Well, your first question might well be "why seventeen years between albums?" The answer is simply this: Twenty years ago I left Minneapolis for Nashville and became a full time session player. I can tell you now that there is nothing quite like making music for other people all day, every day, to keep you from working on your own stuff.
So, after "retiring" from the session scene (well, That didn't quite work out), and moving back to Minnesota, I decided that it was about time to do another album. As I now had a little time, and a private home studio, I decided to do a "one man band" project. That is, playing and/or sequencing all the instruments myself. I honestly didn't expect the music to become as complex as it did, nor would I recommend it as the best way to do an album (It's a TON of work), but I had fun doing it, and there's no one to take the credit or the blame but me -:)
The music
is eclectic, with tracks ranging from the
Thelonious Monk classic “Round
Midnight” with a rhythm section and strings, a couple of
Big Band tracks, and on through some originals including straight-ahead
jazz, fusion, and funk, as well as jazz standards.
THE NEW TRACKS.
First, an old standard that I (unintentionally) reworked into an "epic" of sorts, "SWEET GEORGIA BROWN". Starting with guitar and "vocal group", moving on to funk, then to double time Be Bop and back again. It took me 7 1/2 minutes to get it all in, so it's kind of a long download, but I think it's worth it. Hope you do too...
"CLUBFOOT". Now, this one is different! A sort of Jazz/R&B/Funk/Pop/Fusion original. (OK, I don't know what to call it). A bit more production, and some crunchy guitar on this one.
Here's your average everyday 11 bar blues with a bridge tune, "STRAIGHT UP (With a twist). As you might guess after listening, the old Jimmy Smith/Wes Montgomery records heavily influenced me -:)
"SAMBA DEISDAIS" (Say it fast...) This one is a jazz samba, For those of you who have been checking in regularly, check out the final mix. It's changed some.
"TONK". An old Art Farmer sextet tune, that I heard when I was just a kid. I started out planning to give it the same treatment, but it kind of got away from me and became a "Big Band". Fun...
While I had the big band warmed up, I decided to do a song I have loved forever, the Thad Jones classic, "A CHILD IS BORN". As are all of the ballads on this CD, one of the prettiest songs I've ever heard.
Speaking of lovely songs, you'll have to go a long way to top Marian McPartland's "THERE'LL BE OTHER TIMES". Johnny Smith taught this one to me when I was studying with him, and I've never forgotten it. I broke out the string section for this one, just as I did for "ROUND MIDNIGHT". Doing that 'Monk tune with a big string section was the reason I started this project in the first place almost two years ago.
Last but not least (It's in the middle actually), we have "BLUE BOSSA". Wayne Shorter's classic, done believe it or not, as an actual Bossa Nova. I kind of like it that way.
I had fun (and a hell of a lot of work) doing this collection. I hope you enjoy it.
Mike
Mike Elliott - Jazz Guitarist - CD's