Lee Ritenour -Rio Funk

Check this out how important it is to keep a thight rythm playing to make it swing..

Just pros knows that, did you?

Mr "Captain Fingers" and his friends strikes again!

Stairway to the Stars / Two Classics - Dexter Gordon / Bill Evans

Bill Evans

Dexter Gordon (Tenor Saxophone)
Bud Powell (Piano)
Pierre Michelot (Bass)
Kenny Clarke (Drums)

September in the Rain

Frank Sinatra

Julie London

Bing Crosby

Rod Stewart

Are just some of many artists that recorded this nice song, 

Your personal choice ?

Olympen in Lund Sweden / Conserts in nostalgia

Olympen in Lund The University town in south of Sweden, was a great place to see big names in music and conserts.

I have some great memories of very good conserts there. And I must say that I am very impressed of how many good bands and artists they had at that time. 

Since I lived in Malmö most of "Olympens" years of highlights I remembering beeing to some of those.

Check this out it´s a must see!

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http://www.olympen.nu/konserter/ 

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Maybe I have some pictures and memories from some of those conserts that I visited . Stay tuned for upcoming memories!

Tim Hagans / Dexter Gordon

Tim Hagans "First Jazz" 

Well, time flies but some stars remains..

This guy above I think is the one out of the Question that changed Jazzhistory in Malmö.

I remember him very well. He came from USA and he had playing with Stan Kentons Big Band.. Was it a rumor or was it the real facts?

In the beginning everybody wanted to listen to his way of playing. I remember him as a shy and a little "bohemian" guy that didn´t say that much. He almost joined every gig in Malmö in those days. But on the stage he was just outstanding. I believed he went to Copenhagen for joining DR Big Band for a while. It was long ago I heard anything lately of him.

No one was near his talent. The discussions went high.... Either you loved his way of playing or you didn´t. Nothing in between mattered. To me at that time I found him intresting and talented, but not "my bag". But this guy also became an "institution" . After a while you got to know his style very well. He also became a great influence for all the guys in Tolvan (12:an) Big Band. Bigger than the leader himself  (Helge Albin) I would say.

Well, I round up an finish this little journey and sojourn of memories in the world of nostalgia of jazzmusic in Malmö with one of the greatest all time in my point of veiw.

 

Mr. LTD (Long Tall Dexter)

 

Dexter Gordon as I would say, he was one of the first pioneers of the American JazzStars that came to Scandinavia and espescially Denmark in Copenhagen to live there. I think his successfulness and prosperity in Denmark was like a magnet to those jazzcats that stayed in Denmark and to those that I have mentioned earlier. He played very often at "Jazzhus Montmartre" in Copenhagen and did just a few gigs in Malmö.

In those days I found him very much associated with Montmartre in Copenhagen. He performed at least 2 or 3 nights there, so often that you sometimes wondered if he "lived" at the club..

 

Dexter Gordon - tenor sax
Sonny Clark - piano
Butch Warren - bass
Billy Higgins - drums

Today I realize what a great Jazzcat he really was and to me his records and playing is just outstanding! 

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RIP Mr Gordon!

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I am not sure, but this above could be

1971 with Kenny Drew piano, Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen bass and a drummer called Jual Curtis. At the "old"

Jazzhus Montmatre in Copenhagen.

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Dexter Gordon Quartet- Georgia On My Mind.
From album- "Biting the Apple".
Dexter Gordon- Tenor Sax.
Barry Harris- Piano.
Sam Jones- Bass.
Al Foster- Drums.

P.S : Please, Check also older articles in my blogg.

Illinois Jaqcuet / Johnny Griffin / NEXUS / JiM

Illinois Jacquet

Was also a great jazzcat that very often had conserts in Copenhagen and in Malmö too.

I don´t remember if he joined the teachers or the clinics, maybe I am wrong here, but he had always his own band. What I can recall he didn´t join any of the jamsessions at Malmö jazzclub "Bohemia"  or later "Fredmans" at all, as the other cats often did.

But Malmös closeness to the biggest Jazzcity in Scandinavia Copenhagen surely drag him to do gigs at several places in Denmark I´m sure.

Check this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Jacquet

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NEXUS

Was a great Jazzfusion-band from Malmö too. Inspired not only by the fusiongroup Weather Report. They had thier own style that attracted both fusion and ordinary jazzlisteners. 

I was living in Malmö Sweden 1976~1996. 

But the names here are just the few Americans that visited Malmö. They all lived in Copenhagen and played there also very often.

The club mostly featured Swedish "young" talents that came from mostly south of Sweden and the school. Of course the "backing cats" were those who were available from the Jazz-Highschool.

But, I Must name a few that still around, that I still remember:

Håkan Broström (sax), Thomas Franck (ts)

Anders Bergcrantz (tr)

But you mustn´t forget the University town close to Malmö; Lund as a concertown.

This town had Conserts with BIG names  at Places like Olympen, Pub Sparta and AF ( Students society).

Names like: ABBA, Count Basie, Procul Harum, Frank Zappa, Herbie Hancock Headhunters, Woody Hermans Big Band. Chick Corea:s RTF, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Janne Shaffer (Earmeal) and Manhattan Transfer and many many more.

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I end up this little Jazz nostalgia-trip from Malmö/ Sweden

With Johnny Griffin, also a Jazzcat that made many great conserts in Malmö.

 

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Griffin 

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Jazz i Malmö (JiM) History and a tradition that always came the 13 of dec was the great jazzfestival at a place called "Swing-Inn" near the center of Malmö. This festival started 12 O´clock at noon and ended 12 O´clock at night. There were bands playing at every floor. This building had 4 floors.No food was served but there was restaurants around the corners.

The big final was when 12:an big band ended the whole show!

At 12 o´clock!

You might say that you ran up and down the stairs to check out the "goodies". Lots of beer and all kinds of jazz!

Here it is:

https://www.google.com/maps/@55.6027036,13.0035681,3a,75y,271.05h,104.82t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sB9D7OkAXdF16LNtFOs3Zgg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

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This link is in Swedish

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http://jazzimalmo.com/om-jazz-i-malmo/historik/

/ 

  Maybe I have forgotten one or two of the Big Stars, some that are gone today, and some is still around, but not in Scandinavia any more. I think now you probably know who will be "starring" jazzcats tomorrow, don´t you?

Idrees Sulieman / Tolvan Big Band (12:an)

Tommy Flanagan, John Coltrane, Idrees Sulieman & Kenny Burrel - Minor Mishap 

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IS was also a well known jazzcat that performed several times at "Bohemia Jazzclub" in Malmö/Sweden and Copenhagen during the 70´s and 80´s.

He had more of a hard Bop style and I think he was the most important teacher and ifluences to young students at Malmö Jazzhighschool.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idrees_Sulieman 

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Malmö Jazzhighschool formed a lot of talented young jazzcats at this time and they also had a great Bigband called The 12:an Big Band. Leader: Helge Albin.

Remember that fusion style (mixture of rock and jazz) were very popular among younger students at this time, especially for those who studied guitar, bass, keybord and drums.  As most of the "teachers" came from horns or reed sections. It showed very quick that talented students became very good. So good that in the bigband 12:an, was a mixture of the most talented students and the teachers. Many thoughts and meanings have been said about that the level of this band, was very high and their tunes were almost too overarranged in a way that ordinary jazzlovers didn´t like. It became an institution for for teachers, students and music for muscians. Well, you can have many aspects of more "intellectual" kind of music that are intresting.

The music knowlege, and skills at very high level could sometimes become so "high" that ordinary jazzlovers turned them down. Thats sad. But those things happen when the ambitions of being good, and "showing-off" in a sofisicated way are more important than the joy of playing is.

But the true facts about Malmö Jazzhighschool and 12:an big band, there has come a lot of very good jazzcats out of there.

More to come.

Tolvan (12:an) Big Band from Malmö

Tolvan Big Band live från Malmöfestivalen 1987(?)
Solon: Helge Albin, Lars Danielsson, Anders Bergcrantz, Lennart Gruvstedt
Saxofoner: Helge Albin, Per Bäcker, Inge Petterson, Cennteh Jönsson, Bernt Sjunnesson
Trumpeter: Roy Wall, Sten Ingelf, Anders Gustafsson, Fredrik Davidsson, Anders Bergcrantz
Tromboner: Vincent Nilsson, Olle Tull, Mats Wickström,Gunnar Eneroth, Björn Hängsel
Gitarr: Anders "Chico" Lindvall
Piano: Torbjörn Brorsson
Bas: Lars Danielsson
Trummor: Lennart Gruvstedt
Melodi "Softly as in a morning sunrise"

Arrangemang: Helge Albin

Earl "fatha" Hines / Ed Thigpen

Earl Hines explains his influences and technique 

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  Earl "fatha" Hines was also a Jazzcat that frequently Was in Malmö/Sweden he also had some clinics.

He was from the "Early School" of Jazz, something we students didn´t know.

Check This link below

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Hines

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Ed Thigpen

Clark Terry (trumpet), Herbie Hancock (piano), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Ron Carter (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums)

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He had mostly clinics at the Jazz-highschool in Malmö

and were not that often seen at gigs in Malmö, but the students loved him. What I heard he was a very good teacher too, even to those who didn´t play the drums. That´s sometimes rare to find in great Jazzmuscians.

He worked a lot in Copenhagen with several constellations.

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Click on the link below

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Thigpen

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Two Jazzcats from Chicago!

Horace Parlan

In the earlier clip you saw Horace Parlan on Piano.

He was frequent as a pianist in Malmö at the gigs. He was also a very friendly jazzcat always with a smile on his face, and if you did some "mistakes" like a "wrong note"  sometime, he always smiled and said we all make mistakes sometimes , don´t worry!

If you looked close to DR Radio Big Band you could see Mads Vinding on bass, and in the saxsection was also a great player Jesper Thilo.

  Love and Peace / Horace Parlan (2000)

 Copenhagen, Jazzhus Montmatre / Denmark .

Click in the link below

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https://www.google.com/maps/place/Jazzhus+Montmartre/@55.6819283,12.5824889,3a,90y,297.11h,92.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6OoQ6DlbdhXYFgm4FkGdvA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x46525319ea3c969d:0xd761f2eecce79954!6m1!1e1

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This is a very famus Jazzclub in  Copenhagen/ Denmark.

I Have seen a lot of great Jazzcats there, since I lived in Malmö Sweden at that time, I was there often with my friends. What I can remember they had conserts every night. And as a friend of the club you got their programnonce every month.

There was also one cat that performed at least one night a week, there, but,all these cats lived in Copenhagen at that time. I tell you later who that was.

Tivoli in Copenhagen had also good Jazzconcerts!

Two of these cats also had clinics guess who?

 

Harry "Sweets" Edison - Willow Weep For Me

He was the one in the earlier clip.

It was Lester Young who gave him his nickname, "Sweets".

 Here is another jazzcat, that almost every night sat in at the gigs, at the local JazzClub called  "Bohemia" in Malmö (Sweden) Guess who?

This jazzclub was at Regementsgatan in Malmö, and in the 70´s they had conserts at least 3 nights a week and Fridaynights it was "fusion" jam and Saturdays was for "real" jazz. You could say it was a local pub small, but always crowded both by listeners and the "students" of the Jazzhighschool or the Music-highschool as well. We were recomended by the teachers to check these guys up. These famus jazzcats (most of them) lived in Copenhagen at that time and worked both with the Danish Music Conservatory, and also with the Danish Radio Big Band. They also made many conserts at the famus Danish Jazzclub Montmartre in Copenhagen.

 

 

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Moore of these cats tomorrow.

  Today the house is still there and still has the "Folkuniversitetet" as an office. The jazzclub
 was at  the streetfloor. It is history today..

Check this picture. Click the grey line below, please.

https://www.google.com/maps/@55.6008527,13.0001989,3a,90y,166.18h,95.5t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5j_Z-Ie7xFyg46kjlTBAOQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

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Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, 1988 with friends

1988  Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, and friends.

Watch this clip, here are some of the jazzcats that during the 70´s and late 80´s performed and also had some Jazzclinics at Malmö- Jazzhighschool (Sweden). I still remember some of these cats, but to us .... we didn´t know or even had heard of them at this time. And we also thougt that they were ordinary American jazz-teachers, that come over from Copenhagen to sit in at a local gig... 

If we, and I had known WHO they really were and to whom those cats had been playing with.

You wouldn´t  have dared to sit in with them.

But, these cats didn´t brag of their knowlege or who they had been playing with at all. They all found us as ordinary students or jazzlovers.

I will tell you later on who they were. Until then,

lets see if you will recognize one of these cats that was playing and had clinics in this clip ?

All the others here also made some concerts in Malmö/Sweden or Copenhagen/Denmark too.

SOUL TRAIN

(HD)

Take your time, jump on a train called SOUL TRAIN.

This is a Music Show that started in Chicago for Television.

The film is a history of American Music called SOUL.

You must have in mind that, this film also has a perspective on a problem that USA still has today, and that is segregation of White and Black people. Whatever you like it or not, its a very important part of  USA:s history. It´s more notable in the bigger citys. Still very notably in the southern states of USA today too unfortenatly. 

The style that first had its roots in Detroit (Motown) across the lake from Chicago, this music rapidly developed a lots of spinoff styles. Some were called Funky or Funk. And it was the original music that later on become popular at the discos in the USA. Note  that the "Disco-music" in Europe at this time, was far from what a Disco in USA was. In Europe it was called Euro-Disco, that had very little to do with the original Funkmusik or soulmusic , just the "backbeat". And The dancingplaces called Disco in Chicago in the 80´s was very  "Black or White only".

To me these places were places were people went and they really danced.

Almost like a dance-show. People went there for the good show at the dancefloor. The dancefloores were also built-up like a stage, with spotlights on the couples that were dancing. So far from the European Discoteques as it could be. In small clubs in smaller towns and near a University or college you could find something like the European style maybe. In NY, there was the famus, Studio 54.

Now, I do know that there are different aspects of soulmusic, what´s "soulmusic" or not, and that differs alot to many listeners. It depends on the listeners ear or mood.  The labelling of this music is not important. There is so much "undertones" of what is real soulmusic or not. So has Jazz, Blues, and R&B too to their listeners . Soulmusic could also be related to some christian churches, like Babtists in The USA then it´´s getting closer to godspell.  It´s just a matter of musical styles that are close related to each other. Some may call it "groove" or "feeling"  some might call it soul. That´s what I think.

Watch the film it has a lot of history too!

Pat Metheny Group - Here To Stay

Pat Metheny Group

If you Want to learn to play the guitar ..

Don´t look at this guy playing, because he is not playing according to the book, or your teacher. He does all the mistakes in the world that a guitarplayer shouldn´t do.

1) He holds the pick, in his hand the wrong way

2) He has the guitar too high, to get real action.

3) He holds his left thumb over the freatboard,   in a way thats wrong. 

4) He is fingerpicking at the same time as he plays the solo with a pick.

Isn´t it amazing that he could play that good?

And if you think he plays that good because of his great guitar..

Forget it!

The Size has no difference!

 

Lee Ritenour - Wild Rice

Så, då var allt inköpt...

En ny  Gitarr, en ny förstärkare och Två nya skivor för lite inspiration.

Nu ska vi se då ...

E  6:e sträng,  A : 5:e ,  D: 4: e,   G: 3:e,  B: 2:a, och E : 1.a sträng

 

..hmm

 

Då var det accorden, hur var dom nu ? Låt se ....

 

Ringfinger 3: e band 6:e sträng  och långfinger  på 2:a band med 5:e sträng och lillfinger 3:e band 1:a sträng 

Det borde bli ett G-dur  accord.... 

Fan det var ju lätt!

E, G, B, D, F och F, A, C, E  Det blir 12 med halvtonerna....

 

Skalor .. och takter  å sånt, det kan man lära av skivorna..har jag hört.

 

Noter, det får man väl lära sig sen ... det här,  det börjar ju bli kul!

 

  Får se... vilken ska jag börja med  ..?

Det får bli denna ny-gamla

John McLaughlin (Philosopher in life and music) Part III

(HD)

John McLaughlin: Piece 3: Take 6's A Quiet Place

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(HD)

Carlos Santana & John McLaughlin - Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord 

Don´t let the title of the song get you wrong here, but this song swings like xxxx! 

J M is a Master!

John McLaughlin (Philosopher in life and music) Part II The Beatles

(HD)

Well,  anyone surprised?

Even to this gigant of those famus Jazzcats, The Beatles has made a great source of Inspiration.

JM a child of his time?

No way!

Check this link below out

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McLaughlin_%28musician%29 

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Blue Swede (Björn Skifs)

 

 Björn Skifs 2006 in Stocholm

 

And to my American friends  in USA,  he is known for this:

2014

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John McLaughlin (Philosopher in life and music)

John McLaughlin has been cited as a major influence on many 1970s and 1980s fusion guitarists. Examples are prominent players such as Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Mike Stern, Al Di Meola, Shawn Lane, and Scott Henderson. His influence did not stop in the 80's, though; hardcore punk guitarists Greg Ginn of Black Flag cited Birds of Fire by The Mahavishnu Orchestra which inspired him to record more progressive guitar work and even record instrumental songs. Current players still hold him as highly influential, including Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta. According to Pat Metheny, McLaughlin has changed the evolution of the guitar during several of his periods of playing. McLaughlin is also considered a major influence on composers in the fusion genre. In an interview with Downbeat, Chick Corea remarked that "...what John McLaughlin did with the electric guitar set the world on its ear. No one ever heard an electric guitar played like that before, and it certainly inspired me. John's band, more than my experience with Miles, led me to want to turn the volume up and write music that was more dramatic and made your hair stand on end". Frank Zappa said of McLaughlin: "A person would be a moron not to appreciate McLaughlin's technique. The guy has certainly found out how to operate a guitar as if it were a machine gun. But I'm not always enthusiastic about the lines I hear or the ways in which they're used. I don't think you can fault him, though, for the amount of time and effort it must have taken to play an instrument that fast. I think anybody who can play that fast is just wonderful. And I'm sure 90% of teenage America would agree, since the whole trend in the business has been 'faster is better'."

^{Above is a quote taken from Wikipedia}

^{Well, no doubt that this Jazzcat has a lot of  good stuff to tell you about music and the way he has been inspired by other music , artists and musicstyles. To me, I like him , but I´m not a really a  true fan of his music. But somehow he is very intresting, he has a lot of experiences in life and music to tell.}

^{That is something I like, he is honest with himself and the music he plays thats is a sign of a great player and also  wortwhile listen to his thoughts about music.}

^{I can´t pick just one example of his music, he plays in so many differtent styles and different constaliations that it´s impossible to say something like "this is JM".}

^{A searcher, yes and a traveller through  the eternally world called music. I like him!}

 

/

The clip below is from an interview with JM.

It is made in three sections:  here is the first,  I give you the rest later.

 

 

The Beatles "Love me do" 1962 BBC

"Ahhh - those Jazz guys are just makin' that stuff up!"

- Homer Simpson

(HD)

The Beatles "Love me do" 1962 -BBC

Yes,  I know there are a great deal of stories and history about The Beatles as a group, musicians, thier music and also as a historic phenomenon in musichistory that no one can deny.

Many, many books, interviews, experts (sometimes more experts on the subject than the two living members of the group Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr themselves are) and movies have been done. This is a legendary group that changed the music scene totaly, but not only that... "Beatlemania" you might call it  ! There has not been a group or musician in the total music history that has meant so much for a whole generation of musiclovers . I was one of the lucky ones, that was born in that age. I grew up with their music and  took part of this history. I am a typcally "child of my time" in music. Their music has so much still to give. And even if I nowadays more listen to Jazz-oriented music I can still find some songs that are awesome. And  I sometimes hear to my surprise, that many of my contemporary musicians and friends that I like most, also says that The Beatles to them also meant a lot of inspiration and spinn-offs to their musical experiences. Even to those who are deep into jazzmusic. Are you surprised at all ???

The film above is very good  and rare, as it´s not only gives you apects of their music, but also the phenomenon called "Beatlemania" or to USA "The Brittish invasion" -

Jazz is fun - Miles Davies and Chaka Khan 1989

(HD)

Miles Davis & Chaka Khan: Human Nature (live in Montreux 1989) 

The Beauty and the Beast?

My kind of Town / Frank Sinatra

(HD)

Starting removal of John Hancock Building west antenna, next highest building in Chicago!

Beware, If your scared of heights!

Listen to this song at the same time might calm you down a little ???

Close to the Hancock building is (was) The Playboy Building, the headquarter of Playboy Magazine.

  Playboy is not in the house anymore, and the building is renamed Palmolive-Building today. If you look close you will find it in the movieclips.

Playboy magazine had a taste of Jazz so utstanding that they even had their own Jazzfestival , and very good reveiws of Jazzrecords and Jazzartists too !

Steps Ahead - Trains / John Coltrane - Blue train / Lee Morgan

Steps Ahead - Trains from the album ( Magnetic 1986 )

Chuck Loeb (Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar Synth, Synthesizer); Hiram Bullock (Guitar);Kenny Kirkland (Synthesizer);Michael Brecker (EWI, Sax (Tenor)); Mike Mainieri (Keyboards, Producer, Synthesizer, Vibraphone);Jacelyn Brown - Vocals (Background); Janice Pendarvis - Vocals (Background); Paul Jackson, Jr. (Guitar);Peter Erskine (Drums, Electric)Victor Bailey (Bass);Warren Bernhardt (Piano, Synthesizer)

This group sounds a lot like Weather Report but I think Michael Brecker makes their special touch to a little bit more agressive and groovy approach... 

This record is a diamond, taken in small doses cause it´s really heavy stuff !

John Coltrane - Blue train (1958)

John Coltrane - Tenorsax

Lee Morgan -Trumpet

Curtis Fuller- Trombone

Kenny Drew-Piano

Paul Chambers- Bass 

Philly Joe Jones - Drums

 /

Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder

 

 

Horace Silver 5tet - Song For My Father [1968]

 Horace Silver - Piano
Bill Hardman - Trumpet
Bennie Maupin - Tenor
John Williams - Bass
Billy Cobham - Drums

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