10 for Alphio

Prince was a contemporary, who influenced music for almost 35 years, blending funk, soul, rock, pop and more, with creativity and musical ability across all instruments that has rarely been seen.  When Alphio (Alpha Roots) created this super funky track last week to honor the passing of Prince, I asked him if I could join him on a Part II.  Graciously, Alphio agreed and so I added a couple of synth lines to further spice it up a little.  The fantastic drum and congas and guitar lines are Alphio, and I have added the trumpet and low synth, following Alphio's beautiful wah guitar playing.  

If you aren't following Alpha Roots, please make the effort to check out his extensive collection of originals and collaborations:   he is a reggae master, and a very fine percussion player, guitarist and expressive vocalist - while even throwing down some nice keys too:  https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots 

And here's a link to Alpha's original Jam For Prince https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots/jam-for-prince-rip in case you haven't yet caught his classic tribute...

We thank you for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares.  RIP Prince....

Jam For Prince II - a Tribute to Prince / Alpha Roots with Jamie Rhind

Our great friend on SoundCloud Alphio "Alpha Roots" has been struggling with some serious medical issues recently.  Today I put this tune together to honor his friendship and that would serve as a platform during which we could wish him continued strength and improved wellness, and the same for others struggling.  This is my message to you...

Sure Alphio would love your positive words of healing, so head to his wonderful SoundCloud gallery for inspiration and the healing that he shares with so many others:  https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots

This photo was taken in the beautiful Islands of Lofoten, Norway

Alphio's Roots - For Alpha Roots

Something very special can happen on SoundCloud when deep musicians from all over the world get together.  Here's our Song For Africa, a jam for Peace.  The tune was conceived and initiated by Germany's multitalented musician Alphio "Alpha Roots", who wanted to create a positive statement with friends from around the world, asking Germany's Jorg Stohwasser on tenor sax and Christian Zatioukal on African Bouzouki,  London's Gary Reeves on drums and percussion and me on keys to record.  Each has added so much to the sound, and we are really pleased to now share it with you.  One Love and Prayers too now for Alphio, who is gaining strength after a most difficult surgery. 

Alpha Roots:  song creation, bass, steel drums  https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots
Jamie Rhind:  organ, vibraphone
Joerxworx:  tenor saxophone  https://soundcloud.com/joerxworx
Mountain Songs:  drums, percussion, congas, timbales  https://soundcloud.com/mountain-songs
Soundwanderer:  African Bouzouki  https://soundcloud.com/soundwanderer


Thanks as always for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares

Song For Africa  - with Alpha Roots / Joerxworx / Mountain Songs / Soundwanderer

What a great group of players on Infinity.  Scott Nelson is at the top of his game on guitar, setting the head and building a great story.  He's a musical master and we are so happy once again to have him leading.  Alphio on djembe is a second master, one who plays many instruments with ease and taste, and so much soul.  And creating the deep funk fusion bass lines again is Mirko "Stringburner" Borach.  These guys are all among my very favorites.  We hope you enjoy Infinity.   The photo is of the magnificent Northern Lights above Lofoten, Norway.

Thanks as always for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares.

Infinity - with Scott Nelson / guitar, Alpha Roots / djembe,  and Mirko "Stringburner" Borach / bass

Cissy Strut is a funky, New Orleans type groove recorded initially by the Meters, and then performed and recorded by so many musicians.   Scott suggested the tune and we've decided to style it after a favorite version recorded by John Scofield.  We've lined up some great great players to bring Cissy Strut to SoundCloud - Scott Nelson and Stephan "Pinner" Lipinski on guitars, Mirko "Stringburner" Borach on bass and Alpha Roots with his signature djembe sound.  Scott's got the first solo and plays sweet rhythm guitar over the track, Pinner takes the second guitar solo, and I follow on Hammond Organ.  What fun this was for all of us.  
Follow each of these serious players:
Scott Nelson / guitar:  https://soundcloud.com/scott-nelson-364333064
Stephan "Pinner" Lipinski / guitar:  https://soundcloud.com/pinner
Mirko "Stringburner" Borach / bass:  https://soundcloud.com/stringburner
Alpha Roots / djembe: https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots

Thanks as always for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares.

Cissy Strut - with Scott Nelson, Stephan Lipinski, Mirko Borach, Alpha Roots and Jamie Rhind

Here's the wonderful Al Schulman's beautiful version of the classic standard, Blue Bossa, written by the great trumpet player Kenny Durham and released in 1963.    Al creates some of the sweetest jazz guitar playing in New York and on SoundCloud.  So gorgeous and so expressive.  Follow Al's serious collection of jazz guitar and standards:  https://soundcloud.com/alanschulman and with recordings of Stacey & Alan : https://soundcloud.com/staceyalanjazz , jazz duets with his wife


And for the collection of tunes we have recorded together: https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind/sets/swinging-with-al-schulman

Thanks to all for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares

Blue Bossa - with Al Schulman - guitar

Recording Bob Marley's classic Three Little Birds has been something I have wanted to do since I joined SoundCloud, and the incredible Alpha Roots jumps in with me here to bring this to life.  Alphio has been so close to Bob Marley's music and teachings, and he brings everything musically and spiritually to this recording, as he does so musically to everything and everyone he touches.  In addition to the beautiful singing, Alphio has created a 2 riddim guitar tracks, an organ track and a bass guitar track.  Check out Alphio's simply wonderful gallery of music and collaborations here.  He's such a talented musician, who plays all instruments, and creates such great grooves and moods and tunes:  https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots  And for our collection of 16 tunes we have recorded together:  https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind/sets/rhythm-and-space-with-alpha

Alphio has been facing so many recent challenges, with severe medical issues.  Prayers for healing, strength and courage.  I know this music helps.

Thanks to all for your generous listening, for your comments and for your shares

Three Little Birds - with Alpha Roots

Here's a little bluesy number dedicated to Alpha Roots - I'm feeling blue today thinking of our great friend Alphio https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots.  Alphio has gone through such a challenging year and more with his head high, creating warm music with so much rhythm, creativity, spirit and love.  Always leaving positive notes on his music descriptions, despite his many setbacks, Alphio needs our love and thoughts now even more than ever before.  Life can be wonderful, yet for so many it is fleeting and the challenges sometimes can sometimes be more than anyone has an answer for.  This one is to my great friend Alphio - our great friend Alphio - who has shown us all that spirit rises above all, and that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.  Please stop by Alphio's SoundCloud gallery to listen to his uplifting music, to follow him, to take in that spirit, and to leave him some notes and love, which will mean so much to him.  And for a collection of the music we have recorded together here on SoundCloud,  https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind/sets/alphio

Courage Is Not The Absence of Fear But The Triumph Over It - dedicated to Alpha Roots

This reggae is dedicated to our great friend, exceptional creator and multi-talented musician brother Alphio https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots, who has brought love and peace and the spirit of collaboration to every bit of music he has touched here.  Alphio's Sicilian by birth, lives in the beautiful cultural city of Stuttgart, Germany, but is truly a world citizen among his friends here.  An amazingly positive spirit, despite the setbacks he has faced with his health, Alphio has created so much beautiful music for us to chill to, to reflect and to cherish.  He knows no boundaries, merging Roots, Reggae, Dub, Blues, Jazz and Rock.  Truly world music he has been creating his entire lifetime.  Brother Alphio's collection here on SoundCloud spans 100+ pieces, in addition to the many many tracks he has been invited to join to add his superb percussion skills, vocal skills, guitar, bass and overall musicality.  With each track, we all find a comfort, a message, a deeper meaning, a reason for being, and in so many ways, peace.  I have learned so much from Alphio from his music, from his patience, from his gratitude, from his approach to life, and from the incredible positive spirit and optimism he carries with him.  These are infectious traits for all who come in touch with him, and each of us who has been fortunate to know and love him, will carry these traits throughout our own lives.  With the very deepest warmth and respect, I have created a little reggae as a tribute to this Roots Master, entitled Irie.  In Rastafarian, Irie means to be at total peace with your current state of being...the way you feel when you have no worries.   This one's for you Alphio - the great man who taught us all to have an Irie day, no matter what your problems are.  Thank you Alphio...for your friendship, for your beautiful music and for your love to all.
Please follow Alphio's reggae and world music here on SC: https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots . It will warm your heart.

Irie - a special tribute to Alphio (Alpha Roots)

Always something special with Alphio, and when he asked me to join him on this Gershwin classic, we had a blast.  Almost all of this is Alphio.  Check out his beautiful interpretation and his extensive gallery of reggae, dub, fusion and world music: https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots

And our wonderful collection of tunes recorded together:  https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind/sets/alphio

Thanks as always for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares.

Necessarily Dub - with Alpha Roots

Jazz/Fusion keyboard player, composer and producer.  Marketing, advertising, publishing and sales career.  Originally from Chicago, where I developed a strong appreciation for the blues and classical, and moved to New York, where jazz and the fine arts are so deep.  Key musical influences include Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Zawinul and Weather Report, Chick Corea and Return to Forever, John McLaughlin and the Mahivishnu Orchestra, Stanley Clarke, Scott Henderson and Tribal Tech, Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Emily Remler, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Larry Young, Buddy Guy, Santana and Earth Wind & Fire.   Former classical clarinet and piano player.  Unless noted, my music on SoundCloud was composed, recorded and performed using only keyboards.  An avid photographer.  Many covers here are my shots.  To see my photography look for Herbiejazz on Instagram or search for Herbiejazz on Google.  And a big thumbs up to SoundCloud and the SoundCloud community, and so many friends who have joined me to create.  Thank you all.