The Ivan Lins records I wrote about in the last post have become staples of my musical diet. No, actually, if they are food, I'm overeating. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. The songs are so harmonically and melodically interesting, his voice so powerful, the arrangements so ingenious. I can't stop listening. Tonight I'm listening to "A Noite"... a wonderful record with a blue cover from 1979, which includes the fascinating duet with Djavan, "Noites Sertanejas," and the stunning ballad "Saindo de Mim."
So many combinations of the same twelve notes! Yesterday, during a lesson with one of my students, we listened to several tracks from Wayne Shorter's "Atlantis" from 1984 or so... Devastating! On another level harmonically, with a great acuity for form and structure, and an approach to thematic development that has no equal in modern Jazz composition, Wayne Shorter is a towering example for students (like me) who wish to push composition to an extreme edge. Extremely fulfilling music.
Other listening yesterday included George Russell's "The Jazz Workshop" and the piece "Setembro" from Ivan Lins' "Novo Tempo" CD.
My new trio CD, "Savivity" was released this week, and is getting a nice reception. It's a 2nd volume of the "Our Gang" sessions, with 8 new, unheard---and in many ways, better---songs. It has two of my favorite originals, "Jackson" and "The Other Shore," plus the title track, written back in college as a dedication to my friend John Savlove. I hope listeners will enjoy the music. I'm very proud of it.
And, there is more to come. In mid-January, 2006, directly after my return from a Brazilian vacation (including some gigs in Sao Paulo with two of my favorite young guitarists, Chico Pinheiro and Swami Jr.) we will go into the studio to record a NEW CD with the Anthony Wilson Nonet, including all the guys who have become the backbone of that band over the last four (undocumented) years: Mark and Alan Ferber, Matt Otto, Matt Zebley, Donald Vega, Adam Schroeder, Darek Oles, and Gilbert Castellanos. I am in the middle of a pretty strict work schedule, writing virtually every day, revising and refining some pieces from 2003 and 2004 that haven't been recorded, and transcribing some songs from some of the Brazilian artists that I have been listening to so addictively since early this year. There surely won't be enough time and room to record everything that I will have prepared for these January dates, but you can bet I'll try my damnedest to do so. We'll have two nights at Steamers on January 13 and 14, and hope you can come and support us as we get ready to document a beautiful era in the development of this group.
The Bennie Wallace Coleman Hawkins tribute Project (with me on guitar and as principal arranger, and featuring other members of the Nonet) will also record a live CD for Enja Records at The Jazz Standard in NYC, during the week of February 22, 2006...
I'll try to write more often in this blog as this Fall season continues, with updates on music and other obsessions: I've been informed that there ARE people out there who tune in from time to time! Thanks!
