What Jazz are you listening to now?

[SimonNZ]

Bill Plummer and the Cosmic Brotherhood - s/t (1967)
Steve Kuhn and Gary McFarland - The October Suite (1967)

[king ubu]

Heh, yeah. Just checking out some random ones I hadn't heard before. The Lateef 1984 and Sam Rivers Crystals and Albert Ayler New Grass I thought were superb. The Earl Hines was much better than I expected and has a really wonderful "Black And Tan Fantasy". The Mal Waldron soundtrack to a film I've never heard of was also interesting. The Phil Woods was an oddly half excellent and half misguided kitsch. Shirley Scott I often love, but that wasn't one of her best. The Lorez Alexandra does the smokey nightclub singer thing well, even if it adds nothing new, and I'd be happy to hear more. The Russian Jazz Quartet was a surprisingly solid set. Theviolinist Michael White made me want to check out the rest of his Impulse albums.The Emil Richards was endearingly dated. But I have to agree that the Beverly Jenkins was a real letdown (and misnomer) and the weakest so far.

It was hearing Oliver Nelson's The Kennedy Dream last week, which while not necessarily great had much of interest, that made me wonder if I shouldn't try and check out more that I'd either overlooked or that have justly or unjustly been relegated to the dustbin of history. Have you heard that one?

I also played Michael Brown's Alarums and Excursions a few days ago, and was amused to hear not jazz but some topical/timecapsule Folk in the Freewheelin Dylan mould:



and playing now:



v/a - Intercollegiate Music Festival, Vol.1 (1967)
Gary McFarland - Points Of Departure (1963)

Sorry for being so slow ... too busy with too many things (not the least preparations for a longer trip starting in less than two weeks).

The Rivers album is quite a classic indeed, so is the Hines in my book (I can see why one can be more sceptical about it though, it's a bit sketchy, a bit short ...), the Waldron is alright indeed, the Woods and Russian Jazz Quartet albums I don't know at all. On Richards I have kinda given up (there's more such "period charm" stuff on Impulse, i.e. McFarland/Szabo "Simpatico", another utterly weak one that may have its charms). The White is pretty good, too ... and I guess so is the Ayler, though considering his amazing albums for other labels (ESP most notably) I tend to look at his Impulse albums with some reservation, most appreciating "Love Cry" among them ... but yeah, there's stuff on/about all of them that is likeable (oh, and his Impulse live recordings don't belong into that oddity-group at all!)

The Brown and Intercollegiate discs i don't know again, but that McFarland is one of the nicer albums in this generally rather lightweight discography.

Mackay/Hamilton and Plummer are more unknowns, the Sims is a bit of a kitschy disappointment, the Manne a stone-classic (dig veteran Coleman Hawkins! dig Eddie Costa! Hawkins btw. appeared on the memorial concert - also put out on LP but not by Impulse! - given after Costa's untimely early death), and the other White more of the same as the first one (guess I should revisit, but not before that longer trip).

That leaves "October Suite", which is another high point (and as such a good to very good album) in McFarland's oeuvre, in my book. Not too much of a McFarland fan, I guess ...

[SimonNZ]

I should have also listed Benny Carter's Additions To Further Dimensions as a great first listen.

That Bill Plummer and the Cosmic Brotherhood album is worth hearing at least once if for no other reason than its so mind-bogglingly unclassifiable, an unlikely - and at least partially successful - mix of what ought to be five or six disparate genres.

played today:



Lorez Alexandria - Alexandria The Great (1964)
Michael White - Pneuma (1972)

Don't think I've ever heard a version of "Satin Doll" sung with Johnny Mercer's lyrics before hearing Lorez here. Even Ella does it as scat.



Freda Payne - After The Lights Go Down Low (1964)
Mel Brown - The Wizard (1968)



Chico O'Farrill - Nine Flags (1966)

[king ubu]

Okay, will see if I can sample the Plummer anywhere!

Forgot mentioning Lorez Alexandria - it's that second ("The Great") album that I know. The Freda Payne is on the piles, as well, it's nice one. Don't know the other three, I think ... not too much into Chico O'Farrill yet (haven't really started exploring his stuff so I couldn't even say how much interest I have in his music).

Of Mel Brown's I have three albums ("Chicken Fat" and the later 2-on-1 reissue), but that's somewhat too simple for my liking, not real blues, not real jazz, pleasant but not quite enough meat to the bone, I find.

[SimonNZ]

Pee Wee Russell - Ask Me Now (1963)
Buddy Montgomery - Rather This Than That (1970)



Gabor Szabo - Wind, Sky and Diamonds (1967)
Milt Jackson - Statements (1962)



Michael White - Go With The Flow (1974)
Gato Barbieri - Chapter One: Latin America (1973)

That Gato Barbieri album was far more interesting than I was expecting, and the highlight of today's listening, though the Milt Jackson was also solid.

The Pee Wee Russell sounded unfortunately little more than a nostalgia act. The Michael White was the weakest of the four I've now played to such a degree its hard to believe its by the same artist who did the others. And I usually find Gabor Szabo fun, but that one was just very thin arrangements of pop tunes.

[king ubu]

That Gato Barbieri album was far more interesting than I was expecting, and the highlight of today's listening, though the Milt Jackson was also solid.

The Pee Wee Russell sounded unfortunately little more than a nostalgia act. The Michael White was the weakest of the four I've now played to such a degree its hard to believe its by the same artist who did the others. And I usually find Gabor Szabo fun, but that one was just very thin arrangements of pop tunes.

Again don't know half of the albums ... with Gato, Flying Dutchman is terrific and Impulse is quite safe, anything later is rather not for me ...

However, the Pee Wee Russell I really, really love! Here's one of the greatest individualists of jazz, maybe technically limited, but musically amazing, and willing to go places! He started out in Dixieland circles, played with the Condon mob and all kinds of other musicians in the mainstream that developed in the fifties (for instance he co-led a wonderful album with Coleman Hawkins for Candid Records) ... and here, he even does Ornette Coleman, and indeed pulls it off.

I am well aware that for many, Pee Wee Russell is an acquired taste, and for many more a taste that will never be acquired, but I really adore this man's art!

[SimonNZ]

That's interesting. I'll give the album a second and closer listen in the near future.

played today:



Gato Barbieri - Chapter Two: Hasta Siempre (1974)
Shirley Scott - Girl Talk (1967)



Milt Jackson - Memphis Jackson (1970)
Manny Albam - Jazz Goes To The Movies (1962)



Tom Scott - Honeysuckle Breeze (1967)

Another surprising knockout album from Gato - I'm going to have to go back and look at this guy's discography afresh. Another Shirley Scott that doesn't rank among her best. The Manny Albam was instantly forgettable. Memphis Jackson was much more a Ray Brown than Milt album, and is all the weaker for it.

Like the Gabor Szabo yesterday the Tom Scott is thin covers of mostly pop tunes also with the saccharine vocal additions of The California Dreamers, who in their hippie/whitebread way sound thoroughly dated. This album does get points from me, though, for the brass neck of having, sandwiched between syrupy covers of The Beatles' "She's Leaving Home" and Donovan's "Mellow Yellow", an equally syrupy cover of...John Coltrane's "Naima". I think I actually laughed out loud in disbelief.

[SimonNZ]

Howard Roberts - Equinox Express Elevator (1972)
Ornette Coleman - Ornette At 12 (1968)



Jazzbo Collins - A Lovely Bunch of Jazzbo Collins and the Bandidos (1967)
Archie Shepp - For Losers (1970)

lol...okay, didn't know what to expect from Jazzbo Collins, but still I wasn't prepared for beatnik retellings of Grimm fairy tales with hip jazz backings. Wonderful!



Gato Barbieri - Chapter Three: Viva Emiliano Zapata (1974)
Louis Bellson - Thunderbird (1966)

the third of Gato's "Chapter" albums is nowhere near on par with the first two, alas, and much closer to a smooth-jazz sound without the heavy native Latin American influences or the near avant-guard solos of those earlier.



Shirley Scott and Clark Terry - Soul Duo (1966)
Curtis Fuller - Soul Trombone (1961)

[king ubu]

Woohoo, it goes on ... let me comment again, I enjoy this! (But I'll be out of the interwebs mostly for an extended period starting in a week and ending only when December kicks in ... traveling - to India for almost four weeks, beginning in a week! -  some between jobs, hopefully also catching the new Sciarrino opera in Milan in late November ...)

Anyway, regarding Pee Wee Russell, I'm not sure this album is the best way "in" - it's definitely easier if you are familiar with his quirky playing from other, earlier recordings, including forties and fifties dixieland sessions (he is on a lot of recordings with Eddie Condon, Wild Bill Davison and the like) ... he turned up with Thelonious Monk at Newport in 1963 (and acquits himself quite well indeed), he is with Jimmy Giuffre on "The Sound of Jazz" in a wonderful two-clarinet track, he made that great Candid album with Coleman Hawkins, he  also made another Impulse album with Oliver Nelson, btw!

As I said, re: Gato - the Flying Dutchman albums (the label was headed by former Impulse boss Bob Thiele, btw) and all four chapters on Impulse - that's classic, burning latin/brazilian jazz of excellent quality! After that, I don't know much and don't feel inclined to change that, really.

"Ornette at 12" is the weaker of Ornette's Impulse outings, "Crisis" is a masterpiece - both were never reissued because Ornette owned the tapes (there would, I gather, be much more material from the concert "Crisis" was made). I eventually bought both on vinyl as it seems unlikely there will ever be a decent, and possibly extended reissue of either of them. Either way, "at 12" (that's Denardo's age when the platter was made, I think) is good!

Re: Shirley Scott, I'm really not so sure she made any other than "not her best" albums ... but all are charming and have lots of stuff going for them. And of course she did make some really good stuff, mostly with (ex) hubby Stanley Turrentine (three under her leadership on Prestige, "Blue Flame" is the outstanding one among them, more on Blue Note, where "Hustlin'" with Kenny Burrell ist the outstanding one, but I really like "Dearly Beloved", too, and some hot live stuff on Impulse on "Queen of the Organ" plus more from the same sessions on other LP(s), some of which was added to the extended GRP era CD reissue that I cherish). But none of her own trio and big band sides really strikes me as "great" ... same goes for the lovely encounter with Clark Terry - not one I return to often, it's slight, it works, it's not great by any account.

The Shepp is very cool (you'll need "Kwanza", its companion album!), but I prefer his earlier Impulses all things consiered ("Mama Too Tight", "Live in San Francisco" - those are probably my favourite Shepp albums) the Fuller and Bellson pretty solid but again not great ...

The Jazzbo Collins and Albams I don't know ... and don't feel I must change that. Albam is always pleasant and mostly good, but hardly ever outstanding, I feel, so my urge to further explore is rather limited (I have - all on shady Gambit/Lonehill reissues - several albums: "The Blues Is Everybody's Business", "Jazz Greats of Our Time" - a double, "Jazz New York", as well as "Something New, Something Blue", a reissue by Fresh Sound).

The Roberts is on the twofer with "Antelope Freeway" but I only remember that one ... it's on the listening piles but unlikely to get a spin before my hiatus (which is also a music hiatus ... I will only bring my smartphone, maybe later on my new Bose bluetooth box, but not carrying that to India where I would worry about leaving it in the hotel and all that).

The other Jackson/Brown is on order from Japan (only that one has been recently reissued, here's hope for "Memphis Jackson" also making a reappearance) ... if you want to listen to some good Teddy Edwards, btw - I just love his playing! - you should look for the two volumes of "At Kosei Nenkin" by Milt Jackson ... both CDs are extended, i think it was a double album initially, now we get something like twice 75 minutes.

Lastly, the Tom Scott I could have bought once, from the bins ... but didn't, as sampling it was a rather painful thing ... or maybe that was another one, I think two were in the bins, both not really ones I felt I need to buy ...

[aligreto]

Spotlight on Sid Phillips....

[SimonNZ]

Re: Shirley Scott, I'm really not so sure she made any other than "not her best" albums ... but all are charming and have lots of stuff going for them.

The Jazzbo Collins and Albams I don't know ... and don't feel I must change that.

You should give Jazzbo a listen: It'll make you smile.

https://www.youtube.com/v/oOpCsZnGIAk

The average Shilrley Scott album is indeed average, but there are at least a few where she's asked to play music by contemporaries she respects where she rises to the occasion, instead of more or less phoning it in for the usual show tune covers or latest pop fad as required. Those few albums have kept me coming back for more.

today:



Clark Terry and Chico O'Farrill - Spanish Rice (1966)
Elvin Jones and Richard Davis - Heavy Sounds (1968)

the Jones/Davis is a strong album which includes yet another unique version of "Summertime" that ought to rank among the better known and praised idiosyncratic reworkings

the Terry/O'Farrell is every bit as Tijuana Brass as the cover suggests



Alice Coltrane - Lord Of Lords (1972)
Sam Rivers - Hues (1973)



Keith Jarrett - Back Hand (1974)

I stunned to learn there's an early Jarrett that I haven't (I think) heard before

[king ubu]

Don't know that Jarrett either ... but I'm no completist there (ha ha, I only have several dozen albums of his ...) - will have to check out Jazzbo eventually, I think I may even have a vinyl rip of that album somewhere, from the early time of music blogs on the interwebs.

Some stuff I've played recently - all first listens:



The Miller is full of fascinating stuff ... should have bought this years ago! The Walton can still be had in Japan, it's absolutely wonderful, quite possibly the best I ever heard of his!



These two by Kenny Barron were finally delivered, too ... one was out of stock at amazons and I waited for several weeks - but it was more than worth the wait, for sure! The Criss Cross is excellent, and "Live at Bradley's II - The Perfect Set" is indeed near perfection! It contains one set late in the trio's multi-day gig at Bradley's, from which "Live at Bradley's" was also compiled (there, the focus is more on slow/lycrical, but I enjoyed it so much it was a no-brainer that II had to be on my shelves as well).

Finally really digging Kenny Barron, not sure what took me so long, maybe the productions Verve created for him and that somewhat inhibited his playing? The breakthrough ones were the recent Impulse discs (duo with Dave Holland and even more so the trio one with his current working trio).

Now, another first spin, though third attempt - was not in the right of moods previously - and now it works:



Bill Evans is another musician I will always remain somewhat ambiguous about ... but how cool it is that this particular trio - with Eddie Gomez (b) and Jack DeJohnette (d) - has grown its discography so significantly (from one album/disc to three albums/four discs) in recent times?

[Spineur]

John Coltrane evening

[king ubu]

Mainstream Records afternoon:






Saxophones of all kinds evening:



Singing/big band night:

[Alek Hidell]

Elvin Jones and Richard Davis - Heavy Sounds (1968)

the Jones/Davis is a strong album which includes yet another unique version of "Summertime" that ought to rank among the better known and praised idiosyncratic reworkings



Keith Jarrett - Back Hand (1974)

I stunned to learn there's an early Jarrett that I haven't (I think) heard before

Hmm, both of these look interesting. So the Jones/Davis album is a series of bass/drums duets, or are there other musicians on (some of) the tracks?

And the Jarrett: I haven't seen that one before, either. Is it solo?

[SimonNZ]

Hmm, both of these look interesting. So the Jones/Davis album is a series of bass/drums duets, or are there other musicians on (some of) the tracks?

And the Jarrett: I haven't seen that one before, either. Is it solo?

The Jones/Davis includes Frank Foster on tenor sax and Billy Greene on piano - and Elvin playing guitar on one track.

The Jarrett is his American Quartet with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. No idea why its now so obscure (only reissued as a cd in Japan, apparently)

played today:



Ahmad Jamal - Freeflight (1971)
Paul Gonsalves - Cleopatra Feelin jazzy (1963)

Enjoyed the Jamal, even though the live concert sound capture isn't very good. The Golsalves was light and forgettable.



McCoy Tyner - Live At Newport (1964)
Art Blakey - Jazz Messengers!!! (1961

despite being a really big fan of both Tyner and Blakey its a first listen for both of these



Sonny Rollins - Alfie soundtrack (1966)

[Alek Hidell]

The Jones/Davis includes Frank Foster on tenor sax and Billy Greene on piano - and Elvin playing guitar on one track.

The Jarrett is his American Quartet with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. No idea why its now so obscure (only reissued as a cd in Japan, apparently)

Thanks. Might have to look for that Jarrett - I really like the Survivors Suite by the same foursome.

You probably already know this, but Richard Davis (who is still living at age 87) was Stravinsky's favorite bassist.

[SimonNZ]

Thanks. Might have to look for that Jarrett - I really like the Survivors Suite by the same foursome.

You probably already know this, but Richard Davis (who is still living at age 87) was Stravinsky's favorite bassist.

I didn't know that. Did they work together?

[king ubu]

You probably already know this, but Richard Davis (who is still living at age 87) was Stravinsky's favorite bassist.

Your avatar is probably John Eliot Gardiner's second-favourite ...

Re Elvin, his other two Impulse albums are better, I think. "Illumination", co-led with Jimmy Garrison, has Tyner on piano plus the reeds of Sonny Simmons, Prince Lasha and Charles Davis (now there's an underrated MF!) ... and "Dear John C" has Charlie Mariano's great alto in a quartet setting with Roland Hanna/Hank Jones and - again - Richard Davis.

[Brian]

McCoy Tyner - Live At Newport (1964)
Art Blakey - Jazz Messengers!!! (1961

despite being a really big fan of both Tyner and Blakey its a first listen for both of these

I've always loved the !!!!! album. How was the Tyner/Mariano/Terry live? That looks pretty terrific.