JAZZ Discussion

[TCC]

Folks,
Digging The Ganelin trio, a favorite here!:

"The Ganelin Trio was the greatest ensemble of free-jazz in continental Europe, namely in Russia. Like other European improvisers, pianist Vyacheslav Ganelin, woodwind player Vladimir Chekasin and percussionist Vladimir Tarasov too found a common ground between free-jazz and Dadaism. Their shows were as much music as they were provocative antics."
http://www.scaruffi.com/jazz/ganelin.html

Highest recommendations!.

- Con Anima:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6kOpdtwSzY

- Ganelin - Chekasin - Tarasov Trio 1976 live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKN4kEsBnVM

- Ancora da capo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiaKNPTvaEs

[Trane]

This thread sometimes moves to fast for me... finally caught up this morning

Don't remember if this artist has been mentioned yet, but excellent stuff. I have to thank Ken Golden for the recommendation!

Kamasi Washington - 'Re Run Home' from the album "The Epic"

really enjoyed this...

[TCC]

^^
Me too!.



Wao!!.

[TCC]

This weekend is/was dedicated to Kamasi´s The Epic, video and music: Wao!!.

From AMG:
"The Epic isn't fusion, retro, or remotely academic. It's 21st century jazz as accessible as it is virtuosic -- feel matters to Washington. Holistic in breadth and deep in vision, it provides a way into this music for many, and challenges the cultural conversation about jazz without compromising or pandering."
http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-epic-mw0002838338

Thanks for sharing, this is the real deal IMO: great, great 21st century jazz!!.


" Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny ". FZ

Pura Vida.

[Trane]

Yup, I ordered that lengthy (two or three discs) KW album as soon as I could.

[Vic2012]

Currently watching on Youtube: First Gravy, Journeys Of The Hammond Organ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggmzzBHk8d8

Very interesting. It goes through the Jimmy Smith era and they also discuss about whether organ in jazz is really "jazz" at all. Well bunk, of course it's jazz, but the jazzbos of the 50s and 60s called it "Soul" not jazz. Anyway, I think I'm gonna look for some jazz boxsets. I think trying to buy the individual albums would be pointless. I'm gonna look for a Jimmy Smith anthology (I'm sure they exist), and a Buddy Rich anthology. Recommendations are welcome.

[JJ88]

^It's often called 'soul jazz'.

RE; Jimmy Smith anthology. I do like 'The Definitive Jimmy Smith' which has Blue Note and Verve stuff on it.

[Reid]

Vic, you might dig the live Root Down CD on Verve. It's got better sound than the old Blue Note albums, and it features both drums, and a conga player.

[Vic2012]

Thanks Reid. I decided that I'm just gonna look for either a box set or a 2-disk anthology (if one exists). I'm also itching to get a Buddy Rich anthology. I've known about Buddy Rich forever but I've never been a drumset freak. But, the guy really was the greatest drummer ever and he played some swinging, big band jazz (which I do like).

[Vic2012]

^It's often called 'soul jazz'.

RE; Jimmy Smith anthology. I do like 'The Definitive Jimmy Smith' which has Blue Note and Verve stuff on it.

Yeah, soul-jazz, because it really wasn't considered "jazz" by the jazzers. I mean, this is what I dislike about "jazz." If the lead instrument isn't a tenor saxaphone or a trumpet, it ain't jazz. The music that we call jazz is really be-bop. Before be-bop jazz was swinging, dance music.

[Reid]

I have the 4 CD Jimmy Smith Retrospective on Blue Note. It's oop, but there are new copies still available for under 10 bucks.

[No Pride]

Currently watching on Youtube: First Gravy, Journeys Of The Hammond Organ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggmzzBHk8d8

Very interesting. It goes through the Jimmy Smith era and they also discuss about whether organ in jazz is really "jazz" at all. Well bunk, of course it's jazz, but the jazzbos of the 50s and 60s called it "Soul" not jazz. Anyway, I think I'm gonna look for some jazz boxsets. I think trying to buy the individual albums would be pointless. I'm gonna look for a Jimmy Smith anthology (I'm sure they exist), and a Buddy Rich anthology. Recommendations are welcome.

Great find, Vic! I watched the whole doc, interesting stuff!

I can't buy that jazz musicians and fans didn't consider it jazz. And there's plenty of swing along with soul and shuffle blues on early organ trios. I was kinda wondering about the history of the jazz organ combo. I'd never heard of Wild Bill Davis, but I always figured Jimmy Smith was the one who really put jazz organ on the map and that doc confirmed it. It's funny, (guitar player) Wes Montgomery's first album was called "The Wes Montgomery Trio: A Dynamic New Sound; Guitar, Organ and Drums." But that came out in '59 and Jimmy Smith's debut came out in '56, so I guess it wasn't brand new. At any rate, it was inevitable that Jimmy and Wes would eventually team up and they did, for two albums on the Verve label. On this track, they're accompanied by Wes' favorite drummer, Grady Tate and Ray Barretto on congas:



To me, the organ trio is the perfect compact jazz combo. The organ player is playing bass and when he's soloing, the guitar player is comping chords behind him, then when the guitar is soloing, the organ is comping behind him. Nobody's ever standing around, waiting to play; everybody has something to do at all times. And you're only having to split the money three ways. I've played about a half dozen organ trio gigs and had a blast each time. In the last one I played with, we were talking about getting "serious" with it because the chemistry was so great. Unfortunately, none of us are hustlers and it never came to pass; we did two gigs and then went our separate ways.

[Vic2012]

Great post Ernie, thanks for that .

[No Pride]

Great post Ernie

I don't know about that, but thanks for saying so, Vic! Hey, since you dig jazz Hammond B3 and

some swinging, big band jazz

... Those two Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery albums each have a couple of big band tracks, arranged by Oliver Nelson. My favorite out of those is "Milestones," but since I can't find it on YT, I'll have to settle for this one:

[mogrooves]

I blow hot 'n cold on Smith. My organ guy, so to speak, is Don Patterson, especially the sides with Stitt, Ervin, Martino, and the peerless Billy James. I once did an after-gig thing with Jack McDuff; he liked his (small "c") coke.....

[No Pride]

I blow hot 'n cold on Smith. My organ guy, so to speak, is Don Patterson

I can dig it! He was a terrific player (even if I liked the sound some other guys got more)!

I once did an after-gig thing with Jack McDuff; he liked his (small "c") coke.....

Cool, Mo!

Speaking of small "c" coke, I got a story about Jimmy Smith:
A buddy and sometimes bandmate of mine met him years ago and started telling him stuff like, "Jimmy, it's such a great honor to meet you! When I was growing up in Costa Rica, my friends and I would listen to albums by Miles Davis and you and..." At that point, Jimmy cut him off and said, "Yeah, yeah... you got any blow?" Nice guy...

I actually saw him play by accident. I went to see Grant Green and he had an organ player (I forget who) with him. Jimmy was in the audience and Grant asked him to sit in. Jimmy was like, "nah, you guys go ahead," but after some goading from the crowd he came up and sat in. Once he did, you couldn't get him off the stage; he kept starting another tune when the last one was supposed to end. But I'm glad I got to see him play! I don't like everything he does, but he sure could burn when he wanted to.

I dig me some Joey Francesco too. He's sort of an amalgam of several of the organ greats, but he's just got IT; I think he's one of those "naturals."

[mogrooves]

"Yeah, yeah... you got any blow?"

I can't even count the number of times I've witnessed or heard this same general story--or a variation of it--about cats. I once saw Walter Davis Jr. get up in the middle of his solo when his connection walked into the club!

Of the "young" cats I dig Larry Goldings and Mike LeDonne.

[Vic2012]

Another interesting jazz documentary I found on youtube:

1959, The Year that Changed Jazz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dou3aSZmEg0

[No Pride]

Of the "young" cats I dig Larry Goldings and Mike LeDonne.

I'm not familiar with Mike LeDonne, but Larry Goldings is indeed a great player! I saw him in one of Michael Brecker's quartets.

Did you know about his comedic alter-ego, Hans Groiner?

[Fracktured]

Jimmy Smith was born in Norristown PA not far from where I live. I may be in the minority here but I still like his lp The Cat.

[jkelman]

I'm not familiar with Mike LeDonne, but Larry Goldings is indeed a great player! I saw him in one of Michael Brecker's quartets.

Did you know about his comedic alter-ego, Hans Groiner?

I've been selling Hans Groiner for a few years now.larry has actually done gigs where he has opened for himself as Hans...and some don't realize it's him. I love his idea of reinterpreting Monk in the above video...but removing all the "wrong" notes

[No Pride]

We have but one jazz radio station in Chicago now, WDCB (90.9 FM). Programming is hit and miss, but one of the DJs is a musician and you can usually count on him to play the good shit. This came on while I was cruising around yesterday afternoon, Woody Shaw - Stepping Stones (Live at the Village Vanguard '79) Never heard it before, but should have! There's just too much great jazz for one lifetime (especially if you listen to other genres as well)!

[wideopenears]

Woody Shaw is the last great trumpet innovator, IMO. One of my favorite musicians ever. Saw him at the Village Vanguard a few times, including with Mal Waldron on an appearance that's documented on video somewhere...

[Jerjo]

I've always had issues with jazz recorded before the late 50s. The tracks just sound very tinny to my ears, like they're coming out of an old time radio. I've got a Duke Ellington compilation and though I tried it a few times my mental block to the sound quality stymied me. This afternoon I decided to play it in the background as I was working and hallelujah, it finally took. Still sounds a bit "old" but I was able to get into it. I suppose this means there are hundreds of CDs I should now track down and listen to...

[mogrooves]

Woody Shaw was a straight up monster, both as a player and writer.. A troubled guy--he could be included in the above-discussion re: McDuff & Jimmy Smith--who's end was tragic. I caught him a number of times and he always played. He was, of course, on Larry Young's classic Unity LP (among many others), contributing the classics "Zoltan" and "Moontrane."