JAZZ Discussion

[mogrooves]

Probably no point in starting a dedicated thread

RIP Joe Wilder.

I caught him years ago with the Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra where he schooled the young guns, who played everything they knew and then some! An elegant player...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/10/ar...ref=music&_r=0

[walt]

I heard Joe Wilder as a member of a Dizzy Gillespie big band project in Central Park,sometime in the early 80's.A friend turned me on to his "Wilder n'Wilder" record years before,which i'll spin today.

A beautiful musician, highly intuitive AND highly schooled.He played with most of the primo big bands of the day.

A true PLAYER.

RIP Joe Wilder

[hippypants]

I wondered if anyone had heard of Yasuaki Shimizu? I ran across him as he did the soundtrack to the documentary movie, Cutie & The Boxer about an artistic couple that live in NYC and about their life, etc. But I enjoyed how his music fit in well with the film. The above video is about the closest that I could find to something similar to what was in the film.

[mogrooves]

^^^^ Nifty, sort of Bang On A Can-ish.....

[hippypants]

I haven't heard of Bang On A Can, but yes, wondered if anyone could recommend someone close in sound.

[walt]

but yes, wondered if anyone could recommend someone close in sound.

These guys are hip, PRISM Quartet.This clip includes sax player/composer Rudresh Mahanthappa.Enjoy.

[No Pride]

Rudesh Mahanthappa

I played some gigs with him in Chicago before he moved to NYC. He led a Sunday night jazz jam session at a club called "Deja Vu" and I used to get the call to be in the house band if neither of their two favorite pianists were available (I'm a guitar player). The house band would play the first set, then it was an open jam session (and if enough pianists and guitar players showed up, I'd sit at the bar and drink for the rest of the evening).

"Rudy" (as most of the Chicago musicians called him) didn't seem to pay much attention to the chord changes of the tunes we'd play, he'd "take it out" from the getgo and keep it that way. But I admired his chops, energy and persistence in playing what he was hearing. His migration to NYC apparently worked out great for him; seems he's made a name for himself. Way to go, Rudy!

[walt]

Way to go, Rudy!

Cool story Ernie.

I only know Rudresh Mahanthappa,from an excellent cd of his titled 'Kinsmen'.This cd, along with Vijay Iyer's record 'Tirtha',are the only albums i've heard that,imo, successfully integrate Western music(jazz) with Indian(Carnatic) instrumental music without becoming a pastiche of both.

Good player.

[Reid]

^^^^
I was anticipating a recording with Mahanthappa and Nguyen Le, as there was a burning club performance up on YouTube awhile back. I haven't heard of anything.

The latest CD I picked up is Goodbye Svengali by Ray Russell. Never listened to him before, but I am loving this so far. It has sort of a Miles/Jeff Beck/Gil Evans vibe. And features Miles Evans, Simon Phillips, Gary Husband, and Gil Evans playing keyboards on one track.

[Dave (in MA)]

My latest acquisition:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/paolo-vi...p#.U4jt0vldWlc


This is actually a 6 disc set of live material from Terje Rypdal's band, issued under Vinaccia's name.

The cheapest way I could figure out how to get this in the States was to order it from Amazon UK, where I spent about $50 for the 6 disc set. Other options were significantly pricier.

If you like Rypdal's Chaser thru Skywards work, or Rypdal in general, it's well worth getting. The audio quality isn't mentioned in John's review, but there's some variation across the discs, and although they all sound like they're probably stereo soundboards that were not professionally recorded, they sound decent.

[Jerjo]

I've been buying mostly "new" jazz but in my latest Amazon order (which ran from punk to jazz) I included this classic:

peterson_nightf.jpg

[wideopenears]

That is indeed a classic.....I'm a huge fan of Peterson's "For My Friends" recordings....

But man, Art Tatum was the bee's knees. No one touches him, even now, IMO.

[Reid]

Another excellent release I picked up from Wayside. Features Dave Fiuczynski, Mark Shim, Miguel Zenon, Josh Roseman, among others.

[walt]

I"m hip deep in the Jimmy Giuffre 3 and 4 1965 concerts cds.I like the quartet session somewhat more than the trio date, but both are great listens.I also prefer Giuffre on clarinet to his tenor sax,he plays about the same amount of both reeds on both discs.

Sound is top notch,copious and informative cd booklet notes..first class all the way.Good stuff.

[walt]

But man, Art Tatum was the bee's knees. No one touches him, even now, IMO.

[mogrooves]

I've been buying mostly "new" jazz

I've been on a Clean Feed label tip lately.

"Rudy" (as most of the Chicago musicians called him) didn't seem to pay much attention to the chord changes of the tunes we'd play, he'd "take it out" from the getgo and keep it that way. But I admired his chops, energy and persistence in playing what he was hearing. His migration to NYC apparently worked out great for him; seems he's made a name for himself. Way to go, Rudy!

Replace "Rudy" with "Gary" (Thomas) and it's my story. Gary didn't know any tunes but he had his own thing, and has done pretty well by it.




Similarly, years ago I did a pick-up thing with Julius Hemphill, who just blew whatever over the changes. He was very apologetic. Sweet guy, though. RIP.

[No Pride]

But man, Art Tatum was the bee's knees. No one touches him, even now, IMO.

Just the other night, I had my iPod on "shuffle" (which is how I frequently listen to music these days; seems I've developed ADD in my old age and full albums have taken a back seat to those eclectic "shuffles"), and Art Tatum's "Tiger Rag" came on. Fuck, words fail me! How many other artists could blow your mind to smithereens in less than two and 1/2 minutes?! I totally understand why Charlie Parker took a gig as a dishwasher in the restaurant where Tatum was the house pianist.

years ago I did a pick-up thing with Julius Hemphill, who just blew whatever over the changes. He was very apologetic. Sweet guy, though. RIP.

I remember you telling that story, Mo. It was in response to my story about playing with Fred Anderson (R.I.P.) when I was 18 (my first jazz gig!). Interestingly, Fred LOVED Bird, but couldn't play changes to save his life. When he got me and a couple of the other youngsters interested in bebop (I was very green and didn't know shit at the time), we started playing Bird tunes and standards, but he'd just do his "free" thing over all of it. He had his own thing and was great at it, but I didn't feel that it worked in that chord-intensive music and I would wonder why I was comping 20 choruses of "Cherokee" behind him if he was just going to ignore every chord. Regardless, he was still a great mentor and I'm indebted to him.

[Poisoned Youth]

Keep the stories coming. Great reads.


Enjoy Rudresh, Hemphill, Gary Thomas, Anderson all.

[Poisoned Youth]

Been diggin' John Escreet's last album, not so much for the string section which appears, but the top notch playing throughout - with David Binney, Chris Potter, Jim Black, etc.

http://www.whirlwindrecordings.com/s...d-celebration/

[No Pride]

Keep the stories coming. Great reads.

Well since you're twisting my arm, Cozy... this is my favorite Fred Anderson story:

Like I said, I was 18 and Fred (and his sidekick, trumpeter Billy Brimfield) were in their mid 30s. I thought of Fred as this spiritual, "my music is one with God and the universe" kind of guy. But he straightened me out about that shit!

One night after the first set, I went in a back room to practice (I must've heard that that what was what Coltrane did at his gigs and thought that was the "ticket" ). So Fred walks in and says, "Ernie, what are you doing practicing?! You ought to be out trying to cop some trim!" I'd never heard that term before, but I figured it out quick enough! And not only was he right... that was exactly what he was doing on the breaks. Another lesson learned. Thank you, Fred!

(edit) Before anybody brings it up... yes, young women DID actually come out to hear jazz in those days without a boyfriend dragging them there. Believe it or not!

[Poisoned Youth]

Well since you're twisting my arm, Cozy... this is my favorite Fred Anderson story:

Like I said, I was 18 and Fred (and his sidekick, trumpeter Billy Brimfield) were in their mid 30s. I thought of Fred as this spiritual, "my music is one with God and the universe" kind of guy. But he straightened me out about that shit!

One night after the first set, I went in a back room to practice (I must've heard that that what was what Coltrane did at his gigs and thought that was the "ticket" ). So Fred walks in and says, "Ernie, what are you doing practicing?! You ought to be out trying to cop some trim!" I'd never heard that term before, but I figured it out quick enough! And not only was he right... that was exactly what he was doing on the breaks. Another lesson learned. Thank you, Fred!

excellent.

[Poisoned Youth]

I've been on a Clean Feed label tip lately.

I've been enjoying the Made To Break material.

[walt]

Peter Evans Trio-Peter Evans-trumpet,John Hebert-bass,Kassa Overall-drums.

Trumpet-bass-drums might not be the most inviting lineup,but these guys do it well.Evans has technique to burn,so much so that he can be somewhat.......exhausting.He can be a steamroller, at times just relentless,but always "musical".Very little sputtering and half-valve trumpet effects,just balls out energy and forward momentum.Hebert's bass and Kassa Overall's drums lend warmth, support and counterpoint,and keep the sound from being too spare(most of the time).

The trio cd "Zebulon" shows the group at the height of their power live,and this live clip is not quite up to the quality of the cd but gives a taste of what these men are up to.

[No Pride]

Gary Thomas

I liked that track!

Peter Evans Trio

I liked that too!

Sorry to say that I don't know much about current jazz. Or prog, for that matter. It's a little ironic that being a professional musician (who makes about as much money as a high school teacher), I can't afford to buy much music anymore. Maybe I could if I was still a bachelor, but I'm part of a couple and there's always stuff "we need" that takes priority. Sigh...

[Reid]

My latest acquisition:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/paolo-vi...p#.U4jt0vldWlc


This is actually a 6 disc set of live material from Terje Rypdal's band, issued under Vinaccia's name.

The cheapest way I could figure out how to get this in the States was to order it from Amazon UK, where I spent about $50 for the 6 disc set. Other options were significantly pricier.

If you like Rypdal's Chaser thru Skywards work, or Rypdal in general, it's well worth getting. The audio quality isn't mentioned in John's review, but there's some variation across the discs, and although they all sound like they're probably stereo soundboards that were not professionally recorded, they sound decent.

Samples here: http://www.jazzlandrec.com/index.php...art&Itemid=830

Sounds pretty good!