This Date in Music – October 16, 1969 – Jazz Trumpeter Roy Hargrove was born!

Today is the birthday of another of the great musicians of the last 20 years, who I  discovered last year when I listened to his album Earfood– what’s new!! It’s what happens when you’re paying more attention to the past and not the present. Anyway, today is the 45th birthday of trumpeter Roy Hargrove. From All About Jazz…. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove was born in Waco, TX on October 16, 1969. Inspired by the gospel music he heard in church on Sundays and the R&B and funk music that played on the radio, Roy began learning the trumpet in the fourth grade. By…

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Jazz Artists of the Day – Lee Konitz and Pharoah Sanders

Lee Konitz and Pharoah Sanders share an October 13th birthday    Lee Konitz And Pharoah Sanders   Two iconic jazz saxophone players share October 13th as their birthday. One, is alto sax player Lee Konitz. Konitrz is considered one of the main figures in the cool jazz movement. However, Konitz also performed successfully in bebop and avant-garde settings throughout his career. The other,is  tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. Sanders is an important figure in the development of free jazz. In 1949 and 1950 Konitz was a member of Miles Davis’s band that recorded with the tracks that became the Birth of the Cool album. From Wikipedia: The…

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Jazz Artists of the Day – Lee Konitz and Pharoah Sanders on their shared birthday – October 13th!!

Two iconic jazz saxophone players share October 13th as their birthdays. one, alto sax player Lee Konitz, is considered one of the main figures in the cool jazz movement, although Konitz has also performed successfully in bebop and avant-garde settings throughout his career. The other, tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders is an important figure in the development of free jazz. Konitz recorded with Miles Davis  in 1949 and 1950 tracks that became the Birth of the Cool album. From Wikipedia.. The presence of Konitz and other white musicians in the group angered some black jazz players, many of whom were unemployed at the time, but Davis…

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Oct 12, 1954 – Jazz Guitarist Ed Cherry was born! Oct 9th Dave Samuels’ birthday! Lots from Michael Bloomfield!!

On this date in 1954 jazz guitarist Ed Cherry was born. This morning I listened to his latest release It’s All Good and it is! Here’s what some folks say about Ed’s guitar work: “Ed is a great, soulful, swinging underrated player deserving of wider recognition.” – Bill Milkowski 1/13/11″ “An expressive instrumentalist, Cherry has a hip, melodic approach that is a refreshing contrast to guitarists who frequently resort to playing ‘finger music’, the execution of rapid streams of notes that serve no musical purpose other than to fill space”– Jim Ferguson: Jazztimes – 06/02 “Particularly dazzling – Cherry’s guitar…

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Hot Rize – When I’m Free

Note to Hot Rize: 24 yrs between albums is too long!!   When I started to listen to a lot of music and collecting CDs, thanks to the used CD bins at Tunes in Marlton, in the early 2000s,  I found the music of Tim O’Brien, an amazing multi-instrumentalist and singer.  I also discovered the music of guitarist Charles Sawtelle. It took a while before I stumbled upon a great bluegrass album So Long a Journey (2002)  from the band Hot Rize. I discovered that both O’Brien and Sawtelle were members of the band, along with  Pete Wernick, and Nick…

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Exploring the Neo-Prog of the UK’s Cosmograf – Capacitor – Electrifying!

So once again I listen to a band, I like their music , I go to read about the band and I find, the band is mostly a one-person band and the music fits into the Neo-Prog sub-genre!! In this instance, the band is Cosmograf and the rock project leader is Robin Armstrong, a multi-instrumentalist from Waterlooville (near Portsmouth) in the United Kingdom. (We pause now to give in to my ADD and to find out more about Waterlooville) Waterlooville is a town in Hampshire, England, near the southern cost of England, approximately 8 miles north of Portsmouth. From Wikipedia:…

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Exploring the Crossover Prog of Umphrey’s McGee – Similar Skin!

One of the albums that has been in my rotation for a couple of weeks now is the latest release from Umphrey’s McGee Similar Skin. Umprhey’s McGee is a crossover prog band with a large following known alternately as “Umphreaks” and “McGeeks. Here’s what they say on their website about the band…..  Umphrey’s McGee has risen to the upper echelons of the improvisational-rock scene through their seamless compositing of diverse musical influences, from progressive-rock to metal to funk to folk to jazz-fusion to classic song-based rock-and roll, all woven together with infectious melodies, thought-provoking lyrics, pristine harmonies, blistering musicianship, and…

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“Into the Morning” with the progressive bluegrass of Greensky Bluegrass – “Demons”

One of the albums that has been in my rotation since it’s release last week, is If Sorrow Swims from Greensky Bluegrass. Greensky Bluegrass is one of my favorite progressive bluegrass bands. I discovered their music a few years back and loved the album Live at Bells,  on that album the band really displays their musicianship. I liked their last album Handguns, but not as much as the earlier albums. If Sorrow Swims reminds me more of their earlier albums. Here’s a statement from the band’s website about the band… “There’s this great duality to our band,” reflects Greensky Bluegrass…

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Exploring the Psychedelic/Space Rock of the UK’s Amplifier – Mystoria!

So yesterday the soundtrack for my run (you can read about the run here) was the latest release Mystoria from the UK psychedelic/Space rock band Amplifier. Amplifier plays highly original material using deeply personal lyrics with walls of noise and stunning melodies. Mystoria is the fifth studio album from the band. They have also released several singles and EPs and one live album.  The original members of the band were Sel Balamir lead guitarist and vocalist, Matt Brobin on drums and bassist Neil Mahony. After there 2011 release the band members changed with former Oceansize guitarist Steve Durose and bassist…

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Exploring the Jazz of Post-Bop Drummer – Elvin Jones – Elvin!

Origianally Posted at FreeWheelin Jazz Safari – Sept 14, 2014 Among the Jazz birthdays on September 9th was post-bop drummer Elvin Jones. Jones was born in 1927 and was best known for his time with the John Coltrane Quartet.  Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan and was one of  seven children of Henry and Olivia Jones. His family was very musical and his two older brothers Hank and Thad both became respected jazz musicians. Hank was a pianist and Thad played trumpet and coronet. After  serving in the Army from 1946-49, Elvin moved to New York to make his way…

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