time. Here are a few more records I enjoyed this year:

RADIOHEAD - In Rainbows
THE SHINS - Wincing The Night Away (Sub Pop)
IRON & WINE - The Shepherd's Dog (Sub Pop)
FIRE FLIES - Two New Sciences (Asteroid B-612 Records)
SARAH PEDINOTTI - City Bird

It's funny the difference a few months make ...

2007-11-18T11:40:00.000-05:00

It's funny the difference a few months make. Just past the halfway point of the season the Benglas have found themselves a measly 3-6. The 6 losses are certainly not from a lack of offense - Carson Palmer continues to put up the same type of numbers that got him to last year's Pro Bowl, running back Kelly Watson stepped up to fill in nicely for an injured Rudi Johnson for a few weeks and receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh is having the best year of his career so far, eclipsing usual star Chad Johnson who while playing well, is not living up to his own hype. Sadly the Bengals have one of, if not the, worst defenses in the National Football League. As it stands now the team is once again on track for their annual 8-8 final record under coach Marvin Lewis.

In the not-so-depressing sports category, the 2007 Boston Red Sox won the World Series! This made our trip to Fenway this summer even more memorable as we were actually watching the future world champs in action! I did my best to catch as many playoff games as possible this fall (including one I technically shouldn't have seen) but due to various performance/rehearsal commitments, I missed a lot of post season baseball. In the end, Game 4 of the World Series coincided with the BPQ's usual Sunday night gig at Justin's, but as the clock struck midnight I dropped the horn and ran (literally) across Lark Street to Legends Sports Bar to watch the final three outs. Not sure what was more entertaining, watching the games I was able to see or watching Manny, Papi and Papelbon show up on the late night TV circuit after their win. There certainly are some characters on that team ...

In the beginning of October I was fortunate to catch one of my favorite bands at Bennington College in Vermont. Kneebody is an instrumental quintet of LA & NY based musicians creating music that, to my ears, is totally contemporary and a logical extension of everything that has come before it. I suppose that can be said about many bands but there is something about this band's aesthetic that really appeals to me. Not to mention the fact that on a pure saxophonic level, Ben Wendel kicks some serious butt! Go check these guys out online and if you like what you hear support them by buying some music: www.kneebody.com.

Last weekend the Big Soul Ensemble closed out this year's "A Place For Jazz" concert series at the "Whisperdome" in Schenectady. The group is a year-old 17 piece big band led by saxophonist Keith Pray. We play a book of predominantly in-house compositions & arrangements though the occasional stock chart has found it's way into the book from time to time. The band played well and the night was recorded so there may be a CD on the way at some point. In the meantime you can check out some pictures on www.albanyjazz.com.

Later that same weekend the BPQ headed to NYC for a performance at Django Restaurant on Lexington and 36th. We were the musical entertainment for the Clockwork Theater's annual fundraising event. The performance itself went off without a hitch though getting to NYC on the other hand ... let's just say that the next road trip will include a rental van. After the gig we dropped off our gear at the hotel and headed down to the village for some great Thai food - a new favorite, thanks guys - and a set by the Spike Wilner Ensemble at Smalls featuring trumpeter Ryan Kisor. Big thanks to Clockwork for having us at their event and the guys in the band for dealing with all of the ups and downs of the road trip with style and class.

1 - 0

2007-09-11T11:19:00.001-04:00

The Cincinnati Benglas won their home opener last night in a close match-up with division rivals the Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens defense is said to be one of the toughest in the league, but it was the Bengals usually sub-par D that stepped up last night to help win the game. The Ravens turned over the ball on their first three or four possessions to a Bengals defense that really looked impressive.

Their highly touted offense of Carson Palmer and the Johnsons (Chad and Rudi) got the job done even though their final numbers don't reflect it. Chad's early TD and sideline celebration were fun and he claims there's plenty more where that came from.

If last night was an indication of how the defense will play this year, I'd say 2007 could be the year of the Bengals!

B is for Brian

2007-05-20T17:24:00.000-04:00

Baseball has always been popular in my family, especially on my mother's side. Growing up in the Bronx my mom was a huge fan of the Yankees - which is why the story of my baseball loyalty is so bizarre.

Seems that when I was a young child my mom thought it would be cute to buy me a blue baseball cap with a red "B" on it. "B is for Brian" is what I was told growing up. Well, it didn't take me long to realize that I was wearing a hat that pitted me against the rest of my family and friends. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with youthful rebellion, but from that day forward I've been a fan of the Boston Red Sox.

As a kid I was a baseball fanatic, a die-hard little leaguer and an avid baseball card collector. Somewhere around the end of high school and the start of college my interest in the game waned. When the Sox won their first world series in ages a few years ago, I was happy, but I didn't get sucked back in.

Fast forward to last year. Somewhere along the line I was bitten by the bug once again. I think it might have been spending a few days in Rockport, MA among countless other Boston fans, opposed to the plethora of upstate New York Yankee fans. The fact that the team was doing fairly well didn't hurt either. In any case, I followed much of the 2006 season and was disappointed when the Bronx Bombers swept my team, effectively ending their season.

I wasn't sure if I'd be as interested in the game this year but I've been following the 2007 season even closer than last year. I've even gone as far as ordering the MLB package from Time Warner Cable so I can actually watch some games that are against teams other than the Yankees. Speaking of which, another sweep this week?

Catching up ...

2007-04-30T23:31:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy few months, most of which was spent preparing for the release of my group's third CD. If you're reading this, chances are you know all about As We Know It (WEPA Records) - but just in case - you can read more about the CD and listen/purchase a copy here or listen/download tracks from iTunes here.

We had a release party on Friday, April 20th at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio's Linda Norris Auditorium aka "The Linda." There were lots of friends, family and other folks in attendance. The folks at the Linda were great to work with and recorded the concert for a future broadcast.

The next week I had the opportunity to perform at my alma mater - Schalmont High School. The last time I had been back to 1 Sabre Drive was in 1997 when I had a brief stint as director of the jazz ensemble. There's been a good deal of construction since then (including a complete overhaul of the auditorium) but the memories came flooding back nonetheless. Sean Lowery invited me to perform with my own group and also appear as a guest soloist with the Schalmont High School Jazz Ensemble. It was truly an honor to be given this opportunity and a lot of fun to work with the kids.

I've also come down with quite the case of baseball fever. More on that later.

A Tribute To Michael Brecker

2007-01-21T16:40:00.000-05:00

Bill McCann was kind enough to invite me on his "Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz" radio program on WCDB 90.9 FM this past Saturday to present a four hour tribute to the late Michael Brecker.

It was tough choosing a mere four hours of music to showcase considering the body of work Brecker recorded in his lifetime. I ultimately decided on a three part program focusing on his early work as a sideman, his solo recordings and his later work as a sideman. Listening to this music brought back a flood of memories ...

A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL BRECKER 1/20/07

PART ONE – The Early Years (1972 – 1984)

Horace Silver – In Pursuit of the 27th Man (1972)
Track 3 – "Gregory Is Here" (6:18)
Horace Silver (piano), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Bob Cranshaw (electric bass), Mickey Roker (drums)

Hal Galper – Reach Out (1976)
Track 2 – "I’ll Never Stop Loving You" (7:14)
Hal Galper (piano)

Mel Lewis – Mel Lewis & Friends (1977)
Track 3 – "Moose The Mooche" (8:10)
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Hank Jones (piano), Ron Carter (bass) Mel Lewis (drums)

Chet Baker – You Can’t Go Home Again (1977)
Track 1 – "Love For Sale" (13:03)
Chet Baker (trumpet), Richie Beirach (electric piano & clavinet), John Scofield (guitar), Ron Carter (acoustic bass), Alphonso Johnson (electric bass), Tony Williams (drums), Don Sebesky (string arrangement)

Brecker Brothers – Heavy Metal Be-Bop (1978)
Track 3 – "Some Skunk Funk" (6:59)
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (electric bass), Terry Bozio (drums)

Pat Metheny – 80/81 (1980)
Disc 2, Track 3 – 'Every Day (I Thank You)' (13:16)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Charlie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Chick Corea – Three Quartets (1981)
Track 8 – "Confirmation" (6:15)
Chick Corea (drums)

Steps Ahead – Steps Ahead (1983)
Track 1 – "Pools" (11:22)
Eliane Elias (piano), Mike Mainieri (vibes), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

John Abercrombie – Night (1984)
Track 3 – "3 East" (4:27)
John Abercrombie (guitar), Jan Hammer (keyboards), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

PART TWO – Solo Recordings (1987 – 2003)

Michael Brecker – Michael Brecker (1987)
Track 5 – "The Cost of Living" (7:49)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Kenny Kirkland (piano), Chalie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker – Don’t Try This At Home (1988)
Track 4 – "Suspone" (4:58)
Mike Stern (guitar), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Jeff Andrews (electric bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums)

Michael Brecker – Now You See It … Now You Don’t (1990)
Track 8 – "The Meaning of the Blues" (6:01)
Joey Calderazzo (piano), Jay Anderson (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums)

Michael Brecker – Tales From The Hudson (1996)
Track 2 – "Midnight Voyage" (7:18)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Dave Holland (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker – Two Blocks From The Edge (1998)
Track 2 – "El Nino" (7:42)
Joey Calderazzo (piano), James Genus (bass), Jeff “Tain” Watts (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

Michael Brecker – Time Is Of The Essence (1999)
Track 3 – "Half Past Late" (7:54)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Larry Goldings (organ), Bill Stewart (drums)

Michael Brecker – Nearness of You – The Ballad Book (2001)
Track 3 – "Nascente" (6:18)
Pat Metheny (guitar), Herbie Hancock (piano), Chalie Haden (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Michael Brecker Quindectet – Wide Angles (2003)
Track 6 – "Scylla" (10:40)
Alex Sipiagin (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Peter Gordon (french horn), Steve Wilson (flute), Iain Dixon (clarinet & bass clarinet), Charles Pillow (oboe & English horn), Mark Feldman (violin), Joyce Hammann (violin), Lois Martin (viola), Erik Friedlander (cello), Adam Rogers (guitar), John Patitucci (bass), Antonio Sanchez (drums), Daniel Sadownick (percussion)

PART THREE – Late Career (1995 – 2002)

Gary Burton – Times Like These (1988)
Track 1 – "Times Like These" (6:34)
John Scofield (guitar), Gary Buton (vibes), Marc Johnson (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

Don Grolnick – Weaver of Dreams (1989)
Track 5 – "I Want To Be Happy" (5:45)
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Barry Rogers (trombone), Bob Mintzer (bass clarinet), Don Grolnick (piano), Dave Holland (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

Brecker Brothers – Return Of The Brecker Brothers (1992)
Track 4 – "Above & Below" (7:05)
Randy Brecker (trumpet), Mike Stern (guitar), George Whitty (keyboards), James Genus (electric bass), Dennis Chambers (drums), Bashiri Johnson (percussion)

Twin Tenors (1993)
Track 2 – "Giant Steps" (6:09)
Bob Minzter (tenor sax), Don Grolnick (piano), Michael Formanek (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)

McCoy Tyner – Infinity (1995)
Track 2 – "I Mean You" (7:16)
McCoy Tyner (piano), Avery Sharpe (bass), Aaron Scott (drums)

Herbie Hancock – The New Standard (1996)
Track 7 – "Scarborough Fair" (8:24)
Herbie Hancock (piano), John Scofield (guitar), Dave Holland (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums), Don Alias (percussion)

Mike Stern – Give and Take (1997)
Track 2 – "Hook Up" (7:01)
Mike Stern (guitar), John Patitucci (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Charlie Haden – American Dreams (2002)
Track 2 – "Travels" (6:44)
Charlie Haden (bass), Brad Mehldau (piano), Brian Blade (drums), Vince Mendoza (string arrangement, conductor)

Michael Brecker (1949-2007)

2007-01-14T14:48:00.000-05:00

I was down in NYC yesterday when I learned of Michael Brecker's passing. Needless to say, I'm devastated. If it weren't for him, I doubt I'd be doing what I'm doing with my life. His tone, his mastery of the horn, his unique vocabulary, his ability to fit into any musical situation with ease ... so many things made Brecker my main musical influence ever since I first heard him as a freshman in high school. Over the years I've accumulated a great deal of his music - all of which has served as continual inspiration. I even had the pleasure of meeting and talking to him on several occasions and he was the nicest human being you could imagine. Thanks for the inspiration Mike.

www.michaelbrecker.com

Addendum ...

2007-01-03T13:00:00.000-05:00

Each year my "Top 10" list is a continual work in progress. From January to December I acquire a great deal of music but there are certain recordings that grab and hold my attention right from the get-go more than others.

I've long been a fan of trumpeter Dave Douglas and his many ensembles so when I heard that he was releasing another recording by his quintet in April I was elated. Although their last few recordings were fantastic, upon initial listening I wasn't moved by Meaning and Mystery (Greenleaf Music). So, the recording got filed away with so many others from the year that, while enjoyable, I didn't find myself coming back to on a regular basis.

Fast forward to December - Douglas and the Quintet documented a full week of live performances at NYC's Jazz Standard and made the recordings available to the public the very next day on his own Greenleaf Music website. I checked out some of this music and really liked what I heard. This made me go back and reexamine not only the new recording but all of the quintet's releases.

I'm not sure what I was thinking the first time around but Meaning and Mystery is a great album!!! Hearing these compositions in a live setting made me enjoy the studio documentation a little more and I'm really digging Donny McCaslin's sax work. Chris Potter's are some pretty big shoes to fill and McCaslin has done a great job stepping in and bringing his unique approach to improvisation to Douglas' music.

So, add another record to my Top 10, er, 11 of 2006.

www.davedouglas.com
www.greenleafmusic.com

Top 10 Of 2006

2006-12-29T11:47:00.000-05:00

As 2006 draws to a close, here are ten jazz recordings that I've enjoyed this year, as well as a half-dozen non-jazz albums that spent a good deal of time playing on my iPod ...

1) JOHN ELLIS - By A Thread (Hyena)
While I enjoyed his previous two records immensely, saxophonist John Ellis has crafted a masterpiece (at least to my ears) with By A Thread. The band--guitarist Mike Moreno, pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Terreon Gully--interprets nine original compositions that span a variety of styles. The playing on the record is superb, but I believe what really hooked me was Ellis' clever writing. The saxophonist includes enough hooks to leave melodies lingering in your memory with plenty of room for soloists to stretch out.

2) BOB REYNOLDS - Can't Wait For Perfect (Fresh Sound New Talent)
Saxophonist Bob Reynolds augmented pianist Aaron Goldberg's working trio (featuring bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland) with Mike Moreno's guitar and his own tenor for a program of listener-friendly, original compositions with enough rhythmic and harmonic sophistication to keep things interesting. The addition of David Soler's pedal steel guitar on a pair of tracks gives the music a unique flavor reminiscent of Brian Blade's Fellowship records.

3) DAVE HOLLAND QUINTET - Critical Mass (Dare2)
There's something to be said about hearing an entire album's worth of new material being road tested just before it gets recorded. About a year ago Dave Holland brought his quintet to Schenectady and provided those of us in attendance with such an opportunity. Not that they needed the public rehearsal mind you - the band absolutely killed the material on stage - and did so once again a few days later in the studio. Critical Mass is easily my favorite Dave Holland Quintet record yet. Is it the mix of clever compositions from all the band members? The top notch soloing from everyone involved? The dynamic interplay between the rhythm section and the soloists? It's probably all of this plus the eight months of waiting to hear these songs once again and recapture the magic of that night last December ...

4) E.S.T. - Tuesday Wonderland (ACT)
The Esbjorn Svensson Trio continues its streak of highly crafted individualistic albums with a collection of songs said to be based on J.S. Bach's "Well Tempered Clavier." I don't believe this one has been released stateside just yet but the title track alone, with it's shifting odd-meter grooves and memorable melodies, makes this record worth seeking out overseas.

5) CHRIS POTTER - Underground (Sunnyside)
I had been blown away by a bootleg video of this group that I acquired about a year before this record came out. I waited anxiously to hear the 'official' documentation of Potter's fusion quartet to see how it would measure up to that live performance I had listened to so many times. I'm happy to report that the studio record was just as good as the live performance. The quartet - comprised of tenor sax, guitar, fender rhodes & drums - stretches out on Potter's original material as well as tunes by Radiohead, The Beatles and Billy Strayhorn.

6) NIK BARTSCH'S RONIN - Stoa (ECM)
I have never heard music that sounds quite like what pianist Nik Bartsh's group produces. Sure, the influences are apparent - classical minimalism, M-base, funk, electronica - but the way these five musicians combine these sounds in a live setting is unique and inspiring to my ears. To some it might be considered a stretch to put this music in a list of "jazz" recordings but there is certainly enough improvisation and group interaction to qualify.

7) FRANK LOCRASTO - When You're There (Maxjazz)
This is an incredible debut album for pianist Frank Locrasto. He's assembled an amazing band - including saxophonist Chris Cheek, guitarist Mike Moreno, bassist Ben Street & drummer Tommy Crane - to interpret nine of his original compositions. The core quintet is augmented with strings and woodwinds on several pieces adding a welcome layer of depth to the music. The writing is exquisite and the playing inspired.

8) JOE LOCKE/GEOFFERY KEEZER GROUP - Live In Seattle (Origin)
Yet another example of hearing the music live before the recording ... I caught Joe Locke's band (minus Keezer) at the Kingston International Jazz Festival this summer where they played many of the selections on this recording. Drummer Terreon Gully and acoustic & electric bassist Mike Pope round out the quartet on this live recording with flawless execution and unbridled creativity.

9) BEN ALLISON - Cowboy Justice (Palmetto)
I've been a long time fan of bassist Ben Allison and his various ensembles. When I read that he was releasing his first record without a saxophonist I was initially a little disappointed (what can I say?) but I had faith that he would once again produce something out of the ordinary. When I actually heard the music I was blown away by the writing and the quartet he had assembled. Trumpeter Ron Horton, guitarist Steve Cardenas and drummer Jeff Ballard help Allison bring his songs of political dissidence to life while producing one of the fullest sounds I've heard from a piano-(and sax)-less quartet in some time.

10) MARCUS STRICKLAND - Twi-Life (disc 2) (Strick Music)
I first became acquainted with saxophonist Marcus Strickland through his work with bassist Lonnie Plaxico's group. Since then I've enjoyed his contributions to records by Dave Douglas, Roy Haynes, Jeff "Tain" Watts and others as well as his own recordings for the Fresh Sound New Talent label. To call Strickland's debut release on his own "Strick Music" label ambitious would be a vast understatement. It's difficult enough to release a recording on a brand new, independent label. Add to that the fact that it's a double album of (nearly) all original compositions performed by two bands and you're really challenging yourself as an artist. Strickland succeeds in presenting his vision with both an acoustic "Quartet" - featuring pianist Robert Glasper, acoustic bassist Vincente Archer and brother/drummer E.J. Strickland - and his electric "Twi-Life Quartet" - featuring guitarist Lage Lund, electric bassist Brad Jones and E.J. once again. While I enjoy both groups, the electric quartet gets my nod for the stellar guitar work by Lund.

Non-Jazz:
KAMIKAZE HEARTS - Oneida Road (Collar Citty Records)
THE RACONTEURS - Broken Boy Soldiers (V2)
ZERO 7 - The Garden (Warner)
JOHN MAYER - Continuum (Columbia)
MUSE - Black Hole And Revolutions (A&E)
THE LAST KISS - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Lakeshore)

So far, so good

2006-12-01T23:02:00.000-05:00

After a decent start and a shaky mid-season, the Cincinnati Bengals seem to be back on track with a three game winning streak.

The team started the season 3-0 but then lost the next 5 out of 6 games. At 4-5 it appeared the Bengals of old had returned - the offense was sputtering and the defense was atrocious. Then everything changed, at least in my mind, against San Diego in week 10. While the defense still struggled - the Chargers came back from a 21 point deficit and eventually scored 49 points - the Bengals offense finally connected. Even though they lost, Carson Palmer passed for a career high 440 yards, Chad Johnson racked up an unbelievable 260 yards receiving and the team wound up with 41 points.

After that shoot-out loss there has been no stopping the Palmer-Johnson connection nor the Bengals' winning ways. Division leaders New Orleans? Nope. The Cleveland Browns? Seriously? The Bengals defense, at one point ranked as one of the worst in football, held the Browns to zero points. Zip. Nada. Nothing. Last night the Bengals even defeated their division's leaders, the Baltimore Ravens. Once again a shut out until the final :60 seconds of the game when the Ravens finally put 7 points on the board.

At 7-5 with four more games to play it's conceivable that the Benglas could once again make their way into the play-offs and maybe, just maybe, win their division once again this year.

Coffee

2006-07-08T14:34:00.000-04:00

If you know me you know I like my coffee. For many a year I have been a Dunkin Donuts coffee fanatic. I'm not proud of it. There was just something about that brand of bean that appealed to me. In the past year or so I've dabbled in Starbucks thanks to Andria and I enjoy some of their, ahem, fancier drinks - the white chocolate mocca is my current favorite. However, if given the choice of any coffee in the world I would inevitably choose Dunkin.

This has recently changed. In the past several months I've been acquiring my coffee beans from Albany's very own Daily Grind. I've enjoyed drinking coffee in their downstairs cafe for years but had never ventured upstairs to the store. I'm glad I did. Not only can one enjoy interesting musical discourses with Rick Miller but I've become addicted to their Vanilla Nut Bean blend of beans. You know you have some tasty coffee when even the used grounds smell good!

In any case, if you're a coffee lover I'd recommend checking out the Grind in either Albany or Troy, NY. I think you can also order beans from their website.

Lincoln Center

2006-07-05T12:20:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of performing at Lincoln Center in New York City with Alex Torres y Su Orquesta. Truth be told we actually performed outside in the venue's Josie Robertson Plaza, but hey, that's still Lincoln Center, right? The concert was part of the "Midsummer Night Swing" series where various dance bands perform in the plaza during the months of June and July.

The day began with a three hour drive from Albany to NYC. After we arrived I met up with my cousin Melissa, who happens to live a few blocks from the hotel we were staying at, as well as several other members of my family who traveled down to the city to catch our performance later that night. They were all on their way to the "Top Of The Rock" - a 70 story elevator ride up to the top of the Rockerfeller Building. The view was astounding.

After that it was time for sound check at Lincoln Center followed shortly thereafter by the actual performance. The show was very well attended and the band really rose to the occasion. I wish I had a better picture but this one will have to suffice:

The performance ended at 10pm which left us with a night free in the greatest city in the world. This of course meant I had to find some live jazz but not before filling my empty stomach. A few of us wondered around aimlessly looking for the perfect place to eat. We ended up at a small Irish pub for some burgers and brews and actually ran into a bunch of friends from Albany! What were the chances of that happening?! Anyway, later that evening, 1:00am actually, we wound up at Jazz At Lincoln Center's new "Dizzy's Club Coca Cola" for the late set by saxophonist Stacy Dillard's Quartet. It was the perfect way to cap off the evening.

Catching up in blogdom

2006-03-29T10:30:00.000-05:00

It's been a while so I thought I'd post an update for the two to three people who actually read my blog.

Since my last post I have successfully emerged from the mouthpiece vortex, Morgan Excalibur in hand. Matter o' fact, I liked the tenor piece so much I went ahead and picked up the same piece for my alto. There was a brief retreat back to the vortex when I received my old Florida Link from Adam Niewood. This was the piece I had played on all through college before finding the Guardala. I had sent him the piece to correct some defects and when I got it back it played 100 times better than it ever did. After A-B-ing the two mouthpieces the Morgan still has the edge to me though I play the Link from time to time. Speaking of which I used the Otto Link on a recording session for pianist Azaam Hameed's upcoming CD. Oh and click on that link to Adam Niewood's website when you get a chance. Not only is he a great technician when it comes to mouthpiece work but he's a killer tenor player and composer as well. He's got a bunch of free mp3 downloads on his site that have been in constant rotation on my iPod for weeks.

Towards the end of February I had the pleasure of adjudicating my first high school jazz festival at Fonda-Fultonville High School. Guitarist Joe Finn and I listened and evaluated bands from all over New York state and also performed a brief set of standards for the students with some help from bassist Mike DelPrete and Danny Whelchel.

The next day I had the opportunity to play duo with two incredible pianists at a cafe Copake, NY - David Caldwell Mason and Armen Donelian. David ran into some killer traffic and ended up missing the first set but fortunately Armen just happened to be in attendance and joined me for a handful of tunes. Rather I should say I joined him. Prior to the performance I was familiar with his name but I didn't know much about Armen's playing. Let's just say that after our brief set I should have been paying him for the public lesson! He is a fantastic musician and I'd recommend going to hear him when he's in town at Justin's on April 8th. David eventually made it for the second set and we had fun, but not nearly as much fun as we had a few days later at Justin's. I had sent Dave charts and mp3s of my music a few weeks in advance of that performance and not only did he play the crap out of the tunes - he had them all memorized! I hope to do more playing with both David and Armen in the near future.

In the middle of March we had the second annual Burke Mountain Ski Trip. Though it began with six of us planning to drive north for a few days of skiing, in the end only three of us spent the weekend in Mike's family's trailside condo. I grew up skiing with my family but once I went to college and realized how expensive it was to strap on a couple boards to my feet and zoom down a mountain, ski trips became a thing of the past. Up until last year I don't think I had skied in ten years. Lucky for me it all came back on the first run. Heck, this year I even spent the end of the last day taking as much air as possible, reliving the glory days of my youth. I regretted this for days after we got home ...

There's a new instrument taking up space in my studio these days. I borrowed a friend's bass clarinet and I think I'm in love. While I'm not a fan the standard Bb clarinet, the bass clarinet is another beast entirely. Who knows, I may even practice it enough to bring it on a gig at some point. Stranger things have happened.

I've also been working on a few new tunes. I wrote a quirky 7/8 funk piece entitled "Gil Barney (Wins The Race)" in tribute to my dad. A little back story: Back in the day my father briefly attended a seminary while training to become a priest, which I hear was more common back in the day then it is in current times. In any case, one of his after hours hobbies was stock car racing which apparently wasn't looked on favorably by the seminary folks. Thus the stage name Gil Barney was born. I've always thought that was a quirky name and what better to name a quirky song. I've also been working on a as yet untitled ballad in tribute to the love of my life that will be unveiled this Sunday at Justin's. I hope she likes it!

Recent listening
ADAM NIEWOOD Id Trio +1
DEXTER GORDON A Swingin' Affair
MICHAEL BLAKE Right Before Your Ears
ACOUSTIC LADYLAND Last Chance Disco
POLAR BEAR Held on the Tips of Fingers
FIRE FLIES Baobabs in the Basement
THIEVERY CORPORATION AOL Music DJ Sessions

An update on the mouthpiece vortex ...

2006-02-10T22:34:00.001-05:00

For the past month or so I've been using the Morgan Excalibur 8EL mouthpiece on my tenor. It took a little while to adjust my airstream but I've been pretty pleased with the results. I've been experimenting with various reeds and have had the best luck with Vandoren Java 3.5 and 4's. Another adjustment to the new set up was the addition of a Francois Louis "Ultimate Ligature". While the name is a bit braggocious, it sure beat the crap out of the Rovner ligature I was originally using. Never was a big fan of those Rovners as any of my students will attest ...

So far the mouthpiece has fared well in the various music situations I've found myself in - jazz duos, trios & quartets and Alex Torres' salsa/merengue band. I get to try it out with a big band soon as the Empire Jazz Orchestra's spring concert is right around the corner. Speaking of which, this concert's guest artist is Rufus Reid (the good news). Just read through the music today and it looks like a great concert - except that I have to play a ton of clarinet (which is very, very bad news).

If all this mouthpiece talk sounds a bit neurotic - you're probably not a saxophonist. ;)

Recent listening:

CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO Copperopolis (Ropeadope)
CHRIS POTTER Underground (Sunnyside)
HAROLD DANKO QUARTET Stablemates (Steeplechase)
JACK DEJOHNETTE/BILL FRISELL The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers (Golden Beams)
MANU KATCHE Neighbourhood (ECM)
PAUL MOTIAN BAND Garden Of Eden (ECM)

New music

2006-02-02T00:43:00.000-05:00

I've been enjoying a few records in the past week or two. Yesterday I picked up a copy of Chris Potter's new album Underground. Potter's quartet is comprised of Wayne Krantz on guitar, Craig Taborn on rhodes, and Nate Smith on drums. Though bass-less in instrumentation, Taborn's left hand and Krantz's guitar often provide a bottom end while at other times there is no bass line in the traditional sense, rather just overlapping textures of rhodes and guitar. The underlying groove provided by Smith is decidedly in a rock vein, though Potter isn't content to stick with simple meters. It's great to hear the four musicians stretch out on this material - most tracks clock in around ten minutes. Three shorter cover tunes - Radiohead's "Morning Bell", Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom" and a radically re-harmonized version of the Beatles' "Yesterday" - help break up the longer pieces to make the overall album an interesting listing. Take a listen for yourslef at iTunes or visit Potter's website at www.chrispottermusic.com. You can also stream the song "The Wheel" in it's entirety at MySpace.com

Another record that I picked up recently was Manu Katche's "Neighbourhood". I'd been reading baout this record for quite some time and though it isn't scheduled to be released in the U.S. until later this month I figured I'd spring the extra few bucks and buy the import. Of particular intrest to me was the involvment of pianist Marcin Wasilewski and bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz as well as their occasional boss, trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. I was a big fan of Wasilewski's Trio record on ECM last year and when he and Kurkiewicz aren't playing as a trio they are part of Stanko's excellent quartet. Add Jan Garbarek's tenor and the leader's prog-rock influenced drumming to the mix and the end result is smooth jazz of the highest order. Don't get me wrong, you won't hear any of these tracks back to back with Kenny G and the like anytime soon, but the quintet create an easy to stomach, Euro-jazz sound that is right up my alley. I will say that Garbarek's tone tends to stick out from time to time but I've been able to cope with it since everything else sounds so good. No website for Katche himself but you can read a little more about the album at ECM's website

A third album that's received it's share of spins on my iPod is Paul Motian's Garden Of Eden. The drummer's second release on ECM in as many years finds him shorting the name of the long standing Paul Motian Electric Bebop Band to the Paul Motian Band. It also finds the usual instrumentation of drums, electric bass, two tenors and two guitars augmented by a third guitar! Having the the third guitar doesn't alter the sound of the group much to my ears but it is interesting to hear two soloists at once while a third guitar comps. In any case I love a third of this record (the tunes by Mingus, Monk & Bird) and am still up in the air about the rest of it. It seems that once the bebop tunes are out of the way, time is thrown out the window. I enjoy an occasional rubato piece as much as the next guy but when ten out of fourteen pieces have no discernible pulse whatsoever I tend to find myself loosing interest. What kills me the most is that the tunes with a pulse swing so hard! I'd love to hear more of that. Perhaps if Motian had sequenced the tunes in a different order ... I don't know. I think this one requires more listening. Listen for yourself at iTunes.

The Vortex

2006-01-13T18:23:00.000-05:00

For the past several weeks I have been in saxophone purgatory. (For those reading who are not saxophonically inclined you may as well skip this entry) I've been happily playing a Guardala Brecker II mouthpiece on tenor for approximately ten years. I love that piece, it's free blowing, has a great tone and projects like crazy. I never thought I'd be looking for another mouthpiece - ever. But recently, within the past six months or so, I've been hearing a sound in my head that differed from the sound I was able to produce with the Guardala. Try as I may, I just wasn't getting the sound.

So, a few weeks ago, I entered "the mouthpiece vortex". I've heard stories of saxophonists who search their entire life for their holy grail mouthpiece, the one mouthpiece that just clicks. I thought I had my mouthpiece with the Guardala, so It wasn't until I began searching for a new piece that I realized that I too had entered the vortex - my every thought was centered on which mouthpiece I would try next, how did this one stack up to that one, would it work on a gig, etc. At one point I had collected ten different mouthpieces to try out:

Hard Rubber Otto Link W.T. facing
Hard Rubber Otto Link #6
Hard Rubber Otto Link #7
Metal Otto Link #5
Metal Otto Link #6
Metal Otto Link #7*
Metal Otto Link NY #7
Metal Otto Link Florida #8
Morgan Excalibur #8 EL
Morgan 8 L
Meyer #7

(Thanks to James, John, Jeremy, and Mike for contributing to the collection).

Well, much to my girlfriend's delight, I believe I may have settled on a mouthpiece ... for now. It's the hard rubber Morgan Excalibur 8 EL that I bought a while back. Saxophonist Myron Walden had tried some Excaliburs out and recommended the piece when I ran into him at Justin's about a year ago. At the time I ordered a couple and kept one but I didn't take to it initially and put it on the shelf. Recently I popped a 3.5 blue box Vandoren reed on the thing and it sang! Out of the pieces I've tried, I really feel the most comfortable on hard rubber but the Links lacked the projection I needed in a mic-less live situation. While I haven't used it on a gig yet, I did use the Excalibur at a rehearsal today and it worked great. I'll try it out this weekend at One Caroline and Justin's to make sure.

2005 Cincinnati Bengals R.I.P.: 9.11.05 - 1.08.06

2006-01-10T00:59:00.000-05:00

It was a heck of a season, but sadly all good things must come to an end - and what a sad end it was. In the second play of the Bengals first playoff game in 15 years, star quarterback and arguable team leader, Carson Palmer suffered a devastating injury that pretty much knocked the wind out of the rest of the team. Palmer had just thrown an incredible 66 yard completion to rookie receiver Chris Henry - who would also succumb to injury a little later in the game. (Palmer had also just signed a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract a few days earlier.) Enter veteran second string quarter back John Kitna who did his best to rally the team to a halftime lead.

While my hat is off to Kitna and the rest of the team for a resilient first half, the Bengals pretty much folded in the second half and handed the Steelers the victory. Watching those final two quarters made me think I was watching a traditional Bengals team, instead of this year's squad. And while I enjoyed this year's season immensely, I was pretty confident that the Bengals weren't going to go all the way. There were just too many games that the team didn't play well. That said, as long as Palmer is back next year, 2006 could be the year ...

Dave Holland Quintet

2005-12-13T09:49:00.000-05:00

Dave Holland is bringing his quintet to town this week. Chris Potter, Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson and Nate Smith will join Mr. Holland for two sets at Schenectady's Van Dyck this Friday night. The same group, with Antonio Hart filling in for Mr. Eubanks, performed at the club back in '98 and it was an incredible evening of music. Tunes clocked in at over a half hour and it was nice to hear Mr. Hart play Mr. Holland's music. I'm excited to see the band with it's regular line up this time around. In anticipation I've been listening to ...

DAVE HOLLAND QUINTET Extended Play (ECM)
DAVE HOLLAND QUINTET Not For Nothin' (ECM)
DAVE HOLLAND QUINTET Prime Directive (ECM)

In other DHQ news, I stumbled upon Robin Eubanks' Podcast in the iTunes music store. While I was initially drawn in by his interviews with Chris Potter I've become a big fan of the backstage banter from the various performances that Mr. Eubanks is a part of. It must be a blast to be on the road with this guy. If the above link doesn't work just search for "Robin Eubanks" at iTunes or visit his website at www.robineubanks.com and click on "projects".

Trio @ The Daily Grind

2005-12-11T17:40:00.000-05:00

Decided to try something a little different last night as Mike, Danny and I played trio at the Daily Grind in Troy, NY - the BPQ-1 if you will. Mixed up some originals (Drop, Release, Majority, Exit, Will You Be, Red) and jazz standards (Take The Coltrane, Body & Soul, Flamingo, A Night In Tunisia, Donna Lee, I Love You, Out Of Nowhere, You're My Everything) and a good time was had by all.

LISTEN: Flamingo (8.8mb)

Things are looking up ...

2005-12-10T12:38:00.000-05:00

Anyone who's known me for the past 25 years or so knows that I've been a die hard Cincinnati Bengals fan through thick and thin. Long before I ever lived in the city known for it's delicious chili, I was enticed by the incredibly cool new uniforms of the 1981 team. I can remember watching the Bengals on TV with my Dad and being drawn in by those snazzy orange and black stripped helmets. This is of course only a slightly better reason to become a fan than my lifelong stint as a Boston Red Sox fan due to my mother's purchase of a cap with a "B for Brian" when I was a toddler ...

In any case '81 was a good year for the Bengals. Ken Anderson and Chris Collinsworth led the team to it's first Super Bowl ever and though they put up a good fight the orange and black ultimatley lost to the San Fransico 49ers. I'd have to wait another seven years for another bowl appearance and the '88 team led by Boomer Eisason once again made it to the big game, and lost, once again to the 49ers. I have fond memories of that '88 team, espicially rookie running back "Ickey" Woods and his infamous "Ickey Shuffle".

Since 1988 then Bengals have, for lack of a better term, sucked. It's gotten to the point where I'd pretty much given up caring about football in general. This from someone who used to follow the NFL fervently all throughout middle and high school. Enter the 2005 Bengals. After two years of 8-8 finishes, it appears that this year's team is destined for greatness, or at least a winning season. The team is led by young league leading quarterback Carson Palmer and two incredible recievers - T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the flamboyent Chad Johnson. Mr. Johnson's endzone celebrations bring to mind the Ickey shuffles of the last championship team. Currently 9-3, the Bengals face Cleveland tomorrow at home. More news as it develops.

Top 10 of 2005

2005-12-10T00:02:00.000-05:00

Since it's nearing the end of the calendar year I figured it's as good a time as any to choose my top ten records of 2005. Only problem is, I can only come up with nine. Perhaps I'll post another list when I think of that one last record that I've listened to as much as these other nine, but here are my top ten minus one of 2005 as of right about now ...

1. E.S.T. Viaticum (ACT)
2. KNEEBODY Break Me (Greenleaf Music)
3. WASILEWSKI/KURKIEWICZ/MISKIEWICZ Trio (ECM)
4. TORD GUSTAVSEN TRIO The Ground (ECM)
5. CHRIS CHEEK Blues Cruise (Fresh Sound New Talent)
6. DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE Plans (Atlantic)
7. COLDPLAY X&Y (Capitol)
8. AVISHAI COHEN At Home (Radaz)
9. BENEVENTO/RUSSO DUO The Best Reason To Buy The Sun (Ropeadope)

LISTEN: Top 10 of 2005 Podcast (15.8mb)
Musical samples of each of the above.

to blog or not to blog ...

2005-08-24T03:25:00.000-04:00

To blog. Here goes nothing.