I missed The Grammys telecast, this past Sunday, and apparently therefore missed all the action! Reports are that Ms. Swift was uninjured…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4luHEVjqKA

Some people have way too much time on their hands!!

This is an oldie but a goodie! Ever been frustrated by an audience clapping along on 1 & 3? This is all you have to do…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD3iaURppQw

When I was at college, about 20 years ago, it was hip to be into Kenny Wheeler and his music. I saw Mr Wheeler play on a number of occasions and I was more than delighted to jump on the bandwagon; he’s a magnificent trumpeter and flügelhornist, and many of his tunes are hauntingly beautiful!  However, I never really got into his recordings, until more recently, principally because I’ve never been fond of the recording quality of ECM Records; the label which released so many of his albums.

Back at that time, my fellow students would speak in hushed tones about some of Kenny Wheeler’s earlier, pre-ECM, records. One standout was Windmill Tilter; a project written for, and recorded by, the John Dankworth Orchestra in the late ’60s. It is a beautiful jazz tone-poem based on the story of Don Quixote. Only ever released on vinyl, it had fallen out of print by the time we were interested, a quarter of a century later, and had achieved almost mythical status. Rumours abounded of worn out cassette tapes from the original record. I didn’t get a chance to hear it, at the time.

In the past couple of weeks, I was reminded of Windmill Tilter. I checked online and was delighted to discover that it was finally reissued on CD, a few years ago. It arrived in mail yesterday and has been playing, on repeat, here in my home-office ever since. It’s such a glorious record – great writing, beautiful solos, tremendous ensemble work. I see what all the fuss was about!! If you’re not familiar with it you can, as usual, preview some of the tracks on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLsb46RnEhg

Then, once you’re convinced, head over to Amazon.com and buy a copy of your own!!

I’ve been a big fan of the late, great Benny Bailey for some years now. He was a singular talent as both a lead trumpeter and jazz soloist – a comparatively rare combination! I recently started transcribing from one of my favourite of his records – “Big Brass”. If you’re not familiar with it, you should check it out! Here’s a preview, courtesy of YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS22YGPHhU4&list=PLjByBSCsx3-of0ufA–gRhxGQW14OUTcS&index=4

If you like it (and who wouldn’t?!) please be sure to buy a copy of your own. It’s available on Amazon.com.