NEW DIRECTION Jazz music has had its share of fads and trends. Louis Armstrong and his "New Orleans meets Chicago" brand of virtuosity and showmanship drove the music fans wild when he hit the high C on his trumpet. Duke Ellington had his sophisticated flare and blues based compositional excellence. The swing era had the battle of the Big Bands, Bebop made the most of Diz and his beret, glasses and goatee not to mention Monk and Bird were once the rage. Miles, Gil Evans & Gerry Mulligan gave us the "birth of the cool", Chet Baker took it over and it became a West Coast drool. The seriousness and intensity of the 60's brought straight laced men in crisp suits playing hard bop - non stop. It always seems jazz is in search of next, the new direction. Starting in 1968 Miles Davis, capitalizing on the genius of marketing, while at Columbia Records had his labels read "Directions In Music by Miles Davis" printed above the titles of Files de Kilimanjaro, In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew. So, what is the new direction in Jazz 2017? I don't know... but like James Brown said to Bobby Byrd "...whatever it is it's got to be funky"! Yeah!! Enjoy, Brian "Katzpheno" Phoenix featuring: Branford Marsalis - "I'm Slappin' Seventh Avenue" (2003) Roberta Gambarini - "From This Moment On" (2009) Geri Allen - "Life Is A Song" (2004) Greg Osby - "Milton On Ebony" (2003) Vinx - "Somehow Did You Know" (1991) Dave Douglas - "Orujo" (2009) Wayne Shorter - "Infant Eyes" (1965) Herlin Riley - "New Direction" (2016) Yellowjackets - "Tenacity" (2011) Ahmad Jamal - "Autumn Rain" (2012)