Who are your musical inspirations and mentors?  It is so important for musicians to have mentors and true inspirations, who have helped shape the music each of us creates and plays.   I've done 8 tributes so far for SoundCloud for some of my very favorites - Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Paco de Lucia, Carlos Santana, McCoy Tyner, Joe Zawinul and even SoundCloud's own Tom Adams.  Several of the tunes here include other fine SC musicians - Joe Bongiovanni on guitar on the Santana and Justin Valente on guitar in our tribute to Tom Adams.  Know you have enjoyed these in the past and hope you continue to do so.  
For some wonderful electric guitar playing, check out Joe, Tom and Justin:
https://soundcloud.com/joe-bongiovanni
https://soundcloud.com/tytlblues
https://soundcloud.com/search?q=justin%20valente

Thanks as always for your time listening, your comments and likes and shares







BUY JAMIE'S MUSIC

Tributes to Herbie, Miles, Paco de Lucia, Santana, Tom Adams, Joe Cocker, McCoy, Zawinul and Charlie

The musical genius of Austrian Joe Zawinul has been an inspiration for me since the 80s, when I first saw him in New York with seminal fusion band Weather Report.  He remains one of the most important synthesizer players and composers of the 20th century.  

Zawinul - A Tribute to Weather Report

Here's a tribute to the legendary pianist McCoy Tyner, one of my most important musical inspirations.  Check out his recordings with John Coltrane from the early '60s, and the power and creativity of his lines, using highly percussive fifths and fourths in his left hand, and fourths and pentatonic scales in his right.  One of the most important jazz pianist of the 20th century, McCoy continues to inspire to this day...

The Real McCoy -  A Tribute to McCoy Tyner

Loved putting this tribute to Carlos together with guitar master Joe Bongiovanni.  Santana has meant so much to the musical and spiritual world, and we hope that you find this tribute to be fitting.  Enjoy and let us know what you think.

Senor Carlos - A Tribute to Santana with Joe Bongiovanni / guitar

The great virtuoso flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia passed away this year, so I thought I'd honor his amazing music with this Spanish guitar piece I wrote and recorded....all done on keyboards.  Enjoy - and thanks as always for listening and your comments.  

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=paco+de+lucia+youtube&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paco_de_Luc%C3%ADa

Paco - a Tribute to Paco de Lucia

Thought I'd throw a quick tune together riding the train out to New York's beautiful Hamptons, and pulled this off with my midi controller and a laptop.  Surprised the people walking by on the train, but what the hell!  Probably the first tune ever recorded on a train:).  Here's a simple I-IV groove in C that just works (they always do:)) Thanks to Joe Cocker for his seminal Feeling Alright.  One of my favorite grooves.  Same type of vibe here.  Seems like the right atmosphere to go into the holiday weekend.  All done on keyboards.  Thanks as always for listening and commenting.  

Smile - Tribute to Joe Cocker

It's Friday so why not throw up some funk!  There is no one deeper than Herbie Hancock, so I created this funky tune as a tribute to Herbie.  Such an important influence he was across so many genres.  Herbie is the consummate musician.  A fellow native of Chicago, Herbie soloed with the Chicago Symphony at around age 12, started producing his own albums on Blue Note before he was 20, joined the legendary Miles Davis quintet in '64, and brought electronic keyboards with the Rhodes to Miles with the famous Miles Smiles album, then pioneering electronic keyboards in the late 60s with In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew.  Miles had an album Get on Up With It, which is where I took the name from - a common phrase back in the late 60s and 70s..that James Brown of course used with his funky Sex Machine hit.  In addition to his incredible influence with Miles, Herbie left him around '72 to form the Headhunters, which then created what still is the best selling "jazz" album of all time - with Chameleon and so many other classics.  Herbie has meant so much to me that we named our first Beagle Herbie Hancock.  And was Herbie amused when I met him at a party and told him that.  Anyway, here's Get on Up.  I've used a real nice backing track with Swiss guitarist Hanspeter Kruesi https://soundcloud.com/music-pictures to set the groove and then added a number of keyboard and Miles like muted trumpet lines to bring it to life.  Get on Up!

Get On Up - Tribute to Herbie Hancock

Justin https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente and I wanted to throw out a guitar/organ jam to thank Tom Adams https://soundcloud.com/tytlblues for his incredible support of the Blues here on SoundCloud.  Inspirational and a mentor he has been to so many around the world.  So many countries.  Yesterday Tom surprised us all with a Soundcloud farewell jam and so we thought it would be best to get right back to him to let him know we digged his efforts for us all here.  On Payday,  Justin just takes this one home for Tom, as only Justin can.  He's picking up the organ and drum groove and spinning it around silly.  Heavy blues rock sound from New Jersey!!  Gotta love it.  Sweet sweet electricity.  We're missing you already here Tom.  You know it.  The stage is always open.....Let's hear some Soundcloud love for Tom and Justin.  And thanks as always for your listening, comments and shares!


https://soundcloud.com/tytlblues
https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente



Payday - Tribute to Tom Adams - with Justin Valente / guitar

Thought I'd throw a quick one down for Miles - this out of his '80s period.   I call it Smiles.  All done on keyboards.  Thanks as always for your time listening, your likes and comments and your shares

Smiles  -- dedicated to Miles Davis

in 1981 Miles Davis returned with his first recording and tour in 7 years with a remarkable fusion band with Marcus Miller on Bass, John Scofield and Barry Finnerty on Guitars, Bill Evans on Sax and   Al Foster on Drums.  For me, the classic jam on this Man with the Horn album was Fat Time, a funk tune where Marcus laid down the fattest bass groove and then Mike Stern just went wild with an exceptional screaming solo over the top.  This tune and much of the album was panned by jazz purists, but was an important step forward introducing these musicians to Miles' followers, and continuing to combine influences of jazz, funk, rock and fusion.   For this simple tune I have copied Marcus' classic bass line and used a synth solo to mimic a bit of the phrasing and notes selection that Mike Stern used with his wonderful guitar playing.

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

Fat Time - Miles Davis

Blues For Charlie is a dedication to the lives that were lost recently in Paris and now Copenhagen.  Our hope is that the emotion of the playing here touches people to remind them of the sadness of these horrible acts.  

Three very fine guitarists have joined me in this tribute - Tom Adams, Ian Tait and Kevin McCuistion.   Kevin leads us off and is followed by Tom and then Ian.  Check out and follow their great playing:

https://soundcloud.com/ian-tait
https://soundcloud.com/kevin-mccuistion-1

We Are Charlie

Blues For Charlie - with Tom Adams, Ian Tait and Kevin McCuistion guitars

Herbie Hancock celebrates his 75th birthday this week and so I've created a tribute to him.  Herbie is simply the joint.  

A fellow native of Chicago, Herbie soloed with the great Chicago Symphony at age 13.  From there he went to Grinnell College and then joined Miles Davis to help form perhaps the finest quintet in jazz history.  Herbie pioneered electricity in jazz keyboards in the late '60s, was a key performer on the seminal Bitches Brew, formed his own band the Headhunters in the early 70s, which went on to be the best selling album in jazz history.  Chameleon was on this, to name just one.  Let's just say that Herbie is the man if you are interested in the Rhodes, interested in funk, and a fan of jazz.  

So here's a tribute to Herbie on his 75th birthday....to his Rhodes playing, to his rhythm, to his chromaticism, to his lyricism, to his syncopation, to his modal approach, and to that deep funk that runs so deep within some of us.   I've tried to bring a little Miles into it since they were so influential together.  Hope you enjoy it!  Let me know what your favorite Herbie recordings are.  He means so much to me that I named my first dog after him - which amused him immensely when I told him.

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

Happy 75th Birthday Herbie Hancock

Check out Stephan Lipinski (Pinner) on this soon to be released fusion tribute to Miles Davis.  Pinner is an outstanding fusion electric guitarist who grew up in the suburbs of New York, moved outside of Philadelphia now, and who has his instrument down and then some.  An exceptional player who brings a similar angular and harmonic approach to improvisation that John Scofield did with Miles back in the '80s.   Check out Pinner's gallery here on SC at https://soundcloud.com/pinner - wonderful music for sure.  We're hoping you enjoy this small part of a larger track that is coming your way shortly.

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

Miles Styles - with Stephan "Pinner" Lipinski - guitar

With BB's passing, wanted to share some blues I recorded a few years ago as a tribute.  Stay tuned for a more significant tribute coming up.

This was all done on keyboards.  No Lucille in this one.

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

King For A Day

Here's one For Miles.  For so many Miles Davis has been the ultimate influence on music.  From the 1940s through his death in 1991, Miles changed music no fewer than 5 times, moving it into new and unchartered territories, and bringing along with him some of the most influential players of each generation and ultimately, the 20th Century.  

For this tribute to Miles I have rounded up the very finest fusion players I know on SoundCloud to participate.  These are highly creative musicians, who understand what Miles has meant, the merging of electricity and jazz, and who are all superb improvisers.  

The trumpet is played by Vivek Patel, who brings with him the lonely Harmon muted sound for which Miles was so well known.  Vivek opens and closes the piece with elegance and with a harmonic and rhythmic edge that Miles was known so well for.  What a treat to have him join us.

Mirko Borach (Stringburner) anchors the essential modal bass line here, helping set and keep that funk groove.  During the 80s, the period from which this draws, Miles was playing with the great Marcus Miller and Darryl Munch Jones.  Think you'll love what German's Mirko brings as always.

The ordering of solos is as follows:

LA's Derek Cornet is a consumate musician, recording so many styles and composing significant pieces as well.  After hearing a fusion tune he recorded that reminded me of Mike Stern's playing (Mike was Miles' guitarist from '81 to '83), I wanted to have his playing on this tribute.  What a great start to the tune!

Australia's CHeeZ tackles the second solo and brings the fire and explosive playing he is know for on SoundCloud.  Anthony hasn't done things with other musicians here on SC and I wanted to give him the change to fly with these other heavyweights.  Wow.

New Jersey's Pinner - Stephen Lipinski - sits in for Miles' other famous early '80s guitarist John Scofield.  And does Pinner bust this out or what?  Bringing the same approach to rhythm and angular soloing that Sco pioneers, this solo is a masterpiece.  

Dan van den Berg follows Pinner with exceptional playing and virtuosity.  Listen how he weaves in and out with the moving chromaticism of my backing horn comping, nailing the movement perfectly.  Wouldn't have don't this tune without Dan, one of the true virtuosos on SC.  

New York based Alto sax pro Matt Criscuolo brings his Kenny Garret sound to For Miles, taking it in and out the way that Miles and Kenny did on stage together for so many years.   

Dutch fusion guitarist Rients Draaisma follows, with what is simply a remarkable display of sound and virtuosity.  This powerful solo showcases why Rients for me is at the very pinnacle of progressive fusion anywhere, pushing the very limits of concept and execution.

Spain's fine multi-instramentalist Santi-Caballero is our second horn, showcasing his tenor playing here.  Santi-Caballero takes it out all over the place here, moving in and out of the mode as Miles and his great '80s tenor player Bob Berg did together.

French keyboard player Julien Apelien is the perfect choice to join the team, and brings a great electric keyboard solo and sound in the style of Miles' Adam Holtzman, using fourths to create tension and ambiguity.

Mirko's fine solo technique is featured after Julien, and he just kills it on this one with his slap bass technique.

Italy's Daniele Turani has the concluding guitar solo and in his playing you will again hear a  superb sense of structure and organization, along with his virtuoso playing.  Such a treat to have him joining this Miles tribute.

For Miles concludes with Vitek's beautiful searching trumpet solo, which showcases his deep understanding and appreciation for Miles, as well as a modern jazz conception that also includes weaving patterns in and out chromatically similar to the great trumpeter Woody Shaw.  What a finish to this special tribute For Miles.

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


For Miles: Patel/Borach/Cornet/CHeeZ/Pinner/vd Berg/Draaisma/Apelian/Mendez/Criscuolo/Turani

If you are looking for a great groove, check out Uptown Groove by Boston's serious funkmaster Master Tony D https://soundcloud.com/mastertonyd . Tony has his funk down solid, and I've been loving his vibe ever since I found SoundCloud last year.  Tony asked me to join him on this great groove, and I of course jumped in with a few synth tracks, doing my Herbie thing.  
Check out the groove Tony lays down here - outstanding for sure.  And check out his large collection of funk originals  https://soundcloud.com/mastertonyd

Thanks for the invite Tony - LOVE what you are doing....

We thank you for your time listening, for your comments and for your great shares.



Uptown Groove - with Master Tony D / keyboards

This wild and slightly cinematic track listens like a soundtrack to a seventies Kung Fu infused action packed movie scene with wild synths and out of control guitars being carried by exiting funk drums and a racing bass line and monster riffs. 
To kick off this action packed scene I have asked Jamie Rhind https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind to play his multi faceted synth and Rhodes sounds and boy did he deliver the goods! I had the luxury of choosing a wide variety of sound settings Jamie had prepared and I chose to feature all of them in his solo: Blends of Rhodes/Unity Synth/Analog Poly Synth/Picked bass/Mysterious Synth Lead.
After that a guitar solo starts that weaves together diminished modes to slightly jazz infused progressions and chromatic lines. 
I have used an old track that I recorded years ago and for the occasion I have added an intro and outro section with strings and violins to create a bit more suspense.

We had fun and sincerely hope you'll enjoy this one too! 

A fun detail:
A jumping evasive sidekick is an outrageously high jump kick to the side as a surprise effect to the opponent since it is set up from an evasive move. I learned this move in the gym and it just fits the feel and mood of the track.

All music, guitars, drum programming, bass lines and arrangements by Dan van den Berg
All keyboards and synths, and synth arrangements by Jamie Rhind https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind
Guitar: Ibanez JS100, Joe Satriani model
Bass: Ibanez JS100, using Octave FX in Amplitube
Recorded and mixed using Amplitube and Auria for iPad
Drum programming using Amplitube
Violin samples using Sampletank
Mastered in FinalTouch
October 1, 2015

Jumping Evasive Sidekick | by Dan van den Berg, feat. Jamie Rhind

Want some funk?  This one's all done on keyboards.  Here's Herbiejazz....

And for those interested, I have just released Barcelona and I Believe, 2 CDs of my own music and a few jazz standards. SoundCloud's Dan van den Berg and Al Schulman wrote the liner notes for them. Here's a link if you are interested in checking them out - itunes.apple.com/us/album/barcelona/id1071251143

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

Herbiejazz

Time for some 70's inspired Miles fusion...

And for those interested, I have just released Barcelona and I Believe, 2 CDs of my own music and a few jazz standards. SoundCloud's Dan van den Berg and Al Schulman wrote the liner notes for them. Here's a link if you are interested in checking them out - itunes.apple.com/us/album/barcelona/id1071251143

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

Buy Jamie's Music

Miles To Go

What it Is was one of Miles Davis’ hottest grooves from his early ‘80s band. Recorded on his classic ’83 album Decoy, it featured the driving bass of Darryl “Munch” Jones, who went on to play with Sting and still now the Rolling Stones, and the unreal two guitar lineup of Mike Stern and John Scofield.  I was able to see this seminal band with both guitarists in Chicago, and it stays in my mind to this day as one of my favorite concerts of so very many, including 10 of Miles.  

Germany’s wonderful slap funk bassist Mirko “Stringburner” Borach came to me last year to ask if I could join him on What it Is, sending me the  outline recording we have here of this heavy chromatic funk fusion classic.  I was thrilled and quickly asked the superb fusion guitarist Stephan “Pinner” Lipinski to join us, with his perfect Scofield sound and approach.  But we needed a second guitarist to take Mike Stern’s place, and the remarkable Scott Nelson accepted.  Check out the incredible lines that Stephan and Scott create here for this.   Miles’ band at the time also featured Bill Evans on saxophone, and so we’ve grabbed the finest alto player I know to join us, recording artist Matt Criscuolo, who is just all over this.   As luck would also have it, my brother David Rhind is a fine trumpet player and Miles lover at the highest level - he has more than 400 Miles CDs in his collection - volunteered to handle and create the opening and closing trumpet lines.

Our recording of What it Is is truly special to me because of significance of Miles in my musical growth, and also because of what each of these superb musicians and friends means to me.  Please stick through to the very end to hear exceptional musicians playing their hearts out:

In order of appearance:

Mirko “Stringburner” Borach - bass  https://soundcloud.com/stringburner
Jamie Rhind - keyboards
David Rhind - trumpet
Stephan “Pinner” Lipinski - guitar (head)  https://soundcloud.com/pinner
Matt Criscuolo - alto saxophone  matt criscuolo
Scott Nelson - guitar  https://soundcloud.com/scott-nelson-364333064
Stephan “Pinner” Lipinski - guitar

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

What It Is - with Mirko Borach, Matt Criscuolo, Stephan Lipinski, Scott Nelson and David Rhind

A celebration for the baddest keyboard player of all time...the incomparable Herbie Hancock.  Check out Herbie's 60 years of keyboard history...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbie_Hancock

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

Mr. Hancock

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.