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Category: Instruments

Morning Thoughts about Trumpet Players leads to Blue Mitchell and Who’s Your Favorite??

Blue MitchellLast night while I was listening to some music, various instruments and my favorite musicians who play those instruments. It’s not the first time I thought about that and I’ve even thought of starting a series of posts along that topic. The first instrument that popped into my head wad the trumpet. While the trumpet is not my favorite instrument I guess it made its appearance first in my ADD brain because I had listened to Marquis Hill the other day. Over the last few months I’ve listened to several younger trumpet players like Jeremy Pelt, Terrence Blanchard and Roy Hargrove and they have joined my musical library beside Miles, Chet Baker, and Freddie Hubbard. One player Blue Mitchell I know more from the two albums that he recorded with John Mayall in the early 70s than his earlier recording career. I have on occasion dipped into his earlier recordings and enjoyed his playing!! (oh and there are two other trumpet players in my 45 library Al Hirt and Louis Armstrong!!) Read More

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

Cindy BlackmanThe first jazz artist that caught my eye when I reviewed the birthday list this morning at All About Jazz was Cindy Blackman and the reason was simple she is a drummer!!  I do believe that there are not that many of them around!!  What I didn’t know at the time, aside from who the hell she is, was that in the spring of 2010 Cindy sat in with Carlos Santana when the band’s drummer  Dennis Chambers had a previous commitment. Cindy and Carlos had first met several years earlier at a festival in Europe when Cindy was touring with Lenny Kravitz. .By July of 2010 Carlos proposed to Cindy and the two were married in December! So who besides Mrs Carlos Santana is this Cindy Blackman. A stop at Wikipedia was in order…… =&0=& (born November 18, 1959), sometimes known as =&1=&,[1] is a virtuoso drummer whose artistry spans the realms of jazz and rock.  Blackman is best known for recording and touring with Lenny Kravitz. Full Biography  and at her website I read……..

As a bandleader and as a musician, Cindy is a sound innovator with a passion for pushing creative boundaries and exploring movement and change.  She is as known for the nuances and colors she brings to her beats and fills as she is for the sheer power of her soulful playing.  “Some drummers act, some react.  Some keep time, others create it.  Cindy Blackman Santana is among the few who can,” writes Mike Zwerin for the International Herald Tribune. More Bio Read More

Jazz Trumpet from Chicago – Sounds of the City – Marquis Hill!

Marquis HillSo the other day when I was visiting All About Jazz to check on jazz birthdays I noticed an interesting name in the showcase sidebar – Marquis Hill and his new album The Poet. Since I didn’t recognize the name I thought I’d take a little trip to MOG to check it out. MOG only had two out of Marquis’ three albums – New Gospel and Sounds of the City. I decided that I’d check outSounds of the City first. It’s a great album at times sounding a little avant-garde and at other times it sounds like classic jazz. On the third track “The Wrath of the Lark” my ears perked up when I heard some great vibes! That sent me racing to see who the player was I found out the artist’s name is Justin “Justefan” Thomas. I continued my search and discovered that Justin has just released an EP titled The Prelude. I found that album on Spotify, gave it a listen and it’s certainly an EP  that will join the other vibes music in my library. But now back to Marquis and his music. From Marquis’ website: Read More

People Music – from Christian McBride and Inside Straight

People MusicThis morning I was in jazz mode and listened to the Christian McBride & Inside Straights release People Music. The album was released in May of this year. Inside Straight has everything I enjoy in jazz, lively vibes from Warren Wolf, piano from Peter Martin and smooth saxophone from Steve Wilson, All supported by the solid bass lines of Christian’s bass and Carl Allen;s drums.on the majority of the songs. On a few of the songs the piano duties are manned by Christian Sands and Ulysses Owens, Jr. handles the drums. Both are considered members of the Inside Straight family. Read More

Yesterday in Jazz: – Oct 20, 1934 – Eddie Harris was born!

Younger Next Year - Chris Crowley help set my 2019 goals

Eddie HarrisSo the more I investigate the world of jazz music, I have come to the realization that what I know is like the tip of the iceberg, and there’s a whole lotta of iceberg below that tip!!  Like yesterday, it was Eddie Harris’ birthday, now I can’t fault myself for not knowing that it was his birthday, that may only be known to his most ardent fans. But I really should know more than his name and he is a jazz artist. When I read that he had a hit with his cover of the theme from Exodus, that sounded kind of familiar! But not really enough to say know Eddie Harris….. Read More

Today in Music – 1919 – Another Great Drummer was born Mr. Art Blakey!

Art BlakeyOn this date in 1919, the great drummer Art Blakey was born I’ve only become an Art Blakey fan in the last several years. The happened because many, many times, when I was listening to jazz on the radio I’d hear something great that had some fine drums on it and then when the song was over I’d hear that it was Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers!! So I decided that I better check out their music and now several of Blakey’s albums are in my music library!! So before we hear some music, let;s find out a little more about the man from Wikipedia: Read More