Coming Soon...

to a pub near you:






















(details soon)

Wind Chill Season

Getting colder out there. Do what you can to stay warm.

Michael Brecker, Saxophonist Passes Away

Very sad to hear that one of my favorite jazz artists - Michael Brecker, passed away today at far too young an age. The Brecker Brother's "Heavy Metal Be-Bop" was one of the first "fusion" albums my brother and I ever heard, and since then us and our friends continued to dig up as much jazz and fusion as we could find - all branching off of the great band assembled on that album.

Thankfully Brecker continued to record at an astonishing rate, and his solo CD's are highlights in a career that has far too many sessions to list in this blog.

Thank you for all the music and rest in peace.

The Police

A great year to be a Police fan.


First, Andy Summers releases his memoir, "One Train Later" which covers his early life growing up, playing locally in London as a teen and then stints with Soft Machine and The Animals, before meeting Sting and Stewart Copeland. The book is very well written, hilarious at times and in great detail. I can especially relate to how he'd just sit sometimes and stare at his guitar - mezmorized, because I've done the same thing with my drums. As if this alone would help you understand the instrument better and unlock the mysteries within. Heavy huh?

"Nineteen-eighty...We arrive in Buffalo to play at Clark Gym. Outside, the ground is covered in deep snow and the temperature is below zero, and with the Niagara roaring in the background, we enter another round of the American Dream. Arriving back in the U.S. always feels like a comedown after the mayhem back in Europe, but Clark Gym is packed and we melt the snow surrounding the building."


Then Stewart Copeland releases "Everybody Stares - The Police Inside Out" which is his Super8 footage of the band behind the scenes as they started out in clubs, visiting the record company, photo shoots and finally world domination. I wish it had more interviews with the band members, but as an insiders perspective on how the band kept getting bigger and bigger it's fascinating.

Now the news comes out that they may reunite for a summer tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary. I was able to see them on the Synchronicity tour, but the band all have stated that their one regret was that they never did a farewell tour. They were the biggest band in the world in the mid-80's and they simply called it quits. If it happens we can at least expect some live DVD footage and who knows, perhaps a farewell CD?