Noah Baerman is one of my heroes – not that I’m really into heroes or putting people up on ridiculous pedestals so we can feel better about ourselves when they fall off – but hero as in someone who walks the walk and who’s piano & composition chops I am in awe of.

Noah’s latest record Know Thyself isn’t just for Jazz fans, it’s for music lovers. If you dig Coltrane, Evans (Gil & Bill) or even if you don’t really get “Jazz” but want something hipper than hip for your next party playlist – check it out – stick it on and you’ll find yourself being blown away by the musicianship.

As Noah writes:

“Have sweeping journeys lost their place in the era of the cute little web video? Is the in-depth musical exploration of intense personal transformation irrelevant when one could instead condense those experiences into a text message? Is spending an uninterrupted hour-plus listening to an intricate and ambitious piece of instrumental music a waste of time in the era of the ringtone?
If your answer is no to any of these, I’m glad you’re here.”

Delivered as one track coming in at just over 65 minutes, it is funny, thoughtful, evocative and definitely hip – I’ve been listening for several days now and I tell you – it is killer music to work to as well.

Fallen in love again – definitely one of my favorite things to do.

This time it’s Lauren Zettler – you can check her out at:
http://laurenzettler.com/
http://www.myspace.com/laurenzettler

I’m digging the voice – she has this whole Susan Vega / Shawn Colvin / Alanis Morissette / KD Lang / Nanci Griffith thing going on – complete with high register vocal moves that Michael Jackson (may he rest in peace) would recognize. All this is a good thing. She has a seriously nice instrument and sounds like herself. The music is accessible and cleverly delivered, the guitar work particularly tasty – also, you just gotta love a glockenspiel every now and then – listen to Shapes.

The reason I found this music? Back in november of 2008 I came across the following tweet:

Today my wife went to a panel discussion on the economy w/ some world leaders and economic experts. Meanwhile, I bought a glockenspiel.

It struck me as just funny – it paralleled my own experiences and so I started following the author – turns out that Cameron Mizell is a guitar player: he practices, he plays out, he loves his family, he’s hipped me to new information and he’s made me laugh – he reminds me of Jazz Pianist Noah Baerman who is definitely one of the good guys.. I caught something in his stream recently about going out on the road and had a moment to see what the gig was – which of course led me in turn to Lauren Zettler.

If you like the names referenced at the top then you’re probably going to dig Lauren – you get a free download when you join her mailing list – a killer cover version of FleetWood Mac’s The Chain – it’s very good. otherwise, go buy her two EPs – hell at under $7 each they didn’t break the bank and here I am – listening to her music on rotation while I’m writing this!

I love living today and right now I love Lauren Zettler – but in a way that my wife would be ok with ;-p

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Now playing: Lauren Zettler – Persevere

Noah Baerman is a fantastic jazz pianist; he’s also a personal friend.

In 2003, he recorded the album “Patch Kit” to raise awareness and funds for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a connective tissue disorder which he has. In spite of the pain and limits placed on him by this debilitating disorder, Noah continues to compose and record great jazz.

May is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month. I hope readers of this blog will check out Noah’s music and also read about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a little known disorder which affects 1 in 5000 individuals. I also have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, so I can especially appreciate Noah’s determination to continue his marvelous music and to use it as a tool to spread the word about EDS.