I've been on a bit of a writing hiatus because I've been in throes of moving over the last week or so. All of my records are now unpacked, and I'll resume with review my records tomorrow. Today, i have to rant and rave about a book written by someone who is a music nerd like me X 1000 and that is Ahmir ?uestlove Thompson.

The wife was nice enough to buy his book, "Mo Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove", and it basically a memoir about his life and his life-long love affair with all music. My father always told me that he wanted to write a book about his life, with his love for music serving as the backdrop, and one day I hope he does it. But in the short term, this Questlove book is the closest thing to my father's dream, and he nails it. I won't spoil things but giving away stories or his numerous music references, I'm just saying you need to buy it.

Speaking of music, young Nyles is a music fan too:

So the wife had to attend a work function tonight, which means I had to pick up Nyles from daycare, feed him dinner, bathe him, and put his ass to bed. I've done it before, so its really no big deal provided he behaves himself and tonight he did just that for the most part. When I picked up him from daycare he ran up to me and hugged me, when he ate dinner, it stayed in his mouth and not the floor or his hair, and when we read "God Loves Me" at reading time, he kept his grubby hands off of the book. Unfortunately, during bath time, things went a bit askew.

While I was running Nyles' bath water he tried to jump in the tub with his clothes on, but I caught him and politely told him to fall back. He then ran into the living room to dominate and terrorize the tv remote, and I followed him in there because I was watching/listening to PTI, and I had no interest in him interrupting my program. For a split second I lost track of Nyles while I watched Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon interview Jeff Gundy, but I really didn't notice because the interview was just that good. And then I heard three things (in this order):

1) A splash
2) Clapping and yelling
3) Da-da

I immediately took off running down the hallway and into the bathroom, and by the time I got there, Nyles wasn't splashing, clapping, yelling or saying Da-da. He was just sitting in the damn tub looking simple, and after a few minutes he looked up at me and said, "Hi!", and in the tradition of Uncle Leo, I said hello.

I picked him up, dried him off, stripped him buck-ed nak-ed, and put his ass in the tub the more traditional way. We had a normal bath time, and he went to sleep like a champ. The lesson here? I always give my wife a hard time, because she's constantly texting or playing words with friends (a game I still can't play because I refuse to give up my old ass Blackberry) and sometimes she neglects Nyles (not really). So what do I do in return? I completely ignore the little guy for 30 seconds, and he goes hard in the tub like Kareem taking a 33-foot dive. I need to take my own advice and pay attention. The wife is SO winning right now, and I could use a glass--ok five glasses--of wine.

By the way, it was my intention to write yet another installment of I-have-my-father's-records-now, but the record I chose, Stanley Clarke's "Modern Man", absolutely sucked ass. It was more smooth jazz from 1978, and I tried to listen to the entire record, I was just not interested. Here was the only good song:



you may recognize the intro from this Jay-Z song (start at the 12 second mark):

Father's Day 2013

Bobbi Humphrey's Best: Bobbi Humphrey

As happy as I am to have inherited my father's fantastic record collection, there is one dirty, little secret that I've managed to hide all this time: He bought a whole lot of smooth jazz. Now I can justify by mentioning that smooth jazz was a bit different in the 70s, because it was recorded by artists would could and did play classic jazz, but wanted to try something different (see: Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock). And I suppose if I had grown up during that era, I'd have been a smooth jazz fan too. But my roots are more steeped in jazz, so I always reserve a healthy dosage of hate for the entire genre.

Having said that, Bobbi Humphrey is the exception to the rule. She was one of the few women in the jazz genre having being discovered by Dizzy Gillespie while she was in college at SMU. She's played with Stevie Wonder (she had the flute solo on "Another Sun"), and later on in her life--this has nothing to do with jazz mind you--she discovered Tevin Campbell.

Anyway, this particular album, "Bobbi Humphrey's Best" is a greatest hits album and I was just going about my business when I heard the song, "San Francisco Lights", which was sample by Brand Nubian in their song, "Love Me Or Leave Me Alone". So now I know one of the few redeeming qualities of70s smooth jazz: It is chock full of hip-hop samples:

Third Album - Jackson 5

Like most kids who were born in the mid to late 1970s, my introduction to Michael Jackson was ass backwards. The love affair started with "Off The Wall", then it was ramped up several notches with "Thriller", and then I became obsessed with finding all things Michael Jackson whether it was old or new, and that started with my dad's record collection. I grabbed up every Jacksons and Jackson 5 album I could get my hands on, and I begged my father to play them. He'd regale my brother and I with stories about how much he and mother partied off Jacksons' records while he was in college, and he told me that everyone knew Michael was going to be a star way back then.

When I was younger, the two songs that drew me to the "Third Album" were "I'll Be There", and "Goin' Back To Indiana", because they were most popular. Now at 38 years old, after listening to the album front to back, I think I like "Ready or Not" the best--only because I get a kick out of hearing 11 year old Michael Jackson sing the lyrics to what become a Fugess song 26 years later...

Smackwater Jack - Quincy Jones

Since I last wrote an entry a little over a week ago, my grandfather (my mother's father) passed away. He had been battling a variety of illnesses over the last several months that included diabetes, heart issues and cancer. There were several close calls in the last few months, and each time, he'd recover, and go back to his home in Detroit, Michigan. The day before he died he was having some heart troubles and before he told his wife (my step-grandmother) to call 911, he told her, "Sandy, its time". That night he lost consciousness, through the next 12 or so hours he was unresponsive, and at 5:55pm on June 3rd, he passed away--just 5 days before his 82nd birthday, which was when he was buried.

I didn't have the best of relationships with my grandfather, but I always respected the man's sense of family and education. But I went to the funeral to be there for my mother who was a wreck as you can imagine. I'll spare you the details of the funeral, just know that it was good to see the family, but definitely not under those circumstances. Here is his obituary

Now back to the music. This is one of five Quincy Jones' albums my father had in his collection and is entitled "Smackwater Jack". As was the norm for Quincy during the 70s and 80s, there are elements of rock, blues and R&B, but jazz is clearly the centerpiece. And as is also the norm for Quincy, the list of guest stars on his album resembles that of a Macy's Day parade lineup: Hubert Laws (flute and tenor sax), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Valerie Simpson (vocals), Bob James (Fender Rhodes), Joe Sample (piano), Jimmy Smith (organ), and even a vocal performance by Bill Cosby on a song called, "Hikky Burr", which was the theme of "The Bill Cosby Show" which aired from 1969-1971--not to be confuse with "The Cosby Show".

There is always a bittersweet quality to Quincy Jones' albums. He clearly believed in jazz, making good music, and gathering the best musicians around to do so. Robert Glasper did this a bit with his grammy-winning cd, "Black Radio", but overall it isn't exactly a concept that has picked up steam. I know Quincy is one of a kind, but still, it would be nice to see someone attempt to pick up and run with that golden baton.

Anyway, here is "Hikky Burr". The lineup is:

Bill Cosby on vocals
Toots Thielmans on Guitar and Whistler
Freddie Hubbard on flugelhorn
Eric Gayle on guitar
Hubert Laws on the flute

1st Haircut

Nyles' hair has been awfully unruly over the past couple of months, but I really wanted to wait until he was two years old, before I pulled the trigger on his first cut. His hair was patchy in spots, plus he has a benign cyst on top of his head, and I worried about whether a barber could gingerly maneuver his way over that, all while taking into account how delicate haircuts could be for a 17 month old. But on Saturday morning, I looked at Nyles' hair, and decided that it was time.

Now originally, this initial trip to the barbershop was just going to be me and Nyles. I knew how important it was my wife to be there too, but the barbershop is still by and large a place for men to talk unfiltered--even when kids are around. In my barbershop, there are a few women with Zhane cuts who come in from time to time, there are women who get their eyebrows down and there are even single women who bring their sons in as well. But 90% of the barbershop are men between the ages of 18-65, so I was not totally comfortable with bringing my wife in that lion's den. I did not want them looking her up and down, and coming up with mental lists of things to say once me and my family left. I've been in the barbershop after women leave, and i know the kinds of things--complimentary, flattering and X-rated--that are said. But I got over myself, and the family took a Sunday morning trip to the barbershop.

When we arrived there were only a few other people there, but my barber did not have anyone waiting on him, so he was up first. I started to sit Nyles in the chair alone, but Stan (my barber) suggested it was better if I sat in the chair, while the youngster sat in my lap. When the clippers first touched Nyles head, he looked back at Stan as if to say, "Who is this dude?",and then he looked at me as if to say, "Are you signing off on this?", but that was the only resistance he put up during his 15 minutes stay. He squirmed a bit, but not as much as you'd expect a kid his age to do. He looked at his mother for comfort, he studied the other folks in the barbershop, and he'd occasionally flash looks at me just to make sure I was still by his side.

When the haircut was over, Stan put a mirror in front of Nyles (like Jerome would do to Morris Day) and he laughed, and then tried to grab the mirror, which in baby speak means I approve. I let him out of my lap, he ran to his mother, and that was it. For the rest of his life, he will go in and out of barbershops requesting all types of wonderful styles, but I'm so glad me, my wife, and young Nyles got a chance to experience this together.

Here's the before:


and here's the after:

Mulgrew Miller, a legendary lead and background jazz pianist, died yesterday at the age of 57. I went to see Mulgrew, along with Ron Carter and Russell Malone (aka the Golden Stryker Trio) about three years ago. Here's how it went.

Maiden Voyage - Ramsey Lewis

I was thinking just now about how I really don't have a record collection to pass down to my son as we both get older. The records from my dad's collection may not be in playing condition in 30 or so years, which would render them downright useless. In fact, the best I could offer my son is my zipfile or hard drivie with all of my music, which may not be so bad--uncovering a record collection is more fun though.

Anyway, I never knew my father had this Maiden Voyage record by Ramsey Lewis, so I listened to it for the first time about 20 minutes ago. Of course, I am familiar with Herbie Hancock's version of this record, so that song was no big deal. But song number two on this record is called "Mighty Quinn", and the first time I listened to it, I noticed some familiar piano riffs being played. I lifted up the needle and move it back a bit (aka rewind) and I listened again, and realized that the riff was used in this hip hop classic:



I'm not saying the rest of the album isn't good, because it actually is. Ramsey Lewis is on piano, Cleveland Eaton is on bass, and Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire fam is on drums, strings and vocals. But the Case of the PTA sample is what made me smile the broadest.

"Mighty Quinn"

I'm Still In Love With You - Al Green

I have no problems admitting that I ignored my father's attempts to turn me on to Al Green when I was younger. I knew the music was cool, soulful and tinged with the gospel sound, and his voice was undoubtedly unique. But my young ears just could not appreciate his greatness--that is until Eric B and Rakim's "Mahogany" came out in 1990:



Once that song came out, and my father told me that Eric B & Rakim sampled Al Green "I'm Glad You're Mine", I suddenly had a new respect for Reverend Green, and it started with the "I'm Still In Love With You" album. My second favorite song on the album is "For The Good Times", only because my dad used to sing it to my mom, and replace the word "times" with "wine", which I find hilarious (and ironic considering I'm imbibing right now). Of course now, I realize the gravity of this album, but I have no problems admitting that hip-hop--more importantly the greatest rapper of all time, Rakim--led me to Al Green. I'm Reverend Al appreciates that too.

Golden Hits, Part I - Dionne Warwick

When "That's What Friends Are For" and "We Are the World" were out in the mid-80s, I remember telling my dad that Dionne Warwick did not appear to have a very strong voice..in fact I remember saying she sounded like she had been chain smoking for years. My dad then put on this Golden Hits record, and let me hear how Dionne's voice sounded in its prime, and I was blown away. There was nothing hoarse or scratchy about her voice. She sounded clear, she hit all the notes, and she sounded like a bonafide diva. The music snob in me likes to stay away from Greatest Hits-type albums, because you really cannot truly appreciate an artist unless you buy their collection, and listen to those obscure songs that no one has praised. Plus, the flow and tracklisting of those types of albums rarely make sense. Still, for someone like me who didn't know much about Warwick's career prior to 1985, this was right on time.

"This Empty Place":

No Problem - Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins (and Ron Carter) is like the George Burns of jazz. He survived the drug culture of the 50s, 60s and 70s (maybe the 80s too). He made his first record on the legendary Prestige label in 1953, and his most recent album was in 2011 on the equally legendary, EmArcy label. In 2011, he received a Kennedy Center honor from President Obama with Meryl Streep, Neil Diamond and others. The man has paid his dues, reaped the benefits, survived new musical genres, and now gets to do what so many legendary musicians want to do, but die too soon: Bask in old age and success.

His "No Problem" album was his first in 80s (1981) and it featured Rollins on tenor sax, Bobby Broom on electric guitar, Bobby Hutcherson on the vibes, Bob Cranshaw on electric bass and Tony Williams on drums. There's nothing terribly memorable about this album, it is just good solid jazz--although it is kind of short for a jazz album (36:51).

Here's "Jo Jo":

Eric Dolphy - Eric Dolphy

We reached yet another record in my dad's (now it's mine) collection that I never knew he owned. The self-titled compilation album from Mr. Eric Dolphy. Dolphy, like Clifford Brown, John Coltrane--died way before he was truly able to reach his full potential (he died at 36 in 1964). On this particular record, he played the alto sax, the bass clarinet, the flute, and the B flat clarinet. The cast of characters on this album are Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Roy Haynes (drums), Ron Carter (cello), Jaki Byard (piano) and George Duvivier (bass).

Here is "Les":

The Other Side of Round Midnight - Dexter Gordon

So the movie 'Round Midnight came out in 1986, and on the set of the movie, a group of musicians, led by the movie's main star Dexter Gordon (saxophone) decided to record an album. These musicians were Ron Carter (bass), Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Herbie Hancock (piano), Tony Williams (drums), Billy Higgins (drums), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Bobby McFerrin and many more. Some of the artists (Gordon, Hubbard, Higgins and Hancock) played together in 1962 on Hancock's first album, "Takin Off", so this was a reunion of sorts. Gordon was a little older in 1986 (62), so he wasn't as sharp as he was in his prime, but still, this is a great album with lots of different sounds and personalities coming through the speakers. And to this day, I still have not seen the movie "Round Midnight", because I suspect it hasn't aged as well as jazz albums can and do.

My favorite song is "Society Red". The cast of characters are:


Dexter Gordon - tenor saxophone
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
Cedar Walton - piano
Ron Carter - bass
Tony Williams - drums

Kaleidoscope - Nancy Wilson

I have no clue why my mother and father never played this Nancy Wilson record when I was younger, but I just played it for the first time just now, and it is great. I didn't dig her covers of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine", and Gladys Knight's "If I Were Your Woman", but that's only because the originals were just fine on their own. Those two songs notwithstanding, the rest of this album is just good, old-fashioned fully grown adult music. When I listened to this, I felt like I should smoking a cigar, sipping on something brown, and talking about how things used to be. By the way, this album came out in 1971, overall she recorded over 30 albums between 1959 and 2006, and it is still amazing that this is the first one I've ever heard. I need to work on that.

The first time I saw Nancy Wilson, she was on the Cosby Show doing this (start at the 58 second mark:



And here is Nancy singing, "I'll Get Along Somehow":

Forever, For Always, For Love - Luther Vandross

My parents used to play this Luther Vandross record for two main reasons: One, they loved to dance to Bad Boy/Having A Party (also made famous by that scene in House Party when Kid escaped his father's house), and two, my dad loved to play Luther's version of "Since I Lost My Baby", and then he'd play the Temptations version just to demonstrate how much better the Temps did it (he was right too).

But every now and then after "Since I Lost My Baby" would go off, I'd hear the song, "Forever, For Always, For Love", and I was amazed. Luther was sing loud, then bring his voice back down depending on what that beat did, and the band spent the entire song compliment Luther, slowly building up to a certain point, and abruptly stopping while Luther still sang softly. And every minute or so, you'd hear the bass drop, which sounded great with high-powered speakers. If you ever have the chance to listen to this song with headphones, I highly recommend it, You'll hear the bass (Marcus Miller), drums, guitar, and a flute solo to go along with Luther's voice...oh and did I mention Luther wrote the song too?

I love Lalah Hathaway's version of the song, and i appreciated the spin she put on the song from a female perspective. But Luther's version takes the cake here, and this just happens to be the song I sing in the shower AND it is the song I plan on singing if I ever go on American Idol.

Live At Blues Alley - The Wynton Marsalis Quartet

First off, please read my latest article over at Truth About It. We are doing player recaps from this past season, because as you know, the Washington Wizards season always ends in mid-April.

Wynton Marsalis always holds a special place in my heart. Not only did my father take my brother and I to see him early in his career, but we also got the opportunity to get our picture taken with him, before he became the megastar he is today--or as megastar as a jazz musician can be in this country in 2013.



This Live At Blues Alley record from my dad's collection is special to me for many reasons:

1) It was recorded in 1986 at Blues Alley, and it was released in 1988. In 1986, my family was living in Newtown, CT, and we had to travel to NY to hear Wynton play. By the time he released this album in 1988, we were living in the Washington DC area, and we actually saw Wynton play several times in the infamous Blues Alley. (of course now Wynton acts like he's too good for Blues Alley, and he only performs at the Kennedy Center. )

2) Wynton's band consisted of Marcus Roberts on piano, Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums and Robert Leslie Hurst III on Bass. Marcus Roberts played with Wynton for several years before going solo, and he currently juggles his pianist career with being a teacher of music at Florida State University. Jeff "Tain" Watts played with Wynton, then left to play with Branford Marsalis, while peppering in some solo albums. Robert Hurst played with Wynton, then left to play with Branford Marsalis' band on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in the 90s, before pursuing his solo career as well. Wynton didn't play with this quartet very often, so this album is something to be cherished

3) One of my favorite jazz standards is Cherokee, and Wynton covers this on this album. Cherokee was written in 1938 by Ray Noble, but the version I'm most familiar with is by another trumpet player, Clifford Brown (whose album I wrote about last month).

4) The foreword in this album was written by controversial jazz critic, Stanley Crouch, who is considers Marsalis a good friend of his. Crouch has often been staunch critic of rap music and Miles Davis' decision to play smooth jazz in the 80s, but when he can be a dynamic critic when he wants to be--and in his lengthy foreword inside this album--Crouch was indeed eloquent. Here's one of my favorite quotes from the lines notes:

Marsalis demotes the avant-garde trumpeters one and all, playing with such force and bold fluidity that one wonders what the course of jazz would have been had he arrived twenty years earlier.

And now, here is Wynton playing "Cherokee":

This Is Niecy - Deniece Williams

This is Niecy was one of my mother's favorite records, and Deniece Williams remains one of her favorite female vocalists to this day. I am listening to the record as I type, and it still amazes me how effortless it is for her to sound amazing. Even when she hits the high register, it sounds no more difficult than taking a breath or exhaling. She doesn't sound QUITE as effortless as Minnie Riperton, but there's no shame in that. Of course, "Free" is my favorite song on this album by far, and I never get tired of playing it.


**sidebar** There is a go-go version of this song that came out around 1994 or 1995, and the only reason I know about it (I hate go-go) is my brother played it for me when he visited me at Hampton University around that time. If you have this song, please let me know so I can pay you off. I haven't been able to find that damn song anywhere **sidebar off***

Earth, Wind and Fire put their imprint all over this record. Charles Stepney produced, Maurice White wrote, played drums and sang background vocals, while Verdine White wrote and played the bass. This is a very good album, and even 37 years later, it still sounds new.

Goin Out Of My Head - Wes Montgomery

My father had quite a few of Wes Montgomery's records, but I never heard this particular one before today. After doing a little research, I read that this album was criticized for being more big band, than traditional jazz, but after listening to this album twice, I don't think the criticism is warranted. There are elements of big band, but it is clear that Wes was still firmly rooted in jazz when he recorded this. It is a very mellow album though. My favorite song is "End of a Love Affair":

So Full of Love - The O'Jays

First off, please read my latest article on former Washington Wizards center, Jason Collins.

This particular O'Jays record contains three songs that invoke three distinct memories for me as a child: "Use Ta Be My Girl", "Cry Together" and "Brandy". "Use Ta Be My Girl" was a record that would get both my mother and father out of their seats on the dance floor (also known as our living room floor). I never knew what the hell kind of dances they were doing, but they had fun laughing, joking and borderline inappropriately touch, while my brother and I looked on without a clue. Actually I did have a bit of a clue.

Conversely, when "Cry Together" would come on, my parents had the audacity to openly slow grind right there in the very same living room where they acting a damn fool. This was flat out disgusting to look at, and frankly my brother and I thought it be best if we just left the room. No kid needs to see all that.

My memories of "Brandy" have much less to do with dancing and everything to do with family. You see Walter Williams, the lead singer on "Brandy"--a song about a damn dog--is my cousin on my father's side. My father told me first, and I didn't believe him, but my late grandmother and aunt confirmed, and they (along with Joni Mitchell) never lie. My relation to Walter has yet to score me O'Jays tickets, autographs or paraphernalia, but I'm glad he's my cousin anyway. This record came out in 1978 by the way.