Musical Musings Blog 2... The Infinite Musical Continuum

  Forever in our hearts, Jack DeJohnette, one of the greatest jazz drummers of all-time.   From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. "Chan's Song" (Hancock). Herbie Hancock, piano; Christian McBride, bass and Jack Dejohnette on drums. Herbie Hancock and Jack DeJohnette share a musical relationship built on deep listening, fearless improvisation, and mutual respect for exploration. They never formed a permanent band together, but across decades they intersected at key moments that reveal how two master musicians expand each other’s horizons. Early Intersections (1968–1970) Their first major collaboration came in the late 1960s, when both were moving beyond traditional post-bop forms. Hancock, recently out of Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet, was experimenting with electric keyboards and freer harmony. DeJohnette, having played with Charles Lloyd and then Miles himself, was redefining jazz drumming—combining swing, rock pulse, and open texture. They worked together o...

  More from Herbie Hancock and his band on The Midnight Special in 1975.  This is "Spank A Lee" featuring Herbie Hancock on electric keyboards and synthesizers (Rhodes, Clavinet etc.), Bennie Maupin on tenor saxophone, Paul Jackson on bass, and Mike Clark on drums.  

  From February 21st, 1975, Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters perform "Chameleon" on The Midnight Special with Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Bennie Maupin on saxophones, Paul Jackson on bass, and Mike Clark on drums.  Notice Herbie Hancock's use of what are now classic electric keyboards, in this performance such as the Rhodes piano, the Hohner Clavinet, the ARP Solina string ensemble, and the ARP Odyssey synthesizer.  

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. Twenty-four-year-old Jack DeJohnette with the Charles Lloyd Quartet, 1966, "East of the Sun." Jack DeJohnette was important because he fused power, subtlety, and innovation across jazz’s most transformative eras. He moved fluidly between straight-ahead swing, avant-garde abstraction, and electric fusion. He could anchor a groove or dissolve into texture. This made him indispensable from the 1960s through the 2020s. • Miles Davis — Played on Bitches Brew (1969), helping redefine jazz with rock, funk, and open improvisation. • Keith Jarrett Trio — Drummer for 30+ years in one of jazz’s longest-running groups, blending classical touch and rhythmic elasticity. • Chicago avant-garde — Worked with Muhal Richard Abrams and AACM musicians, bridging inside/outside styles. • New Directions, Special Edition, Gateway — His own groups pushed composition, free improv, and global rhythms. DeJohnette was a colorist. His cymbal work, use...

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. I gave Google Notebook ten minutes and no chart—just let the algorithm blow. What came out might be a solo worth keeping… or a train wreck in 5/4. You dig? Why did John Coltrane’s tenor saxophone sound feel so human—so raw, so alive? In this intimate conversation, journalist Jim Peterman and trombonist Sally Kaplan explore the emotional architecture of Coltrane’s sound: his phrasing, breath control, vibrato, and spiritual intensity. From gut-wrenching ballads to explosive sheets of sound, Coltrane didn’t just play notes—he spoke through the horn. Tune in as we break down what made Trane’s saxophone weep, wail, and whisper with such startling humanity. 🎶 Featuring clips, stories, and sonic insights. 📍 Subscribe for more deep dives into the soul of jazz. Disclaimer: as interesting as it is, this conversation about Coltrane and his playing technique, could be generated via Artificial Intelligence, and some of what is said about Coltra...

  This week's Sunday Special.  From the March 14th, 1975, episode of "The Midnight Special", here is Blood, Sweat, & Tears with the ballad "You've Made Me So Very Happy".  

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. A rare and electrifying live radio broadcast featuring two of the most visionary artists in jazz history: John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy. Hosted by legendary radio personality Symphony Sid Torin, this broadcast captures Coltrane’s classic quintet at their peak—pushing harmonic and rhythmic boundaries while staying rooted in deep swing and soul. 🎷 Personnel: • John Coltrane – soprano & tenor saxophone • Eric Dolphy – alto saxophone, bass clarinet, & flute • McCoy Tyner – piano • Jimmy Garrison – bass • Elvin Jones – drums • Symphony Sid Torin – announcer 🎵 Tracklist: 00:00 – Introduction (Symphony Sid) 00:45 – The Inchworm (Frank Loesser) – 7:14 08:00 – Mr. P.C. (John Coltrane) – 7:40 15:50 – Introduction (Symphony Sid) 16:20 – My Favorite Things (Rodgers & Hammerstein) – 13:50 🔔 Subscribe for more rare jazz broadcasts, lost recordings, and deep dives into Coltrane’s legacy.

Since the early 1960s, Herbie Hancock has been a keyboard master and jazz master and luminary with his own groups and also, for a period, as part of Miles Davis's legendary electric jazz fusion bands from his albums in the mid to late '60s and early '70s including such great works as "In A Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew" as well as forming his legendary group in the '70s, The Headhunters with reed player Bennie Maupin, bassist Paul Jackson, and drummer, Harvey Mason.  Or, even before that, Hancock's work featuring the late, great tenor and soprano saxophone virtuoso, Wayne Shorter.  Hancock, playing grand piano, Korg Kronos synthesizer and vocoder, was joined in this newly formed band, by a new drummer who I cannot remember the name of, off hand, but also, by a handful of modern jazz titans, Lionel Loueke on guitar, bassist James Genus, and trumpeter, Terence Blanchard. There easily could have been a saxophonist in the band, however, either no one...

  From 1969, a performance by the late, great blues guitar legend Earl Hooker called "Off The Hook".  Check it out.

  From his CD/DVD release "Live at The Greek Theater" recorded at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, California, here is Joe Bonamassa with his rendition of "Let The Good Times Roll" written and first performed by Louis Jordan and also a part of B.B. King's repertoire for many years.  

  Joe Bonamassa & His Band featuring Josh Smith on lead guitar and Reese Wynans on Hammond organ, with special guest Kenny Wayne Shepherd.  They are jamming on the late, great Freddie King's tune "Pack It Up".  This is from the 2025 Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, on July 16th, 2025.

  From their 1977 concert in Munich, Germany, here is the band Rainbow with "Man on The Silver Mountain", which is a crossover between hard rock and a slow burning blues number. Rainbow was formed in 1975 by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore after he left his original group, the legendary Deep Purple.  This incarnation of the group includes Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, the late, great Ronnie James Dio (given name, Ronald Padavona), on lead vocals, Mickey Lee Soule on keyboards and synthesizers, and Jimmy Bain on bass and backing vocals.

  This week's Sunday Special.  Lou Rawls singing the blues.  The "Charge Card Blues".  You swipe the old charge card, to buy things, buy now and pay later, and well, you get the reaction, "it was on sale", and... when you sign on the dotted line, you wonder where on earth your money went.  Dig this.  

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. Cecil Taylor Unit – Live at Salle Pleyel, Paris, France – November 3, 1969 A firestorm of sound and vision from one of the most fearless ensembles in avant-garde jazz history. Captured live in Paris at the famed Salle Pleyel, this 1969 performance features the explosive genius of Cecil Taylor on piano, with Sam Rivers (tenor/soprano sax, flute), Jimmy Lyons (alto sax), and Andrew Cyrille (drums). This was the music of liberation: unrelenting, spiritual, physical, and deeply cerebral. Taylor’s thunderous clusters collide with Rivers’ multi-instrumental fury, Lyons’ lyrical dissonance, and Cyrille’s tectonic pulse. Together, they conjure a sound both chaotic and precise—a ritual of pure expression. 🎹 Cecil Taylor – piano 🎷 Jimmy Lyons – alto saxophone 🎷 Sam Rivers – tenor/soprano saxophone, flute 🥁 Andrew Cyrille – drums This performance is a stunning document of the late ’60s free jazz revolution. 🔔 Subscribe for more radical sou...

  Full Concert Friday again this week, featuring Muddy Waters & His Blues Band at Rockpalast in 1978.   Setlist: 01. Intro 0:00:14 02. I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon) 0:01:19 03. Soon Forgotten (St. Louis Jimmy) 0:04:46 04. Baby Please Don't Go (Big Joe Williams) 0:09:28 05. They Call Me Muddy Waters (Muddy Waters) 0:13:22 06. Walkin' Thru The Park (Muddy Waters) 0:21:33 07. Country Boy [All Night Long] (Muddy Waters) 0:24:58 08. Kansas City (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) 0:30:06 09. Caledonia (Fleecie Moore) 0:37:19 10. Everything Gonna Be Alright (Little Walter) 0:42:16 11. Mannish Boy (Muddy Waters, Mel London, Bo Diddley) 0:45:25 12. Got My Mojo Working (Preston Foster) 0:53:05 13. Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson) 0:56:14 The band lineup is: Muddy Waters: guitar, vocals Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson: guitar, vocals Bob Margolin: guitar Pinetop Perkins: piano, vocals Calvin Jones: bass Willie "Big Eyes" Smith: drums Jerry Po...

  Les Paul & Mary Ford performing the songs Big Eyed Girl, and I'm Sitting on Top of the World with Patti Page (1958).

  From the official YouTube channel for the one and the only Les Paul, we remember him, every day, the inventor of the solid body electric guitar and one of the greatest guitarists to ever live, here he is with his wife and musician Mary Ford, playing "How High The Moon" on American Bandstand .  

  Revisiting a cool piece of music originally published on my original Musical Musings blog which can still be viewed here: https://clifford-bruber.blogspot.com/ This is Blood, Sweat & Tears with the zany instrumental "Hip Pickles" featuring equally, the horns and the rhythm section.  The BS&T lineup at this time, in 1973 was: Blood Sweat & Tears Live 1973 Jerry Fisher-Lead Vocals Dave Bargeron-Trombone and Tuba Bobby Colomby-Drums Lou Marini-Sax Lew Soloff-Trumpet Tom Malone-Trumpet and Trombone Georg Wadenius-Guitar Larry Willis-Keyboards Jim Fielder-Bass

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. Experience jazz fusion at its most electrifying in this rare live performance of “Mr. Phone Bone,” recorded at the 1982 Montreal International Jazz Festival. Bass legend Jaco Pastorius leads his iconic Word of Mouth Sextet through this dynamic composition by Bob Mintzer, showcasing a fearless blend of bebop, funk, Caribbean rhythms, and avant-garde fire. 🎷 Personnel • Jaco Pastorius – electric bass • Bob Mintzer – tenor saxophone & composer • Peter Erskine – drums • Don Alias – percussion • Othello Molineaux – steel drums • Randy Brecker – trumpet 🔥 This performance is part of the legendary Live in Montreal concert—one of the few high-quality recordings of Jaco as a bandleader. “Mr. Phone Bone” is a wild, soulful conversation between instruments, anchored by Jaco’s melodic fretless bass and Mintzer’s expressive, explosive sax lines.

  This week's Sunday Special.   From May 11th, 1973, on "The Midnight Special" here are The Hollies with their hit song "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress".  The band was formed during the British Invasion of popular music, in 1962, in Manchester, England.  Lead guitarist Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliott have been with the band since the beginning.  The core of the band actually stayed together between 1962 and 1981.  So, this 1973 lineup features Hicks and Elliott who briefly left the band but then rejoined in mid-1973.  In this specific lineup of the band, it includes Tony Hicks on lead guitar, Allan Clarke on rhythm guitar and vocals, Bernie Calvert on bass and keyboards, and Mikael Rickfors on lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, and harmonica.

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. Cannonball would definitely dig this. “One for Daddy-O” gets a fiery, soul-drenched update from the Levitation Organ Jazz Trio in this 2025 live performance, captured with cinematic style by videographer Sean Hernandez. This bluesy burner, composed by Nat Adderley, was first recorded on the legendary 1958 Blue Note album Somethin’ Else—where Cannonball and Miles traded phrases like back-alley philosophers with horns. Now, the Levitation Organ Jazz Trio brings fresh fire to this timeless tune: 🎷 Jesse Levit – Alto Saxophone 🎹 Adam Shulman – Organ 🥁 Jeff Marrs – Drums Originally a tribute to Holmes “Daddy-O” Daylie, the Chicago DJ who gave jazz a voice on the airwaves, this performance is more than a nod—it’s a full-body groove. It swings. It struts. It testifies. https://jesselevit.com Who Is Behind Levitation Music? A native of Oakland, California, Jesse Levit started playing saxophone and piano at the age of seven. In high sch...

  Full Concert Friday this week is actually Episode 118 of The Midnight Special concert TV show, from May 2nd, 1975.  The performance I am highlighting from this show includes Jeff Beck on lead guitar, Billy Preston on keyboards and vocals, Max Middleton on keyboards, Willie Weeks on bass, Ollie Brown on drums, and Buddy Miles on drums, and vocals.   

  Blood, Sweat, & Tears performing a live version of their cover of Bob Dylan's "Down in The Flood" in Stockholm, Sweden, on August 6th, 1973. Blood Sweat & Tears Live in Stockholm, Sweden, 8/6/1973 Jerry Fisher: Lead Vocals Bobby Colomby: Drums Jim Fielder: Fender bass and rhythm guitar  Larry Willis: Acoustic, Electric Piano, clavinet, organ, Moog  George Wadenius: Guitar Lew Soloff: Trumpet and flugelhorn  Dave Bargeron: Tenor and bass trombone  Lou Marini Jr.: Sax, flute  Tom Malone: Trumpet, trombone, flute, Fender bass.

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. Experience an electrifying 1981 live performance from Montreux featuring jazz legend Chick Corea with an all-star quartet: • Joe Henderson – tenor sax • Roy Haynes – drums • Gary Peacock – bass This rare and essential recording captures the only known live appearance of these four jazz giants together. Subscribe for more classic live jazz gems. 📀 This concert is a must-hear for fans of straight-ahead and exploratory jazz from four of the genre’s most innovative voices.

  From a performance that became a live album and live concert DVD, here is Joe Bonamassa and his band performing the tune "When The Fire Hits The Sea", at The Beacon Theater in New York City.  

  Michael Brecker featured during a Paul Simon concert in Spain playing "Dogs In The Wineshop" by Don Grolnick. Paul Simon: Vocals/Guitar Barney Rachabane: Alto sax & Pennywhistle Chris Botti: Trumpet Michael Brecker: Tenor/EWI Mingo Araujo: Percussion Cyro Baptista: Percussion Dom Chacal: Percussion Sidinho Moreira: Percussion Tony Cedras: Keyboards & Accordion Steve Gadd: Drums Vincent Nguini: Guitar Ray Phiri: Guitar Armand Sabal-Lecco: Bass John Selolwane: Guitar Richard Tee: Keyboards The Waters (Julia, Maxine, Oren): Vocalists

  This week's Sunday Special.  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. One of the deepest joys of my life has been the privilege of hearing—and sometimes knowing—some of the most extraordinary artists to ever touch sound. Mulgrew Miller was one of those rare spirits. A pianist of astonishing grace, depth, and emotional clarity. In this luminous performance, he’s joined by two legendary masters: the soulful anchor of Buster Williams on bass and the iconic Jimmy Cobb on drums. Together, they take us on a spellbinding journey through You and the Night and the Music, transforming this Great American Songbook classic into something transcendent. This isn’t just a performance—it’s communion. A quiet, swinging miracle of interplay and beauty in motion. 🎹 Piano: Mulgrew Miller 🎻 Bass: Buster Williams 🥁 Drums: Jimmy Cobb 🎶 Tune: You and the Night and the Music (Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz)

  Lou Rawls performing Judy Collins' standard, "Send In The Clowns" in a concert on July 16th, 1989. 'Send in the clowns' is a standard written by American songwriter Judy Collins. It was featured at Lou Rawls’ first live performance in the Netherlands. It took place at the North Sea Jazz Festival 1989 at the Congressgebouw, The Hague, The Netherlands. Louis Allen Rawls (December 1, 1933 – January 6, 2006) was an American recording artist, actor, voice actor, songwriter, and record producer. He performed the following songs: 1. See You When I Git There (Gamble & Huff) 2. Lady Love (Von Gray, Sherman Marshall) 3. A Natural Man (Sandy Baron, Bobby Hebb) 4. Let Me Be Good To You (Gamble & Huff) 5. Love Is A Hurting Thing (Ben Raleigh, Dave Linden) 6. Send In The Clowns (Judy Collins) 7. (I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon) 8. Unchained Melody (Alex North, Hy Zaret) 9. Bring It On Home To Me (Sam Cooke) 10. The Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler) ...

  From his performance at the Vienna Opera House in Vienna, Austria, here is Joe Bonamassa playing "Jockey Full of Bourbon".  

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. The collaboration between Jazz legend Wayne Shorter and Brazilian superstar fused two deep traditions into one voice. Milton Nascimento brought Brazil’s Clube da Esquina sensibility: folk-rooted melodies, spiritual openness, and rhythmic fluidity. Wayne Shorter brought his harmonic daring, lyrical saxophone sound, and post-Coltrane compositional language. When they collaborated—most notably on Native Dancer (1975)—the result was unlike typical jazz-meets-Brazil projects. Instead of bossa nova formulas, the album became a dialogue: Shorter’s horn phrasing adapted to Nascimento’s haunting vocal lines, while Nascimento’s songs stretched into jazz’s harmonic and improvisational space. The record influenced later generations because: • It anticipated “world jazz” decades before the term was common. • It bridged audiences: Brazilian fans discovered Shorter, jazz fans discovered Nascimento. • It showed that jazz improvisation could honor, ...

  From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. Witness a hauntingly beautiful live performance of John Coltrane’s After the Rain, interpreted with soul-stirring depth by saxophone mystic Pharoah Sanders and pianist John Hicks in Frankfurt, 1986. Originally composed by Coltrane in 1963, After the Rain is a meditation on stillness, healing, and the spiritual hush that follows life’s storms. In this rare live duo performance, Sanders channels both reverence and raw emotion, while Hicks lays down a harmonic bed of tenderness and space. This is not just a tribute. It’s a communion—with Trane, with spirit, with silence. 🎷 Tenor Sax: Pharoah Sanders 🎹 Piano: John Hicks 📍 Recorded live in Frankfurt, Germany – 1986