The Fusion Reactor #173 - Movie Night

All right, we're going to the movies! Or at least listening to songs that have titles that indicate that they might be about a particular movie. You've got links and comments this time. Click on the artist link to find out about the artist, and click the song title to check out the movie.

Charlie Hunter - Nothin' But Trouble (6:34)
I saw part of this once. Very odd movie, and not quite as funny as you'd hope. Good thing the song is really swingin'.

Stratospheerius - The Perfect Storm (5:44)
This one wasn't too bad. Kinda left me with an "eh" feeling though. Or maybe I'm thinking of White Squall. I know I've seen both.

Tunnels - Boyz in the Ud (5:47)
I'm pretty sure I didn't see this film. I just thought that the title was rather clever (referring to the instrument in the song) and so there it is in the show.

Pip Pyle - Seven Year Itch (3:36)
Definitely didn't see this one. I hear it's a classic. But it's nice to hear Pip play the drums.

Allan Holdsworth - Equus (7:15)
I did see this one, in psychology class in college. So not recently. I don't remember what the point was. I do remember a psychologist and a kid with troubles. Since I'm now working with troubled kids, perhaps I should revisit this movie? Or perhaps not, it's surely more of a movie than a treatise on how to deal with troubled kids.

Byron Nemeth Group - Chocolate Factory (6:48)
One of many movies with remakes. I've actually seen both versions. I'm sure many have. They each have their strong points, I guess, so I won't make a strong declaration of which I prefer. But the song really rocks!

Tony Williams - China Town (8:33)
Another "classic" I haven't seen. I guess I should make a list or something and see some of these. Tony put together a great lineup for this album, and no, he doesn't sing on it. There are some killer songs on this one.

Kiko Loureiro - Havana (5:28)
Haven't seen it, haven't been there. Heard the scorching guitar playing in the song though.

Garaj Mahal - Madagascar (5:22)
Ditto above. Haven't seen it, haven't been there. I like the "world beat" feel to the song. Garaj Mahal is a band I need to check in to more closely, there's some real talent there.

Isotope - Illusion (3:49)
There are at least 10 movies I could find with the title "Illusion" so take your pick. I haven't seen any of them. I did see The Illusionist though. Enjoyed that.

John Coltrane & Don Cherry - The Invisible (4:11)
Sounding like a broken record... haven't seen it. Since this song is so much older than the recent film, maybe it's hidden somewhere in the soundtrack... maybe playing in a diner or something? Just a thought. Funny how the album title is "The Avant Garde" and it probably sounds tame by todays standards. But at the time...

Medeski Martin & Wood - Dracula (4:19)
Speaking of remakes! There are tons of Dracula films out there. Yes, I've seen some of them. And if you're looking to get into MMW, Shack-Man is a great place to start.

The Crusaders - Chain Reaction (5:39)
I've seen this one. Unfortunately. If you're looking for something mindless and somewhat action-filled, you still might want to look elsewhere.

Frank Gambale - The Italian Job (5:30)
Saw the remake. It was ok. I just don't think "caper" films are my favorite genre. I'd rather listen to Frank Gambale than watch the movie.

Bill Bruford's Earthworks - Footloose & Fancy Free (9:01)
Bill tries to sneak in two movies on us! Well, except for the fact that I don't know of a movie called "Fancy Free." But that doesn't mean there isn't one. If you're playing the Kevin Bacon game, you can now connect him to Bill Bruford because of this song.

Moongarden - Solaris (13:00)
Now this one has a remake and I've actually seen both versions. I saw the more recent one (with George Clooney) and didn't know if I really liked it or not. I was intrigued though, so I watched the original. Liked it less. The new one has a great soundtrack, which I quickly bought after hearing it in the movie. This Moongarden song is my favorite from their new album, I love the overlapping vocal stylings. Very tasty. The song might even actually be about the movie. I'm not sure.

Weather Report - Jungle Book (7:23)
I saw this as a youth. Don't remember a lot about it, and have little desire to run out and rent it. Perhaps when I have kids. This song, with a title like that, can hardly be about anything other than either the book or the movie.

James Sudakow - Red (10:15)
I did see this. It's in French, if I recall correctly. I seem to remember the cinematography being beautiful, although I remember very little of the plot. Why James Sudakow's "Red" instead of King Crimson though? Well, I'm pretty sure you've heard the awesome King Crimson song so I thought you'd want to hear someone else's take on the color red. This song rocks and is a great way to close out the show.

The Fusion Reactor #172 - A Tribute To Thelonious Monk

This week I thought I'd pay tribute to one of my favorite jazz artists - Thelonious Monk. He was progressive in his own way, at least compositionally and rhythmically. So here's a mixture of Monk songs, Monk covers, Monk tributes, and ... songs about monkeys. =)

Misterioso	Thelonious Monk	10:56
Bemsha Swing-Lively Up Yourself	Medeski Martin & Wood	5:41
Monkey See	Fleck, Béla & the Flecktones	3:17
Funk For Monk	Kobayashi, Ron	6:30
Epistrophy	Hunter, Charlie	3:41
We See	Garage a Trois	3:53
Sprung Monkey	Garage a Trois	6:15
Stomping Grounds/Untitled Instrumental/Green Chimneys	T.J. Kirk	5:34
Cross the Track/Thelonious	T.J. Kirk	4:45
Off Minor	Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey	4:26
I'm Trying to Contain an Outbreak Here and You're Driving the Monkey to the Airport	Forever Einstein	4:26
Thelonius	Beck, Jeff	3:16
Initiatic Quotient Of The Monk: Hypereyes	Priam	10:45
Initiatic Quotient Of The Monk: Birth Of Ucbald	Priam	3:05
Initiatic Quotient Of The Monk: Spiral .Irregular .End	Priam	13:08
Straight No Chaser	Baker, Ginger Trio	5:34
'Round Midnight	Bruford, Bill & Michael Borstlap	5:40
Monkey Businessman [Live]	Manring, Michael	3:48
The Main Monkey Business	Rush	6:02
Trinkle, Tinkle	Thelonius Monk With John Coltrane	6:41

The Fusion Reactor #171 - No Theme

No theme this week. Just a bunch of fusion that just absolutely needed to be played. So I did.

Freedom Tickler	-	Hunter, Charlie	5:41
Ersatz	-	4/3 De Trio	8:09
Unique New York	-	Scofield, John	5:00
Keep It In the Car (live)	-	Schleigho	11:01
Finding and Believing	-	Metheny, Pat	10:00
Hate Zone	-	Brand X	4:34
Jocelyn - The Commander	-	Corea, Chick	5:02
Fire Walking	-	Passport	3:17
Inner Worlds Part 1 & 2	-	Mahavishnu Orchestra	6:37
Earth Jam	-	Fleck, Béla & the Flecktones	5:55
Celebration Suite Part I	-	Return To Forever	8:27
Celebration Suite Part II	-	Return To Forever	5:32
Come to Dust	-	Bruford, Bill	10:53
Funky Tonk	-	Davis, Miles	23:29
Money	-	Skolnick, Alex	5:14

The Fusion Reactor #170 - Music Machine

It's odd how much a part of our everyday lives machines have become. You require a machine to listen to the music on this show. You have a machine that transports you to work, where there are probably lots of machines. Do the machines outnumber the people? They do in this show.

Music Machine	Norlander, Erik	6:39
Warming Up The Machines	Project Creation	4:54
The Machines Became Cognizant	Ahleuchatistas	3:41
Neutral	Machine and the Synergetic Nuts	7:49
Welcome To The Machine	Pink Floyd	7:33
Like a Machine that Only Works When It's Working Right	Muffins, The	1:59
The Human: Machine	Mosher, Scott	7:01
Washing Machine	Sonic Youth	9:34
Machine Messiah	Yes	10:21
Machine Mother	Galleon	6:25
Careful With That Fax Machine	Rumah Sakit	5:12
Musmjölkningsmaskinen (The Mousemilkingmachine)	Samla Mammas Manna	6:36
Black Light Machine	Frost*	10:07
Swiss Grid	Turing Machine	10:38
Two Witnesses	Saviour Machine	3:42
Infinity Machine	Passport	5:04
Kings & Queens	Soft Machine	9:14