Renaissance Granddad's Explorations.....

A Good Run with a New App and The CD Woodbury Band!

So after two runs last week and then not being able to run this weekend because of Elizabeth’s move, and work at Target, I was determined to run last night. On the last two runs, I had used my work Windows phone and an app called Run the Map. It worked ok but for some reason the phone would only play half of the songs on the album I was listening to, so the headphones came off about mid-way in the run, which actually wasn’t that bad because I was struggling at the end of the runs so I really wasn’t listening, because I was paying attention to my heart rate. Anyway last night I found an app. for my Iphone called Runmeter I haven;’ figured out all the options yet but yesterday it was displaying the pace I was running at the time and my average pace for the run. When I finished both the total distance of the run and the pace were close to what I had measured the course at and the pace from my heart monitor watch!! Overall the time over about 4.2 miles was 44:38 almost three ,minutes faster than a week ago and the pace was around 10:40 per mile, Not too bad considering that the 12 whole miles I’ve run in August beats the average over the May, June and July by a lot!! Read More

Lunchtime Music: John Mayall, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells – “Messin’ with the Kid”

Ok so this one will be quick, this morning I was looking around for some morning music and came across this dynamite video featuring John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. Now I have been a fan of John Mayall since the early 70s and Buddy Guy, particularly, some of his more recent stuff, but for some reason I never have gotten into Junior Wells’ music. After watching this video all I can do is shake my head and say – why not!! I think someone needs to check out Mr. Wells’ discography real quick-like! Read More

Moving Day – A Trip to Elizabeth’s new apartment near the University of Delaware!

So yesterday, we were away most of the day, moving my daughter Elizabeth into her new apartment. She will be in graduate school this year at the University of Delaware. She will be sharing an apartment with another grad student in her program. Their apartment is located about ten minutes from campus and the good thing for me, only 70 miles from our home. A nice relief from the 320 mile trek to William and Mary! While I don’t miss the travel to W&M especially the traffic from Washington to Fredericksburg, I do miss seeing the campus! Read More

The Cats (Coltrane, Burrell et al) leads to Jazz Poet Tommy Flannagan!

So the other night when I was looking at Kenny Burrell albums, one of his highest rated albums by AllMusic was a 1957 release The Cats, an album that featured not only Burrell but also John Coltrane, Tommy Flanagan and Idrees Sulieman. Here’s what AllMusic writes about the album: Read More

Lunchtime Music from The New Gary Burton Quartet – Guided Tour!

This morning I was preparing a report, so it was a jazzy kind of morning. When I turn to jazz while writing and organizing many times the artist is the legendary Gary Burton. Today I listened to his latest release Guided Tour. The album is his second release on Mack Avenue Records. (Note to self check out Mack Avenue Records, their name has come up a lot lately). Common Ground, Burton’s 2011 release was his first on that label and featured the New Gary Burton Quartet. This Quartet reunites Burton with guitar star Julian Lage and adds drummer Antonio Sanchez and bassist Scott Colley. The group has toured throughout 2011 and 2013 in support of both albums. Read More

Morning Music from Mark O’Connor and Wynton Marsalis!

So last Monday August 5th was the 52nd anniversary of the birth of fiddle player/violinist and composer Mark O’Connor. I did a lot of reading that day about the great Americana music that he’s produced over the length of his career, but couldn’t decide on what to play. So I think I posted something else. Anyway here’s some background about Mark: Read More

A Night of Exploration – Contemporary Jazz Trumpeters!

So as a follow-up to listening yesterday to the music of Christian McBride, last night and today I explored the music of some of his jazz contemporaries. Today’s focus has been mainly on trumpeters. Typically, if I’m listening to the trumpet the musician is usually Miles Davis, Chet Baker, or Freddie Hubbard with Blue Mitchell occasionally thrown into the mix. Somehow last night I ended up on MOG checking out the music of Ambrose Akinmusire and his debut release on Blue Note, When the Heart Emerges Glistening. Here’s what Jeff Tamarkin at AllMusic writes about the album: Read More

Sunday Morning Jazz from the Christian McBride Trio – Out Here

So yesterday I was browsing around for new releases and came across bassist Christian McBride’s latest from his Christian McBride Trio, Out Here. I gave it a listen and I now have a new jazz artist’s music to explore, because the album is great. The trio consists of McBride on bass (duh), Christian Sands on piano, and Ulysses Owens, Jr. on drums. Here’s what it says about the album at Mack Avenue Records about the album: Read More

Lurrie Bell – Blues in My Soul

This morning I gave part of Lurrie Bell‘s new album Blues in My Soul a first listen and it’s a keeper! Bell, the son of renowned blues harmonica player, Carey Bell, is a top-flight guitar player and blues man. The Boston Blues News says: Read More