Holiday in Portugal tomorrow. Will have some time for the Christmas tree and ... Focus - Stan Getz. Don't know why but I like my jazz with strings this time of the year. I have this Poll Winners set. That collection had some nice sets. I'm looking at the Gil Evans one...
Melvin Rhyne – Stick To The Kick (Criss Cross Jazz) — Melvin Rhyne (org); Ryan Kisor (tp); Eric Alexander (ts); Peter Bernstein (g); Kenny Washington (d).
Grant Green - Idle Moments EMI Japan DBLP 020 Easing into the day with some GG.. EMI Japan/Disk Union mono vinyl issued in 2012, mastered by Kevin Gray. One of my Christmas presents this year is a copy of Richard Havers' Uncompromising Expression his take on the Blue Note story. I have a decent collection of jazz books but I'm eagerly awaiting this.
Kirk Knuffke & Mike Pride – The Exterminating Angel (Not Two Records) — Kirk Knuffke - cornet; Mike Pride (drums, percussion)
Muhal Richard Abrams – Family Talk [from The Complete Black Saint Recordings, Vol.2 box] (Black Saint—CAM Jazz) — Muhal Richard Abrams - piano, synthesizer, conductor; Jack Walrath - trumpet; Patience Higgins - bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, English horn; Brad Jones - bass; Warren Smith - vibes, timpani, marimba, gongs; Reggie Nicholson - drums, marimba, bells.
Chet Baker - Chet (Riverside) stereo OJC lp This is one of those albums that when I hear the opening notes it puts me in a relaxed mood. The entire album is great imo but the opening Alone Together really sets the mood. It's easily one of my favorite versions of that standard.
This one does that for me as well Les. Again the UHQCD of the RVG edition from King Records. Sounds so good.
Focus is a tremendous take on the jazz on strings concept. I don't own Cool Velvet anymore. I found it disappointing. It seemed to lack the energy of Focus which imho bristles with an intensity lacking in CV. YMMV as usual.
Here's a new one, a debut album by an ambitiously large group of LA musicians led by composer and violinist Lauren Elizabeth Baba -- who doesn't play on the record. I hadn't heard of the album or group until Downbeat made it an editor's pick this month, but its a very self-assured and focused debut, with really well played large ensemble parts from a composer who obviously has a fully developed personal style:
Love it. One of Abrams' best. In fact that string of albums from The Hearinga Suite through Blu Blu Blu to Family Talk is probably my favorite period for Abrams as a recording artist.
I really enjoyed that interview. Some of his opinions about life really hit home. I wasn't aware of the interest in renaming the Williamsburg bridge.
Out of the cool - Gil Evans, 1960 Where the flamingos fly, Sunken treasure... more than once. This poll winners set has a curious 1956 version of "Where the flamingos fly" with vocals by Helen Merrill.
Count Basie / Joe Williams – Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (Clef Records / Verve) — With Joe Williams - vocals; Count Basie - piano; Wendell Culley, Reunald Jones, Thad Jones, Joe Newman - trumpet; Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell - trombone; Marshall Royal - alto saxophone, clarinet; Bill Graham - alto saxophone; Frank Wess - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute; Frank Foster - tenor saxophone; Charlie Fowlkes - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Freddie Green - guitar; Eddie Jones - bass; Sonny Payne - drums; Frank Foster (tracks 2-9), Ernie Wilkins (tracks 1 & 6) - arranger; Ella Fitzgerald - vocals (track 12); includes three bonus tracks - an unreleased track that has Ella Fitzgerald and both side of a single.
Interviewer David Mar-cheese just had to go political. Yeah, things are so bad these days Sonny...how ya feelin' about the country? That question had no place in between questions about music and technique. These media people make my a-- twitch. Otherwise,it's nice to hear Sonny's thoughts on music and his instrument.
One Blue Note often leads to another. Sonny Rollins "Night At the Village Vanguard" Blue Note Japan SHM-SACD.
Cedar Walton – Eastern Rebellion (Timeless Records—Solid Records/Ultra-Vybe Japan) — With George Coleman, Sam Jones, Billy Higgins
Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulant – Sister Phantom Owl Fish (Ipecac Records) — Tevor Dunn (bass), Mary Halvorson (guitar), Ches Smith (drums)
Of all the money that has been made off of John Coltrane, especially in the last 30 years, I wonder how much of it went to his estate and survivors. Why do I suspect that the percentage is very tiny?
I've just returned from seeing Joe McPhee play at Cafe Oto with Paal Nilssen-Love and Orphy Robinson. I hear from musician friends on Facebook that we've lost Sunny Murray. Saw him once over here and that was with John Tchicai about a decade ago. A legend. RIP
