All That Jazz ...

Which brings me to the artist that I have been listening to this week - Kenny Dorham, called the uncrowned king of the trumpet as he was so underrated.

Yes, Kenny Dorham is surely one of many 'underrated' musicians. Actually, there's quite a long list of his albums as a leader, released over a 10 year period from the mid-fifties to the mid-sixties, none of which made the big time.

In Pune, we have the Pune Jazz and Blues Club. We meet on the first Sunday of each month with an AV presentation or live performance featuring a jazz style or artiste. Do look at the facebook page! Some time in future, I hope to do a presentation featuring 'underrated' great jazz musicians. Would greatly appreciate inputs from you guys naming other such 'underrated' artistes!

On another note, isn't it amazing how Art Blakey appears as a sideman with so many musicians that were once nurtured by him in his own band!
 
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I thought Don Pullen who played the piano like a percussive instrument ( which it is) was quite underrated. I was introduced to him through his works with Charlie Mingus (Changes 1, Changes 2, Mingus Moves). Later listened to many of his albums from his prodigious output. Capricorn Rising, Milano Strut are a few I possess.
Speaking of underrated pianists , Mingus himself and the great Nat King Cole to come to mind. With some folks I guess genius comes in spades.
 
I thought Don Pullen who played the piano like a percussive instrument ( which it is) was quite underrated. I was introduced to him through his works with Charlie Mingus (Changes 1, Changes 2, Mingus Moves). Later listened to many of his albums from his prodigious output. Capricorn Rising, Milano Strut are a few I possess.
Speaking of underrated pianists , Mingus himself and the great Nat King Cole to come to mind. With some folks I guess genius comes in spades.

Thanks Moktan - will check out Don Pullen. Mingus Plays Piano and Nat King Cole's Quadromania 4CD set are among my favorite albums. I believe Cole started his career as a pianist. He started singing only after a drunken bar patron demanded one night that he sing. He then sang Sweet Lorraine launching his career as a singer.

Cheers!
 
Which brings me to the artist that I have been listening to this week - Kenny Dorham, called the uncrowned king of the trumpet as he was so underrated. An artist who played across many styles from bop to avant garde with a wide variety from Charlie Parker, Monk, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Andrew Hill, Joe Henderson.

Thanks for another interesting contribution to the thread Vivek!
Really liked the sound of Kenny Dorham on those Youtube videos you posted.

Regards.


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Miles.jpg

Wow! Released on 23 March and available on Apple Music, TIDAL and Google Play Music. Just heard parts of it today and, to me, it's just brilliant stuff. Thanks to my good friend Prabs for who noticed the release. This is what one of the reviewers on Amazon.com says (reproduced with thanks to the reviewer):

Trying to pick out one concert over another is pretty difficult and actually pretty useless, because the interaction between Davis and Coltrane runs all through this music. Along with Wynton Kelly on piano whose playing in, around and between the horns really sparkles (listen to his solo on "Bye Bye Blackbird"), while Paul Chambers' bass anchors these performances even as Coltrane is beginning to tear himself away from the rest of the band, and Jimmy Cobb's drumming, propelling the music along with his muscular playing, all the while letting the horns battle it out. Just listen to Chambers and Cobb on the March 21 "So What"--that's jazz baby! There's little let up between gigs--this is one hot band--even though it was beginning to fall apart musically. All through these shows you can hear Coltrane straining against Davis' more straight ahead approach, and this is what's so exciting to hear--Coltrane making his move toward his own sound--while Davis continues along in his melodic, post be-bop style. Davis was swinging in his subdued, cool, smooth style, while Coltrane was emotionally charged up, and you can hear it in his visceral solos, and the difference is telling.

There's some tunes repeated over these five shows--"So What", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Walkin'", and "All Blues" are included in different shows. But listen to things like "'Round Midnight", or "So What" (the live versions of this tune are played much faster than the classic studio version). You'll hear the difference between the horns while the rest of the band is holding everything together even as Coltrane pushes himself onto a different musical path--familiar standards next to more modal compositions--the music both swings (Davis) and crackles (Coltrane), producing both excitement and confusion among the audiences.

There's few recorded times when you can hear a major jazz musician changing his sound right in front of you, and this is one of those times. These five concerts are all good examples of this important and exciting time in Coltrane's path as a musician. And while he would go on to establish his own sound in his own bands, these shows are an important piece of his (and the jazz genre as a whole) evolution. The feeling is palpable all through this European tour that Coltrane had moved on from the more melody based sound Davis was still playing in 1960. And the juxtaposition between the different approaches in styles makes this box set both an important point in jazz, plus makes for exciting listening for fans of both Davis and Coltrane. This is a very valuable and musically worthwhile addition to anyone's shelf of either Davis' or Coltrane's music.

Cheers!
 
View attachment 26734

Wow! Released on 23 March and available on Apple Music, TIDAL and Google Play Music. Just heard parts of it today and, to me, it's just brilliant stuff. Thanks to my good friend Prabs for who noticed the release. This is what one of the reviewers on Amazon.com says (reproduced with thanks to the reviewer):

Trying to pick out one concert over another is pretty difficult and actually pretty useless, because the interaction between Davis and Coltrane runs all through this music. Along with Wynton Kelly on piano whose playing in, around and between the horns really sparkles (listen to his solo on "Bye Bye Blackbird"), while Paul Chambers' bass anchors these performances even as Coltrane is beginning to tear himself away from the rest of the band, and Jimmy Cobb's drumming, propelling the music along with his muscular playing, all the while letting the horns battle it out. Just listen to Chambers and Cobb on the March 21 "So What"--that's jazz baby! There's little let up between gigs--this is one hot band--even though it was beginning to fall apart musically. All through these shows you can hear Coltrane straining against Davis' more straight ahead approach, and this is what's so exciting to hear--Coltrane making his move toward his own sound--while Davis continues along in his melodic, post be-bop style. Davis was swinging in his subdued, cool, smooth style, while Coltrane was emotionally charged up, and you can hear it in his visceral solos, and the difference is telling.

There's some tunes repeated over these five shows--"So What", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Walkin'", and "All Blues" are included in different shows. But listen to things like "'Round Midnight", or "So What" (the live versions of this tune are played much faster than the classic studio version). You'll hear the difference between the horns while the rest of the band is holding everything together even as Coltrane pushes himself onto a different musical path--familiar standards next to more modal compositions--the music both swings (Davis) and crackles (Coltrane), producing both excitement and confusion among the audiences.

There's few recorded times when you can hear a major jazz musician changing his sound right in front of you, and this is one of those times. These five concerts are all good examples of this important and exciting time in Coltrane's path as a musician. And while he would go on to establish his own sound in his own bands, these shows are an important piece of his (and the jazz genre as a whole) evolution. The feeling is palpable all through this European tour that Coltrane had moved on from the more melody based sound Davis was still playing in 1960. And the juxtaposition between the different approaches in styles makes this box set both an important point in jazz, plus makes for exciting listening for fans of both Davis and Coltrane. This is a very valuable and musically worthwhile addition to anyone's shelf of either Davis' or Coltrane's music.

Cheers!
Hello

Unfortunately I had to return the vinyl of March 24th 1960 Stockhome recording. There were way too many pops and crackles to be able enjoy Miles and Coltrane and the recording sounded a bit weak as well. The music sounds sublime but the pressing had a lot left to desire for. Ill order another copy and if that does not work out, wait for a better pressing.

Cheers,
 
I did get a feeling that the album was given the usual loudness treatment. Unfortunately this has become endemic in the industry now and it is sad to see this album getting compressed considering the main audience for this release would be more discerning.

Unfortunately it looks like the vinyl also has not been done well which is sad because one would expect at least the vinyl mastering to be a shade better than digital.

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Great share Kishore! Listening to it right now ... stunning!!

Here is an article from the New Yorker on this release which gives some interesting background info on the album.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/r...-to-miles-davis-and-john-coltranes-final-tour


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Great article! Helps you enjoy the music so much more.

Incidentally, there are a lot of concerts from the 1960 tour on Youtube with decent audio, including a one and a half hour concert at the Olympia in Paris. A lot has been said of Miles and Coltrane, but in this concert Paul Chambers work is outstanding. Listen to his solo towards the end of 'On Green Dolphin Street':

Nikhil, what you said in another post on this thread is so true... a pity. Fortunately, the ones on Youtube are done better, thanks to the European bootleggers!
 
Great share Kishore! Listening to it right now ... stunning!!

Here is an article from the New Yorker on this release which gives some interesting background info on the album.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/r...-to-miles-davis-and-john-coltranes-final-tour


.

Apart from the music, what makes jazz so interesting are the stories behind each artiste, each song. And the controversies - like this one:
https://jasonpalmerjazz.wordpress.c...ry-of-helen-morgan-if-you-didnt-know-already/
 
Apart from the music, what makes jazz so interesting are the stories behind each artiste, each song. And the controversies - like this one:
https://jasonpalmerjazz.wordpress.c...ry-of-helen-morgan-if-you-didnt-know-already/

Kishore, you have to see this movie. It's on Netflix.

I-call-Him-Morgan.jpg
 
The CD is a 4 disc set with 23 tracks. HDtracks also has 23 tracks.
Why is the vinyl a single LP?
 
I surely will, though I'm personally not such a great fan of Lee Morgan. He was never really able to reach the standard set by him in Sidewinder

I still think it would be a worthwhile watch ... for any fan of 60's Jazz.
Lot's of interesting information and first hand view point from someone who was right there when it all was happening.

03-i-call-him-morgan.w710.h473.jpg
 
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