Great music, whether you call it jazz, fusion, rap, R&B
This is one of those rare albums that you want to listen to over and over again, where you keep hearing new pieces you never heard before.
Like on the track “James Brown Part I and II”: Carl Burnett’s starting guitar, followed by a drum machine? then the horns, with Branford on tenor and David Sanborn on Alto, point/counter point all the way through. One of my favorite driving songs. Then part II goes into record scrachin’ rappin’….then back to the horns. Fantastic.
“Another Day” slows it down, smooth. Then “Try These On” is one of the best mixes of jazz, rap, everything, that I’ve heard…always with Branford’s horn.
“Samba Pop” starts out with a descriptive lyric: “Even if it’s jazz in the quiet storm/Bebop converted in a hip hop form”. That describes this track perfectly.
And don’t miss the unnamed unmarked bonus track (#17 on the CD)…a very tight 4+ minute jazz tune.
I keep wishin’ for a 3rd Buckshot album. How ’bout it, Branford? PLEASE!
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5 stars: Joe Sample fan becomes a Crusaders fan
I found Joe Sample before I found the Crusaders, even through the original Crusaders have been around longer in Houston. But, when Joe and the new Crusaders came to Houston when this album first came out, I bought the album, went to the concert as was hooked. You can hear Joe’s heavy chords on his rhodes and wurlitzer in the background…but this is a team effort, with great a great horn section led by Wilton, and cool guest appearances. And Ray Parker, Jr. does a stellar job on guitar on the album (and was great at the concert too).
The first two tracks (Rural Renewal and Creepin’) start great, with Eric Clapton guesting on the album (although Ray was great on them in concert). But Heartland and Viva Da Funk are my favorites, because of the blend of Joe Sample’s keyboards, the outstanding horn section, tight rhythm and the subtly overlain guitars.
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A beautiful jazz album that flows through every number
I’ve had this album for a long time, just listened to it again last night. I was amazed how the songs flow together and that every track on the album is memorable and listenable.
Starting with the simple clean piano on “Free Yourself”, with the percussion and bass flowing in, and ending with “Angels on my Mind”, again clean piano chords and lead, with it’s somewhat somber, somewhat hopeful tone, this album should be listened to straight through over and over.
My favorites are “Hippies on a Corner” which always gets me moving (and has a great background story that Joe tells in concerts before he plays it; the refrain is great in this song) and “Black and White” with it’s single note melody opening.
Fantastic album, recommended for jazz fans, piano fans.
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5 stars: Listening to this on the way to hear Dave Brubeck last night
Dave Brubeck was in Houston for a concert last night, and we were listening to this album on the way there. A classic album, a classic artist. Though there was no Paul Desmond at the concert, it was fantastic to finally get to hear Dave in person.
It’s hard to pick a favorite tune from this album, as they are all wonderful to listen to. “Take Five”, the main hit from this album, sounds great on this remastered version, and it sounded amazing as his 85 year old hands tickled the ivories at the concert. Bobby Militello filled in well and amply for Paul Desmond on sax at the performance, by the way.
In addition to “Take Five” and “Blue Rondo A La Turk”, I also enjoy “Kathy’s Waltz” and “Everybody’s Jumpin’”, with the Sax lead opening and Dave’s piano answering, and the following exchange and counter point.
Also, if you have not heard any of Dave Brubeck’s choral arrangements, I would highly recommend them. They were played last night with the Dave Brubeck quartet, the Houston Chamber Choir and a brass section. Simply amazing. You can find them on his albums “The Gates of Justice” and “To Hope”.
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5 stars: Excellent music collection, great bio on DVD
There have been many Miles Davis “best of’s”. And while it is near impossible to capture the depth and sheer numbers of his recordings, this collection goes a long way towards capturing the breadth of the diversity of styles that Miles Davis created and traversed over his long and bountiful career. Selections from be-bop, the cool, fusion and many other styles are included, along with the obvious list of heavyweights that Miles started out with (Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie) and played with along the way.
But the bio pic on the DVD makes this collection worth the price of admission. Over two hours and 49 chapters of exhaustive detail of his life, including interviews with his family (wives, children, nephews), band mates, producers and Miles himself. Starting from his birth and childhood, through to his first trumpet in the high school band, to playing with Parker and Diz, through the heroin addictions, to the birth of cool, Kind of Blue, Sketches of Spain, fusion and his later years, his story is well presented through many perspectives.
An excellent combination of music and video. Highly recommended, for serious Miles fans and listeners new to jazz.
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