NP Sonny Rollins - Freedom Suite (Riverside) Japanese remastered cd by Joe Gastwirt 1985. Early digital release of a classic.
After the death of Scott LaFaro, it is well known that Bill Evans went into a deep depression and seclusion. The very first time Bill recorded after Scott's death, was as a sideman for a short session for his friend, the vocalist Mark Murphy, in October 1961. Though Mark's album "Rah!" was almost completed, Mark and Keepnews convinced Bill to come out for the session, which only included two songs, My Favorite Things and Out of This World. But Evans does not have a significant solo. This may have been due to the arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, but it may also have been Bill's choice not to solo. The album, Rah!, is a very important album in both Mark's discography and in the history of jazz vocal. Though Mark already had five LPs, this was his first opportunity to define his approach to jazz vocal integrated with a jazz band, in a style that became the most influential development in jazz singing after Billie Holiday and her disciples. Mark's style has become the model for countless contemporary jazz singers. But the copyright for My Favorite Things was violated by Mark's new hip jazz lyrics and the "hip version" was yanked from the shelves almost immediately and replaced by a straight version (nowhere near as good). Mark may have anticipated this and had recorded the standard lyrics with Evans on the same date as the hip version. It is the standard lrics, short (and inferior) version that appears on most pressings. The version with Mark's new lyrics was included on Japanese issues and some Euro issues. The estates of Rodgers & Hammerstein, which prohibited alternate lyrics, has not caught up with those issues I just obtained a test pressing of the recalled version, which was dated just a week after the session. When Bill Evans returned to performing, Mark Murphy sat in with the trio and sang several songs for the early sets. Unfortunately, these were not recorded.
NP: Jan Garbarek - Belonging [ECM Germany original] Just picked this up at a local store yesterday. I'm a sucker for German pressings of ECM albums, even if the music can be a little 'light fusion' for my taste.
I find it interesting that despite the hardships faced he is almost always smiling in every photo I have ever seen and there are plenty out there
Thanks for this, when @Yesternow is grillin’ fish it makes me think the world will get better eventually... I do mean this. Sometimes the simple rituals are the things that matter most......
Happy birthday to jazz pianist and composer, Andrew Hill – born June 30, 1931. This morning, in celebration of the occasion, I'm spinning a trio of his recent Blue Note reissues . . . First up, the controversial "warbly" Black Fire . . . 1964/2019 Blue Note – ST-84151 Blue Note Tone Poet Series – KPG&JH@CA Recorded in 1963, but not released until 1966 – a unique session, featuring two bass players . . . 1966/2020 Blue Note – ST-84160 Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series – KPG@CA Maybe saving the best for last, this one is just about as good as avant-garde jazz gets — an extraordinary masterpiece, Andrew Hill is backed by a stellar line-up of musicians on one of my all-time favourite Blue Note sessions . . . 1965/2010 Music Matters Ltd. – MMBST-84167, Blue Note – BST 84167 Blue Note The Definitive 45 RPM Reissue Series – KPG&SH@ATM
Some people are virtually always smiling, even when they talk. Some people don't trust people who always smile ("Why is he smiling?"). But I enjoy being around them. No scowling, no anger, and usually positive.
I think the US states in the Northeast, in the Great Lakes basin, and in the Pacific Northwest should join Canada and its system of government and leave the rest of America to argue about their rights. It might be a little difficult at first for the new Canada, but in the end, it will be better for all. Those in the Northern USA, soon to be Canada, who want to emigrate south would be welcome to do so.
...I’ll join you my friend! One of my faves as well. Another SUPERgroup... you just see those names and know it’s gonna be quality. NP: Andrew Hill – Point Of Departure Label: Blue Note – CDP 7 84167 2 Format: CD, Album, Reissue Country: US Released: 1988 Genre: Jazz Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Flute, Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy Bass – Richard Davis Drums – Anthony Williams Piano, Written-By – Andrew Hill Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Joe Henderson Trumpet – Kenny Dorham Notes Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on March 31, 1964.
Nice one! Yes, it's a fantastic record — if I was to make a list it'd easily be in my Top 10 Blue Note's.
Ordered the following today: Alfie Out of the Cool Out of the Afternoon Count Basis & the Kansas City 7 Crescent
The "European Quartet" is my least favourite Keith Jarrett, and I say that as a massive fan of his. There is, however, a bootleg doing the rounds in the usual places recorded in April 1974 in Hannover (around the same time as this album was recorded) which is a among my favourite.
One of my favorite public saxophone player Joe Henderson State of the Tenor Live at Village Vanguard. A classic. Excellent.
Amidst these troubling times of COVID-19 and recession my employer has (to their credit) introduced so-called "Wellbeing Days" - one day a month to take time off work and do something we enjoy. I'll be spending the day revisiting my Bandcamp wishlist in preparation for the upcoming Bandcamp Friday. Here's a taste: El Maquech by Adam O'Farril The Shadows and The Light by Quin Kirchner Alexander Hawkins Trio by Alexander Hawkins
Speaking of Bandcamp additions. I'm on my back porch enjoying some fresh air and some top-flight contemporary jazz. If you're not blowing more money than you can justify on new jazz on Bandcamp your missing out on some of the best music ever. My listening right now: Omer Avital's Qantar quintet's eponymous debut Qantar. Of course, I'm also immediately following it up with their next release, this year's New York Paradise.
I was surprised that the NYTimes did not publish any obit on Freddy Cole. They like to consider themselves the national record of deaths in jazz. This has been Freddy's saga. He was largely ignored until after age 70. Then he was able to put together one of the strongest jazz vocal discographies of the last 20 years. He reminds me of Shirley Horn in a way. Very gentle and understated singing. I ran a Freddy Cole festival in the house today. MT: Did being Nat’s brother open any doors for you, career-wise? Cole: There was no golden path laid out for me. I had to do what I had to do. Fortunately, I’ve made it. I didn’t start to make any strides until I proved that I belonged with my peers. My peers started to recognize the work I was doing, that I wasn’t up there on the bandstand trying to mimic my brother. I really started to put something together collectively around 1989. That’s when I started doing a recording per year. Before then, I had recorded in Europe. MT: Did the record companies ever push you to copy Nat’s style and way of singing? Cole: You know, I always rebelled against that kind of thing. I never did that. I was never a part of my brother’s name being eight feet tall and my name being two feet tall. I wouldn’t have any part of that.
Liner notes say only time Charles Rouse and Elvin Jones played together. Rouse passed away a few months after recording.
Hey guys, if anyone is interested, I made a new Blue Note 80 Poll – come over and vote/comment: POLL: Blue Note's 80th Anniversary Series (2020)