One word describes the CD First Light from Freddie Hubbard… AWESOME!
It’s a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I’m more than happy to announce that’s exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it’s own.
Jazz music fans will recognize some of the well known contributors on the project including George Marge and Romeo Pengue plus a few other notables as well.
Listen to First Light and I believe you’ll find there’s not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and Freddie Hubbard is clearly in top form. So much so that if you’re even mildly into Jazz music you’ll enjoy this CD.
While this entire CD is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 3 – Moment To Moment, track 5 – Lonely Town, and track 6 – Fantasy In D.
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 – First Light. This is a great track!
First Light Release Notes:
Freddie Hubbard originally released First Light on October 25, 1990 on the CTI/CBS label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. First Light
2. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
3. Moment To Moment
4. Yesterday’s Dreams
5. Lonely Town
6. Fantasy In D – (bonus track)
Personnel includes: Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ray Alonge, James Buffington (French horn); Romeo Penque (flute, clarinet, oboe English horn); George Marge (flute, clarinet); Wally Kane (flute, bassoon); Hubert Laws (flute); Margaret Ross (harp); Phil Kraus (vibraphone); Richard Wyands (piano); George Benson (guitar); Ron Carter (bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums); Airto Moreira (percussion). Producer: Creed Taylor. Reissue producer: Didier C. Deutsch. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey from September 14-16, 1971. Includes liner notes by Didier C. Deutsch.
By: Tom Milson
The exceptionally talented Smooth Jazz Artist Norman Brown has released his third and latest CD on the Warner Bros. recording label entitled West Coast Coolin’. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Norman Brown fans, and smooth jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one.
With the release of West Coast Coolin’ Brown’s artistic excellence is on full display as he has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be his best work to date.
West Coast Coolin’ is what smooth jazz is all about. One of those rare CD’s on which every track is great making it easy to listen to from beginning to end.
The CD offers a buffet of smooth melodic tunes. Kicking off with I Might, a song that features an outstanding vocal contribution from the very soulful Carol Riddick that will definitely be heard on smooth jazz radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so.
From there Brown proceeds to display why he is considered one the greatest smooth jazz guitarists of our time as he mixes his signature groove throughout the CD. At times very audibly showing the influence George Benson has had on his playing.
Overall West Coast Coolin’ is an outstanding release. What I call, must have music. I give it two thumbs up. Even the casual smooth jazz fan will appreciate and enjoy Browns very nice smooth style.
The standout tunes and SmoothJazz247.com favorites on West Coast Coolin’ are I Might [track 1], the title track West Coast Coolin’ [track 3], and I’m Comin’ Over [track 5]. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 8, Let’s Play. Very nice!
Release Notes:
Norman Brown originally released West Coast Coolin’ on September 21, 2004 on the Warner Bros. record label.
CD track list follows:
1. I Might (featuring Carol Riddick)
2. Up ‘N’ At ‘Em
3. West Coast Coolin’
4. Missin’ You
5. I’m Comin’ Over
6. What’s Goin’ On
7. Let’s Play
8. Right Now
9. Angel
10. Remember The Time
By: Tom Milson
Jazz is an excellent language of communication for discerning guitarists. Jazz guitar has its own unique style and form of guitar playing. It is also a very popular form of music that you can play. Then if you let your creativity take over you can even create your own jazz licks. You can definitely emulate the likes of Joe Pass, Charlie Christian, George Benson, Wes Montgomery and many other great guitarists if you devote yourself seriously into practicing and learning jazz guitar. You can get paid lessons or you can even learn jazz guitar online. All you need is a guitar and determination!
First Thing First
The first step on the way to learning jazz guitar is that you should have a good jazz guitar. Although if you have opted to take guitar instructions from a music school which may have guitars for their students, learning to play jazz guitar is a demanding discipline and to be proficient, you need to be practicing at home also. One important point in getting a guitar for yourself is that instead of shopping for a cheap jazz guitar, you should buy a guitar, which has good sound characteristics, has excellent aesthetics and is durable. It is always advisable to buy guitars from reputed guitar manufacturers. They may not come cheap, but they are worth the money you pay for them.
Jazz Guitar Lessons
You can explore many avenues if you wish to learn how to play jazz guitar. You can learn jazz guitar online, as there are many websites that have free online jazz guitar lessons. You can opt for an electric guitar or learn acoustic jazz guitar. There are also many people who are willing to give guitar lessons to ardent students free. You can explore your locality to see if you have some guitar enthusiast who can teach you the basics of jazz guitar.
Learn Jazz Guitar Online
The goodness about online jazz guitar lessons is that they are accessible to you 24/7. You can have access to them at all times, night or day. There are many good online jazz guitar instruction sites where you will learn the basics of jazz guitar, basic and advanced chord construction theory, guitar licks and riffs. Although online guitar lessons should not be a substitute for one-to-one guitar instructions, if you can access to a good jazz guitar instructor, they are excellent for people who are short of time and money.
By: Max Cane