RONNIE LAWS

RONNIE LAWS

Ronald Wayne “Ronnie” Laws born October 3, 1950 in Houston Texas. I was listening to Ronnie Laws in the 70s, he was one of my parents favorite musicians. Ronnie was the fifth on eight children, he followed in his older brother Hubert Laws flautist footsteps and played the saxophone & flute. Ronnie joined Earth Wind & Fire in 1972, he played on their album Last Days and Time. Ronnie left Earth Wind & Fire soon afterwards, long before they became famous. In 1976 Pressure Sensitive album was the start of Ronnie’s solo career, on this album was his most famous instrumental song “Always There” this song became a instant jazz-funk classic and is covered by many artists. Ronnie released his second album Flame, he released a 12” single called “All for you”. this album had a strong vocal presence. From previous albums two additional singles were released “Let’s Keep it Together” and “Nothing’ ‘bout nothing”. Ronnie’s 12” single was first issued in the UK and the US, this format paved the way for other artist to promote themselves without putting out a full album. Ronnie Laws is not only a terrific saxophone player he is also a vocalist. Some of his notable vocal songs are “Every Generation” my all time favorite, also “Stay Awake” and “Mr. Nice Guy”. Ronnie Laws recorded with many artist such as Arthur Adams, Howard Hewitt, Ramsey Lewis, Jeff Lobber, Hugh Masekela, Alfonse Mouton, David Sea and Sister Sledge. In 1999 at the Montréal Jazz festival a group of musicians which included Boney James, Rick Braun, Kirk Whilom and Larry Carlton did a tribute to Ronnie Laws’ “Always There”. Ronnie Laws one of my favorite saxophone players, I grew up listening to his music. No matter if he’s playing solo or with other artist his music is enjoyed by everyone.


LM

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Herbie Hancock

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Born Herbert Jeffrey “Herbie” Hancock April 12, 1940 is an American jazz
pianist and composer. Herbie is regarded as one of the greatest living
jazz musicians and one of the most influential in the 20th century.
Herbie’s music is a taste of funk and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz. Herbie was a part of Miles Davis’s “second great quintet”. Herbie helped redefine the role jazz rhythm section and is one of the first jazz musicians to embrace the synthesizers and funk.“Cantaloupe Island”. “Watermelon Man”, Maiden Voyage”, “Chameleon”, “I
Thought It Was You” and “Rockit” were his best known solos; he won a Grammy for Rockit in 1988. Herbie’s 2007 tribute album “River: The Joni Letters” won the 2008 Grammy Award For Album of the Year, only the second album to win the award, the first in 1965 Getz/Gilberto. Head Hunters
album was released in 1973 this album was a major hit and crossed over to the pop audiences even though jazz fans called him a “sell out” the “Head Hunters album is still fresh and vital after three decades. I was introduced to Herbie Hancock in 1973 by my Aunt Bliss, she was watching us
kids while my parents were gone on a weekend trip. She just bought The Head Hunters album, and played it all weekend, that’s when I started liking jazz. The following year Head Hunters second album “Thrust” was released.
Herbie’s other jazz funk album were Man-Child in 1975 and Secrets in1976. The Headhunters original band Herbie put together consist of Bennie Maupin multireedist, Paul Jackson bassist. Bill Summers percussionist and Harvey Mason drummer. Head Hunters album had a influence on jazz, as well as funk, soul, and hip hop. Herbie composed sound tracks for films. In 1973 The Spook Who Sat By The Door, in 1974 Death Wish. Herbie’s three albums Future Shock(1983), Sound System(1984) and Perfect Machine(1988) were criticized by critics they said it should have been labeled “Bill Laswell featuring Herbie Hancock.“ In 2005 half of Herbie’s Columbia recordings have been remastered, Sextant, Headhunters and Thrust as well
as Future Shock, Sound System, the sound track Round Midnight and Perfect Machine. Herbie performed and acted in the film Round Midnight. Herbie wrote the score and soundtrack for Round Midnight and won an Academy Award
for Original Music Score. Herbie. Herbie Hancock has truly changed jazz music and will always be one of my favorites.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbie_Hancock

LM

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NATALIE MARIA COLE

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

NATALIE MARIA COLE

Natalie Cole the daughter of the late great Nat King Cole, is one of my Favorite singers her songs were a part of my teenage years growing up.
Natalie started her career as an R&B star “This Will Be”, won her a
Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Artist in 1975. In the same
year she also won a Grammy for “This Will Be” Best New Artist for the Inseparable album. Natalie was awarded a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Sophisticated Lady” in 1976 and then again in 1977 Best
Female Vocalist American Music Award for gold certified “I’ve Got Love on
My Mind”. Natalie had two more platinum albums “Unpredictable” and “Thankful” another gold single for “Our Love” in 1977 one of my favorites.Natalie stared in her first television special on CBS in 1978, which gave
her another gold album for “Natalie Live”. Natalie had hits that followed
her television show like, “I Can’t Say No”, “Party Lights”, “I’m Catching
Hell”, “Be Thankful”, “Annie May”, “Sorry”, and “Stand By”. In 1979 “I Love You So“ earned her another gold album, then again in 1980, another
gold album for “Were The Best OF Friends” with Peabo Bryson. In the early
1980s Natalie dealt with a severe heroin and crack cocaine habit, she
dealt with it and over came her drug addition. By 1985 Natalie was back with a album titled Dangerous, on this album two singles called “Jump Start” a remake of Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” and a remake of her
father’s signature song. “When I Fall In Love”. “Good to Be Back” albums
came out in 1989 this album gave her more hits “Miss You Like Crazy”,“Wild Women Do”, and “I Do” with Freddie Jackson and “Starting Over
Again”. The album “Unforgettable…with Love” will be the best remembered
album of her career. This album featured her vocal arrangements of her
fathers greatest hits. Technology helped Natalie preformed a duet with her
father the song was Unforgettable. The Unforgettable album sold over 7
million copies, Natalie won several Grammy awards in 1991 for
Unforgettable. Natalie Cole had several hit jazz cd’s “Take A Look” went
gold and “Stardust” went platinum both these cd’s won Grammies. Natalie
Maria Cole is considered one of the core artist of the smooth jazz genre.
Her music is timeless and classic as well as her new material. In July
2008 Natalie was diagnosed with Hepatitis C due to drug use and in May 2009 Natalie received a kidney transplant. Natalie started touring the
fall of 2009, if she comes to the Bay Area you can best believe I’ll be
there.

LM

Pat Metheny

Image via Wikipedia

Pat Metheny was born 55-yers ago in Lee's Summit, Missouri...a suburb near Kansas City.  After graduating from high school he moved to Florida to study music at the University of Miami, but left during his first semester. He was actually offered a teaching position soon afterward, but Metheny always knew in his heart that he was meant to play...not teach!

 

By the age of 20 he was on his way to becoming one of the most prominant and successful jazz guitarists of the 1970's and 80's, recording and touring throughout the world with his band 'The Pat Metheny Band'.

 

In 1975 Metheny joined vibraphonist Gary Burton, and recorded 'Bright Size Life', with bassist Jaco Pastorius and Drummer Bob Moses. The next track 'Watercolors' featured pianist Lyle Mays, who would co-write many songs with Metheny.

 

Their alliance with bassist Mark Egan and drummer Dan Gottlieb solidified 'The Pat Metheny Band'... which was also the title of their first album. 14 more would follow over the next 25 years, as the band toured the world, offering the unique sound of Metheny's Gibson ES-175 guitar.  Also featured were Mays' Oberheim and Sequential Circuit synthesizers, and Steinway piano. .

 

Metheny also ventured in other directions, releasing solo, trio, quartet, and duet recordings with musicians such as Jim Hall, Dave Holland, Roy Haynes, Toninho Horta, Chick Corea, Pedro Aznar, Herbie Hancock, John Schofield, and Joni Mitchell.

 

He even participated in side projects with performers like Omette Coleman, Nordic Jazz players Ulf Wakenius, E.S.T.,and Nils Landgren. Pat also played with female greats Silje Nergaard, Noa, and Ana Maria Jopek.

 

As for the guitar, Metheny not only continued the jazz tradition, but borrowed other tones, and made many unique alterations using the 12-String Electric, hollow-bodied Six-String Electric, and heavily used Roland guitar synthesizer. He even continues to play a custom-made Pikasso-1 42-String guitar built by Canadian Luthier Linda Manzer...who hand-made many acoustic guitars for Metheny.... including  the 'Sitar', 'Baritone', and 'Mini' guitars.

 

Metheny's earliest influence was Wes Montgomery, and his album 'Impressions:The Verve Jazz Sides"...which Metheny says taught him how to play!  Other inspired were Jim Hall, Joe Diorio, Kenny Burrell, and Joe Pass, as well as rockers Eddie Van Halen and Windham Hill. He's also a fan of Pop stars James Taylor, Bruce Hornsby, Joni Mitchell, and The Beatles.

 

But, Metheny's most powerful inspiration actually came from Brazilian Music--both the Euro-influenced Jazz sound of the' Bassa Nova', and the rhythmic Afro-Brazilian sounds of Northeast Brazil...where Pat has both lived and performed at different times. 

 

However, no matter where Pat Metheny plays, his unique style is enjoyed and loved by jazz listeners all over the world.

 

 

Thanks, and keep listening....

 

PeteCam4

  

 

Miles Davis

MILES DAVIS

I listened to Miles Davis, bebop and his cool jazz, growing up, but I didn’t appreciate his music until I met my husband. Jazz Fusion and Free Jazz is what heard my husband play through out the years. This gave me a real
appreciation for the music Miles Davis gave to all of us. Miles Davis was considered the most influential jazz musician of the 20th century. Miles Davis was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Being a
musician in Miles Davis band gave other musicians their names such as John
Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Cannonball Adderley, Gerry Mulligan, Tony Williams, George Coleman, J.J. Johnson, Keith Jarrett and Kenny Garrett. It is amazing that Miles Davis didn’t die of heroin overdose like his friends Fats Navarro and Freddie Webster. If he had then we probably would not be exposed to the great jazz music we have today.

LM.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Davis

GROVER WASHINGTON JR

THE LEGENDARY GROVER WASHINGTON JR

I remember hearing Grover Washington JR for the first time when I was 10 years old. My dad just got a reel to reel tape recorder; he was making a jazz tape. “MR Magic” was playing, I ask dad who that was and what instrument was that. “He said baby that’s Grover Washington JR and he’s
playing the Saxophone”. From that day on I have loved the Saxophone. In addition to “MR Magic, “Black Frost” and “The Best Is Yet to come” were his memorable hits. Grover Washington JR was known as the founding father
of the smooth jazz genre. He played on Bill Withers song “Just the Two of Us” it still plays on the radio today. Grover Washington JR smooth jazz genre brought to the forefront Kenny G, Steve Cole, Pamela Williams, Najee, and George Howard. Grover Washington JR from Seventies through the
Nineties left his mark on the music world, his genius is truly missed.