J*** recent listening

Posted by: John C on 07 June 2003

Gerry Mulligan .. Reunion with Chet Baker (Fontana).

I love the Mulligan quartet. Chet Baker has a beautiful clear tone on this date and Mulligan fills in for the missing piano with lovely bass riffs, I'm reminded of how Uillean pipes do this in Irish traditional music. The masterful Henry Grimes on bass. (addendum: the rediscovery this year of Henry Grimes after 30 years "missing" and his return to active playing must be one the most extraordinary stories in music)

The baritone is such a beautiful swinging instrument in jazz.. Harry Carney, Serges Challoff, Sahib Shihab..

Pepper Adams ...10 to 4 at the 5 spot(Riverside). Blistering hard bop at its best.

Anthony Ortgea .. New Dance (Hat Hut). A wonderful neglected classic. Free form more in line with Giuffre or Tristano than Ornette . Indispensible.

As usual saw Evan Parker at the Vortex this month. I am privleged to live half a mile from the masters monthly gig!
Bought Foxes Fox (EMANEM) with Steve Beresford, John Edwards and that prince among men Louis Moholo. Quite wonderful. On the night of the gig I had to leave just before the end and wandering along Stoke Newington high St with the sound of the band wafting through the balmy midnight air ..well.. how lovely is that.

John

[This message was edited by John C on SATURDAY 07 June 2003 at 10:52.]
Posted on: 09 June 2003 by John C
Nick I bet youd like the upcoming electric Masada gig at the barbican

http://www.barbican.org.uk/generic/details.asp?eventID=1703&artFormID=2&artForm=music.

I quite like John Zorn, we've had a few good threads involving him before including I think a debate about the imagery on his covers.

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=67019385&f=38019385&m=7341909334&r=8861940434#8861940434

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=67019385&f=38019385&m=5261988134
John
Posted on: 10 June 2003 by John C
No don't have the Mosaic but played Chant and Royal Flush tonight. I've been trying to get all the single issues. Chant in particular is very good.

Also listening to "Slow Drag" a later Byrd LP which is an odd effort mixing a very bluesy groove on the title tune (great vocals on here) and some rather more out modal stuff. Sonny Red plays on here and I really like his Lps but thats another story..

John
Posted on: 13 June 2003 by John C
The Fletcher Henderson Story

Quite wonderful 4 LP (1927-35) set documenting 64 songs of this truly wonderful band's music. Some revolutionary tunes on here. Armstrong, Hawkins and my favourite Chu Berry. The jazz age rocks!Recommended to all Ellington or big band fans, though I suppose you all have it already.

Great quality 6 eye vinyl on Columbia by the way.

John
Posted on: 29 June 2003 by John C
Has modern jazz lost its way? Discuss. 64 page essay by Monday please.

I really don't know . I like a lot of things. How many people turned up to see Miles Davis every night of the week. Not many, so a lot of people didn't realise how great he was. I'm not saying anyone is in that league but I've heard a lot of excellent music over the last few years. I think most of best jazz is happening in the more avant garde reaches but also like a lot of straight ahead stuff. Maybe I'm easy to please.I know I cant really be bothered with most other types of music none of which give me the same pleasure.

Anyway

Wadada Leo Smith's Golden Quartet "The year of the elephant" PI recordings . Malach Favors Maghostut, Jack De Johette, Anthony Davis. Tremendous band with AACM history . This is a lovely record with some tremendous trumpet playing by Smith who incorporates his Miles influence into a very distinct personal style.

Joe McPhee "Let Paul Robeson Sing" CIMP. Spiritual and Intense. Mc Phee is stunning live by the way.A quite brilliant recording too.

Henry Threadgill "Everybody's mouths a book" Pi recordings. Threadgill continues making quite wonderful music with nooone really paying any attention. This has an odd slightly rock tinge. I love it.

Fieldwork "Your life flashes" Pi recordings. Filedwork are Vijay Iyer(piano), Elliot Humberto Kavee (drums) and Aaron Stewart(tenor). This a very dense intense set reminisecnt at times of some Horace Tapscott (The dark Tree).I really like it and am going to buy as much Iyer as I can. . The drumming is rather wonderful on here as well. He has been involved with a collaboration with Mike Ladd (much loved by the hiphop cognoscenti here) to be releeased later in the year.

see www.vijay-iyer.com

Speaking of hip-hop

Soweto Kinch "Conversations with the unseen" Dune. Batting for Britain the excellent debut from the hugely talented Soweto Kinch. The rapping is a bit Brummie but the rest is excellent without being groundbreaking. Top marks all round.

Finally also for the home team ...Liam Noble "In the meantime " Basho records. This is just a really fine record. No firworks, nothing particularly new just great ensemble jazz playing witha lovely Monkian influence. Includes the wonderful Stan Sulzman. Highly recommended.


John

Patiently witing for Miles at the Blackhawk Mosaic vinyl.
Posted on: 29 June 2003 by Mekon
Ooh, thanks for the heads-up. I shall keep an eye out for this one.

In an attempt to return the favour, have you had a listen to Madlib - Madlib invades blue note? I popped a review in the Nick Lees Head thread.

BTW, is that Fieldwork release available on vinyl? I can't seem to find it.

[This message was edited by Mekon on SUNDAY 29 June 2003 at 11:20.]
Posted on: 01 July 2003 by Peter Stockwell
Nice vivier here, stuff to go check out. I have to admit that I love the sound of Mulligan's Baritone, 'The Concert Jazz' band is one I have. Funny, tho' I don't go back to that stuff like I do with Miles Davis. Just digging in to the Blackhawk reissue package. In a sense the 4 disc complete set package is overkill because there's duplication of titles between the two discs, but the band swings and Miles is in top form.

Hank Mobley is on this set, while occassionally seeming out of place for my ears more atuned to Coltrane or Shorter, nevertheless swings really hard.

In his autobigraphy Miles says he was not inspired by Hank Mobley and in fairness the sets seem to review Miles' work with Coltrane rather than be looking forward. A very good recording for fans of Miles Davis IMO, but not a place to start for beginners.

Peter