From Herbie Hancock:

This is an unbelievable tragedy, first of all for his family, for his devout fans, for the world of music and for the world of culture. Michael was one of the most diligent creators. His passion flowed through every pore of his being. His sense of invention was unparalleled. Who else could have thought of the moonwalk and who else could have created such a unique sense of movement in dance. His contribution to music and music videos; Off the Wall, Thriller, We are the World are expressions of his consummate talent. Above all his compassion for serving humanity and desire to uplift and encourage excellence are etched in his legacy.

He changed the world.

From Quincy Jones:

For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words. He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.

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I’m betting you’re intrigued at the possibility of hearing Al Di Meola playing “Aja” or Mike Stern on “Dirty Work.” The core band on the all-instrumental recording – Ernie Watts, Peter Wolf, Jeff Richman, Jimmy Haslip, and Vinnie Colaiuta – really shines. Vinnie doesn’t hold anything back. That’s true for the rest of the musicians too.

There is a lot of energy and fun being conveyed. This isn’t some smooth jazz cover disc. If you ever wanted your Steely Dan with the rock element amped up, pick up The Royal Dan.

The post Guitarists Rock Steely Dan on The Royal Dan appeared first on ContemporaryJazz.com.