Ah yes, so many tunes, so little time. Still trying to come to grips with Yoso's Elements. This Yes/Toto hybrid is more rock than either prog or pop. Two discs' worth to get to. So far, just through most of one. Engaging, though not as hooky as I might have thought. Yes/Badger/Bowie keyboardist Tony Kaye, Toto singer Bobby Kimball, and one-time Yesman Billy on bass, guitar, drums, and backing vocals. Can't give it a rating yet.
TP & Company, Steppe Forward: Engaging, contemporary jazz focused on leader Ted Piltzecker's vibes. The sextet creates a goodtime vibe (oops, sorry). Other than one Horace Silver track ("Nica's Dream"), the tunes are all Piltzecker originals. Fun stuff.
The big surprise: Toulouse Engelhardt's Perpendicular Worlds. An acoustic guitar tour de force, reminiscent at times of Billy McLaughlin, John Fahey or (dare I say it) Michael Hedges. Shimmering chords, blazing riffs, from the likes of Hendrix and Ye Olde English hymns. Amazing.
Coming soon, reports on a bevy of ECM discs, some proggy things, a couple world music discs, and one I'm really looking forward to, Blue After Hours, by Dan Jacobs. Dan gave me my first-ever horn lesson last week, and I can now play five notes on my flute. Woo hoo! He keeps telling me it's easy. OK, right. Then it was on to the trumpet, and he showed me a blues scale. Good thing I recorded it on my iPhone, cuz I was way overwhelmed. Stood me in good stead for the return of NMC Jazz Band last Monday. Nothing happening this Monday because of the holiday, so Tuesday it's on to the NMC Vocal Jazz Ensemble. That will be - interesting.
Wednesday it's time for more music, but this time I'll be in the audience. Todd and Healing, courtesy of the master, Todd Rundgren. The Joe (Sorden) and I will be hooting and hollering. Plus I'll be taking Todd a taste of the north in the form of biscotti and beer brittle, courtesy of Way North Foods. The company is the subject of an upcoming story (by moi, of course) in the Grand Traverse Insider, and proprietor Chef Perry Harmon is a big Todd fan. He's making up a treat basket, which I'll top off with some pickled okra. Don't ask.
Thursday is Business After Hours at Glen Lake Marina, and hopefully a couple of the stalwarts from Imageworks will be on scene. So next week is already mostly over! But more fun guaranteed to come.
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