From 78's to 33's to CD's to Mp3's

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Looking over my 'record' collection - yes, I still have records - I was caught by the changes that have taken place through the years. I have a few old 78's, those BIG records that the old folks used to play on that old Victorola (yeah, I still have one of those too), I have plenty of 33's or 'albums' as we called them. I have quiet a few cassette tapes, though I rarely play any of them. I don't have a single 8 track tape, though I had many at one time - wonder what happened to them? I have a generous supply of CD's, and a ton of Mp3's.

Time moves on and things change....

I've been asked by a few people why I don't offer Authentic as a Mp3 download and I have to explain that the CD format is probably the final hand-held frontier. Soon you'll get all of your music in digital form. Yes my friend, your modern CD's will seem as antiquated to coming generations as those old 78's.

"Mommy, look what I found in the attic - what is it?"
"Oh honey, that's what we used to call a CD player."

Sometimes I wax nostalgic, and miss the joy I used to get reading every detail on an album cover but through the years I've learned to do without that simple pleasure. The print on CD jewel boxes is so small that I can tell it wasn't meant for me to read. Kind of like some code that is only meant to be shared among the keen sighted....

Anyway, since Authentic is the first release from Spencer-Fields I wanted people to have something they could actually hold in their hands. I put the liner notes up on the website, so that they could be read by all - near and far-sighted. I think there is something special and individual about having at least a CD that you can hold. Not that silver, or other colored thing with the magic marker CD name hand printed on it - you know the one you burned instead of bought? No, I mean the actual CD the artist put sweat equity into, the one with the label they painstakingly chose. In the future I'll probably join the crowd and issue Mp3 and other digital forms of music, but right now? Hold on to what will soon be a memory to share with the grandkids.... the last music you can hold in your hand - the CD!

by the way, I named my iPod nano "record player"

This morning's song - "There's Still My Joy" by Oleta Adams from the 2006 CD "Christmas Time With Oleta". I know Christmas is over, but many didn't have a merry Christmas. Maybe now that all the shopping and anticipation is over you can reflect on what this season should really mean. Wrap your stress, greif, sorrow and strain up with all of the other holiday left-overs, throw them all out - and face the New Year fresh.
Now hit the drill - java, slippers, and that comfortable spot.

We'll talk....

Faster Than The Eye Can See....

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With just one more day left in this year, I guess its in order to look back and see what 'God hath wrought'.
We lost many good people this past year, indeed too many to name here (and God bless our troops), some near and dear to us and others we only knew through their works or fame. We witnessed technological wonders unfold on our T.V. and computer screens (why do we have to capitalize T.V.?) . We've laughed, cried, mourned, celebrated, and when it's all said and done - much of this year seemed to go by in the blink of an eye.

Speaking of the swift passage of time, one of the things I love about Smooth Jazz is it's staying power, I listen to songs sometimes that seem like they were released only yesterday. Then I remember that I've been listening to this song for years. Now remember, when I talk about Smooth Jazz I'm not talking about that droll elevator-music, muzak - that sometimes passes itself off as Smooth Jazz (I like capitalizing that) , I'm talking about the good stuff - what ever that is for you - the stuff that moves you, takes you off someplace, or reminds you of another space and time.

One of the things that pushed me to produce the CD Authentic was a conversation I had with one of my daughters one day. We were riding in the car listening to the radio and she asked the name of the artist on the radio. For a moment I felt fatherly pride at being able to enrich her musical knowledge with the name of this artist, and then the thought of how many years I had been listening to this silly song occurred to me. I had been plagued with this song since before she was born! (Rebecca was 20 at the time) . Suddenly I felt that my music had a right to a place in the universe. If I had merrily tolerated songs that I really couldn't stand year after year after year, surely I had the same right to be heard!

So, as these years flash by before our eyes, I encourage you to place your stamp somewhere in one of them. It may not be in music, it may not be internationally known, but remember that the years come and go quickly and to paraphrase an old proverb - "The graveyard is full of great inventions, great ideas, great dreams, and great plans that were never put into action."

This morning's song - "Give It All Your Heart" by Herbie Hancock (with Patrice Rushen) from the 1982 CD 'Lite Me Up' . This song has helped me through many a dark day, and strengthened my FAITH and resolve. From time to time we all need to be reminded that pushing forward ain't always easy, but it does pay off.
Now, you know the drill - java, slippers, comfortable spot....

We'll talk....

Can Smooth Jazz be fun?

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There seems to be a attack on Smooth Jazz - and a standard being set for it that I don't think it was ever meant to reach.
First we must remember that this 'genre' of music wasn't created by musicians at all, it was a format created by radio stations to classify a type of music that ranged from light jazz to R&B to soft rock and instrumental soul. A wide variety indeed! In other words it was kind of a catch-all for music that didn't fit neatly into their other radio format labels.

Somehow though, people seem to take the "jazz" part of this thing way too seriously. Jazz speaks to improvisation and creative composition. It speaks to an artist striving to tell his or her musical story while pushing the technical, harmonal, rhythmical, and tonal envelope to the limit.

To me, Smooth Jazz is a lot like a pick-up game of baseball vs. a major league game. Though major league players may play in both, no one really expects the pick-up game to be World Series quality. The Smooth Jazz format - unknowingly for sure - has opened up an arena for the musician who just wants to have some fun!

The reason I chose this picture (above right) as the cover for my CD Authentic was really a reflection of my feelings about Smooth Jazz. Just some kids having fun with an innocent object. Not trying to right all the musical wrongs in the universe, just back to basics, what drove most of to play in the first place - our love for the fun and joy music can bring.

This morning's song - "What You Won't Do For Love" by Bobby Caldwell, from the 1978 CD with the same name as the song. This song is a staple on many Smooth Jazz stations and is a great example of the spirit of Smooth Jazz - a less than heavy-weight piece of music that still has the power on some level to move you.
You know the drill - java, slippers, and that comfortable spot....

We'll talk....

Poll Results

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Jay Leno has a spot on his show where he shows some new T.V. pilots being pitched to the networks, all are real and most are outrageous. The people have to tell which ones some network has actually picked up. The joke is in the choices that the networks make.

Recently I ran across a similar poll with jazz musicians as the subject. Respondents were asked to listen to a short snippet from a song by various musicians and decide whether the musician should keep their 'day job' or not.
The samples included songs from jazz greats like David Sanborn, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane, along with several really bad or mediocre musicians. The results were shocking - all three of the above named musicians were sent packing! Now of course these weren't hard core jazz fans who answered this poll, but it's still shocking to think that such great musicianship could go unrecognized.

This mornings song - "Sweet Home Chicago" by the Urban Knights from the CD Urban Knights III released in 2000. About seven years later this is still one of my favorite "Chicago" songs. Still brings back memories of the 'windy city'. All-star musicians who certainly don't need a 'day-job'!

We'll talk....

Heard or Herd?

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Ah, the wonders of the Internet. This wide open, free space to search and find all the wonderful things the world has to offer.
Here, you can find music you've never heard of, by artists you've never seen. Here, like in the days of old - YOU can discover tomorrows stars!

But do we?

Most folks think of themselves as independent thinkers "Nobody tells me what I like or don't like!", yet most of us are afraid to like what the rest of the "crowd" hasn't yet approved. It's called the 'Herd Mentality' and we all have it to one degree or another. They say it's built into us, to protect us - wander away from the herd and you're on your own against life's predators.
But what is helpful in one situation can be death in another. The 'Herd Mentality' may be good for your physical life, but it's death for your creative life.

One of my favorite things to do when I was younger was to go to a record store and search out new music. I didn't care what the group's name was, I didn't care what the label was, I didn't care about how much 'air-play' they were getting. All I cared about was what was on the disc. Those were the days when you could play an album before you bought it. I spent countless hours that way, and consequently had a huge record collection that was the envy of many. I've loaned out more albums (that I never got back) then most people ever owned. Enter the Internet - with it's gift to all of us to experience this same pleasure, yet most of us stick to the tried and true....

So my question is????

What have YOU heard lately, not which herd have you been part of....

This mornings song - "Cool" from the CD "Authentic" by Wendell Spencer on Spencer-Fields Records. Yes, in the spirit of shameless self-promotion I choose one of my personal favorites!
You know the drill - go get comfortable, then go to wendellspencer
and play "Cool".....

We'll talk....

'Tis the Day After Christmas

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Though this blog is about Smooth Jazz, I can't help but think about the passing of James Brown the "Godfather of Soul" yesterday. Deaths such as this let us know that life is fleeting, no matter who we are.... make the most of yours please. Thank God daily and strive on.

And yes my friends, it is the day after Christmas and those of us who aren't out returning unwanted or ill fitting gifts are at home trying to recover from the hustle and bustle of this increasingly chaotic season.
No better time than this to relax with our favorite music - Smooth Jazz!

This morning's song - for some reason I'm drawn to a fav from Joyce Cooling - "Green Impala" from the 2004 CD "This Girl's Got To Play"
Woke up remembering her performance this past summer at the Detroit Intl. Jazz Fest on Campus Martius, this young lady is the real deal. Check out "Toast and Jam" too.

So, turn off the T.V. (if you don't know where the after-Christmas sales are, you can't be helped) brew up the java, slip on the new slippers, get comfortable in your favorite spot and let Lady Cooling do her thing.

By the way, if you like discovering new music as you work on the computer, tune in to www.Pandora.com. They'll set up a radio station playing music similar to any artist you name. If you want to hear music that sounds like Joyce Cooling just type her name in when asked. Its all free and you can listen to existing stations from other listeners too.

We'll talk....