If you are a follower of  jazz trumpet you probably have already discovered Tomasz Stanko, one of Europe's living free jazz legends.  Stanko is currently touring the United States to showcase his new quintet and promote their latest recorded release entitled "Dark Eyes".  I was lucky enough to catch their gig at Anthology, on their brief stop in San Diego.

This live performance was bold and exciting, an example of improvisation at its finest. Wiry thin, maestro trumpeter Stanko, with his trademark cap pulled down over his head, was clearly the draw, yet he democratically shared the limelight with his fellow musicians. This allowed the audience to enjoy the freedom of expression of each artist instead of a set dominated by one musical voice. The creative affinity of Stanko to his quintet seems to contradict the brief time they've been together. Polish born Stanko has been on the music scene for almost 50 years, yet the relative youthfulness of these four Scandinavian musicians keep his music fresh and alive.  Drummer Olavi Louhivuori demonstrates a brilliant free flowing and creative percussive style.  Pianist Alexi Tuomarila's effortless rapport with Stanko masks the difficult nature of their intricate duet.  Guitar has been expertly and seamlessly introduced to Stanko's musical lexicon by Jakob Bro, and Anders Christensen absolutely smoulders in the background on electric bass.  The overall effect is a lyrical and mesmerizing sound without loosing Stanko's trademark energy and grit.

For those of you who have yet to hear their latest ECM release, "Dark Eyes" is a soulful compilation of eight original scores plus two.  Dark Eyes conjures up a mood of dreamy introspection, a cool melancholy but with a sweetness to its sound.  Its musical ruminations are economical and straight forward but hauntingly beautiful in their execution.  While mostly understated in his delivery, Stanko does let loose in the title track with an improvised fury from his trumpet, just to change the pace a bit.  This "Noirish" musical assemblage grows on you the more it is played and will delight even the most insatiable Stanko fan.

Tomasz Stanko's talent as a younster in his twenties was first apparent on Krysztof Komeda's 1966 acclaimed album "Astigmatic".  He credits Komeda as having a most significant influence on his compositional style.  This was no doubt the fortuitous consequence of having played with this great jazz pianist and composer during Stanko's formative years of 1963 thru 1967. Numerous collaborations expanded his musical vocabulary in the decades that followed.  This included edgy experiments with electro-acoustics and a notable alliance with Finnish Drummer Edward Vesala.

In recent decades, Stanko partnered with fellow improvisational musicians worldwide while simultaneously leading and composing for his own group in Poland.  His prodigious affiliation with three Polish musicians has produced stand-out recordings for ECM and garnered considerable critical acclaim.  The  superb synergy of Marcin Wasilewski on piano, Slawomir Kurkiewicz on Bass and Michael Miskiewicz on drums, is so musically empathetic to Stanko's own style as to deliver many an inspired performance that would rival any group in the free jazz category today.  If you have not already discovered the magic, we recommend you explore any of the following recordings as a starting point. 

Just click on each title to sample the music or purchase the CD through Amazon.com:

SUSPENDED NIGHT - ECM 2004 - Ten variations plus Song for Sarah will give you a taste for quintessential Stanko.  

SOUL OF THINGS - ECM  2002 -  Has been on many a critics top ten list.  Often described as austere and almost spiritual, this compilation of 13 original compositions showcases Stanko's Polish quartet at their best.  

WOLNOSC W SIERPNIU - Fire 2005 release -  Translated as "Freedom in August",  this commissioned work is Stanko's tribute to the tragically heroic resistance of Poles to Nazi occupation in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.  Though a brief 30 minutes, this beautiful recording has a cinematic quality that makes it unusual.  On this CD, the quartet is backed by a string orchestra that results in a very emotional effect.  

DARK EYES - ECM 2010 - Stanko's latest release with new Scandanavian quintet continues the fine jazz tradition of free flowing freedom of musical expression.   

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The Lifetime Achievement Award for Jazz at the 2010 Grammies went to trumpeter and flugelhornist Clark Terry.  Terry is no stranger to the Grammies having already won three times.  His album "Clark Terry & His Jolly Giants" took best Soloist in 1977, he won Best Big Band Performance in 1976 for "Clark Terry's B-A-D Band Live at Wichita Jazz Festival" and in 1966 for "The Power of Positive Swinging".

Terry was born in St. Louis, Missouri where at Vashon High School he quickly mastered the trombone and bugle.  Following graduation, his switch to trumpet made him popular on the riverboats and nightclubs in and out of the St. Louis region.  Fresh from Naval Service in  the mid-40's, he quickly landed gigs with Lionel Hampton, Charlie Barnet and Eddie Vinson's bands until he joined Count Basie as a regular in 1948.  He reached his big band climax as a feature performer for the spectacular Duke Ellington Orchestra from 1951-1959.  Personal fame continued to skyrocket during the 60's.  Public exposure from ten years with the Doc Severinsen band on the popular Johnny Carson's Tonight Show was largely responsible.  At this time he was also busy recording with artists the likes of Oscar Peterson, J. J. Johnson, Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald.  Terry also co-led a quintet with Bob Brookmeyer winning that first grammy in 1966.

While Clark worked with numerous groups in his career, this brilliant collaboration produced some of the best music of his career.  Two of his best albums "Gingerbread" and "The Power of Positive Swinging" are captured on this beautifully remastered double CD set.  These recordings positively showcase this consummate horn duo.  If you could only buy one recording of Clark Terry to add to your own jazz collection, this would be the one we recommend.

When the Tonight Show moved to Los Angeles in 1972, Terry decided to remain in New York.  He also began to increasingly focus on the flugelhorn.  Over the next thirty years, he fronted numerous bands and traveled world wide with Norman Granz All Stars.  In addition to being a part of Jazz at the Philharmonic series, he had headlined at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and recorded with the London Symphony.  Many young artists also came to know him as a great mentor through his contributions to JazzMobile and the Harlem Youth Band.  He also hosts his own annual festival to showcase new talent.

Through the six decades and three hundred recordings that document his musical career, Terry dishes up a range of sounds from swing to hard bob to avant garde.  He had played in small combos, big bands and with major symphonies.  His memorable "Mumbles" reveals an infectious humor while his rendition of Gershwin's Porgy & Bess trembles with emotion.  A master of rhythmic expression he can literally make his horn "talk".  His unique circular breathing technique enables him to sustain long flowing phrases which have become the signature of his style.  Terry's playfulness and Joie de Vivre is evident in his many exuberant performances and recordings.  He is said to possess "the happiest sound in jazz".  If you are not familiar with Clark Terry's music, please click on any of the titles below to hear samples or purchase these recommended CD's on Amazon.com:

IN ORBIT - Riverside, 1958 - a rare collaboration with Thelonious Monk on piano and Clark Terry on flugelhorn.

OSCAR PETERSON TRIO PLUS ONE - Mercury, 1964 - One of the best Peterson sessions and contains the famous "Mumbles" vocal satire.

LIVE AT THE WICHITA JAZZ FESTIVAL - Vanguard Records & 1977 Grammy Award winner.  Big Band sounds at their finest.

GEORGE GERSHWIN'S PORGY & BESS - A440 Records, 2004 - Featured with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Terry is at his emotional and symphonic best.  Shows the true range of this artist.

CLARK TERRY, BOB BROOKMEYER QUINTET, THE COMPLETE STUDIO RECORDINGS - 2005 Remastered 2 CD set with music from the mid 60's.

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Whisky afficionados will assure you that the pleasure of scotch tasting delivers "the" complete sensory experience.  Some have even gone as far as suggesting that the pop of the cork indulges your sense of hearing, if ever so briefly.  Frankly my auditory senses demand a bit more stimulation than one soft "pop".  I believe that well chosen acoustic alchemy enriches each whisky taste encounter.  To that end, we will be providing our recommendations for various music companions in this section of the website.  Our selections will range from jazz and classical to a bit of Scottish soul.  So relax, pour that dram and light the cigar while you turn up the Bose sound system to enter another world, if only for the evening. 

The jazz music connection with scotch seems perfectly clear to me.  Single malts probably found their most enthusiastic patronage in those smoky jazz clubs of the past where Miles and Malt formed a blessed bond.  To carry on that sacred tradition, we offer two CDs that no serious jazz collection should be without.

Italian Jazz Masters:  Point and Counter Point

Upon returning from a fabulous vacation to Italy, I was curious as to the state of the art of contemporary jazz in that country.  If you have not alread discovered this music for yourselves, you are in for a real treat.  This month's spotlight features two of our favorite Italian Jazz Masters:  Enrico Rava and Gianluigi Trovesi.  A nod goes to ECM Records for thankfully sharing these two Jazz Greats with the world.

If Miles were alive today, I'm sure he would be jammin' with Enrico.  Don't be fooled by the title "Easy Living", as this album delivers some serious music.  In fact it is so cool that its way too easy to just dissolve into those deliciously rich trumpet sounds.  Enrico's musical conversations with this instrument have been going on since the mid 60s.  He is arguably one of the most internationally respected Italian Jazz musicians.  We will let you be the judge and discover him on your own by listening to this great CD.  For me his music begs for a smoky dram such as Laphroaig or Lagavulin, perhaps reminescent of those smoky jazz venues where he first connected with his audiences.

As a stunning stylistic counterpoint to the post bebop sounds of Rava, you might want to try "Vaghissimo Ritratto" by another Italian artist Gianluigi Trovesi.  Trovesi's dreamy sound is quite different from the moody and pensive Rava.  The title roughtly translates as vague portrait or hazy impression.  But as the CD liner notes explain there is a deeper hidden Italian meaning suggesting a graceful or beautiful picture.  While Trovesi's music is not easy to describe, the best I can offer is that this esteemed clarinetist paints a profound, complex and completely original musical canvas.  Give this splendid CD a listen the next time you savor a Glenlivet Nadurra 16 year old.

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The mystique of Scotland is as much tied to the beauty of its rugged landscape as to the spirit of its people.  What image is more iconic and evocative of that mood than a lone piper playing his solemn tunes against the backdrop of a misty moor?  The Great Highlands Bagpipes are truly this nation's musical emblem.  Yet pipes have a world wide association with the commemoration of the fallen hero as "Amazing Grace" has too often competed with "Taps" for producing tears at a military, fireman or policeman's funeral.  While this haunting adoption is legendary, pipes musical origins are grounded in the more joyful context of weddings, social dances and cultural festivals.  The uniquely important "Piobaireachd", is a solo expression lasting five to twenty minutes.  It consists of a theme with three to four variations demanding skill and mastery of fingering and timing.  Bagpipes are complex to learn and physically demanding when played for sustained periods of time, but when finally mastered these instruments reward its player and listeners with a rich and emotional musical experience.

With as strong a Scottish musical heritage, the fiddle is associated with the lighter and more rousing sounds of a jig or strathspey.  Dance is indebted to this instrument as well as the legacy of many legendary characters and historical events that have been preserved over centuries through its tunes.  The popularity of the fiddle has not diminshed as each generation lovingly continues its tradition, often with a new interpretation or musical flair.

Scottish BagPipes and Fiddle Masterworks

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are world ambassadors for pipe and drum music.  They are first and foremost, fighting soldiers of an armored regiment equipped with Challenger 2 tanks that saw action during the first Gulf War, in Bosnia, Kosovo and more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The extraordinary musical talent of these men is as striking as their willingness to experiment beyond the boundaries of tradition in hopes of reaching a broader audience for their beloved music.

The poignant title "Parallel Tracks" according to the CD liner notes, refers to the physical marks left by the tires of Challenger tanks as well as the men's focus on both their military and musical disciplines.  I would suggest a third interpretation of parallel could refer to the juxtaposition of the contemporary sounds which travel seamlessly alongside traditional musical fare, as bagpipes wail in wonderful fusion with electric guitar, keyboards and a decidely untraditional drum beat.  A good example of this is when Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits joins the band for a modern rendition of "Going Home".

Another fine CD by this outstanding military band is called "Spirit of the Glen".  This collection adds orchestra and vocals for a rich development of both traditional and modern compositions. The likes of Paul McCartney's "Mull of Kintyre" and "John Dunbar's Theme" from the movie "Dances with Wolves" are interspersed with gold standards such as "Amazing Grace" and "Hector the Hero" to produce a contemplative compilation of pop and classics.

Immersed in her family's Scottish/American ancestral heritage and with a natural affinity for the fiddle since the age of eight, Bonnie Rideout is a three time winner of the United States National Scottish Fiddle Championship and the only American to be invited to demonstrate 18th century and Highland fiddle styles at the Edinburgh International festival.  According to her official biography, Rideout lived for a time in Scotland where she studied with master fiddlers and served as musician-in-residence at Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye.  She is known for her passion and skill that elevates even the most modest of folk tunes to concert classics.

The aptly named "Scottish Fire" showcases an intensely personal performance of Rideout's favorites.  Her musical artistry rages across an emotional landscape beginning with the joyful exhuberance of a fiery Highland reel on the first track to the palpable melancholy of a lover's loss and despair.  A virtuoso recital of fiddle music that is too lovely to forget.

The ten-year collaboration with an ensemble of talented Celtic musicians has produced a wonderful compilation of traditional folk music entitled "Scottish Reflections".  Fiddle, pipes, harp, lute and viola deliver more soflty pensive melodies than "Scottish Fire", with the same Rideout genius shining through.

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