Horace Silver: Señor Blues (Live at Newport)
I read in the paper the other day that the value of Silver is on the rise. The folks at Blue Note must have taken notice, and dug into their vaults for some hidden Silver artifacts.Okay, you want to gripe that Blue Note kept a great session unreleased for a half century. But that wouldn't be fair. In point of fact, the label only waited 49 years, 6 months and 28 days before letting us hear Horace Silver's dynamic Sunday afternoon set from the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival.
But we're lucky to get this at all. Thanks to Michael Cuscuna, who tracked down tapes (currently housed in the Columbia archives) that George Avakian had made of the entire festival that year, we can enjoy the sound of a great Silver band playing at top form. The sound quality is also outstanding -- not always a given when the Gringott's goblins dig up lost tapes from their dark, deep vaults.
Silver had enjoyed a mini-hit the previous year with "Señor Blues," and Blue Note even issued a 45-rpm single version to take advantage of the song's appeal. But the Newport audience is treated with the extended version, almost nine minutes long. Silver was a master of Latin, funk and hard-bop grooves, but he rarely did a better job of putting them all together into a single arrangement. Not only has this performance held up well after five decades, but it makes one nostalgic for the days when a memorable instrumental chart could become a jazz classic and a popular hit.
January 31, 2008 · 2 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · blue note · newport jazz festival · senor bluesJ.J. Johnson: Carolyn (In the Morning)
In this bookend piece that both starts the album Heroes and ends it with a piece appropriately titled "Carolyn (In the Evening)," the trombonist who many feel was the finest to ever play the instrument showcases his compositional and leadership skills. While Johnson's playing is more featured in pieces like "Ten-85" or the equally swinging "In Walked Wayne," it is this song that embodies his soul as a songwriter. Dedicated to his second wife, it's a delicate and poignant jazz waltz that embodies the subtle brilliance of this master musician. While J.J. plays a subdued role on this track, the song showcases the fine talents of Dan Faulk on tenor sax and Renee Rosnes on piano, all behind the brilliantly underplayed work of drummer Victor Lewis and the effective Rufus Reid on bass. This is at once an old master—Johnson was 72 when he recorded this—taking younger, promising artists under his wing in the fine tradition of Art Blakey and Miles Davis, and letting them express their artistry through a vehicle that allows for much feeling. Rosnes is particularly effective as she draws a beautifully emotional response from her cascading keyboard work. Lewis's magically effective stick and cymbal work make the song immediately identifiable and command repeat playing. This is an underrated performance from a group that created a wonderfully enduring piece of music.
January 31, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · tromboneJon Mayer: Rip Van Winkle
Mayer is an assured bop-based pianist who recorded with both John Coltrane and Jackie McLean in the '50s, played with Kenny Dorham and Chet Baker among others, and also kept busy with studio work and as a songwriter. Then he retreated from the scene for 13 years. Since his return, Mayer has recorded this memorable original twice, perhaps as a droll answer to the inevitable question, "Where you been?" Rufus Reid excels both in support and in his solo. This is piano trio jazz at its fresh and stimulating best. Hear Mayer just once and you will be hooked.
January 31, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: piano trio · rip van winklePat Metheny: At Last You're Here
Will the real Pat Metheny please stand up? Is he the avant-garde player of Song X, or the smooth jazz radio artist? Is he the synthesizer of World Music styles or the stylist of the synthesized music world? Or something else entirely?In truth, Metheny does so many things so well, even he must have a hard time deciding which path represents his true calling. For my part, I often have a fondness for Midwest Metheny, the boy born in Lee's Summit, Missouri back in '54 who dishes out jazz Americana with that big, open country sound that no one has ever surpassed. Pat has staked out this territory as his own -- and it's almost as big as the Louisiana Purchase.
That's the side of Pat that comes across on "At Last You're Here," a grand 8-minute track from his new Day Trip CD. Pat the Pastoralist takes you on the closest thing to a day trip that you will find while plugged into your iPod. You can almost feel the breeze and smell the juniper trees. And when Metheny writes a melody this strong, he also seems to find a way of infusing his solos with a singing quality. From beginning to end, this a great performance and highly recommended.
January 31, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: guitarHenry "Pucho" Brown: Georgia on My Mind
This "Georgia" is far from the usually slow renderings. First the frantic up-tempo Latin pulse, then the coarse blues shouter's voice that, besides singing with plenty of soul (as befits his name), reminds us that James Brown and Martin Luther King were from Georgia (this is undoubtedly the roaring '60s!), finally the daring arrangement based on contrasts between fiery percussion and airy strings, dreamy vibraphone and loud horns. Happy feet and soul lovers alike will find what they're looking for in this hot and strange brew that bubbles with rhythm and emotion.
January 31, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · georgia on my mind · latin jazz · percussionMark Murphy: On Green Dolphin Street
Right from the start, when Murphy sings the verse solely with piano, you know it's going to be a great vocal version of this tune. Mostly thanks to the singer, whose relaxed phrasing is full of unexpected breaks and accelerations, and molds the melody with supreme freedom. His timbre also blends gorgeously with the horns because Murphy, given the range of his voice, can afford to use it as an instrument. With such a singer, the arrangement needn't fill too much space, and indeed the horns remain rather discreet—all focusing the spotlight on the one and only Mark Murphy.
January 31, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: green dolphin street · jazz vocals · soundtrack coversGary Thomas: Lush Life
Although Gary Thomas is better known for hard-driving improv than for playing classic ballads, on this track he spends more time playing the theme of this wonderful Strayhorn composition than improvising. And he does so as a master stylist, tackling the melody with a tenor timbre that doesn't sound as dark as usual. Pat Metheny supports him on acoustic guitar in a very basic and unsophisticated way, as close to the natural sound of the instrument as possible. This duet remains not only a fine version of a timeless standard, but an unexpected foray out of their usual paths by two great musicians.
January 31, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s · ballads · lush life · tenor saxSteve Coleman: 'Round Midnight
During this set of concerts at a now-defunct Parisian club, Steve Coleman explored different types of music, among which this Monk standard that stands as a unique piece in the alto player's discography. Coleman doesn't play this song in the usual dramatic way, nor does he try to explore the harmonies in an abstract manner. The organic sound of his alto progressively drags the theme into the dense fabric of polyrhythm woven by bass and drums, in the best M-base tradition, and the melody fits perfectly in this context. Andy Milne's solo confirms this assertion: in Coleman's cyclical conception of music, standards are welcome and are bound to display a new potential. After all, isn't it what one expects from classics?
January 31, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · alto sax · france · monk covers · round midnightPat Martino: Willow Weep for Me
This is a rather unusual tempo for Pat Martino, but on this whole ballad record he decided to renounce his "fastest gun in the West" reputation and to open his heart. Here he chose to sit down under the willow tree and let his guitar gently weep, to stretch the melody and stress its blues implications in order to enhance its emotional qualities. And when his fingers occasionally take momentum during his solo, Goldstein's poised electric piano maintains the steady pace and the meditative spirit.
January 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · guitar · willow weep for meRalph Towner: Nimbus
One definition of the word nimbus is " ...an atmosphere or aura, as of mystery." Master guitarist Ralph Towner assembled an extraordinary group of talented and sympathetic musicians to weave his vision of this classic and at once quixotic composition that combines a unique use of musical instruments not usually associated with jazz to create his own aura of mystery. This style could rightfully be coined classical fusion.The composition's introduction captures the beautifully sensitive facility that Towner's touch can create on his classical guitar, a rare use for this instrument in this setting. Towner is artisan at building unusually evocative tension with his flawless technique and his purposeful intensity. After being lured in by the unique combination of his use of 12-string finger-picked guitar as backdrop to his overdubbed guitar solo, the group follows with the sparse melody on a stirring flute/12-string duet between multi-reed artist Jan Gabarek and Towner. The combination works wonderfully. The listener is then led through another musical door where Eberhard Weber's soulfully brooding cello work creates a more intense mood over his equally powerful basslines. The artists continue to raise the musical temperature, breaking into a furious tenor solo by the formidable Gabarek, who elevates the urgency with his firebrand playing. All the while Towner, Weber and European drum sensation Jon Christensen beat the music to a froth before settling back into the now-familiar melody with flute and 12-string ending in a satisfyingly complete conclusion. This music has tinges of the best frenzied fusion of the era, with all its smoke and technical virtuosity, while maintaining a musically complex yet surprisingly genteel quality. The composition is at once appealing and evocative, and its execution is flawless. Not to be overlooked.
January 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · ecm · guitar · nimbusCarol Sloane: Let's Face the Music and Dance
Sloane can indeed be called "a singer's singer," possessing a gorgeous vibrato, impeccable taste and keen interpretative ability. She takes this standard at a more languid pace than usual, which only plays to her strengths. She wants to tell a story and always wants the listener to appreciate the lyrics. At 6:48, there's generous space given for masterful solos by Charlap and Alden, two players always worth hearing.
January 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s · irving berlin covers · jazz vocals · let's face the music and danceSonny Criss: Sonny's Dream
A fast minor waltz has Sonny wailing from the first notes of his solo, as Tapscott's tune and arrangement inspire him to an emotional high. The suave Flanagan cools it down a bit before the band reignites Criss to an even greater frenzy, which includes some uncharacteristic growls. Criss's impressive late-'60s Prestige recordings jumpstarted his career, and the unique "Sonny's Dream" was perhaps the best of them. (The CD reissue includes an alternate take of this track.) The mature Criss could hold his own with any other bop-influenced altoist of his day, and his tragic death in 1977 at age 50 was a great loss.
January 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · alto sax · sonny's dreamStanley Turrentine: Buster Brown
“Buster Brown” is one of the more polished and unforced-sounding boogaloos in the rare groove catalog, which is not at all surprising considering its cast of characters. Idris Muhammad sits alone on his throne as the undeniable boogaloo king, Bob Cranshaw brings the fluidity of an acoustic master to the electric bass, and Shirley Scott’s sound is more controlled and less abrasive than other B-3ers. Turrentine possesses an instantly recognizable sound—smooth and round, yet earthy and soulful, making him sound more like a soul singer than any other tenor saxophonist before or since. The “Sugar Man” sings, cries, and wails his blues through his horn, and he’ll have listeners hanging on every soulful note.
January 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue noteGonzalo Rubalcaba: This Is It
On the longest track from Rubalcaba's Avatar CD, the band stretches out for a 12-minute exploration of Yosvany Terry's composition "This Is it." The harmonic approach is mostly modal, with the solos taking wing over the throbbing vamp of bassist Matt Brewer, who periodically jumps into fast swing time but never settles into any rhythm long enough to let the soloists get complacent. The result is an agitated, jittery performance that throws off lots of sparks.
January 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags:Gonzalo Rubalcaba: Peace
Horace Silver was better known for his groove numbers of various types -- Latin, funk, hard bop -- than for ballads. But with "Peace," Silver contributed one of the greatest jazz ballads, a graceful short form that was closer to Miles's "Blue in Green" than to the typical Blue Note offering.Well, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Another Blue Note artist, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, may likewise be better known for his groove numbers, but here shows that (like Silver) he can craft a beautiful, breathing ballad. And he chooses Silver's "Peace" for the honors. Rubalcaba does not drive the band here, but merely lingers like a gentle fog over the pace set by bassist Matt Brewer. The delicacy of his touch stands out in this setting. This is the shortest track on Rubalcaba's Avatar CD (clocking in at four minutes), but by no means a lesser one.
January 30, 2008 · -1 comments
Tags: blue note · peace · piano trioStan Kenton: Warm Blue Stream
Recorded by Wally Heider during a live gig, this track is notable for several reasons. The song itself deserves more exposure and performances; this is a beautiful arrangement for the mellophonium ensemble by Niehaus; and the track highlights one of Kenton's finest singers. Turner was 25 when she joined the band, one of the few black musicians Stan featured in his long career. Turner joined Harry James' band in 1965 and then disappeared. There are many listeners who don't associate Kenton's music with such lovely and jazzy sounds. Marvin Stamm plays the muted trumpet under the vocal.
January 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · big band · warm blue streamEliane Elias: Waltz for Debby
This song is inevitably included on every Bill Evans tribute recording – as familiar as "Round Midnight" when the acolyte followers of Monk gather in homage – and everyone from the Kronos String Quartet to Jean-Yves Thibaudet has dished up a version. But this is not as easy a song to play as might seem from first glance. Yes, the chord changes are not very challenging, and the tempo typically a gentle medium-tempo waltz. No one will get bruised here. But the song demands a certain childlike quality on the part of the performer. The composition was written, after all, for Evans' niece, and evokes the innocence of the nursery. Over-play this song and you kill it. Sometimes even Evans pushed it too hard.Eliane Elias gets it just right. She starts with a vocal, drawing on Gene Lees' sweet lyrics, and sings the words with absolute fidelity to the spirit of the composition. She takes the opening chorus with just her own piano accompaniment, and when bassist Marc Johnson (a member of Evans' last trio) and drummer Joey Baron enter, they push the energy level up a notch, but not too much. The whole performance is quite graceful, and will remind you why this song became a standard in the first place.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: waltz for debbyJohn Pisano & Billy Bean: Cherokee
There is no good reason why Billy Bean is so little known, except that he didn't record much. So this 7½-minute duet with John Pisano is an excellent opportunity to discover his playing alongside a good – but not outstanding – partner on the same instrument. Even before Bean takes the second solo, the inventive way in which he plays basslines or comps behind Pisano already tells us something special is about to happen. He soars at 2:25 with a beautiful round sound, clear horn player-like phrasing, and a flow of melodic ideas taking him far from the formalism often attached to this set of chord progressions. Indeed, his guitar flies like the hawk over the prairie, and it's a mighty thing for our ears to behold!
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · cherokee · guitarBrother Jack McDuff: Moon Rappin'
An 8-track copy of “Moon Rappin’” should be stored safely in the dash of every 1970s Cadillac for emergency top-down cruising purposes. The bass-driven intro, supported by spacey guitar wahs, reverb-heavy, ringing piano chords and a smooth guitar counterpoint, establishes some untouchable funk that is both “get down” dirty and buttery slick. After the heavily textured melody meanders through a maze of unexpected harmonic twists and turns, McDuff rips over the original groove on his B-3 and then treats listeners to a rare acoustic piano solo. While the leader displays a surprisingly delicate touch, the group begins to ramble and things become a tad unfocused—perhaps a second soloist may have moved things along better. However, the flaws in execution are easily forgotten if you let yourself get lost in the groove. It’ll be well worth it.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · organDianne Reeves: Cherokee
This is not an easy song to sing, and indeed its most famous versions are by instrumentalists. But Dianne Reeves's voice tackles this difficult set of chords with such ease that one wonders why she doesn't have more competitors. A great vocal performance by one of the greatest stylists of our times, and an interesting arrangement too, which gives the song a funny Latin twist towards the end. Not to mention Bobby Watson's fiery alto solo, reminding us that, among instrumentalists at least, there definitely is strong competition when it comes to "Cherokee."
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · alto sax · cherokee · jazz vocalsRichard 'Groove' Holmes: Mr. Clean
Less overtly R&B than other rare grooves, the psychedelic “Mr. Clean” is more Bitches Brew than it is James Brown. The groove is urgent and pressing, and harmonically it explores a darker, more mysterious side of soul-jazz. Holmes uses a spacey echo effect during his solo, priming his B-3 and the rest of his bandmates for liftoff. There is an intense energy that rumbles throughout the track, occasionally peaking like the cresting and crashing of waves as the group navigates a precarious alien soundscape. “Mr. Clean” sounds like no other song in the Blue Note rare groove catalog, and that alone makes it an intriguing listen.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · organGene Harris and the Three Sounds: I'm Still Sad
“I’m Still Sad” proves that wires aren’t needed to conduct electricity—the Three Sounds have enough juice flowing from their limbs they could power the It Club’s entire lighting rig and then some. This acoustic trio doesn’t simply set a groove, they work meticulously inside it—shifting rhythms, dynamics and motives to keep things fresh. They have the chops and sympathetic ears that many soul-jazz groups lack, though their sophistication never distracts them from their game plan—funkin’ out some gospel blues. Harris works with concise blues licks, playing a game of call and response with himself. Burnett’s tight, snappy backbeat and Franklin’s lively bass lead the group towards a soul-jazz catharsis.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · piano trioDianne Reeves: Love for Sale
On this live track the interaction between Dianne Reeves and her rhythm section is tremendous. They shift speed without notice, the singer goes from words to scat with an incredible ease, and she lets her pianist and drummer improvise in a way that seems to flow naturally in the course of the performance, far from some of those formally announced solos. Above all, though they are tackling a song with meaningful words, their interpretation is based on rhythm more than on meaning. Yet their incredible rhythmic drive fits the re-harmonized melody like a glove, and makes sense too.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s · cole porter covers · france · jazz vocals · love for saleLonnie Smith: Son of Ice Bag
Having been steady organist in the bands of both Lou Donaldson and George Benson for almost three years, Lonnie Smith had plenty of experience before cutting his first Blue Note album as leader in 1968. Add the meaty frontline of Lee Morgan and “Fathead” Newman, and you get a rare groove that is not only funky but much more daring than your average soul-jazz session. The group sounds well rehearsed, and the arrangement is tight, yet there is an openness that gives the soloists the freedom to develop their solos modally and not simply string together regurgitated blues licks. Smith and company generate some highly creative, thoughtful improvisations that will encourage close listening. This is high-quality late-'60s jazz—straight, no chaser. It just happens to also be a hard groovin’ boogaloo.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · funk · organJimmy McGriff: Back on the Track
Though he considers himself to be first and foremost a blues musician, Jimmy McGriff straddles the demarcating lines between R&B, gospel, funk and jazz more comfortably than any organist in any genre. Electric Funk sounds like the lost soundtrack to an unreleased blaxploitation film and its first cut, “Back On The Track,” would be perfect for the opening credits. The deep-pocket bassist lays down some serious funk and the mystery drummer is so nasty he’ll make DJs drool. Always deeply soulful, McGriff preaches his own gospel with short exclamatory licks to fill the space allotted him in Horace Ott’s simple yet effective “small big band” arrangement. A standout track on the funkiest record in the Blue Note stacks.
January 29, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: blue note · funk · organWallace Roney: The Way You Look Tonight
There is always a risk in taking an originally slow song at top speed without even playing the melody. Why use a good tune as a mere bunch of chords to ride them frantically? Wallace Roney avoids this danger by playing the melody alone with the bass as an introduction, with a beautiful sound and a phrasing that shows a tender soul. Then the group joins in for an impressive tour de force powered by Cindy Blackman's dynamic drumming. But the atmosphere of the intro somehow lingers on and keeps the whole thing within the boundaries of its original feeling.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · the way you look tonight · trumpetClifford Brown: Willow Weep for Me
Clifford Brown doesn't even have to take a chorus to be one of the greatest jazz trumpet players of all times. Here, arranger Neal Hefti chose to feature him "against" two registers of strings that open up with a high riff and a lower countermelody. In this context the horn acquires a strongly dramatic quality simply by playing the melody with a phrasing and timbre all its own. And now and then a short foray out of the written line reminds us how inventive Brownie can be whenever he improvises.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · jazz with strings · trumpet · willow weep for meBireli Lagrene: Autumn Leaves
Bireli Lagrene was 25 at the time of this recording and already a guitar hero in the fields of fusion and gipsy jazz. Here, he wants to show his ability in another arena, and actually doesn’t let foreign influences interfere with his straight-ahead chops. Still, his choice is definitely high-speed linear virtuosity on the chords of a song whose melody he doesn’t even bother to quote once. Since his partners have no problem following him on this racetrack for quick fingers, the whole thing is rather impressive. But far from the original spirit, unless that autumn breeze was a hurricane.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · autumn leaves · france · guitarReuben Wilson: Bus Ride
Reuben Wilson achieved little notoriety while recording for Blue Note (he was dropped from the label within three years) but has since become an acid-jazz legend and a favorite of DJs and rare groove fanatics. More lazy Saturday afternoon joyriding with a bellyful of soul food than rush-hour Manhattan with a fistful of coffee, “Bus Ride” is all strut and no sprint. The unison Meters-esque melody is relaxed and unhurried; the groove is soulful, inviting and warm. Melvin Sparks shows why he was the first-choice guitarist for so many soul-jazz sessions, and unknown drummer Tommy Derrick’s loose but deep-pocket groove makes one wonder why he wasn’t more in demand himself.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · organDonald Byrd: Weasil
An under-recognized classic, Fancy Free highlights Donald Byrd in transition between his acoustic hard-bop period and his slick, controversial 1970s albums produced by the Mizell Brothers. This was the first time Byrd used electric piano on record, and the sly, loping, dramatically behind-the-beat “Weasil” is the standout track. It features a Frank Foster tenor solo for the ages—fat-toned and confident, he speaks the blues with fierce authority. Drummer Joe Chambers adjusts his groove to each soloist, but retains a laid-back swagger and assurance that insist the track moves at his tempo. If your head isn’t bopping within two seconds after pushing play, check your pulse. This one is that deep.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · funk · trumpetAndrew Hill: Soul Special
With Andrew Hill, one of Blue Note’s more idiosyncratic and challenging pianists, listeners can expect surprises—but a boogaloo? There are always blues implications underneath Hill’s unique concept, and while the groove and harmony of “Soul Special” are undeniably funk based, the mix of improvisational styles sets it apart from other late-'60s rare grooves. Guitarist Jimmy Ponder’s licks come from the bottom of the soul-jazz bag, and tenorman Frank Mitchell unfurls some short, bluesy, bop-inflected phrases. With his pentatonicism, Woody Shaw is as “in-the-pocket” as ever (dig his shocking entrance). Hill’s ambiguous harmonic and rhythmic approach, however, stands out amongst all. His abstract phrasing and crunchy, dissonant clusters keep things distinctly avant-garde while still respecting the groove.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue noteGrant Green: Ain't It Funky Now
This is the ultimate rare groove—true funk perfection. The undemanding harmony forces the focus onto the rhythm, which is gritty, commanding, thick and multi-layered with flawless auxiliary percussion. Check out Idris Muhammad’s slammin’ drum breaks between 0:59 and 1:11—wow!! During his funk phase, Green limited himself to blues pentatonics and a finite number of licks. He uses them brilliantly here, however, constructing the most exciting solo in his funk catalog. Bartee and Mitchell contribute sizzling improvisations that are so smart and melodic they are actually catchier and more singable than the melody itself. Infectious and powerful, this is unquestionably a “must have” recording, and it is guaranteed that one listen will not be enough.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · funk · hard bopBlue Mitchell: Hi-Heel Sneakers
After Lee Morgan’s “The Sidewinder” rocked jukeboxes nationwide in 1964, Blue Note started searching for its next big hit. More and more albums jumped off with a danceable, R&B-style track, though many can be written off as uninspired and diluted commercial compromises. Not Blue Mitchell’s high-class version of “Hi-Heel Sneakers.” This vigorous groover burns from beginning to end, driven by Taylor’s repetitive, blues bassline and Foster’s determined ride cymbal. Having perfected their trade in Horace Silver’s group, Mitchell and Cook are masters of concise, funky blues minimalism. Young Chick Corea adds some soulful statements of his own, showing flashes of the brilliance that would soon make him one of the most influential pianists of his generation.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · hard bop · trumpetLou Donaldson: Donkey Walk
Many jazz purists were enraged when Lou Donaldson ditched bebop for the boogaloo. One of the finest Bird-cloned altoists had chopped off his wings, jumped off the top of Bebop mountain and plummeted straight to the bottom of “sell-out” pit (please note my sarcasm).In reality, Donaldson’s sense of melody was never more astute than on his late-'60s Blue Note albums. His playing is bluesy, economical and reserved; his intent is not to blow your mind with flurried 16th notes and upper-structure dissonance, but to lure you in with a hook and hit you in your gut. When compared to his 1950s records, this approach may seem lazy to some, but it is the remarkable ease, logic and flow of his ideas that make his soul-jazz recordings just as essential. You won’t simply be listening to Donaldson—you’ll be feeling him.
On “Donkey Walk,” each chorus begins with a four-bar break that Donaldson fills masterfully with unparalleled soulfulness and clarity. In the plethora of funky beats that Idris Muhammad has dropped over the years, I dare to say that this is one of his catchiest and grooviest. Jimmy Lewis’s Latin-tinged bassline is steady and vital and Charles Earland adds some excellent playing to the mix. Donaldson was a bold trendsetter, and this is one of his finest recordings.
January 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: alto sax · blue noteSonny Rollins: Skylark
Sonny begins unaccompanied sounding like he's introducing a calypso, but then subtly moves into a slow-tempoed sweet reading of the standard. After Cables's heartfelt solo, Sonny soars at his creative best with surging, extended lines, capped by a long cadenza to die for. The highlight of Sonny's first album after his second "retirement" of six years, this superb track alone announced that he was back for keeps, although his studio recordings--as opposed to live performances--would continue to remain uneven.
January 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · skylark · tenor saxBooker Ervin: A Lunar Tune
Texas tenor Ervin possessed a brawny, cavernous sound like none other, and an original, harmonically sophisticated improvisational approach. Here he's backed by one of the greatest rhythm sections in jazz history--the exceptional Byard, Davis and Dawson. "A Lunar Tune," from perhaps his best recording, is a kaleidoscopic, exhilarating trip that makes the listener bemoan the fact that Ervin died in 1970 at only 39.
January 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · tenor sax · texas tenorFrank Macchia: Down in the Valley
Frank Macchia likes the old songs, and I'm not talking about George Gershwin and Cole Porter. I mean the really old songs, like "Shenandoah" and "Sidewalks of New York." Half of the tracks on his new Landscapes CD are in the public domain. (Sorry ASCAP and BMI!) But Macchia dresses up these old melodies in cool jazz garb. By the time he is done with "Down in the Valley," it has been transformed into a 6/8 blues, reminiscent of "All Blues" with a dose of Getz's Focus. Macchia's orchestral writing is excellent, and he avoids the risk (ever present with songs such as "Down in the Valley") of falling into empty Copland-esque flourishes or unconscious mimicry of Western film soundtracks. Macchia's last CD Emotions garnered a Grammy nomination, and he looks to have another winner with this release.
January 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: cowboy jazzEnrico Pieranunzi: My Funny Valentine
It will take more than a minute before Pieranunzi and his U.S. partners play the theme of this song, taken at higher than usual speed. Before that, they toy around with bits of the melody and with the harmony while building a highly romantic atmosphere. Refined piano phrasing, subtle cymbal touch and supple basslines weave a strong and delicate network around the theme before it is exposed, then diluted again during the improvisation process. Some will see here Bill Evans's influence on Pieranunzi. Others will remember that the Italian pianist had also been a companion of Chet Baker, one of the all-time greatest suitors of "Funny Valentine."
January 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · my funny valentine · piano trioSonny Rollins: I Can't Get Started
The only ballad – and one of the shortest tunes – that Rollins played on this historic first live-at-the- Vanguard recording session provides a good opportunity to appreciate Elvin Jones's usually underrated brushwork, and to revel in the way the tenor adapts his powerful, heavy tone to a slow tempo. Or rather adapts it to his way of playing, for Rollins keeps accelerating and slowing down his delivery as he improvises melodic phrases, giving "I Can't Get Started" an unusually dynamic twist. When the final stop chorus arrives, with its quotation of the classic "'Round Midnight" intro, the overall feeling is that the Colossus has reshaped Vernon Duke's standard according to his own taste.
January 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · i can't get started · tenor sax · village vanguardClifford Brown: Yesterdays
Those who don't like brass with strings (and that includes many jazz buffs) should be assuaged: Clifford Brown with Strings is an exception. And "Yesterdays" is the opening piece of this beautiful record that nobody should listen to without a box of tissues within reach. Indeed, the intensity and emotional quality of Brownie's sound and phrasing on this track and on the other ballads he tackles here as sole improviser are sometimes breathtaking. And even the purists will admit that Neal Hefti – himself a trumpeter – did a great job with the small string orchestra that, along with Brown's usual rhythm section, surrounds one of the greatest geniuses of the instrument.
January 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · jazz with strings · yesterdaysLennie Tristano: Descent Into the Maelstrom
Years before Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman released their first LPs, Lennie Tristano offers up an intense example of Free Jazz, completely atonal and full of drama. The song title refers to a 19th-century story by Edgar Allan Poe, but that is the only aspect of this track that looks backwards. The music itself anticipate the future with great acuity. But this performance was not released for a quarter of a century, so it impacts the history of the music only as a retrospective monument to Tristano's boldness and creativity. One wonders what would have happened had Tristano dared to put this out at the time. I imagine that the controversy over his "Line Up" track would have been a mere tempest in a teapot compared to the maelstrom that this performance might have unleashed.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: free jazz · solo pianoLennie Tristano (with Lee Konitz): All the Things You Are
In the annals of jazz history, the Confucius Restaurant will never be confused with Birdland or the Village Vanguard, but Lennie Tristano recorded one of his finest live dates in this unlikely setting during the summer of 1955. This excellent version of "All the Things You Are" was originally released by Atlantic on their Lennie Tristano LP in February 1956, but a larger selection of recordings from the Confucius Restaurant has occasionally been made available (currently they can be found on a poorly produced Spanish import with sound quality inferior to the old LP release). Both Konitz and Tristano were playing at top form on this gig, which finds them thriving in a low-key setting, seemingly playing as much for their own enjoyment as for the audience. Somehow I think that if this same crew had been featured at Carnegie Hall that evening, the musical results would not have been half so fun.Konitz would later move away from his cool jazz sound, but here he reminds us of the long lineage of cool sax playing going back to Lester Young and Frank Trumbauer. Imagine a bebop update on Prez (circa "Lady be Good") translated to alto, and you have some idea what this track sounds like. Tristano plays with great relaxation and inventiveness here, and offers up a smart linear improvisation. "All the Things You Are" was a familiar friend to the Tristano school, played at many of their gigs; but they never got stale playing it. Rather its performance was like the repetition of a ritual, finding deeper meanings with each new encounter.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: all the things you are · jerome kern coversGil Evans: Summertime
This is essentially a rearrangement of the score that Gil Evans wrote for Miles Davis's Porgy and Bess (1958). But Evans has updated it to the electric '70s, and assigned the lead to guitar to emphasize the blues tinge of Gershwin's song. Ted Dunbar's solo may not be the greatest ever taken on these familiar chords, but it's surrounded by a maze of details that widen the sound spectrum and bear Evans's mark, from the sweet jungle of cymbals and miscellaneous percussion to the daring contrast between tweeting flutes and roaring tubas.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · big band · gershwin covers · porgy and bess · summertimeEddy Louiss and Michel Petrucciani: Summertime
Organ and piano duets are infrequent in jazz. But when it comes to musicians like Louiss and Petrucciani, the choice of the instrument is less relevant than the pleasure of the dialogue, and music flows so naturally from their fingers that it can almost be frightening. This is especially obvious on "Summertime," which has been played by almost everybody. Louiss's and Petrucciani's freshness and lack of over-sophistication return the song to its roots as a vehicle for improvisation. Moreover, in their hands these instruments make a gorgeous blend. Dialogue, pleasure, gorgeous blend … these musicians wouldn't be French, by any chance?
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s · france · gershwin covers · organ · porgy and bess · summertimeStan Getz: Stella by Starlight
This is typically the kind of piece that people will classify as "West Coast jazz," although it was recorded in New York by a native of Philadelphia. True, Getz's tenor delivery is thoroughly relaxed, and the sound of the quintet is basically cool. But what I find most remarkable in the Getz of the early '50s is the way he can, with apparently no effort, carve a little gem of less than three minutes. Of course some will merely use it as background music. But others will listen again and again, endlessly raving at, for example, the art with which Stan casually inserts a quotation from Bizet's Carmen at the end of his solo.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · cool jazz · stella by starlight · tenor saxStan Kenton: Opus in Beige
Gene Roland first wrote for Kenton back in 1944, and not only contributed music for almost 30 years, but played trumpet, trombone and mellophonium with the band. Usually Roland's music is upbeat and swinging, but here he is in a more reflective mood, and the result is one of his loveliest pieces. Larsen and Perkins solo.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · big band · opus in beigeStan Kenton: The Thrill Is Gone
Married to Kenton for a few years, Ann Richards has her fans and detractors as a singer. Many listeners feel that her best work was with the maestro's band. "The Thrill Is Gone" was recorded during the same sessions that produced one of the band's finest albums, Contemporary Concepts, so the band was in a good place musically and personally. Noto has a short solo, but the focus is on Richards, who does a good job with this difficult song.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · big band · the thrill is goneStan Kenton: The Opener
Kenton may not have been entirely comfortable with Bill Holman's musical direction, but he bought everything that Bill wrote for the band, and recorded an entire 10" LP featuring Holman's music. "The Opener" is relatively quiet at the beginning, but the musical lines weave in and out, engaging the listeners' ear immediately. Rosolino, Mariano and Noto solo (and Kenton comps nicely behind them, thank you). The beauty of Holman's writing for Kenton is his relaxed swing feel (even though these are almost even eighth notes), with the harmonic and linear advantages of all those horns to use. Kenton must have felt the proceedings were getting out of hand, for he disbanded soon after these recordings, and for his next few recording sessions used only his own arrangements.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · big band · the openerStan Kenton: Invention for Guitar and Trumpet
Kenton first heard of Willis Holman when Gene Roland played Stan a recording of a 12-tone contrapuntal blues that Bill had written during his years at Westlake College of Music. After Holman joined the band on tenor sax, Kenton asked him to write a piece for Ferguson and Salvador. Holman was never happy with "Invention," but it features virtuoso playing from both participants. Holman became an important contributor to the band over the years, writing many compositions that band members often requested, arrangements for vocalists, and unique takes on standards culminating in an album called Contemporary Concepts that was one of Kenton's all-time best.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · big band · invention for guitar and trumpetStan Kenton: 23 Degrees North, 82 Degrees West
The title denotes the coordinates for Cuba, and Russo would later say that this was one of his better pieces. George Roberts would suggest to Nelson Riddle that a variant of the percussive bass trombone line be used as a transition in the arrangement of "I've Got You Under My Skin" for Frank Sinatra. Also interesting is Russo's use of 7/4 time after Konitz's solo, and how it flawlessly switches back to 4/4 without calling attention to itself. Rosolino also solos in this track. A short trumpet solo for Candoli was cut, although Russo later restored it for his own Chicago Jazz Ensemble—then cut it again in later performances.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · big bandStan Kenton: Young Blood
Mulligan and Stan Kenton was an odd mix that didn't work out. Mulligan's music was light years away from Kenton's dynamic musical approach. (Kenton was always concerned that this type of music would make his band sound like Woody Herman's.) But the musicians loved Mulligan's charts and frequently requested his pieces during the last set of a gig. Candoli, Kamuca, Konitz and Childers have great solos, and the band really swings out. From his tenor sax chair, Bill Holman was listening carefully to Mulligan's linear writing and harmonic approach, and would write important pieces for Kenton soon after. Despite their differences, Kenton still played Mulligan's music as late as 1959.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · big band · young bloodStan Kenton: Easy Go
During his "Innovations" period, Kenton would drop the strings between tours and play dance gigs to recoup the money he'd lost. He also continued to record singles, which he and Capitol Records hoped would sell so that he'd get airplay. "Easy Go" is another riff-based tune which got the dancers up on the floor and gave Rogers and Fitzpatrick a chance to blow.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · big band · easy goDianne Reeves: Body and Soul
On this very special evening at the New Morning club in Paris, Dianne Reeves was in fantastic shape, and the rendering she gave of this standard of standards is historic. The African-like wordless vocals over the piano vamp in the re-harmonized intro set the scene: it’s definitely going to be about body and about soul! So, for almost nine minutes, the singer and her band explore rhythms (Latin, funk…), textures (from the thickest to the thinnest) and registers (highs and lows that make your skin creep) in a fascinating ad lib rubato way. Pure magic!
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s · body and soul · vocalsAnita O'Day: Body and Soul
Although this version is dedicated to Coleman Hawkins, who made "Body and Soul" into one of the ultimate tenor-sax solo vehicles for decades, it is far from the spirit of Bean's historic 1939 rendering. Anita O'Day has way too much personality to be a copycat. With arranger Russell Garcia's help, she reshapes this standard with her vocal virtuosity. After singing the two "A" parts of the song and half of its famous bridge at a slow tempo, alone with the piano, she lets the orchestra in for a joyride of crazy phrasing, where she shows above-human ease with notes and words, before ending with a couple of bars of nonchalant, loose scat singing. It may have little to do with the dramatic content of the lyrics, but it's so classy that we aren't about to quibble over relevance.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · body and soul · vocalsDave Liebman & Franco D'Andrea: Autumn Leaves
These two know their standards so well that they can choose to approach them from as many angles as they want. After Liebman tiptoes into the melody while D'Andrea comps a delicate, softly bouncing intro, this cat and mouse playing around the familiar chords carries on for more than seven minutes with no letup in inspiration. The soprano soars wildly while the piano builds rock-steady foundations in the low register, then hushes while its companion improvises in a dreamy yet earthy way. Liebman and D'Andrea know a lot about standards—and obviously about empathy and team playing, too.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s · autumn leaves · soprano saxSidney Bechet & Martial Solal: All The Things You Are
It must have seemed strange, in the late stages of a "war" between jazz traditionalists and supporters of the bop revolution, to pair a New Orleans-born veteran and an up-and-coming young virtuoso who was soon to become one of Europe's leading modern pianists. Plus a rhythm team that Martial Solal more than Sidney Bechet was familiar with, and which six months later would also support Miles Davis on the famed soundtrack of Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (1958; released in the USA as Elevator to the Gallows). But Bechet was such an icon in his adopted homeland of France that he could afford to do anything and was revered by every musician. Here he basically stays very close to the melody, with his huge sound and plentiful vibrato, and lets Solal toy around with the harmonies in a playful, witty way that the pianist even uses when he comps behind his unwavering elder. Not much of an encounter, indeed, but still a very interesting example of musical co-tenancy.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · all the things you are · france · soprano saxKeith Jarrett: All The Things You Are
It's difficult, after the magnificent 2½-minute piano solo intro, not to be conscious of the fact that "All the Things…" is built on the same type of harmonic cadenzas as many compositions of the Baroque period. Still, the audience is so mesmerized by Jarrett's contrapuntal virtuosity and fantastic phrasing that it only seems to recognize the tune when Peacock and DeJohnette join in, and then breaks into raving applause. That's the "Jarrett magic" at it's best and, though some may call it too conscious, it works so well on this track that one would have to be really picky to bargain one's pleasure. All the more since the trio part that follows shows great interaction and empathy, DeJohnette's drumming being particularly dynamic and inventive. This is obviously one of the highlights of a standard trio that hadn't yet become "standardized."
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s · all the things you are · piano trioJohn Scofield: All The Things You Are
When "All the Things…" was penned by Kern & Hammerstein, guitars were hardly amplified, much less hooked up to any kind of pedal or electronic device. It's all the more interesting to listen to what a highly wired guitarist like Scofield can do with that timeless standard. Strangely, he first stays rather close to the theme, and the melody is so good that it lends itself beautifully to the saturated sounds of the guitar alone, soon joined by bass and drums. Then comes the deconstructing process, as the volume rises and the brushes give way to powerful sticks. But all the way through, this trio shows a sheer love of this timeless song that they explore in all its dimensions, in a most organic, never intellectual approach, up to a quote of the classic Charlie Parker intro, towards the end of these almost 8 minutes of intense improv.
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · all the things you are · guitarLee Konitz & Jimmy Giuffre: Palo Alto
A flowing though rather abstract melody penned by Lee Konitz, wrapped in the smooth yet swinging arrangement of his partner Jimmy Giuffre, this spells cool jazz at its best. Konitz's sinewy alto blows its way through his solo with supreme, relaxed creativity while the airy sound of the four other reeds weaves a supple tapestry of refined countermelodies around it. The rhythm section, led by Bill Evans, is a model of fluidity and elegance, and the whole thing casts the discreet and intense glow of a gem in its velvet setting. This collective effort by Konitz, Giuffre and their colleagues is definitely one of the major achievements of the so-called "cool school."
January 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s · alto sax · cool jazzJohn McLaughlin: Follow Your Heart
I am cheating a bit calling this tune a standard. It is not. But damn it, this should be. Here's my case: I once heard it on a soap opera. Guitarist Bill Frisell covered it on his fine album Ghost Town. John Abercrombie also takes a skilled whack at it on the Mahavishnu tribute album Visions of an Inner Mounting Apocalypse. That's enough justification for me. Here, a young electric John McLaughlin plays with Joe Farrell, Jack DeJohnette and Dave Holland. (Chick Corea sits it out.) What a band and what a performance! "Follow Your Heart" is a melodious ballad with a hook, played in a relaxed mode with an unusual time signature (11/8) and enough open space for all of the players to successfully contribute. It is also one of the earliest examples of McLaughlin showing off those comping "jangly" chords he would become famous for. ("Follow Your Heart" also appears in part on McLaughlin's album Extrapolation and in full on My Goal's Beyond.)
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · guitarJohn McLaughlin: My Romance
This could be a fun thing to do: play McLaughlin's beautiful acoustic rendition of "My Romance" to someone unfamiliar with John's playing. Its harp-like chords and deep rich melody notes will enchant the listener. Then play the McLaughlin Mahavishnu Orchestra's head-jarring electric "Birds of Fire" immediately. After you resuscitate the now-shocked listener, try your damnedest to convince him or her that it was the same guitarist playing both songs. You will not be able to do it!
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · guitar · richard rodgers coversJohn McLaughlin: Afro Blue
McLaughlin's energetic version of Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue" from After the Rain is a fully realized treatment of the tune most often associated with John Coltrane. McLaughlin, organist Joey DeFrancesco and Coltrane alumnus Elvin Jones on drums drive the tune as if it were one of those monster trucks going down a steep hill in Baja. McLaughlin mutes his chorused guitar sound a bit, which may be a detriment. But if you pay attention, his swinging line-playing evokes Coltrane's sax forays.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · afro blue · guitar · organ trioJohn McLaughlin: Manha De Carnaval
McLaughlin has been playing the Brazilian standard "Manha De Carnaval," sometimes called "Black Orpheus" because of the movie it came from, since at least 1980 when he performed it in trio with Larry Coryell and Paco De Lucia. This is a duet with Al Di Meola. John is the stronger lyrical player even though you would tend to think any Latin music would be more of Di Meola's bailiwick. The tune's sad but optimistic melody is the perfect canvas for McLaughlin to paint washes of nuance.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · bossa nova · guitar · manha de carnavalJohn McLaughlin: No Blues
McLaughlin's organ trio group The Free Spirits released its one and only album, Tokyo Live, in 1993. It is not one of my favorite McLaughlin groups because I was never really happy with the sound of John's guitar. In person and live it was a great band because you could see John playing. But on record, his sound was too close to Joey DeFrancesco's organ to tell them apart during unison playing. With that caveat out of the way, the band, with Dennis Chambers on drums, did a killer version of "No Blues." With unison playing less of a role in this tune, McLaughlin's blues chops are front and center. They are somewhat traditional in sense of form, but his bending of the notes downward in pitch and not upward creates yet another John McLaughlin trademark sound.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · guitar · miles davis covers · no blues · organ trioJohn McLaughlin: Very Early
This is one of Bill Evans's most beautiful compositions. McLaughlin's admiration for Evans is well known. He played "Very Early" on his Belo Horizonte album. But he gives it a lengthier treatment on his tribute to Bill Evans, Time Remembered. Performing with a guitar quartet and a bassist, McLaughlin treats the tune as if it were a fragile piece of glass. The overuse of reverb in the recording is a little annoying, but it does not break the spell of this lush lullaby. This is McLaughlin in his most romantic, almost saccharine, bag. There is a great energy nonetheless to his improvised parts. Some people didn't like McLaughlin's heavily arranged "classical" approach to Evan's music on this and other tunes. But my wife loves the album. If my wife can love any album from an electric fusion god, there is hope for us all.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · bill evans covers · guitar · very earlyJohn McLaughlin: Blue in Green
Miles wrote it! No, Bill Evans wrote it! For some, the argument goes on and on. (Evans credits Miles on his album, so I will go with that.) At any rate, McLaughlin has had two passes at this piece over the years. His solo acoustic interpretation on My Goal's Beyond is marked as a favorite by many. But the superior version is to be found on Live at Royal Festival Hall. McLaughlin, using a new acoustic guitar with midi effects, not only twists the tune around crooked, he challenges the concept of the space-time continuum while he's at it.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · blue in green · guitar · miles davis coversJohn McLaughlin: My Foolish Heart
Victor Young wrote the music for the 1949 movie of the same name, which critics hated. Despite the film's negative press, "My Foolish Heart" earned Young one of his 20 lifetime Oscar nominations, this time for Best Song. John McLaughlin lowered the tuning of the low E string so he could use his thumb to provide a lower-register bass to accompany his lush chords and pristine single-note runs. McLaughlin's sound is gorgeous. The melancholy ballad is the last cut on the record and is an outlier on an album full of heavy fusion. McLaughlin likes to jar you that way. I don't think he does it to show off. Rather, he wants you to cool down and relax after experiencing his all-out sonic attack.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · guitar · soundtrack coversJohn McLaughlin: Frevo Rasgado
Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist Egberto Gismonti's popular "Frevo Rasgado" has proven to be the perfect vehicle for John McLaughlin to show his multifaceted skills for many years now. Live in performance duet with the great flamenco guitarist Paco De Lucia, McLaughlin shows his arranging skills, jazz and flamenco-style chops, his stop-and-start-on-the-side-of-a-dime control, his masterly comping for another of the world's best guitarists, and his improvising genius. For extra measure, he throws in some drama by displaying pyrotechnics and show-business tricks. "Frevo," as it is often called for short, may be too international in flavor and too difficult to play to become a major part of the everyday standard jazz repertoire, but it deserves to be.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · guitarJohn McLaughlin: A Love Supreme
Santana, a fellow Coltrane admirer, joined McLaughlin on Love, Devotion, Surrender for "A Love Supreme." Wailing electric guitars and agitated calls and responses punctuate a truly transcendent version. Whether you believe in the organic nature of a divine music or not, you cannot help but be carried away to some distant place upon the chanting refrains from this performance. It is an homage played with the fervor of true believers in a message and a man.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · coltrane covers · guitarJohn McLaughlin: Naima
This lovely John Coltrane piece has been interpreted innumerable times. It is very difficult to come close to the brilliance of the original. The two attempts that come closest are both provided by string players. Mandolinist David Grisman's versions from several of his albums are highly recommended. I also favor McLaughlin's first recording of the piece which appeared on Love, Devotion, Surrender. McLaughlin was joined by rock guitar superstar Carlos Santana for this recording. Carlos was a rabid fan of McLaughlin and had started to dig what John's spiritual guru, the late Sri Chinmoy, was saying in those days. Whether you believe in gurus or not, there is no doubt the two players themselves were immersed in a spiritual vortex that saw Coltrane, Chinmoy and music itself at its very center. This performance is a devotional prayer without words. McLaughlin is the stronger player and the guide, but the interplay between the two is revelatory. (McLaughlin later also covered the tune on his Coltrane tribute album After The Rain.)
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · coltrane covers · guitarJohn McLaughlin: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Mention Charlie Mingus's tribute to Lester Young these days and most people will associate it with Jeff Beck's electric version on his album Wired. That performance was good enough, but did not really please Charlie. He wanted it played with the jazz changes he had written. John McLaughlin played those changes. He also played the tune on a steel-stringed acoustic guitar. Fans familiar only with his jarring electric work from this period were stunned and then quickly enchanted by just how beautiful distortion-master McLaughlin could make an acoustic guitar sound. His exacting jazz chords, clean fleet-fingered runs snapped off like dry branches, and subtle harmonic nuances showed a mastery of the guitar that wasn't known at that time. McLaughlin's emotive performance of "Pork Pie" betrayed a player who, despite his growing fame in the rock world, was really carrying on a tradition.
January 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · goodbye pork pie hat · guitar · mingus coversJoão Gilberto: Estate
It's not often that a modern Italian song becomes an international success . . much less a jazz standard. So when the bossa nova founder, João Gilberto, recorded "Estate" (eh STAH tay) in the fall of 1976, he achieved a rare feat. Although written in 1960 (and not as a bossa), "Estate" had lived in obscurity until revived by Gilberto. Besides the indisputable beauty of the song's melody and chord changes, its message of love's hope and sorrow must have appealed to João's own sense of saudade – Brazilian longing or melancholy. On this recording – indeed, throughout Amoroso – Gilberto's gentle vocal style, accent, and understated rhythmic guitar are balanced by Claus Ogerman's lush orchestral arrangement, resulting in a moving, memorable listening experience. Bravo João!
January 25, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: brazil · estateThe Stryker / Slagle Band: Bird Flew
A catchy tune based on "Confirmation" changes. Special guest Joe Lovano's thoughtful solo toys with the rhythm, staccato jabs mixing with overtoned shrieks. Slagle follows insinuatingly in his distinctive free-bop style. Stryker enters blues-inflected with added Wes Montgomery chording. Robust exchanges between spark-plug Hart and the frontline players leads to the theme's satisfying reprise. Stryker and Slagle's over two-decade association continues to enrich us.
January 25, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: bird flew · bird tributesMarc Copland: River's Run
The presence of Gary Peacock and Paul Motian in a piano trio reminds the greybeards among us of two such groups in which Peacock and Motian were likewise paired during 1962-63, led respectively by Bill Evans and Paul Bley. Even with half a century's hindsight, it's hard to say which was more important. The Evans template has been adopted by countless young musicians, and continues to cast a powerful spell. But, as producer Michael Cuscuna observes, Bley's less-heralded trio during this period "had a profound influence on Steve Kuhn, Keith Jarrett and the ECM sound." For his part, pianist Marc Copland inherited the best genes from both the Evans and Bley lineages. In his rich chording, Copland nods to Evans, whereas Marc's adventurism follows Bley's trailblazing. But Copland is more than the sum of his influences. This is a pianist with a probingly original mind, as shown by his glimmering composition "River's Run," full of interesting twists and turns yet flowing as incessantly onward as the jazz piano trio tradition itself—which Marc Copland continues to enrich with each new release.
January 25, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: piano trio · river's runMcCoy Tyner featuring Michael Brecker: Flying High
This cut and for that matter this album is as much a celebration of McCoy Tyner's fine post-Coltrane work and compositional skills as it is a glimpse into what was the beginning of the zenith of the late, great Michael Brecker's playing. Pushed into a format that invariably commands comparison to his inspiration, John Coltrane, Brecker is at once reverential to the spirit of master, while at the same time clearly defining this outing with his own markedly developed style. Tyner for all his work with the master was always "… laying down a carpet for Trane" as Coltrane's preceding pianist Steve Kuhn once told me in an interview. In this fine and at times frenetic composition Tyner shows he is no stranger to taut, driving melodies that accentuate his trademark cascade of sound and allow an unleashed Brecker the space to soar to Olympian heights. Tyner has stepped up as the leader here and it shows. Despite the inevitable comparison between Coltrane and Brecker on the equally brilliant "Impressions," which is also featured on this album, it is "Flying High" that pays homage to the spirit of Coltrane, but in a language that is all Tyner and Brecker in true musical simpatico. I was privileged to have witnessed McCoy Tyner and Michael Brecker play much of this album at a date in New York City's Iridium nightclub a year or two prior to the announcement of Michael's ultimately fatal illness. His playing on this track is to me close to still having him in all his spirited glory here with us today. This is a must-have Brecker performance.
January 25, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s · flying high · piano · tenor saxJosh Nelson (featuring Sara Gazarek): Leaving Here
Josh Nelson is one of the most talented of the new generation of Los Angeles pianists. But on this track he steps into the background and casts the limelight on singer Sara Gazarek and guitarist Anthony Wilson -- guest artists who do a superb job interpreting Nelson's poignant composition "Leaving Here." I have remarked elsewhere on Gazarek's skillful jazz hermeneutics, her ability to inhabit a lyric, which she demonstrates again on this track. The words to this song are mostly a string of threadbare poetic images, but Gazarek makes them into something special. And Wilson once again shows why singers from Diana Krall to Al Jarreau seek him out as an accompanist. I am not sure the string quartet adds much to the proceedings, but they merely tiptoe around the borders of the performance without distracting from the magic of the masters at work.
January 24, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags:Matt Savage: Father's Day
The problem with being a prodigy is the same as everything else about childhood: you're bound to outgrow it. And then what? Pianist Matt Savage is the latest in a long line of jazz prodigies that includes Mary Lou Williams, Buddy Rich, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., Cyrus Chestnut and Eldar, although Savage's acclaim has surpassed theirs at a similar age. What distinguishes Savage even among prodigies is his disability. One of fewer than 100 so-called "prodigious savants" in the world, Matt has, thanks to various therapeutic regimens and his and his family's fortitude, heroically overcome Pervasive Developmental Disorder, a high-functioning form of autism. At age 3, Matt couldn't stand the slightest noise, much less music. By age 7, he was studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, soon to be launched into such media celebrity as only People magazine and NBC's Today show can confer. (As violinist Edith Eisler has perceptively written, "Even a prodigiously talented child becomes a 'prodigy' only by being put on public display.")
By early 2008, however, with release of the 15-year-old's eighth CD, Hot Ticket: Live in Boston, a note of caution was definitely in order, for not every prodigy who dazzles as a child finds a place as an adult. There've been some spectacular burnouts, such as pianist Ervin Nyíregyházi, whom Schoenberg called "the new Liszt" but who ultimately wound up listing badly on L.A.'s Skid Row. Moreover, Matt Savage is fast approaching an age where people will stop marveling at such precocity in a developmentally disabled boy, and start comparing this engaging young man to his peers, such as Eldar. That's where it gets thorny.
As the catchy, good-natured shuffle blues "Father's Day"—a representative track from Hot Ticket—makes clear, gifted as Matt Savage is, his music comes nowhere near the hype so lavishly bestowed upon it. With occasionally erratic execution and attendant lapses in rhythmic concentration, Matt's performance is very much what you'd expect from a poised, talented 15-year-old, but by no means justifies all the "genius" accolades swirling around him with the speed of a well-oiled PR machine.
Only time will tell whether Matt Savage can withstand the perils of prodigy and attain artistic maturity. For now, we can but celebrate his remarkable spirit, and wish him all the best.
January 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: holiday theme · musical prodigies · piano triosBill Evans: B Minor Waltz
Back in 1977, Warner Bros. was peddling records by Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, the Sex Pistols and . . . Bill Evans. Guess which one of these artists had a great trio album kept on the shelf, forgotten until the musician's death created enough buzz to justify its release?If you guessed Sid Vicious, you have come to the wrong website. With You Must Believe in Spring, Bill Evans delivered one of his finest late-career trio outings -- even if the brothers Warner were hardly paying attention. And unlike most of the other 1970s releases from the Evans trio, this one sets a pensive mood in its opening track, "B Minor Waltz," and maintains and sustains it for the rest of the CD. This waltz is one of Evans's finer compositions, and he plays it with intense feeling, a throwback to the great Evans-LaFaro- Motian trio.
January 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: piano trioDuke Ellington: Jack the Bear
Ask most people about great bass records from the early 1940s, and they will probably tell you about Joe DiMaggio getting safely on base with his 56-game hitting streak. But jazz fans will point to a different bass record, released a few months before the Yankee Clipper started his prodigious run. From the opening notes of "Jack the Bear," you can hear that Ellington has found the greatest jazz bassist in the world.This song was named after a Harlem bass player, known to Ellington, who also ran a tailor shop at the corner of St. Nicholas and Edgecombe. But another J. the B. is the real hero celebrated in these grooves. Jimmy Blanton was only 22 years old, but he had a swing as memorable as DiMaggio's, a huge sound, and a facility that the jazz world had never heard previously from the bulky contrabass. Everything changed with Blanton's arrival on the scene, and one could hardly imagine the later work of Oscar Pettiford, Charles Mingus, Ray Brown and so many others without the precedent of Blanton and his brilliant bass work.
The whole Ellington band reached a new level of excellence with the arrival of Blanton and tenorist Ben Webster, and even Duke gets into high gear. "Jack the Bear," with its peculiar juxtaposition of blues choruses and a 32-bar song form, is one of Duke's most ingenious compositions. Blanton, for his part, would be dead from tuberculosis two years later.
January 24, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: 1940s jazz · bass · big bandHorace Silver: Enchantment
New Mexico invited trouble in 1941 by emblazoning "Land of Enchantment" on their license plates. Enchanted visitors soon dropped out of the sky, most alarmingly at Roswell in 1947. The mystery deepened in 1956 when jazz encyclopedist Leonard Feather, writing of Horace Silver's "Enchantment," referred suggestively to "devices not typical of him," yet stopped short of alleging either extraterrestrial involvement or government cover-up. All we can say at this remove is that "Enchantment," set against an insinuating beat and with Mobley's standout lyricism, is among Silver's most intriguing tunes, reminiscent of Brown & Roach's slithery "Delilah" (1954). A band of enchantment.
January 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: blue note · hard bopOliver Lake: Montana Grass Song
Mary Redhouse, the Navajo Yoko Ono, introduces this “powwow song from the Blackfoot people of Montana.” Blackfoot tradition, however, discourages spoken introductions, prominent singing by women, instrumental accompaniment (except drums) and extrinsic influences. All of which renders Redhouse’s self-styled "eco-spiritual" 5-octave vocalizing, set against Oliver Lake’s 1960s-style Free Jazz, enough to launch Blackfoot tribal elders on the warpath. Jazz has always been eclectic, drawing from other genres as indiscriminately as vampires siphon blood. But haven’t some subcultures earned the right to be left alone? A genuinely "eco-spiritual" approach to Native American music would respect its authenticity, not jazz it up.
January 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags:John Zorn: New Jersey Scum Swamp
According to New Jersey's Septic Management Group, which is committed to "Protecting Our Groundwater, One Septic System at a Time," the #1 cause of system failure is sticky biomat scum buildup. If accessible, this scum could be regularly removed, dramatically extending system life. "But it's not accessible. So what's a homeowner to do? Install a Septic Tank Effluent Filter!" Alas, such scientific ingenuity earns nothing but nose-thumbing from Hudson River east-bank arts snobs John Scorn and his Naked City Stooges. How easy it is to ridicule! How much harder to cherish the Garden State, one septic tank at a time.
January 24, 2008 · 2 comments
Tags:Scott Joplin: The Corn Huskers (from Treemonisha)
Finally revived in the 1970s, Scott Joplin’s long-lost opera Treemonisha (1911) is set in 1884 on an Arkansas plantation abandoned by whites to freedmen who nevertheless remain in bondage to ignorance. As Act I begins, Treemonisha’s charismatic 18-year-old title character—determined to emancipate her fellow Negroes from their entrenched superstitions—denounces an exploitive conjurer and welcomes hardworking cornhuskers. As newly re-orchestrated by Gunther Schuller, this track captures in less than a minute the transformative power of manual labor generally, and corn-husking in particular. Surely, had Treemonisha not been so shamefully neglected, Arkansas, not Nebraska, would now be known as the Cornhusker State.
January 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags:Gil Evans: La Nevada
“La Nevada” is Spanish for “Snowfall,” bandleader Claude Thornhill’s theme. Yet in contrast to the airtight orchestrations Gil Evans crafted for Thornhill in the 1940s and for Miles Davis in the ‘50s, “La Nevada” is a well-ventilated head arrangement. Of course, when the head involved is Gil Evans’s, expect no run-of- the-mill run-through. Although somewhat overlong at 15½ minutes, this convivial track shines a much- needed spotlight on such deserving-of-wider-recognition standbys as Johnny Coles, Tony Studd, Budd Johnson and Ray Crawford—the last-named demonstrating how the guitar, far from getting lost in a big band, can in the right hands be salient.
January 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags:Taylor Haskins: Live Free or Die
Among the 10% of U.S. state mottoes lauding liberty/freedom, the most in-your-face is New Hampshire’s. Echoing Patrick Henry's immortal pre-Revolutionary taunt “Give me liberty or give me death,” the Granite State’s post-Revolutionary "Live Free or Die" has since 1945 quickened the pulse of many New England motorists reading it on the license plate in front of them. Contrarian native son Taylor Haskins, however, tailors this rousing call to arms as a waltzing lullaby over soothing ostinato, lobbying perhaps for a new motto: "Stop Crying and Fall Asleep." (It might be better to leave that one off license plates.) If you’re shopping for lullabies, we recommend Richard Stoltzman’s express-to-slumberland “Brahms Dreams.”
January 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags:Ben Allison: Little Things Run the World
We may never get around to talking about Ben Allison's bass playing . . . since it's easy to get caught up in his skills as a jazz composer and bandleader. "Little Things Run the World" is another winning chart by this impressive musician. The track starts with a relaxed, ambling groove, propelled by Sarin's clever start-and- stop beat. But before things get too comfy, Blake pushes into overdrive with an edgy sax solo. It's not easy to build this degree of intensity from a medium tempo piece -- especially one with so much open space in the arrangement. But Allison and crew show that it's not tempo but state of mind that creates the energy level. Great song, hot band . . . and, yes, don't forget those basslines!
January 23, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags:Ben Allison: Respiration
When listing great jazz composers who are bassists, the top two spots are quickly filled: Charles Mingus and Dave Holland. Everyone else is far behind these two masters, and if this were a race, you might win the exacta but not the trifecta. But as we get into the stretch, Ben Allison is making a run for it. Like Mingus and Holland, he knows how to write songs that not only look good on the page, but also inspire the musicians in his band to play at the peak of their abilities."Respiration" is aptly named. The piece breathes at its own pace, building momentum with hypnotic rhythms. As with many Allison compositions, the musical lines are smartly layered and often counter one another rather than blend together. The interplay between Sarin and Cardenas during the latter's solo is quite striking. Horton has to follow this dynamic interlude, and works brilliantly with Allison to clear the landscape and open the aural space for an ethereal ECM-ish coda.
January 23, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags:Sathima Bea Benjamin (with Duke Ellington): Solitude
This recording sat unreleased for 45 years -- and only came to light when writer David Hajdu secured a tape while researching his Billy Strayhorn biography, Lush Life. Benjamin had introduced Ellington to the music of Dollar Brand (later Abdullah Ibrahim), and Duke arranged for recording sessions for both artists, with hopes that they would be issued on Frank Sinatra's Reprise label. The Dollar Brand LP came out to acclaim and helped establish that musician as a preeminent pianist, but Sinatra reportedly nixed the Benjamin tracks because he doubted their commercial prospects.Fans may come to this performance because of the novelty of Ellington serving as a sideman, but the real draw here is Benjamin. Ellington does not solo, and even his comping is obscured by the pizzicato violin of Asmussen. But Benjamin offers a beautiful, heartfelt version of this classic ballad that brings out all of its lovelorn ambiance. No frills here, just an intense reading of a great song -- and a version that must have pleased the composer enough to entice him to join in.
January 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: solitudeEtta Jones: Don't Go To Strangers
Tom Lord's usually infallible The Jazz Discography CD-ROM (version 7.0) informs us that this soulful classic was recorded in New York. From the opening piano chords, however, we know immediately: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, home of incomparable soundman Rudy Van Gelder. And of course the CD confirms it. By 1960, Etta Jones had been making records for 15 years, but as far as we know was a stranger to Van Gelder Studio. Ironic, then, that her hit from this session was titled "Don't Go To Strangers," for she and Rudy were a match made in . . . well, if not Heaven, exactly, then at least Englewood Cliffs. With Dr. Van Gelder's patented tincture of reverb enveloping her come-hither voice, Etta Jones (not to be confused with Etta James) conveys an intimacy that'll curl your toes into permanent postures of pleasure. "Don't Go To Strangers," boys and girls, but do go to Etta and Rudy for a 4-minute glimpse of Elysium—which, as we all know, is in New Jersey, not New York.