If Tantra were just sex, my donkey would be my master, said Abhinavagupta, a Tantric master of the tenth century. This is funny, because donkeys are known to be well-endowed, but in any case the misconception has persisted. The word Tantric as applied to sex has rejuvenated the marriage manual over the last twenty years. Tantra is not sexual technique, it is a genuine spiritual practice, a rather iconoclastic one.

Jazz music made to be consumed and enjoyed out of the package, as opposed to the stir-for-several-sittings-and-wait-til-it-gels variety. The followup to John Patitucci's well-received debut again features his Akoustic/Elektric bandmates (Chick Corea, Eric Marienthal, Dave Weckl) and sidemen of varying renown. Though it could be called smooth jazz, On The Corner is better viewed as accessible jazz, combining the showmanship and not-always-obvious melodies that draw the casual listener to modern jazz music. Although Corner is a showcase for Patitucci, who often plays a funky bass on the low end and a lead bass guitar on the high end, it's not a ¡chops! album. This is strictly respectable jazz, music you can feel and connect to without flipping through theory books. Coming to this as I did from the quadrant of Corea, I worried that Patitucci's Corner might be a dry exercise like the Akoustic Band's Alive. Instead, the bassist is a strong songwriter, often choosing a light fusion style that suggests Weather Report without all that crazy molecular-level commotion underneath. The pieces run slow sometimes funky other times (¡A Better Mousetrap!), with Latin shadings reminiscent of Corea (¡Vaya Con Dios!) and even an interesting blues/jazz hybrid (¡Strength To The Weak!). Song for song, this Corner is as solid as anything coming out of the GRP stable. Given the limited number of jazz bassists who have established successful solo careers (Charlie Mingus and Stanley Clarke come to mind), Patitucci's got an uphill climb. By placing the emphasis on the quality of the compositions and letting the playing take care of itself, he's got a good foothold for the future.

Fresh Sound New Talent series features emerging artists mainly from New York or Barcelona. The label produced the debut recordings of Brad Mehldau, a key figure on today’s world stage. Having formerly released the Mehldau-Rossy Trio “When I Fall in Love”. In these two CDs the trio joined the Spanish altoist Perico Sambeat. The quartet confidently stretches out in a variety of tempos and feels, captured live at the Jamboree Club in Barcelona in 1993.
(Tower Records) On this truly international set, pianist Brad Mehldau leads a stellar quartet that includes saxophonist Perico Sambeat as well as his regular partners Jordi and Mario Rossy in a Barcelona, Spain performance. What is engrossing about the disc is the utter fluidity with which these four young musicians from varying backgrounds are able to communicate using the common language of standard songs. From Bud Powell's fiery "Un Poco Loco" to Bobby Timmons' soulful "Dat Dere" the group swings effortlessly, sharing in a mutual give-and-take that only well studied students of the art can achieve. What's more, the on-the-spot feel of the performance captures the players without any pretenses about being too perfect for the microphone. The results are as close to an in-person recreation as can be had. Also included among the highlights are Monk's "Played Twice" and Coltrane's "Cousin Mary."

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The second incarnation of Chick Corea's influential fusion group released only a single record, the magnificent Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. Featuring a more rock-oriented approach than the Flora Purim-Joe Farrell band that was responsible for both Return to Forever and Light as a Feather, Corea and old standby Stanley Clarke join forces here with propulsive drummer Lenny White and electric guitarist Bill Connors. Although Connors lacks the sophistication of Al Di Meola, the young guitarist who replaced him, he possesses a deliciously raw sound that keeps Corea's heady compositions firmly grounded. White introduces a funk aspect to the music, replacing Airto's Latin grooves from the first two records. Clarke is as good, wrenching some truly frightening sounds out of his electric basses. This increased emphasis on electric instrumentation, also displayed in Corea's heavy use of synthesizers, is another thing that separates this record from the previous Return to Forever releases. And as good as the band performances are, it is the quality of the compositions that marks Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy as an indispensable disc of '70s fusion. "Captain Senor Mouse," one of Corea's finest fusion compositions, receives an excellent treatment here. Likewise, the two-part "Space Circus" is a fantastic mix of haunting and grooving elements, with some simply incredible solos thrown into the mix. With Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, Corea continues his streak of simply timeless fusion albums. The best of the electric RTF albums.

This is the most organic Holdsworth album there is to date. Everything is flowing in the most natural possible way, breathtaking new melodic ideas flows from the guitar as if Holdsworth would have been studying music for 200 years... This is unique.

Learn with pictures, not words. Most computer books contain over 50,000 words. In Pictures books contain one-tenth as many. This book helps beginners learn how to use devices that run the Palm operating system, such as handheld PDAs and cell phone/organizer hybrids.