What Jazz are you listening to now?

[ando]

Alice Cooper? Duran Duran? Lenny Kravitz? What could be more convincing in confirming the thesis that jazz is dead than the list of participants of the once famous jazz festival?

absolutely. After Batiste you have to comb through the list to find jazz acts! In truth, most of the so-called "jazz fests" haven't reflected what's happening within the genre proper in decades.

[AnotherSpin]

absolutely. After Batiste you have to comb through the list to find jazz acts! In truth, most of the so-called "jazz fests" haven't reflected what's happening within the genre proper in decades.

I'll be glad to hear about new Miles or Coltrane, in Montreaux or elsewhere.

[Henk]

I think Coltrane actually was better when he was on his own and, especially that quartet with McCoy, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin. His albums Blue Train, Crescent, Ballads and A Love Supreme being particular favorites. I don't care for his later free jazz explorations. I really got off the train after A Love Supreme.

As for Kind of Blue, sure, it's a great album, but it never has been a personal favorite of mine. I actually prefer Seven Steps to Heaven (one of my 'Top 5' favorite Miles albums) for example, but my real sweet spot for Miles is the Second Great Quintet, especially the albums Miles Smiles and Sorcerer, which have both had a profound impact on me not only as a listener, but a musician as well.

I'm playing 'Interstellar Space' by Coltrane now. I think he's a great duo with Ali. I liked this album in my student years. If you like free jazz, it's hard to put down.

This is great Miles imo, his early period:

[Henk]

Baffling remark, it never occurred to me that Coltrane played too loud. I guess it depends on who you compare him to. If to Stan Getz or Art Pepper, then maybe. If you compare him to  Peter Brötzmann or Charles Gayle, maybe not at all

I feel ambivalent about loud playing. I thought Rollins plays also too loud but on further inspection it wasn't all that wrong. I think I should tolerate it a bit, if there's balance then it's better to bear.

[SimonNZ]

Reaquired a number of Jarrett cds from the secondhand store yesterday. Had this superb album going on endless repeat last night.

Does anyone know the connection between Miles and the Oliver Nelson track "Butch and Butch" included here? I'm not aware of any Miles version.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Reaquired a number of Jarrett cds from the secondhand store yesterday. Had this superb album going on endless repeat last night.

Does anyone know the connection between Miles and the Oliver Nelson track "Butch and Butch" included here? I'm not aware of any Miles version.

Maybe it's because the tune is similar to, or possibly a remake of, Serpent's Tooth.

[Henk]

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Bud Powell Vol. 3.

[SimonNZ]

Maybe it's because the tune is similar to, or possibly a remake of, Serpent's Tooth.

Interesting. Thanks for that.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Prince of Darkness, comp. Wayne Shorter.

Interesting note: Prince of Darkness was Miles Davis' nickname given by Shorter.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

I'm playing 'Interstellar Space' by Coltrane now. I think he's a great duo with Ali. I liked this album in my student years. If you like free jazz, it's hard to put down.

This is great Miles imo, his early period:

I like all periods of Miles --- yes, even the 80s/early 90s albums, especially Amandla, Tutu and Aura.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Great album! All of those Stanko albums on ECM are worth investigating (if you haven't already). He's one of my favorite trumpeters.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

NP:

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock & Jack DeJohnette: Up For It



One of my favorite jazz piano trios of all-time. Right up there with Bill Evans, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner et. al. A couple of years ago, I went on a Jarrett buying spree and ended up buying almost all of his discography with a few purposeful omissions. His trio and solo piano work is absolutely a must if you care about either medium. His group work is also quite good, but, for me, not as consistently great as his trio/solo piano work.

Here are a few group albums of his that I like a lot:

[ando]

I missed Emmet Cohen when the great Ron Carter joined his trio a few weeks back at Birdland. Heard the entire run of shows sold out. I love Cohen's playing, particularly the way he quotes cats from Fats to Oscar Peterson to Monk. Though his mind's a sponge his whimsical style has yet to congeal, imo. If he's still around in about 15 years no one will be able to touch him.  Here he is with an earlier iteration of the trio in May of this year with Philip Norris on bass and Lyle Poole on drums, Victor's Places, Berlin.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

I missed Emmet Cohen when the great Ron Carter joined his trio a few weeks back at Birdland. Heard the entire run of shows sold out. I love Cohen's playing, particularly the way he quotes cats from Fats to Oscar Peterson to Monk. Though his mind's a sponge his whimsical style has yet to congeal, imo. If he's still around in about 15 years no one will be able to touch him.  Here he is with an earlier iteration of the trio in May of this year with Philip Norris on bass and Lyle Poole on drums, Victor's Places, Berlin.

To the bolded text: I'm not sure what prompts people to make these kinds of declarations, but I don't agree at all. The implication that Cohen would be beyond Bill Evans or Jaki Byard or Vijay Iyer in a certain span of years indicates a level of hyperbole that is beyond my comprehension. Obviously, you're welcome to your opinion of Cohen, but I'm welcome to my own in saying that you're far off-the-mark with that comment.

[AnotherSpin]

NP:

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock & Jack DeJohnette: Up For It



One of my favorite jazz piano trios of all-time. Right up there with Bill Evans, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner et. al. A couple of years ago, I went on a Jarrett buying spree and ended up buying almost all of his discography with a few purposeful omissions. His trio and solo piano work is absolutely a must if you care about either medium. His group work is also quite good, but, for me, not as consistently great as his trio/solo piano work.

Here are a few group albums of his that I like a lot:

Speaking about Jarrett's groups, My Song and Survivors' Suite are a long time favourites. I would add Byablue, Eyes of the Heart, Personal Mountains, Nude Ants.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Speaking about Jarrett's groups, My Song and Survivors' Suite are a long time favourites. I would add Byablue, Eyes of the Heart, Personal Mountains, Nude Ants.

Eyes of the Heart is an unusual one in that, if my memory serves me correctly, only contains one piece that is actually played by the group. I remember this particular album was a bit tough to track down initially, because I wasn't looking to buy it new, but used. When I found it, it was an enjoyable listen, but I wasn't completely sold by the music. There's also Mysteries, which is another album I enjoyed (the best I can recall).

Spirits is another one I find rather enchanting, but this is a solo album with Jarrett playing all of the instruments and doing overdubs (in his home studio with post-processing done by ECM). This album (a 2-CD set) has some gorgeous moments on it.

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Reaquired a number of Jarrett cds from the secondhand store yesterday. Had this superb album going on endless repeat last night.

Does anyone know the connection between Miles and the Oliver Nelson track "Butch and Butch" included here? I'm not aware of any Miles version.

Great album. I'm not sure what the connection is between Miles and Nelson's Butch and Butch. This piece comes from the Nelson album The Blues and the Abstract Truth. Nelson could have dedicated this piece to Miles, but don't quote me on that --- I'll have to do some research because now you have me curious.

[brewski]

I missed Emmet Cohen when the great Ron Carter joined his trio a few weeks back at Birdland. Heard the entire run of shows sold out. I love Cohen's playing, particularly the way he quotes cats from Fats to Oscar Peterson to Monk. Though his mind's a sponge his whimsical style has yet to congeal, imo. If he's still around in about 15 years no one will be able to touch him.  Here he is with an earlier iteration of the trio in May of this year with Philip Norris on bass and Lyle Poole on drums, Victor's Places, Berlin.

Thank you, this looks great. (Listening to a good bit of jazz this summer.)

-Bruce

[ando]

To the bolded text: I'm not sure what prompts people to make these kinds of declarations, but I don't agree at all. The implication that Cohen would be beyond Bill Evans or Jaki Byard or Vijay Iyer in a certain span of years indicates a level of hyperbole that is beyond my comprehension. Obviously, you're welcome to your opinion of Cohen, but I'm welcome to my own in saying that you're far off-the-mark with that comment.

What mark? Are Evans, Byard or Iyer supposed to be some artistic plateau for piano players? When I said no one will be able to touch him I meant, like any gifted musician who develops their craft to the point of mastery, that his artistry will be unassailable in its particular expression. Cohen will be Cohen. Not Monk-esque or Powell-like or an Evans follow up. For a pianist (or any musician , for that matter) to accomplish that kind of distinctive voice is quite a feat. I hope he gets there.