Monday Michiru Corner

[jazzbo]

Darn, too bad you missed her!

Jim, yes, I've noticed too the chameleonesque qualities of her voice. Sometimes I hear Minnie Ripperton sweeness and light, sometimes there's a Chaka Khan earthiness, sometimes there's that Stevie Wonder like authority and wisdom. . . . Her cascading and contrapuntal backgrounds are killer as well. Nobody seems to do it better.

As you say, you sum up all this stuff, the poetic nature of her lyrics, the supple strength of her music, the wise choices of the production, the very "vibe" she brings. . . .

Just like 'lectric Miles, I tell ya, even down to shifting sonic sounds of her lead instrument from work to work!

MASSIVE talent. I'm spreading the word.

[JSngry]

Spread on!

[jazzbo]

Nice one Rod. . . I've seen a picture half the size without folds.. . like yours much more!

Monday below, posing as "Earth Goddess". . . . Where's the pentacles?

Edited June 9, 2006 by jazzbo

[jazzbo]

Niiiiiiice. Thanks Rod!

[jazzbo]

Further spreading the word and piquing interest:

AAJ thread

[JSngry]

Noted and responded to, Lon!

[jazzbo]

And it only took you about three seconds longer than I thought it would!

[JSngry]

My damn Comcast cable internet's been requiring frequent power cycles ever since Saturday or else it would've been sooner!

Can an AAJ restraining order be far off?

[king ubu]

Got me "4 seasons" (thanks to who posted the above link to Amazon.co.uk!). Played it once, liked it, but I must confess it didn't jump at me (yet?). Will play it again over the weekend, though!

The arrangements reminded me a bit of some of the better Incognito things (the "100° Rising" I still like quite a bit, sort of a holdover from past...), but it's obvious there's more to it. Maybe like the music of Maria Schneider: subtle things that don't scream out how great they are and that you may not be able to really do justice to without repeated (and concentrated) listening?

[jazzbo]

Well, I must say that I DO find things to enjoy on repeated listening, elements and details that didn't jump out at me at first.

I love the fact that it's not this or that entirely. . . it's something else from this and that. . . .That's how it hits me.

Listening to "Jazz Brat" right now. Really like the bossa nova elements of "Scat Attack."

[JSngry]

Yep, it didn't jump out at me the first few times either. But when it finally did, it jumped out screaming.

There's just so much "there" there...

[jazzbo]

I think what keeps me coming back to her is the laughter, the happiness I hear in her music. Man oh man. Anxiety and gloom suck. Take that from me.

"With hope I just want to live." "In life I just want to give." (from "Play it by Ear", version on Recollections).

Right now I HAVE to echo those feelings. If not my present situation would crush me. I'm learning to play it by ear. Thanks Monday. As she says, "Peace."

[king ubu]

These positive vibes certainly are a quality per se - I can fully understand that! And I felt them, too, upon my first listen. Not that I always like this positive vibe, but it's good to have it somewhere, if one needs it!

Jim, thanks for plugging me to this new artist, and thanks for confirming my notion of the complexity of the music (or certainly of the arrangements, at least) - looking forward even more to a concentrated listen now!

[JSngry]

The complexity for me is not just in the arrangements, or evenin the songs themselves, although that certainly is there.

The real complexity, and the one that finally got in side my head and permanently messed it up, is the complexity of essence - the "unimusic" aspect of her work that I talked about earlier.

Think about it - how many people are able to naturally bring all they are to their work? And how many people are so many things, not in an "either-or" way, but in a naturally oraganic way? Not that many, and even fewer over the last couple decades as societal and industrial changes have led to music getting more and more segregated, even as people are getting more and more culturally integrated. The global village is a reality, whether we realize it or not.

You think about how special a person it takes to, not just "fuse" all these things, but to seemingly be all these things and still be an individual, much less what it takes to bring the nature of that individuality to a creative expression, and it makes one stop and take stock of exactly what it means to be a thinking, feeling, loving person in today's world. Not yesterday's world, but today's.

It's easy living in yesterday's world, where identities (and therefore destinies) of all kinds are pretty much pre-defined. It's a lot harder to let go of all that, stand in the present, and look towards the future with all of the good things from the past along for the ride as tools of propulsion, not anchors of inertia.

Monday seems to me to be the type of person for whom that more difficult way is the natural way, and for me, it's been a revelation to start thinking about my life in that way. I'd been getting old without realizing, and I'd been getting comfortable with that oldness. No more. I'm still more than willing to mature, gain whatever wisdom borne of experience I'm able to get, and to physically age. But I'll be damned if I'm going to get old.

Old means saying "oh well" instead of "why not?" Old means only dreaming with your eyes closed, never with them open. Old means letting your lifeforce dwindle away and pretending that that's the way it's supposed to be. Old means losing the ability to distinguish between defeat and surrender.

Old is the beginning of death. The body will die soon enough, regardless of the age of the spirit it contains, so why not keep the spirit alive, fresh, ready for surprises, and ever-growing? Why the hell not?

Give me wisdom, give me maturity, and give me age. Those things I will accept with gratitude as the blessings of life that they are.

But under no circumstances will I accept old.

[jazzbo]

I can see it now: Jim gets to meet Monday. He breaks into song. . . "God bless YOU. . . You make me feel BRAND NEW!"

[JSngry]

Nah, it'd be "Thank You...Falettinme...Be Mice Elf...Agin"

[jazzbo]

If I met her it'd be more like Barney Fife than anything. . . .

[jazzbo]

(Prettier than Bill Murray) Edited June 18, 2006 by jazzbo

[slide_advantage_redoux]

I know that Sangrey has touched on the music by this wonderful writer, since he laid some cds on me. This shit is very nice! She is all over the stylistic map. I hear hints of Chick Corea melodicism (Light as a Feather influenced things....whether conscious or not)

There is some very nice urban rap here, with incisive political observations. Not trite or for the effect here.

The horn writing is superb too. (specifically I am talking about the 2 disc set "4 Seasons").

The musicianship is superb on every cut. NY cats are killing it. Grooves out the ass!

Thanks Sangrey, thanks very much! I am digging this hard.

[jazzbo]

I know that Sangrey has touched on the music by this wonderful writer, since he laid some cds on me. This shit is very nice! She is all over the stylistic map. I hear hints of Chick Corea melodicism (Light as a Feather influenced things....whether conscious or not)

There is some very nice urban rap here, with incisive political observations. Not trite or for the effect here.

The horn writing is superb too. (specifically I am talking about the 2 disc set "4 Seasons").

The musicianship is superb on every cut. NY cats are killing it. Grooves out the ass!

Thanks Sangrey, thanks very much! I am digging this hard.

I'm digging her work as well. Enormously talented woman!

There's a long thread of appreciation and information here helping to spread the word:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=26405

Monday with her son (husband Alex Sipiagin, arranger of those horn charts, not pictured)

[DatDere]

I've checked out some of her stuff after all the praise on this board. I like the music a lot, wish the lyrics were a little less cheesy though (nofi..)

[jazzbo]

That was my wish too at first.

BUT. . . .

Now I really love them because they're really sincere (my conclusion). She really means them. From all I can gather this is what she believes and feels and what has worked for her.

Hitting me now at a time when I need optimism and hope and love and trust more than ever, I have to say I ENJOY them. Not sure I would have as much in another time and place.

Plus. . . I love the way she sings them.

[JSngry]

I've checked out some of her stuff after all the praise on this board. I like the music a lot, wish the lyrics were a little less cheesy though (nofi..)

That was my wish too at first.

BUT. . . .

Now I really love them because they're really sincere (my conclusion). She really means them. From all I can gather this is what she believes and feels and what has worked for her.

Hitting me now at a time when I need optimism and hope and love and trust more than ever, I have to say I ENJOY them. Not sure I would have as much in another time and place.

Plus. . . I love the way she sings them.

Same here. If you have too much spare time than is good for you , you can read how at the beginning of this thread I was kinda snickering at her lyrics. But they won me over, and for the reasons Lon gives (LTB & I were in nothing like the type of situation that Lon & Helen are in, but crossroads is crossroads, if you get my drift...). It finally hit me that if you believe in love and life, then by god, you damn well better live like you do. No excuses. That realization, and my taking it to heart has revitalized my spirit, my marriage, and my life.

That may well be corny, but so be it. If you can believe it, then believe it. Works for me.

[JSngry]

Thanks Sangrey, thanks very much! I am digging this hard.

Hey, what are friends for?

[slide_advantage_redoux]

Thanks Sangrey, thanks very much! I am digging this hard.

Hey, what are friends for?

Uhhh, to pay your mortgage when you are a little light?