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Thread: AAJ Rediscovery: Mark Isham, Blue Sun

  1. #1

    AAJ Rediscovery: Mark Isham, Blue Sun



    Today's Rediscovery? Trumpeter/composer Mark Isham's 1995 release, Blue Sun, published at All About Jazz.

    Better-known, perhaps, for his work in the film arena as scorer for movies including 1986's The Hitcher, the 1992 reboot of Of Mice and Men and 1998's Blade, Mark Isham has, nevertheless, demonstrated his instrumental prowess as a trumpeter on albums including pianist Art Lande's Rubisa Patrol (ECM, 1976), singer/songwriter Van Morrison's Beautiful Vision (Warner Bros., 1982), David Sylvian's Brilliant Trees (Virgin, 1984), David Torn's Cloud About Mercury (ECM, 1987) and singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now (Reprise, 2000) But it's on two albums that Isham released in the mid-to-late-'90s where he not only demonstrated his strength as a player, but as a composer of music in the jazz sphere and as a bandleader capable of putting together a real roadworthy group. Both albums are worthy of Rediscovery, but for the sake of sheer surprise, 1995's Blue Sun (Columbia) wins by a nose.

    While both Blue Sun and its 1999 followup, Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project (Columbia), both paid tribute to the importance of trumpet icon Miles Davis, the second album was more aggressively electric, despite some softer, more atmospheric inclusions like Isham's arrangement of the Davis staple, Joe Zawinul's title track to In a Silent Way (Columbia, 1969); and an ethereal look at Davis' classic song from his game-changing Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1958), "All Blues."

    Still, Blue Sun is overall a more successful venture if for no other reason than Isham's compositional contributions rendering his subject clear while, at the same time, being devoted to a more original work of music. Miles Remembered does contain some Isham originals, but it's largely predicated on music culled from across Davis' career, ranging from Milestones (Columbia, 1958) through to Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1970), On the Corner (Columbia, 1972) and Big Fun (Columbia, 1974); Blue Sun, on the other hand, is more reflective of Davis' influence through the prism of Isham's own writing and playing, with seven of Blue Sun's nine tracks penned by the trumpeter, and its two other tunes culled from the repertoires of Duke Ellington (a particularly poignant "In a Sentimental Mood") and the writing team of Jerome Moross, John Latouche and Jürg Morgenthaler ("Lazy Afternoon").

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  2. #2
    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    Blue Sun is a killer disc. It's been the Isham I pull out most often ever since its release. Isham really "nails" the Miles Davis vibe even without quoting a single note of Davis's music. He may make a fabulous living doing soundtracks, but he's one hell of a musician too.

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    Member rottersclub's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rcarlberg View Post
    Blue Sun is a killer disc. It's been the Isham I pull out most often ever since its release. Isham really "nails" the Miles Davis vibe even without quoting a single note of Davis's music. He may make a fabulous living doing soundtracks, but he's one hell of a musician too.
    We rarely agree on things around here, but in this I completely concur.
    Think of a book as a vase, and a movie as the stained-glass window that the filmmaker has made out of the pieces after he’s smashed it with a hammer.
    -- Russell Banks (paraphrased)

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by rcarlberg View Post
    Blue Sun is a killer disc. It's been the Isham I pull out most often ever since its release. Isham really "nails" the Miles Davis vibe even without quoting a single note of Davis's music. He may make a fabulous living doing soundtracks, but he's one hell of a musician too.
    Great to hear I'm not the only one who totally loves this record.

    Thanks for sharing.
    John

  5. #5
    Isham is a master of the sonic pallette. His soundtrack for Miracle, the best sports movie ever imo, is incredible.
    His Windham Hill debut, Vapor Drawings, is a must have. Also, his two albums with Group 87 is very enjoyable smooth jazz that is not typical of that genre.
    His trumpet playing is as sublime as Miles. In fact, he sounds pretty much like a MD clone.

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    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    I wouldn't categorize Group 87 as "smooth jazz." Those albums are flat out instrumental rock, with long sinewy melody lines that worm their way into your head until they're permanently stuck.

  7. #7
    I don't have this one...the most recent one I've got was his self-titled. Loved his Windham Hill albums though. Another one for the "to buy" pile I suppose!!
    If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
    https://battema.bandcamp.com/

    Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com

  8. #8
    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    There were actually TWO Rubisa Patrol albums, the self-titled debut (1976, released on CD in 1991) and "Desert Marauders" (1978) which for some reason has never seen a CD reissue. Shame too, because to my ears it's the far superior of the two.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by rcarlberg View Post
    There were actually TWO Rubisa Patrol albums, the self-titled debut (1976, released on CD in 1991) and "Desert Marauders" (1978) which for some reason has never seen a CD reissue. Shame too, because to my ears it's the far superior of the two.
    We're in agreement on that. I feel the same way about Steve Kuhn's Non-Fiction, which far surpassed Motility, the non-vocal group album included in ECM's three-CD Life's Backward Glances box a few years ago....

    Oh, and if you were referring to my review, I only listed the first one as part of a context-setting paragraph that was intended as a cross-section of Isham's non-leader work, and which was (for any who know him) far, far from a comprehensive list ... just in case, wanted to be clear.

    But I'm with ya. I've a vinyl-to-CD-R burn of Desert Marauders and, coincidentally, actually was playing it just the other day. Maybe I should revive the Rediscovery column and cover that one!
    John Kelman
    Senior Contributor, All About Jazz since 2004
    Freelance writer/photographer

  10. #10
    Member FrippWire's Avatar
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    Huge Isham fan here. I bought Group 87 upon its debut because of the Zappa connection and through it became a fan of Isham and Peter Maunu. As a result I became an Isham obsessive.

    I adore his film work as well as his releases as leader. His Windham Hill releases "Vapor Drawings" and "Film Music" loom large for me with their cinematic blend of minimalism, jazz and rock. Basically if I see his name on a release, I buy it. You guys are absolutely correct about the Rubisa Patrol stuff. They are essential and are hidden gems in the ECM catalog. Also check out Isham's contribution to Van Morrison's run of albums including "Common One", "Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart" and "Beautiful Vision".

  11. #11
    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
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    https://www.discogs.com/Mark-Isham-L...elease/2648080 This is a nice Isham release, with a few non-Isham tracks.

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