Making A Jazz CD
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By Rodney Jones

For me, music has always been something that flows on many different levels. Some music tells a story, while other music paints a picture. Still other music creates a mood. Some music causes great extroversion, propelling people to dance and move with wild abandon. Then there is music which is introspective--music which can cause listeners to look within themselves. As they say on the street, "It's all good!"

What really matters is that we be the cause and not the unwilling effect of the music we hear. Developing a basic awareness about the effect a piece of music may have is the first step to becoming an informed musical consumer. These same principles apply to being a musical artist. I have always tried to be conscious of the music I put forth. I don't over-mentalize it and examine every nuance, but I do check to see where it takes me within myself and how it resonates with my feelings and my heart.

When I began to think about the music for my new recording, the first thing I did was become still and try to listen to what was already happening inside myself. I wanted the music I would record to be an accurate and honest representation of who I am today--as well as a vehicle within which my fellow musicians could express themselves comfortably. I also tried to respect the need for common ground in creating music that would be performed by more than just me.

I asked myself, "What are the strengths of my fellow musicians? And how can I enhance what they do?" With the great players who would be on my recording-- Maceo Parker, Arthur Blythe, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Idris Muhammad, and Lonnie Plaxico--my task was made easy, because they all play so beautifully and with such heart. I wrote and selected all these tunes within about a two-week period of time. During that time I tried them out at home alone on the guitar, and imagined the rest. On a few occasions I got together with a young man who is a former student of mine: the brilliant guitarist and composer, Miles Okazaki. He was valuable in helping me to hear things I was not hearing, and in thinking out how the tunes would work for the musicians on the date. Finally I had the tunes all assembled. Here they are...

I grew up loving the James Brown grooves of the '70s. The chemistry that his band had, and the natural grooves that they invented, changed the course of American popular music forever. Other artists like Mandrill, Kool and the Gang, The Ohio Players etc. took that raw groove and personalized it. I knew I wanted to write a song that would capture that spirit without ripping them off.

I wrote the song "Groovebone Part 1" as my tip of the hat to that great Soul music which I love. The title was meant to imply that deepest part of our human selves which responds when we hear a serious groove of any style. I wanted it to be funky, but with the freedom and expression of jazz. I wanted improvised solos without restrictions and a looseness that would let the music soar.

I used to love the song "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango. I remember hearing that tune way back while riding a bus through Harlem and thinking it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. I could almost hear Maceo and Arthur playing the head, and I imagined how great it would be.

"Soul Manifesto" is the title tune, and it captures a deep groove. It is a jazz version of what I think of as "bouncing in your Jeep" music.

One of the great things about the musicians who would be on this CD is that they are all great funk players as well as jazz players. I wrote a "One Turnip Green" in a traditional organ groove style that would tie into the great organ records of the 60's. It is in that style, but updated for today.

I had the privilege of recording "Children's World" with Maceo Parker on his breakout CD for Minor Music. "Children's World" is an instrumental version of the James Brown classic, "It's A Man's World." Maceo was so brilliant and so soulful that I knew that I had to find a tune that would allow him to reveal his lyrical side. The Bill Withers classic, "Aint No Sunshine," was the choice for me. I knew that Maceo would eat that melody up.

"Mobius Three" is a tune that I first recorded on my CD, The X Field, for the Musicmasters label. On the original recording, I played it as a fast swing tune. I performed it live as a groove tune, and it always felt great that way--so I decided to re-record it. Re-recording tunes of my own is something I have rarely done. I am always coming up with new ideas and looking to be in the present moment, but it was nice when this tune appeared like an old friend.

I have worked with Ruth Brown for many years as her guitarist, record producer, and musical director. She is truly the queen of R&B, having sung such hits as "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean," "Teardrops From My Eyes," and many others. I wrote a blues-based tune and called it "Soupbone." You can look at that two ways. In the South, really good soup was made first from beef or chicken stock, and often that would mean boiling down the bones so that they could release their flavor... or the soup was so good that you ate everything in the pot but the bone! In any case, "Soupbone" was the name that came to mind.

Years ago I listened to John Coltrane play the Mal Waldron composition "Soul Eyes." I can't really explain how deeply I was moved. It is just one of those tunes that sounds as though it were written for me. I had always wanted to record it, and the idea of Arthur Blythe playing it with his poignant sound made its selection a no-brainer.

"Groovebone Part 2" is part one, stepped up a notch.