Worked with my students again today.  Played a little piano and worked on improvising over “All Blues.”  I enjoy doing the summer combos, and would like to build on this aspect of the program.

On other notes, I’m digging Matt Penman, Aaron Parks, Josh Redman, and Eric Harland.  They have a band called “James Farm” and a new record.  I really think this is what my generation’s “jazz” sounds like.  Or, I’ll put it this way, I relate to this type of music on a much deeper level than post-bebop era music.  I LOVE that music, but it often doesn’t hit me in the creative gut the same way this music does.  Blame it on the eighth note if you want, but so what.  Obviously, I can’t speak for my whole generation, but I know that many of the colleagues I respect the most experiment with this kind of music.

This brings me to one of the things that I’ve found most curious about Detroit.  I have not been on, or to, many gigs where this kind of music is being played.  Seems to be a hard-driving, swinging town, and I have the most respect for the musicians and the tradition.  Part of this is ignorance, since I don’t get out to hear as much music as I probably should, so please, if anyone reads this, please let me know if stuff like this is happening around town!

That being said, hopefully I can bring my music, THIS music, to some listeners.  Just have to write more of it!