I recently seriously upgraded my home sound system, which included getting really good speakers (Phonar Credo M 100) and a good turntable (Thorens TD 125). This inspired me to get back into my vinyl collection and listen to some LP’s that I haven’t heard in a LONG time, including:

John Abercrombie: Quartet / M / Arcade (ECM)
Pharoah Sanders: Thembi / Wisdom Through Music / Jewels of Thought (Impulse)
Tony Williams: Ego / The Old Bum’s Rush (Polydor) / The Joy of Flying (CBS)
Charlie Haden: The Ballad of the Fallen (ECM)
Old And New Dreams: Old And New Dreams / Playing (ECM)
Albert Ayler: Music is the Healing Force of the Universe / The Last Album (Impulse)
George Adams: Sound Suggestions (ECM)
Rena Rama: Inside – Outside (Caprice) / New Album (Dragon)
Bill Frisell: Rambler (ECM)
Yusef Lateef: A Flat, G Flat And C (Impulse) / Into Something (New Jazz)
Elvin Jones: Midnight Walk (Atlantic)

Besides that, I’ve also been into some CD’s:

Miles Davis: The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions (Columbia)
Paolo Vinaccia: Very Much Alive (Jazzland Recordings)
Airto Moreira: Fingers (CTI) / Free (Sony)
Chick Corea / Gary Burton: Crystal Silence (ECM)
Paul Motian: On Broadway Vol.5 (Winter & Winter)
Cal Tjader: Soul Burst (Verve)
Sylvie Courvoisier Trio: Double Windsor (Tzadik)

And I’ve read “Steve Lacy – Conversations”, edited by Jason Weiss.

Haven’t been to that many concerts during the past six months but a couple of shows that inspired me were:

Shantala Subramanyam/Akkarai S Sornalatha/Jayachandra Rao @ Vita Huset, Lund on March 16th, 2014
Tom Rainey’s Obbligato @ The Stone, NYC on June 24th, 2014
Sleepthief @ Greenwich House Music School, NYC on June 25th, 2014

Also, I came across this video a while ago:

I really enjoyed watching this, it is so nice to hear Mr. Clark talk about Tony with so much respect, appreciation, passion and humor!

Inspired by that clip, I also re-watched this:

I’m really enjoying listening to what Mr. Williams is saying here (part 2), there is so much experience, experimentation, insight and wisdom there! I especially like what he is saying about independence, that it can “come out of necessity”, that you change the way you play because you need to. I’m into, and inspired by, that way of thinking and of other artists who, to my ear, also seem to have developed their way of playing by reaching for what they hear. This could also mean being interested in hearing things you weren’t already hearing / developing your ear and that kind of approach / quest could lead you to (large or small) realizations / inventions / innovations – challenging, important and very inspiring!