Mr. Nice Guy

Music notes and more . . .

A brief respite from my recent forays into the ECM chamber jazz esthetic, courtesy of Muthspeil & Goodrick, Jeff Lorber, & Garaj Mahal. The first is a guitar duo, comprised of Mick Goodrick (onetime Gary Burton foil) and mentor to Wolfgang Muthspeil. The two are obviously comfortable with one another; they give one another room and while complementing each other. The program is a mix of standards ("All the Things You Are," "Darn That Dream," "Stella By Starlight") with modern jazz by fellow axe-slinger Bill Frisell, bassist Steve Swallow and the duo itself.

Lorber might be viewed as the godfather of smooth jazz. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing is in the ear of the beholder. But given the fact he loosed Kenny G on the world, you could argue he's got a lot to make up for. This is pleasant enough, and his facile playing is always melodic and enjoyable. But the vocal selections are eminently forgettable.

Then there's Garaj Mahal. This jazz/funk jam band is one of the best things going today, sort of like what the Grateful Dead might have done if they were a jazz band and could really play. Bassist Kai Eckhardt is an undiscovered gem, and Fareed Haque is one of the few to have mastered the guitar synth. More Mr. Nice Guy is a delight throughout.

Speaking of nice guys, my former editor at Jazziz, Michael Koretzky, has demonstrated just what that is about. Fired from his job as faculty advisor to the student newspaper at Florida Atlantic University (supposedly because the University was "reorganizing" is media positions), at his (former) students' request, he continued on as unpaid guest lecturer. Link here to one version of the story; here to Koretzky's blog.