A Masterful Tribute to Charlie Haden

I have spent my morning listening to this wonderful tribute to the late bassist and composer Charlie Haden. Most of the tunes are remarkable Haden compositions, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba, who played with the master on several terrific albums, handles each of them with an intuitive touch. Even "Hermitage," a Pat Metheny piece Haden recorded with his Quartet West, sounds as if it was taped inside the brain of jazz. The backing band has no slouches, giving the material the honor and empathy it deserves. But most importantly, this is fine, fine music. Rich in texture, and deep in soulfulness, Charlie should fill the heart of any room with delight.

Listen to the album on iTunes.

This song isn't on the disc, but I like it:

Drifting Along with Hammock

I cannot stop listening to Everything and Nothing. Just getting into "Post-rock," Hammock is new to me, but they have been around a long time, and everything they do is shimmering gold sonic goodness. But this project, rivaling Oblivion Hymns in strength and intensity, just does me in. There are the haunted words and ethereal vocals in tunes like "Dissonance" and "We Were So Young." But most of the songs are instrumentals that which range from ambient moodscapes to pulsing rock, perfect for driving under a wide open sky. The textures created by guitarists Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson are always a delight, even when it is clear the songs address sadness and the transitory nature of life. Whether you are drifting under the stars or watching someone you love drift from your grasp, this is the soundtrack of your movie.

Listen to this album on Spotify.

A Barely Controlled Fire

Gabriela Montero is certainly one of the finest pianists recording. Her emotive playing is like listening to a barely controlled fire. This is evidenced on her recent project.

She performs the first three tracks with the YOA Orchestra of the Americas (conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto) in a delicious rendition of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto. Of course the composition itself is a delight, but in these hands it is even more stirring and wonderful.

The next piece is Montero's own composition "Ex Patria: In Memoriam" described on her website as, "an unapologetic musical commentary on Venezuela today, ravaged by violent crime, corruption and economic collapse." Her passion and love for her native country and her thoughts on the the corruption which plagues it is clear to anyone who follows her  on social media. This piece gives expression to the beauty and the savagery that is present day Venezuela. Part dirge, part rant, part love poem: "Ex Patria" is wholly moving.


I would put Gabriela Montero right up there with Keith Jarrett as an improviser, and the three gorgeous pieces which close the album are fine examples of why. Her playing here is so delicate and bright, you may think you are hearing the opening of flowers.

Great Hymns Find Fresh Treatment

Instrumental albums are not terribly popular among Christians, and when most American Christians hear instrumental music, it is typically bland or syrupy versions of comfortable and safe hymns played as background. Rarely do we see skillfully played, fresh versions of some of the world's most meaningful music, and so believers should not be surprised when few take their music seriously.

Richard Souther, however, is no ordinary musician. His own compositions are beautiful and uplifting. And though he primarily works with a palette of keyboards and synthesizers, his recent project, Hymns Revisited, has the solo piano shining like a candle in a darkened chapel. Souther's arrangements and sensitive playing are simply remarkable.

The album opens with "Morning Has Broken," introduced with an improvisation that is like opening slowly onto a new day, like waking gently. This song is followed by rendition of "Fairest Lord Jesus" which manages to be stately without sounding pompous. Next comes one of my favorites of this project: "It Is Well With My Soul." Here Souther melds the joy and fire of the original tune with flights on the keys (particularly the left hand work) that accentuate the quiet power of faith.

Much of "I Surrender All" sounds stark, almost naked, as the chorus sounds like a lone voice crying out to a God who is sure to save. Here there are also flurries and improvisations that never stray so far from the original as to be unrecognizable, but which put me in my mind a heart led by the wind of the Holy Spirit. Next comes "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," a good follow up as it sounds less like evangelism than a word spoken to the troubled, surrendering soul.

For some reason, iTunes and Amazon have marked "Softly and Tenderly" as explicit. Explicit what? Explicitly beautiful piano? Explicitly true to the beauty of the old tune? Explicitly warm and inviting? Explicit in expressing a faith so deep it needs no words?

Next comes "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" sounding like heart dancing.  A solo piano version of this tune can go very wrong, by making the song either too maudlin or so much like a romp that the sense of joy is lost. But Souther keeps at just the right tempo. This is followed by "Come Thou Font Of Every Blessing," which like the first three tracks is stirring and soulful. I've always loved this song, so I think I'm particularly sensitive to poor versions of it. This is one of the finest I've ever heard.

The last two songs on Hymns Revisited are "I Need Thee Every Hour" and "His Eye Is On The Sparrow." The first played like the gorgeous and thoughtful prayer it should be. I find myself inwardly bowing as I hear it, wanting to be closer to the great God it addresses. The latter also is also like prayer, but not the expression one gives to God, but what God returns in the conversation.

So many musicians would take these hymns and turn them in to Liberace-like opportunities to show of their ability to add flourishes, drawing attention to the player and not the music. Others merely render the melodies and assume that because the songs are traditional, they will move the listener. Both approaches diminish the power of these great songs and hide the very God they purport to reveal. Many people would claim that without the words, there is nothing to be said. But Richard Souther's album is so well done it demonstrates the scope and love of a living God. I cannot recommend it more highly.

Lemonade

One might expect, if one knows of the work Charlie Peacock – either as a producer, songwriter, or musician– that if he wanted to make a solo piano album, it might filled with standards of pop tunes and well-known jazz songs. And he could do that and do it well.  But Peacock doesn't do this on Lemonade. He fully embraces the spirit of improvisation and what we get is delightfully quirky sometimes but always delightful. 

My favorite tunes on this album include the more introspective pieces such as "Like Monet's Table," "Homeless in the Cosmos," and "How Maria Fell Behind." Other songs, like "Jude, as in Hey Jude," may take some getting used to by listeners who are not used to the twists and turns of improvisation a la Keith Jarrett, but I think the rewards are worth the time spent.

For me, there are too few jazz albums by Charlie Peacock. Prior to Lemonade, he had only given us Love Press Ex-Curio and Arc of` the Circle with saxophonist Jeff Coffin. Mr. Peacock's work in other genre's is stellar and much better known, but let's hope it does not take another several years to bring us another fine jazz album.

Contemplative Fellowship

I have been listening to Jeff Johnson's music for many years, always delighted by his compositions and sensitive playing. His collaborations with Brian Dunning (of Nightnoise fame) have almost always been nothing short of stunning. So I am not surprised to find this project, with violinist Wendy Goodwin to be remarkable and quite edifying.

All of the songs here are arranged to give each player plenty of room to shine without blotting out the contributions of the others. This is music that adds beauty to just about any environment, whether that be your personal quiet time, reading a book with a quiet beverage, or conversations with friends. In fact, this music feels like a contemplative conversation where few words need to be shared, but fellowship is deepened.

More information about this brilliant album can be found here.

  

Adams' Trios Two a Second Helping of Delight Pie

John Adams is not only an extraordinary bassist, making each tune he plays fuller and heavenly, but he is also a terrific bandleader. This release is the second he has produced featuring some of the trios he has played with in the past few years. Trios is one of my favorites among his recordings, but this project surpasses even that disc.

The first six tracks feature the piano, with Lee Tomboulian and JT Thomas on keyboard and drums for the opener "Love For Sale," and Brian Piper (piano) and Mike Drake (drums) on the next five tunes. I've been fans of Piper and Drake for some time, and they surely don't disappoint here. I strongly recommend getting the digital version of Trios Two because it contains sterling renditions of "Norwegian Wood" and "The Lady Is A Tramp" which cannot be found on the CD.

Mike Drake also plays on the next three tracks, which present Jason Bucklin on guitar. All three tunes are delicious, but my favorite slice of delight pie is the transcendent "Alice In Wonderland."

The late (and very missed) sax giant, Marchel Ivery, closes this set with Ed Soph taking the drum chair on "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Giant Steps." Ivory rides these tunes like the mad conductor of a runaway train. I'd ride anywhere with these three.

Trios Two is not just a "standards" album. These tunes may never get old, particularly for jazz fans, but John Adams and his crews keep these songs -- and the heart of this reviewer -- very young.

A Tribute to the Voice, but Not the Playing

Before Nat King Cole became famous for his beautiful crooning, singing songs like "Unforgettable," "Mona Lisa," and "Route 66," he was the leader of a hot trio. That silky voice made people forget his prowess at the piano. I have noticed that many who know the music of George Benson have the same problem: they remember him singing such tunes as "Turn Your Love Around" and "This Masquerade." They forget his hit "Breezin" or his early work shredding Miles Davis' "Oleo" and "All Blues," or even trying on Wes Montgomery's "Four on Six." Remember that great part of "On Broadway" that is equal parts guitar solo and scat?

Hence, while I find this project, where Benson pays tribute to the Nat King Cole, enjoyable, I am disappointed about what is not here. I'm sure I'll be in the minority, but I would love to have heard at least a couple pieces from Cole's pre-singing catalog. Failing that, I would like to have heard more of Benson's guitar.

Make no mistake. George Benson still has a wonderful voice, and he does a serviceable job with these songs. Not only do we have sweet versions of ballads like "Too Young," "When I Fall In Love," and "Smile" (probably my favorite), but the peppier songs like "Route 66" and "Straighten Up and Fly Right" are given solid treatment and delivered with Benson's usual punch. But the guitar is all but absent. The solo on "Unforgettable" is mediocre, and the one on "Nature Boy" is nice, but too short. While the playing on "Straighten Up and Fly Right" is much closer to what I am used to from Mr. Benson, it meanders perhaps a bit. Other than a handful of acoustic flourishes on "Mona Lisa," that is pretty much all the six-string work listeners get.

The album is going to be very enjoyable for those who like the lush strings or big band arrangements one used to hear on Nat King Cole's most memorable performances. It is romantic and pleasant. But if you are looking for the George Benson whose fingers fly on the fretboard, you are not going to find much.

Sequel of Communion Songs

I enjoy still Frio Suite,the first collaboration by Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy, so when I saw they would release another project together, I was very excited. Both are certainly master craftsmen of their instruments, and the first outing proved to be a tremendous collection.

However, when I first listened to WaterSky, I wondered where the guitars were. Half this duo is one of the greatest guitar players in the world, and I could barely hear what was happening. Sure there were some nice arpeggios and tender effects, but where was the skilled fretwork?

Then I adjusted my chair and found better speakers, and the effect was like getting new ears. Keaggy does play some awesome guitar here, meshing a little better with Johnson's keyboard to create a smoother palette, one suitable for meditation or one's own pursuit of the holy and/or the artistic.

Another fine element to this musical panorama is the percussion and vocal work of keyboardist Jeff Johnson. WaterSky may seem at first to be minimalist with its percussion, but careful listening reveals a sense of a heartbeat in the wilderness waiting on the voice of God.

"When We Were Young" opens the disc with a gentle keyboard melody reminiscent of the No Shadow of Turning, Similtudes, and Born of Water days. Keaggy's guitar on this and other songs reminded me of the classic Wind in the Wheat album. "To Somewhere Else" and the title track follow in these footsteps, segueing wonderfully to create an impression not so much of the ending of one song and the beginning of another, but that attention has been refocused as the undercurrent of spiritual longing remains the same.

Songs like "Air and Light" and "Thermal Dance" are among those where Keaggy's acoustic guitar might seem overshadowed. However, the playing here is more a second layer of beauty, like walking in the woods one way to enjoy the sunrise, only to walk back and take in the sunset.

Two of my favorite songs on this project are "When Cicadas Marched" and "The Cody Incident." In the former, Keaggy plays a unique sounding instrument called a cumbus. On the latter, the duo plays like two haiku masters, bouncing the sharpened melodies off each other in a tune that feels both structured and improvised. Both also change the tune and tempo, like soundtracks for the listener's inner narrative.

"Waltzing By Moonlight" wonderfully closes this set of what I can only call communion songs. Listeners are invited to make their connections to the Creator or the creative force as they understand it, to be still and let the heart and mind do its work or be worked on. WaterSky is not so much a follow up to Frio Suite as it is a sequel for the spirit.

Music Notes -- 2CELLOS

I'm guessing that most who do not listen to classical music do not realize how rich and versatile the cello is. Okay, some of you may have felt a little more cultured watching Yo-Yo Ma play behind James Taylor, but that's not quite what I mean.

Some months ago, I heard Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" played by a two cellists named Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, and I was blown away. Not only did they retain the fire of the original, they maintained a verve and intensity that might make those who had not heard Jackson's version think the song was composed just to be played in this sort of ensemble. So it is with some joy I bring you the self-titled album by this group who call themselves, simply enough, 2CELLOS.

The first couple of times through, I was really impressed, as I had been with "Smooth Criminal," with the way these guys play a variety of pop and rock songs. I mean, you have a big range: from U2 to Nirvana to Sting, and each track is enjoyable and interesting. After a couple of listens though, I worried that this project would eventually wear off for me and seem like an interesting gimmick. An album of rock "standards" could get old pretty quick.

Suilic and Hauser of course save themselves with virtuoso playing, but also in their arrangements. Thankfully, tunes like "Welcome to the Jungle," "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and "Misurlou (Theme From Pulp Fiction)" are short (under three minutes). Unless going for some kind of improvisation (a la Brad Mehldau's treatments of Radiohead or The Bad Plus' doing Rush and Blondie), it seems best to stick to solid melodies and hooks from the originals and let the instruments make the magic.

Some of the more interesting tracks here are the more mid-tempo numbers. Jackson's "Human Nature" is really a delight. Repeated listening provides more and more nuances that remind me of how good a tune this is, even without the words (it was also covered by the great Miles Davis). And if you can get the bonus track, "Fields of Gold" is worth the extra bucks."Viva La Vida" is fine, but may barely escape a Muzak label

But my favorites after several times through the project are probably the slower, more emotive numbers. That might seem where the cello sounds most natural as an instrument. But hearing Sting's "Fragile" reminds me of how many beautiful sounds the cello can make in a short space. And the Trent Reznor (and Johnny Cash) favorite "Hurt" is transplendent.

2CELLOS may not be for everyone. But it should be.

Music Notes -- Ode

The good news about the latest, long awaited offering from the Brad Mehldau Trio is that it contains the sort of beautiful and well-played tunes one might expect. The bad news (perhaps) is it contains the same sort of beautiful and well-played tunes one might expect.

This trio, which has not released a studio album since 2005 or a live album since 2008, does have a distintive sound, one I have loved for years. Mehldau is a champion of the right notes in the right places, particularly in the wild solos on this project. There is Jeff Ballard's masterful drumming, one moment frenetic, the next tastfully understated. Larry Grenadier does more than keep time and hold down the bottom end; his bass is like a sonic, elastic connection, keeping everything from getting out of hand, but stretching enough to keep it all interesting.

All of the songs on Ode are Mehldau originals. It opens with "M.B.," a nice, but not startling piece. It is followed by the title track. These two, "Twiggy," and "Aquaman" sound, for the most part, like material I've heard before. I like them, but they aren't all that fresh. "26" is a bit like these, but is saved by some interesting chord and time changes as well as a fiery solo. On tunes like "Dream Sketch," the group makes subtle magic. "Bee Blues" and "Stan the Man" are swinging bebop numbers that might surprise listeners.  "Kurt Vibe" is a toe-tapping, mid-tempo piece that gives each player plenty of room to solo.I'm not sure what "Wyatt's Eulogy for George Harrison" is about, but the title is appropriate. It sounds like a funky dirge played over a western. "Days of Dilbert Delaney" closes the disc with emotive, Beatlesque flair.

Ode is perhaps not a groundbreaking album. But the project does find Mehldau's trio in fine form, and still stronger than most combos.

 

Music Notes -- Direction

Eddie Healy's Direction has emerged as one of my favorite recordings thus far this year, and I expect it to stay in my listening rotation for some time. Each crisply produced track was composed and adroitly performed by Healy himself, including duets, trios, and quartets as well as brilliant solo pieces. This is an album of sublime beauty and depth.

I am impressed with how nicely each song fits with others on this project. There is no drop is coherence when moving from a solo guitar work to a quartet. The three tunes composed for video games do not sound out of place among more "classical" pieces, a testament to Healy's compositional prowess and a demonstration that good music is at home anywhere. Yet each song is distinct and unique. Favorites include "Compulsion," "A Life of Consequence," "The Night Is A Rope," and the suite "The Path to Truth."

I don't know if it the titles or the tone of these works, but I find Direction to be quite spiritual. Many of the songs are reflective and/or majestic. There is a communion of sorts here, certainly between listener and the artist, but also between the music and the universe it brightens. Like some of the best instrumental music, these songs sound much like open prayers. This is not to say they are religious. They are better than that. Direction appeals not to our sense of belief or dogma, but to the oft neglected part of our souls, that is most awakened when we encounter beauty. This isn't pleasant music to augment meditation (though many pieces could be used as such), but instead music that causes one to pause, to stop what busies us and gather ourselves in.

You can listen to pieces from Direction and buy the album at ReverbNation

Music Notes – A Moment’s Peace

I've been listening to this album much of the day today (not all, because Spotify won't allow me access to the track "I Want to Talk About You" without me shelling out some money), and I must say the listening has been a welcome delight. John Scofield has always excelled at ballad and soulful blues guitar, but this disc provides a fine combination of the two that has me nodding my head much of the way through, especially on standards like "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You?" and "I Loves You Porgy.

The Carla Bley tune "Lawns" and "Johan" have  beautiful, warm tones. They are the kind of songs that make the listener actually want to be in smoky nightclub. Or a church. I don't know why those images came to me, but listen and I think you'll feel the same way.
"Mood Returns" and Scofield's rendition of the Beatle's "I Will" are snappy without being loud. The heads are catchy and improvisations are toe-tap worthy.

"Plain Song" reminds me of a Pat Metheny tune from from the New Chautaugua or Watercolors days. But this is a Scofield ballad through and through, less ethereal than those Metheny projects, but with a similar introspective feel.

Larry Golding's work on piano and organ is really fine, accentuating and not just accompanying the sweet notes ringing from Scofield's guitar. Their interplay on "I Loves You Porgy," which closes the disc, is particularly tasty. All the other performers here provide their usual good work, but Golding's contribution is particularly valuable to this project.


A Moment's Peace fits, for me, very nicely into the playlist of mellow music that Grace Under Pressure and Quiet often occupies.  (A nice introduction to Mr. Scofield's earlier ballad work can be found on Slo Sco. But for now, this new disc has certainly helped me through at least one crappy day.

Music Notes -- A Dreamer's Christmas

For some reason when I have tried listening to John Zorn, I've run into his more (for me) avant-garde recordings, which have been interesting and energetic, but not work I could listen to more than a couple of times at a sitting. But just in time for what is likely to be a crappy holiday is A Dreamer's Christmas, a real treasure that has me feeling good each time I listen to it.

There are a couple Zorn originals here, and they are really fine, but mostly we have some fascinating, lively, and accessible interpretations of Christmas favorites, from the opening keyboard and vibe driven "Winter Wonderland" to the closing "The Christmas Song" (with Faith No More vocalist Mike Patton), this is an album that has me smiling throughout. And to be honest, I can only say that about a dozen of the hundreds of Christmas albums I've heard in my life.

There are some terrific improvisations on A Dreamer's Christmas, which is good because most "jazz" Christmas recordings are dull, I'm sorry to say. But what makes the project a bit unique may be the instrumentation. Marc Ribot is excellent on guitar, and Kenny Wolleson's vibe playing is delicious. The rest of the band is good as well, but these two stand out for me. Some of the arrangements are also really fun, quirky at times without getting nuts. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" gets a treatment that made me actually like the song again.

Perhaps the best tune on the CD is the Vince Guaraldi favorite, "Christmas Time Is Here." As NPR's Tom Cole wrote, "It perfectly captures no only Charlie Brown's holiday angst, but also the mixed feelings a lot of us have around this time of year." But then the album takes a more upbeat turn with "Santa's Workshop," a tune that seems to reflect the frentic running around of the season. It goes well with the sped up, wonderfully wild parts of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town."

The songs here do focus on the more secular side of Christmas, but I don't think that should put off more spiritually minded listeners. These are secular not in the sense of crass commercialism. In fact, I get a sense that parts of A Dreamer's Christmas pokes a bit of fun at that element of the season. But the album seems to highlight the wonder and dreaminess of Christmas, something most of us, if we could watch with the eyes of a child, can easily understand.

Music Notes -- 3 singles by Richard Souther

Richard Souther calls his nearly 50 minute, one track project The Burn "soaking music," which allows the "setting aside of oneself to focus and meditate on God for renewal of strength and peace." I've been listening to it for the past few days, and at least for me, it well achieves its goal.

Souther improvises at the piano over an electronic soundscape, and the result is beautiful and calming. It is like a suite for the soul. Souther knows well how to use the space he has created, playing just at the right time, and certainly the right notes. It is nothing short of inspired.

Souther is making some of his best music these days with The Burn and his Prayer Closet series (Volume 3 of which is yet to come). At $2.99, this is an easy addition to one's quiet time library.

"Jacob's Ladder" is an electronica piece designed as a soundtrack for Joaquin Montalvan's short film "Prayer of the Mantis" which can be seen here. The music is a fine piece of electronica, but combined with the movie is rather stunning.
Prayer of the Mantis from Joaquin Montalvan on Vimeo.

Souther is donating the proceeds from the sale of his recording "Barbara Allen" to Friends of Animals Utah, and a beautiful song this is for them. Souther writes he "became aware of this 17th century Scottish ballad through the 1951 version of Charles Dickens' Scrooge." This version is a good companion to Souther's2008 release, Reminisce.

Richard Souther also has a number of fine holiday recordings available, and I recommend each of them. But give yourself a gift this Christmas, and get one or more of these tunes. The price is more than right.

Artifical Intellegence and the Classical Guitar: An Experiment

The idea behind websites like Pandora is to help music lovers use technology to take more control of their listening experiences. One inputs the name of a favorite artist and the service then plays music that fits what appeals to someone who listens to that group or musician. This, one would assume, comes in the form of other music in the same genre. In other words, if I input Earl Scruggs, I don't expect to get Run DMC or Kathleen Battle. Also, the "station" is supposed to "learn" from the listeners preferences. Don't like a song you hear? You can click or tap a button and you should not hear it anymore. Love something? You can click or tap something else to make sure music like that gets played more often. (You can also find a link to purchase said music, but that isn't what this discussion is about.)

I have three apps on my phone for this purpose, from three services that can be accessed from the Internet: Slacker, Myxer, and the ever-popular Pandora.

I loved Slacker when I first started using it, particularly because of my interest in jazz. Almost without fail, I hear the music I was hoping for. Surprises came in the form of deep cuts from classic and not so well known albums. Until I was interested in hearing some classical guitar, the only glitch I ran into was when I input Medeski, Martin, and Wood, and an hour later was treated to Jerry Garcia's plodding, achingly long, and horrifyingly dull rendition of "Shining Star."

I figured that if I wanted to hear classical guitar, the best bet would be to input the name of the great Andres Segovia. What came out was all fine music, but not what I wanted. After a piece played by the Spanish master, I go something from John Williams -- the composer, not the guitarist. Then there was a tune by Michael Hedges. Over the next few minutes I heard from only one other classical guitar player, Christopher Parkening. Tunes came from Django Reinhardt, Paco de Lucia, Leo Kottke, Al Di Meola, Yo Yo Ma, and Itzhak Perlman. At least some of it was classical.

I was drawn to Myxer because I liked the idea of creating a "room" where I could invite friend to enjoy the music I was listening to. The rooms allow one to list up to five artists, which would, one would presume, increase the odds of getting one's desired listening experience.

Alas, it is not to be. The jazz "rooms" were okay, but often went into eras and sub genres I was not expecting. Not always bad stuff, but sometimes this made for a jarring moments and annoying interruptions to my routine. But it was worse when I input the names of Mr. Segovia and others of his ilk.

The only classical guitarists I heard in the next hour were Segovia and Pepe Romero. Perhaps one could say Paco de Lucia plays classical, but none of the pieces I heard were. Again, Django Reinhardt came up, but so did Ottmar Liebert, Badi Assad, Lee Ritenour, and folk musician John Renboum. The biggest surprise came when the sounds of Spanish metal band Epilogo came through my speakers.

Pandora, which was painfully awful when I first tried them out years ago, was the best of the bunch. After several hours of listening, the only non-classical music I heard was an acoustic piece by Al Di Meola. There was great variety, from different periods and different albums, some solo work and some with ensembles, but only the one cut was not from a classical guitar. Songs segued with each other easily and there was a minimal amount of commercials (I'm too cheap to, as of yet, pay for the non-commercial versions of these). Yet after awhile, or perhaps because my body was beginning to reject the experiment, things started to sound the same.

Of course, by Sunday afternoon, I was ready to listen to something else, and I don't know that anything significant came of my little experiment, except I added to my list of life's little disappointments. Perhaps I learned not so much about the services themselves as about the expectations of a lover of great music. We want surprises, something new or something old performed in a fresh way. But we want things to fall into certain parameters, even when we are, as I am, eclectic in our tastes, and those parameters are not always the same each time we make listening choices. So if I cannot completely choose myself material which fits both needs when I create a playlist from my own collection in something like Winamp, then how can I fully expect it from those services with more extensive libraries than I can possibly own?

That I cannot quite answer that question won't keep me from complaining however.

Music Notes – Guitar Man

George Benson’s latest album is called Guitar Man,  and it is a typical mix of Benson’s excellent playing  and his smooth singing on a couple of numbers.

"Tenderly" opens the album with some gorgeous interplay of chords and melody. May be a little mellow for some, but I liked it quite a bit. The Coltrane standard "Naima" gets the same treatment, and I wonder if I might have liked the project more, if it had been there were more songs arranged and performed as solo pieces, or as this eventually becomes, a trio effort. The solo guitar on "Danny Boy" is gorgeous, bringing a sense of joy to what is typically a sad tune. This is one of the best pieces on the album.

There are three vocal tracks on Guitar Man. The first is a nice rendition of the Stevie Wonder classic, “My Cherie Amour.” It isn’t particularly special despite Benson’s usually distinctive voice, but it is enjoyable nonetheless. The others are “Since I Fell For You” and “My One and Only Love.” Both sound really good, especially with the stripped down sound. And I love the piano work of Joe Sample on “My One and Only Love,” but I would hope an album called Guitar Man" might feature Benson’s main instrument. “Since I Fell For You” has a couple nice guitar runs, but too few for me.

Benson plays a swinging rendition of the classic tune, "Tequila."  The full band clearly is having a lot of fun. "Don't Know Why," which follows, is nice, but sounds much like every other smooth jazz version of the song. "The Lady In My Life" is pretty good, spoiled only by the string sound that makes it too close to smooth jazz and too far from the beautiful melody making that Benson can manage on his own.

One thing Benson does very well is scat along with his lead lines. However, the only song we get much of that is "Fingerloo." At first, I thought it a poor choice to end the album, but after repeated listenings, I am pleased to see the project close with the sort of sounds I associate with this great guitarist and fine singer.

The album has many terrific moments and I sometimes wished I could get a whole disc of pieces like “Fingerloo” or “Danny Boy.” It is still a good listening experience, and I do not think Benson fans are going to be disappointed. But I also think he is better than this outing shows.

Music Notes -- Light the Night & Jazz Praise

As a young man, I ran across these two albums in a phase of life when I wanted to listen to anything recorded by and for Christians. Some time ago they were re-released as a single disc set. I ran across them recently through Slacker Radio, and was pleasantly surprised. While perhaps a little too slick and too close to smooth jazz (what I call safe jazz), for many, I think these projects still hold up as well as anything put together by Spiro Gyra or the Yellowjackets.

The projects were recorded under the names of John Mehler and Kenneth Nash, first rate musicians in their own right. However, it took the talents of a number of then barely known players, like John Patitucci (bass) and Wayne Brasil (guitar), to pull it off.

When I first came across these albums, I was new to Christian music, and so a number of the songs were unfamiliar to me. I got to know them through recordings like these even before I learned the tunes had words. This is the power not only of the terrific playing, warm production, masterful arrangements and electric improvisations, but of the music itself. Thus, even for the non-believing listener, I think hearing these seventeen songs can be an edifying experience. For an "older" believer like me, this is quite rewarding.

Music Notes – One More Angel

John Patitucci is one of the most gifted and expressive bassists I have ever heard, and lately I’ve been listening to a lot of bass players. In addition to his solo work, Patitucci has played with legends like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker and Chick Corea. I recently found One More Angel in the clearance bin, and after listening to it several times, I am happy for the bargain, but sad that such fine music was relegated to a price of two dollars.
Probably my favorite tracks are “Arrival,” “San Michele,” “One More Angel,” and “Snowbound.” On the title piece, the late Michael Brecker plays a such languid, delicious tenor that one might be tempted to forget the overwhelming sadness that informs the tune. Pianist Alan Pasqua and drummer extraordinaire Paul Motian provide timbre for this and everything on the album that is near perfect. There is not one song that failed to make me smile.
The album is also a family affair with Patitucci’s brother on acoustic guitar for two songs and his wife Sachi playing cello on the tender cut “Romance.” Of course it is John Patitucci’s playing and compositions which pull this project together and make it unforgettable. Listen to the solo piece “Sachi’s Eyes” and you should be amazed and delighted.
One More Angel is an intensely personal album. Patitucci writes in his notes about songs which are dedicated to his wife and to two children the couple had lost prior to this project. But though most of the tunes are ballads, none are lethargic or dirge like. There is a good deal of wonder in these songs, and more hope and joy than I have found on even the most recent vocal albums I have listened to lately.

Music Notes – What’s It All About

Pat Metheny’s One Quiet Night won the Grammy Award for Best New Age album the year it was released. While most people who listen to Metheny’s music, heck, most people who listen to music, would not see him as a New Age performer, I can see why the disc was classified there. The songs were, as many extended extemporary improvisations are, mostly reflective, meditative in mood.

I say this to contrast that project with Metheny’s latest: What’s It All About, the great guitarist and composer’s first album of all “cover tunes.” Here, while the mood and tone may seem to the same to some listeners, this sucker is pure jazz.

Most of the tunes are played with the baritone guitar used on One Quiet Night, but a handful are not. The opening track, Paul Simon’s “The Sound of Silence,” is performed with Metheny’s 42-string Pikkaso, and sounds so good, I keep wanting a whole album of songs devoted just to that instrument. A nylon string guitar is used on what is probably my favorite piece on the album, the Beatles’ classic “And I Love Her.”

What makes this disc so interesting, listen after delicious listen, is that we actually have Metheny’s voice, for lack of a better word, on these classic, mostly pop songs. Tunes like “Rainy Days and Mondays” and “That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be” retain the longing and angst of the original melodies, but seem brighter, warmer, like that second cup of coffee. And with songs like “Cherish,” “Alfie,” and “Betcha By Golly, Wow,” Metheny solos so well around the main melody that the listener gets more than the same old sandwich with garnish on the plate to make it seem pretty. These are seasoned tunes made fresh with ingredients that could only be found in Pat Metheny’s musical kitchen.
One disappointment for me is Metheny’s treatment of “Garota de Ipanema” (“The Girl from Ipanema”). I like the idea of taking it out of its traditional bossa nova setting, and I don’t mind putting some space between phrases, but this version is so slow that I barely recognized the tune. That doesn’t keep the result from being pretty and listenable, however.
Those who download the album from iTunes get a couple of bonuses worth noting. First, there is the digital booklet providing some information about the album. Second and more important, one gets two extra songs: “’Round Midnight” and “This Was Nearly Mine.” I was not familiar with the latter, but Metheny’s rendition of the Thelonious Monk classic is one of the most interesting and haunting I have heard in a very long time.
If you come to What’s It All About looking for elevator music or new age versions of some familiar old songs, expect to be pleasantly disappointed. If you are looking for something tasty and cool for your summer listening, this is perhaps the best album for your needs.