We are all faced with challenges, and some challenges can shake us to our core. Guitarist Pat Martino has faced those challenges. Pat Martino was born in Philadelphia, PA, in 1944, with the birth name of Pat Azzara. Pat Azzara began playing guitar at age twelve. When Pat Azzara was 14, his father, Carmen "Mickey"Azzara took him to see Wes Montgomery at a Philadelphia club. Pat Azzara was greatly influenced by Wes Montgomery, and as a youth Pat Azzara would memorize Wes Montgomery solos.
Pat Azzara left school in tenth grade, and his professional career began at age 15, after moving to New York City. Also, Pat Azzara changed his name to his father`s stage name "Martino". While in New York Pat Martino lived with Les Paul, and began playing jazz clubs.
In addition to jazz, Pat Azzara was also involved in Philadelphia`s early rock scene, but his first road gig was with jazz organist Charles Earland, who was a high school friend. Pat Martino would go on to play with Lloyd Price, Willis Jackson, Eric Kloss, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Jack McDuff, Don Patterson, Trudy Pitts, Jimmy Smith, Gene Ludwig, Bobby Pierce, and Joey DeFrancesco.
In 1976, Pat Martino began experiencing seizures. Pat Martino suffered a brain aneurysm which caused Pat Martino to loss almost all his memory. However, his comeback was truly amazing. With support from his mother and father, Pat Martino had to listen to his own albums, and he also had to relearn his instrument. After his medical challenges he resumed his career in 1987, with a performance that was recorded on CD called "The Return". After "The Return" Pat Martino would stop performing again when both his parents became ill. Pat Martino began playing again in 1994, after the deaths of his parents, with recordings of "Interchange", and "The Maker".
During Thanksgiving Pat Martino was in performance at Chris` Jazz Cafe, in Philadelphia, PA, for his yearly two night Thanksgiving engagement. If you are interested in seeing Pat Martino in performance, he will be performing in New York at Iridium in February, 2018, followed by performances in Germany and Austria.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Michigan House
Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Michigan House: Michigan House was created by Creative Many as a traveling pop-up space for musicians, and other creative people and disciplines. ...
Michigan House
Michigan House was created by Creative Many as a traveling pop-up space for musicians, and other creative people and disciplines.
Michigan House is about Michigan music, Michigan designs, and Michigan ideas. Michigan House is not only about sharing Michigan music, design, and ideas to Michiganders, but spreading Michigan creativity to other parts of our Country. One such collaboration of Michigan House is with South by Southwest, in Austin, Texas.
Highlighting Michigan musicians, artist and film makers, and showing Michigan creativity and design, Michigan House is a platform for showcasing economic, social, and creative capital to a national audience. "In 2014, these industries employed nearly 90,000 Michiganders in more that 10,700 establishments, generating nearly $5 billion in wages. Creativity and design are essential assets across Michigan`s economy." (Detroit Regional Chamber - Michigan House Returning To Austin This March - Posted on March 2, 2016).
In addition to Michigan House taking place in Austin, TX, Michigan House has also appeared in Grand Rapids, MI, for ArtPrize, and in Detroit, MI, for the North American International Auto Show. Michigan House is returning to Austin TX for the 2018 SXSW Festival.
Michigan House is about Michigan music, Michigan designs, and Michigan ideas. Michigan House is not only about sharing Michigan music, design, and ideas to Michiganders, but spreading Michigan creativity to other parts of our Country. One such collaboration of Michigan House is with South by Southwest, in Austin, Texas.
Highlighting Michigan musicians, artist and film makers, and showing Michigan creativity and design, Michigan House is a platform for showcasing economic, social, and creative capital to a national audience. "In 2014, these industries employed nearly 90,000 Michiganders in more that 10,700 establishments, generating nearly $5 billion in wages. Creativity and design are essential assets across Michigan`s economy." (Detroit Regional Chamber - Michigan House Returning To Austin This March - Posted on March 2, 2016).
In addition to Michigan House taking place in Austin, TX, Michigan House has also appeared in Grand Rapids, MI, for ArtPrize, and in Detroit, MI, for the North American International Auto Show. Michigan House is returning to Austin TX for the 2018 SXSW Festival.
Monday, September 4, 2017
Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Music and Brain Science
Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Music and Brain Science: Have you been to Downtown Detroit to see and hear the jazz festival? Although this blog has nothing to do with the jazz festival, the r...
Music and Brain Science
Have you been to Downtown Detroit to see and hear the jazz festival? Although this blog has nothing to do with the jazz festival, the research on music and brain science is fascinating.
Scientist have been monitoring musicians brain activity with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography. When performing various activities brain areas light-up, but when playing music multiple areas light-up as sounds are processed. Listening to music engages the brain, but playing music is equivalent to a full body work-out. Playing a musical instrument engages every part of the brain. Brain areas effected are motor, visual, and auditory. Discipline and structured practice strengthen brain function, and allow for transferring knowledge to other activities.
Listening to music and playing it requires development of fine motor skills. Both left and right hemispheres of the brain are in full use. Corpus callosum is center of the brain, and messages from both hemispheres travel back and forth allowing messages to transfer faster from both routes.
Musicians have higher levels of executive functions such as planning, strategizing, and paying attention to details, and forming a bridge between cognitive and emotional aspects. Enhancement in multiple brain areas have been found in musicians.
Music training can significantly improve motor and reasoning skills. Music is shown to increase auditory discrimination abilities, and increase fine motor skills for students in three or more years of music study. Music students test better on vocabulary and nonverbal reasoning skills in identifying relationships, similarities, and differences between shapes and patterns.
Parents, this blog provides compelling reasons to enroll your children into music lessons. Also, and who knows, maybe your child could become a professional musician. If so, I will see him/her in performance at the Downtown Detroit Jazz Festival.
Cooper, Belle Beth (2013, December 6). The Surprising Science Behind What Music Does To Our Brains, Fast Company & Inc @ 2017 Mansueto Ventures, LLC
Awesome Daily Staff (2015, January 2). What Playing A Musical Instrument Does To Your Brain, The Awesome Daily
Scientist have been monitoring musicians brain activity with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography. When performing various activities brain areas light-up, but when playing music multiple areas light-up as sounds are processed. Listening to music engages the brain, but playing music is equivalent to a full body work-out. Playing a musical instrument engages every part of the brain. Brain areas effected are motor, visual, and auditory. Discipline and structured practice strengthen brain function, and allow for transferring knowledge to other activities.
Listening to music and playing it requires development of fine motor skills. Both left and right hemispheres of the brain are in full use. Corpus callosum is center of the brain, and messages from both hemispheres travel back and forth allowing messages to transfer faster from both routes.
Musicians have higher levels of executive functions such as planning, strategizing, and paying attention to details, and forming a bridge between cognitive and emotional aspects. Enhancement in multiple brain areas have been found in musicians.
Music training can significantly improve motor and reasoning skills. Music is shown to increase auditory discrimination abilities, and increase fine motor skills for students in three or more years of music study. Music students test better on vocabulary and nonverbal reasoning skills in identifying relationships, similarities, and differences between shapes and patterns.
Parents, this blog provides compelling reasons to enroll your children into music lessons. Also, and who knows, maybe your child could become a professional musician. If so, I will see him/her in performance at the Downtown Detroit Jazz Festival.
Cooper, Belle Beth (2013, December 6). The Surprising Science Behind What Music Does To Our Brains, Fast Company & Inc @ 2017 Mansueto Ventures, LLC
Awesome Daily Staff (2015, January 2). What Playing A Musical Instrument Does To Your Brain, The Awesome Daily
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Charles Lloyd Performs Caroline No
Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Charles Lloyd Performs Caroline No: As I write this blog on Charles Lloyd, I am listening to a Charles Lloyd performance of "Caroline No", with a published date ...
Charles Lloyd Performs Caroline No
As I write this blog on Charles Lloyd, I am listening to a Charles Lloyd performance of "Caroline No", with a published date of October 4, 2011, on YouTube. In 1966, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, and Tony Asher wrote "Caroline No". Today in 2017, fans are blessed to have "Caroline No" in the Charles Lloyd repertoire.
Charles Lloyd is a great musician who plays saxophone with a charmingly light and airy tone quality that no one can mistaken as anyone other than Charles Lloyd.
"Caroline No" is beautifully layered with drums starting, and pianist Jason Moran joining with Eric Harland with exciting improvisation. Bassist Reuben Rogers and Charles Lloyd eventually join-in to state the melody. Pianist Jason Moran`s collaboration on this performance is gorgeous. He and the rhythm section lay down a canvas that is solid for Charles Lloyd to create. This music is performed with a spiritual dimension. Close your eyes, and take a journey. I wonder if Wilson and Asher had this interpretation in mind. Words to describe this music is terrific, gorgeous, beautiful, deep, and just pure love. Lloyd, Moran, Rogers, and Harland have taken this simple melody, and worked their magic with harmonies and improvisation.
Charles Lloyd is a great musician who plays saxophone with a charmingly light and airy tone quality that no one can mistaken as anyone other than Charles Lloyd.
"Caroline No" is beautifully layered with drums starting, and pianist Jason Moran joining with Eric Harland with exciting improvisation. Bassist Reuben Rogers and Charles Lloyd eventually join-in to state the melody. Pianist Jason Moran`s collaboration on this performance is gorgeous. He and the rhythm section lay down a canvas that is solid for Charles Lloyd to create. This music is performed with a spiritual dimension. Close your eyes, and take a journey. I wonder if Wilson and Asher had this interpretation in mind. Words to describe this music is terrific, gorgeous, beautiful, deep, and just pure love. Lloyd, Moran, Rogers, and Harland have taken this simple melody, and worked their magic with harmonies and improvisation.
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