Whale Songs

Even in the age of unlimited streaming sounds, inspecting a physical library of prerecorded music thrills me.  The property I rented on the coast of Oregon last week was equipped with a fine library of classical, jazz and folk CDs.  I thoroughly enjoyed playing selections by Yo-Yo Ma, Dave Brubeck and Leonard Cohen on the cliff-side cabin’s excellent stereo as I looked for the gray whales that occasionally caroused several hundred yards below.


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I previewed a Florence + The Machine concert for The Kansas City Star and Ink magazine.

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I write weekly music previews for The Kansas City Star and Ink magazine.

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Two of the four most recent posts at Plastic Sax extol new recordings by Pat Metheny.

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Guy Clark has died.  The Texan was extremely shaky during an appearance at the Folly Theater a couple years ago, but I named a 2005 concert at the Uptown Theater as one of the best shows of the decade. 

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Joe Temperley has died.  I last heard the Scottish saxophonist perform with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at Helzberg Hall in 2011.

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Bluegrass musician James King has died.

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Until I learned of his death today, I didn’t realize that Nick Menza of Megadeth also played jazz fusion.  Here’s footage of Menza with his band OHM.

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Emilio Navaira has died.  According to my records, the Tejano musician last performed in Kansas City 12 months ago.

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Theo Croker’s Escape Velocity may be the culmination of what so many young jazz musicians have been driving at in recent years.  The album possesses an up-to-date groove without forsaking tradition.  RIYL: Herbie Hancock, the now, Roy Hargrove.

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Musiq Soulchild successfully catches up to Drake, Miguel and Frank Ocean on Life On Earth while retaining his old-school sound.  Here’s ”I Do”.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)