michael brecker
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Remembering Jim Beard
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I first came across Jim Beard’s music on the Michael Brecker recording Now You See It… . He was playing keyboards on this contemporary jazz recording, making modern sounds and jazzing things up. His compositions on that album, “Ode to the Doo Day Day” and especially “Quiet City,” remain some of my favorite memorable songs…
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1988, charts, chick corea, contemporary jazz, david benoit, dianne reeves, kirk whalum, michael brecker, rippingtonsTop Contemporary Jazz Albums – June 25, 1988
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Bobby McFerrin had the top recording on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart 35 years ago. Simple Pleasures was spending its second week as the #1 album the week of June 25, 1988. Simple Pleasures was a bestseller thanks to the massive success of the single “Don’t Worry Be Happy” According to McFerrin on the…
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Remembering Michael Brecker
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I took some time today to reflect on Michael Brecker, who died this day in 2007.
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Restless by Bob James turns 25
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Here’s a review I wrote of the Restless release by contemporary jazz legend Bob James in spring 1994. The album was released Feb. 8 of that year. The review holds up, but after 25 years the track I listen to most is “Under Me” with its driving dance beat, sweet Luther Vandross vocal and Michael…
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A saxophone lineup like no other
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Seeing the gathering of living presidents at the George H.W. Bush funeral today made me think of the inauguration of Bill Clinton. That monster gathering of super-saxmen: Sanborn, Brecker, Mulligan, Washington, Jr., Albright, G, Whalum…