Marion Meadows is a smooth jazz performer of some reknown, and today, I can also call him a friend. Over the past year, we have gotten to know each other on a personal, as well as professional level. He’s good people, and a great saxophonist.
I have had the great fortune for Marion to open his world to me and welcome me in. This is why I received the invitation from him which led to meeting George Benson recently at the KYOT Release Party for their 12th CD Sampler. Some of the encounters we’ve had, have resulted in images taken with my still camera. Some of them have been with the video camera.
Earlier today I posted video on YouTube [since changed to Google Video] from the first time I shot a Marion Meadows performance. It was August 3, 2005, at Johnny’s Uptown Café in Phoenix. It was his third in what was going to be a weekly appearance over the summer at this nice and cozy space in Central Phoenix. It turned out to be the last one. The posted video is Marion’s rendition (along with keyboardist Michael “B”, Mario Mendeville on bass, and Richard Reed on drums), of Wayne Shorter’s classic, “Footprints”. The 14-plus minute performance is divided into two videos of 7 minutes duration each. Below we have both half for your enjoyment.
One of the things that blew me away by this performance is that, for the first three minutes, I didn’t know what they were playing. I was just grooving with the groove, just for the fun of it. Then, the group begins that famous melody, which simply expanded the musical context.
Mike “B’s” keyboard vocalizations have a familiar, and comfortable ring to them, though I can’t tell you who made them stand out for me. Quincy Jones comes to mind, as does Path Metheny. But I can’t recite song, or album. Listen and see for yourself… and decide, for yourself.
[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=7950081135151931006&hl=en]
I have a few more juicy Marion Meadows performances on video to share, including his very first performance of the title cut from his current best-selling CD, “Dressed to Chill,” at the Garden of Eden in Los Angeles. I also have footage from the band’s rehearsal for that gig, in Burbank, the day before, and other photographic and video odds and ends, including a short improvised solo piece he did on a mountaintop here in Phoenix.
Stay tuned…
Thanks Hassan. You set the table nicely for the feast that followed.
This is awesome A2 you did it again my man
Much love from Brotha Love this how we do it !
Keep it up and may Allah always bless you
Brotha Love