Mark Zeger

As a trumpet player, my favorite Oscars moment is the closing credits. For maybe decades, the band’s lead trumpet, Rick Baptist, would get to rip it up in the highest range on the horn over the arrangement. I nearly made it awake for the credits this year.

Of the legacy Wayne leaves, maybe the greatest is young musicians discovering jazz will be playing “Footprints”.

I am crushed. Wayne Shorter, Intrepid Saxophonist and Composer, Dies at 89

I can’t recall watching a product demo video more than once. I’ve watched the GP Keyscape demo countless times because he is SO entertaining.

The lyrics haven’t aged well which is one reason why this is such a smart take. The brilliant Aaron Diehl on piano.

Knock knock. Who’s there? Knock knock. Who’s there? Knock knock. Who’s there? Knock knock. Who’s there? Knock knock. Who’s there? Knock knock. Who’s there? Phillip Glass

This is what hope for the future looks like She’s very well worth checking out. Graduated 2021 from the Conservatory of Music, SUNY Purchase (my daughter’s alma mater).

When I was doing jingles in the ‘90s, I used many of Julian’s Twiddly Bits MIDI files. With the Country files, I did a bluegrass jingle with banjo picking & acoustic guitar strumming patterns triggering ROMplers. It was more than good enough for radio.

Introducing Fred at 2015 Rochester Jazz Fest for a Monk-centric program

Beck was my co-favorite guitarist for the past 40+ years, alongside Pat Metheny. I loved Blow By Blow, Wired, and With The Jan Hammer Group so much I made cassette copies for the car because vinyl wasn’t enough. Only saw him once, in 2010, and still often think about that concert. Music poured out of his hands like water.

Still alive though no longer playing Keith Jarrett Too many examples to pick one. The Standards Trio, the solo concerts, the Scandinavian quartet albums like Belonging or My Song. Still alive, still playing Aaron Diehl No longer alive Bud Powell Honorable mention Helen Sung because women are underrepresented so far and she’s incredible in any number of settings. Like here, playing stride giant James P. Johnson’s “Carolina Shout” with tap dancer Michela Marino Lerman at Newport 4-5 years ago. IMG_1233.MOV

Big +1 on “Treme”! Today’s word is “contrafact”. All the jazz musicians here know contrafacts, when a new melody is written over the changes from another song. The new melody can be copyrighted. Maybe the best known example is “The Flintstones Theme” written over “I Got Rhythm”. The “IGR” progression became known as Rhythm Changes. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_jazz_contrafacts And there’s this:

A homecoming for Rochester’s Gene Cornish in 2013. What a great concert!

For the members of my tribe

I will never tire of this since first seeing it in a 2006 episode of Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, and I don’t celebrate Christmas. It’s that great.

As much as I adore “River Deep, Mountain High” and considering her huge successes starting with “Private Dancer”, this is my favorite Tina.

It’s a good day in western NY state.

Belonging? That’s one of my all time favorite albums. Probably top 5.

Any Paul Simon song with Richard Tee on Rhodes McCoy on the John Coltrane/Johnny Hartman album. The art of comping. Chick on Rhodes on “Light As A Feather” Another vote for Lyle Mays on “Wichita” Jan Hammer’s synth leads on Jeff Beck “Wired” Any Stevie tune with synth bass, ex “Boogie On Reggae Woman”

Between The White Lotus, Succession, and Perry Mason (music by Terence Blanchard), HBO is winning the TV music scoring game.

Now that’s a rig! I can identify much but not all of what’s in the photo. Can’t tell everything in the main keyboard group. I think the synth(s) in the foreground is a Roland SH-5. I owned one 40+ years ago.

Yes, definitely pre-Covid. I don’t recall Botti selling any merch the times I’d seen him. His albums had wide distribution on a major label (when that was a thing) and T shirts, hoodies, etc. wouldn’t seem “on brand” for him or his audience demographic. I haven’t seen him perform in many years so maybe that’s changed.

Botti often gets written off for his highly polished music style, good looks, and popularity. Make no mistake because he has chops he chooses not to frequently use on stage. He could probably blow 6 choruses on “Cherokee” and never repeat an idea. Same for everyone in his bands over the years. His stage presentation might not have changed much over the years. Probably still plays “When I Fall In Love”, “Cinema Paradiso”, “Caruso”, and closes with “Nessun Dorma” where he brings someone from the audience to play a mallet cymbal roll on cue. He gives his audience what they love. The thing that most impressed me about Botti is his generosity with his time. Any time I’ve seen him, he tells the audience he’ll be in the lobby a few minutes after the concert to sign autographs, take photos, etc. He stays there until the last person leaves. It’s a great demonstration of his character and gratefulness. No one could be mad if he finished playing, took bows, and left the venue.