Raya Yarbrough: Early Autumn
Ralph Burns's impressionistic composition "Early Autumn" is much beloved by an older generation of jazz fans, but rarely covered by the youngsters. Then again, it is hard to top Stan Getz's gorgeous solo on the original recording. But Yarbrough delivers a gem in this reworking of a 60-year-old piece, with a delicate, understated vocal. I am generally suspicious when they bring in the string orchestra on a jazz vocal CD - I can almost smell easy-listenin' in the air. No need to worry here. Producer Steve Bartek has cooked up a brilliant string arrangement. It's like Lou Harrison was called in by mistake to handle a Nelson Riddle gig. In fact, this is the most interesting use of strings in a vocal CD that I have heard in a long time, and is what pushes my rating from the high 80s into the 90s. Check it out!
February 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: early autumn · jazz vocalsOliver Nelson: A Bientot
After his seminal The Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961), Oliver Nelson was in high demand as arranger of choice for many studio and motion picture projects. His commercial success was viewed as a mixed blessing, however, by admirers who felt his music was compromised by the needs of his employers. In this 1964 recording, Nelson reclaims his credentials as both a marvelously intuitive arranger/composer of the big band format as well as an underappreciated, unique voice on the tenor sax. With the times being influenced by such tenor titans as Coltrane and Rollins, and by Nelson's cohort on this recording altoist Phil Woods, Oliver economically yet passionately delivers his own take on how the horn should be played, to great effect. On this marvelous, moody Billy Taylor composition, Oliver's tenor is at times Coltranesque in its searching quality, but is never imitative in either tone or harmonic approach. Nelson's orchestration is sublime, and the soaring trumpet solo of relative unknown Chicagoan Art Hoyle is a bow to the famous trumpet solos of big bands of the past. This performance never fails to stir the soul.
February 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · big band · tenor saxCuong Vu: Accelerated Thoughts
Cuong Vu delights in contrasts, and builds his compositions by juxtaposing rather than blending. "Accelerated Thoughts" starts with Cuong sputtering out a start-and-stop melody in a bop vein, while bassist Stomu Takeishi lofts out whole notes and half notes that seem part of an entirely different song. Meanwhile, drummer Ted Poor slams the skins like an outcast from a rock band. But then everybody changes roles – what is this, musical chairs? – with Takeishi playing the part of a heavy metal bass demon and Cuong taking a fierce energy-jazz solo. Despite the apparent contrasts, it's clear that these musicians are a cohesive unit, as they demonstrate in the varied types of interaction displayed during this 6½-minute track. Cuong Vu is not going to be easy to pin down, as one might expect from a musician who has played with everyone from David Bowie to Dave Douglas, Laurie Andersen to Pat Metheny. But this bold artist definitely knows how to mix it up.
February 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: trumpetMahavishnu Orchestra: Lila's Dance
So, it's 1992 and I am watching the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. It is time for a commercial. Then I hear Branford Marsalis's Tonight Show band play the opening measures of the Mahavishnu Orchestra's "Lila's Dance." This can't be. I must be dreaming. Am I hearing Mahavishnu on national television? Yes! It turns out that Branford was a huge fan. His guitarist Kevin Eubanks was, too. In fact, in high school, Kevin's nickname was "Mahavishnu." The band would later also play Mahavishnu's "Meeting of the Spirits." Thanks to Branford, these tunes were being resurrected nearly 20 years after they first appeared. This rekindled a spark of interest in Mahavishnu among old and new fans that has grown into a steady flame today."Lila's Dance" is an ode to "The Dance of Maya" from the Mahavishnu's first album The Inner Mounting Flame. A short piano statement is made. Unlike "Maya," the opening guitar arpeggios are very gentle and sweeping. Ponty plays a reverberating solo above them. It floats. The string section beautifully restates the theme. Then without warning, much like on "Maya," a rocked-out blues interrupts the proceedings. This is one serious groove, every bit worthy of anything the original band did. McLaughlin's tone is tubular, sounding as if it was coming straight out of a hot iron pipe. Walden and Armstrong are funk-masters. This was Mahavishnu Mark II, as some called the band, at its best.
By the way, the people who ran the Tonight Show were scared by that Mahavishnu music. It wasn't long before Branford was out of a job.
February 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · fusion · guitarMahavishnu Orchestra: Eternity's Breath Part 1 & Part 2
Visions of the Emerald Beyond is the most overlooked and underappreciated Mahavishnu recording. The album was drenched in a new sort of funkiness that McLaughlin had not explored in previous MO outings. "Eternity's Breath Part 1 & Part 2" opened the record with such a slap to the face you knew you were in for a sonic treat. McLaughlin's notes were fat and strong. Walden's drumming was powerful and propulsive. Ponty's violin literally soared to heights he seldom reached in his previous work. The strings and horns did not have that superfluous quality found in many other "third-stream" efforts. They were relevant to the musical event. Vocals even popped up now and then, and although they could be somewhat "holier than thou," they too added to the orchestral milieu.Over the years, McLaughlin's funk-drenched opening guitar riff has been joyfully usurped and quoted by the Tonight Show's Kevin Eubanks, the jam band Gov't Mule, and Jeff Beck. Most of the people listening and digging those quotes probably had no idea they came from some group called the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Many listeners wanting to hear a clone of the original Mahavishnu Orchestra never accepted this band. That is too bad, since this version of the MO had a lot to say. The ensemble had a full and engaging sound, plus the balls to present it in a grandiose fashion.
February 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · fusion · guitarLucky Thompson: Deep Passion
This magnificent ballad performance could be considered Thompson's "Body and Soul." Hank Jones's rhapsodic piano intro precedes Thompson's compelling recital of the yearning melody, played with great feeling and a lovely tone possessing a soft vibrato similar to Ben Webster's. Thompson's solo is a lesson in articulate craftsmanship, building slowly as he increases the intensity of his fluid, swift runs and the bite of his tone. Jones and Pettiford wisely keep low profiles, letting the impact of Thompson's full expression rightfully take center stage. After Jones's reprise of his intro, a swooping coda by Thompson ends with a climactic low note held by tenor and bass. Influenced by Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas and the beboppers, Lucky Thompson's individuality, intelligence and harmonically sophisticated approach placed him way above the pack. If not for his complete retreat from playing and teaching in 1974 until his death in 2005, his abilities as a performer and composer would be better remembered today.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · tenor saxArt Pepper: Winter Moon
Art Pepper's 1980 session with strings may not be as well known as those of Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, and Stan Getz, but it's at least their equal in terms of accomplishment and impact. By 1980, Pepper was in the midst of a successful 7-year comeback that would unfortunately end with his death in 1982. His playing during this period was rawer than ever, openly displaying all the torment and anguish he had lived through. Pepper begins this track pensively, but soon Cowell's emphatic comping and the soaring strings unite with him as he ups the emotional content. His jumpy, staccato phrases culminate in a charged peak that is perfectly timed with the strings' swelling crescendo. Pepper's reprise of the theme is a mournful, haunting cry. Bill Holman's sensitive, uncluttered arrangement and Pepper's passionate style mesh beautifully.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · alto sax · jazz with stringsEric Alexander: Last Night When We Were Young
Mabern's dramatic block-chord intro leads to Alexander's tender reading of the gorgeous theme, his silky, purring tone hardening on the bridge. After a repeat, bass and drums enter, Farnsworth's tasteful brushwork creating a floating groove. Alexander's solo toys with the rhythm, his extended lines both lucid and moving. A short double-time section offers yet more forceful tenor, followed by Mabern's typically intense and adventurous improv. Alexander and Mabern execute a captivating coda in tandem to end a memorable interpretation. Alexander is one of the prime current practitioners of hard bop, which layers elements of funk, soul and sometimes modal improvisation onto the basic principles of bebop. He has unquestionably matured to become his own man, carrying on the tradition of his main inspiration, George Coleman, as well as others such as Mobley, Turrentine and late '50s Coltrane.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · tenor saxMahavishnu Orchestra: The Way of the Pilgrim
McLaughlin, under financial pressures, reduced his 11-piece Mahavishnu Orchestra to a quartet in late 1975. Inner Worlds was its first and only album. The whole tenor of the record, which was released in January 1976, was quite unlike the output of the previous two versions of the band. It was filled with R&B tendencies, and even appeared, on some tunes, to hover a little too low over pop-vocal terrain. At the same time, the album also included some extreme music that frightened even seasoned Mahavishnu fans! These were unique sounds, created mostly by McLaughlin's new synthesizer, which had the power to thrill or cause pain, depending upon your point of view. McLaughlin was not afraid to produce some ugliness in service to his muse. He pushed any new instrument or device to its outer limits. That was his nature.Walden penned this piece, and much like "Cosmic Strut," which he wrote for Visions of the Emerald Beyond, it rocks! It had the type of catchy head arrangement that composer Walden would later become famous for with Jeff Beck and his successful production career with Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and others. Walden's drumming is strong and funky. McLaughlin even funks it up a bit, inserting abbreviated chinky 9th chords between his soaring solos. With his outstanding solo, Goldberg shows why he was one of the pioneers of the mini-Moog. "Way of the Pilgrim" is truly a stellar fusion outing. If this "new" pared- down Mahavishnu Orchestra had played more music like this, it might have found more sustainable popularity.
There are two disparate theories about Inner Worlds. Some claim the record was a weak effort made to finish off John's Mahavishnu Columbia recording contract. They point to the fact that John gave control over large portions of the record to Narada and the rest of the band as an indication of his lack of interest. Others say Inner Worlds should be viewed as a brave experiment and important progressive rock album. These fans, who tend to be younger, are not hampered with the Mahavishnu Orchestra's pre-Inner Worlds history. Theirs is a view from a fresh and uncluttered perspective. Perhaps this puts them in a better position to judge. After all, they argue, McLaughlin would never just "toss off" anything.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · fusion · guitarMahavishnu Orchestra: Hymn to Him
Apocalypse was the first album from McLaughlin's second version of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Although he had wanted the first band to do a project with a symphony orchestra, they were not interested. So when he formed the second Mahavishnu, after the bitter dissolution of the first, the first thing he did was join with the young conductor Micheal Tilson Thomas and Beatles' producer George Martin to record Apocalypse with the London Symphony Orchestra. The album was not well received. Back in 1974, it was deemed too grandiose. Over the years, however, some critics and fans have revisited the album and found that it was unfairly maligned. George Martin himself says of all the records he has ever produced, he is proudest of this one. When the Beatles' producer says something like that, we should pay attention."Hymn to Him" is indeed grand in scope. Its components are in parts devotional, classical, jazz, funk and rock. The strings and woodwinds of the LSO gently usher in Ponty's crying violin. McLaughlin joins with melancholy calls of his own. A slow, reverential theme is developed. As we know by now, this cannot last. Walden's drum roll increases the tension ever so slightly. The full LSO declares itself. Over the orchestral strains, McLaughlin solos slowly at first. The velocity increases as he squeezes every bit of emotion from his electric strings. After a respite, Ponty and McLaughlin enter into highly charged calls and responses between which the LSO serves as a bridge. Then, at the 16-minute mark, the band and the orchestra join together and raise the hair on the back of your neck. You will return to this passage time and again in future years. The opening theme, made all the more poignant by what you have heard since, returns as the coda. Many thought McLaughlin was taking jazz-fusion too far by adding the classical music element to it. In hindsight, we realize this was just the beginning of the possibilities.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · fusion · guitarJohn McLaughlin: New York on My Mind
This cut is the closest the original Mahavishnu Orchestra ever got to reconciliation. Five years after the band's acrimonious breakup, Billy Cobham and Jerry Goodman joined McLaughlin for "New York on My Mind." The title had real meaning for McLaughlin. He has often suggested that without NYC, there never would have been a Mahavishnu Orchestra. The city's true melting-pot nature and abundance of great musicians created the necessary atmosphere and gene pool for Mahavishnu to be born.Sixty-percent of the Mahavishnu Orchestra does not make the Mahavishnu Orchestra. But "New York on My Mind" is a stirring example of the telepathy McLaughlin, Cobham and Goodman still shared. Keyboard wizard Goldberg also possessed that chemistry with McLaughlin. Bassist Saunders was no slouch either. "New York on My Mind" is a slow ballad punctuated by high-register bursts. After a few purposeful thuds from Cobham, McLaughlin and Goodman double-up on the melody. McLaughlin used a new guitar that featured a scalloped fret board. Based on the design of the Indian instrument the vina, the scalloped board allowed him to pull down on the strings to produce the biggest bends in Western guitar history. (Please excuse the hyperbole. But your ears won't lie.) Goodman's sound had changed too. It was much cleaner than his distorted playing on the Mahavishnu recordings. The two new sounds, in simpatico, create the atmospherics. Goldberg, as always, offers wonderful keyboard playing.
I would suggest that the New York that McLaughlin had on his mind was the city at night. There is a slight dark undertone to the piece at times. "New York on My Mind" is a fully realized composition performed by stalwarts of the original fusion movement, and is worthy of its great players.
February 27, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: 1970s jazz · fusion · guitarMichael Brecker: African Skies
In this Michael Brecker composition, we find a wonderful example of how creatively arranged instrumen- tation played by sympathetic and talented musicians can paint a sonic landscape that transports the listener to any exotic destination. The song starts with a rhythmic bottom that could easily have been taken from an indigenous African tribal celebration. A complex and rapid-fire bassline by the nimble Holland and a polyrhythmic cacophony of drum rolls, stick and cymbal work by DeJohnette and Alias send this tune on its celebratory way. Tyner is in his element with the percussive nature of this song, and he solos with reckless abandon. A soaring solo by Brecker is executed to perfection, strongly complemented by a relentless rhythm section and Metheny's comping guitar. The piece bows out much like an African sky might at dusk, with a setting sun quietly yet beautifully fading from view.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · tenor saxGiovanni Mirabassi: El Paso del Ebro
Italian pianist Giovanni Mirabassi lives in Paris and obviously has an internationally oriented soul. For this solo record, he collected songs of revolt and craving for freedom from all over the world, such as this Spanish Civil War song that the Liberation Music Orchestra included in its 1968 historical record. (There it's called "Viva la Quince Brigada (Long Live the Fifteenth Brigade)" and is part of a lengthy "Medley.") Mirabassi's version, by contrast, is far from the original chant of victory and closer to a romantic fantasy, with vibrant, lyrical chords and a re-harmonized melody that acquires nostalgic hues.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · italy · solo pianoPatricia Barber: Yesterdays
Among the wave of new female singers that came to prominence in the last decade of the 20th century, Patricia Barber is certainly the most original. First because she's a great pianist, second because she's a unique singer. Her piano influences are easy to trace, at least to Bill Evans, but her voice is so deeply personal that it stamps its own mark on whatever she sings, from a timeless standard, as here, to a pop tune by the Doors. In a trio setting, she creates a haunting atmosphere with lush chords and hushed voice while bass and drums softly dance around her piano until rising to dramatic heights during her intense solo.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: jazz vocals · jerome kern covers · yesterdaysClusone 3: Skylark
"Rara Avis" (Latin for rare bird) is indeed what the Clusone 3 were. Their group name comes from the Italian festival where they met in 1988, and from then on till they disbanded ten years later this Dutch/American trio was one of Europe's most original bands. That was essentially due to the strong personality of each member and, on this record, to their repertoire, devoted to songs about (rare) birds. The strangest thing here is certainly that the Clusone 3 treats "Skylark" quite simply, focusing on the melody and on their trio sound: cello plucked in bass-like style, sparse brushes on the toms, crystal-clear alto sound. A beautiful and surprisingly economical rendition, played by usually much more extroverted musicians.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · alto sax · skylarkJulian Argüelles: Mind Your Head
This lengthy tune is admirably built: a slow first part, where the guitar's long notes repeat a meditative melody and create the atmosphere, then the piano adds its contrapuntal lines before the reeds join in as the beat starts swinging harder, evolving towards a kind of Caribbean dance feel. These musicians really cast the listener under their spell, leading progressively to a serene and joyous conclusion.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · soprano saxJan Lundgren: Angel Eyes
The fact that one of today's finest straight-ahead jazz pianists should be Swedish is nothing to wonder about. Europe, and specifically Scandinavia, has seen a lot of U.S. musicians come and preach the good word during the last decades (think of Dexter, Getz, Marsh, Red Mitchell, et al.), and their disciples have flowered. Lundgren's refined piano touch is a source of constant wonder on this ballad. He swings and improvises with the help of his excellent American partners in a delicate but never introverted manner, and his trio gives a truly timeless version of this beautiful standard.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: angel eyes · matt dennis covers · piano trio · swedenDave Douglas: Vanitatus Vanitatum
The original Robert Schumann piano/cello piece is actually titled "Vanitas Vanitatum," but who will sue Dave Douglas for misspelling? His Latin may be questionable, but at least he didn't forget the composer's direction: "with humor"! Indeed, from the trumpet's bended notes to Black's perky miscellaneous percussion and Shepik's broad panel of sounds on the guitar, this version of a classical tune is highly playful. Nineteenth-century romantics tried to revive classical music with local folklore. The Tiny Bell Trio uses Schumann to bring some country dance feeling into their modern jazz routine. Full circle!
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · classical jazz · trumpetMichael Schiefel: My Animals
There is something of Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" in this multitrack vocal recording by young German singer Michael Schiefel. Of course, some will argue it's not really jazz; yet who else but a jazz singer could coin such rhythmic sounds with his mouth, cross them in an impressive maze, and overdub a melody over the whole thing? Besides, just like this bold solo effort, today's creative Berlin jazz scene doesn't care about walls between styles. Here, Schiefel sings in English, and it swings like mad. Sometimes he does it in German and, believe it or not, that swings too.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · germany · jazz vocalsGéraldine Laurent: I Fall in Love Too Easily
It's pretty bold for a young French lady alto sax player (not the most common type of musician) to record her first CD in trio, with no harmonic instrument. But Géraldine Laurent doesn't really do anything like everybody: she came late to Paris where she played mostly small clubs, and rarely as a sideman, and all of a sudden she's the talk of the town and records for a big label. With good reason, too: she has a sound of her own – raw with a slight Jackie McLean edge to it; her phrasing is unpredictable and inventive, both when she plays the melody of a standard and when she improvises; and her repertoire includes Ornette, Mingus, and Shorter. So she can afford to start with a trio record, all the more since her partners are good musicians and have played with her long. Who said talent needed guest stars to be recognized?
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: alto sax · france · i fall in love too easilyElisabeth Kontomanou: Sunny
Elisabeth Kontomanou once lived in New York and played with Leon Parker, Mike Stern and Sam Newsome. Now she's back in Europe, where she legitimately became a star. But her way of singing bridges the Atlantic, for the better. Here, her deep raw voice tackles a pop hit from the '60s and makes it a jazz gem. John Scofield's funky guitar is of great help as it supports her in the intro and coda, and is particularly effective with the rhythm team as Kontomanou scats in a soulful way.
February 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · jazz vocals · weatherPeter Erskine: Meanwhile
Who would have thought that Peter Erskine – the former Stan Kenton alumnus and Weather Report ace, one of the greats on the instrument in the USA, drummer on innumerable studio sessions – would once have a trio on equal terms with two European musicians (actually he also has another one with British pianist John Taylor and Swedish bassist Palle Danielsson!), one of them of Vietnamese origin, and the other one born in Algeria? Well, Erskine's ears and mind are obviously wide open. In this trio context, the musicality of his toms and cymbals is marvelous because the slow, intimate feel of the song he penned requires it. Lê's guitar spreads patches of colors and plays long melodic lines, the sound of Benita's bass has a deep wooden quality, and Erskine's sticks and mallets sound as if they were singing over them.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · drumsChristian Escoudé: After You've Gone
The international audience may not be aware of Christian Escoudé, but his peers know better. Outside of France, he has recorded with the likes of John McLaughlin or Charlie Haden. In his native country, he is considered a great. Here, Escoudé goes back to his Gypsy roots, even if he usually doesn't want to be confined to this genre. His Gypsy trio (Sylvestre being the only non-Gypsy) both pays homage to the tradition and explores the possibilities that this setting offers to three acoustic guitar players with contemporary influences. Virtuosity, tight interaction between creative soloing and fairly traditional strumming, expressive moans and groans – this all conjures up popular cafés in the outskirts of Paris where Gypsy musicians often meet. But these definitely don't sound like orthodox followers of Django Reinhardt.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: after you've gone · france · guitarDiane Schuur: Nice Work If You Can Get It
Schuur won a Grammy in 1986 and again in 1987, then picked up three more nominations over the next six years. Her 1994 CD with B.B. King climbed to the top of the jazz charts. But like many other singers in their mid-50s, Schuur doesn't quite get the attention today enjoyed by the younger crop of singers. This new release is a much-needed reminder of just how fine a singer Deedles is. The passing years have even enhanced some aspects of her singing. Twenty years ago Schuur was sometimes guilty of over-singing, belting it out to the back row in a manner more suitable for Broadway than jazz. But there is no sign of that on "Nice Work," which features a smart, intricate vocal interpretation and a nicely updated arrangement. A very stylish performance by a singer who is still at the top of her game.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: gershwin covers · jazz vocals · nice work if you can get itCarlos Bica: D.D. from B.
"Delicious Donuts from the Balkans" is the full title of this tune, opened by Carlos Bica's bowed bass before his partners join in to provide a distinctive Balkan beat and melody. Though they are from three different countries, these musicians all have a link with the downtown Manhattan/Brooklyn scene (they lived or live there), its humor, its trashy sonic approach and, in the '90s, its appetite for Balkan music. They also remind us of the influence this scene had on Berlin musicians (Bica and Möbus still live in the German capital) at the time. Played with the energy and taste that these three instrumentalists show here, this music is still fun and doesn't sound outdated, although ten years later it's not much played anymore.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · balkans · bass · germany · portugalAntonio Faraò: What Is This Thing Called Love
Antonio Faraò's dry touch and brisk, authoritative phrasing suggest that he's not really interested in the melody of this standard. His right-hand single-note lines played at medium tempo are impressive, and the rhythm team feeds him dense support. After more than two minutes, the left hand comes adds harmonic relief and the tempo slows down a bit, giving way to some feeling. But the virtuoso mood – with two hands this time – soon takes over again. One can admire the performance from a technical point of view, but it's a bit frustrating for those who are looking for "... this thing called Love."
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · cole porter covers · italy · piano trio · what is this thing called loveSimon Nabatov: Simple Simon
It could be a Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim) song, with its South African-like dancing feel and melody that alludes to Protestant hymns. But Nabatov's piano, though earthy, is more sophisticated than that of the South African musician. Still, it's an interesting foray by the Russian-born pianist into a type of music that is best played with the adopted feeling. Nabatov and his partners don't mimic South African jazz. They just play this music with their soul, and manage to be very convincing.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · germany · piano trio · russiaBenoit Delbecq: Bogolan
A repetitive, haunting melody in the piano's upper middle register starts the tune. When the rest of the band joins in, the song soon acquires a Monkish twist, given an airy feel by clarinet and bass clarinet. This song is mostly about melodic lines that intertwine on an earthy, repetitive structure. And it's fascinating to hear the reeds create, by little touches, new sonic landscapes over this stable melodic basis.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · bogolan · franceBobo Stenson: Bengali Blue
It begins with a slow, dancing beat from the most musical drums of Jon Christensen, joined by Anders Jormin's bass, singing in its lower register. When the piano enters after more than a minute, superposing a melody plucked on muffled strings, the atmosphere turns definitely Indian. The trio explores this Asian mode at medium tempo with great attention to the sonic quality of the interaction, marvelously creating space and suspense with a remarkable economy of notes.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · ecm · piano trio · scandinavia · swedenPerico Sambeat: Barri de la Coma
Close your eyes, open your ears, and you'll almost think this is one of those Blue Note sessions with a Latin twist that were recorded in the '60s. The initial horns unison, or the trumpet solo, may be misleading. But not the "palmas" that open the tune along with the drums: yes we are in southern Spain, home of both the flamenco and Perico Sambeat, who invited his American friends to join him on this crossover session. No nostalgia, then, no revival either, but a very convincing mix of hard-bop drive and Latin rhythms played by young modernists whose common roots bridge the Atlantic.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · alto sax · barri de la coma · spainGábor Gadó: Little Bloody Song
Hungarian guitarist Gábor Gadó, though he’s been living in Paris for quite some time and has formed his quartet there, is still deeply in touch with his homeland, where he records regularly. His music is both melodic and structurally complex, mixing the modes of the nearby Orient and the harmonies of Western Europe. Gadó’s guitar has been influenced by the sounds of rock and adopts a characteristic, sinuous phrasing that’s very effective in unison with the tenor. His French and German partners fully understand Gadó’s universe and have greatly contributed to its evolution in time.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · guitar · hungary · little bloody songAhmad Jamal: Wave (1970)
Ahmad Jamal didn’t take part in the bossa nova craze of the early '60s, so it may sound strange that he suddenly tackles a Jobim tune 10 years later. But the Pittsburgh-born pianist doesn’t treat it as a typical Brasilian song at all. The theme appears only after more a minute-long original intro based on a bass ostinato. Then Jamal repeats short parts of the melody, while varying the intensity of his touch, or mixes them with rhythmic vamps. It’s deconstruction at its best, with optimal effect.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · bossa nova · jobim covers · piano trio · waveMahavishnu: Clarendon Hills
In 1984, John McLaughlin put together a new band and called it Mahavishnu. He said he named it that because it had the same spirit as his Mahavishnu Orchestra. In fact, there was a behind-the-scenes effort to put the original band back together. It did not work. In the end, Billy Cobham, from the original band, did join with John for this recording. However, a rift developed between McLaughlin and Cobham at this time, and Billy did not tour with the new Mahavishnu.The sound of this Mahavishnu was more sophisticated. It was not dirty or rough as perhaps preferred by McLaughlin's older fans. But its players were from the higher echelons. Hellborg and Forman were going places. Cobham had already been. Bill Evans had the knowledge and the ability to play side by side with McLaughlin on stage. John was now playing an early guitar synthesizer made by the Synclavier people. In concert, the Synclavier was a big hit. It was as if McLaughlin could play any instrument he wanted at any time. He would flick a few switches to start playing with a music patch he had earlier input into the device. He would play trumpet, trombone or a keyboard instrument. He could play any instrument really. It was fascinating. And he didn't play those patches like a guitar player would. He would phrase as a trumpet, trombone or keyboard player would. This set him apart from all of the other guitar players trying to work these newfangled guitar synthesizers. But hearing him play the Synclaivier was entirely different on record. You couldn't see all that stuff he was doing. So you would listen to the new recording and wonder where the heck the world's greatest guitar player was? You just couldn't hear him! The compositions were good enough musically to carry some weight. But in the end, the experiment failed. One tune, though, did overcome this obstacle.
"Clarendon Hills" was written by saxophonist Bill Evans, who had left Miles Davis to join Mahavishnu. It didn't matter if McLaughlin's axe sounded like a bagpipe on this one. (For the record, it sounded sort of like a combination trombone and Moog.) The tune was that good. "Clarendon Hills" kicks some serious ass. It is introduced with a full-on clarion call. It quickly evolves into a driving jazz-rock anthem. This band could groove! Then there is sudden calm. Evans plays a beautiful section. McLaughlin, sounding like Evans at first, takes over midstream. Sonorously, he flies above the music. He's captured a wave. The band needs to calm down to contemplate what they have just done. After some soothing electric meddling, Cobham ramps things up for the final call of this awesome horn and pseudo-brass section. It may have not been totally real. But it was totally great.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · clarendon hills · france · fusion · guitarJohn McLaughlin: Mattinale
In the late '60s, McLaughlin was an integral part of a very non-traditional jazz organ trio as a member of the trailblazing Tony Williams Lifetime. In 1993, he decided to take another bite of the apple. He brought in organ phenom Joey DeFrancesco and powerhouse drummer Dennis Chambers to join him in creating The Free Spirits. These three guys had chops to spare. The trio may have been traditional in the sense of instrumentation, but it was anything but that in action. Playing John McLaughlin compositions will do that to any band.An introspective guitar solo opens "Mattinale." Understated yet profound, McLaughlin sweeps back and forth exposing a gentle nerve until Chambers and DeFrancesco kick in to pick up the pace and the piece becomes a lilting Spanish blues. Just as quickly, Chambers double-times it and McLaughlin and DeFrancesco are off and running to the thrilled cheers of the assembled crowd. Their speed-burning solo turns lead to a shuffle section. The accompaniment from both players is of the highest level. Over a Spanish chord progression, DeFrancesco does his best Miles Davis impression on trumpet before Dennis Chambers brings things to a close with his drum artistry. "Mattinale" is a vehicle that takes many side trips. Eventually, though, it gets you where you need to be.
Three points are taken off the rating because McLaughlin's guitar tone too closely mimicked DeFrancesco's organ.
February 26, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: 1990s jazz · guitar · japan · mattinaleJohn McLaughlin: Belo Horizonte
"Belo Horizonte" is a composition that goes back to McLaughlin's 1982 album Belo Horizonte. At that time it was played with the Translators, a quintet McLaughlin had put together comprised of three European jazz players and a classical pianist who doubled on organ/synthesizer. It was a fine European-sounding band that played this composition beautifully. In the hands of this trio, however, the same tune was quite different.Trilok Gurtu is a master Indian percussionist who was quite familiar with the Western musical idiom. This made him the perfect drummer for John McLaughlin. Gurtu supplied much of this trio's identity. He would pound away on a trap kit and constantly add sound shadings through the use of a boatload of percussive tools including nothing less than pots of water and rubber duckies. Gurtu's playful personality brought a new level of fun to McLaughlin's music. In concert, Gurtu and McLaughlin would often provide moments of comic relief with their efforts to throw each other off the rhythm. The laughter back and forth was contagious.
In this version, "Belo Horizonte" retained much more of its Brazilian inspiration. McLaughlin's pensive arpeggios introduce the delicate theme played at rapid pace by him and the bassist. Gurtu adds the rainforest. McLaughlin's fleet-fingered solo, interspersed with quick-strummed chords, features some of the finest improvised playing of his career. Di Piazza, a wondrous bassist, plays counterpoint and call and response before soloing. What a player! The next Jaco! The uplifting theme returns as this joyful jungle trek comes to an end.
Alas, Dominique Di Piazza would not become the next Jaco. Shortly after this recording, he gave up music and spent several years in a monastery! In the last few years, he has reappeared on the scene. His amazing playing is still something to be admired. But his career momentum is now gone. That is, if a jazz bassist these days can have career momentum.
February 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · belo horizonte · germany · guitarRoger Kellaway: Killer Joe
Dedicated to Oscar Peterson's 1950s drummerless trios, Roger Kellaway's 2006 CD Heroes also by implication pays homage to the King Cole Trio, which pioneered the piano/guitar/bass coterie in 1937. We should immediately reassure law-&-order types, however, that the title of Benny Golson's "Killer Joe," first vamped by The Jazztet in 1960 and covered to hit effect by Quincy Jones in 1969, is a misnomer. Counselor Golson's opening recitative on the original track identifies Killer Joe merely as a ne'er-do-well ladies' man and smalltime gambler. There's no evidence that Joe is a hardcore criminal. Even so, he's obviously not someone you'd want hanging around the local schoolyard. Unless, that is, he's escorted by parole officer Kellaway with two husky deputies on guitar and bass. In that case, even the kiddies will dig this arresting (ouch!) evidence, which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that, after a 70-year stretch, Nat Cole's instrumentation still sounds as copasetic as the day it was arraigned.
February 25, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · benny golson covers · crime jazz · killer joeMichael Brecker: Naked Soul
Sounding very much like his chief influence John Coltrane, Michael Brecker blows out some introspective and at times inspirationally searching ideas throughout this powerful piece. Allowing Brecker to fully realize his goal of self-expression, Calderazzo's piano and Metheny's guitar are intuitively almost transparent. It is Dave Holland's brilliantly inventive bass and Jack DeJohnette's muscularly driving drums that work with Brecker to achieve his own personal musical nirvana. Holland always seems to be implying the direction like a trailblazer at the head of an exploration party. Brecker's performance is eerily impressive – not because he echoes Coltrane, for he has by now found his own distinctive sound – but because he seems to have realized that inner place of expression that Coltrane so famously strived for. This is a glimpse of the possibilities that Michael Brecker could and would achieve with his horn. A short Holland solo bares his own soul effectively while a wistful DeJohnette tickles the cymbals ever so lightly. As the name implies, Michael Brecker's "Naked Soul" was intended to expose his musical soul. To this end he and his fellow musicians surely succeeded.
February 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · naked soul · tenor saxGiacomo Gates: Melodious Funk
The only thing missing in "Melodious Funk" is that obvious rhyme: Thelonious Monk. Or maybe a felonious punk in a commodious trunk. Or an odious skunk with a coyote's junk. But we get none of these (even though there is a bit of sly Monkish movement in the melody line). But Gates makes up for it with always stylish delivery, big voice and forceful scatting. I only wish saxophonist Kindred would lay back more when Gates scats, rather than offer an alternative solo in the background. Gates continues to impress with his convivial attitudes and the bohemian ambiance of his vocalizing. When I need hep replacement surgery, I am tracking down this singer, 'cause he's got some to spare.
February 24, 2008 · 5 comments
Tags: jazz vocalsJohn McLaughlin: The Unknown Dissident
"The Unknown Dissident" is one of McLaughlin's most fully realized compositions. The One Truth Band was also one of McLaughlin's most underrated units. It did not have the power of The Mahavishnu Orchestra. But its strong identity was formed by a rhythmic foundation that allowed it to "funk a groove." This tune, however, did not fall into funk territory.The wobbly bleating of a European ambulance's siren opens the scene. Perhaps it is Northern Ireland in the '70s. Perhaps not. It is definitely some place bad, though. A soulful, plaintive guitar and sax tell a tragic tale of someone who has been fighting for a cause and has lost. Yet there is still hope. The fight has been worth it. This prisoner's struggle, though, is over. His last brave walk is brief and final. It is now left for others to carry on the righteous cause.
McLaughlin and guest David Sanborn have a wonderful rapport. They have recorded together several times. They should do so again.
During McLaughlin's 2007 tour with his new group The Fourth Dimension, "The Unknown Dissident" was played for the first time live. Its message is the same today as it was back then. Unfortunately, it is a message that will still be needed tomorrow. So you need to listen. You really do.
February 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · fusion · guitar · the unknown dissidentJohn McLaughlin: Acid Jazz
Ironically, I don't know if this tune really qualifies as "acid jazz." From what I understand, acid jazz is sort of a soul-funk retro music that may feature some ambient electronics and even a DJ's vocals. We certainly have the ambient electronics. And Matthew Garrison does babble into some sort of sound processor. But does this "Acid Jazz" have soul and funk? I don't think so. That would make two out of four. Ah well, close enough for government work, as they say. (Which government, they don't say.)What we do have is a multi-part long-form jam based upon the "Acid Jazz" melody introduced on the previous Heart of Things album. This live version is miles beyond that drier studio effort. Two minutes of open exploration usher in the main theme. Chambers's constant beat supports until another long exposition from saxophonist Thomas is played out. The tension builds as the band returns en masse to the head. Then all those ambient noises and weird voices enter. McLaughlin quotes Coltrane. The spring is coiling tighter and tighter. We know this is all prelude. All hell finally breaks loose as McLaughlin and Chambers go ballistic. McLaughlin's many drumming foils have included Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, Michael Walden, Trilok Gurtu and Zakir Hussain. But his telepathy with Chambers for the last 15 years or so does not come in second to any of those other greats. McLaughlin's distorted ring-modulated rave-up and Chambers's missile lobbing threaten to wreck the place. A false ending or two is thrown in to discombobulate. Acid jazz? Maybe not. But whatever they call it, I'll take it.
February 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · acid jazz · france · guitarDiana Krall: I'm An Errand Girl for Rhythm
Fifty years after Nat King Cole's "I'm An Errand Boy for Rhythm" sped to its appointed rounds, Diana Krall's "I'm An Errand Girl for Rhythm" relaxes the tempo slightly—still fast, but more lope than gallop. After all, errand persons were by October 1995 less hyper than in October 1945, when deliveries were fueled by World War II surplus adrenaline. Even so, for her King Cole Trio tribute album, Krall remains faithful to more than just their patented piano/guitar/bass instrumentation; she respects and reflects the spirit of that consummately cool combo and its unassumingly heroic era. Krall is ideally suited for this role. Both she and Cole were superior jazz pianists who took up singing and became vocal superstars, after which their instrumental abilities were predictably overshadowed. The limelight, after all, illuminates only so much. Which makes this track especially helpful. It will delight the many fans of Diana's singing, but will equally reward those who haven't paid much attention to Krall the pianist. Her playing here is worthy of . . . well, Nat Cole himself, and that's the highest praise a hipster born in 1945 (speaking of surplus adrenaline) can bestow. If you require an errand girl for swinging, call Ms. Krall.
February 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · i'm an errand girl for rhythm · jazz vocals · nat king cole coversNew York Swing: Till Tom Special
"I was hurrying homeward that holiday afternoon," wrote S.J. Perelman in The New Yorker of May 15, 1937, referring to Washington's Birthday, "pretty much in the groove, humming an aria from 'Till Tom Special' and wishing I could play the clarinet like a man named Goodman." Sid Perelman wasn't the only tomcat purring that tune. When the Benny Goodman Sextet featuring Charlie Christian recorded Sid's in-the-groove aria, John Bunch and Bucky Pizzarelli were impressionable teenagers; coincidentally, both grew up to become sidemen with B.G. and, not coincidentally, 56 years after its maiden voyage re-launched "Till Tom's Special" at the 1996 Floating Jazz Festival, where this track was captured live. (Or was it? A stupefying lack of in-person ambience persists until track's end, when what seems like spliced-in applause suddenly shatters the aura of studio reenactment. Of course, it's possible the entire audience was preoccupied on deck playing shuffleboard and arrived only in the nick of time to acknowledge the completed performance.) In any case, New York Swing's revival is so buoyantly affectionate that we suspect Christian's ghost, grinning with pleasure, and Benny's specter, dour as always, may have been stowaways for this infectiously swinging cruise.
February 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · benny goodman covers · guitar · till tom specialAlbert Ayler: The Wizard
If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was, The Wizard of Oz is one because . . .
Oh, sorry, wrong song! It's not that wizard on Albert Ayler's track "The Wizard." Can't look for
jaunty Harold Arlen melodies on this one, folks. This is a darker wizard, more like Voldemort than Dumbledore, and one that has lots of weapons and spells at his disposal. Here are some of them: spell to make a saxophone sound like a dental drill (2:06 minutes into the track); spell to make a sax take on the sonic properties of a flame-thrower (3:58 into the track); spell to force a saxophone reed to create vibrations hitherto unknown on the planet Mungo (at the 4:43 mark), etc.
Not even Trane or Dolphy or Ornette went this far out. The raw power of this track is almost frightening in its intensity. If pushing the envelope was the essence of Free Jazz, Ayler earned his place in jazz history by pushing farther than anybody. Tain't no envelope left, my friends. To a certain extent, we have lived in a "post-Ayler" age ever since.
February 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · free jazz · tenor saxCecil Taylor: Tales (8 Whisps)
This closing track from Cecil Taylor's Unit Structures LP is the most fully realized piano performance he had recorded until that time. This is also most keyboard-oriented work on the album, and shows that Taylor did not need elaborate horn parts to realize his musical visions. Although "Tales (8 Whisps)" lacks the full-scale fireworks of his solo piano work of the next decade (check out Silent Tongues to get a dose of those), it nonetheless showed that this artist was not a cerebral composer working with abstract concepts, but an energy-jazz radical whose works needed to be felt viscerally as much as heard. Sweeping, orchestral, abrasive - this stands as a significant moment in American pianism from the 1960s.
February 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · avant garde · blue note · free jazz · pianoDave Holland: What Goes Around (big band version)
After early recordings with Miles Davis and Chick Corea (Circle), bassist Dave Holland established himself as a leader with a long-running quartet and quintet known for complex, through-composed pieces usually including multiple odd-meter passages and collective improvisation. His most recent quintet of Kilson (now Nate Smith), Potter, R. Eubanks, and Nelson was augmented by eight more players to form a big band for the first time in 2001. Holland’s already complex quintet material is compounded here with even more cross-rhythms and thematic variation for the big band. The musicians seamlessly execute the 11/4 melody (alternating measures 6/4 and 5/4).
February 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: big band · odd time meters · what goes aroundTal Farlow: Fascinating Rhythm
Tal Farlow must not have received many Christmas cards from drummers. After establishing himself as a member of the drummerless Red Norvo Trio from 1949-1953, Farlow likewise dispensed with drummers for his mid-'50s trio albums with piano and bass. And here, 20 years later, he was still at it, shunning the company of drummers as if they carried bubonic plague in those unwieldy wheel-shaped cases they religiously lugged to gigs. Yet when a band can swing like this one does without aid of cymbals, snares, bongos or castanets, who needs a percussionist? While it's true that Tal's guitar chops in the '70s were not what they'd been in the '50s (whose were?), his playing still dazzles, especially when, as part of a prearranged unison with Hank Jones before the out chorus, Farlow plays a descending chordal glissando that sounds for all the world like some appreciative fan exclaiming, "Whew!" He took the word right out of my mouth.
February 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · fascinating rhythm · gershwin covers · guitarOscar Peterson: Okie Blues
This track reunites the 1951 Oscar Peterson Trio, two decades hence, doing an O.P. original named for prodigal picker Barney Kessel, who was, in the words of Merle Haggard's 1969 redneck anthem, proud to be an Okie from Muskogee. But both halves of Oscar's title were equally true, for Barney's blues roots were planted deep in what remained of the Oklahoma prairie lands during the devastating Dust Bowl of his childhood. For that matter, O.P. himself—contrary to carping by such perpetual naysayers as Miles Davis—could be a convincingly bluesy pianist when he wanted to be. And here, obviously, he wanted to be. Which leaves only bassist Ray Brown, about whom nobody anywhere would dare question his ability to play anything. This is not a perfect track: at about 6½ minutes in, Barney's and Oscar's chords clash distressingly for a chorus. (Has one of Kessel's strings fallen out of tune?) But Oscar quickly saves the day with his trademark two-handed rolling tremolos. If, as Longfellow held, "Music is the universal language of mankind" (and where else but Jazz.com could you find a 210-word review that invokes both Merle Haggard and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow?), then blues is the dialect that all jazzmen must speak. The speakers here are downright eloquent.
February 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · okie bluesJohn Abercrombie: Love Song
Despite being hidden amongst the pyrotechnics of the fusion album Timeless, this gentle and quiet piece of music never fails to stir my soul with its sheer sensitivity and unabashed beauty. Hearing Jan Hammer abandon the synthesized sounds that have become his legacy, in favor of acoustic piano, is a rare insight into how this European-trained musician had not forsaken his classical influences. Abercrombie, for his part, never fails to enter into the dark recesses of the mind with his concise, economical, at times Towner-esque guitar work that belies his ability to shred a tune when appropriate. In this composition, Abercrombie allows that a thought, in this case a musical love poem, can be best portrayed by the delicate interplay between piano and guitar. Abercrombie's and Hammer’s empathetic playing is like two lovers caressing each other in a musical embrace that is both poignant and uplifting. This is quite literally a beautiful and classic love song.
February 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s · ecm · guitar · love songJohn Abercrombie: Red and Orange
Back when top young musicians embraced the jazz fusion concept, three great practitioners of their respective instruments came together to produce a seminal album that abruptly entered the genre. For some, who find this foray into fusion "corrupting," this was one of those times when no amount of musicianship or creativity would be enough to allay the criticism. This was just another side road cluttered by electronica and gimmickry that blurred the true path of acoustic jazz's artistry. But for musicians and their fans growing up in the shadows of Parker, Rollins, Coltrane et al. and wanting to blaze our own paths, this was at once a statement of independence and vision.In this 1974 effort, guitar virtuoso John Abercrombie skillfully weaves a tapestry of sound that incorporates the talents of equally artistic impressionists Jan Hammer on keyboards and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Sharing a CD with some very un-fusion-like but poignant pieces, the testosterone-laden force of Jan Hammer's masterpiece "Red and Orange" provides a powerful contrast. We are given a portal into the inner angst that comes with trying to create something forcefully new and different. If at times it seems like this amphetamine-driven music is overpowering, that is because it has successfully channeled all the bursting energy, creativity and tortured virtuosity that these brilliant musicians could muster. DeJohnette's driving skin and cymbal work on "Red and Orange" has to be a tour de force of drumming's physicality and musicality. Abercrombie's probing guitar work is perfectly prodded to new heights by a relentless hammer – Jan Hammer, that is. The most underrated of his fusion-era keyboard contemporaries (Zawinul, Corea and Hancock), Hammer is stunning for his amazing harmonic dexterity, subtly and sonorous use of all the sounds that keyboards can yield. For those of us who grew up in this volatile era, this is music that will speak to us forever.
February 23, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: 1970s · ecm · guitarCarl Orr: Deep Down
Normally, English guitarist Carl Orr would be heard playing distortion-laden fusion lines possibly through various devices. Over the years, his progressive playing has been front and center in many exciting ventures. Not the least of these has been on several records and tours with drummer Billy Cobham. But on 2006's Deep Down, Orr decided to reach inside himself to explore some worlds in which distortion was not even an afterthought. Focusing his attention on the basic organ-based jazz trio, Orr featured a purer guitar sound that worked the basic blues and bossa novas. He added musicians as needed.This track, a dedication to Orr's wife, is a relaxed bossa nova with a pleasing theme. Orr says he was trying to mimic Burt Bacharach's writing style. In any case, Orr's guitar tone is pristine and free from any affectations. His sensitive single-note runs are beautiful. The band maintains a subtle blues vibe with Whittaker in particular adding body to the piece. Orr's dexterous solo is a bit risky considering its context. But this fusion star makes it all work, both on the surface and deep down.
February 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · bossa nova · britain · guitarJohn McLaughlin: Marbles
The behind-the-scenes story is now infamous. McLaughlin recorded the sessions for Jimi Hendrix producer Alan Douglas. McLaughlin went away. When he came back he discovered, much to his horror, that the tapes had been edited and spliced back together every which way. It was a nightmare. The story from the Douglas camp was that somehow the tapes had been damaged and editing became a salvage operation. While McLaughlin may still be upset about the whole affair all these years later, Devotion is still a prized possession in many a fusion collection.Straight from gigs with Jimi Hendrix, drummer Buddy Miles and bassist Billy Rich joined Larry Young and McLaughlin for this outing. Despite its spacey introduction, "Marbles" is one of the most accessible pieces McLaughlin has ever recorded. Miles's thumping drums introduce McLaughlin's simple but hypnotic scalar riff. "Marbles" becomes a kick-ass psychedelic jazz-rock number. As Rich and Young continue the riff, McLaughlin plays off it every which way from Sunday. He goes pentatonic and uses blues scales to produce trebly rapid-fire lines and screeching howls. While Miles and Rich are an okay rhythm section and Larry Young provides some interest, this tune was clearly a showcase for young guitarist McLaughlin's shredding. I challenge Mr. McLaughlin to pull this tune out some night on the road. It will kill! As an interesting aside, the "Marbles" riff motif would often later appear in the music of McLaughlin's Shakti band. Of course, they would play it acoustically with an Indian twist.
February 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s · fusion · guitar · marblesJoe DeRenzo: iEartoe (parts I & II)
Drummer Joe DeRenzo has had quite an interesting career. In the late '70s, he played jazz and fusion music. But in the mid '80s, he caught the acting bug and left music behind. After appearing as a movie extra and having a few TV gigs, DeRenzo changed careers again and became a photographer. A chance meeting with graphic artist Peter Max led to a long-term gig with financial and artistic success. But music was still deep in his core. In 2001, after 15 years of not picking up a drumstick, DeRenzo sat down and played. The comeback was on!DeRenzo is a very gifted musician, composer and arranger. Perhaps because of that 15-year hiatus, he approaches music with a fresh and open mind. This is quite evident on "iEartoe parts I & II," his tribute to the great Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira. The tune is purposely reminiscent of Airto's old recordings on the CTI label. DeRenzo and fellow percussionist Richie Gajate-Garcia create a Brazilian landscape with shakers and sundry percussion oddities. Vocalist Anne Walsh enters with her own heartfelt tribute to Airto's wife, the wonderful singer Flora Purim. On part II, pianist Tom Zink and saxophonist Glen Berger continue the theme, now joyful and bouncy. DeRenzo plays it Brazilian cool in the background as Gajate-Garcia camps it up both on voice and percussion to the tune's end. DeRenzo is not out to blow people away. He is out to have fun. On this tune, and on the album it comes from, he succeeds in a contagious way.
February 22, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · percussionAvishai Cohen: Nu Nu
In a valiant attempt to mesh the influences of Middle Eastern, classical and fusion-style music, bassist Avishai Cohen (not to be confused with the trumpeter of the same name) has produced a worthy effort. Combining the exotic sounds of the oud, an ancient Middle Eastern string instrument, and the textural use of his own bowed upright bass, together with accomplished pianist Sam Barsh and driving drummer Mark Guiliana, Cohen creates a trademark sound that is at once unusual and interesting. On this track in particular, Cohen transports the listener into a nomadic tent pitched mid-desert replete with camels and parched throats. Setting the piece's tone, Hoffman's oud deftly counterpoints Barsh's classically influenced and impressive piano work. Meanwhile, Cohen and Guiliana keep the rhythmic bottom so anchored that the listener never strays too far from the Western influences of the jazz idiom. At times, all instruments play in perfect Mahavishnu-style sync, creating a stirring sense of tension while demonstrating great virtuosity in a distinctively Eastern-influenced vein. This unusual melding of three disparate musical influences achieves a surprising degree of success.
February 22, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · fusion · middle eastern · nu nu · oudVince Seneri: Prince's Groove
If you are a nostalgic sucker for the grooving funky sound that only a well-played Hammond B-3 with Leslie Speakers can deliver, then you will find this self-produced offering from relatively obscure organ grinder Vince Seneri and some better known friends to be just what the doctor ordered. Seneri, aka The Prince, hails from the Garden State and has seemingly been able to keep alive the tradition of the B-3 in all its funky glory. On "Prince's Groove," Seneri is joined to great effect by Randy Brecker's soulful trumpeting, sweet guitar lines from Joey DeFrancesco's sideman Paul Bollenback, and a steady beat by Buddy Williams and Gary Fritz. Throughout this slow cooker, I am reminded of the nights when you could step into almost any dark, smoke-filled Jersey club and hear the bright, clear sounds of a B-3 played by such artisans as Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland or Jimmy McGriff, not to mention dozens of less celebrated practitioners. Seneri's mastery of this band-in-a-box is substantial, and despite his manicured appearance, this boy can get down and dirty with his instrument. While not ground-breaking, this music is thoroughly enjoyable and well worth a listen.
February 22, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · organ trio · prince's grooveTony Williams Lifetime: Spectrum
"Spectrum" first appeared on John McLaughlin's Extrapolation, recorded in England in 1968. On that recording he credited himself with the composition. God knows why he decided to use the name "A. Hall" for this Lifetime record. On Extrapolation, "Spectrum" was already an energetic track. On Emergency, however, "Bam!" as TV chef Emerald LaGasse would say when adding more spice. Talk about taking a tune up a notch. McLaughlin, Williams and Young hang onto a funk-distorted electric groove as if they were cats, down to their ninth life, clinging to a high-tension wire. They are all in serious danger of either falling or being electrocuted. McLaughlin shoots off machine-gun salvos of every possible pitch and timbre. His chords are dissonant shards. Young's basslines and dirty comps fill any open space. Williams has stopped thinking and has literally morphed into his drum kit. No opportunity to swing a stick is passed up. This is gloriously messed-up music. Send the cat, the kids and the wife to bed, and turn this damn stuff up LOUD.
February 22, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · fusion · spectrumTony Williams Lifetime: Emergency
I always have felt a bit sorry for Tony Williams. Here was a truly gifted artist who as a 17-year-old kid was playing drums for the great Miles Davis. After a few years, based upon a foresightful musical vision, he formed the jazz-rock trailblazing Tony Williams Lifetime. Perhaps even more than Miles Davis, Tony deserved acknowledgement for being a major forerunner of the fusion genre. But he never got credit for it. Among musicians, he was admired far and wide. Yet the commercial success that other contemporaries found would never come his way. I have met a few people who knew Tony, and they have indicated this bothered him his whole life. Williams certainly made a ton of bad musical and business decisions over the years that prevented him from becoming the popular solo artist he had wanted to be. Even so, this early work should have been recognized in its time to a much greater degree."Emergency" featured a chugging Williams, a skittering-bluesy John McLaughlin and organist Larry Young, who was playing his B-3 more like it was an early synthesizer, squeezing out sounds never before heard. This was untamed music, full of blistering runs and sudden stops and starts. From time to time the music slows to a crawl, enabling all sorts of spatial texture. Have I mentioned how awful the sound was? It was terrible! All of the instruments suffered from major distortion. This was not totally on purpose. But in a way, the sound problems gave the music an even wilder sense of abandon. Years later, punkers and jam bands would try to sound like this! While not all of this music is pleasant to listen to, that doesn't mean it wasn't good or important. It can get a little ugly when you're trying to break through. I suppose that's why some trailblazers never get their due. Perhaps with the recent success of Trio Beyond, the band put together by John Scofield, Jack DeJohnette and Larry Goldings to honor The Tony Williams Lifetime, Tony's contributions will be more widely appreciated.
February 22, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · emergency · fusionTrio of Doom: Dark Prince (live)
Very briefly in the late 1970s there was a cooling down of the rhetoric between the United States and communist Cuba. During this time, it seemed natural to promote a cross-cultural event that celebrated the music of both countries. Thus, the Havana Jam was created. In March 1979, many western musicians, both pop and jazz, visited Havana to share the stages with accomplished Cuban musicians.Trio of Doom was patched together for this event. Its three great members represented the highest in musicianship. Guitarist John McLaughlin and bass phenom Jaco Pastorius were riding the waves of fusion stardom with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report, respectively. They had spent some time rehearsing their short set, and were ready to go on stage. When they played, however, Jaco decided to take a different route than what had been rehearsed. The music was still very well received. But it was not what McLaughlin and drummer Tony Williams expected. They were both very angry with Pastorius. McLaughlin was so incensed that he refused to allow Columbia to release a recording of the set. Columbia and the trio eventually agreed to rerecord the cuts in studio, which versions – with pumped-in crowd noise – initially appeared as part of the compilation Havana Jam. The live versions were never released. Some 30 years after the fact, Columbia/Legacy approached McLaughlin about the live performances. Three decades is a long time. McLaughlin listened to the set and found that his mind had changed enough about the performance to allow its release. In fact, he became the producer of the reissue.
"Dark Prince" (which McLaughlin had earlier recorded for his One Truth band's Electric Dreams) is a paean to Miles Davis. Williams, who had more history with Miles than John, opens the tune with a rushed enthusiasm. McLaughlin, with Jaco doubling, introduces the catchy, chopped melody. Shortly after takeoff, the two stringed gunslingers are off at a million miles a minute on an exploratory mission. They shred as only they could. Williams supplies powerful thrusts and parries. Frankly, he sounds a bit like Billy Cobham in the process. The music seems to break down a bit during the break. Is this when Jaco went off script? At the same time, these disconnected shrieks, groans and thuds have a certain interest. Is it free jazz? Or is it Jaco confusing the hell out of John and Tony who have to play along? Either scenario is intriguing. Soon the break is over and the trio resumes its regularly scheduled programming.
It turns out that when the trio later went into the studio, John, and especially Tony, continued to have problems with Jaco. Now it is thought that Jaco was in the early stages of mental illness at the time. It was too bad for Jaco and his family. And it was too bad for the rest of us. If the timing had been right and all well with Jaco, the Trio of Doom could have become a fusion supergroup of the highest order.
February 21, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · cuba · dark prince · fusionMitchel Forman: What a Wonderful World
Mitchel Forman is one of the most inventive and skilled jazz pianists around. He plays with a deep natural instinct that allows him to get to the very core of each tune. You could first hear this way back in the early 1980s on his solo piano masterpiece Only a Memory. He is a remarkably gifted composer and a first-rate improviser and interpreter of other people's music as well.Forman's solo take on "What a Wonderful World" is beautiful and touching. His empathetic playing focuses on the hopeful aspects of the tune while not ignoring its wistfulness. Forman delves into the nooks and crannies of this classic to expose the emotions that lie just below the surface. A well-placed accent or a carefully held note can convey just as much emotion as any word could. In that sense, Forman's playing speaks volumes. If this performance doesn't move you, I am glad I don't know you.
Forman's own fruitful solo career and outstanding work over the years with John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, Pat Metheny and many others should compel investigations into the whole of his impressive discography. "What a Wonderful World" would not be a bad place to start.
February 21, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · solo piano · what a wonderful worldTom Scott: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
Tom Scott gathered together a very hot band for his Cannonball Adderley tribute CD Cannon Re-Loaded. With Terence Blanchard, George Duke, Steve Gadd, Marcus Miller and Larry Goldings on hand, the groove is in good hands. On this track, Scott tackles Adderley's biggest hit, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," and keeps it in-the-pocket with a smooth, medium tempo rendition. There are no theatrics or grandstanding here, just a lot of soulful playing from all participants. Scott and Blanchard offer strong solos, but give credit to the rhythm section with its loose, airy swing. Cannonball would be proud.
February 21, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: mercy mercy mercyMcCoy Tyner: Giant Steps
Although McCoy Tyner wasn't around for the original recording of "Giant Steps," he must have played it hundreds of times with Coltrane while in John's quartet. Some 30 years later, Tyner recorded this abridged version in tribute. Over the years, "Giant Steps" has become almost the de facto rite of passage for every young jazz musician. If you can improvise over those fast and complicated changes, you have earned your jazz bona fides! In a strange way, you sort of get the same feeling from Tyner on this cut. Perhaps he was seeking the role of teacher by indicating how it should be done, giving us a truncated "Giant Steps" that focuses on the very dynamics of the changes themselves. His block-chord playing is full, fast and impressive as can be. His single-note runs over the bass changes are nothing short of brilliant. He is a true master, encapsulating all in scarcely two minutes. Our rating, however, is 10 points lower due to what appears to be an egregious edit at the 18 sec. mark. McCoy is great enough that such an edit was an unnecessary intrusion, and it reflects poorly on those who for whatever reason made the decision.
February 20, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: 1990s jazz · coltrane covers · giant steps · pianoMaceo Parker: Hallelujah I Love Her So
Who knew that the WDR Big Band Cologne could swing so hard? But maybe it helped having Maceo Parker fronting the ensemble. When the conversation turns to the funkiest saxophonists in the world, Maceo has to be on the short list. He is battle tested in long service with James Brown, and has has guested with everyone from George Clinton to Prince. Just as he has done so many times in the past, Parker delivers an on-the-money solo that electrifies the crowd. Frank Chastenier boldy tries to follow with a Hammond B-3 solo, but his organ sounds likes it's belching and sputtering to me. Heck, it doesn't matter, the fans are screaming, and Maceo comes back in with a bag o' licks to beat the band. Hallelujah, I love it so!
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags:Stan Kenton: You and the Night and the Music
The influence of Bill Russo's teacher Lennie Tristano is reflected in this austere setting of the classic minor ballad. As with many of Russo's arrangements for the Kenton dance book, this offsets a small group against the big band with solos interspersed, in this case by Candoli (with mute), Sims, Bagley and Salvador. Russo would later form his own orchestra in New York in 1960, adding four cellos to the eight brass, five sax and three rhythm format, and in effect split the group into two small ensembles that played off each other.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · big band · you and the night and the musicStan Kenton: Fascinating Rhythm
Updating the Kenton dance book was a wise idea, especially when Bill Russo became the main architect of New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm. Russo's orchestral studies on classic standards sounded like notated improvisations in some cases. "Fascinating Rhythm" pits a small group against the big band for a classic call-and-response approach, plus solos by Rosolino, Kamuca, Konitz and Holman. This arrangement was later set for voices by Ward Swingle's Singers.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · big band · fascinating rhythm · gershwin coversJohn McLaughlin and Carlos Santana: Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord
Carlos Santana was a bit apprehensive about recording Love Devotion Surrender. He had become so enamored with John McLaughlin's guitar playing and spiritual path, that he had followed McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra around on tour. During that time the two became friends. McLaughlin introduced Santana to his guru Sri Chinmoy. Santana, who had been looking for a new direction in his life, became a Chinmoy disciple. The concept of the album would be built around the players' spiritual road and their joint love of the music of John Coltrane. (To them, this was really one and the same.) But Santana worried about whether he was up to the task of playing with McLaughlin.Once in the studio, Carlos discovered that he had plenty to say, as this nearly 16-minute track shows. Based on a traditional hymn, it begins with some of the most expressive electric guitar you will ever hear from two disparate players. Slow melodious calls and responses dominate the opening strains. The back and forth becomes more intense. Drums and congas center the rhythm. Yasin's (Young's) organ is from the First Church of Fusion. The calls and responses escalate to full frenzy. Clearly this was music played from an altar. It all ends triumphantly with the opening theme as coda.
Carlos was not as technically gifted as John. His backing chords were not as advanced. He didn't have the sheer velocity of McLaughlin. But he had an instantly recognizable style with true soul. As much as one might pooh-pooh the spiritual aspirations of these musicians – if that is your wont – the fact remains that they themselves felt that spirit, and gave it intense expression in their music.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · fusion · guitar · let us go into the house of the lordThe Quintet: A Night in Tunisia
In theory, when you join a bunch of all-star musicians into a band you are going to get some great music. In practice, however, more times than one would expect, these gatherings of legends don't quite work. First, you have to deal with the extra-large egos that most legends have. The founding fathers on hand for this 1953 bebop reunion were certainly no exception. The spotlight has only so much room in it. Second, even assuming all are well behaved, the rehearsal time needed to bring the best cohesion into an all-star unit may not be available. This is true even of players who have performed together often in the past. These factors, and others, must be considered when listening to recordings of this nature. So, yes, this performance of "A Night in Tunisia" was not as tight as it could have been. There are open spaces and some relaxed turns that at times almost threaten to take the bop away. But jazz itself was changing. These players were not immune to that reality, and I think it shows a bit in this rendition. So add that to the equation as well. But still you find yourself listening intently as each artist displays his individual brilliance. This is history, man! These cats would be good in any era or in any genre. Even if Dizzy and Bird et al. were just going through the motions (which I am not suggesting applies in this case), they would still be great. They had it together even if they weren't that together.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · a night in tunisia · bebop · canadaWes Montgomery with Wynton Kelly: Four on Six
With its catchy bass intro by the unmistakable Paul Chambers, comped in perfect sync by Wynton Kelly's piano, this Montgomery-penned smoker delivers nonstop swing from the very first note. Jimmy Cobb's sure snare and cymbal work drive the relentless beat to its natural level while Chambers anchors throughout. Montgomery's patented octave chording takes over in a stirring solo only to be followed by Kelly's brilliantly dancing response on the ivories. This piano man can surely swing. Chambers offers up a signature bowed bass solo that could easily slow the tempo, but somehow it just allows the tune to temporarily simmer, followed by a brilliantly counterpointed drum solo from the normally reserved Cobb. This is one group that plays completely in sync. Throughout, the normally showcased Montgomery seems, for once, to be seamlessly integrated into the total band concept and to great effect. The totality of purpose that these musicians so effectively demonstrate serves this classic well.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · four on six · guitarJohn Scofield: Let's Say We Did
What do you get when you mix fusion, funk, soul and bop? Perhaps a guitarist sounding like John Scofield. Add a penchant for writing quirky, often whimsical tunes that are just plain fun to listen to, and you have a very entertaining musical concept. With his dampened tone and behind-the-beat distinctive style, Scofield is always immediately identifiable. His fruitful collaboration with Joe Lovano regrettably lasted only a few years. From their first CD together, backed by no less than Charlie Haden and Jack DeJohnette, this track stands out for its loping, engaging theme. After a bassline and cymbals start things off, the memorable melody is played in tight unison by Scofield and Lovano, and then reprised several times, with only a short solo break apiece for guitarist and tenor. Doing more with less.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · guitar · let's say we didDjango Reinhardt: Mystery Pacific (aka Mysteric Pacific)
Influenced by Eddie Lang, Django Reinhardt in turn inspired Charlie Christian, Les Paul and especially many Europeans who also came out of the Gypsy guitar tradition, most notably Bireli Lagrene. He developed his original style to compensate for his crippled left hand, damaged in a fire. Django's rapid, breathtaking single-note lines at up-tempos, and his expressive lyricism on ballads were an unbeatable combination. This track is a "train song," and one of the most boisterous of such jazz treatments ever recorded. Django and Stéphane as usual share the solo time, while the rest of the Quintette du Hot Club de France lays down a fiercely driving "locomotive" foundation. After Grappelli's passionate solo, Django enters with a scintillating run and never looks back, varying his attack to great effect in a fluent, concise improv.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1930s · france · guitar · mysteric pacific · mystery pacificWes Montgomery: Unit 7
Recently released as part of the Jazz Icons film series is a video of three Wes Montgomery concerts in Europe in 1965. In it, the close-up camera focuses on his unorthodox thumb-picking technique, an invaluable glimpse for students and admirers. Those who never saw him play in person wish they had been at those concerts, or perhaps at the Half Note in New York City that same year, when this track was recorded with the rhythm section that best complemented him during the 1960s. Montgomery's solo begins with inventive, careening single-note lines, followed by a section emphasizing his always highly skilled use of octaves, before concluding with an energizing display of his trademark block chords. The use of his thumb and the resultant thick, resonant sound, as well as his imaginative rhythmic variations, are the icing on the cake. Kelly, Chambers and Cobb as usual create a perfectly buoyant backdrop.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · guitar · unit 7John McLaughlin: Extrapolation
McLaughlin's first album was a classic some feel he never topped, a precursor to the jazz-rock movement, and a showcase for his improvisational and composing skills. Those who weren't convinced by his playing soon after on In a Silent Way or Bitches Brew, or with The Tony Williams Lifetime, would usually be referred by those in the know to this relatively obscure release. The 4-minute title track is a miniature gem on which McLaughlin and Surman each display glimpses of their power, energy, sensitivity and inquisitiveness. It sets the stage for the further brilliance that follows on this session. The guitarist's characteristic rushes of notes, effective use of space, and richly chorded passages were to be among his trademarks from here on out. Surman's swaggering baritone with its thick, rough-edged tone makes quite an impression as well.
February 20, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · extrapolation · guitarPat Martino: Catch
Martino's medical history is well known. Having suffered a brain aneurysm in 1980 that left him with no memory of how to play the guitar, he re-taught himself by listening to his own recordings. So the second time around, Martino's biggest influence was himself! His playing became progressively stronger as he continued his comeback, and Live at Yoshi's is one of the best guitar-organ sessions of all time. At his best, Martino is one of a select group of artists who can make you shake your head in awe: a virtuoso capable of acute clarity at great speed, and with the ability to seemingly execute instantaneously any idea from his fertile imagination. He swings hard and combines his predilection for both bop and soulful blues into a distinctive style and attack. "Catch," which is also on his 1994 Interchange CD, is one of Martino's best tunes, and his long driving solo is infinitely varied and rhythmically diverse. DeFrancesco has to follow this, and with Hart's relentless support is able to maintain the intensity and high creative level established by Martino.
February 19, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · catch · guitarJim Hall: Big Blues
On this dark-toned blues dedicated to Stanley Turrentine, Hall displays his advanced harmonic sense and lyricism in the delicate, clean lines of his solo. What he said of Turrentine applies to him: "He doesn't overplay, and he has a particularly effective way of placing notes." Hall is all about texture and shading, never flashy. Influenced greatly by both Jimmy Giuffre and Bill Evans, he in turn has rightfully influenced many guitarists – who in turn have inspired him. Goldstein and LaSpina also improvise exceptionally well on this track from one of Hall's best and most diverse recordings.
February 19, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · big blues · guitarGrant Green: Jean de Fleur
There was an attractive freshness and simplicity to Grant Green's linear-styled playing, and his bluesy tone was instantly recognizable. Often underestimated, on fast, tricky numbers such as this track, he could surprise with the intricacy of his phrasing and runs, and the cleverness of his rhythmic variations. The fraternity of guitarists respected and learned from him. When recorded in 1963, Henderson and Hutcherson were emerging Blue Note stars, and each solos brilliantly after Green's lesson in structure and expressiveness. Harewood's drum work is both tasteful and propulsive, his fills flawlessly executed throughout.
February 19, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · blue note · guitar · jean de fleurElla Fitzgerald: I Loves You Porgy
Ella’s voice may have been the perfect instrument to express joy, but she was also a consummate ballad singer. However, while the Songbooks with their big band or string accompaniments defined Ella to a broad middle-of-the-road audience, her ability to sing virtually anything on demand often created a certain emotional distance from her material. However, in live performance she would sing her heart out, and the Rome version of “I Loves You Porgy” ranks among the very best of Ella Fitzgerald on record. It is a striking example of her getting inside a song’s meaning, something she was not normally noted for. It is almost as if she has scrubbed the song clean of any emotional thumbprints other singers may have left. In holding the song up to the light, it gleams anew, as if being sung for the first time. Her singing, with its precise enunciation, pitch and breath control, her subtle use of tonal inflection and tasteful use of vibrato, especially terminal vibrato, is exemplary, but there is also an emotional engagement with the material here that was seldom glimpsed in the studio.