Alan Pasqua

Air Date: 1/31/2021

The first CD we got from Alan Pasqua was My New Old Friend back in 2005. I immediately liked his deft touch on the keyboard, especially on his original number Highway 14 from that CD. 
 
Yeah, I really like that song.
 
I especially like the bass arrangement played by Darek Oles. I was not surprised when, a few years later, I found the song on a Kurt Elling release (his 2007 debut on Concord, Night Moves), this time with lyrics and re-titled And We Will Fly. By the way, Christian McBride kept the bass arrangement.

In 2019 I found And We Will Fly on Judy Wexler's fine release Crowded Heart, this time with Mr. Pasqua on the keyboard - but without the bass arrangement. How interesting! I like all three versions.

Mr. Pasqua has a varied muscial background. As a studio musician, he has recorded and toured with popular artists like Bob Dylan, Santana, and John Fogerty. He wrote news show theme songs for broadcast television in the 1960s. His keyboard could be heard as part of the New Tony Williams Lifetime band, a jazz-rock fusion ensemble of the mid 1970s. More recently, his jazz album Standards with drummer Peter Erskine was nominated for a Grammy award in 2008. 
 
During the upcoming show and for a few shows after that, I am going to spotlight the work of Mr. Pasqua. This includes efforts where he is not the lead artist, such as on Jeff Ellwood's new release The Sounds Around the House. As you can see on the playlist below, there is a portion of hour two that has several tracks from Pasqua's older CDs, plus a track from Jeff Ellwood. 

Your Contemplative Morning came out just so mellow and delicious that you must listen this week. C'mon, you can get up early! Don't forget that if you miss the show or any part of the show, you can always listen for a few weeks from the WICN Archive.

I am really enjoying the big band and large ensemble sounds that we've recently gotten in from Jim Waller, The Uptown Jazz Tentet, and Andrew Neu. This is making me think that I might be able to put together a Focus: show to spotlight big bands. That would be fun!

For Brazil/World this week, I wanted to get a little bit of a jazz/pop sound, just kind of to show how far Brazilian rhythmic sensibility has penetrated all kinds of music. But also because it sounds great! Hence, we've got Najee as well as Michael Franks. By the way, I really like the Douglas Olsen track that opens the hour.

If you are someone who likes Dave Brubeck, and maybe especially his famed original Take Five, then you will probably enjoy Andrew Neu's version from his 2013 release Everything Happens for a Reason. 
 
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Question: Have you have ever heard Tomo Fujita's original Kyoto? If not, then you are in for a treat. 
 
I do have to pull this one out periodically, just to make sure there are a good number of people who have heard this magnificent blues/jazz number.

The show closes with a track from way back in 1996, from a group called Count Basic. 
 
I hope nobody takes this name as disrespectful. I take it as giving homage to a master who came before. 
 
At any rate, their track is a fine example of what used to be called 'acid jazz,' which never became a thing, really. But some fine work can be found in the sub genre.

I do you hope your week is a good one. Be well.

Marty

HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning

  1. Alan Broadbent-Every Time I Think of You-05 Last Night When We Were Young 2006
  2. George Kahn Quartet-DreamCatcher-06 DREAMCATCHER-2020
  3. Gregory Porter-Be Good-07-Imitation of Life
  4. Adam Glaser Trio-Wide Awake-02 November-2020
  5. Paulette McWilliams\A Woman's Story\Life is the Fountain 2020
  6. Lauren Henderson-Arnane-07 Inside a Silent Tear 2018
  7. Willie Jones III-Groundwork-06 Groundwork 2016
  8. Chris Botti-Chris Botti in Boston-04 Emmanuel 2009
  9. Kenny Barron-Spirit Song-07 The Question Is 2000
  10. Steve Kuhn-Remembering Tomorrow-11 Silver 1995

HOUR TWO: New For You

  1. Jim Waller\Bucket List\06 Waltz For Laura   2020
  2. Uptown Jazz Tentet-What's Next-04 Change-2020
  3. Josie Falbo\You Must Believe In Spring\Joy Spring 2020
  4. Bill Cunliffe-It's About Love-01 At the End of the Day 2003
  5. Alan Pasqua-Northern Lights-10 Big Muddy-2017
  6. Alan Pasqua-Day Dream-10 When I Grow Too Old to Dream-2020
  7. Jeff Ellwood talks about The Sounds Around The House
  8. Jeff Ellwood\The Sounds Around The House\05_The Sounds Around The House 2020
  9. Earl Klugh-The Best Of Earl Klugh Vol. 1-08 Heart String 1991
  10. Andrew Neu\Catwalk\My Dear 2018
  11. Lori Bell,Ron Satterfield-Blue(s)-06 Blue Butterflies-2017
  12. Jenna Mammina-Inner Smile-03 I Found You 2004

HOUR THREE: Brazil/World

  1. Douglas Olsen\2 Cents\05 Miles Rumba 2020
  2. Eliane Elias-Dance of Time-09 Samba de Orly 2017
  3. Najee-You Me & Forever-03 Wave 2015
  4. Eliane Elias-Dance of Time-06 Sambou Sambou 2017
  5. Behn Gillece-Walk of Fire-02 Fantasia Brasileria 2017
  6. Thalma De Freitas-Sorte!-01 Sorte 2019
  7. Weber Iago-Os Filhos do Vento-09 Os Filhos do Vento (Children of the Wind), for ensemble- Part I. Haven. Opening 2004
  8. Michael Franks-The Music In My Head-05 To Spend the Day With You 2018
  9. Roditi Ignatzek Rassinfosse-Light In The Dark-01 Light In The Dark 2005
  10. Rosa Passos-Amorosa-09 Essa É Pr'o João 2004
  11. Steve Kuhn-Oceans In the Sky-07 Angela (1990)

HOUR FOUR: Groove, Baby

  1. Andrew Neu-Everything Happens for a Reason-07 Take Five 2013
  2. Randy Brecker and Eric Marienthal-Double Dealin'-02 3 Deuces-2020
  3. Rick Braun-Can You Feel It-01-Can You Feel It
  4. The Sax Pack-Power of 3-01 Sooner Or Later 2015
  5. Ray Obiedo-Carousel-03 Villa Capri 2019
  6. Tomo Fujita-Pure-01 Kyoto
  7. Euge Groove-Groove On-01 Sonnet XI 2017
  8. Euge Groove-Groove On-10 Groove On (reprise) 2017
  9. Lindsey Webster-A Woman Like Me-Rain 2020
  10. Brian Simpson-Persuasion-04-Lost in Love
  11. Incognito-In Search of Better Days-13 All I Ever Wanted 2016
  12. Count Basic-Movin' In The Right Direction-06 On the Move 1996


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