Brought into the spotlight by Stan Getz and original co-founder of the Jazz Messengers (later Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers) Horace Silver is no more.  What better way to honor him by including this video.

Gone but not forgotten. Master conguero Miguel 'Anga' Diaz during the recording of his only solo effort "Echu Mingua". Watch out for his multiple conga approach. Deeply rooted into Cuban tradition he takes it to the next step.

A piece from Four Corners an album that didn't caught much of my attention until now. It is the precursor to critically acclaimed Politics. It's also the first album to feature Will Kennedy on drums.

This is my favorite band line-up from the Yellowjackets. Not to funky, not to jazzy. I wonder where saxophone player Marc Russo is now. Underestimated musician in my opinion.

There's this old copy of Modern Drummer I have where there is this strange drummer who has not only a drumset in his basement but also [citation]: a skeleton with acupuncture needles, a vast collection of herbs, incense burners, a computer and of course frame drums, talking drums, bells and an old piano.

The pictures accompanying the interview always kept me curious. These are not the typical drummer pictures showing big sets and lots of cymbals. Meet Milford Graves whose drum efforts where not unknown to me. However his other interests and his views on life were. Questions remained but there's a change I get some answers soon. William Duvall (of Alice in Chains fame) is making a documentary on this free jazz icon, activist, scientist.

These fearless roadwarrriors are at it again. After the "Family Dinner vol 1" effort there's the new and marvelous, yet unexpected "We like it here" album. Same recipe: cd/dvd package, live audience and the band in between, and Snarky Puppy music. Music I do not get tired of. Always fresh, moving, crossing borders and played with a 'take no prisoners' attitude. These guys could easily get high-rated jobs in the music industry, touring with the stars or whatever. They choose not, they hit the road to see whatever comes in there way. Artists in the real sense.

Location this time around was Utrecht, Netherlands because the band felt like doing a tribute to Europe stating: we like it here. Well, we like you having here guys and hope you return often. The recording of the event had, once again, the typical Snarky signature. To less preparation, instant composing and rehearsing without drummer.

Yes that's right, Robert "Sput" Searight, present on most of the last recordings didn't make it to the gig and was replaced by same day flew in Larnell Lewis. A first time for me and wow.... Check the incredible drumming. It's amazing that this band can call on such top-notch players last minute. Everyone want's to gig with the pups obviously.

In the meantime there's something else that becomes more and more obvious too. Bassplayer and headpuppy Michael League is a genius composer. Yes, there are many references to all Anglo & Afro-American musical genres from the last decades. You hear what the man's musings are. But this is more than just intelligent sampling and reuse. This is building upon a legacy with respect and pushing the same genres forward. Only the real masters do that.

I know it's old fashioned but BUY this CD/DVD.

Had a walk around Cologne a few days ago only to find that the Ludwig Museum was closed on Mondays. Well yeah should have known. But find something funny on my way down from the museum to the Rhine river.

Behind the Ludwig there's a big open public space where one is tempted to just cross but you are not allowed. Well not at certain hours that is. It turns out your walking the roof of the Köln Philharmonie, a renowned concert hall with great acoustics. To great it seems because footsteps and the obligatory skateboarders rumours are translated to well into the Philharmonie disturbing rehearsals and performances alike.

The solution: a bunch of guards going crazy for yet another unaware pedestrian taking the short cut. Found this funny at first but what a mistake for such a architectural project.