Yo Ronny, I swear when I heard you passed I didn't believe it. I actually had to look it up and read it for myself. I can't believe you're gone. Who is going to chill me out now? No one did that like you did it. As a tribute to you, I am posting your first hit After Hours off your 1992 debut album The Antidote.
Thank you for blessing us with your talent. You will forever be missed man. May you rest in eternal peace. Just 51, you left us too soon Ronny, too soon man.
I was sitting around mulling over the recent tragic events of the day and for some reason, this song came to me. Not the original but Najee's delicious version of the Stevie Wonder classic Love's In Need of Love Today off of Najee's 1995 tribute album Najee Plays Songs in the Key of Life. Stevie's song is an amazing thing to behold, and I honestly think Najee and his soprano saxophone does the song justice. Especially when the strings come in at towards the end, sublime.
There were so many shootings and deaths today that I literally thought the world is in need of some love today. So I thought to blog Najee's sweet sax playing one of the greatest songs by one of the greatest artists of all time and introduce it to you. You may have never heard this version of Stevie's song, you may have never even heard of Najee for that matter, and if that is the case then I am happy to make the introduction :)
Back in 1995 I gave this album to my parents for Christmas, they are BIG Stevie Wonder fans, and they had so much fun playing (blasting) it throughout the house that entire day. I can still see the smiles on their faces as they danced and sang and hummed along with Najee. It's a memory that is so vivid it's like it all happened yesterday, and it came to me today as I watched the news. Love truly is in need of love today. Enjoy!
An icon of music recently passed away, and when I say "of music" it's because there wasn't anything George Duke couldn't do musically. He was adept in jazz, funk, pop, rock, alternative rock, and so many other genres that listing them here would take all day. That term "musical genius" has been passed around and given to those who don't deserve it. George Duke deserved that moniker in every way, shape, and form.
One of my favorite tunes by this genius is the harmoniously funky Brazilian Love Affair. Released in 1979 after traveling to Brazil to record it, it's one of his most amazing albums, and it displayed his versatility and craftsmanship in such amazing ways. I can listen to this cut and never grow tired of it. I love the funky bass line as it plays along with the rhythm guitar and rumbles along under the smooth vocals. Then comes the change up and it takes this song to another plane, lovely.
George Duke left us on August 5th, 2013 and he is going to be truely missed. Not just by the music community but by those that have come to be ardent lovers of his music. On behalf of music lovers everywhere I'd like to say thank you Mr. Duke for providing us with creativity so beautiful and inspiring. May you rest forevermore in eternal peace.
If you are a fan of Peter Gabriel then you are more than likely a fan of his classic song Mercy Street. It's a moving and poignant song that sounds as perfect as a song could sound. If you are a fan of Herbie Hancock then you know how talented that man is and what his legacy is when it comes to jazz music. There is nothing Herbie cannot do, and he proved that when he dropped his album The New Standard back on March 5th 1996.
Herbie took pop songs and turned them into jazz standards. He refashioned them, updated them, made them funkier, fresher, gave them a different voice. One of those songs was Peter's tune Mercy Street. Herbie gave it some serious juice and and sped the song up and made it even harder to forget it. The piano work is pure perfection, but what outshines Herbie on this track is the tenor sax work by Michael Brecker and hearing those two go back and forth with one another is timeless. Michael Brecker's play gives me goosebumps it's that GOOD!
This was Herbie's 40th studio album, 40th and it is absolutely amazing, as his rendition of Mercy Street can attest to. This is one of my favorite albums because if you put this on today, it sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday. The New Standard stands the test of time and for an album that's bordering on being twenty years old, you can't get much better than that.
This song enttled Frozen Lake by one of my favorite jazz artists, Bob James and classical pianists, Kieko Matsui is undeniably beautiful. Upon first hearing it I thought these two talented people were playing their own individual pianos which would be amazing in its own right. The embedded video makes this song even more amazing when you see that they are playing the same piano.
Frozen Lake is off their joint 2011 release Altair & Vega, an album named after the two brightest stars in our galaxy which is most fitting. It is an album strictly for the piano lover, there is no other instrumentation on the album. Where you think that may get boring after awhile, there are only seven tracks on the album to keep that from happening. In my opinion Frozen Lake is the stand out.
I hope you enjoy this wonderful piece of music as much as I do by these two amazing musicians. And even if it's not your cup of tea, at least marvel at the fact that it's all played on the same piano by two of the brightest stars in our musical galaxy. Enjoy!
I ask this question often to people who consider themselves music lovers, what's the prettiest melody they have ever heard. I get so many answers to some very good pieces of music but no matter what musical road I am led down, I always come back to this piece. In A Sentimental Mood by the masters Duke Ellington and John Coltrane is not only one of the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard but it also evokes an emotion of...longing.
I have come across a lot of people who claim not to like jazz because they "just don't get it", like it's some kind of equation to solve. I always recommend one of two songs for those jazz haters to listen to and Coltrane is involved in both of them. The first is Tranes Central Park West and the other is this song. The simplistic beauty of this song is almost without equal and after hearing it, if one can't appreciate this art form then there really is no hope for them.
Duke Ellington was once asked to describe his music in an interview and he stated unequivocally "there is good music and bad music, I make good music". Yes you do Duke, yes you do. Enjoy!
Yo Ronny, I swear when I heard you passed I didn't believe it. I actually had to look it up and read it for myself. I can't believe you're gone. Who is going to chill me out now? No one did that like you did it. As a tribute to you, I am posting your first hit After Hours off your 1992 debut album The Antidote.
I was sitting around mulling over the recent tragic events of the day and for some reason, this song came to me. Not the original but Najee's delicious version of the Stevie Wonder classic Love's In Need of Love Today off of Najee's 1995 tribute album Najee Plays Songs in the Key of Life. Stevie's song is an amazing thing to behold, and I honestly think Najee and his soprano saxophone does the song justice. Especially when the strings come in at towards the end, sublime.
An icon of music recently passed away, and when I say "of music" it's because there wasn't anything George Duke couldn't do musically. He was adept in jazz, funk, pop, rock, alternative rock, and so many other genres that listing them here would take all day. That term "musical genius" has been passed around and given to those who don't deserve it. George Duke deserved that moniker in every way, shape, and form.
