wow....the dream Team strikes again 😎👍

What it is?! Real fusion!! Enormously great, driven by Mirkos slaps, a lot of room for ambitious solos and a well divided stereo mix... Class, my friends! Top notch collab, Jamie!! See me overwhelmed in excitement :-))

Insane fluid playing! Love the backing chord progs!

Very nice, Jamie! Sounds like it was a lot of fun doing this jam.

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

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.

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Jamie Rhind

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Jamie Rhind