Best Stuff for Men » Music

10 Days of T-Shirts: Day 4 – Vox Logo T-Shirt from Musician’s Friend

ECJ — Thu, 12 May 2011 23:33:38 +0000

Sometimes you need to channel your inner rock musician. Or be an actual outer musician. In either case, you’ll want a T-shirt to fit the vibe. Something cool, not highly unsubtle. Here it is: the Vox Logo T-shirt. From Musician’s Friend.

Vox is the English company that helped pioneer electric guitar amps, adding technical power to the British Invasion (musically) of the US. Their AC30 amp is legendary, having been used by rockers such as Keith Richards and Pete Townshend. Plus a successful little group called The Beatles.

The Vox Logo T-shirt expresses the right blend of brand cachet, musical cool, and laid-back hipster detachment. Those who know music will know Vox. But even chicks who don’t know the difference between tube reverb and solid state sustain will dig the stylized Vox crown. Like earlier T-shirts in this series, this shirt will handle diverse sartorial applications, from auditioning a new electronica group at an underground club to starring in your buddy’s skateboard movie. Of course, if you’re a guitar player, you can wear it everywhere.

It’s black, heavyweight 100% cotton, and only 18 bucks. Musician’s Friend carries this shirt and dozens of other musically-themed T-shirts — enough to strain a roadie’s back. If the Vox Logo Tee doesn’t do it for you (or you already own one), check out their Paiste Alpha Thorn T-shirt, their Vic Firth Goth T-shirt, and Dean Wings Logo Custom T-shirt. The prices are low, too.

Get the Vox shirt, wear it, and wash it, because it’s only going to get softer and better-looking with age. Cotton was cheaper when they priced this shirt, so grab it now — or two or three — and save. Put it on when you start feeling like head-banging. Or finger-popping. Whatever. Bands from U2 to Radiohead have relied on Vox. Not a bad legacy.

Jazz guitarist Vinny Valentino is one of those discerning guys who plays a Vox guitar. In the video below, he performs with drummer Steve Smith and the group Vital Information. A harmonically simple yet rhythmically-sophisticated fusion jam borrowing from Indian konnakol. Let it remind you: nothing is cooler than music. And, by extension, musicians. Capiche?

Get your shirt from Musician’s Friend. And you can search for more musical essentials below using the Musician’s Friend search bar.

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Cheap 2011 Calendars

ECJ — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:37:50 +0000

Some of the best 2011 calendars are on sale now for a good discount at Calendars.com. These are the cheapest calendars you can get for this year. (On April 19, use coupon code SPRING to get half off ALL 2011 calendars that aren’t already marked down.)

This sale of 2011 calendars will only last for a limited time. Calendars.com has probably the best selection of calendars available online. And right now, many of their most popular wall and desk calendars are priced at 50 – 75% off. That is a cheap calendar! So for all of you who’ve been waiting to find a calendar at a reduced price, wait no more…

Update on 9/8/11: Today is the final day to buy 2011 calendars at Calendars.com. Click here to get them for up to 90% off. 90% off is about as cheap as you can get without being free! (And of course, you can find calendars guys will like for 2012 now, too.)

But you may wonder: can you still get a decent, interesting calendar a quarter of the way through 2011? Sure. For canine fans, their discounted 2011 calendars include popular dog calendars — such as a pug calendar, for all you pug fans – and a greyhound calendar for under $5!

You can find an even bigger selection of dog calendars on sale at their associated site, DogBreedStore.com.

In addition, Calendars.com is discounting other popular categories, such as folk art calendars, music calendars, and sports calendars. And you can find educational, mind-expanding options, such as a scientific calendar or history calendar. Just search all the categories on their site. The selection they offer is huge and you will get free shipping when you place an order of $20 or more, or $5 flat rate shipping…

I previously posted a more in-depth review of some of the best, most entertaining, most creative 2011 calendars, which you can find here.

But be sure to check out this sale of inexpensive calendars now at Calendars.com because it will only last a limited time. Find something cool and entertaining for your wall or desk for a great sale price (that will, you know, also tell you the date)! Or take advantage of cheap calendars to give as gifts…

Calendars.com has customer reviews and staff reviews (including videos) of many of their most popular calendars, which means you can buy with greater confidence. (And when I say “cheap,” I don’t mean mediocre quality, I mean “inexpensive.” As in: “good deal.”) Here, for example, is one customer’s review of a pug calendar (For the Love of Pugs 2011 Deluxe Wall Calendar):

“Beautiful photos and good quality paper! I enjoy ordering calendars from you. The service is great and the price is right.”

Want to Help the Japanese Economy Recover? Shop at Rakuten

ECJ — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:22:28 +0000

You may be wondering how to help the people of Japan cope with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that occurred March 11. You can do it by buying goods from Japanese companies online. This post tells you the best way to shop Japan via the Internet.

One idea for economic recovery that I have not seen mentioned is to shop directly with Japanese businesses online. Americans and others around the world have donated millions of dollars through various relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, and many others have traveled to Japan to volunteer their services. But, while donations of money satisfy the immediate need to get supplies to the people in the towns of the tsunami-ravaged Tohoku region, dollars can be infused into the Japanese economy long-term by shopping via the Internet from anywhere in the world at Rakuten.

Click to explore Rakuten's huge online mall

Many people outside Japan have not heard of Rakuten. It is an online shopping company. It is Japan’s equivalent of Amazon. The Japanese name “Rakuten Ichiba” translates to “Rakuten Shopping Mall,” which is exactly what it is — an aggregation of 33,000 Japanese shops and businesses. This huge online shopping site offers 60 million products. Rakuten is the second most visited site in Japan, with over 50 million registered users. In fact, this Internet shopping giant is the reason Amazon has not been able to make much headway into the Japanese market. It is estimated that one-third of households in Japan shop at Rakuten. And that says something: Japanese consumers, particularly online, are known for being finicky and demanding. Rakuten has met their needs to the point that it is now one of the top ten Internet companies in the world, and has an international presence. In addition to products, it also has its own extensive travel services site, which anyone in the world can use.

Rakuten is now actively expanding its shopping services in other markets throughout the world, including Europe and the United States. Amazon may be the largest online shopping company, but sheer size is no guarantee of quality (Microsoft sells more operating systems than any other company but no one thinks their OS is the best, and General Motors became the largest automaker in the world selling cars inferior to a number of other makes), so I would not be surprised if, in a few years, Rakuten has noticeably eroded Amazon’s market share. You can think of Rakuten as the Honda of online retailing.

What does that mean with respect to helping the Japanese economy weather the aftermath of the earthquake?

We know that the world’s economic fortunes are subject to ripple effects that transcend national boundaries. Mortgage foreclosures in the American mid-west affect the value of the Euro. The price of labor in China impacts how much Walmart pays its US workers. The Russian wheat harvest affects the price of food in Delhi and Des Moines. With respect to the world economy, Japan is a titan, boasting the third largest economy after the US and China. So any financial woes that Japan experiences as a result of the triple whammy of the earthquake, tsunami, and radiation contamination from damaged nuclear power plants will affect not only the Japanese people but people in the United States and around the world. (Already, it is projected that demand for the Prius will not be able to be met, since there are parts suppliers for the car in the affected region. And US beef exports to Japan may be hampered by damaged port facilities.) In other words, the domino effect from an economic slowdown in Japan coupled with the need to re-build infrastructure could affect your personal financial situation. So it behooves you to help your neighbor.

Thus, if you shop for Japanese goods, you can help not only Japanese businesses and consumers as they recover and re-build, but your own economy as well. The easiest (and most enjoyable) way to shop in Japan from outside Japan is Rakuten. Spend a few bucks there, get yourself some interesting, well-made Japanese products, and you’ll be helping float everyone’s boat. After all, just imagine what it would have meant to a local hardware or stationery store in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina if they had had a steady influx of customers… If they had experienced damage or hardship from the hurricane, sure, packets of freeze-dried food and blankets would have met their immediate physical needs, but long-term, it’s customers buying from businesses that sustain an economy, whether in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi or Ofunato, Japan.

You can find just about any kind of product at Rakuten, from books to ice cream to motorcycle parts. But why not get something interesting or unusual? How about:

Sake
Momotaro Jeans (maybe the best jeans in the world)
Japanese Sandals
Tea Sets
Samurai Clothes and Accessories
Edible Seaweed from Ofunato (the northeast region)

You can also try using the search field on the Rakuten homepage to search for city names in the northeast region, such as Sendai, Kamaishi, Miyako, and Kuji, in order to find stores in those cities from which to buy. Keep in mind that operations at those stores might be curtailed or slowed for awhile — but they will still appreciate the business!

Rakuten currently ships to over 50 countries (and the list is expanding) and their site has pages optimized for a number of countries, including the USA, Canada, China, France, and the UK. If you’re outside Japan, when you place an order you’ll usually be put in touch via email with the shop that sells the item to arrange a shipping method and cost. (Note that some shops offer special free international shipping promotions, or $1 international shipping.) There is a weight restriction on items shipped to the US via certain carriers, but many shops can arrange a shipping method to the US that gets around this limit.

When you first explore the site, you may wonder where to go and how to approach it, but anyone familiar with online shopping can quickly figure it out. Explore. In addition, they have a handy instructional page here.

Think of it as an adventure, man. As well as a good deed.

Here’s a testimonial from a customer in the US posted on the Rakuten site:

“I recently found Rakuten via Facebook, and boy I couldn’t be happier. As a person interested in Japanese culture, this website is great. I’ve found many things I had been looking for as well as new items that have caught my eye. The website is well laid out and very intuitive to navigate. And the search feature is one of the better ones I’ve encountered for a merchant website. And this is all from a website that isn’t set up for business in the USA. If the USA website is half as good, then it’ll be better than most merchants that I’ve purchased from. by Nick M – NJ, USA”

Hey, if Nick can do it, you can, too. And remember, you’ll be helping the cause. It all adds up.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too. Thanks!

Not Your Run-of-the-Mill Christmas Album — the Rocky Mountain Saxophone Quartet

ECJ — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 15:52:25 +0000

Here’s a Christmas album by the Rocky Mountain Saxophone Quartet that manages to be sweet, edgy (in a jazzy way), charming, and even amusing. Amongst the sea of average Christmas music offerings, this one stands out. Click here to listen to samples and purchase as either a CD or a download from CD Baby – the best place to obtain independent record albums.

Paper Jamz Has Fun Musical Toys for Not Much Money

ECJ — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 05:14:34 +0000

This is a Paper Jamz review of some of the most innovative and fun musical toys on the market. With a Paper Jamz guitar, amp, and drums, you can play musical chords, songs, and jam with your friends.

When it comes to music toys, many don’t manage to sustain interest over time because they’re too simple and sound cheesy. That’s not the case with the Paper Jamz guitars, amplifiers, drum machines, and microphones.

These are musical instrument toys that reward exploration and experimentation. Paper Jamz instruments are fun to play. And, unlike the “instrument” used in Guitar Hero, there is more of a connection to actual guitar technique with Paper Jamz than you get with a plastic-key-based guitar controller. And since Paper Jamz is very reasonably priced, they should be on your list of cool toys to check out this holiday season.

Click for Paper Jamz Guitar 4 at Barnes & Noble

Paper Jamz guitars are not real guitars — they don’t have actual strings. What they do have is Active Graphics Technology, which enables you to play chords and single notes in “freestyle” mode that sound just like an actual guitar (see Stevie Peavey’s Paper Jamz guitar demo video below).

You can even play Paper Jamz guitars through a regular guitar amp, although Paper Jamz has its own complete line of amplifiers that work well, too. Active Graphics Technology detects the motion of your fingers on the fretboard and graphic strings. The Paper Jamz software converts these movements into realistic guitar sounds.

The Bottom Line on Paper Jamz

These are musical toys that will provide hours of fun and inspire creativity. The Paper Jamz guitars, drums, and amps are hard to beat for their price (for example, you can get any one of them for under $30 at Best Buy) when you compare their functionality to other kid-friendly electronic instruments.

See the video below for a basic review of how Paper Jamz guitars, drums, and amps work. You can get Paper Jamz instruments by clicking these links to online stores: Buy.com, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble (that’s right, Barnes & Noble, which is a hipper electronics store than you might imagine). As you’ll see, there are various styles of Paper Jamz guitars available. Browse the selection of Paper Jamz instruments at these retailers to find the best current prices and availability. Don’t wait, particularly as we get closer to Christmas, because they’re selling fast.

Want to know how you can have more musical fun with a Paper Jamz guitar? Then take a look at the video below, where guitarist Stevie Peavey, of the metal band Deathsquad Demongods, has some fun reviewing a “Flying V” Paper Jamz guitar. Then get your own guitar and you too can be on your way to being a rock god.

Click to get a Paper Jamz Amp - Style 4 - at Barnes & Noble

If you want to give the gift of an actual musical instrument this holiday season, please go to Musician’s Friend and Music & Arts, where you can find everything the budding musicians needs — all kinds of guitars, amps, and other electronics, drums, drum machines, wind instruments, reeds, horns, keyboards, strings, and much more

Sure, Your Mom Would Appreciate Flowers for Mother’s Day — But What About Something Sorta Different?

ECJ — Wed, 05 May 2010 02:25:09 +0000

Don’t get me wrong — flowers are good and you know she’d love them. But why not go outside the conventional bounds and give her something rather different and memorable? Here’re some ideas…

Okay, if you’re committed to flowers, let’s get that out of the way first. You can still order in time for delivery for Mother’s Day (you do know it’s on May 13, right?). You can get them from Fleurop, the most extensive flower delivery service in the world (I said “extensive” not “expensive”). If you live in Poland you can order on Fleurop’s website and have them delivered to someone in Argentina. Or Nigeria. Or Iceland. And of course the United States. And vice versa. I’ve written previously about Fleurop’s history and scope in my post on humans and flowers. To order, click the text link above or the banner below. And if you are in the UK (or you mom is), you can order from Fleurop.co.uk. Get 15% off an order using code 2012MD15 at checkout (through 5/31/12).

Now for some different suggestions… How about some customized Chuck Taylor shoes from Converse? I’ll bet you didn’t know you could design a pair. Or she can. Women are into Chuck Taylor’s now. The easiest thing would be to go the Converse site and get your mom a gift card (everybody likes gift cards) and she can design her own pair (on the site, click “Shop” and you’ll see Gift Cards under “More”). Or she can choose something else cool out of their selection of apparel. You can have the card mailed. Or send it as an e-card, so it’ll be sure to be on time. Or you can order something like the limited-edition Missoni woven print sneaker. Lots of options, and she’ll like any one of them.

Of course, when it comes to women (and moms are women, remember) clothes are always in order. But rather than get something ordinary from the local discount department store, how about something from Fossil? Not what you’d ordinarily think about for Mother’s Day, but that’s the idea. They have cool items and they’re offering free shipping on orders over $100. Need a specific suggestion? How about a Stella watch, a ceramic watch, or jewelry? And there’s always gift cards.

A good Mother’s Day gift is something your Mom would not ordinarily get for herself. Perhaps she wishes she had more time to read books but her busy life keeps getting in the way. There’s a solution for that: Audible.com.

Audible.com is the premier online provider of digital audiobooks and audio entertainment. Now, instead of having to sit down to read that bestseller she’s been yearning after, your mother can listen to it on her MP3 player, iPod, iPhone, Kindle, Blackberry, or Android device, among other options. Obviously, this means she can listen while exercising, riding the bus, or any other multi-tasking opportunity. Audible.com offers over 100,000 titles in many different genres. Books, speeches, radio broadcasts, and more can be purchased separately or through an economical monthly membership. Entertainment, self-improvement, and education at your fingerstips! (Or ear tips.)

Finally, she can catch up with her friends and read (listen to) The Hunger Games!

And right now, you can get the first 3 months of membership at Audible.com for just $7.49 a month (regularly $14.95). This entitles you to one audiobook per month, a free digital subscription to The New York Times or Wall Street Journal, and ongoing discounts on Audible.com products.

Click for The Hunger Games audiobook from Audible.com

How about some great food from Spain? That’s right, Spain. This is not Mexican food, this is Spanish food, and the place to get it in the U.S. is La Tienda, a business that imports lots of delicious and one-of-a-kind products from Spain. Their site deserves careful exploration. And their food merits appreciative dining. Maybe you can’t cook for your mom, but you can still give her something really tasty. And unique. They also have cookbooks, cookware, and beautiful ceramics, among many other things.

But let’s get back to customization. How about making her a one-of-a-kind product at Zazzle? You can make her a T-shirt, tote bag, apron, greeting card, mouse pad — they have almost 40 different products to choose from. Use one of your own digital photos. Go to Zazzle’s “Create” page and have at it. You can add your own text, too. Or, if you can’t quite come up with your own design, Zazzle has over a billion products to choose from, plus the Artsprojekt and Labz specialty sites (see the links in the top bar on their site). Use the Zazzle search bar to search on one of your mom’s interests and lots of product options will appear. You can often customize these products, too. Or you could try my Zazzle store (it’s got women’s clothing). You can select expedited shipping to make sure it arrives on time.

When’s the last time your mom had a nice vacation? You can get her a gift card to BedandBreakfast.com and she can select from more than 4,000 B&B’s and other lodgings around the U.S. and Canada. Imagine the fun she’d have choosing a place to go and stay. She could go with your dad, her BFF, or have her own adventure… They’re offering a deal for Mother’s Day, too — 10% off using this code: BBMOM10. See details at the site.

If not a vacation, how about an event? You could treat you mom to a show or concert. Just go to TicketNetwork to select from a huge array of current and upcoming events. How about Wicked? Or Cirque Du Soleil? Or Sting? TicketNetwork has good prices (usually lower than the competition — such as 15% off Broadway ticket orders over $200 with code BWAYSAVE15 through 6/15/10) and good customer service. And if she’s a sports fan (baseball — save 10% using code MLB2010 through 6/15; or tennis, anyone?) they’ve got that covered, too.

And if you send her on a trip or to an event (or even if you don’t), she might want to have some new luggage or a new handbag. Fortunately, eBags, probably the best one-stop shopping spot for getting things to carry stuff in, has some good deals going. Explore their site. You could start by checking Mother’s Day handbag suggestions.

Corona Ergonomic Pruner

But maybe your mom wants to stay closer to home… Does she like to garden? How about a nice Corona pruner? (Corona makes some of the best forged tools.) Click the image to the right or here to find them for a discount at BIC Warehouse.

They feature a forged, heat-treated bypass blade. The angled head reduces wrist fatigue.

Does she like to bird-watch? How about a pair of binoculars from Cabelas? These Bushnell 10×42 All-purpose binoculars should fit the bill. And they’re not expensive.

Is she into “green” living? Then you’re sure to be able to find something for her at GreenandMore, which carries a ton of environmentally-oriented products, gear, and things for the home.

How about music? Fortunately, I have just the thing: Bach’s Goldberg Variaions, played by Glenn Gould, an absolutely legendary recording. Everybody likes the Goldberg Variations. Or find something else out of a selection of 500,000 works at CD Universe, including movies and television shows.

Maybe your mom is a reader, too. So how about a magazine subscription? It’s the gift that keeps on giving every month… And not just any magazine subscription, but a discounted one. You can get great prices on a big selection of magazines, including many 2-for-1 offers, at University Subscription Service. It’s the only way I subscribe anymore. The prices are consistently the lowest I’ve found and the customer service is good. Just don’t get your mom Popular Mechanics (unless she’s a DIYer). She’d probably enjoy Elle, Smithsonian, Self, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, or any of a hundred others.

Does she enjoy wine? Then she would appreciate a bottle that you can personalize with a label just for her (and ratings of the wines help you choose). Or choose from over 600 products at Wines.com. There is no mininum order and prices start at $10 a bottle.

Click to see the caviar selection at Mackenzie Ltd.

And to go with that wine, how about caviar, or another gourmet food item, from Mackenzie Ltd., one of the best sources of gourmet food on the web? They import only the best foods from around the globe. They have chocolate, too. And I’m talkin’ good chocolate.

And then, of course, there’s a camera. Mothers like cameras because, for some reason, they always want to take a picture of you. So help her out. An outstanding place to find all things photographic is J&R Computer/Music World, New York’s legendary, block-long electronics store. Great prices and excellent customer service. You can order and get expedited shipping to have it there by this weekend. They have a ton of other Mother’s Day gift suggestions as well.

Speaking of suggestions… If none of the preceding ideas has grabbed you and you’re still wondering what to get, try Overstock. They carry millions of products and they have a convenient suggestion page for Mother’s Day gifts (something they provide for every holiday). Of course, their prices are second to none — and their suggestions are okay (not as good as mine, but not bad). And shipping is only $2.95 on your entire order. Give them a try.

If you want still more suggestions and discount deals (for example, Best Buy is offering some special promotions) that I didn’t have the space to include here, go to my GOOD DEALS AND OUTLETS page (for future reference, the link is in the top menu bar). I’m continually updating it with coupons, best-buys, closeouts, interesting products, sales, discounts, and promotions from the best vendors.

Hope this has helped. Just as dads appreciate something besides a steady stream of neckties, moms like variability, too. It shows you put some thought into it. Though, of course, you know she won’t complain about flowers…

And for any moms who’ve happened to run across this post… Happy Mother’s Day! Are your kids sort of clueless? Then share this post on your Facebook page or elsewhere with one of the social bookmarks below, or forward the URL. Who knows — they might just get the hint.

Fusion Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This: Pat Metheny Group “Imaginary Day Live”

ECJ — Tue, 04 May 2010 00:05:45 +0000

This continues the topic from my previous post — the merits of concert DVDs. Here is another excellent one to consider: Pat Metheny Group’s Imaginary Day Live.

Some would say that the Pat Metheny Group doesn’t abide really comfortably under the typical fusion label and I would tend to agree, in the sense that it is not music along the lines of, say, Allan Holdsworth or Jan Hammer. The standard definition of fusion is that it is a combination of jazz and rock. And under that broad umbrella, you could include the Metheny Group, though it has always been heavily tipped toward the jazz side of the scale — and even folk and classical. It’s not easy to categorize a group that, from the very beginning, has produced a sound unlike that of anyone else. Driven by Pat Metheny’s iconic guitar, they have created a niche all their own. I’ll bet you can still remember the first time you heard Phase Dance. You immediately knew you were listening to something distinctive, fresh, and original. And even after 30 years of continued musical evolution and innovation, you can tell that Phase Dance shares musical DNA with The Way Up.

I would categorize their music as Latin-Beat, World-Jazz, New-Chautauqua Prairie Fusion. But that’s just me. Regardless of what you call it, the music of the Pat Metheny Group remains a unique pleasure, one that fans all over the world enjoy.

And many have enjoyed it through seeing the group perform live. In their first 20 years, they toured as relentlessly as any band in the world, carrying the banner of latin-beat-world-jazz-new-chautauqua-prairie-fusion to venues ranging from small jazz clubs to big stadiums. I remember seeing them at the UC Berkeley Greek Theater in the 80s — sitting on the sloping lawn overlooking the theater on a balmy summer evening with this marvelous music rising into the night… It was a magical event, one of my favorite musical memories — an experience affirmed by tens of thousands around the globe who have had the good fortune to see them live.

And now you can enjoy one of those evenings yourself without having to go anywhere.

In 1998, the group was about a year into a tour in support of their new album, Imaginary Day, and in July they arrived at the Mountain Winery, an impressive outdoor venue high on a hill in Saratoga, California. They were playing a lot of new music that Metheny and his long-time collaborator, keyboardist Lyle Mays, had composed for the album and, after a year of touring all over the world, honing their performance of the music and the artistic and technical teamwork of the group, everything came together at that event to produce one of their finest live concerts. Fortunately, the group’s bass player, Steve Rodby, created a film of the concert and the evening has been preserved for those of us who were not fortunate enough to be part of the audience that night. The result was the conert DVD Imaginary Day Live.

I don’t have a lot to say about what is presented on this DVD. It is superlative. By this time, Metheny and Mays were not just composing songs, they were composing mini-suites and calling them songs, and the group’s amazing facility was up to the complex demands of performing and improvising on them. Some of the tunes on this DVD are epic musical journeys unto themselves. The musicianship of everyone in the group is outstanding — at times, if you close your eyes, you would swear that you are listening to a symphony orchestra rather than 7 people — and the solos on the part of Metheny and Mays are moving, remarkable, and invite multiple listenings (I’ve long thought that Lyle Mays does not receive his proper due as a pianist; he combines expressiveness with formidable chops). Individually, Metheny and Mays are excellent composers, together they are one of the finest composing teams of the last 30 years. Their creativity has so far proven inexhaustible.

Here is a video excerpt from Imaginary Day Live. This is Follow Me, a Metheny/Mays composition that begins with delicate guitar harmonics, works its way into a wail, and then — stops. It was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance:

To me, Follow Me is a lyrical, straight-ahead fusion tune — it is nowhere near the most ambitious song on this set. It’s right at the beginning of the concert and the group is just getting themselves — and the audience — warmed up. They gradually work their way into some stunning stuff…

One thing that has remained constant throughout the varied configurations of the Pat Metheny Group is that they have always had good drummers (which makes sense, considering that one of Pat’s chief inspirations to take up jazz was hearing drummer Tony Williams play with Miles Davis), and the group has always emphasized both the precision and shimmering sonic color of cymbals, along with the rhythms to showcase them. This is quite evident in the following song, Heat of the Day, and here the group (with drummer Paul Wertico) is letting it all hang out:

The Roots of Coincidence is probably the most stunning composition on this DVD; it is grand, disturbing, wild, and beautiful – and I’m not going to include an excerpt here. This medium can’t do it justice. You’ll just have to get the DVD and play it on your good surround sound system at home, or listen over excellent headphones. It’s definitely on the rockish side of things; there’s even a head-banging aspect to it. (The piece puts me in mind of that celebration scene that takes place in Zion in The Matrix Reloaded, if you could translate that into pure audio: the freedom to connect. It’s more evocative than the movie’s score (and was composed a couple of years beforehand). It’s music that guesses at future potentialities.)

Instead of The Roots of Coincidence, here’s something completely different: Pat and Lyle’s quietly evocative performance of September Fifteenth, which they co-wrote in honor of pianist Bill Evans, who died on September 15, 1980:

The music on this DVD is quite varied, and the camera work and editing work well with the ambiance of the performance. There are 10 songs in all, plus an interview with Pat on the Imaginary Day project. The audio options are PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, and DTS Digital Surround Sound. It is well worth owning, not only for Metheny fans, but for anyone who appreciates heartfelt, engaging, multifaceted, memorable music. Imaginary Day won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance.

You can get Imaginary Day Live by clicking any of these links: CD Universe, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Buy.com. It’s not expensive.

And follow your own path of musical expression with everything you need from…

Jazz Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This: Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette

ECJ — Sun, 02 May 2010 01:59:43 +0000

Lost amidst the welter of debate, discussion, and hand-wringing about the demise of the CD, the challenges of DRM, the rise of iTunes and mp3 sales, and whether albums will even be relevant in the future, is any attention paid to what is a valuable type of music media: the concert DVD.

DVDs of live performances are often an afterthought among music fans. They deserve more attention. Really, where else can you get the feel of a concert, the intimate perspective and visual excitement of being onstage with the artists, and excellent sound quality, all for much less than the price of a single ticket to see a popular group or headliner live? And in a format that you can play again and again? Nowhere except in a DVD/blu-ray.

For jazz buffs (and anyone who enjoys good music), I’d like to recommend one of the best.

In 1990 four great jazz musicians came together somewhat improbably (given their backgrounds and schedules) and went on a world tour: Herbie Hancock (keyboards), Pat Metheny (guitars), Dave Holland (bass), and Jack DeJohnette (drums). These four need no introduction to jazz fans. Even beyond jazz circles, who hasn’t heard of Pat Metheny, one of the most innovative and original composers and guitarists of the last 30 years, or Herbie Hancock, a prodigy on the classical piano (he performed with the Chicago Symphony at age 11) who, at the tender age of 23, was tapped by Miles Davis to be part of his second great quintet? These two account for almost 30 Grammy Awards between them. Jack DeJohnette and Dave Holland are similarly distinguished on their respective instruments, though their fame is probably more confined to those who appreciate jazz. (Holland has won the annual Downbeat Critics Poll for Musician of the Year and DeJohnette has won the Downbeat Readers Poll for best drummer more than 10 times).

Academy of Music

Each of these four gifted instrumentalists is also an influential and respected composer. In June, 1990, the group came together at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia to perform at the Mellon Jazz Festival. Over two days their performances were filmed and compiled into one of the best concert DVDs ever: DeJohnette, Hancock, Holland, Metheny in Concert. Each is at the top of his form, whether improvising or as part of the rhythm section. Each contributed at least one composition to this stellar collaboration. Jazz doesn’t get any better than this.

To whet your appetite, following are two video excerpts from the DVD:

Here is Hancock’s marvelous solo (a clinic in jazz improvisation on the piano) from Shadow Dance, Dave Holland’s composition, as the rhythm section cooks:

And for a change of pace, here is Indigo Dreamscapes, written by Jack DeJohnette. You’ll find a lot of varied music on this DVD. Here Pat Metheny’s solo harks back to Bright Size Life, his first breakout album with Jaco Pastorius (many don’t realize Pat’s extensive jazz pedigree), as he plays his Gibson ES-175:

Click to get it from Buy.com

As you can see, the camera work and editing on this DVD are quite good. In all, it contains over 90 minutes of excellent music. All of the guys get a chance to showcase their formidable talents through extended solos. A diversity of musical styles is offered, from the tender ballad feel of The Bat (Metheny) to the polyrhythmic danceability of DeJohnette’s and Metheny’s 9 Over Reggae to a straight-ahead rendition of Solar (Miles Davis). Imagine playing this on your home theater system, with Dolby sound, while viewing it on your large-screen TV.

Here are the songs included:

Shadow Dance
Indigo Dreamscapes
9 Over Reggae
Solar
Silver Hollow
The Good Life
Blue
Hurricane
The Bat
Cantaloupe Island

Get this DVD now, because… well, here is the bad news: it is out of print, so available quantities are limited. You can still find it at Buy.com, however. If you want it, don’t hesitate. Other people will be reading this and there aren’t many copies left. Click here to get it.

If it’s sold out at Buy.com, then I have another resource for you… A label called “Jazz VIP” has issued a version of this concert on DVD and added a couple of bonus tracks as well. It’s titled Live in Philadelphia and includes all the tracks listed above. I have not personally viewed this version so I can’t vouch for it, but it’s probably fine. You can find it through MusicStack.com, a site that aggregates sellers of music from around the world. To find it (and a huge selection of other music you might find interesting), just click here to go to the site.

At the MusicStack site, do a title search for Live in Philadelphia, specifying that you’re searching for a DVD. A bunch of results with that title will come up, and you’ll find the DVD listed with the artist as Metheny. To streamline the search, go to “Advanced Search.” Enter “Metheny” in the artist slot, “DVD” under format, and “Live in Philadelphia” for the title. That should bring up that exact DVD. Click on it to get detailed info. Check the customer feedback for the distributors and you can generally tell who is legit. When ordering anything on MusicStack, pay attention to the customer feedback; it’s a good indication of which businesses are likely to fulfill an order reliably.

Want more info? You can find customer reviews of this concert DVD at Blockbuster (just enter the names of the musicians in the search field).

Finally, if you can’t find these DVDs anywhere, you can still get the album that was produced during the world tour (which included Canada, Japan, Europe, and the U.S.). It’s called Parallel Realities and DeJohnette is listed as the leader. The songs are somewhat different from the DVD and only Hancock, Metheny, and DeJohnette are present (i.e., no bass player is credited, though I believe Dave Holland may play on some tracks). It’s a pretty good album for fans of Metheny, DeJohnette, and Hancock.

Hancock, Carter, and Cobham

If you’ve been reading my site, you’ll know that I never want to leave you hanging when it comes to recommendations for good stuff, so I’ll mention another concert DVD that is worth your consideration and could substitute for the one above. And this one is still in print! It also features Herbie Hancock, but here he is joined by Ron Carter on bass and Billy Cobham on drums — two more giants of the jazz world. Carter is legendary as the bassist for Miles Davis’s second quintet (and when he left the quintet, he handed the bass reins to Dave Holland). He has a style all his own — one that has had him in such demand that he’s appeared on over 2,000 albums, and has garnered numerous awards, including “Outstanding Bassist of the Decade” by the Detroit News. Cobham was one of the founding members of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and went on to forge a career that has resulted in his being acknowledged as probably the best fusion drummer alive. Yet he is in no way limited to fusion, as this jazz DVD shows — his virtuosity and technical mastery complements any setting. He has won the Downbeat Readers Poll as the best drummer of the year numerous times.

Palazzo dei Congressi, Lugano. Want to go?

The piano trio with bass and drums is one of the purest yet most versatile of jazz ensembles. It distills jazz to its essence, while still leaving wide latitude for harmonic, improvisational, rhythmic, and tonal expression. In this regard, when you bring together three superstars of their respective instruments, the result can be musical magic. In 1983, these three superlative musicians came together for the annual “Open Air” Jazz Festival at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Lugano, Switzerland and, fortunately, someone had the foresight to capture the event on film (7 cameras were used along with hi-fi stereo). The 90-minute concert was subsequently released in different DVD versions: World of Rhythm and World of Rhythm Live contain the entire concert. Herbie Hancock Trio: Hurricane and Herbie Hancock Trio in Concert are 1 hour each. Obviously it’s preferable to have the longer version, but the shorter formats are worthwhile, too, and the DVDs have been praised by critics. C. Michael Baily wrote: “As a unit, the trio played seamless, pristine, post-bop jazz. Perfectly tasteful and disciplined, the hour and one half performance went by too quickly, leaving this writer wanting more. The video includes informative biographies of the musicians, increasing the value of World of Rhythm as a musical document.” And see this review by Don Mather at Musicweb-International.

Here’s a video excerpt to give you a taste of what this DVD is like. The song is Eye of the Hurricane:

The compositions included on the World of Rhythm DVD are:

Toys
First Trip
Speak Like a Child
Little Waltz
Willow Weep for Me (solo bass)
Dolphin Dance (solo piano)
Ili’s Treasure (drum solo)
Princess
Eye of the Hurricane
Walking

I have linked to various vendors above where you can get the different versions. Or click the images below to find them through CD Universe, Barnes & Noble, DVD Empire, and Target (at the Target site, just search on “Herbie Hancock Trio in Concert” — and yes, Target actually has a good selection of music and movies and they only charge $2.99 shipping). Like much of the best jazz played overseas by American artists in the 80s, this live performance was not released in the U.S. as an album (not enough of a market, I guess, which is a shame, considering that jazz is America’s only original art form). That increases the value of this DVD issue.

With respect to the relative unpopularity of jazz in the U.S. (when compared with, say, Mariah Carey), I remember when I first heard jazz as a teen… I thought it sounded odd (it was a Dizzy Gillespie album and the very first song I heard, Con Alma, actually was sort of odd, played rather dissonantly by Dizzy, Sonny Rollins, and Sonny Stitt) and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. But my dad explained what was going on in the music and I kept listening. My ear was helped at the time by the fact that a couple of popular bands — Chicago, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears — incorporated horns, so it made the bridge to jazz easier. The more I listened and understood that these guys were making up their solos as they went along (after playing the tune’s melody), the more I appreciated it. After awhile, rock and pop became tertiary for me. Jazz is a vast ocean of creative expression and many of the best, most innovative musicians in the world gravitate to it. If people in the United States heard it more often (rather than the musical pablum played by most radio stations), they’d appreciate it more. But at some point, you’ve got to be exposed to it, and obviously that doesn’t happen much.

Click to get World of Rhythm from CD Universe

World of Rhythm live (old cover). Get it from CD Universe.

Herbie Hancock Trio in Concert. Click to go to Target and search on the title name.

: Herbie Hancock Trio: Hurricane! Get it from CD Universe.

One valuable thing about the different DVDs mentioned here (the quartet and the trio) is that it gives young people and aspiring musicians a close-up look at masters exhibiting their skill. So in that regard both DVDs are educational as well as inspiring. Show them to your kids. And if you’re a music teacher, show them in your classroom.

The common denomiator of both of these performances is Herbie Hancock. I’ll wrap up this post with what Pat Metheny said about Herbie in an interview with Jazziz in 2001:

Along with Keith Jarrett, the most important living musician, in my opinion. Herbie is the ultimate example to me of what it is to be a musician on earth. His playing skills are off the scale, his harmonic knowledge, his time, his sense of form and drama, his ability to communicate are all supreme. But most important of all — his listening skill is refined to a degree that is simply immeasureable. It transcends music into something close to what religious people seem to call enlightenment. He hears into things with a subtlety and nuance that informs everything he plays at every level of intensity. Any chance that I can hear or be around Herbie, I never miss it.

Don’t you miss it either. And if you want to explore a vast range of musical offerings, click the banners below.

Some of the Best Inexpensive Earbuds You Can Get — the Q:Electronics Noise-isolating Earbuds

ECJ — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:39:00 +0000

Right now, you can get not one but 2 pair of these nifty earbuds for under $15, along with cheap shipping. Keep a pair for yourself and give the other as a gift. Or keep ‘em both — one for the office and one for the gym. (Limited time; don’t wait.)

Click to purchase from Overstock while they last

If you give them as a gift, the recipient will probably think you spent more than you did. Customer reviews for these noise-isolating earbuds from Q:Electronics are almost uniformly positive. I did manage to find one review where the person thought they were uncomfortable (they are small and fit into your ear canal). Everybody else liked them. And they come with 3 different sizes of earbud tips so you can customize the fit to your ear.

These are from Q:Electronics, which is one of those unprepossessing British companies that understates what they do but deliver the goods. (Remember “Q” in the Bond films?) On their website, they state: “Our goal is to provide equipment that solves our customers’ problems and fulfils our customers’ requirements at a cost-effective price.”

Mission accomplished.

Customer reviews state such things as: “The true definition of a value deal… Surely the best value that you will find in headphones… These earbuds do the job… Great for the price… Great phones, great value…”

The noise-isolation function is intended to cut out higher frequencies, such as talking, keyboard clicking, and the like. In that respect, they’ll help you enjoy your music or audio book while isolating distractions at the office or gym. They are not designed to cut out, say, the sound of jet engines when you’re a passenger on a flight. But one reviewer stated that they worked so well in his office that he almost felt creeped out that he couldn’t hear people around him or walking up to him (on the plus side, he got a lot of work done). On Overstock, reviews average 4.5 out of 5 stars.

One online reviewer wrote: “I am listening to these IEMs right now and they sound great. For what it’s worth, I own Sennheiser HD-595s ($180) and Grado SR-80 ($100) headphones and while both are clearly better sounding than these, the difference is not huge. These Q buds have good dynamics and nice midrange and highs. The bass is decent on classical music but it tends to sound somewhat muddy on rock music. They are better sounding and definitely more comfortable than the stock buds that came with my iPod Touch…”

The deal on Overstock won’t last forever, so if they’re gone there, you can also find a single pair at Buy.com for under $20 – and with this set you get volume controls on the cord and several different colors of pads to choose from. Not a bad deal. (Also, for what it’s worth, other reviewers mentioned they liked the bass response with music such as rap and hip-hop.)

This price probably won’t last long, so don’t wait to pick up these buds.

And, by the way — you would already have found out about this deal if you had gone to my Good Deals and Outlets page and clicked on the Buy.com “Deal of the Day” banner.

Just sayin’…

A Bird’s Brain Can Teach Us Something

ECJ — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:32:42 +0000

Aesop knew that observing the natural world can be instructive

On this sunny summer morning I was walking around outside my house and noticed three birds — two magpies and a crow. What they were doing was instructive with respect to how we regard things and use our opportunities.

The crow was perched on the top rail of a 3-rail fence. One of the magpies was on the bottom rail underneath the crow. He would look up at the crow and hop from side to side to get a better view. Then he’d hop up to the second rail and look some more. Then he would hop aggressively up toward the crow, pointing his long black bill at him. Then he’d flap back to the bottom rail and repeat the process. He’d get up his nerve and finally he’d jump up, aiming his bill at the crow’s feet. Obviously,the crow’s presence worried the magpie. Maybe he thought the crow would compete for food. Maybe something else about the crow bugged him. But the crow, who was bigger than the magpie, just stood there looking casually around. As the magpie repeatedly leaped toward him, the crow occasionally noticed and ruffled his wings a bit, but seemed mostly unconcerned.

Meanwhile, about ten feet away from this little drama, another magpie was walking along the ground, turning his head from side-to-side. He was searching for stuff to eat. He’d spot a tidbit and gobble it up. He was approaching a dumpster and as he got closer he found more good scraps (because some humans are lousy shots when it comes to getting all their garbage into the dumpster). He seemed totally oblivious to what the other two birds were doing. He was enjoying a bounty of tasty things. He wasn’t worried about the crow. He didn’t feel the need to join the other magpie in anti-crow activism.

The magpie attempting to bother the crow got bolder. He jumped higher, more frequently. Eventually, the crow shifted his feet on the fence, turned around and flew off as though he’d just thought of something he’d rather do. The “protesting” magpie chased right after him. He wasn’t satisfied.

Isn’t that how people are sometimes? We look for what we imagine are threats and focus on them. We get perturbed and start jumping around trying to get rid of them. Because those things they might cause problems for us, right? For some reason, we don’t see being preoccupied with resisting unwanted things as a problem in itself. So we get riled up about the big “crows” we notice – government, corporations, the economy, other groups of people, the environment, etc. — and then we spend our time fixated on the “problem areas” like bird brains because we think doing so will somehow make our lives better.

Meanwhile, others simply let life unfold without fuss. They mind their own business and, as they bop along, notice good things and enjoy them. While the activists are busy resisting potential threats, the non-activists are focusing on well-being. By not wasting their attention on what they don’t like, they have the bandwidth to find what they do like.

Which of those two magpies was enjoying life? Which was using his time to best effect? Which was making the most of the opportunity to have a pleasant morning?

* * * * * * * *

After writing this post, I came across the following album. That can’t be a coincidence, can it?

Click the image below; it’s a good one.

Sure, Your Mom Would Appreciate Flowers for Mother’s Day — But What About Something Sorta Different?