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Artist......: Randy Napoleon
Album.......: Common Tones
Label.......: Detroit Music Factory
Genre.......: Jazz
Catnr.......: DMF2019
Source......: CD
Rip.date....: 2020-12-21
Str.date....: 2019-10-04
Quality.....: 846 kbps avg / 44.1kHz / 2 channels
Url.........:
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\ / # title time \ /
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1. Wouldn't It Be Nice 5:35
2. Common Tones 5:46
3. You've Got to Hang On 6:16
4. I Married an Angel 4:22
5. Saber Rattle 5:10
6. How It Might Have Been 3:38
7. Where It Ends 5:05
8. The Song is You 4:30
9. Signed Dizzy, With Love 5:40
10. Bakin' 4:20
11. If DW Were Here 6:46
12. Mr. Smith 5:12
13. Lessons Learned 6:41
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\ / ________ Runtime 69:01
,\ /... . . .... .... \ / ' Size 438.15______
:\/ ', \ / , \ /
' '... ..\ /.. .. .....:. .. .... .. . ..\ /.
: Release Notes: \/ , \/ ,
' '
,: Common Tones Explores the Balance of Intergenerational Musical :,
: Exchange :
:' ':
,: ThereÆs a long tradition in jazz of young musicians disrupting :,
: and inspiring the scene, while veteran musicians, the best of :
:' whom never lose that youthful energy and excitement, bring the ':
,: experience that can only come from decades of exploration. ItÆs :,
: a timeless, two-way street that every true jazz artist drives. :
:' ':
,: ôIÆve been thinking more and more about the lessons of my :,
: teachers and mentors,ö says jazz guitarist Randy Napoleon. HeÆs :
:' played on nearly 80 records and has spent years touring ':
,: international stages, but in recent years he has expanded his :,
: musical role to include becoming a professor in the jazz program :
:' at Michigan State University. ôI continually carry the ':
,: influences of my teachers with me, but IÆm also finding :,
: inspiration in the new, creative voices of musicians 20 years :
:' younger than me.ö ':
,: :,
: And this record ties that all together. :
:' ':
,: Common Tones is NapoleonÆs second record on Detroit Music :,
: Factory. It explores the balance that comes from the :
:' intergenerational musical exchange that is as foundational to ':
,: jazz as any elements of sound or expression. :,
: :
:' The record is thematically thoughtful, and the performances are ':
,: conversational. Its structure reflects the underlying narrative :,
: of the record: how the bricks of excitement, and of a readiness :
:' to be limitless, are the earliest, essential components around ':
,: which experience and focus lay a solid road. :,
: :
:' Common Tones features four generations of musicians. The first ':
,: eight tunes were recorded with the younger artists, each of whom :,
: has been quickly establishing their place in the world of jazz :
:' in recent years. The next four tracks, which were performed ':
,: with the veteran players, form and homage to two of NapoleonÆs :,
: most influential mentors, tenor saxophonist Donald Walden and :
:' trumpeter Louis Smith. And the final tune, ôLessons Learned,ö ':
,: brings it all together. :,
: :
:' While playing with veteran jazz musicians is familiar territory ':
,: for Napoleonùamong the many international acts heÆs played with, :,
: heÆs toured with mentors Freddy Cole and Benny GreenùheÆs now at :
:' a stage in his career where heÆs no longer the ôyoung guyö on ':
,: stage, and he seems to be settling into this new role quite :,
: comfortably, and even with a renewed energy. :
:' ':
,: ôItÆs funny for me to be on the bandstand with someone whoÆs 20 :,
: years younger, but they can really push you and challenge you,ö :
:' he says. ôSome of these musicians I knew when they were just ':
,: learning their ABCs musically, and just a few years later :,
: theyÆre putting on the heat.ö :
:' ':
,: Although Napoleon did all the arrangements on Common Tones, and :,
: he wrote all eight of the original songs on the album, he sees :
:' the record as a true collaboration. It hits a lot of musical ':
,: territory, with a variety of feelings and grooves. He moves :,
: confidently through moods, from the upbeat and bright swing of :
:' ôI Married an Angel,ö to the aggressive and unpredictable ':
,: ôSaber Rattle,ö or the serious and intense ôWhere It Ends.ö :,
: :
:' Napoleon opens the record with the familiarity of The Beach ':
,: BoysÆ ôWouldnÆt it Be Nice.ö Although there are no lyrics on :,
: NapoleonÆs jazz rendition of the famous pop song, the irony of :
:' the opening line on the original is not lost on him. In our ':
,: heads we hear ôWouldnÆt it be nice if we were older,ö while the :,
: young musicians play NapoleonÆs arrangement with maturity and :
:' depth. ':
,: :,
: The performances on the Motown cover ôYouÆve Got to Hang Onö are :
:' particularly enjoyable, and certainly a source of pride for a ':
,: Michigan-based, Detroit-produced record. Just listen to the :,
: blues groove in Drew KilpelaÆs trombone solo. ItÆs a great :
:' example of how the soul of that music percolates in the DNA of ':
,: these musicians. :,
: :
:' The scaled down arrangement on the original composition ôIf DW ':
,: Were Hereö is a beautiful ode to Donald Walden. ItÆs performed :,
: as a piano and guitar duo, and features the masterful playing of :
:' NapoleonÆs fellow Detroit Music Factory recording artist Xavier ':
,: Davis. :,
: :
:' Common Tones brings everything full circle with the last tune ':
,: on the record, NapoleonÆs composition ôLessons Learned.ö Michael :,
: DeaseÆs thematically-exquisite trombone solo alone is worth the :
:' price of the record. The tune is beautifully melodic and ':
,: sentimental. Perfectly balanced, it pivots from major to minor, :,
: back and forth between melancholy and bliss. :
:' ':
,: This is some of NapoleonÆs best work to date. While he rises to :,
: the level of mastery modeled by his teachers and mentors, you :
:' can hear his openness to the influences of new and emerging ':
,: voices. His writing and arrangements are melodically memorable :,
: and not shy of surprises. :
:' ':
,: ôI love the excitement of playing with the younger musicians, :,
: their fearlessness to try anything. It reminds me of my most :
:' pure musical self. You just play exactly how you believe. Like, ':
,: æthis is how I feel about the music and IÆm going to play this :,
: way.Æ ThereÆs no limitations to the expression,ö says Napoleon. :
:' ôThatÆs emotionally where I want to stay. And IÆve played with ':
,: musicians in their eighties who are still like that. ThatÆs how :,
: I want to be.ö :
:' ':
: '
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\ / Shout out to all our homies from: \ /
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\ / iPC BOSS HiT2000 1way UKi i8 RNS \ /
\ / RAGEMP3 MANDY DV8 pLAN9 BUTT \ /
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\ / H O U N D \ /
\/ 2 0 2 0 \/