Rich – Esperanza Spalding – “Formwela 10” – I’m listening to this after the fact, after originally missing it on the way home from Rowan. I am always impressed with Esperanza, an incredible diverse musician who has the ability to “crossover” successfully despite performing very complex music. Part of that is being a singer who is young and beautiful but I still feel it deserves closer inspection. I often wonder where popular artistic successes originate from: a performance, luck, a great promotional approach etc. I compare her to Herbie Hancock in this way, mainly because she doesn’t seem to sacrifice her artistic philosophies to gain the success she has had. Pretty song, hope you had a good time at the Bjork show Rich!
Travis – Another 70’s sounding groove from Travis, but I am already suspect as too if it is originally 70’s or retroactively 70’s. The buzzy synth sound of the melody sounds newer to me. Some latin tinge to this that fits in well with the Live Ray Baretto I was listening to on the way home from Rowan. Definitely a great groove and fine musicians but not really getting anywhere – still a fun listen. Excellent drumming. Azymuth – “A Prasa”
Bart – “A Flower is A Lovesome Thing” – Don’t know the singer though. But Billy Strayhorn transcends everything. In the span of the last few moments of the Seshjawn I feel compelled to play Bjork w/ String Quartet’s (w/ Rich going to her concert w/ orchestra right now, in Iceland, he is virtually attending) or now to play different Strayhorn versions. And then after the discussion I want to play some Tony Scott. Picking a song at the Seshjawn is an art unto itself. Ozzie Bailey is the singer, he has a couple of other Ellington credits. Strayhorn on piano.
David – John McLaughlin & Chick Corea Five Peace Band – “some of” “Dr. Jackle” – Chick is going through some serious keyboard history here. Dave decided to play a few excerpts from this lengthy recording. But somehow after the jump I’m wondering how we arrived here. As perfect an idea for improvised music as I can think of = “How did we arrive here?” and just wanting to know. McLaughlin sort of sounds like a mini horn section behind Chick, but there are horns – maybe he was blending in? Sounded like a guitar with making horn-like sounds to me.
Dan – Milton Nascimento – “Hoje É Dia de El Rey” – The sounds on this album are totally tripping! Amazing sound design. And great saxophone from Paolo Mouro. I generally find the saxophone in non-jazz music to be drawn from a different technique. Unfortunately it is often because of not so great saxophonists, but also from my own personal experience you do need to play differently in Blues, Rock, Reggae etc. styles. There are wonderful exceptions like the “Walk on the Wild Side” solo which is one of my favorite saxophone moments in popular music. But generally a lot of Pop Sax is cheesy and I find different instrumental traditions in Ska/Reggae, Afro Pop and Brazilian music Frequently sub-par players are in the mix: out of tune (I do not mean of a different pitch philosophy), sloppy and over-tonguing or uninspired basic melodies. Mouro here is doing some serious playing though. The album “Milagro De Los Peces” is gorgeous even without most of the lyrics. Which were dropped based on Milton being censured by the Brazilian government. My first experience with Milton is Wayne Shorter’s “Native Dancer”, such a disappointment for young me because it wasn’t Hard Bop or Fusion Wayne, but an album that has grown on me. I have always wondered about Milton’s greatness but have never found an album until this one that expressed it to me.
Pete – Lucille Bogan – “Shave ‘Em Dry” – A dirty blues. See “W.A.P.” has been happening for ages… These “Dirty Blues” were banned on the radio but definitely made for the radio. In the early years of recordings and radio “the rules” (like today with the internet being ahead of the laws) weren’t really set up yet and instead became reactions to what people tried to do and these eventually were banned (Interesting contrast in censorship with these last 2 tracks). There are lots of these nasty songs about sex and drugs, way before Rock & Roll or Rap. And Travis rightly brings up the Library of Congress Recordings of Jelly Roll Morton where Jelly Roll intentionally expresses himself in full dirty regalia. However the track I would have mentioned would be “Winin’ Boy Blues” something I used as an audition piece for colleges years ago – I thought it would be an inside joke with anyone familiar with it.
Found Sounds 