Featured Music Designer: Mark Shapiro
I like to make my listening sessions a kind of dream tour through musical/emotional landscapes. For this session, in which I concentrated on some of my lifelong favorite recordings, I started with “Cristo Redentor” for its evocation of a majestic, soulful overture. Then to “Little B’s Poem”, so sweet so innocent, to put me in a state of child-like receptivity. Then, speaking of fairy tales, I move to “Tom Thumb” a rollicking post-bop/rhythm-and-blues fusion that could come only from the mind of Wayne Shorter. That inspires me to let it really rip with an intense high-cooker by Count Basie. Thus energized by the beat of Basie’s men, I turn to Mingus to add his ultra-swinging take to this jazz party. Then it’s time to ease back, so I turn to Bill Evans’s gorgeous reflective interpretation of “Autumn Leaves”. Then, to prolong this wonderful, glowing relaxation, I move to the most sublime sound in the universe – the alto saxophone of Johnny Hodges, here with Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on a composition called “Isfahan”, a quite exotic stop on the tour. Thinking still about Strayhorn and Hodges I turn to Art Farmer’s Strayhorn tribute album ‘Something To Live For’ from which I choose a tightly swinging track called “Johnny Come Lately”. Since Art Farmer sounds so good right down to the bones, I double up on him with Sonny Clark’s classic, drenchy blue “Cool Struttin”. Then time for a closer; so I take it home as beautifully as I can imagine with the ballad “’Tis Autumn” played by, sighed and whispered by, the great Stan Getz.
I hope you enjoy this jazz tour as much as I enjoyed creating it.
For Mark's complete bio, click here.
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