Hi Everybody!!  I'm back on this blog thing again.....and I'm readjusting and switching some things around.  I'm changing the format some but I don't want to lose any of my writings so I'm gonna plop them down right here.  The date you see above is actually the date I'm typing this but the data being moved over is actually from the Summer of 2010.  My writings aren't the most amazing thing to read but I'd like to keep this up so I can see how my writing ability is developing.  So below this line is stuff from 2010.

So here goes a copy and paste:

Bilal- Airtight's Revenge
Bilal- Airtight's Revenge
Oh my goodness.  I'm back in Seattle. I checked my email about an hour ago and I received a coupon from Amazon.com for $3.00 off any new album.  I scrolled through the albums listed and quickly found what I might possibly use my lil coupon on.  Bilal.  So if you know nothing about Bilal and are interested, please google him ASAP.  But I will give you the lil bit of what I know about him.   He released an album called 1st born second, released in 2001.  It had some nice music on there.  There were a couple of songs that I loved.  My favorite was "Sometimes".  I'm not a supporter of domestic violence but when he talked about sometimes wanting to knock his woman on her ass made me crack up laughing because I've been there.  I remember actually having to talk myself down from knocking the snot out my ex-boyfriend.  Fun times! Anyway, the album was cool.  So many years later he attempted to release another album called Love for Sale and according to interviews of Bilal I've heard, it sounded as if the label he was signed to wasn't really feeling that album and so they leaked it onto the internet in order to not have to release it themselves. I think that was in 2006. I guess the label thought they couldn't make any money off it.  So you could just download it off the internet at one point in time.  That album was quite nice!!!  His song, "Hollywood", "Get out of my hair" and at least  six other tracks on that twelve track album were Great!  A very nice album.  Then he was on pianist Robert Glasper's Double Booked album.  That album was nice and Bilal, I think had a great contribution.  Personally, anything Glasper and Bilal collaborates on, I would blindly trust and purchase quickly. 

So I used my coupon and purchased Bilal's album that was released today, September 14, 2010.  Its called Airtight's Revenge, I'm assuming its related to the previous album having been leaked. I am so glad I did purchase it.  I listen to all kinds of music.  To associate myself with one specific genre or another is too limiting for me and that's part of the reason why I am enjoying this album so much.  I read a headline on Billboard magazine website that said Bilal is releasing a Electro-Jazz-Rock album in 2010.  Not sure if this is it or not but its quite satisfying.  Its so great when I feel like I can move along with an artist and appreciate the direction that they are evolving music wise.  I think Bilal is maturing musically in ways that I can relate to.  The messages in the music, the music production itself is really great too.  I honestly don't know if he is to credit for the production work or just the lyrics or what but I'm grateful and very happy with this album.  If you get a chance to check it out, I would highly recommend you buy the album.  Its such a treat.  My fave's are "Flying", "Robots", "Levels" and "All Matter" was a track on the Robert Glasper , Double Booked album but he switched it up a bit and I LOVE this one also.  The lyrics are so meaningful to me.  I'm listening to this album for the fourth time in a row.  I'm loving it more with each listen.  Great Job, Bilal!!!!!

Video Game Music

Wow, you really do learn something new everyday! I started off my day with a cup of strong coffee and writing a list of things I need to do.  As I was writing my list I started humming a little tune and I wasn't even aware of what I was doing.  After a minute or so I realized I was humming the song from some old Nintendo video game, Metroid.  Boy, did that take me back!   I remember being about 11 or 12 years old as I watched my older brother, Joe, play Metroid.  I tried to play the game but it seems I couldn't get ahead  so I enjoyed watching Joe play it instead.  He would explain his strategy for destroying the "mother brain".   I can't say I remember story behind the video game but I know that music stayed with me.  When I realized what I was humming I tried to go online to find the music.  Of course, youtube.com had the video game music!  So as I type this  paragraph I'm listening to the music of Metroid.  I believe this game released in the late 80's although I'm not sure.  The youtube video has a date stamp of 1987.  Sounds about right to me.  I was kind of curious about the composer of the music for this video game and his name, according to wikipedia is Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka.  Apparently, Tanaka did a lot of the soundtracks to the earlier video games on Nintendo such as Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, Tetris and plenty others.  I must say, I'm not sure why but I really like the music for Metroid.  I wonder if I can put it on my ipod?

Keith Jarrett's Spawn
I'm currently in Seattle having a blast with all the amazing music here.  I'm so thankful for times like this.  Right now I'm enjoying a cup of coffee listening to some music I just purchased.  I recently heard that pianist, Keith Jarrett has a son who plays bass.  He's part of a group called Knu Gmoon.  So I check out myspace.com/noahjarrett.  I just had to shake my head as I heard the music because I knew I was going to have to purchase the album within the next 24 hours.  I'm so glad I did.  I went to amazon.com and purchased the self titled album of the group, Knu Gmoon.  6 tracks.  Its been categorized as experimental jazz but all I know is I am feeling every single track so deeply!  Ok, so the group consists of Loren Stillman, Tony Barba, Mike Gamble, Rohin Khemani, and Rich Stein. 

I first learned of Noah Jarrett through an email I received.  I am subscribed to the newletter of the night club Nublu in New York City so I get a weekly email.  Being that I'm currently in Seattle, it made no sense for me to concern myself with the events in NYC but something told me to open it up.  I open the email and I read something about Noah Jarrett performing, son of Keith Jarrett.  I can't say that I know all that much about Keith Jarrett but I've seen him live once and his playing is fantastic! So I wondered what kind of skills his son might have.  I did the research and it paid off! 

Now as I sit here listening I can say what initially drew me into the music was the horns by Tony Barba and Loren Stillman.  The guitar player is pretty great too though.  And some of the bass lines are so sick!  It just all comes together so wonderfully!!  I think its all very subjective though.  But for me,  this is the type of music that helps to evolve people...its more than just something to listen to or observe quietly. Its an experience.

I REALLY love the entire album but my two most favorites currently are "Remiss" and "Inconvenient Solipsism". 

2010

Its been over 2 months that I've been in Seattle.  I actually think I'm in love.  The natural beauty of all the mountains, various bodies of water and the amazing views.  The state of Washington is so overwhelming in that there are so many things to do here.  I have a hard time deciding what I want to do because there are so many choices!  Since I've been here the one thing I have focused on is the music despite all the other events taking place here.  I haven't done much of the touristy stuff and not really planning on it either. 

Ok, so anyway, Last month I was told by my trusty music mentor, Chet White, host of Ground Level on 89.1 WBCX in Gainesville, Georgia to check out the music of Wayne Horvitz.  When I learned that Wayne was going to be performing at an outdoor event in Seattle for free I had to go check him out.  Wayne is a pianist and he was performing at an event called Sounds Outside. Apparently, this event was orchestrated by Monktail Creative Music Concern.  I'm so very new to all of this.  I had never heard of this Monktail Creative Music Concern, but from what I understand its some local Seattle folks are focused on presenting creative music.  So I go to the Cal Anderson Park where this event is being held and I throw my little sheet down in the grass and just take in the music.  The weather was perferct for outdoor events like this one!  It was Wayne Horvitz and the Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet.  It was nice to me.  Not mind-blowing but I enjoyed it.  After the show I went to the information table and was given the program and it showed that they do this event twice each summer.  I learned that in the following month, August, Kahil El'Zabar would be performing with Hamiet Bluiett!!!   

Now if you don't know anything about Kahil El'Zabar then I'm not the one to tell you about it either.  Check the music out for yourself.  I'm just a person who is in love with the music of his that I've heard.  Look, all I can say is that I read that he formed the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble over 35 years ago and he can do no wrong, musically.   But that's just my opinion.  I currently own 3 or 4 of his albums and they make me happy.  I've enjoyed his music so much that I added him to my list of people that I need to see before one of us leave this Earth.  At the beginning of this year I was trying to catch up with the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble while they were on their tour in upstate New York and Canada.  Inclement weather prevented me from catching them then but once I found out that he'd be coming to Seattle I knew I had to stay and check him out.

Kahil El'Zabar came to Seattle on August 14, 2010! woohoo!! It was actually a solo show. He strapped some instruments to his legs and played percussion and moved over to the drum kit.  He did his thing!  I especially enjoyed his version of Compared to What, a song done by Les McCann & Eddie Harris.  He also did  a song about 50 year old man still living at home with his parents.  Good stuff!  And the man looks great! He's in his late 50's but surely doesn't look it at all.  I had a  brief conversation with him, trying to find out when the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble will be playing again.  October 2010 they will be on tour in Europe.  I guess I better get my plane ticket soon!