Last updated on May 24, 2015
It’s summer in Minnesota, which means that I don’t have to teach or attend (too many) meetings, and I can spend entire days working on research. This in turn means that I listen to a whole lot of music while working.
And since it’s summer, I have also decided to post on lighter topics every once in a while. If I can make one person discover one new album with each one of these posts, I’ll be happy. Music has played a huge role in my life (I am where I am today because I failed the audition for the jazz guitar program at Collège Saint-Laurent in Montreal), and I think my tastes are eclectic enough so that someone, somewhere might discover a new thing or two from my sharing them. So for the start of this new series of posts, here is what I have been listening to these past few weeks, with video highlights.
1. Cookin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet, by the Miles Davis Quintet. A classic album with the classic lineup of John Coltrane on tenor sax, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums (Coltrane would record his own Blue Train with the latter two). A study in jazz improvisation, with solos so memorable as to practically be standards on their own; best of all, Coltrane does not overplay, as he tended to do on his own albums. Highlight: “Blues by Five.”
2. Wild Unit 2, by Michel Cusson and the Wild Unit. Michel Cusson played guitar in Uzeb, the best band you have never heard of, a jazz-rock/funk power trio from Quebec whose World Tour ’90 album was my gateway drug to jazz. After Uzeb broke up, Cusson played on the house band for a summer variety show, and the music on this album is a mixture of funk music you would expect David Letterman’s band to play and world music. Highlight: “Wrap It Up.”
3. Three Ragas, by Ravi Shankar. I really like Indian classical music, but know very little about it, so I gravitate toward big names. One of the biggest names in Indian music is Ravi Shankar, who is associated with the Beatles (his influence is best heard on this song). A raga is an Indian scale, and on this album, Shankar explores three different ones. This is great music to work to.
Highlight: “Raga Ahir Bhairav.”