Happy Halloween! Burrell, Green, 'Wow!'

Happy Halloween! It is a rainy day here in my part of North Georgia. Last night was so great, cause I went to my son's birthday dinner in Midtown Atlanta. Great fun and my two granddaughters were doing the joyful dance of the night before Halloween. The fella named me was so excited I went home and listened to two fave jazz guitar men, both musical giants of the guitar so "right-on" stream of style elegance. I mean the fabulous Kenny Burrell and Grant Green. The sound of the sleek Kenny Burrell has so much classic bop conception and the man, Grant Green has the comprehensive expressive guitar lines that make him a great guy in the interpretation of blues. I really love the way Kenny Burrell and Grant Green do wonders with ballads. Love Kenny Burrell's work on the haunting, 'Lament.' The huge building of well-grounded musicality in Mr. Burrell and Mr. Green is so wonderful. This creation of fascinating sounds is what drew me to the grand world of jazz guitar a long time ago. Good sounds, smiling children, the beautiful colors of fall--all of these make us give a big shout out once more: "Happy Halloween!"

'Vertigo' loaded with 'Surreal' film 'chic'

Dangerous obsession is a difficult thing to capture on film. However, one of the genius individuals who excelled in this category is the master director himself, Alfred Hitchcock. The development of a comprehensive film experience is often achieved in a brilliant manner by the esteemed Mr. Alfred Hitchcock. An obsession film story is the sleek 1958 Hitchcock movie, 'Vertigo.' This story draws us into a saga of lost love and nerves just totally beaten up. The film brings the rather surreal streets of the mysterious San Francisco to life. Hitchcock has two people, James Stewart and Kim Novak, really in all kinds of strange cinematic adventures. In a sense, Kim Novak is still another one of the Hitchcock blondes, yet she is so much more than a meaningless caricature. She slips in and out of personalities sort of a human existential prototype gone a little off kilter. Indeed, James Syewart and Kim Novak are strongly drawn to each other, but they just cannot seem to get the trust element going. The lost love tone that floats like a weird rhapsody in this film work is certainly engaging. In some ways, George Clooney, among modern stars may some day get this kind of strong acting endeavor going. That's if George Clooney could have the exciting time of working with a master director like Alfred Hitchcock.

'The Letter' is a clever mystery classic

I watched a great classic film last night. It was 'The Letter.' What a fine artfully created work this one is! The story had a tremendous lead performance by Bette Davis and also grand work by Herbert Marshall and James Stephenson. This 1940 release was directed by the extremely creative William Wyler. The incredible William Wyler had a super career. The clever psychology of this mystery story really draws people in with its bizarre story structure showing the odd actions of the wife of a rubber plantation administrator. The wife (Bette Davis) has such an intense acting style that she is a real delight to experience. I feel that Warner Bros. people did a really grand job with this one. What a wonderful artistic delight especially is the fine work of Herbert Marshall who plays the part of Bette Davis' husband. Indeed, it is great fun to enjoy an eloquent mystery film like 'The Letter.'

Ate too much today

Excuse my error. Ate too much today. I have a clogged brain. On the last blog I said the U2show is tomorrow. It is actually today, Oct. 25. Forgive me. The old man has made an error again. I'm only human.

Fitzgerald, Davis, Eldridge, U2: Great Fun!

Jam session jazz music is so wild, a good 'ole whoop-t-do.' I listened today to a fine mainstream jazz session featuring the marvelous vocalizing of Ella Fitzgerald and many musical friends. This grand session from Holland had the great big bountiful sound of the super tenor saxophonist, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Roy 'Little Jazz' Eldridge on trumpet, smooth comping guitar work from the wise Joe Pass and Tommy Flanagan on piano and the steady stylish Keter Betts on the bass. The blending of incredible scat singing by Ella Fitzgerald along with sensual,joyous tenor machinations by Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis and highly thoughtful and provocative work by Roy Eldridge on the trumpet...well Lord, this was almost too much. This music was so powerhouse, so brash and "right on." This kind of jazz gives us all so much wonderful excitement it is kind of like U2 music. Lord, it gets us going. Now, can't wait for the big U2 Rose Bowl show, tomorrow. Cheers, everyone!

'Owl City' has a delightful 'Coolness'

Cool, soothing special music is a fun thing to me. I became aware of a musical unit called 'Owl City' and I confess that the melodic rather soft engaging sound was quite engaging. Sort of remindful of some of the old style pop culture styles of a long time back. I especially like the flowing and shiny sound of the 'Owl City' tune named 'Fireflies.' The electropop musical genre is a fun element of the current pop culture dynamic and I believe the compelling 'Owl City' sound is here to stay awhile. I hear the 'Owl City' project had its beginning in the good state of Minnesota. That fine state of Minnesota has a marvelous history. I know I have always had a lot of respect for the superb Minnesota Vikings, the powerful guys in purple.

Flanagan, Fitzgerald: Greatness in Jazz

Highly sophisticated piano jazz has such tremendous appeal. I listened to one of my very favorite keyboard men today, the great Tommy Flanagan. The man has pure joy going on when he is really cookin' with lilting linear lines of vivid improvisation. It's interesting how he can adapt himself. He gets some fabulous work done on the J.J. Johnson tune, 'Lament.' And also I truly find myself delighted with the sparkling really uptempo number, 'Raincheck.' Tommy Flanagan backed up the great Ella Fitzgerald for a long time. They made grand, intoxicating so joyous music together. The wonderfully honed phrasing of Tommy Flanagan on piano and the delightful vocal nuances developed by Ella Fitzgerald...well these sounds are what one might call the very pinnacle of jazz delight.