Starting off the cool morning listening to this one again. Pass was such a focused and expressive player. And I feel the connection to Bird in this recording.

Joe Pass "I Remember Charlie Parker" Pablo cd

John Mayall "Jazz Blues Fusion--Performed and Recorded Live in Boston and New York"

Freddy Robinson, Blue Mitchell, and Clifford Solomon make this a great record. I saw Mayall with Blue Mitchell the next year at the University  of Chicago when he was taped for one of those late night concert shows, in a double bill with the Ohio Players. A great night!

Wow, John Hicks poured himself into this recording, and the engineering on the piano is amazing!

John Hicks "A Billy Strayhorn Songbook: Something to Live For" HighNote cd



Followed by

A Chet Baker that was released that slipped by me til now.

Chet Baker "Late Night Jazz" Anagram/Elemental Music cd

With the always interesting Philip Catherine on guitar, recorded three months before Chet's passing. As the title suggests langorous and mellow performances.

Cold this morning! Fiona the dachshund let me sleep an hour longer than usual this morning and I'm grateful. Eerily quiet outside!

Starting the day off with .  . a prayer meeting, digital variety.

Jimmy Smith "Prayer Meeting" Blue Note Japan 85th Anniversary UHQCD

Kenny Garrett "Beyond the Wall" Nonesuch Records cd

An interesting album that covers a lot of musical ground with a great cadre of jazz musicians.

Kenny Garrett – alto saxophone (tracks 1–4, 6–9), piano (track 5)
Mulgrew Miller - piano (tracks 1–4, 6–9)
Pharoah Sanders – tenor saxophone (tracks 1–4, 6–8)
Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone (tracks 3, 4, 6–8)
Robert Hurst III – bass
Brian Blade – drums
Rogerio Boccato – percussion (tracks 1, 3–8)
Jonathan Gandelsman – violin (track 5)
Neil Humphrey – cello (track 5)
Guowei Wang – erhu (track 5)
Susan Jolles – harp (track 5)
Nedelka Echols – vocals (tracks 3, 4, 6, 8)
Arlene Lewis – vocals (tracks 6, 8)
Dawn Caveness – vocals (tracks 6, 8)
Genea Martin – vocals (tracks 6, 8)
Geovanti Steward – vocals (tracks 6, 8)
Kevin Wheatley – vocals (tracks 6, 8)

Another cold morning. I'm looking forward to a dinner out with the older of my two younger brothers and my sister-in-law (my favorite of six, don't tell the others). Fiona the dachshund is about to settle in for her first nap of the day and I'm ready to enjoy a few hours with the amazing sounding system.



"Miles in France 1963 & 1964 The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8" disc 2

This disc is mainly the previously released "Miles Davis In Europe" -- a favorite since the 'Seventies. As the second night in Antibes '63 it is more fiery and Tony Williams is proving to the world that he is a force that will present to the world a new way to drum. And George Colemen is ready to show Europe what he can do.

Herbie Mann/Buddy Collette "Flute Fraternity" Mode/VSOP cd

Another great Mode album.

Herbie Mann - flute, alto flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone
Buddy Collette - flute, alto flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Jimmy Rowles - piano, celesta
Buddy Clark - bass
Mel Lewis - drums

Had a great dinner with my brother and sister-in-law, so good to have a long talk with them about this year and its many events. Now a very cool morning with a hungry dog and a stereo system warming up.

This is the second time I've revisited this recording from the mid-nineties in the last wo mnths. It sounds so good on the system now and I appreciate it in a new way.


Herbie Hancock "The New Standard" Verve cd

What a band!

Herbie Hancock - piano
Michael Brecker - tenor and soprano saxophone
John Scofield - acoustic and electric guitar, electric sitar
Dave Holland - acoustic bass
Jack DeJohnette - drums, electric percussion
Don Alias - percussion

Nat King Cole Sings, George Shearing Plays     Capitol cd

Weather Report "Sweetnighter" Columbia LP

Listening to this one more time before refiling it. Such memories this vinyl evokes. A cool morning and Fiona let me sleep an hour plus longer and I'm grateful. Saw a doe and a yearling in my back yard this morning. She wasn't worried about Fiona but was staring me down. I just stood there (about 60 feet away) and talked gently to her. After a few minutes she moved her kiddo along slowly into the wood between my nearest neighbor and our property. Was a great moment.

I love the bass playing of Messrs Vitous and White on this album!

Now on to disc 4, the first of the box set that I have not ever heard before. . . and I'm happy (though not too surprised) to discover the sound quality is up to the previous two night's excellent standard.

And the music is yet more of this quintet discovering what they can and will do, listening to each other and stretching out and into the changes. Amazing material!

"Miles in France 1963 & 1964 The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8" disc 4

Dexter Gordon "The Other Side of Round Midnight" Blue Note cd



Music not used in the film. I'm not crazy about that film. . . and I like this album better than the soundtrack album.

Dexter Gordon, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Palle Mikkelborg, Herbie Hancock, Cedar Walton,
Ron Carter, Mads Vinding, Pierre Michelot,
Billy Higgins Tony Williams, Bobby McFerrin, John McLaughlin, Bobby Hutcherson

Duke Ellington "Blues in Orbit" Columbia/Analogue Productions SACD

I have both the Mobile Fidelity SACD and this one from Analogue Productions (plus Redbook versions from Columbia, and an LP). Both the SACD are excellent sounding. I love this music!

John Hicks Trio "Nightwind: An Erroll Garner Songbook" HighNote cd

Swinging my way into this cold morning. Up earlier than I'd like to be but I'll spin a few discvs and try to get Fiona the dachshund back to sleep and take a nap myself.

This is a great disc!

On to disc 5 of this new box set.

The stereo/quad SACD of Santana's "Borboletta" arrived from cdjapan this afternoon. It sounds fantastic!