Make a Jazz Noise Here

[Robert]

I've heard a couple of albums many years ago (I think Concert in the garden and Sky blue), I think it was nice but I don't remember great tunes like those written by Carla Bley (I was exploring the music of female jazz musicians). But she's probably one of those I have to listen much more, I know that she's one of the most respected bandleaders.
Anyway among those jazz musicians who are also respected as composer I've heard (at least to a degree, maybe I have listened some of their best stuff): Tom Harrell, kenny Wheeler, Muhal Richard Abrams, Henry Threadgill, 8 bold souls, John Carter, Pat Metheny (I admit I adore his little "In her family"), Ran Blake, Mulgrew Miller, Jason Moran, John Zorn, Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Davis, Dave Holland, Wynton Marsalis, Jane Ira Bloom, Jessica Williams, Charlie Haden, Claudia quintet, Dave Douglas, Ben Monder, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jason Adasiewicz, Greg Osby, Vijay Iyer... just to name the first names I can remember now, and I should add some modern big band (but now I can't even remember the names of their bandleaders).
If I have to mention the writers of pieces I've liked the most in recent decades I would mention old school guys like Wayne Shorter, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton , Andrew Hill and Don Grolnick, not exactly a selection of young talents (also considering that some of them are dead).
[/quote

Are you aware of the music of Carla's Ex

[torut]

I've heard a couple of albums many years ago (I think Concert in the garden and Sky blue), I think it was nice but I don't remember great tunes like those written by Carla Bley (I was exploring the music of female jazz musicians). But she's probably one of those I have to listen much more, I know that she's one of the most respected bandleaders.
Anyway among those jazz musicians who are also respected as composer I've heard (at least to a degree, maybe I have listened some of their best stuff): Tom Harrell, kenny Wheeler, Muhal Richard Abrams, Henry Threadgill, 8 bold souls, John Carter, Pat Metheny (I admit I adore his little "In her family"), Ran Blake, Mulgrew Miller, Jason Moran, John Zorn, Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Davis, Dave Holland, Wynton Marsalis, Jane Ira Bloom, Jessica Williams, Charlie Haden, Claudia quintet, Dave Douglas, Ben Monder, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jason Adasiewicz, Greg Osby, Vijay Iyer... just to name the first names I can remember now, and I should add some modern big band (but now I can't even remember the names of their bandleaders).
If I have to mention the writers of pieces I've liked the most in recent decades I would mention old school guys like Wayne Shorter, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton , Andrew Hill and Don Grolnick, not exactly a selection of young talents (also considering that some of them are dead).

Thank you. Carla Brey is a great composer, pianist and bandleader. I have not been listening to Kenny Barron much, but recently I was very impressed with his latest duo album with Holland (The Art of Conversation), containing a couple of jazz standards and the original compositions of Barron and Holland, which are quite good.
There is at least one album covering Maria Schneider's works by other musicians. (Vertical Voices: The Music of Maria Schneider by Dollison and Marsh) I think it is rare for contemporary jazz composers.
Kenny Garrett wrote memorable pieces, some of which are worth recognizing as jazz standards, imo.
Also, Toshiko Akiyoshi's compositions are excellent.
Not contemporary, but Petrucciani composed very nice tunes.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I really like Jamal and also the recent stuff of him I've listened, but I've some difficulties to consider him "modern".

Jamal has longevity on his side no question, but he's in good company there. What makes him a "modern" for me is that, despite the fact he started strong all those years ago, his highest peak came only late in life. In "modern/recent times". 

And by the way do you consider him relevant as a composer?

Absolutely. Always have right from his earliest dates. And I'm not the only one: there's of course the well documented story about Miles Davis being influenced by him. No higher praise than that.

But that's just the early part of his career. Jamal really took it to the next level during the decade of the 90s.


   

[escher]

Jamal has longevity on his side no question, but he's in good company there. What makes him a "modern" for me is that, despite the fact he started strong all those years ago, his highest peak came only late in life. In "modern/recent times". 

Absolutely. Always have right from his earliest dates. And I'm not the only one: there's of course the well documented story about Miles Davis being influenced by him. No higher praise than that.

But Miles liked Jamal as a pianist for his use of space, not as a composer. Even Poinciana wasn't a piece written by him. What are his compositions that you like the most of him?

[escher]

I've heard a couple of albums many years ago (I think Concert in the garden and Sky blue), I think it was nice but I don't remember great tunes like those written by Carla Bley (I was exploring the music of female jazz musicians). But she's probably one of those I have to listen much more, I know that she's one of the most respected bandleaders.
Anyway among those jazz musicians who are also respected as composer I've heard (at least to a degree, maybe I have listened some of their best stuff): Tom Harrell, kenny Wheeler, Muhal Richard Abrams, Henry Threadgill, 8 bold souls, John Carter, Pat Metheny (I admit I adore his little "In her family"), Ran Blake, Mulgrew Miller, Jason Moran, John Zorn, Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Davis, Dave Holland, Wynton Marsalis, Jane Ira Bloom, Jessica Williams, Charlie Haden, Claudia quintet, Dave Douglas, Ben Monder, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jason Adasiewicz, Greg Osby, Vijay Iyer... just to name the first names I can remember now, and I should add some modern big band (but now I can't even remember the names of their bandleaders).
If I have to mention the writers of pieces I've liked the most in recent decades I would mention old school guys like Wayne Shorter, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton , Andrew Hill and Don Grolnick, not exactly a selection of young talents (also considering that some of them are dead).
[/quote

Are you aware of the music of Carla's Ex

Which one? Paul Bley, Michael Mantler or Steve Swallow?
Anyway I really like certain thing of Michael Mantler. His Hapless Child (where there's also Carla at the piano) is one of my very favorite albums.

[escher]

Thank you. Carla Brey is a great composer, pianist and bandleader. I have not been listening to Kenny Barron much, but recently I was very impressed with his latest duo album with Holland (The Art of Conversation), containing a couple of jazz standards and the original compositions of Barron and Holland, which are quite good.
There is at least one album covering Maria Schneider's works by other musicians. (Vertical Voices: The Music of Maria Schneider by Dollison and Marsh) I think it is rare for contemporary jazz composers.
Kenny Garrett wrote memorable pieces, some of which are worth recognizing as jazz standards, imo.
Also, Toshiko Akiyoshi's compositions are excellent.
Not contemporary, but Petrucciani composed very nice tunes.

I've heard a couple of albums both of Garrett and Toshiko Akiyoshi, but besides a live (I guess he was at Umbria jazz) I have never heard anything of Petrucciani. If you have suggestions about those tunes I'm very curious.

[Robert]

I've heard a couple of albums both of Garrett and Toshiko Akiyoshi, but besides a live (I guess he was at Umbria jazz) I have never heard anything of Petrucciani. If you have suggestions about those tunes I'm very curious.

He died in 1999, he had a bone disease.  You have to see him play (on You Tube) He was very small and very light. I had seen him many times his drummer use to carry him off and on stage.  He had these big petals on the piano because he could not reach them... some ideas:
Pianism
Darn That Dream
Power of Three

enjoy.....

[Robert]

Which one? Paul Bley, Michael Mantler or Steve Swallow?
Anyway I really like certain thing of Michael Mantler. His Hapless Child (where there's also Carla at the piano) is one of my very favorite albums.

Actually there all good in their own different way.  But it was Paul I was thinking of.....

[torut]

I've heard a couple of albums both of Garrett and Toshiko Akiyoshi, but besides a live (I guess he was at Umbria jazz) I have never heard anything of Petrucciani. If you have suggestions about those tunes I'm very curious.

He died in 1999, he had a bone disease.  You have to see him play (on You Tube) He was very small and very light. I had seen him many times his drummer use to carry him off and on stage.  He had these big petals on the piano because he could not reach them... some ideas:
Pianism
Darn That Dream
Power of Three

enjoy.....

Those are great albums, especially Pianism. Another one of my favorites is Live at the Village Vanguard (1984).

Michel Petrucciani
Three Forgotten Magic Words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AsaezC9xnk
Brazilian Suite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBQxJS_p05U

You may already have heard, but I love these albums/tunes composed by Garrett and Akiyoshi.

Kenny Garrett - Songbook (Warner)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVp24joMINM (The House That Nat Built)
Kenny Garrett - Simply Said (Warner)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFmHDA-aXH0 (G.T.D.S.)

Toshiko Akiyoshi - Long Yellow Road
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNLDFZnYAL4
Toshiko Akiyoshi - Memory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQGFYErcZTo

[Dancing Divertimentian]

But Miles liked Jamal as a pianist for his use of space, not as a composer. Even Poinciana wasn't a piece written by him. What are his compositions that you like the most of him?

It could be we're thinking of two different Jamals. The Jamal I'm referring to is the Jamal of the 90s. The Jamal of the 90s was a song writing machine. At the beginning of his career that wasn't really the case. I mapped that Miles Davis quotation onto the Jamal of the 90s but you're probably right: it may not exactly be applicable to the Jamal of yesteryear, even though he did write some of his own music early on (even so, Miles obviously knew a good thing when he heard it).

Anyhoo.....as far as getting a picture of "the 90s Jamal" and what he could accomplish composition-wise, I'd say there's no greater place to start than anywhere in that grouping of CDs I mentioned a few posts ago (the Chicago Revisited disc excepted). The great majority of music from that grouping is 100% Jamal. Covers are represented of course but they're the minority. One CD, Picture Perfect, features no covers at all. It's all Jamal. 

He rocks on those CDs and it's the foundation for my admiration for him (though I love his 50s work, too).

Here's a re-list of that grouping:

The Essence, parts 1, 2, 3 (three discs)
In Search of Momentum
It's Magic
Picture Perfect

[Robert]

Those are great albums, especially Pianism. Another one of my favorites is Live at the Village Vanguard (1984).

Michel Petrucciani
Three Forgotten Magic Words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AsaezC9xnk
Brazilian Suite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBQxJS_p05U

You may already have heard, but I love these albums/tunes composed by Garrett and Akiyoshi.

Kenny Garrett - Songbook (Warner)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVp24joMINM (The House That Nat Built)
Kenny Garrett - Simply Said (Warner)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFmHDA-aXH0 (G.T.D.S.)

Toshiko Akiyoshi - Long Yellow Road
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNLDFZnYAL4
Toshiko Akiyoshi - Memory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQGFYErcZTo

Yellow is with Lew Tobakin. Is Memory Solo?   Ive never seen her solo only with Lew....

[escher]

He died in 1999, he had a bone disease.  You have to see him play (on You Tube) He was very small and very light. I had seen him many times his drummer use to carry him off and on stage.  He had these big petals on the piano because he could not reach them... some ideas:
Pianism
Darn That Dream
Power of Three

enjoy.....

thank you. As I've said I've seen him playing at Perugia jazz, I know of his problems (by the way lately I was hearing the great Chris Anderson, another underrated jazz pianist who I guess was affected by the same disease)

[torut]

Yellow is with Lew Tobakin. Is Memory Solo?   Ive never seen her solo only with Lew....

Both are performed by Akiyoshi/Tabackin big band, but composed by Akiyoshi alone, I believe. I have her piano solo album including Long Yellow Road. It also is very nice.

[Bogey]

Well, a band leader that has continued to garner my attention and is quickly rising to a favorite is Billy May.


William E. "Billy" May (November 10, 1916 – January 22, 2004) was an American composer, arranger and trumpeter. He composed film and television music for The Green Hornet (1966), Batman (with Batgirl theme, 1967),[1] and Naked City (1960). He collaborated on films such as Pennies from Heaven (1981), and orchestrated Cocoon, and Cocoon: The Return, among others.

May also wrote arrangements for many top singers, including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Anita O'Day, Peggy Lee, Vic Damone, Bobby Darin, Johnny Mercer, Ella Fitzgerald, Jack Jones, Bing Crosby, Sandler and Young, Nancy Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, The Andrews Sisters and Ella Mae Morse. He also collaborated with satirist Stan Freberg on several classic 1950s and 1960s satirical music albums.

I am beginning to grab his platters in the used bins. I am enjoying him as much as Nelson Riddle at this point, and that is saying something for me.  Here is a recent score:

 

A handful of Sinatra fans here, so the name should not be too new.

[Mookalafalas]

Absolutely. Always have right from his earliest dates. And I'm not the only one: there's of course the well documented story about Miles Davis being influenced by him. No higher praise than that.

  As I recall, Bill Evans turned Miles onto Jamal, and he used to go and watch Jamal play after his own sets on occasion.  He "stole" "Someday My Prince Will Come" from him--that is, Jamal was the only guy covering it, and later both he and Bill Evans made great covers of it.

TD:
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[Artem]

This is a nice, drumless trio. It has just the exactly needed amount of lyricism and dynamic interaction among the players. Chet Baker in the 80s is a wonderful discovery for me.

[asin]B00026KPDY[/asin]

[Dancing Divertimentian]

  As I recall, Bill Evans turned Miles onto Jamal, and he used to go and watch Jamal play after his own sets on occasion.  He "stole" "Someday My Prince Will Come" from him--that is, Jamal was the only guy covering it, and later both he and Bill Evans made great covers of it.

I seem to recollect something along those lines, too. Thanks for jogging the memory banks.

[Mirror Image]

I'm sure I've linked this before, but I'll post it again anyway because it is so beautiful and definitely speaks to me:

https://www.youtube.com/v/MA39pXfBBRE

I love it when John Zorn lets his more melodic side come to fore and thankfully there's many recordings of his that demonstrate this side of his musical persona.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Lively quintet with a twist: along with the standard sax, piano, bass, and drums, it includes a french horn! It takes some getting used to but the horn player is amazingly dextrous. Quite fun.

Besides that novelty word has it Mr. Criscuolo makes a mean pizza pie in one of the several diners/bistros he owns around Connecticut. Multitalented guy. His sax playing is pure delight, with a very distinctive tone (a tart mix of Sonny Stitt, Jackie McLean, and perhaps Sonny Rollins), wonderfully fun & creative solos, and fantastic composition skills.

His next move should be to open one of his pizza joints somewhere in my vicinity. Can't be too bad since he's talented enough with his playing.



[asin]B00GXGWGHA[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Lively quintet with a twist: along with the standard sax, piano, bass, and drums, it includes a french horn!

Of course, the french horn isn't anything new to the jazz world as Julius Watkins was one of the premier bebop hornists of his day. Have heard his work with Jimmy Heath? Great stuff.