George Adams was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was born on April 29, 1940, in Covington, Georgia, USA, and passed away on November 14, 1992, in New York City.
George Adams was known for his powerful tenor saxophone playing and his contributions to the jazz scene. He was a member of Charles Mingus' band during the 1970s, and he also collaborated with other jazz luminaries like Gil Evans, McCoy Tyner, and Roy Haynes. Adams had a strong presence and a distinct sound that earned him recognition as a skilled and influential jazz musician.
Throughout his career, George Adams recorded numerous albums as a bandleader and as a sideman, showcasing his versatility and proficiency in various jazz styles.
Where the North Wind Blows (Johnsen)
guitar - Aliéksey Vianna
drums - Daniel Dor
tabla - Ehren Hanson
voices - Eric Johnsen
Where the North Wind Blows stands in sharp contrast to the previous duet (with the two running together). This fusion piece gives musical expression to an unexpected end to a long and loving partnership, As such, it is a little frenzied by design, beautifully driven by Israeli drummer Daniel Dor (formerly with bassist Avishai Cohen), and with an aggressive presence by the strings. Throughout the album there are programmed tracks that Eric blends with actual performers (usually incidental percussion parts), but on this piece programmed tracks take on a more prominent role as the Rhodes and bass tracks. Eric also sings on this, in a kind of background, ambient capacity. Co-producer Doug Martin heard something in Eric’s (untrained) voice which he thought might compliment the music, and so convinced Eric to try it. With the help of Doug and co-producer/engineer Wiley Ross, it worked.
In the tradition of vinyl, Eric structured this album as consisting of two sets – a side A and side B; this piece closes out the first side.
Eric Johnsen’s Liminality seeks to explore liminal spaces: that space at the threshold of profound change; the state of suspension between the death of what was, and the birth of what will be -- or could be. Combining an improvisational chamber ensemble with strings, Liminality weaves together jazz, fusion, and world beats with chamber and orchestral elements. The music ranges from strictly composed to purely improvisational. Textures range from the power of the full ensemble with chamber string orchestra to the delicacies of solo and duet performances. At times the music floats in ethereal spaces; at other times it is rhythmically driving, anchored by American, Indian, and Afro-Cuban influences.
All music composed and produced by Eric Johnsen. For more info: http://ericjohnsen.com
Patience (Johnsen)
Guitar, Voice: Aliéksey Vianna
Piano: Noé Secula
The title of this guitar/piano duet largely speaks for itself: pressing on when obstacles abound, and success eludes. Over the course of years, the production of this music took Eric through this quagmire on several occasions. In the end patience – and steadfast determination – won out. This piece represents a humble testimonial for any artist who must find their own way through the storms they confront and perhaps create.
Taking up harmonically where The Dreamers leaves off, Patience is strictly written, except for a guitar/voice improvisation during the middle section (atempo), and an extended piano improvisation at the end.
Eric Johnsen’s Liminality seeks to explore liminal spaces: that space at the threshold of profound change; the state of suspension between the death of what was, and the birth of what will be -- or could be.Combining an improvisational chamber ensemble with strings, Liminality weaves together jazz, fusion, and world beats with chamber and orchestral elements. The music ranges from strictly composed to purely improvisational. Textures range from the power of the full ensemble with chamber string orchestra to the delicacies of solo and duet performances. At times the music floats in ethereal spaces; at other times it is rhythmically driving, anchored by American, Indian, and Afro-Cuban influences.
All music composed and produced by Eric Johnsen. For more info: http://ericjohnsen.com
In 2005 Eric took a transformative trip to the Amazon rainforest, and spent some time with the indigenous Achuar people. The Achuar are a dream culture; they believe the world of dreams is the true waking state, and what we perceive as being awake is really being asleep. For years they have been fighting to protect their land and lives from the ever-encroaching fossil fuel industry, with the help of the San Francisco-based NGO Pachamama Alliance. This was a unique alliance between the modern world of the North, and the indigenous world of the South. Yet the message from the Achuar has always been clear: If you coming here to save us, you’re wasting your time. If you really want to help, go home – and change the dream of the North.
Featured soloists are Jerry Léonide (keyboards), Song Yi Jeon (voice), and Chris Wabich (drums). Also featured is the string orchestra, periodically punctuating the improvisational ensemble with featured sections.
Voice Song Yi Jeon
Keyboards Jerry Léonide
Bass Roberto Koch
Drums Chris Wabich
Tabla Ehren Hanson
String Chamber Orchestra
Eric Johnsen’s Liminality seeks to explore liminal spaces: that space at the threshold of profound change; the state of suspension between the death of what was, and the birth of what will be -- or could be. Combining an improvisational chamber ensemble with strings, Liminality weaves together jazz, fusion, and world beats with chamber and orchestral elements. The music ranges from strictly composed to purely improvisational. Textures range from the power of the full ensemble with chamber string orchestra to the delicacies of solo and duet performances. At times the music floats in ethereal spaces; at other times it is rhythmically driving, anchored by American, Indian, and Afro-Cuban influences.
All music composed and produced by Eric Johnsen. For more info: http://ericjohnsen.com
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Forever thankful and forever grateful for music!
From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack.
Eric Johnsen’s Liminality seeks to explore liminal spaces: that space at the threshold of profound change; the state of suspension between the death of what was, and the birth of what will be -- or could be.Combining an improvisational chamber ensemble with strings, Liminality weaves together jazz, fusion, and world beats with chamber and orchestral elements. The music ranges from strictly composed to purely improvisational. Textures range from the power of the full ensemble with chamber string orchestra to the delicacies of solo and duet performances. At times the music floats in ethereal spaces; at other times it is rhythmically driving, anchored by American, Indian, and Afro-Cuban influences.
First Impressions (Johnson) Piano - Noé Secula; Bass - Roberto Koch; Drums - Chris Wabich; Tabla - Ehren Hanson; Guitar - Aliéksey Vianna; Voice - Song Yi Jeon; Flute - Itai Kriss.
This piece serves as a prelude to open the album – a “first impression” as it were. It is also essentially a group etude; with the exception of the drum and tabla parts, the music is strictly composed, with the option of piano and guitar substituting improvisation in their featured moments. Finally, the piece serves as a kind of first movement, with its bridge material coming back transformed as the string introduction in the next piece (The Dreamers).
From their July 23rd, 2023, show at St. Joseph's Health Amphitheater at Lakeview in Syracuse, New York, here is Phish with their tune "Kill Devil Falls".
"I never even thought about whether or not they understand what I'm doing . . . the emotional reaction is all that matters as long as there's some feeling of communication, it isn't necessary that it be understood." - John Coltrane
With the release of "Evenings at the Village Gate - John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy," Bret Primack talks about their music, and the negative reaction of critics when it was performed and recorded.
From his newest record "Tales of Time" and perhaps also from a record preceding that one entitled "Time Clocks", here is Joe Bonamassa playing the tune "Questions and Answers". The live cut of the tune is taken from a live performance by Joe Bonamassa and his band in August, 2022 at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado.
From a 1972 concert, here is Traffic with their signature song "Dear Mr. Fantasy" that showed the band to be one of the originators of the modern jam band music scene right up there with groups such as The Allman Brothers Band and The Grateful Dead, featuring the one and the only Steve Winwood on lead guitar and vocals, Chris Wood on Hammond organ and keyboards (he also played woodwind/reed instruments in the band on saxophones and flute), with Dave Hood on bass and Roger Hawkins on drums, from the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios rhythm section in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Rebop Kwaku Baah on percussion and congas.
Unique recordings of Jimmy Smith, the Cannonball Adderley Quintet featuring George Duke, Dave Brubeck & his Trio with Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond,and the Charles Mingus Sextet featuring Cat Anderson at the 7th Newport Jazz Festival at the Doelen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1971.
• 00’00” Hammond organist Jimmy Smith and his band, featuring among others the illustre Illinois Jacquet and James Moody on tenor saxophone and Art Farmer on flugelhorn, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Clark Terry on bugel and Roy Haynes on drums.
A unique recording!
• 05’36” The Cannonball Adderley Quintet featuring Julian Edwin ‘Cannonball’ Adderley, alto saxophone; Nat Adderley, cornet; George Duke, keyboards; Walter Booker, bass; Roy McCurdy, drums.
• 22’50” Dave Brubeck Trio performs a great concert with his sidemen Jack Six, bass and Allan Dawson, drums. The trio is completed with alto saxophonist Paul Desmond and baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan.
• 49’32” The concert is followed by an exerpt of the concert of the Charles Mingus Sextet with Cat Anderson on trumpet at the same 7th Newport Jazz Festival
This is part two of the recordings of the 7th Newport Jazz Festival 1971.
The recording was made 31st October 1971 at the Doelen Concert hall, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
E.J.'s Blues (Jones) Elvin Jones Quartet featuring Sonny Fortune Live at Jazzstadt Stuttgart, 1986. Elvin Jones, drums; Sonny Fortune, tenor saxophone; Fumio Karashima, piano and Andy McKee, bass.
Elvin Jones was one of the most influential drummers in the history of jazz. Here are some reasons why he is important:
1. **Revolutionizing Drumming**: Elvin Jones played a key role in revolutionizing jazz drumming. Prior to Jones, many jazz drummers had focused primarily on keeping a steady beat. Jones, however, adopted a more polyrhythmic and melodic approach, often creating complex patterns that acted as a counter-melody to the primary melody of the song. This gave his drumming a unique and innovative flavor that changed the way many subsequent drummers approached their instrument.
2. **The John Coltrane Quartet**: Jones was a member of the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1966, one of the most important and innovative groups in the history of jazz. His polyrhythmic style was a perfect fit for Coltrane's intense, exploratory saxophone playing, and together they helped create some of the most forward-thinking music of their era. Their recordings from this period, such as "A Love Supreme," are considered classics and have been hugely influential.
3. **Teaching and Mentoring**: After his tenure with Coltrane, Jones continued to play, record, and tour prolifically, mentoring many younger musicians along the way. His influence as a teacher and mentor helped shape a new generation of jazz musicians.
4. **Continued Innovation**: Throughout his career, Jones was never content to rest on his laurels. He was always pushing the boundaries of what was possible on the drum set, experimenting with new techniques and rhythms. Even in his later years, he was still evolving and innovating, continuing to inspire other musicians with his creativity and drive.
5. **Legacy**: Jones's work, especially his time with the John Coltrane Quartet, has left an indelible mark on the world of jazz. His innovative drumming style has been studied and emulated by countless other drummers, and his recordings remain a vital part of the jazz canon.
Overall, Elvin Jones's innovative drumming, his contributions to some of the most important recordings in jazz history, his role as a teacher and mentor, and his continued artistic growth all make him a major figure in the history of jazz.
From a performance at the 1987 Mount Fuji Jazz Festival in Fuji, Japan, check out this quartet with Kenny Burrel on guitar, Billy Childs on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Ralph Peterson on drums, playing "Sophisticated Lady".
Sun Ra is a seminal figure in the history of jazz and avant-garde music for several reasons:
1. **Innovative Approach to Composition and Performance**: Sun Ra is known for his unique musical and compositional style. He was one of the pioneers of free jazz and his big band (the "Arkestra") was famed for its eclectic and energetic performances. Sun Ra's music was often characterized by collective improvisations, juxtapositions of contrasting musical styles and moods, and a blend of both conventional and unconventional sounds.
2. **Pioneer in Afrofuturism**: Sun Ra is often credited as one of the pioneers of Afrofuturism, a cultural and aesthetic philosophy that combines elements of science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, and Afrocentrism. His music, performances, and philosophy often dealt with themes of space, time, alienation, and the future destiny of humankind, particularly of African descent. This has had a lasting impact on a wide range of subsequent musicians, writers, and artists.
3. **Early Adopter of Electronic Instruments**: Sun Ra was also an early adopter and proponent of electronic instruments. In the 1950s, he was one of the first musicians to make extensive use of the electronic keyboard, and he continued to incorporate a wide variety of electronic sounds and instruments into his music throughout his career.
4. **Independent Artist and Entrepreneur**: Sun Ra was also notable for his independence as an artist and entrepreneur. He formed his own record label, El Saturn Records, in the 1950s, well before such a move was common in the music industry. This allowed him a degree of creative control that was unusual for the time.
5. **Cultural Influence**: Sun Ra's influence extends well beyond the realm of music. His performances often included elements of theater and dance, and his unique, cosmic philosophy has influenced a wide range of artists and thinkers.
6. **Educator**: Sun Ra is also remembered as an educator. He taught a course at the University of California, Berkeley in 1971, where he shared his philosophies about music and the cosmos.
Through his avant-garde music, his pioneering ideas about race and identity, and his wide-ranging cultural influence, Sun Ra remains a significant figure in the history of 20th-century music and culture. His legacy continues to be heard in a diverse range of musical genres, from jazz and electronic music to hip-hop and beyond.
It appears, the musical performance component of this video comes from a composition, an improvisation, called "Sound of Joy" from the 1988 Live Under the Sky jazz festival.
From a 1973 concert, here is the Ramsey Lewis Trio playing a cover of "Summer Breeze" penned by singer/songwriter's and soft rock duo Seals & Crofts, (the late James Seals who died in June of 2022, and Darrell "Dash" Crofts), who originally released the tune on a recording of the same name that peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard charts in 1972. The trio features Ramsey Lewis on Rhodes piano, Cleveland Eaton on upright bass, and Morris Jennings on drums.
Another Sunday Special post and this one is extremely special. I just had to post this as soon as I could. A video of a never released Beatles song has been unearthed. This one is called "Now And Then".
Now and Then's eventful journey to fruition took place over five decades and is the product of conversations and collaborations between the four Beatles that go on to this day. The long mythologised John Lennon demo was first worked on in February 1995 by Paul, George and Ringo as part of The Beatles Anthology project but it remained unfinished, partly because of the impossible technological challenges involved in working with the vocal John had recorded on tape in the 1970s. For years it looked like the song could never be completed. But in 2022 there was a stroke of serendipity. A software system developed by Peter Jackson and his team, used throughout the production of the documentary series Get Back, finally opened the way for the uncoupling of John’s vocal from his piano part. As a result, the original recording could be brought to life and worked on anew with contributions from all four Beatles. This remarkable story of musical archaeology reflects The Beatles’ endless creative curiosity and shared fascination with technology. It marks the completion of the last recording that John, Paul and George and Ringo will get to make together and celebrates the legacy of the foremost and most influential band in popular music history.
Video Director: Peter Jackson
Video Producers: Peter Jackson, Clare Olssen, Jonathan Clyde
Audio Producers: Paul McCartney and Giles Martin
Production Company: WingNut Films Productions Ltd
Pre-order Now And Then: https://TheBeatles.lnk.to/NowAndThenYT
Pre-order Red and Blue: https://TheBeatles.lnk.to/RedAndBlue2...
Lester Left Town (Shorter) Stan Getz with Bob Brookmeyer - Lester Left Town. Prague, 1968. Intro: Stan talks about Jazz with Itzhak Perlman during a White House performance, with Chick Corea.
"On the classic Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers album Big Beat from 1960, the innovative young saxophonist Wayne Shorter wrote a tribute to an icon for saxophone players – Lester Young. This was a surprise to many people. Shorter was thought of as the new guard, the new sound. He was more influenced by classical composers such as Ravel than the Tin Pan Alley song-smiths that most jazz players referenced.
Shorter’s tribute song Lester Left Town is not a throwback either. Art Blakey and Blue Note producer Alfred Lion got into a fight as to whether to record it or not. Why? Shorter said in a 1981 interview, “I think my tune was new. The modernity, all those chromatics were too much for Alfred.” Yet when you hear it, you can hear the Lester Young spirit in the strange new notes and also in Shorter’s saxophone solo.
Shorter said, “It’s a small tribute to Lester. It was meant to show how I felt about his whole musical existence. I’ve been aware of Lester since I began playing, and this tune took a long time to write. Because of my own style, a lot of people seemed surprised that I’d written a piece for Lester, but listeners don’t always realize how many influences help to form a musician. And the song is also meant to show that we younger players do think of those who are gone.”
Pause for a moment to think of how many influences helped to form you – your outlook, your life path, your daily choices large and small. Think of those who are gone and see how you can guide what you do today to be a small tribute to them. Take their wisdom and consciously make one part of it your own today – blend the two to form you at your best." Bob Fletcher
9/29/23 at Pour House held a heartfelt homage to the legendary Col. Bruce, fondly known as "Zambi Jam." It featured an impressive lineup, with guests like Jeff Sipe, who had shared the stage with Bruce in the Aquarium Rescue Unit, and local talent Jeff Caldwell from Bruce's later band, "The Quark Alliance." The evening began with Oteil Burbridge headlining a sold-out outdoor show, part of the venue's seasonal "Lot" series. This memorable performance featured an ensemble including Melvin Seals, Lamarr Williams Jr., Steve Kimock, Duane Betts, John Kimock, and Jason Crosby. Oteil later graced the intimate indoor stage, captivating the audience with renditions of "Compared to What" and the iconic Col. Bruce classic, "Basically Frightened." His presence, both on and offstage, was a testament to the enduring spirit of Col. Bruce, as he joined the musicians in the room and showcased his musical prowess alongside Sipe. The dedication of Sipe, who tirelessly practiced despite traveling, added to the event's magic, with his drumming skills and collaborative spirit shining through. While Col. Bruce may not have been physically present, his legacy lived on in the Pour House, a cherished venue for many revered musicians. This tribute served as a heartwarming journey down memory lane, and Oteil's participation added an extra layer of significance to the night, leaving everyone grateful for the opportunity to keep Col. Bruce's spirit alive in the music they love.
