All That Jazz ...

[moktan]

The cover shows Ellington with bandleader Mulatu Astatke.
Eclectic , smoking , grooving - eminently listenable jazz that is never boring.
My personal favorite is the serpentine sax work in the evocative melodies of Tezeta (Nostalgia), the fourth offering of this must listen anthology of Ethiopian jazz.

 

[moktan]

 

[himadri]

So different but yet so similar.

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Clifford Brown & Max Roach Live at the Bee Hive, Nov 7th, 1955 (released in the 70s)

"It"s just a blowing' date" Max said. and what a blowin' session it must have been. Sonny Rollins happened to be in Chicago and sat in for this session. Leo Blevin (I do not know much of him but dig his playing here) plays the guitar almost imitating the horns and no slow comping here.

The liner notes are written by Pete Hamill (wrote liner noted for Bob Dylan"s Blood on the tracks also) who was a newspaper man who passed last month. The liner notes have Max Roach describe and piece together what must have happened behind the wheel on the night Brownie, Richie Powell and his wife Nancy were killed in an automobile accident. Clifford Brown and his short career and death was talked about by a fellow member in the other thread Gone too soon.

Max Roach says, "I"ve had the tape of the session for years. It hurt me to play it." The session was only recorded on Roach"s home reel recorder and hence the audio quality isn't the best but the session stands out. Breakneck speeds, unrestrained playing, topgear, flurry of drum sounds but it maintains a rhythmic musicality all along. I"ll remember April part II and Cherokee being cases in point. The motion blur and the streaks left behind by the drumsticks and trumpet on the album cover convey a good point.


"It is Roach who spurs Brown to these dangerous heights, and in the process, the drummer surpasses himself, too. Neither before nor since has he played with such abandon, and often it sounds as though two or three drummers must be at work."

 

[vivek_r]

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Just the basics - Working, Steaming. Also so good.

dont know how long but going on a jazz binge by pulling albums from the cupboard

Loved all of this

John Lewis - The Wonderful world of jazz - so many great sessions musicians. Many instruments too.
Duke Ellington - Money Jungle. Duke can go modern!
Dave Brubeck - At the Oberlin (time out from Time Out. So pretty)
Duke Ellington - New Orleans suite (so funky). It popped out as I was replacing the other CD

Next 3

Freddie Hubbard - Open sesame. Has the great Tina Brooks and is sounding superb
John Coltrane - Giant Steps (should I listen post an old monk?)
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue - inspired by the other - Coaltrain

 

[moktan]

With George Benson on guitar , the rhythm engine of this hard bop and soul infused offering is in fine fettle.

 

[coaltrain]

With George Benson on guitar , the rhythm engine of this hard bop and soul infused offering is in fine fettle.
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A sincere request to Moktan and Jayanth: please stop waving your copies of Alligator Boogaloo in my face! I’m dying of envy here

However, I did get to see Lou Donaldson live, a few days after his 84th bday at the Village Vanguard. It was a night I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

 

[coaltrain]

John Coltrane - Giant Steps (should I listen post an old monk?)

Absolutely!
I’ve always found that a drink (or five) improves the sound of my setup tremendously

 

[Jayant_S]

I did get to see Lou Donaldson live, a few days after his 84th bday at the Village Vanguard. It was a night I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

We're never topping that!

 

[vivek_r]

This having a music system in bedroom is such a blessing! And WFH (sincerely may I add) advantages

yesterday was
1. Hank Mobley - no room for squares. Hard bop joy
2. Bill Evans - waltz for Debby. Need I say more?
3. Shelly Manne - At the Manne hole - lovely album. Delightfully easy on the ear. Many standards.

Today pulled out
1. The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson - wow it blows.
2. Winton Marsalis - Citi Movement - been in my collection for over 25 years. Must have heard it 3 times. Now will really hear it!
3. Branford Marsalis - Trio Jeepy - always loved it
4. Pat Martino - Strings (ah the joy of a less known real jazz album- has Joe Farrell and Cedar Walton)

 

[coaltrain]

We're never topping that!

Unfortunately, I don’t think I will either!
There are so few true legends of jazz still with us today. And the current global scenario means it will be quite a while before we get a chance to see them. Sad times.

 

[coaltrain]

Over the weekend, I downloaded the new updated Mafia game on Xbox. I had played the original back in 2002, on pc, and it was one of my favourites. But the new ‘definitive’ edition is even better.
So, why am I discussing a video game on a jazz thread?
Well, the game is set in a fictional Chicago-like city during the early 1930s. A lot of time in the game is spent driving around in cars from that era. And they have radios in them!
Below is a selection of just some of the tunes you can listen to while crusing the streets:

• “St. James Infirmary” – Cab Calloway
• “Minnie the Moocher” – Cab Calloway
• “Sophisticated Lady” – Django Reinhardt
• “Tiger Rag” – Django Reinhardt
• “Black and Tan Fantasy” – Duke Ellington
• “In A Sentimental Mood” – Duke Ellington
• “Diminuendo in Blue” – Duke Ellington
• “My Old Flame” – Guy Lombardo
• “When Lights Are Low” – Lionel Hampton
• “You Rascal You” – Louis Armstrong

Video games and jazz? What a combo!

 

[vivek_r]

I wonder if I am getting self indulgent with my now sudden back to jazz mood and posts. But this is a jazz thread and I am in the groove.

First on the Marsalis brothers. The problem with Citi movement was that it was more intellectual, after listening to the blowing and honking on Trio Jeepy, it was difficult to get into. Even if it was lovely. Perhaps another day?

Both are superbly recorded. So now for the next 3

1. Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Blacknuss. Talk about honking blowing yelps and whoops. Just love the soul standards here. He would be among my top artist to see live. (Can someone not get Ahmad Jamal or Yazz Ahmed or Mehldau to India please). Very underrated artist.

2. Coleman Hawkins - Hawk Flies High. Another easy classic jazz recommendation. With a great line up of accompanying musicians

3. Marian McPartland - In My Life. Another one sitting in shelves so long that I need to hear and post.

This having a music system in bedroom is such a blessing! And WFH (sincerely may I add) advantages

yesterday was
1. Hank Mobley - no room for squares. Hard bop joy
2. Bill Evans - waltz for Debby. Need I say more?
3. Shelly Manne - At the Manne hole - lovely album. Delightfully easy on the ear. Many standards.

Today pulled out
1. The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson - wow it blows.
2. Winton Marsalis - Citi Movement - been in my collection for over 25 years. Must have heard it 3 times. Now will really hear it!
3. Branford Marsalis - Trio Jeepy - always loved it
4. Pat Martino - Strings (ah the joy of a less known real jazz album- has Joe Farrell and Cedar Walton)

 

[coaltrain]

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Blacknuss. Talk about honking blowing yelps and whoops. Just love the soul standards here. He would be among my top artist to see live.

Thanks for the reminder. Rahsaan Kirk is someone whose music I’ve been meaning to explore further, but haven’t gotten around to yet.
I have ‘Rip Rig and Panic’ and ‘Now Please Don’t You Cry, Beautiful Edith’, both of which I like. From what I’ve read, ‘The Inflated Tear’ is the one to get. However, would love to hear what others have heard and would recommend.

 

[coaltrain]

Three days of (hopefully) no work and I decided to go live. There’s an added dimension of excitement when you hear the crowd responding to the music.
2 albums down this afternoon, many more to go. Though I think the Miles set should be kept for another weekend.

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Three days of (hopefully) no work and I decided to go live. There’s an added dimension of excitement when you hear the crowd responding to the music.
2 albums down this afternoon, many more to go. Though I think the Miles set should be kept for another weekend.

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Live at the Plugged Nickel is one of my very favorite Miles albums - definitely deserves a dedicated day of listening. There's an abridged version 'Highlights from the Plugged Nickel' - an easier listen.
'
I have attempted to like Roland Kirk on numerous occasions. Thanks to Vivek for the reminder, I'll give it another shot.

Among live albums, Dave Brubeck's Jazz at Oberlin is a big favorite of mine. Brubeck and Desmond have apparently had an argument before the show and they are trying to outdo each other on stage. The result is some outstanding improvisation by both, but I think Desmond is the one who comes out on top here. (Its all there in the liner notes)

Happy weekend!

 

[vivek_r]

Thanks for the reminder. Rahsaan Kirk is someone whose music I’ve been meaning to explore further, but haven’t gotten around to yet.
I have ‘Rip Rig and Panic’ and ‘Now Please Don’t You Cry, Beautiful Edith’, both of which I like. From what I’ve read, ‘The Inflated Tear’ is the one to get. However, would love to hear what others have heard and would recommend.

The one that you have is a classic. The one that you want to get “inflated tear” is also amazing. It’s about his blindness, you may have read.

I am a fan of Rahsaan. So I have Blacknuss, Inflated tear, three sided dream (which is fun), volunteered slavery, a meeting of the times (which is so different) and a couple of pre Rahsaan too!

However your choices are good if you want to own 2. I just can’t resist a guy who blows many horns together.

Rahsaan is a trip.Once you hear him it’s tough to hear anything else so easily. Therefore, I heard Marian McPartland thrice today. And it grew on me. Especially the last song of the album. And so I googled about her. What a woman!

Marian McPartland - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Am now listening to Coleman Hawkins. It’s an album I have loved, yet finding it too orderly to be exciting. Again the Rahsaan effect. But nonetheless, I know it’s a beautiful album

 

[Sushant Sharma]

I heard of Rahsaan Roland Kirk from reading Vivek"s earlier posts. Multiple horns like shiny oversized gold jewellery slung from his neck, flutes and whistles attached to his back and banging gongs simultaneously while playing other instruments, the man sure is a trip to watch. I am yet to hear his music a little more extensively.

I have been listening to this tune for a few days. Funky, Groovy, Gritty, upbeat and what not. Had heard only Roberta Flack"s version of it before.

 

[coaltrain]

Dave Brubeck's Jazz at Oberlin is a big favorite of mine.

I’m yet to hear this album. I have the Carnegie Hall concert, and that’s a blast. Is it worth getting the Oberlin, as well?

 

[coaltrain]

The one that you have is a classic. The one that you want to get “inflated tear” is also amazing. It’s about his blindness, you may have read.

I am a fan of Rahsaan. So I have Blacknuss, Inflated tear, three sided dream (which is fun), volunteered slavery, a meeting of the times (which is so different) and a couple of pre Rahsaan too!

However your choices are good if you want to own 2. I just can’t resist a guy who blows many horns together.

Thanks for the detailed reply! Will check out the albums you mention.
I first heard of Kirk back in college, via a Tom Robbins book; I think it was Jitterbug Perfume.