Jamie Baum: In Passing
The beautifully synchronous playing of Baum and Endsley, on flute and trumpet respectively, is an unusual but potent front line for Baum's ethereal music, and the rhythm section's drone provides a perfect landscape onto which she applies her fluid musical pastels. Her tone is soft, and her delivery is languorous with a sensuous breathiness that never falters in pitch or direction. After Baum dances around with pianist Colligan's tasteful support, Weidemeuller takes his turn with an equally feathery bass solo backed by lightly applied piano chords and exquisitely subtle brushwork. Overall, this piece's atmospheric ensemble sound enables the composer to realize her vision. Baum has clearly assembled cooperative, likeminded musicians to help showcase her formidable compositional skills. A skillful offering that incorporates the flute as a poignant participant in an orchestral/chamber jazz setting.
May 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · fluteLuckey Roberts: Complainin'
Small in stature, Luckey Roberts was a giant among Harlem stride pianists. Yet by the time of this 1958 session for Lester Koenig's revivalist Good Time Jazz Records, Luckey was among jazz's forgotten men. Moreover, his name notwithstanding, he'd suffered a series of personal mishaps, including an automobile wreck that shattered his hands and, only weeks before this recording, a stroke. Any one of these setbacks by itself would explain a poor performance; taken together, they'd excuse almost anything. But Luckey Roberts was, to quote Nat Hentoff's liner notes, "indomitable"—too talented and, yes, too damn proud to make anything less than memorable music.So, if there was any complaining to do, Luckey would do it in song. "Complainin'," his own composition, is part Debussy, part Scott Joplin, and all Luckey. It's a delightful, bluesy yet dignified rag that, at a scant 3 minutes long, magnetically attracts your thumb to the Repeat button again and again. While his execution may not be letter perfect, Luckey Roberts raises "Complainin'" to an art through his irrepressible warmth, humanity and survivor's dignity. Indomitable indeed.
May 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · harlem · solo piano · stride pianoHampton Hawes: Broadway
The interaction between Hampton Hawes and Jim Hall on all three volumes of the All Night Session dates is a real treat. Both play a lot of notes but never sound cluttered or unoriginal – both of their cerebral approaches to constructing horn-like, logical improvisations serve as superb bop teaching tools. The understated yet consistent bass and drums of Red Mitchell and Eldridge "Bruz" Freeman allow Hawes and Hall to take center stage, with Hawes providing an extended solo first and Hall following suit with a slightly shorter yet filled-to-the-brim statement. Recording three albums' worth of music in one long night, this literal All Night Session is a career highlight for two under-lauded harmonic masters.
May 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · broadway · pianoHampton Hawes: Hip
A divine head start if there ever was one, Hampton Hawes was born with six fingers on each hand. The extra digits were removed shortly after birth, but the ten remaining members paid tribute to their two lost brethren by taking up the piano as a youngster. A student of boogie-woogie, stride and swing until childhood buddy Eric Dolphy introduced him to the work of Bird and Diz, Hawes reduced his wide range of jazz influences to an intense, historically steeped, swinging bop voice. Land and Hawes trade off the melody here, and their respective solos are both inspired and impressive. Note the dominance of Hawes's right hand to create an improvisatory statement that's often more reminiscent of a horn player than a pianist. LaFaro's walking and solo are expectedly perfect.
May 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · pianoJack DeJohnette: One for Eric
All of Jack DeJohnette's sustained led or co-led groups produce consistently high-level jazz – from the Gateway group with John Abercrombie and Dave Holland, to the New Directions group consisting of Abercrombie, Lester Bowie and Eddie Gomez, to Special Edition, which featured a revolving cast of musicians that most notably included David Murray and Arthur Blythe. This record marks the first and most complete Special Edition outing, constantly shifting directions from this opening Dolphy tribute to the subsequent "Zoot Suite." Both are penned by DeJohnette and manage to invoke their inspirations while formulating an original group sound all the while. Highlights from this track include the clever Dolphy/ Mingus-esque melody and solos from Murray (on bass clarinet) and DeJohnette himself.
May 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · ecmJack DeJohnette: Minority
Swapping-saxophonists aside, Jack D. tops the list of jazz musicians who can record winning records on their non-primary instrument. Sure, Chick Corea sounds great on drums, Mingus sounds great on his piano album, and Joe Chambers sounds great on vibes, but Jack's seamless shift from colorful drummer to sophisticated pianist/composer is genuinely impressive, and for the most part, unprecedented in the jazz world. Perhaps most interesting is Jack's left hand – his drumming has allowed him the rhythmic independence to place his chordal accompaniment in the most interesting of spaces. If you simply ignore the synthesizer-drenched, elevator-inspired version of Cindy Lauper's "Time After Time" that comprises the album's fifth track, this is an attractive study in piano playing from a rhythmic master.
May 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · piano trioRuss Lossing: Vaporetto
The interaction between Russ Lossing (New York pianist, composer and music theorist) and legendary drummer Paul Motian is an absorbing case study in two intellectual musicians with very different musical styles. Lossing approaches his piano solos by developing a single motive into a chorus-long tangling and untangling session (à la Rollins). While this style can often fall predictably short, Lossing's refined talents lead to some staggering improvised discoveries. Motian's drum theory, on the other hand, often aims to free itself from consistent motives and common phrases – to the invigorating delight of some and the "just-swing-already!" frustration of others. The combination of sophisticated motivic development from the pianist and playful unpredictability from the drummer leads to a clashing of improvisational styles. Lucky for us, it works.
May 30, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: 2000s jazz · piano trioTony Malaby: Cosas
Tony Malaby is one of the busiest saxophonists in the New York scene today. Whether it was his month-long residency at the Tea Lounge in Brooklyn in May 2008, his ongoing once-a-month slot at The Cornelia Street Café in Greenwich Village, or upcoming appearances with Fred Hersch, this alumnus of Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra and Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band has built a well- deserved fan base of both jazz enthusiasts and fellow musicians. On "Cosas," Malaby is joined by the spacious and imaginative rhythm section of Motian and Drew Gress, allowing Malaby to simmer slowly and comfortably until he's inspired to build to one of his trademark extended 16th-note runs. A generously sympathetic trio performance.
May 30, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · tenor saxTim Hagans: See You Again
Alone Together, from trumpeter Tim Hagans, offers plenty of thought-provoking modern jazz. Hagans leads a quartet though a mix of standards and some originals written by the obscenely talented pianist and composer Marc Copland. The straight-ahead aggressive pieces stand out. Copland's composition "See You Again" is one of those numbers. The melody is established in a slow unison section featuring Hagans and Copland. After no time, Hagan picks up the pace and is off the farm. Some fantastic blowing leads to Copland's solo turn. Copland is very inventive and shows great facility. A short Ruckert drum solo acts as an invitation for a restatement of the theme. Hagans reenters and takes the scenic route back to the metaphorical farm. Hagans has a voice well worth a listen. "See You Again" is representative of the music heard on Alone Together – it is modern jazz well written and arranged and wonderfully played.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · trumpetShankar: Paper Nut
When the esoteric German jazz label ECM started focusing some of its attention on world music jazz, L. Shankar was one of its rising stars. The many-named Shankar (Lakshminarayanan Shankar, L. Shankar, Shankar, Shenkar) joined fellow ECM recording stars Jan Garbarek and Zakir Hussain for this outing. Percussion master Trilok Gurtu also appears.I would call "Paper Nut" Indian/Jazz/World trance music. Its bouncing beat, aided by a low-register tuned drum machine, is very similar to dub world music rhythms that would be heard years later. Hussain and Gurtu are, quite frankly, not called upon to do much in this tune except provide a constant beat. Shankar's violin acts as a drone of sorts when not in melodic use. He and Garbarek partake in a very pleasing call and response throughout the tune. The melody, though not often stated, is a charming collection of notes that add up to a fun time for all.
As for that drum machine I mentioned, its use is much less successful on other tunes on the album. In fact it mars a few of them. Why would you use a drum machine when you had two of the world's greatest percussionists a few feet away? This was when Shankar, now known as Shenkar, started making some strange music and career decisions that in this critic's humble opinion started leading him on a path that would get him lost.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · fusion · violinAl Di Meola: Kiss My Axe
Al Di Meola is well known for having an attitude. For years he has been quite vocal about his belief that the music business has failed progressive artists such as he is. As a fan of the more progressive side of rock and jazz, I tend to agree with many of his assessments. At the same time, sometimes I feel Di Meola does himself a disservice by being so blunt. "God bless him," I think as I read another scathing Di Meola letter to the editor of a music magazine. Why does he have to be so angry? And why doesn't he use an editor?The title of this album is a perfect example. Kiss My Axe has two meanings. First, it refers to the erotic theme of the album. Di Meola is pictured on the cover with a half-naked woman and his guitar. This is the perfect metaphor. Second, the statement "kiss my axe" is a direct thumbing of his nose to the music establishment he feels abandoned him.
"Kiss my Axe" is actually less in your face than you would expect. Di Meola's guitar is warm in tone. As almost always with Di Meola, a Latin landscape is formed. (Of interest is that a few times on the album Di Meola explores some Eastern sounds not usually found in his bag.) His muted fingering, performed at breakneck speed, creates a vibe not unlike that heard in his rave-up tune "Egyptian Danza" from more than a decade earlier. Miles's piano brings a calming influence to the piece. What the tune lacks in the fusion energy of his earlier days, it makes up in his more sophisticated approach.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · fusion · guitarGiants of Jazz: Lover Man
I chose this cut to review from this all-star gathering because it features Kai Winding's trombone exclusively. It isn't very often one gets to write about a trombone fronting a performance. This is especially true when the band is made up of the jazz legends this touring band was.In the liner notes, producer George Wein talks openly of the difficulties of getting this band of giants together and its uneven performances over the course of two years. In my opinion, this band does suffer from what I call "too many all-star cooks." Wein alludes to this in his comments about Thelonious Mink not taking any solos. When you have so many great players around, you tend to pass the ball rather than take the shot. All that said, even these guys' passes are beautiful to behold.
Trombonist Winding plays the ballad "Lover Man" with the skill and taste of someone who intimately knows music and the emotions connected with it. Sparse accompaniment is offered, but Winding doesn't need any more help to get his point across. The trombone in the hands of such past and present players as Winding, J.J. Johnson and Hal Crook can be as expressive an instrument as any other. To hear it beautifully played is just further proof positive.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · lover man · tromboneTommy Bolin: Sister Andrea
Guitarist Tommy Bolin was only 25 when he died in 1976 as a result of his addiction to heroin and who knows what else. Best known among fusion fans as the man who played the fiery guitar leads on Billy Cobham's historic fusion masterpiece Spectrum, Bolin was never able to fulfill his great promise. In death, however, his legend continues to grow.Bolin was part of a studio session being fronted by the jazz-rock flutist Jeremy Steig and including Billy Cobham. It was the first time Bolin had met Cobham and led directly to his later inclusion on Spectrum. This version of Jan Hammer's composition "Sister Andrea," later covered by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, was a demo that didn't see the light of day until Tommy Bolin: From the Archives was released in 1996. Steig's lead flute and Bolin's spacey sound effects give the tune quite a different character than Mahavishnu's interpretation. Some of those effects, in truncated form, would find their way onto Spectrum two years later. Though he doesn't really let it rip, you can hear hints of Bolin's future greatness here. He possessed the perfect guitar rough-but-not-sloppy sound for all future fusion superstars. Perla lays down a simple bassline in conjunction with Hammer's slightly funky chords. Though this performance is enjoyable, it is probably of more historical interest. And to be fair, it is a demo. Jan Hammer does say in the liner notes that he prefers this performance over Mahavishnu's. That statement is flummoxing. But he knows his music better than I do.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · fusion · guitarMahavishnu: Mitch Match
John McLaughlin's use of the Synclavier guitar synthesizer in the '80s could be quite frustrating for many listeners. On record or CD, many times you could not tell whether some of the music was coming from McLaughlin, saxophonist Bill Evans or keyboardist Mitch Forman. It wasn't until I saw Mahavishnu perform "Mitch Match" in concert that I realized all of the music that sounded like those mouth whistles that have the plungers you can push in and pull out was coming from his contraption. It was fascinating to see and hear him play the music on synthesizer in person. Inversely, not all of the synthesizer turns worked on record. But on "Mitch Match" it did work. It is a short, upbeat fun number that finds McLaughlin noodling with that mouth whistle sound. Back and forth it goes. The pitch and velocity of the notes change. It almost sounds like someone trying to turn over the weak battery on a very tiny car. Evans and Forman join in on the rollicking melody. The solo section finds McLaughlin exploring more of the sonic possibilities of the sounds he has discovered. A declarative fast-tempo blues kicks in with the extraordinary Forman playing the B-3 part. Or was it McLaughlin on synth? If I could only remember this part from the show…
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · fusion · guitarKenny Neal: Louisina Stew
Over the course of more than a dozen releases, Kenny Neal has established himself as one of the leading blues stars of our day. He draws on his New Orleans roots for his "Louisiana Stew," a party-time blues with a very danceable beat. Neal's vocal adds to the festive mood, but his harmonica playing is the highlight of this performance. Even with trumpet and sax parts in the background, the humble harp holds its own. Neal, who recently turned 50, has been working the 12 bars on stage since he was 13, but these blues musicians just seem to get better as they get older.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: bluesDizzy Gillespie: Leap Frog
Bebop pioneers Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker were first recorded together playing "Sweet Georgia Brown," accompanied only by bassist Oscar Pettiford, at a private jam session in Room 305 of Chicago's Savoy Hotel on February 15, 1943. Diz & Bird's last joint recordings came little more than 10 years later. Both men were in top form at the legendary Massey Hall all-star concert in Toronto on May 15, 1953, and eight days later Bird made a special guest appearance with Diz's regular band for a live broadcast from Birdland that has been preserved. Sadly, within two years Parker would be dead at age 34.In the interim, however, bebop's greatest tandem played a game of "Leap Frog," not to be confused with the bouncy theme song (and mid-'40s bobbysoxer hit) of Les Brown and the Band of Renown, which in turn should not be confused with the similar but even bouncier retro theme song of Dick Clark's late-'50s American Bandstand, namely Les Elgart's "Bandstand Boogie." If all this is nonetheless confusing, you can imagine how we felt upon learning that Diz & Bird's "Leap Frog" has, six decades after its first jump, become the basis of a hit YouTube video.
Say what? Diz & Bird a hit on YouTube! It's true. "Jazz Dispute" is a brilliantly conceived, spectacularly executed, fall-on-the-floor hilarious piece of performance art by 28-year-old actor/director Jeremiah McDonald (aka Weeping Prophet), of Portland, Maine. Although billed as "a heated debate between Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie," the two biggies of bebop never actually appear. Instead, the beret- bedecked Weeping Prophet enacts both sides of the putative debate, pantomiming to "Leap Frog" in its unremitting 2½-minute entirety. The Weeping Prophet's dexterity in this stupendous feat must be seen to be believed. We're not wholly persuaded that Diz & Bird were in a disputatious mood that June day in 1950, but given jazz's long and fabled history of testosterone-laden "cutting contests," Weeping Prophet's extrapolation makes perfect sense.
Hopefully, it will also make new friends for jazz, as elliptically orbiting eyeballs gravitate from "Jazz Dispute" to check out Diz, Bird and "Leap Frog" on Jazz.com. And even if you have sworn off YouTube as being more kitschy than cool, be sure to check out this track. Disputatious or not, it's a bop classic.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · bebopJonas Hellborg: Wounded Knee
The Silent Life was another solo bass effort from Jonas Hellborg. This time out he played the Wechter acoustic bass guitar made by master luthier Abraham Wechter. These solo bass excursions are about being the melody, bassline and rhythm simultaneously. At least that is how Hellborg tends to approach his projects. On "Wounded Knee," his most impressive chops are presented in the guise of the tune's rhythms. This requires Hellborg to slap his bass very fast and violently. The instrument's acoustic nature limits its reverb capability, so Hellborg is quite literally forced to keep as much contact with the strings as allowed by the laws of physics. His slapping technique forces the strings to recoil and bounce his fingers off in an equal and opposite direction. Concurrently with his timekeeping, he plays chords that serve as the melody. Hellborg is a true bass chord innovator. There are few players capable of mastering chords on the bass as he has. When all is said and done, "Wounded Knee" is more about displaying the phenomenal technique that Hellborg has honed over the years than some great melodic statement. He focuses on melody plenty of times elsewhere on the CD. On "Wounded Knee," he just dares anyone else to play the bass better.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · bassFrank Sinatra: September in the Rain
One of the best things the jazz community ever did was to claim Sinatra as one of its own. We should be doing more of that these days – claiming credit for music and musicians in other popular genres because their art emanated from the constructs of the jazz world. If we did more of that there wouldn't be all of these alarmist idiots running around claiming jazz was dead.Actually, a good way to really try to kill jazz, or any music, is to try and explain it in any concrete detail. Sinatra's voice, his timing and his phrasing have all been analyzed to death. Musicians need more than these skills to become great. We should not overlook the fact that at every turn of the road, Sinatra was either surrounded by or surrounded himself with the greatest talent available. That is a very jazz-like thing to do. Tommy Dorsey, Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, Martin, Fitzgerald and many other collaborators were music giants in their own right. But the confident Sinatra was not one to be intimidated by great musical talent in others. He embraced it. It helped him grow into the consummate performer. This was not playing it safe. It was taking risks. In the end, all jazz is about risk taking.
"September in the Rain" was apparently rarely performed by Sinatra in concert. If it had been, it would have undoubtedly reached the status of some of his more famous tunes. Its fond wistfulness is the perfect vehicle for master storyteller Sinatra. The balladeer tells us another tale of found love. It is not clear whether he lost this love as he would in the "Summer Wind." But there is no doubt that he will love the next September in the rain just as much, regardless of what happened.
Even the most beautiful of songs need the best interpreters to make them truly come to life. Nelson Riddle fits that bill. And when it comes to singing the words with meaning, no one has been better than Sinatra. He may have had some dubious connections in his real life. But I never once question whether Sinatra is telling the truth in his songs. I believe every word he says. That is the true testament of his transcendent artistry.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · jazz vocals · september in the rainMichael Franks: Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Jazz to the World is my favorite Christmas CD. I like jazz and I like Christmas. Lots of times these hybrid holiday "[name a genre] Plays Christmas Classics" albums come off as corny affairs. Not so for this CD produced by jazz executive Bruce Lundvall and Bobby Shriver for the benefit of the Special Olympics. It is full of engaging interpretations presented by a varied cross-section of outstanding jazz performers.If Michael Franks had been born 30 years sooner, it is quite possible that it could be his voice you hear on some of our most admired Christmas songs. His voice is full of the wonder of a young child, yet possesses the intonation and chops of a seasoned jazz crooner. With apologies to Gene Autry, Burl Ives, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and other iconic holiday performers, Franks's expressive voice would have been perfect for "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "White Christmas," "The Christmas Song" and so many other holiday favorites. The all-star jazz band on this cut doesn't have much to do, but they and Franks make the tune swing enough to justify its inclusion on a jazz record. Franks did release his own Christmas album in 2004 named Watching the Snow. It contained no recognizable standards, however.
Many of you may know of my disdain of anything that reeks of Smooth Jazz. (Pardon me while I gag.) There are moments of smoothness in this cut and some of the others on Jazz to the World. Every year, in honor of the holiday season, I declare a moratorium with regards to my total and complete hatred of Smooth Jazz. I do this out of respect for my family and social community and for fear of being called a grinch. But the fact is that I don't expect jazz musicians to play their guts out on Christmas carols. I want them just to have fun like everyone else. A strongly spiked eggnog or two usually helps me get over the guilt of not being 100% consistent.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · holiday themeHerb Alpert & Jeff Lorber: Winter Wonderland
This is one groove-laden version of "Winter Wonderland." It is the opening cut from the Christmas all-star compilation Jazz to the World. DeWayne Smith's throbbing funk bass prominently introduces the cool swing of this head-bobbing performance. He and drummer Mason maintain a steady rhythm. The fusion keyboarder Jeff Lorber plays holiday-seasoned chords and fills in some space with ornamental accents. Herb Alpert sounds like Miles Davis on this cut! In fact, at times he sounds like Miles from his Tribute to Jack Johnson fusion days! I am not kidding. It is quite a surprising treat. It has almost become a tradition in my house that this is the first song heard in our Christmas rotation every year.
May 29, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · holiday themeEddy Louiss & Michel Petrucciani: Jean-Philippe Herbien
No one can dispute that organ-piano duet recordings are a rarity, but could this actually be the one and only such coupling? Given how Louiss and Petrucciani inspire and complement each other, it's a wonder why. The individual for whom this 10-minute track is named must be one very spirited and soulful guy, if the playing here is any indication. Petrucciani's percussive, bluesy opening is backed by Louiss's rumbling bassline, and moves directly into the pianist's admirably sustained extended solo, marked by an insistent pulse, pounding riffs, two-handed unison passages and rollicking single-note lines. Louiss follows in similarly extroverted fashion, a far cry from his low-key work on the outstanding 1971 Stan Getz Dynasty release. The duo then engages in exciting exchanges, feeding off and chasing one another's animated statements, and at one point dabbling with "Billie's Bounce," which this blues theme resembles. Then Petrucciani becomes quietly reverent and Louiss responds in kind, as they dampen the dynamic level before a return to the appealing melody. The playing of both Louiss and the late, great Petrucciani on this and the other selections from these three invigorating nights in Paris (a Vol. 2 is also available) ranks with the best of their respective careers.
May 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · france · organRichard Galliano & Michel Portal: Viaggio
Accordion virtuoso Richard Galliano and highly proficient multi-instrumentalist Michel Portal have performed frequently together over the years, and the Blow Up session (recorded before a live studio audience) is a prime example of the excellence of their collaborations. Portal, who plays clarinet, bass clarinet, bandoneon and the rare jazzophone on other pieces, picks up the soprano sax for "Viaggio." The title means "journey" in Italian, and that is indeed what it is. From the Eastern European gypsy sound of Galliano's swirling and dramatic intro, to the jabbing tango rhythm he plays behind Portal's luminous reading of the endearing theme, only to be succeeded by the introduction of a second Brazilian-tempoed melody, this track covers a lot of territory. Portal's solo is swift, intricate and impeccably executed, while Galliano takes a more concise route, focusing on expressive sound textures amidst a stunning display of technical facility. The fadeout ending is capped by Galliano's rhythmic hand-tapping along the side of his instrument. This is irresistible world music from a jazz perspective.
May 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · accordionCharlie Haden's Quartet West: The Long Goodbye
Quartet West was one of the more interesting and significant groups of the '90s because of the material they chose to perform, and both the polish and authority with which they played it. Their focus was on the Hollywood film, popular and jazz music of the '40s and '50s. Quartet West's approach was atmospheric, mixing old recordings by such popular singers of the day as Billie Holiday, Jeri Southern and Jo Stafford, with movie fanfares and themes, as well as classic bebop tunes.Another of the group's fascinations was the way Raymond Chandler portrayed the dark and decadent side of Southern California, and Los Angeles in particular, in his Philip Marlowe mysteries, which inspired original compositions such as Haden's "Hello My Lovely," and Broadbent's "Lady In the Lake" and "The Long Goodbye." The latter begins with the composer's melodic piano intro, leading into Watts's sweet-toned reading of the romantic, yearning theme, with its intimation of innocence lost and heartbreak to follow. The swelling bridge seems to come right out of a Hollywood tearjerker. Broadbent contributes a sparkling solo with prancing lines and richly chorded passages. Watts enters with swirling runs and stirring vocalized inflections, his solo masterfully constructed and yet still sounding emotionally spontaneous, before he once again caresses the memorable melody. Private eye Philip Marlowe could have used a dose of this soothing music.
"So I went to bed. But not to sleep. At three a.m., I was walking the floor listening to Khachaturian working in a tractor factory. He called it a violin concerto. I called it a loose fan belt and the hell with it. A white night for me is as rare as a fat postman." – The Long Goodbye (Chapter 12)
May 28, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: 1990s jazzStan Getz: Blood Count
"Blood Count" was originally titled "Blue Cloud," to be the first part of a three-part piece that Strayhorn began writing for Duke Ellington before the composer's final hospitalization in 1967. Down to 80 pounds and fighting a losing battle with cancer, he finished the tune and retitled it "Blood Count" before sending it from his hospital room to Duke for a Carnegie Hall concert that March, as a feature for Johnny Hodges. It turned out to be Strayhorn's last composition before his death on May 31st of that year.Stan Getz had not heard the classic Ellington-Hodges recording of "Blood Count" from August 1967, and had never played it until the Pure Getz session in 1982. Yet Getz outdid Hodges and pretty much "owned" the tune from that point on, also recording it on several other occasions for both audio and video releases. In May 1987, about two years after he had conquered his alcohol and drug addictions, Getz learned that he himself had cancer. "Blood Count" had thus taken on an added underlying significance when Getz performed it brilliantly two months later at the Montmartre Club, as heard here. After a rather pensive and tranquil opening interpretation of the theme, tinged with sadness and sympathetically backed by Barron's filigreed comping, Getz delivers an alluring extended run to launch his solo, followed by heartrending cries. A graceful arpeggio leads back to the melody, played this time with a controlled passion laced with resignation and bolstered by the chilling finality of the closing tag. As Getz said shortly before his death in 1991, "I think about Strayhorn when I play the song. You can hear him dying. When it's in a minor key, you can hear the man talking to God."
May 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · blood count · strayhorn covers · tenor saxJames Carter: Bro. Dolphy
Some artists try to maintain a single mood or attitude for an entire CD . . . or perhaps even an entire career. Not James Carter, who plays every instrument in the Horn Hall of Fame -- with total confidence and command, I should add -- and is equally eclectic in his choice of songs. His current release PresentTense finds him resurrecting tunes associated with Dodo Marmarosa, Stanley Turrentine and Django Reinhardt, to cite just three examples. But on this track Carter features his own composition, dedicated to Eric Dolphy, a piece which serves as an effective vehicle for Carter's admirable bass clarinet work. The song opens with a fast obstacle course over rapidly shifting changes, and the bandleader hurdles over the chords in gold medal fashion. But Carter, true to form, abruptly nixes the mood less than one minute into the track. We now are treated to a glowing Mingus-ish ballad that lingers for a while. We even have time to pour a drink, kick back and soak up the soulfulness. The whole band plays effectively here, but Carter's lengthy solo is the highlight of the track. However, don't enjoy his bass clarinet work too much, because that instrument soon goes back into its case, and we are off to the next horn exhibit in the Hall of Fame.
May 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: bass clarinetSteve Smith: Elm
Relatively obscure bassist Steve Smith (not to be confused with the drummer of the same name) joins effectively with the underrated piano virtuoso Richie Bierach and drummer Jabali Billy Hart to produce a deeply expressionistic representation of fine piano trio music. On Bierach's neatly tailored ballad, we hear a pianistic style that shows great reverence to its classical roots while retaining the transcendent quality of improvisational freedom and expression so essential to jazz. Bierach is sympathetically accompanied by Smith's respectfully subdued, heartbeat basslines and Hart's almost wistful brush and stick work. The composition is evocatively dreamy in the way it weaves a feeling of being somewhere secret. Smith and Hart allow Bierach to spin his magic almost unobstructed, and he does so with a quiet serenity that lulls you into his hidden world as if he alone knows the way and you must follow or be lost forever. His touch is extraordinarily light here, and he demonstrates a mastery of feeling that few of his contemporaries on the instrument can match.
May 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · piano trioRed Norvo: I Surrender, Dear
This may be Red Norvo's date, but the stars on this track are trombonist Jenney and pianist Wilson. Jenney is a lyrical player who makes every note count. He is little remembered today, but in 1940 he won the Down Beat poll on his instrument, and this performance displays his melodic sensibility. Teddy Wilson's mere presence is noteworthy amidst this rare integrated band from 1934, but his swinging piano solo is more tangible evidence of why he was enlisted for the gig. This track is a step below the xylophonist's most celebrated work of the era -- Norvo newbies should first check out "In a Mist" or "Dance of the Octopus" -- but this is still a solid performance by one of the finest mid-1930s jazz ensembles.
May 28, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1930s jazz · i surrender dearMad Duran: How Deep is the Ocean?
Mad Duran has long been admired among the San Francisco jazz insiders for her first-class alto work, and though she has been featured alongside her husband, Bay Area guitar legend Eddie Duran, on previous recordings, this is her first solo leader date. Fans who check out this release will wonder why she waited so long. Her playing is distinguished by smart linear improvisations, free from cliché and played with a rich, full-bodied tone, as supple as a '94 Napa cabernet.The rest of the band adds to the festivities. Great rhythm sections begin at home . . . well, they do when you are married to Eddie Duran, who reminds us here of his mastery of the six strings. And the proceedings are enlivened by the further addition of Ray Drummond and Akira Tana. The result is a fresh and creative reworking of Irving Berlin's famous standard. In short, Simply Mad is simply fine.
May 28, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: how deep is the ocean · irving berlin coversArtie Shaw: Sweet Lorraine
This Lorraine is too sweet for my taste. The string arrangement creates a genteel, afternoon-tea type of mood. Listening to this tepid chart, one could easily forget that the Swing Era had kicked the previous year. There is not much swing on this track. Shaw offers a melodic solo, and when he gets a two-bar break with 25 seconds left in the performance, he tiptoes across it like he is carrying grandma's precious china. Shaw could be a compelling soloist when he was so inclined. But on this date, he never worked up a sweat.
May 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1930s jazz · clarinet · sweet lorraineCount Basie All-Stars: I Left My Baby (1957)
James Andrew Rushing, born in Oklahoma City in 1903, first recorded "I Left My Baby" in 1939 under the aegis of William James Basie, with whom Mr. Rushing had secured gainful employment four years earlier, and in whose employ he would remain until 1950. This fully polished 1957 rehearsal for CBS-TV's all-star special The Sound of Jazz reunited seven vets of the 1939 session: Rushing, Basie, saxophonists Earl Warren and Lester Young, trombonist Dicky Wells, rhythm guitarist extraordinaire Freddie Green, and drummer Jo Jones. The band was then filled out by relative nonentities: Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Harry Carney, et al. (What a crew!)Rushing gets things off to an unrushed, bluesy start with his inimitable delivery—sort of like an everyman with perfect diction and a heart that's been broken more times than a gentleman cares to enumerate. Behind him, Lester Young's haunting obbligatos raise goose bumps. After Boss Basie briefly applies one of his patented minimalist solos, Hawk's muscular flexing provides brawny contrast to Pres's earlier feather dusting. Finally comes Dicky Wells, who plays like he's blowing into one. All told, a classic, expertly recorded 1950s performance by some of the giants of that or any other period in jazz.
Mr. Rushing was the prototype for later, more popular singers Joe Williams and Lou Rawls. But there was only one James Andrew Rushing.
May 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · jazz vocalsPeggy Lee: Cannonball Express
Peggy Lee represents that liminal point where the jazz tradition blends effortlessly into the post-war pop sensibility. Those who harbor doubts about Ms. Lee's jazz credentials need only consult the verdict of Duke Ellington, who once commented: "If I'm the Duke, then Peggy's the Queen." Here she tackles the time-honored jazz tradition of train songs, and she must have enjoyed riding the rails, because she resuscitated this same tune for a 1962 session with Quincy Jones. Here she swings her phrases like a sax player -- but never too much; we could still bring this gal home for Mom to meet. She adds a dose of R&B for good measure. Today this all sounds so retro, but "Cannonball Express" was pretty cool stuff, circa 1950. Listening to it makes me nostalgic for the romance of those pre-Amtrak days.
May 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: jazz vocalsRed Allen All-Stars: Wild Man Blues
A few days before CBS-TV's all-star special The Sound of Jazz (1957), most of the scheduled participants appeared for a rehearsal at the Columbia Records studio. Their final run-throughs, all quite polished, were recorded and later released on LP, which has long been available on CD—in stark contrast to the actual soundtrack. Henry "Red" Allen fronts this stellar nonet, and the solos by Hawkins, Dickenson, Russell and Allen himself are noteworthy. But the real excitement comes from longtime Ellington cornetist Rex Stewart, and from an absolutely thrilling ensemble finish.First recorded in Chicago in 1927 by Johnny Dodds' Black Bottom Stompers (with Louis Armstrong on cornet), "Wild Man Blues" was covered two weeks later by Armstrong & His Hot Seven in a recording most memorable for the presence, at the 55-second mark, of what may be the youthful Satch's most egregious CLAM. (Yes, he was mortal after all.) A month afterward, the tune was redone by its co-composer Jelly Roll Morton & His Red Hot Peppers, at a brisker tempo than his predecessors' plodding. Agreeably following Jelly Roll's upbeat example, this version from 30 years later shows how wild these old men could still get. If you reflexively word-associate Wild Man Blues with the 1998 documentary about hollow-toned avocational clarinetist Woody Allen, hearing this track just might recondition those reflexes.
May 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · wild man bluesHenry "Red" Allen: Ain't She Sweet
Henry "Red" Allen spent his life in Louis Armstrong's shadow, usually figuratively but sometimes literally. Like his slightly older and far more famous predecessor, Red was born in New Orleans, journeyed jazzily upstream during the 1920s aboard Fate Marable's Mississippi riverboat band, landed with King Oliver in Chicago, and later joined Fletcher Henderson in New York. Red finally caught up with Louis in the late 1930s, becoming Armstrong's sideman for three years. (Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.) From 1940 onward, Red led his own bands, becoming in the mid-'50s a regular attraction at New York's Metropole Café, which daringly lined its musicians up in a single row on a narrow runway behind the bar. The music was always great, but probably at least a few patrons came to see whether or not some tipsy trombonist might topple with his slide in the 7th position and skewer a bartender en route to the sawdust.This track was recorded earlier in the year of Red's widest national exposure, when he was featured on CBS-TV's all-star special The Sound of Jazz. Besides exemplifying Red Allen's charm as both trumpeter and singer, "Ain't She Sweet" also features Buster Bailey's woody clarinet, the expected excellence of legendary tenorman Coleman Hawkins, and J.C. Higginbotham's rousing trombone. (Clearly, J.C. wasn't about to topple anywhere.) As drummer Cozy Cole flogs this 4-minute filly to a photo finish, we almost think: "Louis who?" Hey, I said almost.
May 27, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · aint she sweet · trumpetWolfgang Haffner: Star
This trio is not well known outside of Europe, but certainly deserves a wider hearing. Everything clicks on the track. The interaction between the band members is exemplary. The swing is infectious. Everyone plays well, but especially drummer Haffner, who has a clean sound that is both light and aggressive at the same time -- he reminds me a bit of Brian Blade. The song is little more than a repeated groove, but the trio put so much heart and soul into it, it might as well be the Haffner Serenade, and not just Haffner's simple jam tune.
May 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: act · germany · piano trioThelonious Monk: Misterioso (1958)
"In the shadow of a man who walks in the sun," observed pre-Surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico, "there are more enigmas than in all religions, past, present and future." How fitting, then, that De Chirico's 1915 painting The Seer (or The Prophet) should decorate the cover of Thelonious Monk's 1958 LP Misterioso. Not only was it recorded live at Greenwich Village's Five Spot Café, whose habitués included numerous Eisenhower-era avant-garde painters, but if ever a musician embodied De Chirico's scuola metafisica, it was Monk. To many jazz aficionados, here was indeed a Seer (or Prophet), from whose iconoclastic compositions and idiosyncratic pianism one might glean the most profound and disturbing metaphysical insights. Moreover, Monk by reputation personified De Chirico's shadowy figure: a large, distracted, reclusive man who, even if he showed up for a scheduled gig (which in the '50s was far from a given), seemed never to be entirely there."Misterioso" (Italian for spooky), a blues first recorded by The Seer in 1948, is built on tick-tock melodic intervals reminiscent of Leroy Anderson's perennial light-classical favorite "The Syncopated Clock" (1945). It also reflects Monk's fascination with the whole-tone scale, a device that dates back to Mozart, was favored by gloomy 19th-century Russians, and flowered in true painterly fashion with Debussy and the Impressionists.
This performance, though, primarily showcases non-metafisica tenorman Johnny Griffin, who solos first for 3 minutes with Monk's backing, then perseveres for another 3½ minutes as the-never-entirely-there Thelonious goes on break. Griffin's agonized grunts reflect not only his growing weariness during an overlong solo, but ours too in enduring it. By the time Monk returns for a mostly one-handed two-minute solo, both the tempo and inspiration level have lagged. An awkward tape slice at the 9½-minute mark underscores the tempo issue, as the ensuing thematic restatement reboots the metronome several clicks higher. By then, however, we're grateful for whatever was left on the cutting-room floor, since it mercifully attenuates this grueling remake. Sometimes, it seems, even a Seer can get lost in his own encroaching shadow.
May 26, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · pianoFrankie Laine / Buck Clayton: Until the Real Thing Comes Along
If you remember Frankie Laine, you're definitely on AARP's mailing list. During the 1950s, Old Leather Lungs, as the manly baritone was affectionately known, regularly occupied both the Hit Parade and Western-themed film soundtracks. Indeed, in the latter capacity, Mr. Steel Tonsils might be vaguely familiar even to youngsters, given his manly rendering of the whip-lashing title song to Mel Brooks's manliest movie, Blazing Saddles (1974).So what, you ask impatiently, does any of this have to do with jazz? Well, if you're going to get snooty about it, nothing. We're just trying to give you a measure of the man so you can appreciate the cosmic unlikelihood of his co-leading an LP called Jazz Spectacular.
Yet in the '50s, anything could happen. And sure, enough, here's that manly singer of Rawhide, the CBS-TV series (1959-1966) that launched Clint Eastwood's own manly career, teamed with heart-throb handsome trumpeter Buck Clayton. (Come to think of it, "Buck Clayton" does sound like a rough-ridin' straight-shootin' Western hero.)
On this genial standard from 1936, abetted by Basie veteran Clayton's relaxed 1930s Basie-style arrangement and the distinctive soloing of trombonist Dicky Wells, Mr. Steel Tonsils displays surprisingly agreeable phrasing for a pop vocalist. Perhaps Will Friedwald, in his book Jazz Singing (1992), too harshly dismissed Frankie Laine as a talentless hack. Judging by this track, Old Leather Lungs will do "Until the Real Thing Comes Along."
May 26, 2008 · 1 comment
Tags: 1950s jazz · jazz vocals · until the real thing comes alongRay Bryant: Big Buddy
Ray Bryant's lovely touch, fleet technique, unerring sense of swing and impeccable taste put him in the distinguished pianistic lineage of Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, Nat Cole, Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan. What he had in common particularly with Jones and Flanagan (Ray's contemporary) was a self-effacing gentlemanliness at the keyboard. Even in a trio context where he was clearly the center of attention, Ray never domineered, always keeping his piano an integral part of the unit. Which is not to say that he lacked excitement. It's just that his dynamism was organic, growing out of the group instead of being imposed on top of it. Case in point: "Big Buddy," a fast blues that Ray builds from the ground up. After digging the foundation of his older brother Tommy's bass, Ray lays one brick-solid solo upon another. Trading fours with the crisp brushwork of drummer Eddie Locke opens the windows, letting in natural light. Finally Ray tops off his fine masonry construction with rolling tremolos à la Oscar Peterson. Cool in the summer, warm during winter. Everyone's comfy at Ray Bryant's house.
May 25, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · piano trioGerry Mulligan with Marian McPartland: C Jam Blues
At this stage of his career, Gerry Mulligan was best known for leading a quartet without a piano. Yet here he is at the legendary 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, sitting in with a trio led by the future hostess of NPR's long-running Piano Jazz. As part of a day-long Ellington tribute, Mulligan and Marian McPartland jam on "C Jam Blues," a jam session staple since jamming originated, which was shortly after the note C was discovered. (It had been left unattended in a cave next to the Dead Sea Scrolls by a wandering harpist who, having tired of C, moved on to what she hoped would be the greener pastures of D. Little did she suspect what heathen dangers lurked therein!)Unlike some bandleaders, who prefer the comfort zone of their own steady group, Mulligan relished playing with other musicians, and obviously delights in the present company. This happy-go-lucky 10-minute track also affords plenty of solo space for McPartland and bass giant Milt Hinton. (Drummer Ed Shaughnessy contents himself with swinging his butt off and occasionally rattling sleigh bells in quirky punctuation. Can you imagine the dedication required to schlep sleigh bells from New York City to Rhode Island in mid-summer?) If you're looking for an exemplar of the distinctively mid-'50s style that encompassed both traditional and modernist strains, go directly to M&M's "C Jam Blues." Melts in your ears, not in your hands.
May 25, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · baritone sax · c jam blues · ellington covers · newport jazz festivalThe Stein Brothers: Quixotic
During the last decade or so, the influence of Charlie Parker and the beboppers has gradually diminished in the jazz world. What a change from a previous generation -- whose every parry followed Bird's feints. Yet no one seems to have told the Stein brothers, who blissfully play their tunes as though it is still 1948. Actually altoist Asher Stein is the more modern of the two horn players. His brother, tenorist Alex Stein, sometimes gets into this Coleman Hawkins groove and makes me think it's 1938. In any event, these youngsters understand the late-swing and early-bop vocabulary inside and out, and play it with absolute conviction. Others may carp that they need to update their sound. But I assure you that beneath the retro exterior, there is some very deep musical thinking on this impressive CD.
May 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags:Diana Krall: If I Had You
Diana Krall lets Benny Green take over the keyboard for this performance, and they send the rest of the rhythm section packing. Although this song is the closing track on a Nat King Cole tribute album, Green oddly decides to adopt a piano style from a generation before Cole, a four-to-the-bar stride that could have served as the first dance at your grandpa's wedding. But Green is such a stylish accompanist that your ear ignores the anachronisms, and focuses instead on the beauty of this intimate duet. Krall is always perfectly at home at these snail's-pace tempos, and she squeezes every last ounce of emotion out of these lyrics -- especially during the rubato interlude before the final coda. There is a little more soul than Cole in her delivery, but the finest tribute is sometimes putting your own spin on the traditions you inherit.
May 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: if i had you · jazz vocalsBranford Marsalis & Ellis Marsalis: Laura
I'm not sure what it would be like to record a duet album with Dad. Sometimes the father and son relationship is a wee bit complicated, ne c'est pas? But there can't be much inter-generational baggage weighing down the Marsalis household, at least judging by the music they make together. When the pater familias sits down for a session with the next-gen, the proceedings come across as relaxed and comfy, positively Huxtable-ish in every way. Here father and son linger lovingly over every nook and cranny in David Raksin's bittersweet melody. There is some nice give-and-take between the two players: Ellis goes for the young and modern approach, while Branford takes the mature and stately role. Or is it the other way around? In any event, no one is trying to put Ornette and Cecil out of business here. All in all, this is a fine track and a reminder of how the baton should be passed from generation to generation.
May 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: lauraGene Krupa: Disc Jockey Jump (1958)
The first thing one notices in comparing this remake with Krupa's 1947 original is the much-improved sound. Stereo! What will they think of next? One also notices that the two tracks are practically the same length (3:10), meaning Gerry Mulligan's arrangement and its tempo were little changed. Unfortunately, the same must be said for Gene Krupa's Swing Era-style drumming, already dated in 1947 and scarcely modernized in the intervening 11 years. This is nevertheless a fun track. Mulligan's boppishly bouncy chart, written when he was only 19, remains the star. And considering that this was a studio pickup band, not a regularly working unit, the ensemble work is exceptional. As are the solos by Hank Jones, Phil Woods, Jimmy Cleveland, Frank Socolow and Doc Severinsen (or is that Ernie Royal?). The level of musicianship among 1950s New York studio guys was stellar.
May 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · drumsThe Esquire All Stars: I Got Rhythm
The time was January 1944, and the first bebop band (led by Dizzy Gillespie) had just been hired on 52nd Street. Meanwhile the masters of the old school were assembled at the Metropolitan Opera House, blissfully ignorant of the cataclysmic changes that would transform the jazz world over the next several years.But let's forget the coming revolution for a moment, and instead enjoy the world that was about to end. The greatest soloists of early 20th-century jazz are assembled on a single stage, and engage in some gentlemanly one-upmanship on the most familiar jam session chord changes of the day, courtesy of George Gershwin. Everybody has a chance to shine, but I especially like Eldridge (who seems inspired by his chance to go toe-to-toe with Louis Armstrong), the drumming of Sid Catlett, who energizes the whole proceedings, and the lead-off soloist on the track, the underappreciated Red Norvo.
I am reminded here of the claims of ardent medievalists, who will tell you that the waning of the Middle Ages was a time in which many great things came to fruition, and that the Renaissance spoiled much of the beauty of what went before. You could make a similar case for this final flowering of Swing Era majesty, put on display at this historic concert. Soon these same players would be considered old-fashioned, but you would never guess it by listening to this performance, which represents a type of perfection that bop and free and all the other later styles can never dispel. They got rhythm.
May 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1940s jazz · i got rhythmArt Tatum: Sweet Lorraine
The setting for this concert was the Metropolitan Opera House, and many of the greatest jazz artists of the era (or any era, for that matter) were part of the band. But Coleman Hawkins, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and other members of the all-star unit sit out this number, letting Tatum take center stage on a trio performance. In truth, you can't hear drummer Catlett during the first half of the track, and bassist Pettiford seems a bit unnerved by Tatum's well-known tendency to act as though he is performing solo even when he is in a trio setting. Tatum, for his part, is more flash than substance on this tune, and we don't get to hear the clever harmonic substitutions that he usually applies to every progression in his path. Nonetheless, the pianist has some fine moments, especially with one of his runs-to-end-all-runs at the 2-minute mark.
May 24, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1940s jazz · piano trio · sweet lorraineDuke Ellington: Satin Doll (Live at the Whitney, 1972)
"Satin Doll' was Ellington's last substantial radio hit, and it remained a staple in his repertoire during the final two decades of his life. This version, recorded live at the Whitney, two years before his death, finds the composer performing the song in a trio setting. He manhandles his own famous standard, throwing in wry dissonances and building his solo from bits of musical shrapnel, jabbing phrases that seem designed to subvert the smooth accompaniment of bass and drums. For all his acclaim and popularity, Ellington could be a downright quirky keyboardist, and it is interesting to note that, while many others treat this song as a slick pop tune, the composer himself had no qualms about giving his "Satin Doll" a kick in the backside.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: piano trio · satin dollMcCoy Tyner: Satin Doll
If you only know McCoy Tyner from his Coltrane and post-Coltrane recordings, this early trio track may surprise you. Nights of Ballads and Blues is old-school Tyner. You will hear none of his familiar modal voicings. You will find none of his patented fourths-and-fifths-in-a-sprint licks. But the sheer beauty of his crisp touch is on display throughout, and the groove is irresistible on his casual reworking of the Ellington standard. This is not the place to start, if you are out to hear this pianist for the first time -- newbies should head immediately to the classic Coltrane quartet albums or Tyner's 1970s Milestone releases. But trio fans and Tyner-o-holics will want to check out this "Satin Doll."
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: impulse · piano trio · satin dollMichael Blake: The Creep
One-time Montreal Canadian and now transplanted New Yorker, Michael Blake demonstrates his respect and affection for the old big band masters and the sound they were famous for, particularly Duke Ellington. In this effort he has skillfully arranged a disparate group of musicians and instruments to create that big band sound with punch and authority. Working with Ben Allison's Man Sized Safe group and the eclectic Herbie Nichols Project, Blake has proven his ability to shine in many different genres. His sax musings have a raw and throaty sound that is reminiscent yet retains a unique sound. Here he shows his mettle as arranger and composer. The 11-piece band is kept in tight formation throughout while still permitting their individual sounds to seep through. Rojas's tuba gets a title role in this quirkily distinctive pastiche of sounds. Kimbrough's piano has an engagingly entertaining honky-tonk vitality. The composition takes multiple turns winding through several different elements from our musical past. Horton's plungered trumpet is most evocative, and when the band starts into its eventual swing he plays with great ease and fluidity. Blake takes his turn with an inspired and demonstrative tenor solo. He bellows with gusto and a raunchy tone that sandpapers into your soul. The finale ends with an appropriate drum roll and a parting tuba refrain. Cool stuff.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · big bandJohn Abercrombie: Follow Your Heart
Back in the early '70s, jazz guitarist John Abercrombie was in the forefront of the fusion music movement. Coincidently he was one of the first to hear the music of what would eventually become the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The new band's newest member, Jan Hammer, asked Abercrombie to help him learn it. Abercrombie released his own landmark fusion album, Timeless, in 1975. Performed in trio with Hammer and drummer Jack DeJohnette, it has stood the test of time and is often cited as one of the more important records of the time.Abercrombie's take on John McLaughlin's "Follow Your Heart" is placed at the very end of the Mahavishnu tribute album Visions of an Inner Mounting Apocalypse. The tune was never recorded by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, but does appear on My Goal's Beyond, which was released under the Mahavishnu John McLaughlin moniker.
Abercrombie's interpretation is exceptionally good. The arrangement from album producer Jeff Richman allows for interesting variations from the original. Abercrombie handles the catchy intro and its unusual time signature with understated charm. Bassist Eckhardt offers a wonderfully melodic solo. Then Abercrombie gets down to business. His blues-tinged solo is all over the place, yet still in the pocket. The tension builds as the intensity of his playing increases. He rocks it out. Colaiuta's drums particularly stand out. Richman chose an interesting way to end the piece and Abercrombie, following his heart, agreed with him.
Abercrombie's masterful performance of this John McLaughlin composition officially puts "Follow Your Heart" into the jazz standard realm as far as this critic is concerned. He joins fellow guitarist Bill Frisell as a modern interpreter of this beautiful composition.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · fusion · guitarWarren Haynes: Lila's Dance
Guitarist Warren Haynes is best known for his gig with the reunited Allman Brothers band and his jam-banding with Gov't Mule. As is the case with many of his guitar-playing contemporaries, he much admired the music of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Producer and musician Jeff Richman's Mahavishnu tribute album gave him the opportunity to show that respect in a very tangible way.This version of "Lila's Dance" is most notable for the presence of Jerry Goodman, Mahavishnu's original violinist. His inclusion is of particular interest because this tune was not featured until the second edition of Mahavishnu, and was originally performed by Goodman's replacement, Jean-Luc Ponty.
The original "Lila's Dance" from the Mahavishnu album Visions of the Emerald Beyond followed the structural pattern of Mahavishnu's earlier number "The Dance of Maya." The first parts of both tunes were jazz-rock expositions based upon variations of odd-metered arpeggios. The second parts, which appear with little warning, were almost pure funk hoedowns. This Richman arrangement differs in structure from those two pieces. The rave-up funk section is heard almost immediately in the song rather than as the second part. The contrasting element that was so much a part of the original is virtually missing. Interpretations need not be rubber stamps. Haynes's rocking solo is more blues-rock than jazz-rock. But that is his bag, and he is very good at it. The sound for sore ears is Goodman's violin. He plays in unison with the infectious funk riff that dominates the tune, and his cosmic solo floats above the proceedings as if he is lording his original Mahavishnu member status over the music. (I mean that in a good way.) Throughout the piece the core band put together for this tribute makes it clear they are more than familiar with this material. Haynes, Goodman and the band make this track one of the best on the album.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · fusion · guitarJimmy Bruno: Jimmy's House
Like a luthier crafts an archtop guitar, from the headstock to the tailpiece this top-notch recording was built by Bruno. Jimmy chose his tonewoods carefully in Miceli and Pedras. This trio of jazz artisans can saw a swing as solid as ebony and plane it down to a smooth surface with éclat. They bridge bracing solos with adhesive comping on Miceli's fleet-noted head, shaped over the form of "I'll Remember April." With figure and flame, Jimmy's flawless fret work graces every grain of his signature Sadowsky. Recording in the sound chamber of Jimmy's house provided liberty to meticulously tap-tune this project until it resonated as intended. Inlaid with revealing character and bound with beautifully refinished compositions, this CD is custom-made for those who pine for fresh-cut jazz carved from the tree of tradition. There's choice wood and lots of chops on Maplewood Avenue.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · guitarEric Dolphy: Glad to be Unhappy
On this Richard Rodgers song, Eric Dolphy's fiery brand of alto sax is replaced by his equally wistful virtuosity on flute. Accompanied by the delicate comping of the unheralded Jaki Byard, the suspended basslines of George Tucker, and the barely perceptible accents of the tasteful Roy Haynes, Dolphy starts his melodic intro with dreamily languishing gentleness. After lulling us into a cocoon of warmth and calm, he lets loose a crescendo of fluttering notes that could easily be part of a classical piece. He then leads into his rapidly developing and extremely creative solo where he demonstrates unquestioned instrumental mastery. His unerring ability to create harmonic interest on an instrument of limited possibilities is remarkable, as is his pure and uncompromised tonal quality. Here he is neither atonal nor free of melodic restraints, which would later become his mantle. Yet within the confines of this pretty, melancholic tune, Dolphy conveys the true pathos of its composer's intention. In my opinion, this is one of the finest representations of what can be achieved on jazz flute when played by a creative master.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · flute · glad to be unhappy · richard rodgers coversEric Dolphy: On Green Dolphin Street
With an almost tongue-in-cheek approach, the often dissonant Eric Dolphy lends his versatile talents to this unique and perhaps most endearing version of a 1947 classic song. Here he demonstrates his bass clarinet virtuosity. In the opening lines we hear an almost oom-pah bellow from the lowest register of this woody instrument. Dolphy, Byard, Tucker and Haynes set the background beat for the melody, which is played in brilliantly muted counterpoint by Freddie Hubbard. Dolphy then reiterates the melody on his unusual horn's upper register. The effect is startling. One almost feels this is a different instrument, such is the range of diverse sounds Dolphy summons from the depths of its core. After demonstrating his remarkable facility with a plethora of notes on a swinging solo, Dolphy yields to Hubbard, who plays a particularly nice muted, higher register trumpet solo with distinct bite, especially effective in contrast to Dolphy's cavernous sound. Following Tucker's short bass solo backed by the ever-so-discreet Haynes, the oom-pah bellow of Dolphy's bass clarinet returns before he again switches its sound to a stirring honking finale. Byard gently tinkles the ivories to close out this classic.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1960s jazz · bass clarinet · on green dolphin streetMarc Copland: Softly As In a Morning Sunrise
The cover art of this 1998 release is Claude Monet's "Impressions: Sunrise," which speaks volumes about Marc Copland's impressionistic approach to music. The pianist has assembled a complementary group to realize his dreamy, translucent and reality-suspended musical statements. "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise" takes staccato form with Copland and bassist Peacock establishing a catchy syncopated backbeat leading into the memorable melody line. A clipped duet by Hagans and Lovano adds bounce to the melody before they break into their exploratory solos. Hagans's trumpet is early-'70s Miles-like. Lovano, one of those rare contemporary saxophonists who can play melodically or free with equal ease, here does both. The two horn men chase each other up and down the musical scales in a pseudo call and response unfettered by convention and more like a cacophony of released ideas. The fact that these guys can be inspired to play this freely is testament to Copland's ability as leader to choose such thoughtful material. When Lovano does let go, the flight of freedom in his voice is quite inspired. Copland's moaning during his solo anticipates his keyboard ideas, and his harmonic invention is always feathery and surprising. Stewart, who at times overplays for my taste, is given a nice solo to showcase his own virtuosity at layering rhythms. Impressionism at its best!
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · piano · softly as in a morning sunriseMarc Copland: Country Home
On Beyond the Missouri Sky, Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden made famous a style of music that could be called Americana jazz. Here the master of impressionistic piano, Marc Copland, takes his turn with a folk-tinged ballad. With the help of a heartwarming melody and the soulful playing of Michael Brecker, Copland creates his own brand of Americana jazz.Copland's ability to play with a floating touch in a beautifully sensitive but prodding way serves him well in accompanying the inimitable Brecker. Peacock's full-bodied, buttery bass is always nimbly dancing around the melody, and while Stewart's incessant use of crash cymbals is a bit disconcerting for me, the overall effect makes you long to settle down comfortably in front of a roaring fire somewhere in Vermont. Brecker wraps his solo in the warm flannel blanket of a sound that is both bittersweet and hopeful, and plays like he is yearning for a return to his favorite hideaway and all the warmth and comfort that implies. Copland never strays far from this pretty melody, but still finds a quixotic way to add harmonic interest. This is an excellent representation of Americana-inspired jazz.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · americana · pianoJonas Hellborg: Child King
The trio of Jonas Hellborg, Buckethead and Michael Shrieve makes some interesting music on Octave of the Holy Innocents. They should. They are quite interesting people. Hellborg is a delightful enigma. He is impossible to get a fix on. You cannot tell when he is angry or happy. Shrieve is historically important. He was the youngest player at Woodstock when he held the drummer's stool for Santana. And Buckethead? Well, that's just a case study. There seems to be a relative consensus that he is one of the most creative electric guitarists on the scene today. But why wear a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket on your head and hide your face with a mask? Does he get free chicken for doing that? Free masks? I can't understand the purpose of wearing either a bucket or a mask. But why wear both? Perhaps it sets him free. Paging Dr Phil! Paging Dr Phil!Many Buckethead fans were intrigued with his performance on Octave of the Holy Innocents because it is a rare opportunity to hear him on acoustic guitar. Known as an electric thrasher, he is anything but on "Child King," which is more about rhythm and less about melody. The melody is there and is a clear enunciation of the possibilities of Arabic scales. It takes you to ancient lands. But it is the thudding drums, riding cymbals and the precise rhythmic syncopation of Buckethead's guitar and Hellborg's bass that do the transporting. I wonder … in recording sessions, does Buckethead put the bucket and mask on?
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1990s jazz · bassBen Wolfe: The Filth
First things first. What a great name for a tune. "The Filth!" I love it!Bassist Ben Wolfe has been on the scene for some time now. He has performed in bands led by Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis and Diana Krall, and recorded with such stalwarts as Branford Marsalis and Benny Green. But on No Strangers Here, Wolfe is the man. He is composer, arranger and orchestrator. Most of the album's cuts include a string quartet that plays along with a straight-ahead jazz quartet. This is something Wolfe says he has always wanted to do because it gives him more options when composing. The combination of string quartet and jazz quartet has indeed opened an interesting musical chapter for Wolfe and his listeners. After listening to No Strangers Here, Wolfe has every right to tell himself he told him so.
"The Filth" starts its life as a sneaky dark-humored number. The intro featuring Wolfe and drummer Hutchinson has hints of a New Orleans "funeral with music." Marsalis's sax enters slowly, playing in the same reverential but ironic vein. The string quartet acts as a solo instrument as it takes its turn. The tune's funeral-procession rhythm, just faster than a dirge, continues even as a wildly improvising Marsalis blows over its top. Perdomo throws some heavily accented piano chords into the gumbo. The strings return to give Wolfe a clean bed over which to lay a slightly sinister solo. Marsalis's slow riffs end the ceremony. I am not sure whether "The Filth" refers to "real filth" we should be sad about, or to being "filthy" good. Sometimes there really is a slim line between reality and irony. Either way, it works.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · bassMarc Copland: River Bend
Marc Copland is the epitome of a musician on a quest for his own sound. He began his professional music career as a saxophonist. He was good enough to play with such jazz icons as John Abercrombie and Chico Hamilton. But for some reason he wasn't hearing what he wanted from his horn. He decided to scrap his saxophone career and take a brand new direction. Goodbye sax. Hello piano. He left the circuit for a decade to study piano. Upon his return, the new keyboardist brought with him a wonderful style full of invention, harmony, texture and mood.This same quartet had first gotten together a decade earlier. Their simpatico on Another Place is obvious. It is a fantastic album chock full of ideas cleverly presented. "River Bend," composed by Abercrombie, is a spatial adventure. The intro is as expansive as the mouth of a river. Disjointed sounds and textures act as tributaries. The theme is introduced with piano and electric guitar arpeggios. The sound mix seems purposefully equal in order to obtain more of an ensemble flow. There are effective solos to be sure, but they are not spotlighted. The tune bounces back and forth between the calm and the rapids. It makes us eager to see around the next bend, but satisfied to take our time getting there because we are enjoying the unfolding views.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · pianoCassandra Wilson: Polka Dots and Moonbeams
Wilson & Co. undertake a major renovation on this old standard. They shift most of the tune into a tiptoeing waltz tempo. But to keep things interesting, they throw in a few bars of 5/4 during the A theme. Johann Strauss would not approve – not to mention the "questions in the eyes of other dancers." But the effect provides a neat hook, creating an unexpected delay in the delivery of the melody, and the band milks it for everything it's worth – even creating a sudden stop in the flow, hinting at a performance that is heading off the rails. Sometimes these metric tricks distract from the emotional content of a song, but not in this instance. Wilson holds on to the starry-eyed infatuation of the lyrics, even as her bandmates slice and dice the beat like a tomato in the Vegematic ("But wait! There's more!"). All in all, this is a sly updating of a World War II tune that usually gets a saccharine treatment.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1980s jazz · jazz vocals · polka dots and moonbeamsKeith Jarrett: Someone to Watch Over Me
This is a very nuanced performance, and one almost senses that Jarrett is playing the Gershwin standard for himself, not for an audience. The setting (this track was recorded at his home) and circumstances (the artist was recovering from chronic fatigue syndrome) no doubt reinforce this atmosphere of an artist who has retreated from the world to converse with his own private muse. No flashy passages, no theatrical moments, distract us from his gentle development of the melodic line.I especially like how Jarrett handles the harmonic movement of this song. As I have noted elsewhere, Jarrett displays a surprisingly respectful attitude toward the old standards, and rarely engages in radical reharmonization, unlike most Gen X and Gen Y jazz pianists, who cannot resist twisting these songs into peculiar new structures. Yet this song, with its simple diatonic melody – it's one of Gershwin's most old-fashioned sounding tunes – almost requires a jazz artist to do something dramatic to give it some edge. Even so, Jarrett refuses to undertake a surgical reconstruction of the original. He makes small and subtle adjustments here and there to the chords, but remains absolutely faithful to the song's original essence. It testifies to Jarrett's artistry that he can achieve so much with such delicacy and restraint.
I am even tempted to use the word "modesty" – not a term typically thrown at Mr. Jarrett – in describing this performance. Perhaps it is an unusual word to apply to any jazz outing, given the macho traditions of jazz, a genre which always seems most at home when it reaches for the excessive and intense. Nonetheless, modesty is not a bad way of describing the maturity with which our pianist allows this Gershwin song to emerge under his sensitive fingertips.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: ecm · gershwin covers · piano solo · someone to watch over meBlue Mitchell: Polka Dots and Moonbeams
Blue Mitchell assembled a stellar hard-bop band for his Blue Soul LP. But there is not much soul or bluesiness on this low-key ballad. Philly Joe Jones is very subdued and does little more than tap out the beat. Moreover, the arrangement comes across as formulaic, and makes one wonder whether this track might not have sounded better if (as with several other songs on Blue Soul) tenor and trombone had laid out. Mitchell offers up a lyrical improvisation that almost saves the day. The first 16 bars of his solo are the song's high point, but when the other horns enter at the bridge they dispel the mood that Mitchell has lovingly established. There are some fine moments here, but not enough to put this ballad on a list of essential Mitchell performances.
May 23, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: polka dots and moonbeams · riverside · trumpetArturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz Orchestra: Humility
The track may be called "Humility," but this band has no need for false modesty. Led by a 2nd-generation Latin jazz master (Arturo's father is the celebrated Chico O'Farrill), the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra is a top- notch ensemble, combining strong charts with solid musicianship. Here the band tackles a Tom Harrell chart, which starts at a simmer with minimalist percussion and thick Kentonian chords. But shortly after the 1½-minute mark, the pot begins boiling over. Trumpeter Jim Seeley offers up a fluid and dynamic solo, prodded all the time by throbbing and rumbling horns in the background. But the performance hits its high point with a gripping trumpet and percussion interlude right before the return of the melody.
May 22, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: latin jazzRick Laird: Soft Focus
Bassist Rick Laird had run the gamut by 1976. In his earlier days, he was house bassist at the famous Ronnie Scott's in London. He played with such jazz luminaries as Wes Montgomery, Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins, Roland Kirk and many others. In fact, he is seen in performance on the DVD Wes Montgomery Live in '65, which was released in 2007. In the late '60s, he ventured to the U.S. and joined the Buddy Rich big band. Laird decided to go electric at this time, much to the consternation of Mr. Rich, who wanted him to play upright. Laird switched because he was tired of lugging the bigger acoustic instrument around the country. Buddy, as was his reputation, constantly gave shit to Laird, who quit the band no fewer than six times. Then an old friend from London, guitarist John McLaughlin, invited Rick into the electrified jazz-rock universe of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The rest, as they say, is history.Three years after the breakup of the original Mahavishnu, Laird led studio sessions that included Tom Grant on piano, Ron Steen on drums and the great saxophonist Joe Henderson. (Henderson does not appear on the reviewed cut.) Soft Focus is non-fusion, straight-ahead jazz. The intriguing title cut starts as a quasi bossa nova. Its character changes as Grant's minor chords enter. Though Laird is playing electric bass, his lines could easily have come from a double bass. There are no efforts at great volume or distortion. His solo is an enjoyable experience full of easy melody. Fans of his Mahavishnu power would probably be surprised by his grace. "Soft Focus" also shows Laird's above-average compositional skills.
Six years later, frustrated by the music business, Laird put down his bass and picked up a camera. Today he is a successful photographer and artist.
May 22, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1970s jazz · bass · piano trioJohnny Hodges: You Need To Rock
Given its title and 1958 vintage, "You Need To Rock" might figure as an attempt by Swing Era stalwarts— all, except Roy Eldridge and Jo Jones, veterans of the Duke Ellington band—to cash in on the burgeoning popularity of rock 'n' roll. But the wellspring in this case was Jump Blues, not rock. The septet with a 4-horn front line doing a simple riff-based tune set to a driving shuffle rhythm was standard Jump Blues fare.In 1958, however, Jump Blues no longer dominated the R&B charts as it had done during and for a while after World War II. By the mid-'50s, the crossover success of such Jump Blues stars as Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five had ceded to the wider (read whiter) appeal of Bill Haley & His Comets. In that light, Johnny Hodges seemed like Johnny Come Lately to Jump Blues.
Yet timely or not, "You Need To Rock" is sho' nuff fun. Jo Jones opens with an uncharacteristic drumming style, which he does up right proper, thanks very much. Rascally Roy takes the first solo with his familiar burry bravado. Next Big Ben rings in for what starts mildly enough, but soon devolves into growling like a rottweiler late for his nap. After the ever-elegant Lawrence Brown disports his legato, trilling, vibrato-laden trombone, leader Hodges planes off any remaining rough edges without in the least shaving the swing.
Born John Cornelius Hodges in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Johnny Hodges was far from the backwoods Louisiana country-boy mythologized just five months earlier in Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode." And in no event did John Cornelius Hodges play his alto sax like a ringin' bell. Even so, in listening to (and even better, jitterbugging to) this happy track, one may be forgiven a shout or two of "Go Johnny Go!"
May 22, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 1950s jazz · jump bluesDavid Leonhardt: Yesterdays
David Leonhardt is an accomplished and lyrical pianist, and though he tackles some interesting choices on this album, he seems most comfortable and most vibrant on the tried and true standards. On this Jerome Kern classic, he and his able trio swing with an easy, dancing and playful swagger. Garnett lets loose with an explosion of cymbals and some penetrating rim shots adeptly placed. Parrish plucks in and around the time, and Leonhardt has a light airy touch that traverses the keyboard with a dance-like quality. His explorations are tasteful and driving, and his rhythm section responds accordingly as he builds to a climax. He ends in a crescendo of chords punctuated with a nice roll by Garnett at the end. A solid piece of straight-ahead piano trio work.
May 21, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · jerome kern covers · piano trio · yesterdaysJohn Basile: Morning
David Finck is a seasoned bass player who has done fine and tasteful work with many notable players over the years, so his involvement in producing and performing on this release made me take notice. John Basile's guitar has the classic mellow sound of the fine practitioners of the instrument to whom he has undoubtedly listened. On my favorite cut, the Latin groove "Morning," his octave work bows to Wes Montgomery but is not imitative. His single-line runs are creative, easy flowing and transmit real feeling. The rhythm section really swings, and Bill O'Connell's fine piano solo is especially noteworthy for its energy and the Latin heat it generates. I found myself tapping my feet throughout. Basile has a nice tone and doesn't kill us with speed here – just a tasteful, clean groove. A pleasant offering from a promising new face.
May 21, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · guitarAndy Middleton: Cherry Street
Transplanted Brooklynite Andy Middleton now makes his home in Vienna. While having played with the likes of Ralph Towner and Dave Holland, as a leader he views his current quartet to be the most inspiring he has ever worked with.On "Cherry Street" we find Middleton at his most lyrical and beautiful. He dedicated this composition to a fellow musician, Christoph Eidens, who died of lung cancer in 2005, when this session was recorded. Middleton chooses soprano sax for a bittersweet somberness that wrings out sober but uplifting feelings for a friend who has passed. His quartet is particularly empathetic. Middleton leaves poignant pauses throughout his solo that only magnify what he does play. He is extremely melodic here, and his flights of impassioned runs are separated by space to great effect. Derado's piano is appropriately pensive and blue tinged. Imm's bass produces a full lush tone to fill the spaces as Middleton's languishing saxophone reaches the coda. This being a live performance, the crowd could be a factor in a quietly done piece, but remains respectably quiet until the final applause. A fitting tribute to a lost comrade.
May 21, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazzAndy Middleton: Up the River
Now living in Vienna, Andy Middleton has surrounded himself with fellow musicians who can totally lose themselves in their music. On "Up the River" they do just that. Middleton plays with a fire on tenor sax that reminds me a great deal of Jan Garbarek in tone and attack. He has a fluid sense of rhythm and plays with great emotion throughout. He is joined on this musical river journey by his more than able bandmates, while the crowd hangs on in awe for 14+ minutes.Starting with Imm's pulsating bass intro, Middleton aggressively states his melodic message. Derado is a deceptively musical stylist whose wandering right hand attacks the keys with both sensitivity and fervor, while his left pounds out tonally matching chords. After building great tension during his solo, he yields to Middleton, whose brilliant use of space is uncannily effective. When he does fill the lines, he does so with a wonderfully measured yet propulsive style that is quite refreshing. When he climbs into the upper register, he lingers just enough to make his point before returning to the middle, where he resides with great effect. Alan Jones plays an impassioned polyrhythmic drum solo toward the end that stirs the already simmering pot to its boiling point. A top-notch live performance that is worth hearing again and again.
May 21, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazzMarc Copland: Like You
Marc Copland is one of those rare instrumentalists who have developed amazing control over tone and volume, much like his forebear Bill Evans. His, at times, gossamer touch is especially moving on "Like You." Here Copland and John Abercrombie match each other note for note on the melody line, with Abercrombie characteristically playing a step ahead of Copland's notes, producing an almost echoed delay that is quite effective. Gress's hollow-sounding bass fits in nicely and is a grounding influence. Hart is tastefully understated, which is of paramount importance for this type of suspended, silky music. He also produces shimmering sounds from his delicate use of cymbals, a perfect counterpoint to the darting solos.Copland and Abercrombie are artists with a similar soul and a parallel vision. Together they fashion an aural landscape of colors and tones with no memorable melody but with an eerie, spidery feel. The guitarist's thoughtful, ruminating explorations and feathery sound make him the perfect foil for Copland. His solos have the barest of skeletal structures, which can be released to go off melody or off rhythm. His harmonic daring doesn't always fit but does somehow return unerringly to the theme. At the same time Copland balances floridly played right-handed, sometimes scalar runs with an equally contrapuntal left hand, creating dissonant chords that oddly work. The effect is unlike anything else and never predicable. His constructions seem precisely thought out but never lose their spontaneity or feeling, as evidenced by his emotional yet subdued Jarrett-like utterances while soloing. The ideas don't always resolve neatly but sometimes hang in midair, purposely tantalizing the listener. These carefully choreographed sounds move in ballet-like precision with the delicacy and style of a Nureyev. A joyous celebration.
May 21, 2008 · 0 comments
Tags: 2000s jazz · pianoJ.J. Johnson: My Funny Valentine
The great trombonist J.J. Johnson's engagement at New York's Village Vanguard in July 1988 was a major jazz event. Finally he was returning to active touring with a working band after nearly two decades in Hollywood, primarily writing for film and television. Those in attendance who heard him play "My Funny Valentine" may have thought back to his 1957 recording of it with Stan Getz, but there is really no comparison. While in 1957 Johnson's boppish improvisation exhibited a staccato, wide-ranging and multi-noted attack, in 1988 Johnson delves into trombone's lower depths and dwells there for the duration. He plays the theme in a deliberate, halting fashion, extending each deep note with astonishing tonal control, hitting some notes with a timbre that resembles that of a foghorn at sea. His embellishments and progressions are fresh, dramatic and occasionally eerie. He concludes with an emotionally searing coda-like summation, rather than a conventional reprise. A true masterpiece, and a bold declaration by J.J. that he was back stronger than ever.