A Very Hank Mobley Halloween

Art Blakey in Heaven won't shut up about how he's the greatest and isn't it cool that he's listed right under Hank Mobley in the credits for Soul Station, not listed last like most drummers, but then D'Angelo and Jack DeJohnette stomp his goofy ass. Jesus, like the burned out prison warden he basically is, … Continue reading A Very Hank Mobley Halloween →

States

Apropos of nothing, a wine-colored rug. Toys everywhere. A book about spiders. Gunn-Truscinski Duo / Bay Head. Key track: Seagull for Chuck Berry. Outside, garbage trucks and men yelling. Unexplained helicopters overhead. Betty said she saw a purple school bus. There was no purple school bus. There is no purple school bus. The title of … Continue reading States →

Falling

It is September 10th. Spiders are making webs all around my house. It got dark tonight at 7:30. There are guns everywhere. Last year at exactly this time I went up north by myself and stared at a fire while listening to John Coltrane for three days. I fished for brook trout, colorful as the … Continue reading Falling →

Circle

I usually have a song taking up primary residence in my head. These days, it's "Circle," the Miles Davis song from 1967's Miles Smiles. As I said in my last post, I've been a little obsessed with Miles Smiles for a while now. The first three tracks are particularly addictive for me, and "Circle" might … Continue reading Circle →

Miles Behind

My brother and I were chatting about Miles Davis yesterday. I told him (my brother, not Miles) that if he ever finds a good copy of Miles Smiles on vinyl, he should buy it for me. I think I also told him I'd pay one million dollars for it. Part of the conversation revolved around … Continue reading Miles Behind →

A LOVE SUPREME vs WONDERSTATE COLOMBIA SIERRA MORENA

A Love Supreme: Dry and mid-range-y, sonically speaking. Colombia Sierra Morena: Jammy and thick. Both have much to say. An abundance. Maybe an overabundance. (Didn't Miles tell Trane to play less?) Both are bursting and intense. Urgent. The coffee is a unique varietal, pink bourbon. A Love Supreme is also a unique varietal, a record … Continue reading A LOVE SUPREME vs WONDERSTATE COLOMBIA SIERRA MORENA →

SONNY CLARK versus COMISKI PARK WEST COAST IPA

I’d like to very insincerely welcome you to a new feature, brought to you by the good folks at THE OWL HEAD SHOE HORN. This is JAZZ VERSUS A BEVERAGE. Each installment promises a sort of shootout between a jazz record and a cup of something. If you’re thinking, “You goofy bastard, that doesn’t make … Continue reading SONNY CLARK versus COMISKI PARK WEST COAST IPA →

But Only For Me

I decided I’d have to write it more like Ahmad Jamal plays piano. The Ahmad Jamal record I know best is called But Not For Me, and that’s a funny title because his playing feels strictly for him. He’s playing music the way he wants to hear it; he’s not concerned with communicating a song … Continue reading But Only For Me →

RRR007: “Sweet Rain” // Stan Getz

On a night frozen through, bitter and solid, I listen to an album called Sweet Rain. It is what its title promises, the sounds of sweetness mixed with rain, happiness contained in flying, stinging droplets of water. Like water, happiness takes on the shape of its container. Like water, it flows according to physical laws … Continue reading RRR007: “Sweet Rain” // Stan Getz →

RRR006: “Intensity” // Art Pepper

Tonight there is snow falling from the sky. And a full moon. The full moon is not falling from the sky. Not yet anyway. For reasons lost to history, I’m drinking a bit of brandy. And while it may be hard to reason out why I’m drinking brandy, it’s harder to understand why, of all … Continue reading RRR006: “Intensity” // Art Pepper →