Dog Gone Radio ∆ Episode 27

Episode 27 ∆ March 17, 2016

1. Miles Davis – Generique
2. Keith Mansfield – Incidential Backcloth No. 3
3. Mort Garson – Killing Of The Witch
4. Odetta – Chilly Winds
5. Bobby Brown – My Hawaiian Home
6. Mort Garson – Ode To An African Violet
7. Le Coeur D’une Generation – Ton Amour
8. A Passing Fancy – Island
9. Tucker Zimmerman – The Red Wind
10. Condello – Oh No
11. The Contents – Peace At Last
12. Jim Sullivan – Tea Leaves
13. Gabor Szabo – The Beat Goes On
14. Bezunèsh Bèkèlè – Meneme Addis Neger Yeleme
15. Dara Puspita – To Love Somebody
16. Donnie & Joe Emerson – Baby
17. Franco & Giorgio Bracardi – Lo strangolatore di Boston
18. Baker Knight & The Nightmares – Hallucinations
19. The Moody Blues – To Share Our Love
20. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band – Zig Zag Wanderer
21. The Third Power – Feel So Lonely
22. Joey Vine – The Out Of Towner
23. Bruce Palmer – Alpha Omega Apocalypse
24. Bearfoot – Only A Soldier
25. Michaelangelo – Come To Me
26. The Tropics – It’s You I Miss
27. Wrinkars Experience – Fuel For Love
28. The Carnabeats – I Was Kaiser Bill’s Batman
29. Yankee Dollar – Sanctuary
30. The Brummels – Bof!
31. Bitchin Bajas – Inclusion
32. Comus – So Long Supernova
33. Woods – Can’t See At All
34. King Solomon Hill – The Gone Dead Train

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Larry Coryell – “Foreplay” (1972)

“Foreplay” is included on fusion guitarist Larry Coryell’s 1972 album, titled Offering. What’s special about this album is that it was released right before the debut of his band Eleventh House, and saw Coryell delivering some of his most inspired, unrestricted playing, ever. The all-star lineup of players features Coryell on guitar, the Great Steve Marcus on soprano sax, Mike Mandel on keys, Mervin Bronson on bass and Harry Wilkerson on drums. Coryell’s scorching solo knots and ties itself through distorted, cacophonous licks and sweet, buttermilk melodies. Worthy of a thousand listens.

Henry Tree – “Mr. Fear” (1969)

Henry Tree were a band from the land of Cleveland, Ohio who released a single album, titled Electric Holy Man, in 1969. Consisting of Leroy Markish on guitar and lead vocals, Carmen Castaldi on drums, Charles McLauughlin on bass, the group also featured an un-credited, jazz wizard guitarist named Bill DeArango. Combining Traffic style bluesy numbers and fuzzed out jams with DeArango’s jazz guided odysseys, this is a highly impressive psych LP with terrific guitar work.

Henry Tree – Mr. Fear

Ambient Alarm Clock: Monday AM Jazz

This week’s edition of Ambient Alarm Clock focuses on what some might call jazz. The line between jam music and jazz is a line that has little meaning. Improvisation is improvisation. That is why Jerry Garcia played Miles Davis’ music, and Miles Davis played Cindy Lauper’s music.

Miles Davis, Malibu, CA 1989 (Morrison Hotel Gallery)

The selection begins with the same song Count Basie would begin his sets back in the 50s, “April in Paris.” This song features one of the best endings in music, or rather, three of the best endings in music. Next, we move to “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” sung by Billie Holiday. Her backup band at the time was the Benny Goodman group and on this recording you will hear Benny deliver one of his hottest solos. Then, on “Listen to the People,” we have the late Don Pullen playing another best-ever solo on piano.

In 1998, Marc Johnson—a very highly regarded bassist—released an album called The Sound of Summer Running with Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny on guitar. The album’s title track was the first time the pair had recorded together, and features the two of them playing in harmony. We then move to Miles’ cover of Cindy Lauper’s “Time After Time.”

John Coltrane may have been the greatest musician of the 20th century. And, surprisingly for a jazz saxophonist, he actually made the charts with his jammed out version of “My Favorite Things”— one of the greatest musical recordings of all time.

Recently, I had the great pleasure of seeing Jim Hall at the Iridium in NYC. The legendary guitarist—still performing in his 80s—is known for his uncanny use of theory in crafting complex, yet wonderfully melodic solos. One of his best is on the classical Spanish number “Concierto de Aranjuez”. While Miles’ version is great, this one edges slightly ahead.

You may recognize the name Bill Bruford as the drummer who has played in Yes, King Crimson and even a short stint with Genesis. But outside of those projects, Bruford is actually a jazz drummer. Several years back, I made a trip across the pond and caught him playing with Earthworks at Ronnie Scott’s in London. That performance had a massive effect on me, and he has remained my favorite drummer till this day. The selection on today’s playlist is from the band’s 1987 self titled debut, with a drum line very similar to the one he played on King Crimson’s “Discipline.”

Next, Gary Burton and Stephane Grapelli playing the classic Django theme—”Daphne.” This version, from the late 60’s has Django’s long time partner, violinist Stephane Grapelli teamed up with Pat Metheny’s mentor, Gary Burton. And finally, Eric Dolphy’s take on the essential jazz standard “On Green Dolphin Street.”

Today’s playlist was curated by my father who is responsible for all of my musical knowledge. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

1. Count Basie – April in Paris
2. Billie Holiday – What a Little Moonlight Can Do
3. Don Pullen – Listen to the People
4. Marc Johnson – Summer Running
5. Jim Hall – Concierto de Aranjuez
6. Miles Davis – Time After Time
7. John Coltrane – My Favorite Things
8. Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – My Heart Declares a Holiday
9. Gary Burton & Stephane Grapelli – Daphne
10. Eric Dolphy – On Green Dolphin Street

All That Jazz

This is the first installment of what will (hopefully) become a fairly regular weekend feature on Dog Gone Blog. The title for the feature may seem obvious, but it really comes from something that was a major part of my childhood. As a youngster, riding around in my father’s car we would always have great music on the stereo, and one of my favorite things to hear was always Curtis Bailey’s jazz show on CKLN-FM 88.1 (Ryerson University Radio), called ‘All That Jazz.’

Every Saturday afternoon, Curtis would get on the air and spill his incredible knowledge of jazz over the radio waves with his trademark growl that only the best radio hosts possess (i.e. Wolfman Jack). He was often referred to as an “encyclopedia of jazz,” and was rumored to have amassed the largest record collection in all of Toronto. For years he volunteered his time on this college radio station, and could often be found lurking in the corners of Toronto’s jazz clubs. This feature is dedicated to Curtis and his incredible radio show.

Curtis Bailey

For this first installment, I wanted to share something special—something Curtis would have liked—so I went into my vinyl collection and pulled out one of my favorites, The Gary Burton Quintet’s (with Eberhard Weber) Ring from 1974 on ECM Records. For those of you who don’t know, Gary Burton is a vibes virtuoso who sprang onto the scene in the early ’60’s and is known as one of the grandmasters of his craft.

While often overlooked, Burton was instrumental in the rise of electric jazz in the late 1960’s. Using a progressive, and often psychedelic approach, Burton ventured into various genres of music, recording with artists such as Stan Getz, Hank Garland and even Chet Atkins.

For Ring, Burton assembled an all-star cast with a unique mix of instruments that included Bob Moses (drums), twin electric basses played by Steve Swallow and Eberhard Weber, and twin electric guitars played by Mick Goodrick and a little known guitarist, at the time, named Pat Metheny (who was just 20 years old).

Pat Metheny & Gary Burton

I’ve cut the entire A Side for your listening enjoyment, which you can stream below. Please excuse the “wooshing” at the very beginning—it’s quite an old record.

As Curtis Bailey would have said “Here’s Gary Burton’s Ring: Side A on ‘All That Jazz.'”