Ron Trent – Influences

When I first heard this group back in the 80’s I was naturally attracted to the warmth in the production and musicianship. This Trio comprised of the late great Jose Bertrami (keyboards), Alexis Malheiros (Bass), Ivan Conti (Drums and Percussion) sounded more like a group of 6. The way they masterfully colored Brazilian flavor into jazz landscapes created revolutionary surrealism.  By listening to Azymuth’s music you could experience the elements of their influence. The music was mysterious, exotic, and surreal.  I often imagined what Brazil was like while listening to their albums and felt a great deal of energy from these recordings. They created pictures and conjured moods. Least to say this group highly inspired a organic approach to magic and melody in me.  “Last summer in Rio” is one of their more famous tunes. Very popular on the last night sessions on the radio back in the day in Chicago and still a staple in the Chicago Steppers collection.  For me I have spent many nights alone and sometimes not alone (Ha) letting this song play in my private moments. Azymuth is probably one of the most important groups in the world to me.    

I cannot remember a time in my life where Roy Ayers was not a important figure in my musical memories. Mr. Ayers’ music reigned in my house when I was growing up.
Roy’s approach is melodic, Afro centric, and elegant. With every chord played and every rhythm pattern laid there is a sense that his music is very deliberately sensual.  It immediately draws you into his world. I would go as far as to say Roy Ayers invented a new sound.  This sound he crafted obviously heavily influenced the industry. One of most sampled artist in Hip Hop and obviously one of the major inspirations of Acid Jazz and the Neo Soul movement.  Mr. Ayers music is a
HEAVY WEIGHT… Personally for me Roy Ayers and his music are part of my musical DNA. It touches my soul and has formed a great deal of how I view musical refinement. This selection was a household favorite and until this day offers a quintessential prospective of Roy’s genius. The elegance and the romance in flight.

When it comes to string instruments Pat and Jean Luc Ponty sit at the top of the ranks for me in the Jazz arena. The likes of Wes Montgomery and George Benson are untouchable/paramount.  I single out Pat as a great influence because of his arrangements.  He and Lyle Mays together are genius.  Pat is a master of creating moods. I have been to see him live a few times and it is all that more amazing live then are his recordings. Pat is a magic maker and brilliant at creating colorful musical layers.  “Are you going with me” has a special place with me due to the fact that it was my first introduction to Pat Matheny’s music and the last record my Father bought for he and I to listen to before he made his transition. I used to practice playing drums to this whole album daily for several years after. Enough said….

George Duke was a masterful keyboard player and innovator of Fusion.  Mr. Duke as a musician and a songwriter gave us all a new prospective on Funk, Soul, and Jazz. Fusing together ingredients from various spaces and places of sound. Soul, Rock, and Jazz were woven together with Brazilian and Afro rhythms in a lot of his arrangements. George had RANGE. That range gave him the ability to access whatever vibration he wanted. “I want you for myself” has played a large roll in my repertoire when playing for the people. I often think that this song is a perfect recording and has all the things I like in a song. Beautiful chords, driving rhythm, sentimental lyrics and soulful sultry vocals makes for magic on Sound Systems.

A great production from a great Man, George Duke.

His Highness of Soul music.  When I think of Soul music Donny Hathaway is the personification. When Mr. Hathaway sings, you can hear the riches of the African American experience that formed his brilliance. You can feel the elements stir in your Soul. You can only be born with the essence to be able to galvanize the mix of elements that power this deliberate presentation. Donny Hathaway was a master.
“The Ghetto” recorded live.  My Father first introduced this album to me and we played “The Ghetto” religiously. We had great affinity for this song in particular because the conga solo from Earl DeRouen from Chicago. My Father and I would often practice playing our percussion to this song.  You can hear the rhythm of the streets from Chicago to the shores of West Africa on this composition.  “The Ghetto” is a message and a mythical journey dialed out in Bluesy chords, soulful cries, and gospel overtones.  If there was ever a album I had to pick to describe the spirit of the times post civil rights movement this live recording would bring it home. The birth of change, the power of soul, and Black Romance are the themes that all form on this special album. I could on and on about this but I will just stop here and say I am proud of my Chicago elder Mr. Donny Hathaway. Let the song speak.  

Before there was house music there was the man behind the music who created the style. House music now has a formula that people can recognize. In the beginning it was formless and was more about storytelling. Storytelling that was directed from the DJ booth using analog formats to create bloodlines between the dancer and the DJ.
Frankie Knuckles followed a school of thought that he himself had learned as a dancer in New York at legendary places like The Loft, The Gallery and Better Days. He understood music has the ability to take you on a journey when it is programmed with skill. A part of that skill is being able to bring strangers together in one room to dance and create a musical experience that unifies their consciousness.  Frankie took his knowledge and developed his own style that was crafted on the dance floor of Chicago based club The Warehouse in 1977. Many others and myself are the products of the spark he lit.  Though there were others that inspired Frankie I can  truly say he introduced us to something special and helped changed the way DJ and dance cultured is received today. I will stay in the fullest gratitude.
This set of clips gives you a quick look into Frankie’s world, his team, and his dedication. Thank You Frankie for setting the standard.

One of the first albums I remember buying from a local neighborhood record store called Metro Music as a kid was an album called “Beyond” by Herb Albert. I had been a fan of Herb Albert since his previous album called “Rise” which was the name of the first single hit from the album that was a disco champion. I followed Herb through out the years and what impressed me the most was the way he recorded his albums and the level of innovation. He seemed to always be able to reinvent himself.  Of course when I did more homework on Herb I discovered his body of work that went far back into the 60’s with Tijuana Brass, the creation of A&M records, and The Carpenters.  Mr. Albert has his own sound on the trumpet but he always crafted that around the newest latest arrangements and technology. He has always been a great inspiration to me and I have listen to his albums over again along with them having long play on my dance floor. “ Rotation” from the Beyond album is a great example of Herb’s ability to fuse together his sound into something that was totally innovative and futurist at the time. “Rotation” and “Beyond” the album titled selection are both next level.  I love this clip because it also reminds me of how video’s used to be back in the day, more about the music and theatrics. Very earlier 80’s the sound I still love so much. 

The King of Afro Beat still reigns.  One of the most revolutionary Artist/Activist of our time.  I was first introduced to Fela by my Father in the 70’s. The album Fela recorded with Ginger Baker was the first selection to reach my ears. I also remembered the cover as a kid with both Fela and Ginger on it and thinking, “what is going on here”. In later years I would champion Fela’s music on my dance floor world wide. I guess it is fare to say I became an ambassador of Afro Beat and the conscience behind it. I love other artist like King Sunny Ade and Manu Dibango but Fela is a revolutionary artist that used his music to push the people forward and for that I tip my hat to this man. I love this clip because it show Fela’s intelligence and his spirit is strong and wise in this interview. Let Baba Fela speak…

Mr. Gillespie is one the iconic figures that still inspires me on so many levels. Dizzy represented African American music and culture very well. He was also not afraid to experiment and expand. From his early years with Charlie Parker all the way into the 80’s Dizzy was keeping himself in the groove. I also appreciated the fact that Dizzy introduced the conga into his Jazz compositions. “Manteca” is a powerful piece blending Afro Cuban rhythm with Jazz over tones, one of the first jams of its kind.
Mr. Gillespie is a pioneer and well always be relevant in the history of American Music. I choose this clip of Dizzy visiting Cuba because it shows Dizzy’s journey through the land and richness of the Cuban culture. The video shows a
direct relationship to the common pulse of Africa. Dizzy’s joyful character also displayed in this film which is one of the main things I loved about Dizzy’s spirit.
Most importantly this film with Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval exposes some of the story behind the creation of the Pioneering recording “Manteca”.

Miles Davis my fellow Gemini elder. When I think of Miles all I can say is he did it his way, like it or not. Miles was truly an artist, he never stopped moving forward and never stopped reaching for that next level. Coming out of the roots of big band music, Be Bop, Fusion, all the way into his own sound he developed, Miles never stopped being creative. Miles was a force that showed what you could be if you allowed yourself to live in the realm of constant creative conscience. Miles created colors in music and on canvas. When I saw Miles paintings I immediately knew his genius was very deliberate and coming from both a powerful spiritual understanding of music and a masterful understanding of creative wizardry.  I choose the song entitled “Portia” as a clip because it is a song that is mystical and woven into a colorful pallet of blues. I could go on and on about Miles but it would be best to let you check him out in his own words in his many host of documentaries and his Autobiography. Respect to the cool.