Some Canadian jazz from about 5 years. Good take on a classic.
Category: Jazz
Song Of The Day – Richard Bona – “Good Times”
Song of the day presents something different, African jazz by Richard Bona. Another catch off CKUA here in Alberta (CKUA is a radio station). His real name is Bona Pinder Yayumayalolo and he hails from Minta, Cameroon. He emigrated to Germany at the age of 22 and now lives in France. When I hear this tune I hear many influences, including Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder. Good solid song.
Random Songs From My Phone – Comin’ Home Baby – Michael Buble
As if to prove I truly use the shuffle function, up comes a Michael Buble tune that, although nice, is not anywhere near the top of my musical food chain. Typically, I’ll hit next when one of his songs comes up in the queue. Not this time though. Michael Buble is a huge world-wide superstar, a Canadian crooner at the top of his craft. He sells out anything and anywhere. His style is a throwback, a scotch drinking smoker with a crazy sense of humour, and, of course, a great singing voice. This tune, “Comin’ Home Baby, is from his “Call Me Irresponsible” album and is a duet with Boyz II Men. The song is a jazz tune from 1961, originally done by the Donald Bailey Quartet, later recorded and turned into a hit by Mel Torme. Many artists have covered it, including Herbie Mann, David Sanborn and Quincy Jones.
Enjoy, and let’s hope the shuffle God is kinder next time.
Song Of The Day – Remembering George Duke
The world lost a great one on August 5. George Duke, the legend, passed away at the age of 67. Not many careers as fine as this jazz keyboardist, singer, composer and producer. And collaborator, wow, he played with Zappa on many of his albums and is recognized as a major keyboard pioneer. Truly an amazing player. He played with everybody, Al Jarreau, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, and the list goes on. Almost 40 albums on his own, innumerable albums as a sideman, he will be missed. The cut I have posted is unbelievably good. It is a live video of George and his band at the java Jazz Festival.
Related articles
- Rep: Jazz keyboardist George Duke dies at 67 (news.yahoo.com)
- George Duke, jazz and funk keyboardist, dies aged 67 (telegraph.co.uk)
- George Duke A Jazz Legend Dies at 67 (themuzicnote.com)
Song Of The Day – US3 – “Cantaloop”
Kind of a smooth rap/jazz song by UK-based band US3. The title “Cantaloop“. The band has been around since 1992 and released their first album “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)” in 1993. This is a remastered and re-released version from that album. The record,released in 2013 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original album, is a classic. I don’t normally get into the rap/hip-hop material, so this is a bit of a departure for me. The song is very interesting in its fusing of jazz, funk and rap. Surprising that it is from 20 years ago. Enjoy.
Song of the Day – Remembering Peter Appleyard
British born, but Canadian jazz composer and percussionist Peter Appleyard passed away on July 18, 2013.He was 84. Born in England, he moved to Bermuda in 1949 , eventually landing in Toronto a few years later. In the 1950’s and 60’s , he was a staple on CBC radio, performing live on various shows. In the 1970’s he began touring and playing with the Benny Goodman sextet. As time went on, his reputation grew as a world class vibraphonist. He played with such greats as Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, while always maintaining his base in Toronto. Among his many awards were a Juno and the Order of Canada. Terrific player. I have posted here a couple of tunes, the first a recent live performance of “It don’t Mean A Thing” and an older clip of “Tangerine”. Both of them have many great artists along with him.
Related articles
- Canadian jazz master Peter Appleyard dies at age 84 (vancouversun.com)
- Jazz musician Peter Appleyard dies at 84 (cbc.ca)
Song Of The Day – Michael Franti and Spearhead – The Sound Of Sunshine
It’s almost summer. Forget that Calgary was plus 6 yesterday with biblical rainfall and the mountains got a sprucing up with a bunch of new snow. I am going to call it and say, summer starts now. To bring it in with some music, I give you Michael Franti and Spearhead with “The Sound of Sunshine”.
California-based, the band, fronted by Michael Franti, plays a great mix of, well, pretty much everything. I hear funk, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, some folk and lots of fun. Great tune, and wherever you are, remember Canadians love summer. It is short and we make the most of every minute.
Related articles
- Summer anthem: Michael Franti’s “I’m Alive” (dulli012.wordpress.com)
I Cannot Tell A Lie, I Got Some Liebsters (And A Song By Parov Stelar)
Thought For The Day
What if farting was contagious like yawning?
A quick note to thank a couple of blogs I have followed lately for bestowing the World Famous Liebster Award to me. I am a bit of a party pooper (hmm, my thoughts are pretty potty today) though, as I will happily acknowledge the receipt, but am far to lazy to pass it on.
First The Grimm Report. Love this one, very good sense of humour and one I love to pop in on regularly. Check this one out.
Second The Ratchet Review. Another recent addition to my reading day. Lots of quick posts, very nicely done, with plenty of humour. Worth the time to pop in and say hi.
And now a song. I heard this on the TV the other night, no idea what show (we were drinking a touch of wine). Blew me away. Bought the album, very happy guy. The artist is Parov Stelar, the song The Paris Swing Box.
Song Of The Day – Caro Emerald – “Absolutely Me”
This post is a small milestone in that it is the first time I have devoted a Song Of The Day post to an artist that I have already given one to. Caro Emerald is really leaving a mark on my music psyche. The song, Absolutely Me, which is off her outstanding album “Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor”. Blues, Jazz, Hip-Hop, great song. Like it so much I put up the recorded version and a live version..
Remembering Donald Byrd
On our recent trip to Spain, we were sitting in a small tapas bar in the Born area of Barcelona. We were enjoying some great food, and some excellent wine, when a song came on that made us both go, “Who in the heck is that”. We asked our server who it was and he went to find out for us. Turns out that it was Donald Byrd, who, unfortunately, passed away on February 4, 2013 at he age of 80. Having just discovered him (where was he hiding), I was quite saddened by this news, A great trumpet player, his career spanned 7 decades and included, besides his solo work, stints and recordings with a who’s who of the jazz and blues world. John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Sonny Rollins and Herbie Hancock may ring a few bells with you.
He recorded over 40 albums on his own and many more as a sideman. An outstanding career. The song I have chosen in memorial, is the one we heard in Barcelona, “Falling (like dominoes)” of his Places and Spaces album, which was recorded in 1975.
Related articles
- Jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd dies (bbc.co.uk)
- R.I.P. Jazz Trumpeter Donald Byrd (pitchfork.com)
Is It Possible To See It All 