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Different Worlds Pad of great tunes |
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Composition
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Composer
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About
the music
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J.
Zawinul
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This is one of several tunes we play from Weather Report, the band that is the epitome of jazz fusion. This number appears on their 1977 album Heavy Weather. Written by Joe Zawinul, the Austrian keyboard player, well known for his work with Maynard Ferguson, Cannonball Adderley [Mercy, Mercy, Mercy] and of course, Miles Davis. This is an great example of Zawinul's brilliantly evocative and memorable writing. (Mulatto Music Inc., BMI) | |
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All
Blues
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Miles
Davis
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Written by Miles Davis, that perfectionist and task master who changed the world of music forever, this version of All Blues is inspired by a live recording in 1994 at the Greek in NY by Stanley Clarke and "his friends". While our rendition would not impress Miles, it is a celebration of jazz fusion; a crossing place where Jazz, Latin, Rock and Blues meet. ( Jazz Horn Music, BMI) |
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Before Your Eyes Song for Bilbao |
G. Willis P. Metheny |
We play these two pieces segue for no particular reason, other than it sounds nice. They are both fairly recent compositions. The Gary Willis composition, played as a duet between the keyboards and soprano saxophone. (Its Only Music, BMI) Song For Bilbao is a Pat Metheny composition. Pat Metheny is hugely talented guitarist who started recording with Gary Burton in 1974, led a band with such players as Ornette Colman, Charlie Haden, Jack deJohnette, and also the Pat Metheny Group. He played for Joni Mitchell on the Shadows and Light album with Jaco Pastorius. Michael Brecker was also on that album, and it is from a recent Michael Brecker album, the 1996 Tales from the Hudson that this number is taken. (Pat Meth Music Music Corp., BMI) |
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Birdland
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J.
Zawinul
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This is perhaps the most famous of the Weather Report tunes, one which signalled the turn from an experimental spontaneous free-jazz orientation towards a more co-ordinated and hard rock-jazz style. Joe Zawinul (kbd) and Wayne Shorter (w/w) worked together with Miles Davis Bitches Brew sessions, and formed the band in 1971. They remained together for 14 years and 15 albums. This tune was recorded on the 1977 album Heavy Weather, which sold 400,000 copies. Taking its name from the famous New York jazz club, it has been recorded hundreds of times since and alas all too often has become dreaded elevator music in the process. (Mulatto Music inc., BMI) |
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G.
Willis
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Gary Willis is he virtuoso bass player of Tribal Tech. This is on the Bent album released in 1998. It echoes the experiments in time signatures that were quite common in the popular 1970s jazz fusion. This tune is a straightforward 6/4 complex signature throughout, so once you get in the groove you can boogie. (Its Only Music, BMI) | |
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Dolphin
Dance
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H.
Hancock
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Herbie Hancock played keyboards on most of Miles Davis' albums of the 1960s. Dolphin Dance was released on the Hancock album Maiden Voyage in 1965, with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet. Its swing style with the more complex harmonies inspired by Miles illustrates a typical bridging point between two jazz eras. (Hancock Music Co., BMI) |
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McCoy
Tyner
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McCoy Tyner sounds like he has 20 fingers on each hand. He worked largely with John Coltrane in the 50s and 60s, and has released about 40 albums as band leader. The album Fly With The Wind was recorded in 1976 and is frantic, but with brilliant dynamics and inventiveness. We try to bring out this spirit in the title number. (Aisha Music Company, BMI) | |
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R.
Ferrante
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The Yellow Jackets are a fusion band formed in 1977. Russell (kb) Jimmy Haslip (bass) and Bob Minzer (sax) still form the basic trio - with guests. Theirs is "crossover music", between pop and jazz. One of the founders, Ricky Lawson moved on to join Lionel Richie, so the links with "easy listening" are clear. However, this particular tune, written by Russell Ferrante, is great. It is recorded on the Greenhouse album of 1991 with Alex Acuna on percussion. (Barracuda Music, BMI) | |
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C.
Mingus
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Charles Mingus was a great bass player, pianist, band leader and composer who died in 1979. He started the Debut record label in 1952 and was Central to the be-bop movement with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach et al. The Mingus composition most frequently recorded by others is "Goodbye, Porkpie Hat," a tribute to Lester Young. Originally a slow and haunting melody in 3/4 that explored harmonic changes, the tune was given a modernising treatment by Stanley Clarke ("Live at the Greek"). To some sensitive ears, this version may have gone too far and subtlety is a causality. (Jazz Workshop Inc., BMI) | |
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I
wish I knew (how it would feel to be free)
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W.
Taylor
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This was written by Billy Taylor, who made a major contribution to jazz education in the USA. It became an anthem of the civil rights movement of the '60s. It was also the theme tune of Rob Reiner's film, Ghosts of the Mississippi. Dick Lamb's lyrics (which for example rhyme 'free' with 'yeah'), are missing from this particular rendition. Most British people will however link this tune with a more general world of films- And Why Not. (Duane Music Inc., ASCAP) |
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G.
Willis
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Tribal Tech is a band that provides a platform for two virtuosos, Scott Henderson on guitar and Gary Willis on bass. Scott Henderson played with Chick Corea's Electric Band. Willis is one of today's outstanding bass players, helping to develop the instrument into a more cello-like role in jazz.. Individually they have recorded with such people as Joe Zawinul, Chic Corea, Hubert Laws, Alan Holdsworth etc. Its Only Music was released on Willis' second album, Bent. (Its Only Music, BMI) | |
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Maiden
Voyage
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H.
Hancock
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Among non-jazz audiences, Hancock is probably most famous for his composition Watermelon Man in 1962. Since the 1965 Maiden Voyage album, Hancock has maintained a prodigious output seeking inspiration from sources as eclectic as George Gershwin, Kurt Cobain and The Guru. Hancock's cannonical style building from underlying sustained harmonies and rhythms, that are evident in this early piece, are still a hall mark of today's compositions. (Hancock Music Co., BMI) |
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M.
Macdonald / L. Abrams
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This was released by the Doobie Brother in 1978, written by Michael Macdonald the Doobie Brother's keyboard player and Lester Abrams. Our instrumental version is inspired by the 1994 recording Live at the Greek featuring Stanley Clarke, Larry Carlton (gtr), Billy Cobham, Deron Johnson (kbd) and Najee. These players, cut their teeth in rock-jazz bands such as the Jazz Crusaders and Chick Corea's Return to Forever. (Bughouse / Snug Music, ASCAP) | |
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W.
Shorter
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Written by Wayne Shorter, this Latin/Jazz fusion composition demonstrated the groove that bass player Jaco Pastorius brought to the band. The 1977 Heavy Weather on which this appears was the first Weather Report album that Pastorius played on without Alphonso Johnson also playing bass. Pastorius was a major influence on the role of the bass in modern jazz music. (Iska Music Inc., BMI) | |
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G.
Willis
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Speak is a tune written by Gary Willis and performed by Tribal Tech (Scott Henderson / Gary Willis / Scott Kinsey (kbd) / Kirk Covington (drums) on the 1995 album Reality Check. Willis and Henderson are superb and ever-inventive virtuosos. Tribal Tech have a wicked sense of humour which runs throughout their music, which they refer to as "extremely complicated elevator music". (Its Only Music, BMI) | |
| *mp3 sample | ||
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