A previous post discussed the work of Alice Coltrane, 2nd wife to jazz legend John Coltrane, as an example of a specific strain of jazz in the late sixties/ early seventies that has been referred to as Spiritual Jazz. The…
Blog Archives
Follow Your Bliss – Guitar Shredding Edition: Santana/McLaughlin’s Love Devotion Surrender
Tagged with: Alica Coltrane, Carlos Santana, John Coltrane, John McLaughlin, Love Devotion and Surrender, Spiritual Jazz
Posted in Improvisation, Jam Band, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Posted in Improvisation, Jam Band, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
The Universe Is Messing With Our Heads: Prince (1958-2016)
What is going on here? It seems like the plot of a bad Austin Powers movie (isn’t that redundant?) where some sinister force is killing off all rock stars of a certain generation, leaving the world to the current, younger,…
“Follow Your Bliss” . . : From the N.Y. Times to Jazz Harp to Alice Coltrane
It all started with a article in the N.Y. Times, reviewing the album by a young jazz harp player, Brandee Younger. Jazz harp players are not exactly what you would call a dime a dozen. The only one I was…
Tagged with: Alice Coltrane, Brandee Younger, Jazz Harp, N.Y. Times
Posted in Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Posted in Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Bright Moments: Rahsaan Roland Kirk Live At the Keystone 1973
The very first jazz musician I ever saw live was Rahsaan Roland Kirk at the Village Vanguard. It was December 1973. I was in high school and just getting into straight ahead jazz, transitioning out of my jazz-rock phase. My…
Tagged with: Bright Moments, Fat Waller, Jazz, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Saxaphone, Villag Vanguard
Posted in Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Posted in Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Cool Website Alert: Jazz Advice.com
For a musician with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to get better, the internet can be a wonderful thing. I am always checking out YouTube videos, websites and blogs that deal with topics that are near and dear…
“Beauty Is A Rare Thing. . .”: Ornette Coleman 1930 – 2015
It’s a depressing sign of one’s own mortality when you hear that yet another of your musical heroes has passed. Last week, Ornette Coleman, the alto saxophonist, composer and musical revolutionary passed away at the age of 85. As I…
Tagged with: Grateful Dead, Improvisation, Jazz, Ornette Coleman
Posted in Grateful Dead, Improvisation, Jam Band, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Posted in Grateful Dead, Improvisation, Jam Band, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
“Hot Rats” : Frank Zappa’s Early Jazz Rock Masterpiece
Hot Rats by Frank Zappa. I can honestly say that this was one of the records that had a major impact on my life. I think I was around 12 years old when I was first heard it, an advantage…
Tagged with: guitar, Hot Rats, Ian Underwood, Improvisation, Jazz Rock, Mothers Of Invention, Zappa
Posted in Improvisation, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Posted in Improvisation, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Work Song: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band/Cannonball Adderley Quintet/The Animals
As I continue to practice on my Chapman Stick guitar, I have a list of tunes that I am currently working on and a list of tunes that I plan to work on. One of the songs that just went…
Tagged with: Blues, Canonball Adderley, Elvin Bishop, Eric Burdon, Jazz, Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Animals, Work Song
Posted in Blues, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Posted in Blues, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Groove Is In The Heart: Charlie Hunter Video On The Importance of Rhythm
I’ve made no secret that I’m a big fan of Charlie Hunter. What he does is amazing and unique (please check out my previous post on Charlie Hunter here: https://roymusicusa.com/2014/08/22/bing-bing-bing-bing-the-awesome-guitar-of-charlie-hunter/). The video below is from Premier Guitar magazine during which…
Tagged with: Blues, Charlie Hunter, Groove, guitar, Time Feel
Posted in Blues, Improvisation, Jam Band, Jazz
Posted in Blues, Improvisation, Jam Band, Jazz
“Please, sir, I want some more.” . . Grant Green Part II
This is a continuation of my previous post about the great Grant Green. One of the points I made during that post is how Grant Green’s playing is an excellent source of coping lines (or if you prefer, licks), especially…
Tagged with: Blues, Grant Green, guitar, Improvisation, Jazz
Posted in Blues, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
Posted in Blues, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Appreciation and Analysis
ManRoy Music 