Yesterday in Music Nov 29, 1964 Part 2 – Happy Birthday Jesse Cook!

  Yesterday I wrote about Chuck Mangione and how recognizable “Feels So Good” was in the 70s, how about if of this morning I play some music from my music library, that I instantly recognize Jesse Cook’s “Mario Takes a Walk!” Jesse Arnaud Cook is a Canadian guitarist, composer, and producer. Widely considered one of the most influential figures in “nouveau flamenco” (new flamenco) music, he incorporates elements of flamenco rumba, jazz & many forms of world music into his work. He is a Juno Award winner, Acoustic Guitar (magazine)’s Player’s Choice Award silver winner in the Flamenco Category, and…

Continue reading

Today in Music – Nov 29 Part 1 – Happy Birthday – Chuck Mangione !

So today’s list of birthdays containing many artists who appear in my music library including: John Mayall who celebrates his 80th birthday today. Man, it seems like just yesterday I we were celebrating his 70th with that great concert album, Felix Cavaliere turns 69 (The Rascals) I have a couple of albums he recorded with Steve Cropper in my collection, and one of my favorite acoustic guitarists Jesse Cook celebrates birthday 49! So Happy Bithday Guys!! Finally the last one on the list is Chuck Mangionne. Though I only have one of his albums in my vinyl collection his big…

Continue reading

Today in Music – November 25, 1986 – Bassist Daseul Kim is Born! Happy Birthday Dasuel!

At the top of the list of todays’ birthdays at All About Jazz was bassist Daseul Kim who was born on this date in 1986 in South Korea. Kim’s musical journey has taken him from that homeland of South Korea to a new home in New Jersey. After landing in the New York Metropolitan Area, Dasheul is quickly building his reputation as one of the most promising young bassists on the New York jazz scene. From his website: Exposed early on to traditional Korean music, Daseul quickly gained attention when he was awarded the grand prize in Korea’s National Students…

Continue reading

Life’s Soundtrack – Running Smoothly with Neo-Prog from Wales’ – Also Eden

The Run So back on Monday night (the warmest of this week) I put on my headlamp and ventured out for a four mile run, I created a new route that kept me from crossing or being on any major roads during the run. Overall the run was pretty good. And though I always slow down when it’s dark my split times were really not that bad!  Overall the course measured  4.13 miles and my time was 41:48. The computes to an average pace of 10:07 minutes per mile. The Soundtrack The soundtrack for the run was  [Redacted]. It’s the…

Continue reading

The Other Half of this Morning’s Soundtrack – Prog Rockers from Wales – 25 Yard Screamer!!

So like I wrote earlier today,  this morning’s soundtrack was a little eclectic, as I listened to two albums at the opposite ends of the musical spectrum. The first was Herb Alpert’s new album Steppin’ Out and at the other end of the spectrum was a progressive rock album from a trio from the UK 25 Yard Screamer. I found 25 Yard Screamer’s name among the new prog rock releases early this morning.. Their new album is titled Something that Serves to Remind or Reward. A quick trip to MOG returned only the band’s 2011 release Until All are One. So…

Continue reading

Today in Music – Nov 18, 1959 – Jazz/Rock Drummer Cindy Blackman is Born! Happy Birthday Mrs. Santana!!

The first jazz artist that caught my eye when I reviewed the birthday list this morning at All About Jazz was Cindy Blackman and the reason was simple she is a drummer!!  I do believe that there are not that many of them around!!  What I didn’t know at the time, aside from who the hell she is, was that in the spring of 2010 Cindy sat in with Carlos Santana when the band’s drummer  Dennis Chambers had a previous commitment. Cindy and Carlos had first met several years earlier at a festival in Europe when Cindy was touring with Lenny Kravitz….

Continue reading

The Safari Starts with Anke Helfrich’s Birthday and my ADD Leads Me to New Jazz!!

   Ok so the Safari tonight started with a search for some jazz musicians born on the. The first name that caught my eye was right at the top of the list at the birthday list at All About Jazz – Anke Helfrich  a German pianist and, composer of modern jazz .  Helfrich grew up in Windhoek ( Namibia ) and Weinheim , where she took piano lessons. After initial successes as a national award winner at ” Youth jazzes “(1987) she studied in Freiburg and from 1989 on the” Amsterdamse Hooge School voor de Kunsten “inHilversum at Elkerbout Henk and Rob Madna . Due to their excellent statements she received a scholarship that her additional…

Continue reading

Today in Music – November 8, 1963 – Happy 50th Birthday Russell Malone!!

The first time I really heard the guitar of Russell Malone was one night a while back when I stumbled upon this video of Malone, Christian McBride and Benn Green performing Wes Montgomery;s “Jingles” and I was blown away by his talent!!  (and McBride and Green’s talent too!!) Anyway, today I get to say Happy Birthday to Mr Malone! Russell Malone was born on this date in 1963 in Albany Georgia…and is  is an essentially self-taught[1] swing and bebop jazz guitarist. He began working with Jimmy Smith in 1988, and went on to work with Harry Connick, Jr. and Diana…

Continue reading

Today in Music – Oct 26, 1956 – Vibist Marc Wagnon is born – Happy Birthday Marc!!

As I looked over the birthdays today at All About Jazz the first one that caught my eye was another vibist or vibraphonist (it is an either) Marc Wagnon. But then I got distracted by the career of Eddie Henderson and didn’t take time to write about Marc!! and once again my wife posted this on my timeline on Facebook and claims it relates to me! Now where were we, oh yeah Marc Wagnon – here’s what some folks think about Marc “Forward-thinking composing supported by spectacular musicianship.” John Barron, allaboutjazz.com “this is an exemplary set that delivers the goods on…

Continue reading

Today in Music – Oct 22, 1957 – Happy Birthday – Canadian Jazz Artist Jane Bunnett

A while back I discovered the music of Canadian jazz musician Jane Bunnett, like usual it was on a night that I was looking for new music and boy did I listened to Cuban Rhapsody  featuring both Jane and pianist Hilario Durán. and if you’ve never heard it give it a listen it’s great! Anyway, today I get to wish her a Happy Birthday Jane was  born on October 22, 1956 and is a Canadian soprano saxophonist, flautist and bandleader known for her Afro-Cuban jazz melodies. In addition to her primary instruments, Bunnett also plays the trompeta china, a Cuban wind instrument of Chinese origin. Born and educated in Toronto, she trained…

Continue reading