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Live Review: Double Vision Revisited at the Birchmere in Virginia
Bob James, David Sanborn and Marcus Miller performing the music of “Double Vision” (Photo: Jon Gitchoff c/o ECP)
The trend for a band to revisit a particularly successful album from its past seemed to have started with the curators of the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival who asked hip hop and alternative rock artists to perform one of their older albums from start to finish. The phenomenon soon spread to the 60s and 70s generation of rock bands, who found that nostalgic fans were clamoring for them to return to touchstone Classic Rock recordings. It eventually caught on in the jazz world, though it was often younger bands paying tribute to classic discs from jazz legends like Miles or Trane, the original leaders having long since passed. In some cases, bands would do the album in exact order, and for those raised in the vinyl era, you could almost hear the crowd sing or hum the next song, cued involuntarily by a lifetime of playing the album from start to finish. The song order was hard-wired.
For their Aug. 19 performance at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, featuring the music from their seminal jazz fusion album Double Vision, Bob James and David Sanborn (with Marcus Miller) chose to mix it up and even include two tunes that James had either written or arranged. Their group, which also includes drummer Billy Kilson and vocalist Larry Braggs (taking the place of Steve Gadd and the late Al Jarreau from the original recording), is in the midst of a 20-city tour with nearly every date sold out and attended by adoring fans almost entirely of a certain age. That is, old enough to have initially heard the album on a turntable.
Double Vision, recorded and released in 1986, brought together two giants of the contemporary jazz genre – Sanborn and James – both of whom had already experienced much success both as session players for jazz and pop stars and as leaders of their own groups and albums. They turned to Miller, already…Continue Reading HERE.
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Can you handle DOUBLE VISION Remastered?
Bob James x David Sanborn X Marcus Miller and more …
Stream / Download: https://smarturl.it/BobJamesDoubleVision
Bob James & David Sanborn’s Grammy winning album ‘Double Vision’, released in 1986. Masterfully produced by Tommy LiPuma.
#bobjames #davidsanborn #MarcusMiller
connect with Bob James
Website: http://www.bobjames.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobJamesJazz
connect with David Sanborn
Website: https://www.davidsanborn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidsanb/
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Bob James: “Storm King”
Storm King, from Bob James’ 3rd album titled, Three.
The Weekender: Double Vision Tour is Magic!
Our Take: The Night Was Magic!
As you know, I love what I do for a living. I love good music. I love talking to musicians. And, more than anything, I love being able to bring great music to appreciative fans.
That has been the formula for the past 20 years of our cruises. During that time, I have amassed a litany of wonderful music moments and memories. None more rewarding than our show this week in St. Louis. We had the honor and pleasure to present Bob James and two of our cruise favorites, Marcus Miller and David Sanborn, as they reprised their 1987 Grammy Award-winning album, Double Vision.
For a significant segment of our audience, Double Vision was a seminal recording with a similar impact that Kind of Blue has with another segment of our folks. Double Vision included one cover song, but the rest were amazing tunes written by various combinations of James, Sanborn and Miller. Miller’s “Maputo” is often hailed as the national anthem of contemporary music, the music that is now presented on The Smooth Jazz Cruise. Al Jarreau sings on the album and Steve Gadd is on drums. Not a bad fivesome.
For the limited Double Vision Revisited tour, the amazing Billy Kilson (one of the stars of Blue Note at Sea ’20) takes the Steve Gadd role and our own Larry Braggs assumes the duties of Al Jarreau. The differences are erased by the overwhelming success and power of this newly formed group of five. You would think that listening to music that you first heard 32 years ago would have a nostalgic feel to it, but the music sounded fresh, hip and on point for today. The only nostalgic element was watching three master musicians recreating the magic that made the original album so well received.
I love good music. I love talking to musicians. And, more than anything, I love being able to bring great music to appreciative fans.
I sat in the corner of the back row of the Orchestra section of the venue. My vision was blocked frequently as the audience spent a large part of the evening on their feet! No problem there. Watching a 100% filled auditorium having so much fun on a hot, sultry Tuesday night in St. Louis meant the world to me. They were there to cheer a hometown hero (David Sanborn), pay tribute to a legendary composer and pianist (Bob James) and to experience again the mastery of a bassist and leader (Marcus Miller).
We surprised the audience with a guest appearance by our #1 raconteur, Alonzo Bodden, who was greeted with yet another standing ovation. We weren’t on a ship or at sea, but for nearly two hours, that spirit, that energy … yes, that magic was there! For us at Entertainment Cruise Productions, nothing means more.
Our Take is written by Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director – Jazz of Entertainment Cruise Productions. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@ecpcruises.com.
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DOUBLE VISION Hits #1 Ahead of Tour Kickoff
If you haven’t heard, this summer is about to really heat up. This summer presents the rare opportunity to experience the classic, Grammy-winning, jazz album DOUBLE VISION live. In fact, there is such excitement around this double take of DOUBLE VISION that the album has hit #1 at HDtracks, the industry leader in high resolution music downloads. This comes before the tour even begins, which kicks off this Saturday, August 3 in Woodinville, WA.
Get your TICKETS before they’re gone!
Double Vision comes to Green Music Center (8.8.19)
August 8, 2019 @ 7:30pm Green Music Center (Rohnert Park, CA)
August is red hot with DOUBLE VISION!
Revisit the classic album featuring: Bob James, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Billy Kilson & Larry Braggs
TICKETS
Jazz World Live Series Performance
If you didn’t catch the show, check out these fantastic images from the Jazz World Live Series from back in February. It was great show, and an lot of fun bringing some ‘Espresso’ to Hong Kong!
“Topside” sweeps the charts at #1!
“TOPSIDE” has taken the top spot across the charts!
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The single from the album ‘Espresso’, by the Bob James Trio, has become the hottest tune of the summer.
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It is co-written by Bob James and Sonny Abelardo, who also produced the track.
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Be sure to check out the TOUR SCHEDULE to catch the live experience!
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“Topside” inches closer to Top of Billboard Charts!
“Topside” keeps rising on the Billboard Smooth Jazz charts, now up to #3!