Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - New Album "Winterwood" available as a FREE download

Go HERE to download Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey's new album for free:

Thanks to everyone for 15 years of music and Jazz Millions. JFJO loves you! As a token of JFJO's appreciation for all that you have done to make the odyssey possible, JFJO is offering a FREE DOWNLOAD of their New Studio Album, entitled 'Winterwood.'

BLAAAZZZEERRRRRRRRSSS!!!

They came today. Limited edition Nike Sportswear Blazer Velcro Lux. These were so hard to find, but I had to have the red.



I also got a nod from Rajeev on these. Check out his blog HERE.

Thoughts...

In response to my last post...I think I need to start studying more Carnatic and Hindustani music. Awhile back I was looking into basic ragas and talas (or cycles) and it really got my interest. But I've been hearing some music recently that I hear as borrowing from that and I'm really connecting with it. Stay tuned...

AR Rahman and M.I.A. "O Saya"

I'm on my way to see Slumdog Millionaire. I've been checking the music out online and I'm getting really excited. This track courtesy of M.I.A. and the "Mozart of Madras" AR Rahman. This collaboration is sick.

The Moment

K.West - SL from J Gavin on Vimeo.

I remember seeing the original video and posting it awhile back but I really like the pairing with "Street Lights" (I think it's one of the best songs on Kanye West's 808s and Heartbreak). If you haven't listened to the album yet you should.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Joel Vanderheyden

Joel Vanderheyden is a saxophonist and composer from Minneapolis. Check out his website HERE.

Bkr.Cdr.Trvllr

Rajeev Penmatsa runs an awesome blog. Check it out HERE.

First Draft of Ghost Song #2

I've been working on this song for a couple days...it's definitely in the initial "idea" stage but I'm really happy with what I've got so far.

Click on the player below to listen or right-click HERE to download.

Check out the asshole collar on Kanye West

David Binney - Third Occasion

David Binney is a Saxophonist/Composer living in NYC. He released a new album today:

Hello All,

I am excited to announce that my new cd "Third Occasion" is out as of today.
It features Craig Taborn, Scott Colley and Brian Blade along with a brass section of Ambrose Akinmusire, Brad Mason, Corey King and Andy Hunter
You can go to my site and download it now. Along with all of the scores.

The physical cd will take a while to get to the various outlets such as Amazon etc.. But I will have copies with me tomorrow at my 55 Bar gig. So for those of you in NYC that are interested in getting the cd... be the first!

David Binney-Alto Saxophone
Jacob Sacks-Piano
Thomas Morgan-Bass
Dan Weiss-Drums


This Tuesday, Jan 27th,10:15pm-1:30am at the 55 Bar
55 Christopher St. at 7th Ave. NYC


Downloadable cd’s, live gigs, charts, solos and more at:
http://www.davidbinney.com

Blazers coming...

it took me awhile to find these...should be here this week. yeeaaaahhhhhhh. they hurt my pocket, hard.

Looking Ahead: Woolrich Woolen Mills 2009 Fall/Winter Collection

Not sure how I feel about the pants but this is a great collection.

via men.style.com

Taiwan Hakka Folk Music Performer

Dave Douglas' Thoughts on Freddie Hubbard

Greenleaf Music is an independent music label that has released music by Dave Douglas, Nicole Mitchell, Michael Bates, Kneebody and Donny McCaslin. They run a very interesting and insightful blog and today I stumbled upon an entry written by Dave Douglas on Freddie Hubbard's complete mastery of the trumpet. Shortly after Freddie died I wrote up a quick blog entry but didn't come close to explaining what he really meant to so many trumpet players. Typically I like to stay as far away from nerdy trumpet shit as possible, but the following is very interesting:

Freddie Hubbard was one of the most skilled practitioners of this art. The joy and freedom in his playing came in part from this complete mastery of the instrument. It always sounded effortless. In the high range his control of air was so sublime that his lines sometimes defied the laws of physics and harmony, resolving in odd ways just by dint of his total domination of the instrument. Freddie grabbed the opportunity of those alternate fingerings to pop in and out of chromatic chord and scale ideas. His attack was always precise and his dodging and darting lines flowed like water through a sluiceway.

A lot of people can play the trumpet well. Technical mastery is far from the reason Freddie Hubbard is the most imitated player of the last half-century. It was what he did with that mastery -- the inventiveness of his harmonies and the ingenuity of his rhythmic propulsion. Freddie's impact is so profound that you often don't have to mention him when noting a young player's influences. Freddie is always there. He had a lot to say, and we all soaked it up.

As a young player Freddie listened to Clifford Brown for sure. He also drank deeply at the well of Clifford's inspirations: Fats Navarro, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, and Louis Armstrong, among many others. But trumpeters aren't the only influence for trumpeters. In the same way that Clifford Brown talked about putting Charlie Parker's language on the trumpet, Freddie Hubbard brought the practices of John Coltrane, his occasional practice-mate, directly into the brass world.

Freddie's lines drove the harmony. Freddie toyed with the music, anticipating and delaying resolutions in unexpected ways. But at the end of the day it was the maturity of his improvisations that were the most powerful aspect of his musical expression. Freddie at his best could go nuts with the lines and the harmony, but he would also ease off and play with bluesy simplicity when it more effectively served the moment.

Read the full article HERE.

Rhymefest - "Coolness"

Che Smith, known by the stage name of Rhymefest, is an American hip hop artist from Chicago.

Check out the new track HERE.

Via kanyeuniversecity.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Drew Morton

Drew is a bassist, composer and film student. I checked out some of his films awhile back and was lovin it. I'd post some clips but I don't have any.

Check out his myspace HERE.

I got an audio player for the blog! Hooray!

I don't really have a new song to post but the one that I have a sort of "first draft" of one song posted below that's almost finished. The important thing is I found an mp3 player that I can embed into my blog posts!

Click the player below to listen or right-click HERE to download.

Nothing new...but Japan gets all the good stuff!

Via style-cruise.

Nike Blazer Low - Velcro Lux

Velcro Blazers! The tonal look is great.

Via highsnobiety.

Jonathan Puckey

Jonathan Puckey is a graphic designer based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

3sixteen 2009 Spring Collection

3sixteen Spring 2009 Photoshoot from 3sixteen on Vimeo.

3sixteen keeps getting better.

New Track - I Never Knew

Here's a new song in the works. I wrote the chord progression after learning how some of the things that I have done in my life have had a great impact on others, specifically my family. I just wrote the trumpet part today and I can already hear some changes that I'm going to make...anyway, check it out.

Listen HERE.

Bjork and Antony Hegarty - Dull Flame of Desire

Bjork is beautiful. She never disappoints on her music videos either...check it (I know I'm late on this one).

Russ Davis - MOJA Radio

In 1999 Russ Davis began working in satellite radio as the programmer and presenter for XM 72 Beyond Jazz, the world's only complete modern jazz channel. This was my primary source for finding out about new artists. I first heard Jaga Jazzist and Landau Orchestra on his radio station, along with a lot of other stuff that most people wouldn't even know how to categorize - and that's what I loved the most about it.

XM decided to drop Beyond Jazz and since then, Russ along with Michelle Sammartino (another programmer and presenter for Beyond Jazz) have created MOJARadio - hopefully the new place to access some great music. Check it out.