Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" recording sessions

Here is an interesting story from NPR Music show "Between Takes" on reviewing the recording reel tapes from the legendary Miles Davis classic "Kind of Blue" recorded in 1959. You could hear artists exchanging conversations during the sessions, evident of displaying their chemistry with collaborative mix and approach in a very simple and easy manner for the album now had become the modern standard of the history of Jazz. This year marks 50s anniversary of the album, so Sony Legacy is releasing CD/DVD box set.

Between Takes "Kind of Blue Session"

Gilles Peterson Worldwide Award 2009 The John Peel Play More Jazz Award Winner: Jazzanova

At Gilles Peterson Worldwide Award, each year "The John Peel Play More Jazz Award" is given to the artist who was not afraid to display John Peel-like-minded musical eclectism. This year's winner is Jazzanova.

Jazzanova is 6 men DJ/ producer collective from Berlin, Germany, and one of the main artists associating with Gilles in terms of representing "Join The Dots" concept with their music. In 2008, Jazzanova released their second album "Of All the Things", their first full album in 5 years from "In Between" in 2003.
Jazzanova on Myspace

Though many of their remix are dancefloor-oriented sounds, they take such an extensive amount of time for their album production, subliminally and intelligently incorporating retro sounds like 60s and 70s soul, funk, and falk music into their own interpretations. It is like a filling a hole, the last piece of missing puzzle of our time, crossing the boundary of various musical influences from every aspects, unlike what could have been overshadowed by chart-topping musical styles. Here are video clips of their recording sessions (and another one). Instead of going to electronic, what amaging about Jazzanova is that they never forget who plays music and who listens them. That brings lively vibes to their music, as if it were produced with live musicians. This album might not be seen as typical Jazz album, especially winning "Play More Jazz Award" from Gilles Peterson, compared to past winners. They are not Jazz artists nor do not fall into the category of post-modern, hard-bop, avant-garde, and others. But, to put it in simple words, their music is beautiful. It makes eyes and ears open, and I think that is what Jazz is about.


Tracklist:
01. Look What You’re Doin To Me feat. Phonte
02. Let Me Show Ya feat. Paul Randolph
03. I Can See feat. Ben Westbeech
04. Lie feat. Thief
05. Little Bird feat. Jose James
06. Rockin' You Eternally feat. Leon Ware & Dwele
07. So Far From Home feat. Phonte
08. What Do You Want? feat. Jon Dukie
09. Lucky Girl feat. Paul Randolph
10. Gafiera feat. Pedro Martins & Azymuth
11. Morning Scapes feat. Bembe Segue
12. Dial A Clich feat. Paul Randolph
13. Let Me Show Ya feat. Paul Randolph (Henrik Schwarz Remix)

Robert Mitchell Trio (3io) "The Greater Good", Gilles Peterson Worldwide Best Jazz Album Award 2009

One of the best Jazz album to come in 2008 is Robert Mitchell's "The Greater Good". Not much for me to say about him and his solo music anymore, because, though his solo career is still short, he has been in the scene playing with various artists in eclectic styles of music including TY, 2 Banks of 4, Courtney Pine, and I.G. Culture. His new album features covers of Massive Attack's Teardrop, Wayne Shorter's Dance Cadaverous and Galt McDermot's Space. Please listen if you like post-modern sound of piano trio with multi-layered mix of musical influences.

Personnel:
Robert Mitchell - Piano
Tom Mason - Bass
Richard Spaven -Drums
Tracks Composed by Robert Mitchell

Tracklist:
1. Cumulus
2. A Map of the Sky
3. Dance Cadaverous
4. Quantum
5. Space
6. Ochre
7. Crystal Eyes
8. Teardrop
9. The Blessing
10. Greater Good

Robert Mitchell Official Site
Robert Michell blog
Robert Mitchell on Myspace
Interview with Robert Mitchell on Basic Soul (Jan 2006)
BBC Music Introducing - Robert Mitchell

Gilles Peterson Worldwide 2009 Winners

Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards 2009. The winners are, , ,

Album of the Year: Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) (Universal Motown)

Erykah Badu's sequel album "New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)" is due Feb 17, 2009

Track of the Year: Q-Tip ft Norah Jones -- 'Life Is Better' (Universal Motown) from the album "The Renaissance"

Jazz Album of the Year 2009: Robert Mitchell Trio - The Greater Good (Jazz Services)

Gilles Peterson’s Maida Vale Session of the Year 2009: Finn Peters

BBC Introducing Award 2009: Jonathan Jeremiah

John Peel Play More Jazz Award: Jazzanova

Life Time Achievement Award 2009: Marlena Shaw

Here is a video of Jazzanova playing live band.

Check out Brownswood Message Board for more insight from the event

Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards 2009

Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Award 2009 was held at London's Cargo this weekend, Saturday 24.

With line-up like no other, this annual celebration of the best music does not dissapoint nobody. And the winners are･・・

LIVE: JAZZANOVA, ROBERT MITCHELL TRIO, DORIAN CONCEPT, QUIET VILLAGE, MAMA MILK, STACY EPPS, JONATHAN JEREMIAH, KUMAR

DJS: GILLES PETERSON, TRUTH & SOUL, RED RACK EM, THE BPM

Gilles Peterson Official Site
Gilles Peterson on Myspace
Gilles Peterson's Youtube Channel
Worldwide Awards Official Site

Philly Joe Jones "Blues for Dracula", Riverside 1958

Philly Joe Jones gained much fame as one of the most sought drummers in Hard Bop, especially by playing for classic Miles Davis Quintet in mid 50s, but surprisingly did not release many albums under his own name. Compared to other drummers like Art Blakey or Max Roach who led own group or recorded with various styles of music, Jones became important and popular sidemen for soloists, a major force behind many records from Blue Note, Riverside, and Prestige.

This one is his debut release, after leaving from Miles' group in the same year. On this album, what you can hear is not only Jones' strong drum solos and fiery , but also introduction to then up-and-coming talents that would become well known in the world of Jazz including Nat Adderley, Johnny Griffin, Tommy Flanagan (listen to "Tune-up" for intense and hard-driven powerful solos). The album begins with unusual and unexpected opening track, "Blues for Dracula" with several minutes of Jones' ad lib impersonation of the horror-film icon Bela Lugosi.

Personnel:
Philly Joe Jones - Drums, Vocals
Johnny Griffin - Tenor Sax
Nat Adderley - Cornet
Julian Priester - Trombone
Tommy Flanagan - Piano
Jimmy Garrison - Bass
Orrin Keepnews - Producer

Tracklists:
Side A:
1. Blues For Dracula (8:14)
2. Trick Street (3:50)
3. Fiesta (10:25)

Side B:
1. Tune Up (8:04)
5. Ow! (12:12)

Cannonball Adderley "Pyramid", Fantasy Records 1974

Cannonball Adderley is definitely one of the pivotal figures in history of Jazz, from playing with Miles Davis in late 50s with such releases as "Milestones" and "Kind Of Blue" to leading his own group associating with talents like Joe Zawinul, Bobby Timmons, George Duke, Walter Booker, Charles Lloyd, and Yusef Lateef. He is master of soul-Jazz, and went to find successes with producing classic Jazz standards. His music was well-received with large audiences, due to his ability to cross over between Jazz and more funk, electric and R&B oriented styles of music. Especially, after moving to Capital Records and teaming up with Jazz-Funk producer David Axelrod from mid 60s, he had produced crossover Jazz releases that had met with listeners' taste during those years when psychedelic rock flourished (Beatles' "White Album", Jimi Hendrix Experience, and none of other Miles Davis "Bitches Brew".

Co-produced with Cannonball and Axelrod, this electric, groovy Jazz-funk album was released in 1974, a year before his sudden death. It is a year after Herbie Hancock released "Head Hunters". So maybe we can hear the influence and experiment in sounds from this album, personally not quite sure about his true intension on the recordings. It is very spacy feeling into each tracks, from ARP synth by George Duke who was playing on Frank Zappa's band around this time.

The album features electric sounds throughout most tracks, and lesser soloing from the man himself. The first track is groovy electric funk track, a perfect evidence of Axelrod's production style with heavy percussive beats and layers of sounds.

Personally, though all tracks are electric, fusion vibes, I like the last track "BESS , OH WHERE'S MY BESS", a ballad with more straight forward Jazz with just alto sax and piano. I think the song, style, mood suit him better in this way.

CD Reissue with audio samples

Personnel:
Julian Cannonball Adderley - Alto & Soprano Sax
Nat Adderley - Cornet
Hal Galper - Electric piano
Walter Booker - Bass
Roy McCurdy - Drums

plus
Phil Upchurch - Guitar
George Duke - Electric & Acoustic Clavinet, ARP Synthesizer
Jimmy Jones - Piano (on "BESS" only)

Tracklist:
Side A:
1. Phases (Hal Galper) (6:00)
2. My Lady Blue (Hal Galper) (4:45)
3. Books End (David Axelrod) (5:35)

Side B:
1. Pyramid (Julian Adderley) (3:40)
2. Suite Cannon (Julian Adderley)
1. The King & I (3:13)
2. Time In (4:41)
3. For Melvin Lastie (2:26)
3. BESS , OH WHERE'S MY BESS (G & I Gershwing) (3:36)

David Axelrod Official Site