I have been wanting to write something about Omar Ahmed Abdul Kariem, a.k.a., Jackie McLean, who passed away on March 30^th, at the age of 74. I have found few musicians who's music is repeatedly listenable as McLean's. My favorite album of his is Jacknife, originally a two-LP release that was tinged with Eastern rhythms and modal structures. On The Nile, the first track I heard off of Jacknife really transported me to a place. I cannot say if it was the Nile but it was a Nile that McLean had envisioned. That's what I loved about him. His music could truly transport you somewhere. But McLean could also just flat out burn! Coming solidly out of the bop tradition, Jackie digested the entire be-bop language, internalized it and then fashioned it anew in his own sight and sound. Be it a ballad, a standard or one of his own out originals, Jackie could swing. My saddest regret with all of this is that I never had a chance to meet him or hear him live. When I was studying and playing jazz, McLean's sound (along with Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane) was heavily influential. I respected him for his bold originality while still being tied to the jazz tradition. It seems I have been born at a time when many of the greats have already left us or are in such poor health, many are not playing. Jackie's music becomes precious to me now. I hope that other people will discover the brilliant musician that was Jackie McLean - a.k.a., Omar Ahmed Abdul Kariem; may God have mercy on his soul.

I've been away much lately due to school and just plain old life but the music just keeps rockin' on. For those not in the know, I'm a HUGE Allan Holdsworth and Tony Williams fan. So for me, Believe It, by the Tony Williams' Life Time Band is like a dream come true of collaborations. With the aforementioned Williams and Holdsworth on drums and guitar, Believe It also show cases some great piano work by Alan Pasqua and Tony Newton tying things down and grooving on bass. Believe It shows what good fusion was really all about and that it was more than technology and gadgets. Believe It is charged with great song writing and playing. Proto-Cosmos, written by Pasqua, is one the gems of Believe It, which has a hard hitting rhythm which repeats itself through out. Red Alert sounds just like that. The players are well matched to one another and it's not a chop-for-the-sake-of-chops fest. Believe It will make you a true believer of fusion. Highly recommended.

My cousin Tracy sent me a link to this new site called Pandora. They're a sort of Internet radio station where you can pick artists you like and they'll come up with a mix of their stuff plus artists they think are related to that artist. So, for example, if I said I liked Dexter Gordon, Pandora would pull up some Gordon but they'd also add in some Von Freeman, Sonny Rollins and whatever else they might think I'd like. You also have the option of seeing if the song in particular is available from the iTunes Music Store as well as the whole album from Amazon.com. From the first look, it's a neat concept. I say from the first look because I have this love/hate relationship with the Internet and buying music. At one end, I'm a traditionalist. I wanna go into a store, peruse their stock and maybe talk with the store owner who knows about what he's got and could maybe recommend something to me - turn me on to something new. The other end is that I don't wanna pay so much for my music! I used to go to little used CD shops and buy stuff 'cuz I could get something for around $10. A new disc starts at $20. For that same $10 I can get a new album off of the iTunes Music Store. Is it just the instant gratification? I don't think so. I like going to the store and getting my music. I'm a ritualist. I like things that have a process. What I do like though, is getting twice the music for my buck. Again, for $20, I can get two albums instead of one. But in that process I feel as if I'm contributing to the demise of small music shop owners. This iPod thing is really something. Always a dual-edged sword. Well, either way, I am intrigued by Pandora. Check it out and lemme know what you think. You can also listen to the station that I've created on Pandora. You can listen to it here. Thoughts, comments & questions are always welcome.

The new disc, Duality, from saxophonist Tom Tallitsch is a creative breath of fresh air. The album features Tom on tenor along with my brother, Dave Manley, on guitar. The duo courses through well thought-out originals. Big Sky showcases Tallitsch's talents as a compser. The duo also interpret some jazz standards such as Steve Swallow's Falling Grace. Tallitsch's interpretation of Wayne Shorter's Infant Eyes is particularly gorgeous. Tallitsch and Manley re-tune a Stevie Wonder pop tune, Visions. The album has a very intimate, earthy feel to it which perfectly matches Tallitsch's lush tone with Manley's airy picking. If you're looking for a jazz album for a present to buy someone but don't know what to get, this would make a great gift. It's sure to please the listener and provide hours of revisited pleasure. Duality by Tom Tallitsch. Check out the artist's site to listen to samples or to order a copy. Great job, Tom. This is a marvelous album.

I discovered this little Web site, 3Hive.com. It's a site featuring unknown or underground artists where you can legally download their songs. Check it out.