Electric J

The day before Halloween, I got a treat.

An interesting fact, well at least to me, I have three saxophone heroes Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane. There are three saxophone players in Dallas, that I’ll go most anywhere to hear play: Shelley Carrol, Keith Anderson and JASON DAVIS.

My sister had her 40th birthday party and it featured Mahogany and the Jam Box band featuring musical director Jason Davis (I suggest he’s the feature).
I first met this cat playing at the South Dallas Cultural Center monthly jam sessions. I was mesmerized listening to him play. And there hasn’t been a time when I haven’t been impressed every time I hear him play. He told me his email address was Electric_J @... It could be only one reason I remember that and that is because the cat is just that…electric. I have never not seen Jason turned up to 100 when he’s playing his horn.

Jason is one of the best musicians this city has to offer. I suggest you get by to see him whenever you can.

Check his trio out November 1st at Buttons in Addison. And Mahogany will be there November 6th.

Also, hit his website: www.jasondavisjazz.com

Blue Shoes & Jump Blues

Fall is upon us. I have a pair of suede shoes that I’ve had for about 10 or 15 years that I love. They are light tan in color. So you can imagine that after 15 years, they’ve lost their luster – if that’s a word that can used to describe suede. The style of the shoe is still very classic. The upper, sole and the heel are in phenomenal condition. They just aren’t pretty anymore. I took them to a shoe shop and the cobbler wouldn’t touch them when I asked if he could clean them. So, I’ve decided to try to dye the shoes. How hard would it be to find some suede dye and bring life back to one of my all time favorite pair of shoes? I googled “Blue Suede Shoe Dye” and look what I found…WOW! My eyes bugged and my heart skipped a beat. These were some of the most beautiful shoes I’ve ever laid eyes on.

There’s an HBO movie called LACKAWANNA BLUES that I love. There’s a scene that features MOS DEF as a Jump Blues artist. And during the performance, the narrator laments how the Saturday Juke Joint night was a chance for the party-goers to show off their shoes – “Nothing compares to the shoes…” The scene in the movie was the first thing I thought about when I saw the shoes.

So what does any of this have to do with SonicVibrations? Well I’m glad you asked. JUMP BLUES.

Jump Blues is another jazz child that features up-tempo blues. Most of its origins are usually attributed to artists like Count Basie and Lionel Hampton; but also, one of my favorite artists, the incomparable Louis Jordan who brought us the story of Beans and Cornbread having a fight. Oh, you remember the little childhood diddy: “Beans and Cornbread had a fight, Beans knocked Cornbread out of sight”! If you’re still not sure you’ve heard the music before, think of the dance the Lindy Hop or Fred Sanford singing Flat Foot Foogie with the Floy Floy…Well I couldn’t find his version…but enjoy The Count doing his thing.

So now, I’m in a bit of quandary. Do I dye my well-worn broken in shoes? Or, do I purchase a pair of the beautiful shoes above? Or, do I do both? Whatever I decide, I’m sure I’ll keep loving and listening to Jump Blues and looking for somewhere to dance in my blue suede shoes…

Saturday Nite Wind Down: Scotch & Soul

So. I’ve had a million and one things to do today. Finally, I have a chance to sit down, be still and enjoy my favorite pastime, listening to a funky ass tunes…tonight it’s via the computer. As I peruse the i-net reading the news and some of my favorite blogs, I’m also sitting here contemplating getting my wallet and copping a copy of THE COOL REVOLUTION on CTI Records – a 40th anniversary compilation record. As I pull the track listing, it has occurred to me that most of the singles pulled together for this compilation, I already have. I didn’t realize that so many of the artists I enjoy have recorded on CTI. Artists like Ron Carter, Yusef Lateef, George Benson, Chet Baker, Hank Crawford, Bob James, Hubert Laws, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard, and Idris Muhammed among others.


Another of my new favorite things is scotch. Though I don’t drink very often, I’ve come to enjoy the occasional after work drink or the evening wind down taste. Some years ago, I started drinking J & B Scotch Whisky and then became a fan of Johnnie Walker Black Label. Black Label as opposed to Red, Green, Gold, Blue, or Swing…in all honesty, I don’t know if I’ve ever been anywhere where Swing was available. Now that I've tried Macallan, I really like.

Putting these two things together, Scotch and Soul Jazz, just works.

It’s late on Saturday night when I’m writing this, I hope when you read it you’ll consider having a wind down libation. I suggest The Macallan 10 Year Old and the following CTI Records soundtrack:


Saturday Nite Scotch & Soul
Sugar – Stanly Turrentine
Red Clay – Freddie Hubbard featuring my all time favorite Joe Henderson
Westchester Lady – Bob James
I Had a Dream - Hubert Laws
Mr. Magic – Grover Washington Jr.
Piece of Mind – Irdris Muhammed
Nautilus – Bob James
Nubian Lady – Yusef Lateef – Okay…this is not a CTI recording…but it’s one my favorites by Yusef

Since I’m not a big fan of compilation records, I’ll continue to mull over this purchase. But I know I need the proper glasses for The Macallan…maybe these or these.

Happy Birthday Diz...

For real...since May? It's way too long since I've been here last. I have a million and one things going on...but, again, I'm going to make this a priority again.

I must apologize to several artists who sent me their records with my promise to review them. I did the reviews but publishing them became more of a task than I was ready to handle. I will still get those reviews in over the next week.

I've decided to spend a lot more time on the many facets I would like for sonicvibrations to be. So those of you who continue to check me out, keep doing so. I think you will be happy with the new product.

Happy Birthday Dizzy Gillespie!

Google did a great tribute!

DMA Jazz Under The Stars...disappoints me for the first time...

I do not want to “trash” artists on my blog. I’ve been asked to write reviews of music and have declined due to the lack of musicality of the work…or I just didn’t like it. However, now and again, I find gems. Like now, I’m listening to, for review, pianist David Leonhardt who has taken a swing approach to Bach, which I think is pretty good. I tell you about that one later. But last night...

Anybody who knows me knows that I begin my summer by attending the Jazz Under the Stars event at the Dallas Museum of Art. I’ve been attending this event for well over 10 years. Now, I drag my wife along with me every Thursday night. Last night was the first time I ever walked out on an artist because the music was so not good.

First, I tend not to like to walk in on sound checks. But considering the circumstances of this event, I can abide. Tonight's featured artist, Margo Rey is on set. She plays this genre of music she calls “Organica”. Think Basia meets Sade playing bossa novas….but with much less musicality, style or soul. She began her first set with a bluesy ballad that was so boring I can’t remember the name of it. The next song was a slow to mid-tempo version of Besame Mucho which she sung in some loose jazz operatic voice style…and it went south from there; including a type Latin version of “You Belong to Me” by Michael McDonald. I found myself more interested in my Toastmasters magazine that I accidently picked up and brought with me. After the first set, I spent time playing Words with Friends on my wife’s IPhone, hoping the second set would go better. It didn’t. She began the second set with “There’s No Sunshine”. Yes, you are reading that right…”THERE’S NO Sunshine”. I think had Bill Withers been there…he would have asked her to stop. No Soul.

Music is such a subjective thing. Some you like. Some you don’t. And some you’re indifferent too. She records and other people buy her work. In fact, she mentioned that a song from new record went from number 7 to number 4 on the dance charts.

Though I won’t suggest that I’ve seen every show that DMA has put on in the last 10 years (they’ve been putting this series on for about 25) I have questioned several of their choices…I think they just missed with this one. Or, she just didn’t have a good show.


Last week, I met Danilo Perez and John Patitucci. That was cool...





And of course...I'll be back next week!

Miles Dewey Davis - Happy Birthday!

Happy Belated Birthday...

Sir Miles Dewey Davis

May 26, 1926 - September 28, 1991

Hopefully, someone who really loves me will get me THIS for my birthday...

Danilo Perez

I don’t remember the first time I heard Danilo Perez. My memory is not serving me well. But if I had to take a good guess, it was when BET had a show called Jazz Central that was hosted by Angela Stribling. Wow…I can remember rare good programming on BET and hosts of those shows, but I can’t remember where I first heard Danilo Perez.

I bought a recording from him around 1998 titled PANAMONK, which featured two drummers that I admire greatly, Terri Lynne Carrington and THE infamous Jeff “Tain” Watts. It also featured bassist Avishai Cohen. Who wouldn’t buy a record with such an interesting title? But I was familiar with Perez’s prowess on the piano. I will say that Perez pulled off this Thelonious Monk tribute with veracity. I appreciated every moment of the record. From the ballads to the Latin flavored reworks of some of Monk’s tunes.

I’ve soaked up a lot of music since listening to that first record. I didn’t really seek out any other Perez offerings. Not that I wasn’t impressed, I just got mired in the work of my old favorites. And during that time, I was only seeking out the work of the artists who created and innovated jazz. But, some years later – a lot of years, I came across Perez again on Wayne Shorter’s ALEGRIA. On this recording, Shorter weaves his way through all of his styles – from classical jazz to the avant-garde. Perez fit Shorter’s musical vision with deftness. I imagine that his time touring with Shorter made that pretty simple. This was another recording that I was familiar with featuring Perez, Brian Blade on the drums and John Patitucci on Bass.

Fast forward to 2010…Every summer I look forward to my wife and me, and assorted friends who join us, attending the Summer Jazz Series in the Park at the Dallas Museum of Art. It’s just us, good food, good spirits and most importantly good music. This year’s headliner and series opener is none other than Danilo Perez. So me being me - I pulled out PANAMONK and ALEGRIA and sought out more recordings/appearances by Perez. I found MOTHERLAND among others – but found myself drawn to this one.

MOTHERLAND speaks of a young composer with seasoned abilities still wanting to provide playfulness inside sophistication in the music he creates. It certainly is a joy to listen too! Sometimes, Latin recordings can be intimidating because the rhythms can be complicated. This isn’t one of those records. This recording is classy, lively and fun. This is definitely one of those “Afro Latin Blue” moments in jazz. I found myself dancing - in my head - rumbas, salsas and starting conga lines. I even considered taking capoeira lessons. Okay maybe not. But I really do dig this record!

I don’t know how many Latin jazz recordings (speaking specifically about South American, African, Cuban influenced Jazz...I mean there was Flamenco Sketches) I’ve heard that have used violins but Perez found the use of one that didn’t take away from the integrity of the theme. But how could Regina Carter ever be out of place? Brian Blade is ever more rapidly moving up on my personal list of young lions who have become jazz heroes. His drumming on this recording is masterful. Much like the all the other music I’ve ever heard him play. The vocals and chants on this record are hauntingly beautiful. The rest of the accompaniment on this date handles Perez’s compositions and arrangements with extreme competence as well as love. In my opinion, Perez really shows his chops as a soloist on the song Rio to Panama.

I really love this record. It’s summertime in the park music. I began to find myself fantasizing about me and my wife on white sand beaches, watching sunsets, snacking on empanadas and sipping red wine.

I can’t wait to see Danilo on Thursday night. If you see us there...come say hello.

Dallas Museum of Art Summer Jazz Series

Motherland Personnel:
Danilo Perez - Piano
Claudia Acuna - Vocal
Greg Askew - Percussion, Background Vocals
Aquiles Baez - Acoustic Guitar
Brian Blade - Drums
Louis Bauzo - Percussion, Background Vocals
Richard Bona - Vocal, Electric Bass
Richard Byrd
Regina Carter - Violin
Carlos Henriquez - Acoustic Bass
Chris Potter - Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Luisito Quintero - Percussion, Triangle, Chimes
Kurt Rosenwinkel - Electric Guitar
Antonio Sanchez - Drums
Luciana Souza - Vocal
Diego Urcola - Trumpet
Ricaurte Villarreal - Tamboura, Tambor Repicador