Self Promotion Sunday…Don’t Panic. This is a cover of a Coldplay tune that I did. Came up with my own base line to play underneath the 1st half of the melody, which really lets it breathe. Also works well at the end for a drum solo. #jazzsky #coldplay youtu.be/Ikq8_y0lBns

Tune of the day…Dayna Stephens - Kwooked Stweet. Solos based on Coltrane’s Straight Street’s even 12 bar sections. Inspired by San Francisco’s Lombard St, the melody is unevenly phrased in 16,12,8,16,8. 3 different lengths of A before the 16 bar bridge and return of A. #jazzsky youtu.be/JVraB4VABfw

Having done 365 different artists with no repeats for tune of the day, I’m happy to start with who I began with a year ago…. Tune of the day…Miles Davis - Stella by Starlight. “Wherever you go, there you are.” Lost, not lost, who cares, music at the highest level ever. #jazzsky youtu.be/YI7qPHJ6tjA

Tune of the day…Dan Wall - Song For the Night. Layering of piano, Hammond B-3, and a few other synths to get this slick cosmic fusion sound bigger than a quartet. Is that the A Love Supreme riff I hear occasionally? Fuse it on in along with a Rush like jam in 6/4. #jazzsky youtu.be/n2xRNLcrqpQ

Tune of the day…Vi Redd - If I Should Lose You. This features her singing and saxophone playing where you can hear how her phrasing as a vocalist influences her choices as an instrumentalist. The marketing comparisons to Bird, wasn’t fair to her being her own artist. #jazzsky youtu.be/izuRb5hVcag

Tune of the day…Miroslav Vitous - I Will Tell Him On You. Having worked with Miles briefly between Ron Carter and Dave Holland, this music shows you how much he was part of the new direction of fusion. It’s a little more free jazz bass forward than where Miles went. #jazzsky youtu.be/zMIBHDQ5e6E

Tune of the day…Al Foster - Brandyn. This orginal of his tacks on a few extra bars to the usual 8 bar phrase song structure. Phrased AABAC in bars of 10-10-12-9-8. Interesting how at 3:00 Potter plays a definite 2 bar phrase strengthening going between the last 9 and 8. #jazzsky youtu.be/zzwKNOBY6UY

Self Promotion Sunday - Trio Eclectic - Song of the Siren. The title track from our newest release, is written by Duane Allen. It’s a beautiful melody that works well as a call and response. We decided to keep our improvisation conversational as well. #jazzsky youtu.be/JM7iASSQ0ss

Tune of the day…Regina Carter - By the Brook. Who an artist chooses to play with, is what made Miles Davis special. This duet between Regina Carter and guitarist Romero Lubambo has a beautiful lyrical melody floating over all that wonderful Brazilian comping. #jazzsky youtu.be/1os6OhpLZ18

Tune of the day…Bunny Berigan - Chicken and Waffles. There is some real drive and swing in Berigan’s playing here. Backing the trumpet with clarinet and alto, combines this hot trad jazz with a swing era texture. This was a purposely mixed raced band, unusual for 1935. #jazzsky youtu.be/1oALzpoQnT8

Tune of the day…Gonzalo Rubalcaba - Supernova 2. Cuban jazz musicians come from a slightly different perspective than American jazz musicians playing Latin jazz. This is their language that they’ve grown up with. Often we end up approximating it by ear, which is ok too. #jazzsky youtu.be/Mn9xFHMRT0A

Tune of the day…Gary Keller - Peacock Park. This beautiful Ron Miller composition is a reharmonization of Coltrane’s Central Park West, named for a local Miami park. Him and Gary were long time professors building the great University of Miami jazz program. #jazzsky youtu.be/sACWYFgumvc

Tune of the day…J.R. Montrose - Beauteous. This quintet does this Paul Chambers tune justice. I always found Montrose’s playing enjoyably quirky in almost a Charlie Rouse kind of way. Never sounds pressured to play what others do. Great Ira Sullivan trumpet solo here. #jazzsky youtu.be/ucwH46jTJJ4

Tune of the day…Buster Williams - I Didn’t Know What Time it Was. What a great standard to have Wayne play the melody on, just poking & prodding at it the right way. You are hooked before you get to all the great solos, leading to Wayne spectacularly finishing it up. #jazzsky youtu.be/Nj9_WYHJ9m4

Self Promotion Sunday…Nowhere. I used math writing this one. Called a Matrix, I have all 12 minor chords happening before they repeat a 2nd time. Hiding it further, the melody is an 8 bar phrase transposed 3 times against the 24 chords. The name refers to no tonality. #jazzsky youtu.be/y-IaXlETakQ

Tune of the day…Earl Hines - Just Squeeze Me. 67 at the time of this recording, he is really pushing himself into uncharted territory. Amazing how he seems to get himself out of it, like you can hear him puzzle solving in real time and amusing himself with his creation. #jazzsky youtu.be/_GAiXx8Xm4E

Tune of the day…Adam Rogers - Confluence. If you want to hear some guys effortlessly burning over a tempo, still being creative, not just playing a bunch of licks, this is the track for you. I kind of wish one of the 3 solos explored the piano/bass line from the melody. #jazzsky youtu.be/HUr8lahHGio

Tune of the day…Bob Mintzer - Weird Blues. Love the pairing of bass clarinet and Abercrombie’s distinct guitar sound. 12 Bar blues & 8 bar bridge that starts with the same melody, bass playing in half time, guitar playing a cross rhythm last A. End of solos have hits. #jazzsky youtu.be/oVU-sZpJ8r0

Tune of the day…Milt Hinton - Slap Happy. It’s a forgettable riff based swing melody most likely come up with in the studio, but I can listen to the Judge slap away anytime. He’s the best at it. Might as well just be only him playing here. #jazzsky youtu.be/b-ajjtrLwKQ

Tune of the day…Charles McPherson- Hot House. What I find most interesting with this early McPherson recording, he isn’t quoting the usual Bird licks, he’s using Bird’s sense of unpredictable space and long notes. Makes me realize that’s kind of a bridge to Eric Dolphy. #jazzsky youtu.be/ULfMsWyWGbs

Tune of the day…Peter Erskine - My Ship. It’s easy to declare Randy Brecker the star of the show here, but what a beautiful textural canvass Erskine Manierri, Grolnick, Gomez, and Alias all Create here. Basically Steps Ahead with Randy rather than Michael. #jazzsky youtu.be/-uFgJK2ReY8

Self Promotion Sunday - Trio Eclectic - Shadow Democracy. This Duane Allen original is still waiting for a big budget spy thriller film to pick it up as its main theme, please contact if interested. Also I’m using a tap tempo for the live delay effect on my sax solo. #jazzsky youtu.be/xX9isKUchyo

Tune of the day…Tubby Hayes - Soon. You would think a sax player with this kind of dexterity in the 1960’s would have a larger historic name recognition other than, oh I’ve kind of heard of that guy. Tubby can hang with the best. Grew up on the wrong side of the pond. #jazzsky youtu.be/ZzwFNniKJ8Y

Tune of the day…Joe Locke - Shifting Moon. An interesting decending progression of sus chords working with the the busy bass line and drums really holds your attention. It starts moving twice as fast after the drums, almost like a cycle but with Coltrane-ish vibes in 7. #jazzsky youtu.be/kB3MzgM-r40

Tune of the day…Dizzy Reece - I’ll Close My Eyes. Sometimes it’s nice to hear these great musicians not having to get bogged down in creating a “blue note” sound of originals, and just freeing them up to play a standard that you can tell they are all enjoying playing. #jazzsky youtu.be/Oh4nb5gHVE0

Tune of the day…Gary Versace - Now Is Then. This original of Gary’s just keeps developing nicely. Every chord change keeps you anticipating where it goes next, and when it does, it seams like that was the obvious choice, and of course I should have expected that. #jazzsky youtu.be/9h0mPayPmMk

Tune of the day…Barry Harris - Off Monk. Celebrating Barry Harris the composer here, with his tribute to Thelonious Monk. There’s just enough Monkisms without him losing his own voice in the process. Provides a great vehicle for some top notch solos. #jazzsky youtu.be/g1ckdDtrd_I

Tune of the day…The Owl Trio - The Kiss. This is a Herbie Hancock tune from a 1966 film Blow-up that he wrote the soundtrack to. Beautiful jazz chamber music which is what the Owl Trio is about. Owl formed from the 1st letter of their 1st names, Orlando, Will, Lage. #jazzsky youtu.be/08cZPgxO8T4

Self Promotion Sunday - Body and Soul. I never get tired playing this ballad. As a tenor player it’s kind of required since Coleman Hawkins made it so. I’ve never had a rhythm section complain when called. It may be one of the most universally loved standards to play. #jazzsky youtu.be/pqZCzuSOCsc

Tune of the day…Junior Cook - Hindsight. These bop legends never stopped developing, and here you can hear some Joe Henderson like influences as he navigates this excellent Cedar Walton tune. You can never go wrong with the Magic Triangle as your Rhythm Section. #jazzsky youtu.be/I-1n3hCFWuE

Tune of the day…Delfeayo Marsalis - Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans. An oldie but goodie that I never get tired of listening to. Beautiful intimate moment here captured in a duo between father and son and a city and an art form that is all connected. #jazzsky youtu.be/PuLHIvWpES0

Tune of the day…Ralph Towner - Waterwheel. Beautiful textural composition that uses some overdubs to enhance the trio. Even though it’s over 9 minutes, this tune leaves me wanting more, to which I just find myself starting over. I rarely listen to this one only once. #jazzsky youtu.be/SdoBFpIdSvc

Tune of the day…Shelly Manne - Grasshopper. It’s 1955 and this tune starts off with power chords. I wonder if they tried soling over that as part of the tune, before deciding not to. The language was there in the melody to pull from. Jazz could have jumped 12-13 years. #jazzsky youtu.be/qVNSRGns9dk

Tune of the day…Me doing Danny Boy. Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone. I put this video together for it, which is reflective of life’s journey beginning alone, ending alone, but along the way all the connections you make with others, is what makes it amazing. #jazzsky youtu.be/hGa5F97lR4Q

Tune of the day…Kenny Drew Jr. - Autumn In New York. Nice double time 3 feel here gives this great ballad a new refreshing new direction. So many different ways to play a standard, which is what makes them so wonderful to play, you can just keep reinventing them. #jazzsky youtu.be/kxmXro814Bs

Self Promotion Sunday…Trio Eclectic - Ornette-ish. This is an original of mine that is stripped down to a melody working against a bass line. It reminded me of Ornette Coleman, and with that mind, solos are harmelodically free. Melody used as a reset between solos. #jazzsky youtu.be/C61kaBnCVjU

Tune of the day…Jonathan Kreisberg - The Lift. He picked the right piano player for the repetitive rhythmic line on which this tune is based, having played with Martin I can tell you he eats that kind of stuff for breakfast. Kreisberg shreds a solo over it with ease. #jazzsky youtu.be/tsKyDUwExOY

Tune of the day…Jane Ira Bloom - Painting Over Paris. Her soprano sound pairs nicely with Kenny Wheeler’s tone. Handing the melody off between them over the broken 3 feel, does provide a nice romantic soaring over a city like quality to the music. Nice original tune. #jazzsky youtu.be/V-vpYvweCA8

Tune of the day…Maynard Ferguson - Spinning Wheel. A really hip arrangement of the Blood, Sweat & Tears hit. Never afraid to tackle popular tunes, and not care what jazz purists thought, brought him many other fans in the process. Arranged by trombonist Adrian Drover. #jazzsky youtu.be/yHQUpZYe66s

Tune of the day…Jan Garbarek - Clouds In the Mountain. Beautiful interactive melodic playing here from this trio. Creative free music doesn’t always have to go the way it often does. Themes getting passed around from sax to bass to drums and back again. #jazzsky youtu.be/ymwc5dCMA2A

Tune of the day - Kenny Clarke - 52nd Street Theme. Some extra time was put into this arrangement by Gil Fuller, who features everyone nicely and allows a listener of swing big band to understand the beginning of bebop by giving it a defining theme & defining soloists. #jazzsky youtu.be/VSBr4QOSF24

Tune of the day…The Bad Plus - Heart of Glass. A bit controversial at the time, doing jazz versions of rock and pop tunes were in vogue for sure, but most were coming at them from a straight ahead lighter jazz perspective rather than a more bombastic free jazz approach. #jazzsky youtu.be/2zmg_msBtDQ

Self Promotion Sunday…Fi-yah. This is a very different sounding tune of mine that I wrote in the mid 90’s. I haven’t really written another one like it. I was going for a Wynton Marsalis Black Codes kind of vibe. I like how at the end it becomes almost a meditation. #jazzsky youtu.be/eqs-J4VEB04

Tune of the day…Jon Hendricks - Old Folks. A very patient rendition of a great tune. Jon really draws you in to tell a story here, as does the arrangement. Starts off with just piano, then adds bass, then flute, then taking it up a notch with drums and trombone. #jazzsky youtu.be/1rMqBgJX_30

Tune of the day…Julian Lage - Saint Rose. If you are looking for some textural guitar to create a vibe, then this is a tune that gets right to it, and maxes out expectations of a guitar led trio. The tremolo effect he is using here is locked into the time. #jazzsky youtu.be/eD1PeJOuiEE

Tune of the day…Don Byas - Don’s Idea. This is a tight composition and arrangement that seems almost crafted from an earlier era but with bebopers understanding of harmony. Like somehow combining something from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s in under 3 minutes. #jazzsky youtu.be/UX4X331vQJ0

Tune of the day…Chico Hamilton - Passin’ Thru. A little bit free but sticking with one tonality and concept of freely playing over calypso. The melody is slightly Ornette like and compact. Interesting to hear Charles Lloyd channeling some Sonny Rollins here. #jazzsky youtu.be/yQiHF03HU70

Tune of the day…Kenny Werner - The 13th Day. Sometimes sitting at the piano you’ll come up with a simple chordal riff where repetition can be meditative and also has so many possibilities of inviting lines to play against it. For sure that’s how this tune came about. #jazzsky youtu.be/MPYHLX2ahSQ

Tune of the day…Booker Little - We Speak. Some serious compositional & arranging skills are on display, along with beautiful playing for such a young musician. Sadly only 23 when he passed away, just 6 months after he recorded this. Dolphy and Roach in fine form here. #jazzsky youtu.be/fpI4MZbiGFM

Self Promotion Sunday - Trio Eclectic - Cynthia Rose (Live at Blue Whale). Never underestimate the ability to write a simple melody. The angular bop stuff, the cool unexpected intervals outlining interesting harmonic substitutions…what if you don’t rely on any of that? #jazzsky youtu.be/oL1oDyFTnWQ