Battle of the Bands: Summertime

 Gershwin's Summertime is a standard. The last time I used this song I battled with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. The song has been covered so often. This battle I chose two more musical giants in Willie Nelson and Billie Holiday

 

                                                      Contender One: Willie Nelson

Contender Two: Billie Holiday

In the comments let me know who you like, in a week or so I will post about the winner.

Battle of the Bands: Swingtime in Springtime

 It seems like a long time since the last Battle of the Bands. A good time to switch gears.  So first the original Django Reinhardt....

                                            

Below are the two competitors....

                                             Paul Mehling/Nate Ketner Quintet 

Reve Boheme

Next you let me know which ones you like best in the comments, I count them up and announce a winner usually in about a week or so. Okay at least before June.

Battle of the Bands Results: Jazz Me Blues

 Great news this time around I picked up a new voter Nashvillecats2! Six votes with three going to Les Paul and three going to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. I like both so I don't mind the tie. You all know I don't vote on mine. 

I don't want to tip my hat, so no Les Paul or Original Dixieland Jazz  Band to celebrate a musical tie. 

Maybe the 2015 All State Illinois Jazz Ensemble instead...

Tune in on the 15th for another exciting Battle!

Battle of the Bands: Jazz Me Blues

 Back to my regular scheduled programing. In case you missed my Battles in April I did 50's rock and then rock covers of Lady Gaga. I think maybe I should take a time out from the Battle of the Bands in April if I am doing the A to Z Challenge. I don't know. The Battle of the Bands is past it's peak. 

Don't get me wrong it is still fun! I didn't think the second Battle in April would be a big one so I chose something I thought would be fun for me. On April's first battle I don't think I voted on anyone's Battles. To those who had Battles I apologize. I'm still finding Battles, I am still doing them mostly in the traditional format and it is still fun! I get to mix up the genres. Obvious I have some favorites. However, I get to explore deeper. Maybe I get to explore a genre I don't know well, or an era, or I know so and so did this song but where did it come from. So, to all of you who have stuck around thank you! To any newcomers thank you I hope you come back. Also this a bloghop feel free to jump in! 

Well there is a reason this blog is called Mike's Ramblings just look at the first two paragraphs as example one. Anyone I started the year with Stairway, some Skynyrd, and a Jackson Browne  tune. Then I jumped through a guitar heavy, jazz standard funk. The jazz I found was received as well as the others. So today I am going back to jazz.

The way it works I choose a song. I play an original version or a well known version. Then I have two more contenders. The covers if you will. My readers tell me in the comments which ones they liked best. I count them up and announce a winner usually a week later or so. Songs are shorter than my ramblings this time!

Today's song "Jazz Me Blues" by first recorded by Lucille Hegamin composed by Tom Delaney She is described as a blues singer. 

Bonus question: Is this blues or jazz?  It is considered a jazz standard but it was sung by someone considered a blues singer. Is it both? Is it a blurred line kind of thing? 

Contender One: Original Dixieland Jazz Band

(I believe the first instrumental version of the tune)

Contender Two: Les Paul

Two very different covers. 30 years difference in time 1921 to 1951. Both very good at what they do. Time to vote!

Battle of the Bands Results: Up Jumped Spring

 Christian McBride ran away with this one 4 to 1. April will bring a lot of questions. Will I do the A to Z Challenge? Will I stick with jazz for my Battle of the Bands? I don't know. I've done jazz before and it has held it's own compared with other genres. Of course I blend genres too. 

As I figure it out let's celebrate Christian McBride...

                                                                   "Fried Pies"

"Night Train"

"On Green Dolphin Street"

Come back on the 1st and see what I come up with!

Battle of the Bands: Up Jumped Spring

 Riding March out staying in the Jazz genre. Spring is just around the corner and will be here by the time I announce the winner. "Up Jumped Spring" sounds like an appropriate tune to welcome Spring. The tune originally by Freddie Hubbard is considered a jazz standard.

Freddie Hubbard

Next I will present two contenders. You tell me in the comments which one you liked the best, or which one you hated the least. I count up the votes and announce a winner in a new post a week or so later.

Contender One: Curtis Fuller

Contender Two: Christian McBride Big Band

One standard, two contestants Curtis versus Christian I did my part. Now I need you to tell me which one you preferred in the comments.

Thanks for visiting and come back soon!

Battle of the Bands Results: Who's Sweet Way

The combination of a jazz standard performed by two greats produced a close Battle of the Bands. The tune was Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way." I pitted the legendary Miles Davis against guitar great Wes Montgomery.  Wes Montgomery won the battle 3 to 2. 

As always we celebrate winners!

                                                               "Round Midnight"

"Windy"

"Twisted Blues"

I hope you enjoyed this Battle and I invite you to come back for my next Battle of the Bands on March 15th.

Battle of the Bands: In Your Own Sweet Way

 Welcome to my Battle of the Bands! My battles are going in it's own sweet way hanging out in jazz land.  Much like the last battle I have a jazz standard by a jazz giant and my contestants include one of the best jazz guitarists versus another jazz giant. 

The song I picked is "In Your Own Sweet Way" by Dave Brubeck

Next I am going to have two contenders Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery compete with their versions. In the comments you drop me a line and tell me which one you liked better. I count them up after a week or so and announce the winner in a new post.

                                              Contender One: Miles Davis

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Contender Two: Wes Montgomery

I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for visiting. I'm open for suggestions for future battles, I'm ready for your votes, give me your feedback in the comments!

Battle of the Bands: 500 Miles High

Jazz pianist, composer and talented musician Chick Corea passed away this month. I wrote a brief post on it here. I am going to honor him more by using one of his pieces for my Battle of the Bands segment. It will also be my first genre change of 2021. 

Here is Chick Corea with "500 Miles High"

Genre might be changing but the rules remain the same. I will select two covers. My readers listen to the covers and tell me which version they like the  best, or which one they hate the least whichever the case might be. They tell me in the comments. You can expand on it and tell me why. I have quoted comments in the past or used them for suggestions for future Battles. Anyway I count up the votes and announce winner in a separate post in about a week. 

Chick recorded this as an instrumental and a version with vocals. To be like Chick and to jazz thing up I am going to do the same.

Contender One: Joe Pass

Contender Two: The Manhattan Transfer

Who gets your vote Joe Pass or The Manhattan Transfer? Instrumental or vocals? Joe Pass adds contrasts with a solo guitar version of the jazz pianist piece. The Manhattan Transfer version is beautiful and a bit more condensed compared to Chick's versions.  Hopefully it will be a good battle.

I hope you enjoy and I will be back with  the results!

R.I.P Chick Corea

 Jazz pianist, 23 time Grammy Award winner Chick Corea has passed away at the age of 79. He's played with some great musicians including Miles Davis, Al Di Meola, Stanley Clarke, Bela Fleck, and more. Winning Grammy Awards, playing with talented artists is fantastic but having several of his compositions considered jazz standards has to be considered the pinnacle of his career.

                                                    "Armando's Rhumba"

"500 Miles High"

He will be missed by his friends, family, fellow musicians, and fans. His legacy will live on in his music and in the musicians he inspired.

Battle of the Bands Results: Prince is the man and nobody loves Diana but Elvis

It's a good thing Elvis Costello loves Diana Krall cause the jazz pianist got no love here. Prince on piano shut her out 5 to nothing. They were covering folk legend Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You." Jazz wasn't a stretch as Jaco used to play bass for her.

Prince was great at covering songs. If your wondering what would have happened if he played that song on guitar instead..

Maybe I should have done Prince versus Prince. When in doubt "Purple Rain"..

Back in "1999"

"Let's Go Crazy"

Well enjoy!

Battle of the Bands: Sleepwalk

Thought I would jazz things up on this version of  the Battle of the Bands. I decided to go with Santo and Johnny's "Sleepwalk."

You know the deal I come up with some contenders, you tell me who you like in the comments, and one day I  write a post and tell you who won.(I know I am running behind on that.)  Why not go with two incredible guitarists Jeff versus Joe.

Contender One: Jeff Beck

Contender Two: Joe Satriani

Hope you enjoy! Tell me what you think!

R.I.P Nancy Wilson Jazz Singer

She would probably hate the term jazz singer but I didn't want her to be confused with Nancy Wilson of Heart fame. The Nancy Wilson my post is about is the 81-year old three time Grammy Award winning vocalist who passed away yesterday.


A news clip or tribute about her below...

I want to share her music and celebrate her life and talents!

"How Glad I Am" which won her first Grammy...

                                            Here she is with "Guess Who I Saw Today"

                                       
                                              "Don't Ask My Neighbors"
         

She leaves behind a recorded legacy and will be missed by fans, family and friends.

                                              

Blogging from A to Z: W for William Basie

You might be scratching your head wondering who was William Basie? Well he was better known as Count Basie and he died on this date in 1984.


"Swingin' the Blues" from 1941..

"April in Paris" well it is April ...

"Honey Suckle Rose"...with Ella Fitzgerald! 1979

A little bit of Count Basie to remember his jazzy ways!

R.I.P Walter Becker

Guitarist, songwriter, musician and half of the legendary duo "Steely Dan" Walter Becker passed away yesterday ( 09/03/17) at the age of 67.

                                                 "Reelin' in the Years"

Perhaps my favorite Steely Dan tune is "Hey Nineteen"

Here is a solo song "Medical Science"

I was turned on to Steely Dan by a guitar teacher probably 25 years ago. There are connections to other musicians Larry Carlton, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs who were just minor degrees of separation from Steely Dan.


Performing "Josie" on Letterman, enjoy Walter Becker playing guitar..

The band left a catalog of amazing songs. May he rest in peace. I'll leave you with "Black Cow"

A to Z: Kevin Eubanks beyond the Tonight Show

Kevin Eubanks became know to many as the bandleader, guitarist, for The Tonight Show during the Jay Leno years. Seeing him play in that band and with guests one was able to get a small glimpse of his talent.

He has recorded with a who's who list of jazz giants including Stanley Jordan, Art Blakey, and Jean Luc-Ponty to highlight a few.

Let's jump into the music..

"Morning Sun" with Stanley Jordan...

Here he is with Art Blakey, Wynton and Bradford Marsalis...

A new piece from hi just released this month "Time Line"...

What are some of your favorite Kevin Eubanks moments from the Tonight Show? Did you know about his music outside of the show?

Thanks for visiting and I will have a new post up soon as the A to Z Challenge rolls on!

My 5 Favorite Black Guitarists

Back in August I did a list of my favorite five guitarists. You can read that post here. I'm sure I could exchange a few names on that list at anytime depending on my musical taste at the time. Since, it is Black History Month I thought it would be fun to list my 5 favorite Black guitarists. Some of them were on my 5 favorite guitarist list.

Here it goes...

1) Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix was at the top of my other list two.

2) Buddy Guy

Buddy Guy is incredible he was number three on my other list but he moves up to number two on this list.

3) Prince

He is one of the guys I can't believe I left out of my first list. He could be the very best at guitar when he wanted to be, but he was such an artist and musician that he didn't always stick with the guitar.

4) Hubert Sumlin

He was a sideman, the guitarist for Waters and the Wolf.

5) Wes Montgomery

Ending the list is so hard. Should I include one of the King's? Albert Collins? Maybe Slash? The influential Chuck Berry? Oh well I went with jazz

Who would you have added into the list? Well I will see you soon with a new ost

Happy Birthday Nina Simone!

I've had a bit of a Black History Month theme going on my blog this month. Some of it planned and somethings were added due to life events.

Today is Nina Simone's birthday and she is an artist who certainly deserves to be celebrated during Black History Month.

Starting the music with this civil rights era tune..

She is probably best known for this song..

Nina Simone was awarded a lifetime Grammy Award and was nominated for several other Grammys

Ain't Got No..

What's your favorite Nina Simone song? Feel free to share in the comments. Thanks for visiting I will have a new post soon.

R.I.P Al Jarreau

Seven time Grammy Award singer Al Jarreau passed away today. His music crossed the genres of R&B, jazz, and soul. If you were a television fan in the 80's you might remember him for the Moonlighting title track...

He won his first GRAMMY Award for this song.."Look to the Rainbow"

He won his last GRAMMY Award by himself for this song..."Heaven and Earth"

He would win another one for a song featuring Jill Scott and George Benson as well. What is your favorite Al Jarreau song? Do you have any Al Jarreau memories? If you do feel free to share in the comments. We will miss Al Jarreau's vocals but we are thankful for his recordings.

Celebrating Jaco Pastorius

Today September 21, 2016 is the 29th anniversay of the dkeath of Jaco Pastorious. He was a very talented and legendary bass player. I invite you to check out the tribute I published here last year as well. That post features some tasty treats for your ears. I would link it but I am posting from my phone.

This year I will do the same with some different videos to continue the celebration.

Up first, is a solo track called "Dolphin Dance"...

Next up is "Third Stone from the Sun" performed with Weather Report

Next up Jaco with Pat Metheny on a tune called "Bright Sized Life"...

Finally Jaco with Joni Mitchell..

That was Don Juan's Wreckless Daughter. I hope you enjoyed the tunes and thanks for visiting.