To be honest, I haven’t really kept up with the latest developments in jazz. The early 90s is really kind of my cut-off point it seems. Although, I was hugely impressed with Stefon Harris’ African Tarantella and always wished he returned to Ellington’s sound-world, but I guess he’s too busy with s*** I care nothing about. Those are some good saxophonists you mentioned. I’d say my own list would look something like this (in no particular order): Art Pepper, Richie Kamuca, Eric Dolphy, Joe Henderson, Getz, Paul Desmond, Ben Webster, Coltrane, Bird, Rollins, Charles Lloyd, and so many others.
Fully agreed. Such an incredible group of musicians. What would be your favorite album of this particular period?
I have a lot of Joe Henderson. He was such a great musician and writer. Of course Ben Webster was a beautiful cat. I love Art Pepper's Straight Life album from the 70s. Red Mitchell plays some fantastic bass on that one. I'm a Chico Hamilton fan, so I've listened to some Lloyd. And I like his live CD on ECM.
I really like ESP, Miles Smiles, and Nefertiti about equally. And I love Stuff, the long opener on Miles In The Sky. Such a hip, but simple tune. The way Miles plays those jabbing phrases like a sparing boxer. Another great record is Miles at Monterey Jazz Festival 1963. He plays his butt off on that date.
The first time I ever heard any of Joe Henderson’s playing was exactly 25 years ago when I heard Horace Silver’s Song for My Father (and later The Cape Verdean Blues) and being rather fascinated by his tough sound and style. Such a cool player. I’ve got a good bit of Chico Hamilton in my collection. I need to dig his stuff back out. I loved it when Jim Hall was with him and Buddy Collette.
No love for Sorcerer? I dig everything they did together really. Yep, Miles at Monterey in ‘63 was great (the best I can remember).
Oh yeah, I like Sorcerer too. As soon as you mentioned it, Prince Of Darkness started playing in my head.
I got to see Chico a few years before he passed. In fact, they had Chico, Mose Allison, and Toots Thielemanns all at this little jazz fest in my town. Those four CDs Chico made towards the end of his life are really good. Especially Heritage.
I have always found it far more satisfying to talk about what I enjoy in life than what I do not enjoy.
Ultimately this is really all that matters. The last thing that I ever do anymore is try to convince somebody that an artist is good or worth listening too if they don't like it. Used to do it all the time. But I finally realized some years back that it's not important that somebody doesn't like what I like, or vice versa. Or why. It's what you said earlier. It's all about what moves us.
Of the handful of solo Shorter albums I've heard, Speak No Evil was by far my favourite. As great as Time Out is, I much prefer Time In First Brubeck LP I ever bought, as a matter of fact. Avant garde a clue, eh?
Picked my copy up last year it was a vinyl reissue. LP or CD available on Discogs. The Bill Dixon Orchestra - Intents And Purposes
Thanks, I didn't know it had been reissued last year. I'll ask my record shop (I don't buy on the web by choice).
