The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
The Quarantined Jazz Voyager requests that you remain vigilant in maintaining your health as exposure to the variants is on the rise again as society rushes to get to the 2019 party before Covid. Those who have it without masks can spread it, even those who have been vaccinated.
With that said, I am listening to a new young drummer on the rise who has taken the torch and remixed some of the classic jazz compositions by the legendary performers of the 20th century.
Deciphering The Message is the Chicago-based drummer, producer, and beat scientist Makaya McCraven puts a modern bounce on Blue Note classics by a host of artists who recorded on the label. Released on November 19, 2021 on vinyl, CD, and digital download, you can stream the playlist Deciphering The Message: The Originals.
With this project McCraven is an educator making available to his peer audience the opportunity to not only hear what he heard in his remixes but to experience the original compositions. He honors these jazz masters in their tradition while offering a good listen to vibe with.
Track Listing | 42:00
- A Slice Of The Top (aka Sliced Off The Top) ~ 3:13 [from A Slice Of The Top by Hank Mobley]
- Sunset (aka Son Set) ~ 3:49 [from Whistle Stop by Kenny Dorham]
- When Your Lover Has Gone (aka When You’ve Left Your Lover) ~ 2:12 [from A Night In Tunisia by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers]
- Ecaroh (aka Revlis) ~ 2:58 [from Horace Silver Trio by Horace Silver]
- Tranquillity (aka Corner Of The World) ~3:40 [from Components by Bobby Hutcherson]
- Wail Bait (aka Wait Bail) ~ 2:10 [from The Memorial Album by Clifford Brown]
- Coppin’ The Haven (aka At The Haven Coppin’) ~ 2:36 [from One Flight Up by Dexter Gordon]
- Frank’s Tune (aka De’Jeff’s Tune) ~ 3:38 [from Easterly Winds by Jack Wilson]
- Autumn In New York (aka Spring In Chicago) ~ 5:56 [from Blue Lights, Vol.1 by Kenny Burrell]
- Monaco (aka Monte Negro) ~ 2:25 [from ‘Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia by Kenny Dorham]
- Mr. Jin (aka Mr. Gin) ~ 2:58[from Indestructible by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers]
- C.F.D. (aka D.F.C.) ~ 3:18 [from Something Personal by Jack Wilson]
- Black Rhythm Happening ~ 3:35 [from Black Rhythm Happening by Eddie Gale]
- Makaya McCraven ~ Bass, Percussion, Drums
- Joel Ross ~ Vibraphone
- De’Sean Jones ~ Tenor Saxophone, Flute
- Jeff Parker ~ Guitar
- Matt Gold ~ Guitar
- Junius Paul ~ Bass, Percussion
- Marquis Hill ~ Trumpet
- Greg Ward ~ Alto Saxophone
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
We Are Sent Here By History is an acclaimed studio album by Shabaka Hutchings, a British-Barbadian musician, under his band Shabaka and the Ancestors, composed of South African musicians. It was released on March 13, 2020 on Impulse! Records.
We Are Sent Here by History has charted in Germany, Scotland, U.S. and UK and reached number 3 on the latter. The album was recorded at Milestone Studio and Sumo Sounds Studio in Johannesburg, mixed at The Crush in London, produced by Shabaka Hutchings and Dilip Harris, the creative director was Josh Cheuse, and the illustration was by Daniela Yohannes.
Track Listing | 63:58 All songs were composed by Shabaka Hutchings with lyrics by Siyabonga Mthembu- They Who Must Die ~ 10:10
- You’ve Been Called ~ 6:29
- Go My Heart, Go To Heaven ~ 6:41
- Behold, The Deceiver ~ 6:01
- Run, The Darkness Will Pass
- The Coming Of The Strange Ones ~ 6:28
- Beast Too Spoke Of Suffering ~ 2:58
- We Will Work (On Redefining Manhood) ~ 5:24
- ‘Til The Freedom Comes Home ~ 7:06
- Finally, The Man Cried ~ 5:48
- Teach Me How To Be Vulnerable ~ 2:45
- Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet ~ Shabaka Hutchings
- Alto Saxophone ~ Mthunzi Mvubu
- Double Bass ~ Ariel Zamonsky
- Drums – Tumi Mogorosi
- Electric Piano, Fender Rhodes ~ Nduduzo Makhathini (track: 2, 4)
- Percussion ~ Gontse Makhene
- Piano ~ Thandi Ntuli (track: 2, 11)
- Trumpet ~ Mandla Mlangeni (track: 7)
- Voice ~ Siyabonga Mthembu
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
Songs Of An Unknown Tongue
With the ever-mutating virus now spreading the Omicron variation, I am watching the detection and rise of this more contagious variants in South Africa, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Israel, Denmark, Botswana, Italy, Canada, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands. Suspecting that it is already in America, I am getting my booster as precaution, not necessarily to ward off, and continuing my vigilance in remaining socially distant and wearing my mask.
This week I have selected a talented British vocalist Zara Mcfarlane. Her fourth album, Songs Of An Unknown Tongue, was produced by Kwake Bass and Wu-lu, and released on July 17, 2020 on Brownswood Recordings.
This album pushes the boundaries of jazz meshed with folk and spiritual traditions of ancestral Jamaica. Zara is a part of the British echelon that is converging young and older audiences still seeking the future of jazz.
Tracks | 48:27
Side One
- Everything Is Connected ~ 3:39
- Black Treasure ~ 3:38
- Broken Water ~ 3:54
- Run Of Your Life ~ 3:11
- Saltwater ~ 6:22
Side Two
- My Story ~ 6:37
- Native Nomad ~ 6:07
- State Of Mind ~ 4:52
- Roots Of Freedom ~ 7:35
- Future Echoes ~ 4:32
Players
- Zara Mcfarlane ~ Vocals
- Kwake Bass ~ Percussion, Drums, Drum Machine, Synths, Synth Bass, Guitar, Bass Guitar
- Wu~Lu ~ Percussion, Synths, Guitar, Bass Guitar
- Camilo Tirado ~ Percussion
- Lyle Barton: Rhodes, Biscuit Flute
- Idris Rahman ~ Tenor Saxophone
- Robin Hopcraft ~ Trumpet
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
In The Now is an album by the accomplished percussionist and drummer Cindy Blackman recorded on November 18, 1997 by engineer Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. It was released on the HighNote label on May 19, 1998.
The producer on the date was Don Sickler, the art direction performed by Wendi Horowitz with photography by Carl Posey. The liner notes were written by Chip Stern.
Track List | 63:23 All compositions by Cindy Blackman except where noted
- In The Now ~ 6:45
- A Banana for Ron ~ 3:22
- Passage ~ 6:40
- A King Among Men ~ 15:00
- Sophia ~ 7:24
- Prince of Darkness (Wayne Shorter) ~ 7:13
- Happy House (Ornette Coleman) ~ 4:34
- A Strawberry for Cindy ~ 4:30
- Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz) ~ 7:55
- Cindy Blackman ~ Drums
- Ravi Coltrane ~ Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
- Jacky Terrasson ~ Piano, Fender Rhodes
- Ron Carter ~ Bass
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
As a nation of thinkers trepidly venture out to events, not out of fear but in caution, we continue to perform the safe practices of mask wearing and social distancing, this quarantined jazz voyager remains steadfast in protecting himself. Today I am playing one of my favorite genres, the big band, and this one is being led by a most wonderful woman. In 2020 Lenora Zenzalai Helm produced a fabulous record For The Love Of Big Band bringing to the fore the Tribe Jazz Orchestra and new arrangements to some of jazz’s classic compositions. There is something wonderful about listening to music that was created with love.
Track Listing | 1:16:00
- Blues For Mama (Nina Simone) ~ 4:42
- Bebop (Dizzy Gillespie, Deborah Brown) ~ 6:22
- Chega De Saudade (Antonio Carlos Jobim, Jessie Cavanuagh, Vinicius de Moraes, Jon Hendricks) ~ 6:39
- It Could Happen To You (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) ~ 5:26
- Soul Eyes (Mal Waldron) ~ 5:24
- Everything But You (Duke Ellington, Harry James) ~ 4:30
- I Didn’t Know About You (Duke Ellington, Bob Russell) ~ 5:50
- Sandu (Clifford Brown, Dupresha L. Townsend) ~ 9:00
- But Not For Me (George & Ira Gershwin) ~ 5:26
- A Conversation With God (Dear Lord) (John Coltrane, Lenora Zenzalai Helm) ~ 7:25
- Mississippi Goddam (Nina Simone) ~ 6:06
- Stella By Starlight (Victor Young,Ned Washington) ~ 8:23
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