Saturday, October 30, 2010

Temptations, Stevie Wonder: Genius Lives!

The Temptations and Stevie Wonder...musical artists that lift my soul. Oh my, yes! I have deep in my psyche all the excellent memories that come roaring back in me when I hear The Temps singing and dancing with the fantastic song 'My Girl' and when I hear the tremendous man Stevie Wonder doing the aching, beautiful number, 'For Once In My Life.' Believe me the marvelous flood of terrific emotions is so satisfying! The music of The 60s and 70s is so strong with an incredible emotional dynamic that can just totally engulf a man or woman. The music of what some call the Vietnam era is so aching and so poignant and yes profound that it is as if you had three huge prime rib entrees on your plate and you ate every single bite. I love the genius and the remarkable musical expressiveness of The Temptations and Stevie Wonder and today on this big event day (the birthday of my eldest son) indeed I am a tremendously happy man!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Ray Brown , Gene Harris: Good Sounds

Great jazz bass work! That is the accomplishment of the mighty Ray Brown. Listened today to The Ray Brown Trio with the remarkable Gene Harris on piano. These guys played an absolutely awesome version of the classic tune, 'Summertime.' I have always liked the sound of fine jazz performers putting together truly engaging work on haunting ballads like 'Summertime.' The swing that Ray Brown maintains on the bass is terrific with its enchanting sound. I needed some jazz that could pick me up today and believe me, the Ray Brown Trio along with the superb Gene Harris on piano certainly did a wonderful job of fulfilling my needs. Thanks guys.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Roy Hargrove: Exciting Jazz Artist!

Roy Hargrove creates energetic joy, a kind of stirring trumpet jazz that really draws you in. The man who came out of Texas has a vibrant, edgy sound that reminds one a bit of the fabulous Freddie Hubbard. They say Hargrove met the marvelous Wynton Marsalis early. Hargrove (like Marsalis) has a lot of fire in his playing. And it is so "right on!" Listened today to a great tune...'Strasbourg St. Denis' and it had the feisty bright sound that made my day feel so good. Roy Hargrove and his quintet make modern music, a jazz that truly engages the listener. Try some of the profound, ultra-creative jazz of Roy Hargrove if you want a good jazz experience.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Kenny Chesney: 'Hemingway's Whiskey'

A new song I like is 'Hemingway's Whiskey' by Kenny Chesney. This guy knows how to develop a country music song that has plenty of meaning. I know the name Hemingway is what instantly drew me to this number. For a long time I have been fascinated with all the prose that Ernest Hemingway wrote in his lifetime. He always said....write short...don't use too many adjectives and adverbs...use nouns and verbs. It is fascinating tying to get one's head around this so 'hip' writing mantra. Listen, I couldn't help but wonder what drew Kenny Chesney to coming up with such a meaningful song like this 'Hemingway's Whiskey.' The Chesney style is full of meaning and the beauty of this music is the passion and superb homage Kenny Chesney has going to a truly great man, Ernest Hemingway. Country music in its terrific modern form has lots of meaning and power and our friend the talented Mr. Kenny Chesney has come up with something very special with 'Hemingway's Whiskey.'

Friday, October 15, 2010

I Am Sorry............

Yesterday I had Dianne Reaves name down in a jazz post. The correct spelling of this person is Dianne Reeves. I am very sorry for this error.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Russell Malone and Friends Truly Delight!

Guitar music just engages the mind so beautifully. Superb jazz guitar really tickles the fancy of a veteran music enthusiast like me. Today, I listened to the extremely tasteful jazz guitar of Russell Malone. And it was a giant delight. One track that proved terrific in its sophisticated styling was Russell Malone working out with the marvelous vocalist, Dianne Reeves on that lovely tune, 'Embraceable You.' The lush, gentle chords and jazz tones put me in a gigantic stage of supreme bliss. The vocal work of Dianne Reaves is poignant and delicate and so thoughtful. Also, I listened to some fantastic work with Russell Malone playing guitar with the great Ron Carter Trio on a rousing rendition of the standard, 'Autumn Leaves.' The elegant Ron Carter played in a totally exquisite manner, making his bass work just entrance everyone. Additionally, the piano work of the skillful Jacky Terrason on piano was so enriching to all the listeners souls. I listen to people like Ron Carter and Russell Malone and Jacky Terrason and it brings me sublime delights....I get strongly into the great world of "awareness" that Deepak Chopra mentions quite often in his work. Superb jazz has made this a profound and so beautiful Thursday.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

DAWGS Get It Done! They won one!

Wonderful Saturday! The DAWGS of my favorite UGA got finally going today. They whipped the mighty VOLS of Tenn. I celebrated. Felt so good. I am an old soul...so I listened to Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis this afternoon. As a friend of mine says..."Life is Good!" My, my......IT SURE IS!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Dizzy Gillespie, Terry Gibbs: Jazz Heroes

Dizzy Gillespie and Terry Gibbs are two jazzmen who produce fantastic jazz excitement. The trumpet genius, Dizzy, has an uncanny ability to come up with improvisatory lines that just sleekly soar out into the far reaches of outer space. The drivin' and vigorous pulsating vibes jazz music of the masterful Terry Gibbs just enthralls me. The sounds I heard today with the greatness of Gillespie and Gibbs were sensational. I especially delighted in the Dizzy Gillespie work (along with Terry and his band) on a feisty composition called 'Smoke em up.' The clever, vigorous solo work of the jazz icons was so fresh and so vividly explosive. Another fine rendition I heard today was the so-engaging giant jazz classic, 'A Night in Tunisia.' This number sends me into total joy every time I hear it. The thing has so much, beautifully visceral punch that it is a vast, remarkable and so freshly contemporary experience. The thrill of jazz music is when it comes so brilliantly alive with gigantic excitement. That's the sum total of listening to Dizzy Gillespie and Terry Gibbs. Their music is kind of like reading good tough fiction from the master, Elmore Leonard. The fun of fine jazz is very similar to the delight a person gets in reading great E. Leonard, like maybe that superb book of Mr. Leonard's....'Out of Sight.' The vibrant, kickin' strong JAZZ MUSIC of Mr. Dizzy Gillespie and Mr. Terry Gibbs packed my Tuesday with so much CRACKLING JOY today!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall: Great Ones!

Art thoughts. Been thinking today about how enriching it is to really delve into a huge passion for art. It enlivens one's soul so much. I love the wild, bright colors so passionately obvious in the intricate arena of Pablo Picasso and his cubism paintings. Picasso had a style that was so VIVID. And his unusual material like the mighty '"Guernica' was so immensely grand. Also I have thought today about how I love the spiritual, almost so-intense bright colored work of the genius artist, Marc Chagall. Indeed, the man called Marc Chagall was a soul who produced incredible truly satisfying art that one's brain can really gorge itself on. Today on this beautiful Monday let us say Bless You Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall for the thrilling artistic experiences you have brought into our lives.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

UGA Football Game....So Weird

Last night, the guys from UGA played the Colorado men in a bizarre football game. The UGA men played like tiny kids in a gross 1950's kids movie. Plenty of mistakes, horrendous errors and moronic cases of guys being way out of position, defensively. The offense was ABSURD. The days of H. Walker are no more with the bulldogs. The defense is not anything but pathetic and the so-called offense is grotesque. Bring back the good old days of many moons ago. This Colorado game was an insult to good Southern football culture.

Friday, October 1, 2010

How About Play Strong This Time, UGA!

This is a BIG Prayer! I am a UGA man so I am putting all my strength in a GIGANTIC PRAYER that the DAWGS do not show all that shame and atrocious lack of effort in the game with the men from Colorado. Guys....try to remember you have a long history with some outstanding players. Play like powerhouses...not like kids from the 11-year-old neighborhood gridiron unit. Play like the great lineman...Ray Rismiller...used to do back in the 1960s.

Nice Writing

THE GOOD terse writing of Ernest Hemingway is a real joy.  He does not use too many adjectives.  His 'Torrents' is a fine tome.