Flux Music [Jazz] Essentials … [Harris, Steps Ahead, Wilson & Sample]

Tags

African American, Cassandra Wilson, Jazz, Joe Sample, Stefon Harris, Steps Ahead

Flux Music Essentials

Greeting’s jazz connoisseurs, I’m back with yet another intriguing palette of creative music from some of today’s most unique, adventurous and inspiring voices known and unknown artists alike in the world of jazz.

Stefon Harris - African Tarantella

Stefon Harris -//- African Tarantella – [BLUE NOTE, 2006]

Prior to buying this album, I was fortunate enough to hear Stefon Harris and his mallet play the music live. It was one of the best live jazz performances that I have heard lately, and the album is as good or better!

Several things stand out. First is Harris’ obvious virtuosity. I have seen Milt Jackson live and Harris doesn’t take a back seat. He plays the vibes and marimba simultaneously, and at amazing tempo. He isn’t just a virtuoso though, but a very creative arranger and improviser.

The instrumentation is very interesting: viola and cello, trombone, flute, clarinet, drums, bass and piano. This gives the album a wonderful tonal palette. The musicians are wonderful too; Terreon Gully on drums may be the best drummer that I have heard live, and I’ve been lucky enough to hear Buddy Rich, Jeff Hamilton and some of the other top drummers in jazz. Also outstanding is pianist Xavier Davis and trombonist Steve Turre.

My favorite tracks are adaptations of Duke Ellington creations: three numbers from the New Orleans Suite and two from the Queen’s Suite. I am less enamored of Harris’ compositions.

Harris is terrific as an improviser, arranger and performer. He, along with some other young jazz titans, give me comfort that jazz is still alive and vital for years to come. —Rick Loves Jazz | Amazon.com

Flux Music Essentials … [Redman, Scott, Glasper, Steps Ahead, & Sample]

Tags

African American, Christian Scott, Jazz, Joe Sample, Joshua Redman, Robert Glasper, Steps Ahead

Flux Music Essentials

Greetings jazz aficionados, I’m back once again this time with five spellbinding jazz titles from the shelves of Flux Music Essentials! The following recordings fit perfectly into the mold of what I view as being the usual suspects … at least from my perspective. Pull’em off the rack and take them for a spin. Although similar in context, these gems where originally recorded to create an atmosphere with just enough complex nuances and innovation painted on the canvas to make these jewels a worthwhile listening experience.

Joshua Redman Quartet - Moodswing

Joshua Redman Quartet -|- Moodswing – [Warner Bros, 1994]

This recording in my opinion is the freshest and finest work that Joshua Redman has produced. Considering that the band make-up of Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade are three of the baddest young jazz musicians today, they have also become major band leaders in their own right. I think this was the recording that set them all on their way. The songs vary from melodic to sonically intense. McBride and Blade blaze a rhythmic trail followed by the creative yet subtle piano stylings of Mehldau, all giving way to the superior improvisational skills of Redman. The songs seem almost lyrical in their expression. Whether you are a Joshua Redman fan, or someone who has never experienced his music before, this is the beginning (although he had two prior quality releases prior) of the spectacular career of one of the finest tenor sax players of these times…

Randy Crawford and Joe Sample Nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album

Tags

African American, Female Vocalist, Joe Sample, Piano, Randy Crawford

Randy and Joe - No Regrets

After more than 30 years of superlative collaborations in the studio and on the stage, contemporary jazz masters Randy Crawford and Joe Sample have been recognized for a musical simpatico rarely seen in modern music. No Regrets, the duo’s latest effort, has received a Grammy® nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

The collection is the follow-up to 2007’s critically acclaimed Grammy® nominated Feeling Good, which peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart and spurred a successful tour around the world. With Sample’s stylish, uncluttered arrangements and Crawford’s bell-clear, soul-drenched vocals, fans couldn’t get enough and demanded more.

Crawford and Sample are supreme musical storytellers, and that’s even more apparent on No Regrets. Just as they did on Feeling Good, the two handpicked the material with legendary producer Tommy LiPuma, whom Sample and Crawford know very well. They have worked with LiPuma individually and collectively for more than 30 years.

..:: Source: TheUrbanMusicScene.com ::..

Joe Sample and The Soul Committee | Did You Feel That?

Tags

African American, Jazz, Joe Sample, Piano

Joe Sample and The Soul Committee | Did You Feel That? – [Warner Bros. 1994] – Music Review | The Weekend Spin

Joe Sample, Did You Feel That?

When talent of this caliber assembles we should expect the unexpected! In this case, the gifted Joe Sample and The Soul Committee reveals through the revelation of song, spirit and brotherhood a rebirth of a one of a kind jazz, soul and gospel influenced project as musical revival filled with soulful, joyous and stimulating music titled you guessed it “Did You Feel That?”

Although he’s regarded as one of the most distinguish voices and gentleman in today’s jazz, the genius of Sample still amazes and gains new fans worldwide with each recording. On this effort, he graciously landed feet first with this prolific collection of soulful compositions. Did You Feel That? … is a slowly cooked mix of gumbo, chicken, fried fish, rice & beans (Dirty Rice) and cornbread stirred into a satisfying blend of smokin‘ music! You see, this Houston TX native knows how to bring it by shakin’ it up Southern style with jams like “The Sidewinder“!

Joe Sample and Randy Crawford

Tags

African American, Female Vocalist, Joe Sample, Piano, Randy Crawford

Celebrate 33 Years of Magical Music Making With Their Soul-Slanted Second Duo CD, “NO REGRETS”

Crawford and Sample

Randy Crawford and Joe Sample | No Regrets

NEW YORK, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ — Certain exceptional musical matches are unquestionably made in Heaven. The day that ubiquitous keyboard journeyman – and PRA Records recording artist – Joe Sample arrived at the studio to lend his distinctive piano touch to singer extraordinaire Randy Crawford’s debut album Everything Must Change in 1976, one of the finest pairings in contemporary jazz was born.

Off and on through the years, these soul mates have made sweet music together – from the now classic “Street Life” which Randy sang with Joe’s group The Crusaders to Randy’s own album “Now We May Begin,” for which Joe was a co-producer. These stellar guest appearances eventually led to the inevitable: a duo project as co-headliners. March 24, 2009 will see the release of Joe Sample and Randy Crawford’s second album of collaborations titled “No Regrets.”

The Crusaders | Live at Montreux 2003

Tags

African American, Jazz, Joe Sample, Music DVD, The Crusaders

The Crusaders

The Crusaders | Live at Montreux 2003 [DVD]

The Crusaders were one of the pioneers of Jazz-Funk music in the seventies and have made a number of visits to Montreux over the years. This DVD focuses on their performance from 2003 when the band was touring in support of their album “Rural Renewal”. Founder members Joe Sample and Wilton Felder were joined in the line-up by long-standing friend Ray Parker Jr. on guitar and by the inimitable Randy Crawford on vocals. They delivered a set that spanned their career from early days up to their latest album capped with a stunning nine minute plus performance of their classic “Street Life” and finished off with a fun rendition of Ray Parker Jr’s “Ghostbusters”. ~ Amazon.com