Well, I'm a little late today but its been a crazy day and this is the first chance I've had to sit at my computer and share these random and yet awesome things with you all today.
-I stumbled across this track from a Modern Jazz Quartet recording featuring Sonny Rollins the other day and have really been enjoying the whole album:
It's interesting how Connie Kay doesn't get mentioned all that often. His playing on the album "Bags & Trane" featuring Milt Jackson and John Coltrane is one of my personal favorites.
-Here's a brief interview with drummer Jason Marsalis:
-Thanks to Calgary's Aaron Leaney who forwarded me this awesome footage of Hamid Drake in action:
-I've really been digging Ralph Peterson Jr.'s album with his Unity Project of late. Here's some in-studio footage of a duet between and organist Pat Bianchi to check out. Dig those brushes!
I really dig the multi-tom and cymbal set-up that Peterson employs. Every once in awhile I'm inclined I try to use more drums and cymbals myself, but I just end of reverting to a four-piece kit with a minimal set up (!) Oh well, maybe some day...
-This next one is only 43 seconds long but I can guarantee that this footage of Jack DeJohnette will be the best 43 seconds you spend today:
-Drummer Rodney Green has apparently got a project of his own on the go, recording for the Small's Live record label. I look forward to hearing the finished project and in the meantime here is a recording of his band from an earlier date:
http://soundcloud.com/smalls-jazz-club/the-rodney-green-group
-I am VERY excited about this upcoming concert coming up this Friday featuring my big band with special guest Sean Jones on trumpet:
The Liftoff Collective presents:
The Calgary Creative Arts Ensemble (CCAE)
featuring jazz trumpeter Sean Jones
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Hope Lutheran Church
3527 Boulton Road NW
Calgary, AB
T2L 1M5
Tickets are available at the door and online through Eventbrite.ca
Adults $25, Students $15
TICKET LINK:
http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4449522642/efbevent
The Calgary Creative Arts Ensemble is in full force presenting its third concert of 2012 featuring American trumpeter Sean Jones. This concert will feature jazz orchestra music penned by local and international composers performed by the crème of the region's jazz musicians, a 16 piece big band comprised of performers such as Mark DeJong, Jon McCaslin, Michelle Grégoire, Jim Brenan, Jon Day and many more.
Sean Jones is particularly adept at plumbing complex emotional depths through his trumpet playing and composing. As Jones says, “I like to play from the heart and not the head.” In the spring of 2010 he stepped down from his position as Lead Trumpeter of Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, a position that Jones held for over half a decade. He recently recorded his sixth record as a leader and has performed and toured with artists such as Marcus Miller, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. For more information on Sean Jones please visit http://seanjonesmusic.com/. Sean Jones' appearance is sponsored by Mount Royal University. Jones is Mount Royal Jazz Music Program's 2012 Visiting Artist In Residence. In addition to his appearance with the CCAE, Jones will be working with MRU students from October 22-25, and presenting workshops open to the public on October 26. All public workshops are on campus.
The CCAE concert program on October 26th will include works by Canadian composers Phil Nimmons (Toronto), Ian McDougall (Victoria), Christopher Smith (Montréal), Rob McConnell (Toronto), Maynard Ferguson (Montréal), Michelle Grégoire (Calgary), as well as premieres of works by local composers Lorna MacLachlan and Jon McCaslin.
Calgary has a diverse and active music scene, and the Calgary Creative Arts Ensemble (CCAE) works to enrich and energize the musical environment by engaging Calgary's most active, creative, and interesting jazz and improvising musicians to create original music for large jazz ensemble of the highest calibre. While many Calgary musicians have risen to prominence in a variety of genres and musical settings, there are numerous improvising and creative jazz musicians who deserve a higher profile on the local, regional and national level.
The CCAE was created by and is run by the The Liftoff Collective, a collective of three musicians namely saxophonist Mark DeJong, drummer Jon McCaslin, and pianist Michelle Grégoire. These Calgary based jazz artists share a common passion for the creation and performance of original Canadian repertoire for large jazz ensemble. Sensing a need in the Calgary community for an ensemble with this type of focus, these accomplished musicians set out to form The Calgary Creative Arts Ensemble.
For more information and detailed biographies on the guest artists as well as featured composers, please contact Michelle Grégoire at (403)-228-1175, michjazz@gmail.com. For more information on Sean Jones (picture, bios, sound samples) please visit http://seanjonesmusic.com/.
-I'd like to leave you all today with this fine recording of Billy Higgins playing Cedar Walton's "Bolivia":
Thank you Chad Anderson for the muse and Joe LaBarbera for some insightful and humbling recent commentary on my left foot hi-hat technique!
Have a great week everybody.