iJazz therefore i am

The Glory Days Of GRP

2008-07-06T13:16:00.003-04:00

Remember how great of a label GRP was? The music, the artists, the level of production, the art work, the overall look and sound? Remember what it was like before the internet; when information wasn't instantaneous, when you didn't necessarily know what new releases where to come your way? About the only advance notice we got about upcoming releases were those incredible GRP ads. I thought that I'd start going through my back issue jazz magazines and scan some of the ads of releases that I've already talked about or plan to very shortly. This ad is from a September 1988 publication; I've already written about Kevin Eubanks' 'Shadow Prophets' and Special EFX's 'Double Feature', Chick Corea, David Benoit and Dave & Don Grusin will be coming. I guess that it would be asking too much for the HUGE conglomerates who now control the record business to put that sort of commitment and passion back into Jazz that GRP showed in the late eighties and early nineties - but I guess that's what dreams are all about!

Flying (low) Over The Horizon

2008-07-06T12:48:00.003-04:00

It was 1984, Fall, I was on a road-trip to watch a college football game, Syracuse vs Nebraska at the Dome. Earlier that year in the Spring, I had bought myself a Saab 900 Turbo for my 23rd birthday; it was a beauty, black with red interior, 5-speed stick, sunroof - everything, including a top of the line radar detector (mistake!) - not bad for being 1 year removed from college; I was feeling pretty good about myself that sunny Fall day - too good. As I made the 150 mile trip in a little over an hour an a half (!!), I had Azymuth pumping through the stereo (remember cassettes?) - Jazz Carnival, all that crazy rhythm, the organ and synths, the electronic percussion; there's a reason these 3 incredible musicians from Brazil call their music Crazy Samba - because it made me crazy that day - doing 110 mph down the Thruway! Unfortunately I wasn't able to use the music as an excuse when the Troopers pulled me over, 5 miles before my exit; at least they got me as I was slowing down - 95 in a 55, needless to say, my spirits weren't quite as high the rest of the day! As far as the game, I have no recollection, my only memory is of The Soundtrack Of My Life!
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Listen to 'Jazz Carnival', 'Partido Alto', and 'Fly Over The Horizon'

Jam

2008-07-05T17:12:00.004-04:00

Because of the likes of Soulive and Karl Denson, and because I felt 'free' and 'home' again, willing to break out of 'my box', I found myself on a very hot Saturday afternoon in August of 2001, barreling down the Thruway, looking forward to spending the rest of the weekend at my new/old hometown. I had a party to attend later that day, and was excited about meeting new people, making new acquaintances. As I drove, with the windows open in the heat, I was listening to Schleigho - Live At Ho-Down 2000; this girl that I knew, who was considerably younger than I, had recommended that I give them a listen - I'm glad I did. I heard influences of Weather Report, Miles, and a whole host of other great Jazz musicians. 2001 was certainly shaping up to be a great year for The Soundtrack Of My Life.

Listen to 'Go Children Slow'

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Did I Miss Lesson #1?

2008-07-05T16:47:00.003-04:00

OK, so maybe was I was working too hard and I was out of the loop! I can rationalize, at least to myself, for not knowing about Soulive, but how could I have missed Karl Denson - out on the same label no less? Again, It was early spring 2001, it was obvious to me, that I was all work and no play..........I would soon rectify that! I truly had no idea who Denson was, all I knew was that the monkey was rearing it's head and it needed to be fed, The Soundtrack Lived! Sometimes, when we least expect it, someone or something enters our lives.....for the better; leaving the drama aside, if I were to consider the last 7 1/2 years as a whole, as the latest chapter in The Soundtrack Of My Life, then Dance Lesson #2 is the door that I walked through, on my way there. For me, it's a seminal recording, one which helped me understand a whole new generation of up and coming young artists; just an absolute killer CD.

Listen to 'Flute Down', 'A Shorter Path #2', 'I Want The Funk' and 'Who Are You?'

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Back 'Home' doin' something

2008-07-05T16:24:00.004-04:00

Looking back, 2001 was a very significant year for me; moving back to the place I've come to realize was 'home' all along, developing what have become and always will be 'lifetime relationships', ending the old & beginning the new, falling in love, and being the best father I possibly could - from 150 miles away. And all through the year, The Soundtrack Of My Life grew; one of the first CD's that I picked up, after discovering the local independent music store, was Soulive's Blue Note debut, 'doin' something'. I remember feeling kind of dumb, looking at the display in this eclectic and very cool CD store, like I should have known who this group was - but I didn't have a clue. I bought the CD, they gave me a VHS video and an EP of one of the group's earlier releases; I was like, wow, did I miss something? Well, by now, I'm sure if you're a reader of this blog, you've probably heard of Soulive and their connection to both the Jazz and Jam crowds; if not, you're in for a treat!

Listen to 'Bridge To 'Bama' and 'Roll The Tape'

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Wrestling With A Decision

2008-06-26T20:18:00.006-04:00

"Wrestling With A Decision"........not my words, but an incredibly fitting and timely phrase. Not all the memories, experiences and stories are necessarily from the past; some are current, very current. How do you decide what is the right thing to do, which is the right path to take? Flip a coin, run an analysis, follow your heart, pursue your dreams? Or just conform and do what is expected of you, following the crowd like another cow in a herd of cattle. I don't know the answer, but I know what I'm feeling, and so do you - deep down we all do..........all it takes is courage, the courage of your convictions, and The Soundtrack........The Soundtrack Of My Life!

Listen To Brian Auger's version of Hebie Hancock's beautiful 'Butterfly', Kool & The Gang's 'Summer Madness' and PM Dawn's 'Adrift On Memory Bliss' and listen to yourself; maybe your heart's trying to tell you something! And remember, it's never too late to become what you might have been.

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Repercussions

2008-06-20T22:54:00.003-04:00

I picked up this CD in 1996, Repercussions Earth And Heaven, mostly because the majority of the musicians were also members of the Groove Collective. I never heard anything from this group again over the years, but this recording is killer! Absolutely contemporary in every way, and even listening to it today, 12 years later, it sounds as fresh as any Nue-Jazz being released.
Listen to 'Find Your Way', 'Test Of Time', 'Promise Me', 'Slice Of Heaven' , 'Love Like The Sun', and 'If There's A Question
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Sanborn Clone?

2008-06-20T22:31:00.004-04:00

A lot has been written in regards to the similarity in sound that Nelson Rangell has had to David Sanborn, especially amongst his early recordings. Perhaps it's true what they say; imitation is the greatest form of flattery, in any event, Nelson is a truly gifted saxophonist that's probably had a tougher time than most in identifying his own sound. I really don't remember what prompted me to pick up this release in 1988, but it probably was either a review or more likely a well placed ad - I'm glad I did. I've been a Rangell fan from the beginning, especially of his GRP output, and in a way, feel that Nelson really benefited from the Grusin/Rosen direction, and lost his a way a bit these last few years in terms of direction and production.

Listen to 'New Country', 'Heroes', and 'To Begin Again'

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An Endless Train Ride

2008-06-20T22:10:00.003-04:00

It was September of 1989, I was moving into a new apartment with my girlfriend, who down the road would become my wife and the mother of my children. My parents were there to help us out; that's the way they were. I remember that I had been eyeing David Becker's first two releases, and finally took the plunge and picked up his 1988 release, Siberian Express. I'm not sure what I thought I was getting into, but whatever itr was, I wasn't prepared for the incredible fusion of this amazing and under appreciated guitarist. The Soundtrack Of My Life would be totally incomplete without the Tribune and the rest of Becker's recordings. The internet has been good to me; the DBT has released a few new recordings the past few years, which has defiantly quenched my thirst for this incredible guitarist.
Listen to 'Anja', 'Hilversum' and 'Siberian Express'
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June Is GRP Month

2008-06-20T21:55:00.004-04:00

It was June of 1990, I was in Savannah, GA spending 10 days on the beach with my girlfriend....but it was also GRP month; remember when they used to do a summer promotion? How great were those ads of their upcoming releases? In any event, that Summer saw a great number of releases, one of which was Dave Valentin's collaboration with Herbie Mann, Two Amigos. I happened to take a day trip to Hilton Head Island, and stopped at this mall and picked up this CD, along with a few others that might just make this blog. I remember the day as if it was yesterday, and not 18 years ago!

Listen to 'Moonlight Walk' and 'Rambo The Cat'

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Change

2008-06-15T11:34:00.004-04:00

It was the Fall of 1987, around the time of The Stock Market Crash; my life was full of change, both consciously and subconsciously. I was in the process of embarking upon a new endeavor, forming new relationships, and at the same time, subconsciously, leaving old relationships behind. Almost twenty one years later, I have that same feeling again, that thirst for change, adventure, desire, that burning need to chase my dreams - an almost spiritual quest; I've even gone back and re-read The Alchemist. It was Lee Ritenour's Portrait that laid down the groove for The Soundtrack Of My Life that Fall 21 years ago; it was the first recording of his that I purchased in the CD format, just a great recording, made memorable by the prescience of The Yellowjackets on a number of tunes. I'm not sure where this quest is going to take me or if I even have the courage and strength to complete it, but I'm certain that The Soundtrack Of My Life will be there with me!
Listen to 'Windmill', 'White Water', 'Portrait', 'Runaway' and 'Route 17'
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Fall Of The Iron Curtain

2008-06-15T11:08:00.003-04:00

It was October of 1989, I was sitting on the couch, in my apartment, watching CNN, and all I could think of, was how I was actually witnessing history, taking place, right before my eyes - there on live television, I was witnessing people, young and old, free and oppressed, tearing down the Berlin Wall, while authorities from the soon to be former East Germany, just stood by, knowing that there was nothing they could do to stop this historic moment. As I often did, I was watching TV, with my Stax headphones on, I distinctly remember listening to Windows CD The French Laundry. Incredible, Historic, The Soundtrack Of My Life!

Listen to 'Night Whispers' and 'Spin Of The Wheel'

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If The Glove Does Not Fit, You Must Acquit

2008-06-15T10:33:00.004-04:00

It was Fall of 1995, I had just picked up this GRP project, and was really looking forward to listening to these Beatles interpretations; not that I was a Beatles fan, because I'm not, but because I really liked GRP and the artists involved in this project. I listened to the disc on the way to the outpatient surgery center, to repair an old hockey injury. In the days that followed, while I laid around the house recovering - I'd get to witness, along with the rest of the nation, mesmerised, as a certain white Ford Bronco dashed down the Santa Monica Freeway, followed by a convoy of police cruisers and helicopters - The Soundtrack Of My Life, you gotta love it!

Listen to Goove Collective's version of 'She's So Heavy' and Spyro Gyra's interpretation of 'In My Life'

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Jam Up

2008-06-15T09:48:00.004-04:00

It was........2 nights ago; we found ourselves in a really cool performing arts center, located in Homer, NY; it was hot and humid, the perfect setting for a sold out performance (400 fans) of Spyro Gyra. Used to be I'd catch Spyro Gyra on a regular basis, but I think I've only seen them twice since 1992; once in '92 for their Three Wishes tour in Raleigh, NC and then in 1996 or 1997 (I think) when they opened for Basia in Buffalo, NY. For some reason, our paths have not crossed, until this year, when I get to see them twice! They smoked, as usual the other night, drummer Bonny B brings a whole new dynamic to the band, I'm excited to see how this plays out in future projects. Jay and the guys mixed the old with the new, as usual, but the arrangement of Shaker Song, was probably the best I've ever heard, with Julio Fernandez and Bonny B providing background vocals! The venue was awesome, a converted church, semi-circular seating for 400 patrons. Another highlight was their performance of Heliopolis, one of my all-time favorite compositions, maybe I'm getting old, but I don't ever remember being at one of their performances, and there's been many, when they performed this gem. I'm looking forward to July 27th!
Listen to 'Jam Up' and 'Heliopolis'
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Happy Father's Day Dad, I Miss You

2008-06-15T09:23:00.004-04:00

It was 1996, by now my father was on dialysis, and he had to be taken to the center to get hooked up to the machine 2-3 times a week - it was a real shitty scene - for everyone. I remember driving over to my parent's to take him for a treatment; I had this Infiniti J30 which had an awesome stereo in it; for some reason of all the memories, many of which I've blocked out about this time, this one stands out like it happened yesterday - it was late spring, and I had Fattburger's newest CD cranked, listening to cover versions of Oye Como Va and Everybody Wants To Rule The World. I can't believe it's been almost 12 years since he's been gone; This Is The Soundtrack Of My Life, I miss you dad, everyday - I love you. Whether or not we get to hear another release from Fattburger, will be the question going forward - ironically, Carl Evans Jr, co-founder of the group, passed away earlier this year, he too a victim of the effects of diabetes.

Listen to 'Oye Como Va' and 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World'

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Super Find

2008-05-28T21:54:00.003-04:00

Whenever I'd get to NYC, I'd head straight to Tower Records on Broadway in lower Manhattan; back when people actually bought LP's and CD's, you remember - before the major recording companies turned their back on Jazz and any other creative output. In any event, Jorge Dalto's two LP's from Japan, Rendezvous and New York Nightline were the type of treasure I was after when I could get to Tower and spend hours fingering through the bins. The excitement I felt when I found these two records, with Jay Beckenstein, Tom Browne, Dave Valentin, George Benson and David Sanborn on hand, along with numerous other Superfriends, is rarely replicated today - not because there aren't great artists, but mainly because there aren't too many chances being taken in the recording industry today. These two records fell out of The Soundtrack Of My Life for awhile, until they were re-released last year on CD.
Listen to 'You're Like An Angel', 'Winds Of Love', 'My Latin Brother' and 'Pina Colada'
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The Sound of Romance

2008-05-28T21:06:00.003-04:00

She was young, so was I; she was beautiful and had an incredible shape. She worked in a store at the mall, and every time I went to visit her, this incredibly sexy song would be playing in the store, or so it seemed. It was 1981, there was no internet, no Smooth Jazz radio, trying to find this song that I kept hearing was a real mystery, a true treasure hunt. Once I discovered Michael Franks, his voice and music became the de facto soundtrack for the bedroom, for many years and relationships to come; I made cassettes, bought cassettes and cd's and delivered them as gifts - all with the express purpose that 'we' would be sharing in the music. I don't really listen to Michael Franks all that much anymore, not that he's not a part of The Soundtrack Of My Life, quite the opposite; I just sort of burned out on the memories, the emotions and feelings are too strong. While he's still a part of The Soundtrack, I doubt his music will ever be part of the bedroom again, at least it hasn't been in over 7 years, and I'm good with that. But every now and then, I think back to that clothing store, looking at her, with Down In Brazil playing in the background.
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Just Another Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2008-05-28T20:31:00.002-04:00

It was early 1988, my personal situation at the time, and what was going on in my life, has been documented previously in this blog, so I won't bore you with the same stories. Needless to say, it was one of those Sunday afternoons, I found myself laying on the couch with nothing to do (or was that no one to do??) - so off to the mall I went. I ended up at the record store, big surprise huh? I came across this cd by Kit Walker, I had no idea who he was, but the recording was produced by Andy Narell - that was good enough for me! To this day, 20 years later, I can't put this disc on and listen to Natural Habitat just once, it's like eating potato chips, one just doesn't do it! Kit Walker hasn't released a whole lot under his own name the last 20 years, but Dancing On The Edge Of The World has been a staple of The Soundtrack Of My Life, and will be for the next 20 years to come!
Listen to 'Natural Habitat', 'Wind and Water' and 'When The Mountains Talk'
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Dad, I miss you

2008-05-28T19:57:00.004-04:00

1992, late summer around Labor Day, my father was in the hospital to have his leg amputated; it was a bad time for everyone - a real bad one for me. Besides the obvious issue at hand (or is that leg), there was major concern that he wasn't going to be strong enough to make it through the anesthesia; I remember sitting in the waiting room at the hospital, for what seemed to forever with my mother and sister. Fortunately he made it through. When I went back to my place that afternoon, I did what I needed to do - lose myself in the music, The Soundtrack Of My Life. It was Wayne Henderson And The Next Crusade that got me through the rest of that day, along with some of that magical potion that those monks in Scotland first distilled so many centuries ago. I miss my father terribly, he's tightly woven throughout The Soundtrack Of My Life, I could write dozens of stories.......if the music gives me the strength to do so.

Listen to 'Rosa Cafe', 'Right On Brother' and 'Urban Jungle'

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The Dark Prince

2008-05-15T03:47:00.002-04:00

The first album by Miles Davis that I bought was The Man With The Horn in 1981; little did I know what I'd be getting myself into! Over the years, Miles, especially his Electric Period, has been a foundation and reference point of The Soundtrack Of My Life. I've been pretty busy the last few weeks, but I've got a load of stories to share; until then, I hope you enjoy this review I did of the latest Miles tribute - Miles From India.

Guitarist

2008-05-05T12:18:00.005-04:00

I was a fan of Kevin Eubanks ever since I picked up his first release, Guitarist, on Elektra-Musician, but of all his releases to date, the one that has had the greatest effect upon The Soundtrack Of My Life is Shadow Prophets. In 1988, I played this CD constantly, in fact, in the Summer of '88, I used the disc to profile a new set of high-end speakers, which I eventually purchased along with the requisite audiophile gear to power them. Over the years I've read bits of interviews from Eubanks, who said he wasn't that proud of his GRP output - I don't know, looking back and listening, those GRP albums hold up well, and the material is everything that in my opinion, contemporary jazz ought to be; he certainly wasn't playing anything 'smooth'! I had a chance to catch Eubanks in 1989, soon after the release of The Searcher, which I've always felt was just as strong as Shadow Prophets. He was performing at the Tralfamadore Cafe, and his group was smokin'; Gene Jackson on drums, Rael Wesley Grant on bass, who was just as amazing to watch as Kevin was live, the keyboard player's name escapes me - funny thing was, they never played any selections from The Searcher?! Years later, I caught Eubanks in 2004 performing with Billy Pierce, Smitty Smith and the great Charnett Moffett; his intensity was incredible. From 1989 to 2004, full circle, The Soundtrack Of My Life.
Listen to 'Mice Mobsters' and 'Shadow Prophets' from Shadow Prophets, 'The Story Teller' and 'Cookin'' from The Searcher and 'Spider Monkeys' from Live.
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Arrived 'Full Circle'

2008-05-03T18:37:00.003-04:00

It was 2001, not really Fall yet, more like Indian Summer, it was early evening, I was waiting for my dinner date to arrive, the night air blowing through the window was cool. I had Alexander Zonjic's Reach For The Sky in the CD player, when the Bob James composition 'Angela' came on; it struck me - after 21 years, I had come 'full circle'. I was back in the same town where The Soundtrack Of My Life had begun, listening to a song, that I had first listened to (on All Around Town), in another small apartment 21 years earlier - wow, that's some powerful shit. Whoever doesn't believe that everything happens for a reason, has no clue what life, passion and desire are all about.
Listen to 'Angela' and 'Bellavia'
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Full Circle

2008-05-03T18:10:00.003-04:00

It was 1988, no I hadn't yet come 'full circle', that would come later in 2001; but I remember distinctly the day I purchased the Columbia debut release of Full Circle. It was a beautiful late summer day, a Sunday, cruised over to the record store in my Saab 900 Turbo with my girlfriend. On the way we stopped for breakfast, at a pancake place, then went to the record store. Somewhere along the way we got into a heated argument over something, she jumped out of the car at a red light, refused to get back in; I left, went home, popped my new find into the CD player and enjoyed an awesome young group out of Boston's Berklee College. I had a great afternoon; she made it back at some point, welcome to The Soundtrack Of My Life.
Listen to 'Sorcerer's Appearance'
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Little Sunflower

2008-04-30T19:29:00.003-04:00

It was 1982, still in college, when I came across Milt Jackson's Sunflower; already a huge fan of CTI and Freddie Hubbard's output for the storied label, but for some reason, I had never heard of his composition 'Sunflower' until stumbling across Jackson's album, with it's beautiful cover art. There was a local record company that also had this huge national distribution business, that decided to open the doors to it's warehouse and blow out it's stock of vinyl, cassettes and eight-tracks - which was like opening the door to Fort Knox as far as I was concerned. Needless to say, I think over two days I came home with over 100 Lp's! Sunflower was one of them. Talk about turbo-charging The Soundtrack Of My Life!
Listen to 'Sunflower' and 'People Make The World Go Round'

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Hope

2008-04-16T13:15:00.003-04:00

Early 1988 was a tough time for me; it was full of change, which was exciting; yet The Soundtrack Of My Life was facing the new and unknown. I didn't know who Basia was, but I caught her on the Today Show and she was incredible! Why was music like this predominately coming out of the UK at this time? What were the young artists on this side of the Atlantic thinking? In any event, 'New Day For You' really struck a chord with where I was, it still does, especially when I'm faced with the unknown. Enjoy!

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