music matters

Song
Dance of Passion by Ron Blake

Back story
Originally from the Virgin Islands, Ron Blake currently resides in New York City, where he is a well-regarded big-toned hard bop tenor saxophonist.  He played with Roy Hargrove and Art Farmer in the ‘90s before forming his own band.  He generally leans toward the bluesy and funky side of jazz, and manages to sound classic and modern simultaneously.

Why this song
Taken from his 2005 release, Sonic Tonic, this song features an airy, exotic backdrop, striking rhythmic accents, tight harmonic chords, and Ron’s melodic yet adventurous solos.  Sonic Tonic was the first full album produced by Meshell Ndegeocello, and her musical vision is evident on this re-working of the Johnny Griffin original.  Ron was featured on her jazz release, The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel, and they complement each other nicely.

More info
All Music
All About Jazz

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Song
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Wynton Marsalis

Back story
Wynton was a well known classical and jazz musician by the time he recorded a holiday album.  Known for being quite serious, this was his attempt to lighten up, and share some holiday warmth from his hometown of New Orleans.  It’s far from a ‘light’ release, though, and is among the better jazz holiday releases of the past several decades, combining the sacred and secular aspects of the season.  His guests include Jon Hendricks, Kathleen Battle, and Alvin Bastiste.

Why this song
This is the final song on Wynton’s excellent release, Crescent City Christmas Card.

Starting out with a quick melody of Jingle Bells with a competing discordant honking, you wonder where this is going.  Then Wynton begins narrating the story, and the music settles into a slow blues jam that is so good, you forget you are listening to holiday music until the narration resumes.  Throughout the piece, there are clever musical embellishments mimicking the storyline, making it far more compelling than the spoken word alone.  It is also worth noting that Wynton is an excellent narrator, and his musical background makes for wonderful phrasing.

I enjoy this song every Christmas Eve, and I hope you will, too.

Reviews/Liner Notes
All Music
Stanley Crouch Liner Notes

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