John Gushue . . . Dot Dot Dot

Leaving Town

I heard this Pat Metheny track on the Sirius XM channel Real Jazz, and would not have guessed it was Metheny, because it so heavily features sax. The Unity Band, Metheny's latest project, is the first time he's featured sax in more than three decades. No wonder! 

Drifting on a Reed

A little Charlie Parker is just what's needed. 

 

The Panther

From 1970, when the word "panther" had a rather different meaning than it would probably would today, it's Dexter Gordon.

 

Split Part 1

It's the Ray Bryant Combo, and it's crazy, man. Crazy. 

Seriously, it's a lot of fun. Crank it up. 

 

Aguas de Março

Aguas de Março is also known as the Waters of March, although the words in the English version of Tom Jobim's bossa nova standard are usually flipped around to fit what the season means in the northern hemisphere. I digress. It's a wonderful song; my favourite version (and there are many, including Cassandra Wilson, David Byrne and that commercial for Coke that ran decades ago) is Jobim himself singing with Elis Regina. 

Curried Soul

It's Moe Koffman playing what many people will happily recognize as the opening theme to CBC Radio's As It Happens. 

Sunflowers

It's the dead of winter ... but not in the air around the speakers this morning. 

A little Wynton Marsalis to brighten the mood. 

 

Have Trombone, Will Travel

In the car the other evening, I heard a tune called Bacalao Tonight by Clifton Anderson. Thanks to allergies, I can't go near salt cod, but I bet the title would play well here in St. John's. And the tune, too, which is feisty, boppy and a whole plate of fun. 

I can't find a version to stream here, but I did find this alternative by Anderson. (Trivia note: his uncle was saxophone god Sonny Rollins.) 

Naima

Some good music for writing time. Hot mug of tea ... all set. 

What a Little Moonlight Can Do

And, oh, what a little Billie Holiday can do, too. 

 

Hotter Than 'Ell

Here's a recording that's almost 80 years old. It's Fletcher Henderson, from 1934.

Estate

We've had quite the summer in St. John's, and hopefully the run of good weather is not yet done. I heard a version of Estate by jazz pianist Ezra Weiss on Sirius XM in the car a while back, and it fit the heat and the mood of the day. 

 

Miles runs the style thing down

"For me, music and life are all about style."
- Miles Davis  

The good kind

"There is two kinds of music, the good, and the bad. I play the good kind."
- Louis Armstrong 

Sun

It's not May anymore, but this song by Stockholm's Quiet Nights Orchestra fit the mood for the weather today in St. John's: bright, sunny, warm, with that feeling, as I walked into work this morning, that the season had really turned. (I know: a dangerous expectation to have here indeed.) 

In any event, here's a tune for the warmer weather. 

Jazz Thing

I haven't seen Mo' Better Blues in years, and I wonder how it holds up. The music, I suspect, has become kind of dated ... which makes a bit of sense, as it was very much anchored to what was happening at the crossroads of jazz and hip hop circa 1990. This is Gang Starr's theme to the Spike Lee film, er, joint.

Bags Groove

Milt Jackson wrote it and Miles Davis made it iconic, but here's Jackson with the rest of the Modern Jazz Quartet. 

 

Why the kid will be listening to Bill Evans in the years to come

Here's a conversation with my son from today, after I got home and turned on Real Jazz, the XM satellite channel that's one of my favourites for unwinding. 

Nick: "You listen to jazz a lot."
Me: "I do."
Nick: "No, I mean, a LOT. You must love it." 
Me: "Well, I grew up listening to it."
Nick: "Ah. That explains a lot." 
Me: "And now you are, too." 
Nick: (Blank stare)

To be fair to the boy, he doesn't complain about the jazz. He may well as he gets older (he's 12 now).

But I bet, just as I love listening to the Dave Brubeck records my dad played in the Sixties and Seventies, he'll connect years from now to stuff I love. I hope so, anyway. 

I Guess I'll Leave My Tears Out To Dry

Plenty of jazz greats have recorded this standard over the years. Here's Dexter Gordon's peerless take. 

 

Well, You Needn't

A little Monk for the morning. We're making plans; books are being red; Batman is being rediscovered by th boy; a cake will soon be made for a birthday party later in the day. Enjoy your day. 

 

Willow Weep For Me

I always love hearing Louis Armstrong, but particularly so when Oscar Peterson was at the piano.

 

Almost Like Being In Love

A standard's a standard, until it gets the Lester Young treatment. This version, which features Young backed by Oscar Peterson and trio, was on the playlist for a cocktail party Martha and I threw last night. Perfect for the evening, and it suits a Sunday morning clean-up too.

Lemon Drop

An old chestnut from Gene Krupa to start the morning. 

Avila and Tequila

Not the drink, but the song. I've resolved to get a little more Hank Mobley in my life. Here's a start. 

Blue In Green

One of the songs that's been playing in the house on a writing morning. It's the Bill Evans Trio. I thought I'd pick it as the song of the day on Dot Dot Dot.