M. Haggard, W. Nelson: 2 Great Ones

Surprise! I like country music, too. Especially, the rough-hewn kind. My friends might find it hard to believe but I just truly dig Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. Lord when I heard Merle Haggard do 'Okie' today it was just right. Then, when Willie Nelson did 'Stardust' well Lord, that was so fine, too. I get the feeling that country music is moving on up what with CMT really picking up steam. Oh me, oh my...the Lord bless Mr. Haggard and Mr. Nelson.

Atlanta Hawks Fly So High Today!

Pro basketball is a vital and so integral part of our Metro Atlanta culture. And this afternoon a great thing happened. What a super playoff game! The mighty Atlanta Hawks played fantastically and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 95-74. Congrats to Coach Mike Woodson and all the great guys like Josh Smith, Jamal Crawford, Mike Bibby and well just this whole team of great guys. This win has made me so happy!

Vietnam remembered

I noticed something earlier today. Today is the 35th anniversary of the fact of the Vietnam War ending. It (that war) had a gigantic impact on our American culture. I remember hearing friends talking about Khe Sanh and some of the other battles. The powerful passion that is Vietnam permeates so many layers of our cultural infrastructure. Films like, 'The Deer Hunter' had so much meaning for me. Indeed, Christopher Walken and Robert DeNiro were overwhelming in that great movie.

The Robust Tenor Sax of 'Lockjaw' Davis

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis is one of my favorite powerhouse tenor saxophone people. The man has music with so much muscle and also his material packs a tremendous sense of swing. Today, I got back into his music and his sound was so fresh and robust. His backup guys were the master, Oscar Peterson on piano, The profound Ray Brown on bass and a good and feisty Jimmie Smith on the drums. My favorite tunes in this particular set were, 'This Can't Be Love' and a clever number, 'I wished on the Moon.' Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis and the incredible Oscar Peterson on the piano....man, what marvelous music!

Cannonball Adderley produces great jazz art

Cannonball Adderley is a strong man of the alto saxophone. Lord, yes. His classic tunes like the mighty, 'Work Song' and the wily 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy' are two of my great favorites. The heavy dash of blues style that reaches out to you from that great alto sax of his is so intense. The composition, 'Work Song' (written by Cannonball Adderley's brother Nat, a fine cornet man) sends me into total delight. As a southern man like me might say, the tune has plenty of get up and get. A jazz workout by the Adderley men sends me up into a great musical groove as the sixties characters might put it. I figure digging Cannonball Adderley and Nat Adderley is a little bit like viewing a fine set of performances by two dramatic giants like Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. Really profound performances can be very fulfilling. DeNiro and Pacino are clever and "hip" and so are the good Adderley brothers.

Terence Blanchard: Musical Cleverist!

Acerbic, beguiling and somewhat clever. The attributes are a part of the appeal of jazz trumpeter, Terence Blanchard. His sound is distinct and rather unique in its crafty modernism. His album, "Wandering Moon' has several fun compositions that snare one and allow one good intense listening fun. Two tunes ...'Sweet's Dream' and 'I Thought about You' are especially interesting. Also, in this set his group is strong. I love the smart, remarkable work of Branford Marsalis on tenor saxophone. Another individual with a sharp performance in this time out is Dave Holland on the bass. His rock-solid work helps cement the total jazz experience. I feel this cornucopia of fresh sounds reminds one of reading the action hero stuff that maybe we read as a kid. Like what happened to me when I used to read the goings-on of the DC comics and the Marvel comics bunch. The gleeful times of enjoying the brash art and words of DC and Marvel...well that's fun for sure. Clever trumpet jazz is the thing that puts a big, choice smile on my face.

McCoy Tyner, Charles Mingus: Feisty Jazz!

McCoy Tyner is such an always bright shiny gentleman of the jazz piano veterans. He has so much modernism in his improv solos. The guy is a giant delight. I listened to him today and felt so refreshed. Also, I got into real focused listening to the incredible big band sounds of the magnificent Charles Mingus, the master impresario on the bass. I feel McCoy Tyner and Charles Mingus are so strong, yes full of artistic impact on the musical world around them. What a powerful joy it is to listen to Tyner and Mingus.