Jazz Beat - Part 21

Continued from here:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/jazz-beat-part-20.347793/

 

After hearing some 30 second clips of the tracks, I'm looking forward to three International Phonograph reissues including Clare Fischer's Extension

 

My copy's on Score, not Intro, but otherwise it's identical:

 

Some of this is on the Art Pepper Mosaic Select.

 

Good stuff! The LP is kind of hissy though... Score was Alladin's budget label.

 

I got through all four LPs over the weekend.

I love the variety of the music, Kirk very obviously made an effort to not repeat himself. It makes it really easy to listen for an extended period and maintain interest.

Kirk sure had a wonderfully twisted sense of humor, along with an obviously brilliant mind. In this respect, he reminds me of Thelonious Monk. (Imagine if those two quirky geniuses had combined forces?)

The mastering on this collection is, of course, world class. A very worthwhile purchase, absolutely highly recommended!

 

I also enjoy this set. No complaints.

 

Down Home Style -- Brother Jack McDuff, Groove heavy, organ-driven' soul jazz.

 

Jerry Granelli UFB – News From the Street (Intuition Music)
— With Kai Bruckner, Christian Kogel, Andreas Walter



Drums, bass and two guitars. Good recording with Granelli originals plus covers of tunes by Thelonious Monk, Ry Cooder, Bruce Hornsby & Jimmy Hendrix. Jazzy and bluesy. Makes me think of Frisell or Scofield in places. And cheap used copies can be had on Amazon.

 

That's an excellent one - everything they've released (International Phonograph) has been outstanding.

 

William Parker Quartet – Wood Flute Songs – CD1 – Yoshi's 2006, 1st set (Aum Fidelity)
— With Hamid Drake, Rob Brown, Lewis Barnes

 

Oliver Nelson - Sound Pieces

 

For the ride this morning, Booker Ervin first in a run of Pacific Jazz albums. I remember an old record store compadre talkin' this one up pretty big before its subsequent CD reissue. Although it features a somewhat odd lineup including a "post-apocalyptic Blue Note" Charles Tolliver, John Hicks, Red Mitchell (!) and Lenny McBrowne, it works quite nicely:

 

I have the Pepper selections on 'The Return of Art Pepper: The Complete Aladdin Recordings-Volume One', a Blue Note CD from 1988, digital transfer by Ron McMaster.

 

Don't you hate it when a thread changes and you have things to say? I copped this haven to mention something about a guitar player you mentioned, Brad Schoeppach. Er, no, Brad Shepik. Actually both.

I was prompted to pull out a Pachora record for this beautifully sunny morn. This band includes Jimmy Black so I thought it would be good to tie it into the Douglas thing.

A melding of jazz with middle eastern scales and "stylings" It's a very fine listen, even for a morning commute as it is rather 'driving' in it's delivery.

To make it even more desirable it was engineered by Jim Anderson at Avatar.

Shepik used to be Schoeppach BTW. Been lucky enough to catch him live both ways.

Pachora: AST

Chris Speed: Clarinet
Brad Shepik: Tamboura, Electric Saz
Skuli Sverrisson: Bass
Jim Black: Snare, bass drum, dumbek, percussion



For a really interesting connection this same rhythm section is on Laurie Anderson's post-9/11 live record. Good stuff.

 

Good stuff! Here's another Speed/Black vehicle I'm fond of -- this time with Rosenwinkel on geetar and Andrew D'Angelo as the 2nd horn in place of the bass (hey, that rhymes ):

 

At's a good one as well. Of course I'm sure you've listened to Rosenwinkle as part of Motian's Electric Bebop Band. What a buncha geeks are we?

Which brings me to.... Take this video, drop 3-4 Jazz Beat participants into this setting, replace "read" with "listen" or "have" and this is what you'd get.

 

Randy Weston - African Cookbook
Randy Weston, piano & celeste; Booker Ervin, tenor sax; Ray Copeland, trumpet & flugelhorn;
Vishnu Wood, bass; Lenny McBrowne, drums; Big Black, conga drums & vocal;
Sir Harold Murray, percussion.

 

But of course! I am a self-anointed Motian-o-phile. I realize that many aren't fond of his "less than outward" approach to drumming (he'll never be confused with Elveen or Tony, for instance), but I think he was da-bomb, and dammit, I have all of his leader dates as well as most of his sideman appearances. I'd imagine that you'd be pretty proud of him since he's from your home state

As far as Kurt goes, I think he's a fantastic player (far ahead of most on the scene today, as a matter of fact), but over time I've lost interest in his "play to the masses" tendencies.

 

Btw, that YouTube is freaking hilarious! Made my Monday

 

As intended!

 

Funny you mention TW, listening to him now! Next post.

Have you gotten to listen to Terry Gross' interviews with Motian? I'm sure "yes" but if not well worth digging up. You can hear her genuine enthusiasm for his work. IIRC her husband is a huge jazzophile.

Agreed fully on the Rosenwinkle direction.

 

Funny, we always think of "Ego" as purely self-serving and irrational but in reality it's a mediator. Which sort of explains this record. With a cover like this and a title of "EGO" you'd expect some HEAVY drumming to be contained within. Maybe even to the point of bombast. In 'reality' (an important part of the ego) it's not very drum-centric at all. In fact, the drums take a back seat for most of the album while featuring several TW vocals. In fact there are two other drummers on the roster. Too bad it wasn't called "Id".


Tony Williams: Ego

TW: Drums, Vocals
Khalid Yasin aka Larry Young: Organ
Ted Dunbar: Guitar
Ron Carter: Bass, Cello
Don Alias, Warren Smith: Drums, Percussion

 

Excellent interview with Paul Motian:

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/02/143002755/fresh-air-remembers-jazz-drummer-paul-motian

(And Terry Gross is married to writer Francis Davis.)

 

Did someone mention Motian? Playing right now...