Drop That Bass: Presenting Ron Carter

I've always adored that sound of the double bass. Deep tingling sounds, keeping pace with the rest of the instruments, sort of a rhythm maker. To me though, that sound that was always in the background, always stood out to me the most. I think that's why I like jazz a lot. It's that prominence of the bass that gets articulated in jazz unlike in an orchestra.

Am I trying to be too sophisticated? Well yes I am. Trying to shake my boorishness off. Welcome to my blog my pretties.

So here's Ron Carter, a double bassist now in his 70s. Man of style, and class, and most of all, music.

I've just never heard a double bass being played like that. It's so novel, it's so fluid, and it's just simply magical how it all fits in perfectly. Plus his beard is quite one of the most fantastic collections of facial hairs I've ever seen in my life. That's not due to my being Asian and not being to grow one of course. I just really envy people who can grow beards.

In that one, not only is Ron Carter amazing, but everyone else is. The thing about Jazz is that not one in a band would lack skills for simply playing on. I've tried jazz it's not something that everyone could do. I'm not saying that it wasn't my incompetence, probably, but gosh jazz musicians have that extra 'kick' in them.

This next one sounds more like be-bop, almost comical, sort of like something that Al di Meola would play. Just shows his flexibility.

But then, it's always good to have good 'ol jazzy jazz. Yes I have no clue how to differentiate between different types of jazz, so please, hold your comments on my lack of knowledge. I know already dammit.

And this one that really reminds me sweet days of watching Disney movies.

Anyways, I hope that I enriched your musical horizons. Mine certainly has been. Like I said, I'm as much as in an exploratory position as you are. Let's hop off the musical safari jeep though, camp out, and wait for the next ride to begin. Until then, enjoy Mr. Carter, I know I will be. Ciao!

Good Things Come in Threes (Presenting Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto Trio)

That statement right there was for my crew in London right now. You know who you are. Us three musketeers, although I going to presume only 'one' (only you will get it, 'one') of you read this blog so please let the other person know.

In other news, the Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto Trio comes in threes. I mean, it's in the damn name so if you could not guess that go cry in the corner. Kidding. I would never want to put anybody in the corner. I've been to the corner and trust me, it's not a pretty place. 

Back to what I was saying, to introduce, Jacques and Paula Morelenbaum are a Brazilian husband and wife duo. Jacques does many things like composing and producing, but in this context he is the cellist. Paula is the singer. Ryuichi Sakamoto is a Japanese pianist (Yes, I admit it, I have a weird musical fetish with Japanese musicians! Now please! Stop pointing fingers at me!) who is quite known around the world for his solo work, including composition and production as well, just like Jacques. All three of them are very accomplished professional artists. So this is quite the combo here. A dangerously fabulous chemical mix of three great musicians. The genre is like, jazz/contemporary classical. Anyways I'm wasting words. Music on please! 

So great. Paula's voice is perfect for the ambiance set by the music. Kind of makes me sit back and really enjoy this spaghetti I'm eating. I've been eating spaghetti for the past week. Why? Well these damn jars of sauce were on sale, and so were these spaghettis, so I bought a whole bundle. That's what you do when you're a student, and well goddamn I'm ready to try anything if something will make this spaghetti taste better. Fortunately I think the music is helping. 

If there was a purest form of mood, like, good mood, then this would be it. I don't even, let me just quietly eat my dinner in peace. Please. I just want to listen. I'm new to this as much as you are. 

Why is Paula's voice so perfect? Why is everything about this so refined, and just, pure beauty? Why? Why? WHYYYYYYYYYYY

Too bad though, the last time these guys released an album as an ensemble was 2003. So I'm going to assume that they don't tour anymore. I'd like to buy the album though, because this is just one of those rare bands that you need to have a physical copy of. 

Lastly, a shout out to my friend Kotaro, once again, whose deep taste in music has brought the sincerest pleasure of discovering this wonderful band. Yo KoKo, I know you're reading this. Arigato, and may you do whatever you dream to do. This is the dreaming jukebox after all. 

Sometimes Digging Through Youtube Gets Tiring (Presenting Eddie Higgins Trio)

So that's why I take recommendations and plaster it on this blog. A good friend of mine let me in on a band called the Eddie Higgins Trio. Eddie Higgins was an American jazz pianist, recently passed away in 2009 at the age of 77. Obviously, if you want to be bored with the biography, be my guest. I'd rather jump into the music. Here's one that strangely sounds familiar.

Bits of classical piano in the middle here and there. It's probably likely that he was classically trained. Most professional pianists, regardless of genre they end up in, do start with classics. That's why they're called classics mind you.

Anyways, this guy Eddie Higgins is definitely quite the jazz pianist, very elegant and versatile. I just wonder why I haven't discovered him yet. Hats off to my friend whose initials go SMO. That might be a new nickname. High five Smo.

Let's continue shall we?

So good. My hands can't keep still because they want to dance along to the tune. Let's pop up another one. I want to go on turbo mode with this.

So, damn, smooth. Like a good glass of whiskey accompanied by a cigar. Not that I'm a particular enthusiast of either, but I do enjoy them from time to time, and it just paints the scene perfectly with this sort of music. I really need to seek out a jazz bar.

Here's one with his band as a quartet with Scott Hamilton, a jazz tenor saxophonist.

The sax is just so right in here. I almost clapped at my laptop before looking like an idiotic seal to my cup of tea here.

Here you go though. Any of you planning a chill night, include this guy in your playlist won't you? Or a romantic evening with a lady (or a gentleman) and you just don't want to sit there without saying anything, you can always turn this on, mood it up, and recite the wikipedia article on Eddie Higgins from top to bottom to show off your superior jazz knowledge. Unless he or she's an actual jazz musician and bounces your brain, in which case I'd say: tough luck chap/darling.

Now here's the hour video of the Trio's bebop-y sounding, A Portrait In Black and White, the full album. I hope you enjoyed today's selection. My name is Alex, and I'm getting arrested for eating a succulent Chinese meal.

Sick and in Love: Presenting Shing02

Recently I noticed that I was listening to the same things over and over again on my smartphone. That's usually a sign that life is getting dull. So I'm getting back on this blog. Put some new music up, and you know, actually search for tracks I haven't heard.

Now, Nujabes is someone I've heard of, not very new for me. He passed away in 2010 by a tragic car accident, but he was one of the biggest Japanese DJ/Producers, and get this, he pioneered the genre of nu-jazz in Japan.

Shing02, a Berkley graduate, is a Japanese rapper and producer and one of those few rappers who rap in two languages: English, Japanese. He was also a close friend of the late Nujabes, and this is a music series they collaborated on, called Luv(Sic). Here's pt. 1.

Got the nu-jazz feel in there? According to Shing02: '(sic)= The Latin adverb sic - meaning "intentionally so written" is used for misspelled words. In this case, Love = Luv, thus Lovesick = Luv(sic)''

You got that? Ring me when you do.  

Moving to Part 2: 

If you think this is a 2-part thing, you're mistaken as we move on to-

Pt 3:

How far will this go? Well, unfortunately this was the last part of this project that Nujabes worked on. Afterwards, Shing02, affected deeply by his friend's death, felt the need to continue this journey, which culminated in this next part that is particularly beautiful in lyrics.

Pt.4

Try to pay attention to the lyrics here:

Snow flakes in January
Heart warm like February,
I wouldn't ordinarily
March to the drum, play a fool like April
May the best dance in a Juno bridal
Power of the will, Julius and Augustus
Aw you know, it's just us
In a new semester, back in September
boy, I wonder if you still remember

Meet me half way from mars to venus
beep beep, the chase is on between us
Retweet the sweetest piece of confection
hand made device for remote connection
ask a question,
wait for an answer and make a suggestion
a time and a place for a first impression
second and third to a fourth dimension

All of mainstream hip hop on the radio can't come up with this.

Now we're almost there, just think of this as a 5 act operetta.

Pt. 4 (I like this remix better so I put it up instead of the original)

Did I say it was a 5 act opera? I'm sorry, it's actually 6. But ladies and gentlemen, I give you Shing02 in video, in real time, rapping his heart out with Uyama Hiroto, Nujabes' protege.

Pt. 6

There you have it. From part 1 to 6. I don't usually listen to rap, but when I do, I make sure it's a chill Asian dude with sick rhymes.

Kidding, I do listen to rap and hip hop from time to time, but only when I like it. This is one of those cases. Henceforth why I'm turning the jukebox back on with Shing02. By the way if you're wondering about the title, yes I am sick. Of course I am also in love. Love you too Sarah. Peace.

A twentysomething's life

So I'm twenty one. About now is when you really think about the decisions you make in life. Especially when university is coming to a close. The fear of uncertainty grapples with hope for the future, and turns your mind into a mush of thoughts and feelings. The nonchalant choices before have now suddenly become so sincere, and every single turn starts to have real consequences.

There are two ways to approach this in my opinion. Either take the easy, structured way out. Or dive headfirst into life and see where it goes. Of course, there is a myriad of in-betweens, but to turn this into something more simple, let's stay with those two.

Personally, I'll take the latter path, and it seems that our artist today, Jamie Cullum, agrees.

I found out about this artist fairly recently from a friend of mine. At first I wasn't too enthusiastic about this guy, but this veteran musician surely knows how to free up his music.

His sound has two elements I enjoy: piano, and jazz. With those two I certainly knew that a song couldn't go wrong. Now, I'm a fan.

What really draws me in, is that every single one of his songs have a distinctiveness that identifies with each of them. Even his covers of other songs have such a character of their own that it would be believable to say that they were all his songs to begin with. For example, I present this cover of the commonly performed song, "I get a kick out of you."

And here's the live version.

That bang, when he slams his heels into the piano, was so unexpected when I was watching it that I almost jumped from the seat. Not that it was loud and sudden, but because you just don't expect someone to push his boots into the keys of a precious grand piano. However, it certainly made for a good show, and that's what Cullum does. He leaps into action when he wants to.

Jamie's style of playing reminds me of a free-flowing wave. Sometimes high, sometimes low, but never constant. There are always uncertainties and twists that come in. You can't expect what note to come after the other, because his music simply is like that. It's unpredictable, and it's beautiful because it's so full of to-be-discovered wonders.

So if you're a twentysomething, or feeling like one, and in need of some adventure, give a try to Jamie's music. It might give you that spark of action that will compel you to think less, and feel more in this world of cold knowledge and harsh realities. Follow those feelings, and believe in them. That's the advice I can give, although I'm still working on that advice myself.

With that I give you my favorites from his album twenty something! 

Sanding out the roughness of my mind with some good tunes.

Here we are ladies and gents! Holidays have arrived and the great cheer is in full effect. Finally, my head can now rest, and there isn't a better way to do it than to read a fine book with some smooth melody playing in my ears. A Murakami Haruki sure is a safe bet for a fine book, and for some smooth melody none other than Uyama Hiroto comes quicker to my mind.

Mr. Hiroto is a Japanese DJ and hip hop music producer whose style reflects a heavy influence from jazz. If there was a genre that would define his style in one word, it'd be Nu Jazz. Now I don't know anything about Nu Jazz, yet, so I'll stop my commentary on the genre right here before I say something hysterically illogical. On with Uyama Hiroto.

I don't listen to hip hop. At all. But this one's a definite keeper even for me. Hiroto's melodies, flying freely above, have a distinct form and style to them that you can only glean by listening to them. Here's 81 Summer. 

and Stratus 

Unlike many so called DJs and hip hop producers, the ingredients that Hiroto puts into his music are all critical elements that make up the overall sound. Nothing goes to waste. Hiroto structures his songs so that if even the most unnoticeable section of the song is missing, it would bring down the balance of
the music.

However, what really draws me to this artist like a moth to flames is his jazz influence, evidently expressed in this song, Waltz for Life Will Born. 

The best of all is that Uyama Hiroto's ability to fuse various styles together into a unique piece of music is just uncanny. Like this next one, Ribbon in the Sea. 

This sort of music I really enjoy listening to, because you can't categorize something like this. This piece can stand by its own, and not called as something definitive so easily. I like that. A song that has character, a personality. It's really hard to find something like that these days, but Uyama Hiroto has gifted us generously with his own cache of rare genius.

Before going back to my reading and relaxing time, I'd like to say that it's good to be back on the blog. Sorry if you guys missed me, I just couldn't muster the time to do it. You'll certainly see me more frequently now, so stay tuned! I'll be back tomorrow. On that note, I shall leave you with a couple more of my Uyama Hiroto favorites.