Wildcard - Ben Thomas

I owe my current listening to a fatal day last August when my the left side of my head phones inexplicably stopped working. I was forced into a world without music accompanying me wherever I went. World of people watching on the train, safely riding my bike, and even falling asleep to street traffic.  Because of lack of funds, I decided to see how long I could go until I absolutely needed headphones again and was pleasantly surprised by December that I had gone almost four months without music in the background of my daily activities. Music had become something that I plopped down on the couch to enjoy, sitting through an album like back in the good old days of listening parties in school.

1. Marty Robbins - Gun Fighter Ballads and Trail Songs

An album that I revisited during that time was Marty Robbins’ Gun Fighter Ballads and Trail Songs. I first heard this album in high school from a friend who would drag me into his room to share his recent musical findings.  It was painful in the beginning of hearing Big Iron again and again as I would always think of it as music my grand parents like, but it wore a hole in my ear and found it's way to my iPod.  Years later I’m still enjoying it and it was a great start to enjoying other country western artists.

The reason that I keep coming back to this album is because of it’s honesty.  Simple music with catchy melodies, tons of reverb, no frills, three part harmonies, all to tell the intricate and tragic stories of cowboys in the wild west. I love that the songs never reach five minutes, there’s only guitar/violin solos as introductions, and the rhythm section provides a squishy cushion for Marty’s luxurious pipes.  Its clear to hear why this music reached outrageous heights of popularity as it wasn’t trying to be anything it wasn’t. Heck, El Paso was no. 1 on the charts in 1960 and won a grammy!

2. João Gilberto - João Gilberto

João Gilberto’s Self-titled album from 1973 came to me last month when I complained to my friend of needing some new music (after I received new head phones for Christmas). It took some time of sifting through dozens of other albums acquired along with the Gilberto, but when I finally had a listen, I had never heard anything like it.

My ignorance of boss nova kept me in the dark until hearing hearing João. Bossa nova was never thoroughly covered while at school and whenever a bossa tune was called, it was more like an opportunity for a break before we were back to bebop. Anyway, there are many reasons this album is so fantastic.  I love the album cover, the font, colors, and picture almost depict what the music inside will be like, simple on the surface but deep if given any attention.  The music is mainly João singing and playing guitar, with some extra percussion and singing on a few of the tracks.  João is primarily an interpreter of other people's compositions on this album with two originals that are the most interesting on the album.  I usually don't go for cover albums, but when you compare João's version of Aguas de Marco to Elis Regina's, it's almost as if they are different songs. And he does this with almost every song with his uniquely quiet whispering voice.

Only after trying to play along with these recordings did I realize just how special this music is.  It's very easy to listen and enjoy the relaxing melodies and beautiful chords, but switch on the musician ear and these compositions take on a whole new life. Its a real challenge to keep track of long forms where each A has different substitutions and hardly anything repeats! This is music not to be taken lightly!

3. Skuli Sverrisson - Sería II

Skuli Sverrison's Sería II is another album obtained recently from a friend.  I'm really lucky to have friends with excellent tastes in music!  I've mostly listened to Skuli in Ben Monder and Jim Black's bands so hearing this was an ear opener! The music is extremely beautiful, exploring lush string texture and voice. As corny as this will sound, it actually transports you to another world when you close your eyes, with memorable, singable melodies, and layered guitars.  I think this is what a lot of Philip Glass' music would sound like with melodies over the top.  There's always pulsating rhythm underneath and everything is tonal! You don't even have to listen to the entire album, but why wouldn't you, it's only 40 minutes! Definitely check out Her Looking Back and Le Feu.  These tracks are goosebumps guaranteed. Also Eyvind Kang sounds great.

Now living in Brooklyn, Ben Thomas is an active member of the creative music scene playing in the bands of Angela Morris, Nate Reit, Gillian Bell, as well as John Crowley's Heart of Darkness, and is a member of Ensemble Mise-en.

Office Playlist - Joe Henderson

Podcast 14 - Alan Ferber

GRAMMY nominated Alan Ferber talks about his latest record March Sublime, his experience at the Grammys, and how playing a lot of different types of music has influenced his own compositions.

Please, Subscribe in iTunes and give us feedback. That will help us out tremendously. Also, feel free to e-mail me at drew@wingwalkermusic.com with any suggestions or questions. Thank you for listening!

Wildcard - Rob Garcia

I feel that different types of music serve different purposes and require different qualities of listening, and there are many examples of music that will serve multiple purposes. Rob can be heard leading his new project called Soapbox featuring Jean Rohe on Saturday, March 22 at the Brooklyn Conservatory (in Park Slope, Bklyn) as part of the Brooklyn Jazz Wide Open series. www.connectionworks.org, www.robgarcia.com

1. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - One Size Fits All

This is an album I've listened to in spurts over the past 20 years or so, so kind of an all-time favorite. I was listening to a radio program on a local jazz station talking about George Duke shortly after he passed away. I got kind of bugged because they were talking about his time in Frank Zappa's band as if it were just any old rock gig that didn't challenge him how the jazz gigs he did like with Cannonball Adderly. One would only write off Zappa as some rock star guy if they had never heard any of his music. This album is a masterpiece of music that challenges, amuses, grooves and rocks the listener. It's all in there perfect for multiple listenings and the multiple levels of listening. George Duke also really shines through in his playing and singing on it. Zappa was a true genius, visionary and innovator and certainly transcends musical categories.

2. Ben Monder - Oceana

I've been listening to this album recently and thinking that I still need to get Ben's new album "Hydra". Ben Monder is a master and innovator of the guitar and music. His playing and composing are uniquely his. This music commands a more focused listening experience that is well worth the attention. A beautifully produced album with no wasted moments. Soundscapes, overtones!, innovative harmonic progressions and voicings, math metal!, mature and patient compositions that deliver… A beautiful album featuring Theo Bleckmann, Kermit Driscoll, Skuli Sverrison and Ted Poor.

3. Steve Lampert - Music From There

I've never heard anything quite like this album. Steve is a composer and trumpeter. He played in Gerry Mulligan's group among many others. I first met him on some gigs we did together at Detour back in the late 1990's, but got to know him more recently through playing with his friend Noah Preminger. I always enjoy the opportunity to hang and chat with him. He is a wealth of knowledge of western music…jazz, classical, contemporary classical, rock, etc! And his music on this album draws from all these cannons that he is so familiar with and has created something unique. It's a blend of recorded acoustic instruments and electronically generated sounds so more post-production work than a regular jazz album (which this is not). My 9 year old son really digs this album and often requests to hear it on car rides. Fantastic work!

4. Bob Dylan - The Times They Are a-Changin'

I recently got into some folk artists such as Judy Collins, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. This is Dylan's 3rd album released in January 1964 when he was 22 years old…just him singing and playing acoustic guitar. I find it mind boggling that someone so young can articulate these messages and stories with such depth and feeling. Some songs on the album are commenting on the breakdown of small farming and mining communities and exposes the experience on a personal human level. There are also songs dealing with civil rights, and of course the title track putting the word out that shit is changing and you better be ready for it. I find this album very moving.

5. Scott Robinson Doctette - Bronze Nemesis

This album covers a lot of ground and is a very bold artistic statement. Scott is some I've played with many times in traditional jazz settings as well as some in more modern and experimental. He is a musician who can play and be fully himself in the various musical situations he's in. Bronze Nemesis gives you the unbridled genius of Scott Robinson. Many overtones of retro futuristic electronics. Fantastic horn arranging that pushes the envelope but masterfully constructed. It swings, it's out, it's fun. Much time and care went into this album, as anything that Scott would put out on his own label. Again, no wasted moments….Get it if you don't have it.

Office Playlist - Matt Ulery's Loom

Podcast 13 - Steve Cardenas

On this week's episode, I got to sit down and talk to my FAVORITE guitar player-Steve Cardenas. We talk about the delusion it takes to move to New York City, being a musician's musician, and his new record Melody in a Dream. We also talk about some of the diverse musicians he has played with including Paul Motian, Charlie Haden, Joey Baron, and Ben Allison.

Please, Subscribe in iTunes and give us feedback. That will help us out tremendously. Also, feel free to e-mail me at drew@wingwalkermusic.com with any suggestions or questions. Thank you for listening!

Wildcard - Nadje Noordhuis

 *Nadje Noordhuis can be heard tonight, March 4th, at The Douglass Street Music Collective, 295 Douglass St, Brooklyn, NY, with James Shipp at 9:30pm.

1. Snarky Puppy We Like It Here

I was playing DJ at a party recently, and someone commented that I only listen to music written by my friends. I don't know Michael League but am friends with two of the vocalists who told me for years how hard this band has been working in building something very special. Their recent Grammy win was a fantastic payback for their efforts. Their compositions are funky, intricate, polished, fun, and they have that coveted “band-sound”. This album was recorded in front of a live audience, and I feel like this approach always delivers the results of an energetic and inspired concert with some spontaneity thrown in. I've listened to this album on repeat for a week and I'm still trying to work out some of their rhythmic ideas.

2. Lake Street Dive Bad Self Portraits

Another jazz/crossover success story, this band from New England Conservatory are doing ridiculously well. I saw their appearances on Letterman and the Colbert Report because of the dozens of supportive Facebook posts from my friends who went to school with them. I find it really exciting when jazzers do well! This has been another gym/commuting favorite. The songs are well crafted and solidly played, the lyrics are great, the grooves have some jazz-inflected subtleties, Rachael Price sings beautifully, and there isn't a weak composition on the album. I love that. No fillers. Onwards and upwards for this group, which is very encouraging.

3. The Pixies Dolittle

One of my favorite indie-rock bands from my high school years has been making an unexpected resurgence in my life recently. I played arrangements of their music from their Surfer Rosa album in January with the Asphalt Orchestra, as a supporting act for The Pixies themselves. It was SO much fun. For a month or so, I felt like every cafe I was in was playing “Hey” from Dolittle. Someone reminded me about the greatness of the entire album, and I found myself listening to it regularly again. It's difficult not to have flashbacks to being sixteen when I hear it, but I always have a grin on my face when the guitar starts up in No. 13 Baby.

4. Louis Armstrong's All-Time Greatest Hits

I remember when I first moved to New York ten years ago, I went to a party where the hosts played recordings of Duke Ellington in a small and crowded walkup apartment. It fitted the locale perfectly, and I find this is also the case with Louis Armstrong. It's difficult for me to listen to him on the beaches of Sydney, but as I walk around the streets of Brooklyn, he warms my heart with his super tasty trumpet lines and friendliest vocals in the world. It is impossible to have a bad moment when listening to him. Therefore, this album comes in handy when you are anywhere near New York's subway system.

5. Rudy Royston 303

I can't tell you how happy I am to be a part of this group. Rudy's compositions are eclectic and unique, and I listen to this album on repeat so I can get better at playing his music. There are some surprising twists and turns, and some ridiculously amazing solos by Jon Irabagon, Nir Felder and the rest of the crew. Rudy himself is undoubtedly one of the best drummers I've ever heard in my life. If I could transcribe and learn all the solos on this record, I'd be a much stronger player. The reviews from this new album have been fantastic, and deservedly so. Rudy has taken the energetic music from the east coast and blended it with the cool from the west coast. He has created an original and well-crafted statement in this album that will hopefully connect with many listeners.

Australian-born trumpeter/composer Nadje Noordhuis possesses one of the most unforgettably lyrical voices in modern music.

Podcast 12 - Steve Picataggio

Steve is releasing his debut album titled Two Feet on the Ground. This is a capital J Jazz record. We talk all about the tunes musicians and the true meaning of Wing Walker Music - honesty. In addition to all of the good stuff in this podcast, be sure to check out Episode 7 with Deric Dickens. Steve helped co-host and we talked about releasing records independently. Between these two podcasts, you should have everything you need to release your own record! Buy Steve's record!

Wildcard - Adam Hopkins

I've been a little all-over-the-map in terms of music consumption lately. Is consumption the right word for listening to music? I go through periods of time where I REALLY check out an album and nothing else for an extended period of time. The last time that happened to me was with Snakeoil's Shadow Man. It was basically on repeat for a month without me listening to much else. Currently I'm more in a phase of checking out a lot of stuff and moving on...I think it's because I broke my iPod, and my phone has limited space. I'll just put 5 albums on my phone at the beginning of the week for when I'm driving or riding the train, then switch it up the following week. It's been fun!

1. Cheap At Half The Price - Fred Frith

This album and the album below go together in terms of what I wanted to hear this week, which was Fred Frith. I love Fred Frith, from his bass playing in Naked City to his more freely improvised music. But this album is my absolute favorite...more like his take on pop songs. It was recommended to me years ago by my good friend TJ Huff (who did the recent album art for Signal Problems and the upcoming Ideal Bread release), and I return to it at least a couple of times a year. This week was one of those times. I couldn't possibly pick a favorite track, so I'd recommend everyone in the world get this record and listen to the whole thing all the way through.

2. Learn To Talk/The Country of Blinds - Skeleton Crew

Skeleton Crew was the joint project of Fred Frith with the amazing improvising cellist Tom Cora (who passed away far too young...one of the musicians that I most would have liked to have had the opportunity to see live), and very often Zeena Parkins. Everyone in the band plays percussion, but there's no set percussionist as they are all playing other instruments simultaneously. Wikipedia can be awesome sometimes, and this is one of those times...the history section of the band is quite informative. Instead of me typing it out, you can just check out this link! I actually do have a favorite Skeleton Crew song. The whole double set is great, but here's a link to my favorite track, entitled We're Still Free.

3. Strange Negotiations - David Bazan

I am kind of in a constant loop of David Bazan albums right now, and it seems like there is always one in my phone at any given time. It might be the Headphones album, or Pedro The Lion (maybe a little less likely), but it is often one of the solo albums under his name. I rarely listen to lyrics when I check out an album...it's almost always the last thing that resonates with me. I'm not sure if this means I don't have a soul, but it's just the way I am. The point is that I listen to David Bazan lyrics more than most other artists that I check out (with the exception maybe being Tom Waits). I've been slowly working on a solo bass set, although I'm not sure that I'll ever present it. David Bazan has been an inspiration in a lot of ways, and one of his songs may make its' way into the set if I ever do decide to reveal it to the general public. For now it's just been good for me to try to play a bass part and sing independently.

4. Waiting For You To Grow - Kris Davis

This is a very recently obtained album, although I have checked out all of the albums under Kris' own name. Rye Eclipse was probably the first one I got really into, and this is her most recent trio release. After one or two listens I'm really enjoying it. The record is trio with John Hebert on bass and Tom Rainey on drums. and it's one of the few trio albums I've heard in a while that keeps me engaged throughout texturally. Very cool so far! I'd definitely recommend it, along with pretty much everything else on the Clean Feed label.

5. Jeremiah Cymerman's 5049 Podcast

Is this cheating? I'm not sure, because I don't remember what the requirements for the Wildcard are. Even if it is cheating, I'm including it! I'm sure many of the followers of Wing Walker are also familiar with Jeremiah Cymerman's 5049 Podcast. He interviews musicians and they get into it, simply put. This is what I've been listening to on the train for the past couple of months. Some of my favorite past interviews are those with Chris Speed and Nate Wooley, but this week I checked out the episodes of Ellery Eskelin (Baltimore represent!) and Matt Bauder...both very, very good, and well worth the listen.

Adam Hopkins is a bassist, composer, and educator born and raised in Baltimore, MD and currently living in Brooklyn, NY.

Office Playlist - Jimmy Giuffre Trio - The Train and the River