Well, I finally found some spare time to say hello to everyone again. I have noticed in the last few weeks that our nifty little plastic disc that we call a record is starting to get some advance release notification at all of my favorite internet retail outlets. It's all very exciting. Looking forward to the street date and some live playing in the not too distant future.
In the time since my last blog I have been very busy playing with a variety of different people here in Nashville, and playing quite a bit with my own trio - The Jody Nardone Trio - at my favorite Jazz club in Music City, F Scotts. It's one of my steady trio gigs here in town and we always have a blast. Ian and I did some playing together at F Scotts during his tenure as a Nashvillian. It's a great gig for me in that many friends and fans in the area can come out and hear me play under my own name (since I do quite a bit of sideman work) and most importantly it helps to keep my chops up. SO...any CJ3 fans out there that are in the Nashville area: please come on by and see me sometime and make sure you say hello. I'm usually there two Saturdays a month and it's always a great time. Can't promise that I'll be playing any Crimson music with my own trio, I like to save that repertoire for when I get to play with my CJ3 bandmates Ian and Tim. But I do like to play a variety of different stuff from Jerome Kern to Keith Jarrett, and even Kurt Cobain...I always throw in some original stuff as well.
Last time I blogged, I said that when I blogged next, I would make a little list of what's been on my iPod lately. For a while, all I was listening to was Frank Zappa. Maybe someday soon I will devote an entire blog to my absolute reverence and love for that man and his music.
For now here's what's currently in my car cd player and on the ol' iPod:
1) Mark Murphy: Once To Every Heart
New album - astounding! Mark Murphy is my all time FAVORITE jazz singer. If you don't know who he is, check him out.
2) Nine Inch Nails: With Teeth
Trent Reznor does it again. Amazing new release that just keeps getting better with every listen! I'm excited to see NIN live here in Nashville on Halloween. Should be quite an experience.
3) Paul McCartney: Chaos And Creation In The Backyard
Folks, I'm a huge Beatles fan and I think this may be Sir Paul's best solo outing since the McCartney album. Get it...it's awesome, and Radiohead's producer Nigel Godrich, produced it, it's great.
4) iKeith Jarrett: Radiance
There are so many Keith Jarrett solo records out there, yet somehow there will never be enough. Amazingly beautiful.
5) Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
Only Herbie can make a record that is as artistically sound and commercially viable as this one...and you can get it at Starbucks! Grab a Caramel Macchiato and pick this up. He's playing his butt off and is joined by John Mayer, Damien Rice and many other talented new voices. Check it out!
6) Chicago: Chicago IV (Live At Carnegie Hall)
Rhino finally did it! This has been the one Chicago album in the back catalog that hadn't been remastered and re-released. It's finally out, lovingly remastered and expanded and better than ever. For all of you fans of the original Chicago, if you loved this album when it came out, wait till you hear this CD. The remastering on it is superb. The sound is impeccable. My dad had the original boxed set on vinyl from the early '70's. I was always intrigued by that uniquely slick, thick box of records with the neat script lettering on the cover. Now it resides in my collection. One of the greatest live albums of all time just got better. 4 CDs in a box with the original vinyl packaging replicated exactly, with posters booklets, etc. It's incredible. For anybody that has forgotten how innovative this band was, especially in the early days, you need to revisit their output from the late '60's through mid '70s. The late great Terry Kath is a monster on this entire 4 CD set. The holidays are coming...don't miss it!
7) Fiona Apple: Extraordinary Machine
This is the album that Sony almost didn't put out? Fiona's fans got busy and started petitioning the label. Now they say that they never had any intention of "shelving" the project. Good thing...this may just be the best cd she's ever made.
8) Duncan Sheik: Daylight
Duncan's most recent album, not including the one he is currently working on. Produced by Patrick Leonard and gorgeous...it may be my favorite so far. I just saw Duncan at the Belcourt Theater here in Nashville. He was amazing. What a talented guy!
9) Last but not least...Yes: The Word Is Live
Comprehensive 3 CD collection of mostly previously unreleased stuff from the early days through the Big Generator tour. There's some great stuff from the Relayer tour (check out the live Sound Chaser! OMG!) and cool selections from the Drama tour, not to mention a gorgeous live Awaken. The whole thing rocks.
10) Upcoming release most likely to appear on Jody's birthday or Christmas list: Miles Davis: The Cellar Door Sessions 1970.
Keith Jarrett has always said that the recordings for Live/Evil were not all that was in the vaults. Miles' band was booked at the Cellar Door that entire week and Keith swore that they had recorded the entire engagement, not just the weekend shows with John McLaughlin sitting in. Those shows were the only ones that had been released so far (on Live/Evil). These tapes have been alluded to so many times in different documentaries and interviews that they have become somewhat of a holy grail for fans of Miles' early electric period. I've always felt that this band with Keith, Jack DeJohnette, Michael Henderson and Gary Bartz was his best electric ensemble. I CAN'T WAIT!
Well, these are some recommendations for anyone looking for some good stuff to fill their ears with this holiday season so enjoy!
And for now...as Porky Pig says..."That's All Folks!"
