Music and More

Jon Crowley Quintet - Connections (Jon Crowley Music, 2009)

2009-11-22T17:49:00.003-05:00

Continuing the great track record of jazz musicians from Philadelphia, trumpet and flugelhorn player Jon Crowley has moved on to New York, earning his stripes with a wide variety of musicians. His debut album album has the feel and passion of a Blue Note date from the mid 60’s, but is still modern and fresh, not time worn in any way. Crowley is joined by John Beaty on alto saxophone, Yayoi Ikawa on piano, Peter Schwebs on bass and Nick Anderson on drums. “Connections” opens the album with an uptempo, ear-catching melody then a strong fluid saxophone solo backed by propulsive piano trio. The music becomes very exciting as Ikawa’s piano has a full bodied sound, Tyner-ish in its inflections. Crowley’s trumpet takes things out with strong clarion melodic statement. “Momentum” has a mid tempo yearning melody, then a supple and patient trumpet solo. A spare piano interlude opens like a gentle rain shower. After a spacious bass opening, “Tabula Rasa” has spare haunted trumpet and lonely saxophone intertwining, before the rest of the group falls in. The pace picks up behind some strong trumpet soloing in front of the piano trio. Schwebs’ strong elastic bass keeps everything well grounded. “Vista” has mid tempo trumpet and saxophone trading ideas, then picking up speed like a couple of trapeze artists before proceeding to exciting full band collective improv, and then slowing down with nice piano trio interlude. “Ambrosia” is a ballad with Crowley getting a rich and lush tone from his instrument. “Icarus” has mid tempo trumpet and saxophone collaborating for a nice round patient sound, before making way for a punchy trumpet solo. “Right Now” is a strong fast uptempo performance centering around a wicked hot saxophone solo, spiraling notes a focused beam, and a strong deeply rhythmic drum solo. “City Mood” slows things to a medium tempo, with strong yearning saxophone, Beaty is really pushing hard, occasionally overblown, echoing the most exploratory playing of Kenny Garrett. The musicians come to a strong collective finish. “Decision” opens in a spare and thoughtful fashion, and then picks up to mid tempo with nice searching saxophone solo. Round sounding trumpet, mid fast controlled a supple bass solo finish things off. This was an excellent example of music being made by young musicians on the New York scene. Talented performers drawing for a variety of inspirations making wonderful sounds.
Connections - amazon.com

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Grateful Dead - Three From the Vault (Rhino, 2007)

2009-11-21T13:54:00.000-05:00

Taken from the Dead's much loved run at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY in 1971, this dorm room staple was on regular rotation during my college years. Blasting from boom-boxes along with Phish and Blues Traveler while we played hacky sack and frisbee on the lawn. The Adams Family themed pinball machine at the student center was also prime entertainment in those pre-web days. But I digress... Rhino has done an excellent job with the remastering, every bootleg tape of this show I’ve heard always seemed off pitch, but this has a wonderful deep clear sound to it. At this point, Mickey Hart had taken leave from the band, leaving Bill Kreutzmann as the sole percussionist along with Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir on vocals and guitar, Rob “Pigpen” McKernan on keyboards, harmonica and vocals and Phil Lesh on bass. They were a tight, road tested unit at this point, arguably at the peak of their power. Pigpen owns the blues and R&B material with a rough-worn grace, growling out Howlin’ Wolf’s “Smokestack Lightnin’” with great authority and adding some thick, wheezy harp to boot. Elmore James’ classic “It Hurts Me Too” is wonderful, with Garcia’s stinging slide guitar and aching yet strong vocal. His final blowout on “Good Lovin” breaks down into his spoken-word rap, then ramps up to a fine rousing conclusion. Other Dead staples of the day are also included, blasting uptempo rockers like “Bertha” and Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” make the case for Garcia as one of rock's great unsung guitarists, while the moody and haunting “Loser” and “Warf Rat” are fine miniatures of supple storytelling. This is a very fine reissue of a legendary performance. Fans of the band will no doubt have this, but those curious about what the fuss was about will find this an ideal starting point as well.
Three from the Vault - amazon.com

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Harris Eisenstadt - Canada Day (Clean Feed, 2009)

2009-11-20T21:14:00.005-05:00

A patriotic album that doesn't resort to brash jingoism... how refreshing! Drummer and composer Harris Eisenstadt has become a mainstay of the growing Brooklyn scene, while performing as a leader and a sideman around the world. Along with Eisenstadt are: Nate Wooley on trumpet, Matt Bauder on tenor saxophone, Chris Dingman on vibraphone and Eivind Opsvik on bass. Opening with "Don't Gild the Lilly," they strike a medium tempo with probing vibes and horns blowing across the musical landscape of vibes, bass and drums. Wolley takes a pinched sounding solo over rolling drum accompaniment that is fascinating in its own right. Bass begins "Halifax" with a mellow feel, adding saxophone and drums to the mix. Vibes enter and shimmer along the edges of the open and spacious music. "After an Outdoor Bath" is one of the finest performances on the album, opening with some strong full band playing, Bauder steps up with a deep, visceral tenor saxophone solo followed by sputtering spitfire trumpet. great shifting drum work anchors this exciting and exploratory performance. "And When To Come Back" slows things down a little bit with light percussion and soft vibes laying the groundwork for the tempered horns floating over the proceedings. After a lengthy bass solo, the full group returns to improvise and then close the song. "Kategeeper" and "Ups and Down" have a more rapid pace and plenty of room for the horns to stretch out and improvise impressively. It's a burden to lay on any group, but the music on this album reminded me of Eric Dolphy's masterpiece Out To Lunch more than anything else. The angular nature of the Eisenstadt's compositions, and the sparkling addition by Dingman's vibes made me think of the great inside/outside music recorded by the likes of Dolphy, Sam River and Bobby Hutcherson for Blue Note in the early to mid 1960's. It's heavy company, but well deserved.
Canada Day - amazon.com

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Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls - Seize the Time (Naim, 2009)

2009-11-19T21:20:00.004-05:00

Drummer and composer Ted Sirota draws from a wide range of influences to create an interesting spin on post-bop instrumental jazz. Influenced by afro-pop, funk, reggae, ska and hip-hop as well as jazz, the group creates an interesting instrumental soundscape. Sirota is accompanied on this album by Geof Bradfield on tenor and soprano saxophones and bass clarinet, Greg Ward on alto saxophone, Dave Miller on guitar and Jake Vinsel on bass. The mission of this album was to draw attention to the musicians who spoke up for social change. Whether through rock 'n' roll music like "Clampdown" by The Clash which is given a radical makeover by Geof Bradfield, or Brazillian music as displayed by "13 De Maio" which has a sinuous and enticing groove, music has the power to change. Charles Mingus great composition "Free Cell Block F, Tis Nazi USA" oroginally written to commemorate the Attica prison riots meshes perfectly in mindset and music with the band's rebellious nature and is a highlight of the album. The original "Killa Dilla" references reggae with a huge groove and a lurching, loping swing. "Viva Maxi" finds Sirota alone improvising a drum solo in honor of one of his drum heroes, and a tireless advocate for social change, Max Roach. This was a very well done album that drew from a diverse array of sources and then viewed them through the prism of jazz. Bradfield deserves special kudos for his arrangements of several songs, they are logical and well thought out.
Seize the Time - amazon.com

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David Murray - The Devil Tried to Kill Me (Justin Time, 2009)

2009-11-18T09:21:00.003-05:00

Tenor saxophone and bass clarinet master David Murray's decade plus tenure on the Canadaian Justin Time label has seen him launch many milti-cultural projects. On this album, reunites with two Gwo Ka Master drummers and vocalists, Klod Kiavué and François Ladrezeau, and also employs Sista Kee on vocals and piano, Rasul Siddick on trumpet, Christian Laviso and Herve Samb on guitar, Jaribu Shahid on bass and Renzel Merritt on drums. "Kiama For Obama" starts the album out in a thrilling fashion, honoring the first African-American with a percussion driven ten minute instrumental performance with has thrilling solos from tenor saxophone and trumpet. Despite the their best intentions, the following track "Africa" is pale and tepid. The lyrics aren't strong enough for guest vocalist Taj Mahal to really dig into, and even Murray's bass clarinet can't lift the music. Their concern for the problems of the continent are beyond doubt, and their hearts are in the right place, but this track just never takes off. The pace is upped on "Southern Skies" with a funky blues/hip-hop groove and some nice percussion work and Sista Kee and Taj Mahal trading vocal phrases. This is a little more successful thanks to the great booty shaking bass and drum work, and a testifying tenor solo from Murray. The two "Radio Edits" of "Africa" and "Southern Skies" included as bonus tracks at the end of the album complicate things even further by focusing on the lyrics vocals at the expense of the music. "The Devil Tried to Kill Me" weds modern gospel through Sista Kee’s vocals to a strong African groove a little shakily before Murray drives it home emphatically with a very exciting “speaking in tongues” tenor saxophone solo. Murray has tried to work with vocalists before, and with Fontella Bass quite successfully, but here it is the lyrics that hold them back becaused they seem forced and cliched, and clash with the music instead of working organically with it. The band however is killer and when they get a chance to strut their stuff, the results are excellent. "Congo" and “Canto Oneguine” have joyous call and response and buoyant music, making for an excellent performances mixing African music and African-American music very successfully. The end result is a bit of a mixed bag, the instrumental portions of the album are very well done and the band is very talented, but weak and ineffective lyrics blunt the effectiveness of the vocal tracks.
The Devil Tried to Kill Me - amazon.com

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Decade's best jazz?

2009-11-17T23:01:00.003-05:00

Patrick Jarenwattananon at A Blog Supreme has thrown down the gauntlet once again, this time asking which jazz albums should be included in a list of the decade's finest. Jazz has always been a great musical sponge, from Jelly Roll Morton's idea of the "Spanish tinge" to today's multi-culti improvisational stew. But the jazz that meets different music on it's own terms and maintains it's identity, is what I find fascinating. With that in mind, I submit the following.

Bill Frisell - The Intercontinentals: Frisell takes the music of Mali, Brazil and elsewhere and crafts it to his own unique blend of improvised Americana.
William Parker - Raining on the Moon: This R&B inspired album is pure joy, featuring the beautiful singing of Leena Conquest and Parker's great band anchored by the awesome percussion of Hamid Drake.
Susie Ibarra - Folkloriko: A beautifully delicate and thoughtful exploration of Filipino migrant culture as seen through improvised jazz.
The Bad Plus - Prog: Media always seems to focus on the groups witty covers, but here it's the thoughtful compositions and improvisations that take center stage.
Ornette Coleman - Sound Grammar: The music is classic Coleman with sweeping joyful arcs of alto on some reinterpretations of classics and a few new compositions.

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Albert Ayler - Vibrations (Freedom, 1964)

2009-11-17T09:47:00.005-05:00

Tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler performed his greatest music in a state of spiritual ecstasy. Like fellow seekers John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, he looked to use music as a Buddhist might use meditation or a Baptist might speak in tongues: to make contact with something greater than himself. Recorded in Copenhagen on September 14th, 1964, this may be the finest group Ayler ever led. Featuring the trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Sunny Murray, they were playing collective music at an extraordinarily high level. Ayler would compose a fragment of melody, usually taken from a folk song or spiritual and then transform it into an near human sculpture, with long, raw saxophone lines speaking the grief of the modern world. On this album, the most explosive composition is "Children" with an abrasive saxophone interlude of potent emotion, echoing the pain of growing up in the modern world. "Ghosts," one of Ayler's most well known compositions appears here twice. The first version leads off the album with a short mournful melody, almost as a statement of purpose for what will follow. The second longer version takes the (literally) haunting theme into the netherworld for a long exploration. Ayler may not have the immediate familial connection with Cherry as he did with his trumpeter brother Donald, but Cherry was a kindred spirit, tested and tempered by many performances and recordings with Ornette Coleman and he is in many ways Ayler's ideal front line partner. Peacock and Murray are glorious, providing and every shifting bottom to the music but also collaborating and creating in real time as a fully realized unit. This is a very special album and should be heard by all listeners with open ears, hearts and minds.

Vibrations - amazon.com

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Roosevelt "Booba" Barnes - The Heartbroken Man (Rooster Blues, 1990)

2009-11-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Roosevelt "Booba" Barnes was a triple threat as a singer, guitarist and harmonica player. A legend on the stages of juke joints of Mississippi, Chicago and St. Louis, he was mentored by the great Howlin' Wolf and picked up on some of Wolf's stage mannerisms and presence. Barnes only got the opportunity to make one album during his lifetime, but it was a good one, and the rough and ready energy he brought to his live concerts transferred well to a studio recording. The music is excellent throughout, especially on the Wolf covers, where he sounds uncannily like he's channeling the big man. Tearing through "Rockin' Daddy" and the Wolf standard "Louise" his deep throaty growl and wheezy harmonica recall the heyday of Chicago blues. The medley of "Blind Man/I Pity the Fool" demonstrates Barnes patience with slower material, both his guitar and voice are low down and soulful, echoing deep despair and a survivor's defiance simultaneously. With this album and his appearance on in the film and the soundtrack to Robert Palmer's Deep Blues, Barnes hard work had paid off and he reached the pinnacle of his career. Sadly, it wasn't to last. he passed away not long after. But his energy and commitment to the blues are captured in this excellent album for all to hear.
The Heartbroken Man - amazon.com

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Charles Evans - King of All Instruments (Hot Cup, 2009)

2009-11-16T09:50:00.003-05:00

Baritone saxophonist Charles Evans is a native of the great jazz city of Philadelphia where he grew up before moving to New York influenced by his mentor, saxophonist and composer Dave Liebman. After gigging around Manhattan and Brooklyn for several years and forming his own label, he has taken the rather audacious step of recording a solo album of overdubbed baritone saxophone. When I read about this album in Downbeat, I was intrigued, especially after I saw the rare five star review this album was given. It reminds me a little bit of the Rahsaan Roland Kirk album Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata which was also mostly solo and overdubbed. Evans extensive use of overdubbing to achieve a new orchestral effect is fascinating, he can lay down tuba like bass lines or drones and then after setting those down, go back and improvise melodic statement and then go back again and improvise upon them. If your knowledge of the baritone saxophone in jazz is based on the (admittedly wonderful) swing and bop based music of Gerry Mulligan and Nick Brignola, you may be in for quite a surprise with this album. Evans gets a wide range of sounds, drawing not just upon jazz but on classical and avant garde musics to develop a unique soundscape. The way I found most enjoyable to listen to this album, was not to try to analyze it too deeply but, to drift along with the waves of sounds and melodies created by the multi-overdubbed baritone onslaught. Riding the wave of multi layered music was a very interesting experience, as Evans explores the length and breadth of his instrument and the possibilities of what it can do.
The King of All Instruments - amazon.com

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Link Dump

2009-11-15T12:43:00.004-05:00

Don't miss the wonderful interview with Albert "Tootie" Heath conducted by Ethan Iverson of The Bad Plus:

"But when I was young, I followed my ear and heart. There’s a kind of divine intervention that helps. Alan Dawson always said that it was 90% rudiments and 10% divine intervention! That was his philosophy, and it makes a lot of sense. That divine intervention is what I always relied on, and how I was able to create a unique conglomerate of everything, rudiments included. Whenever I sit down to play, I’m quiet for a couple of seconds. Then I ask permission from the ancestors to allow me to do these things that have already been done."

Writer and saxophonist Chris Kelsey blogs about the importance of a practice regimen:

"My sound certainly suffered in my early years in the city, mostly because I felt inhibited from playing as strong as I would’ve liked. I recorded every note I played back then. Today I can’t listen to those tapes. My playing suffered from a paucity of sound that drives me crazy today. You perform the way you practice. I practiced wimpy. I was a wimp. I probably should’ve been flippin’ the bird to my neighbors all those years and practiced as loud and as often as I liked. Unfortunately for my sax playing, I never could shake my, um … excessively-considerate nature."

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Daniel Smith - Blue Bassoon (Summit, 2009)

2009-11-13T11:37:00.002-05:00

Bassoonist Smith takes a clutch of bebop, post-bop and blues standards and play them in a solid and accomplished nature. The unusual tone of the bassoon (for jazz anyway) makes for an interesting spin on this familiar material, holding listeners attention on what might otherwise run the risk of being a routine run through of well known songs. The buzzing sound of the instrument adds a different ambiance to the music, but to Smith's credit, he is still able to improvise with agility on this demanding material. He is accompanied on this album by Martin Bejerano on piano, Edward Perez on bass, and Ludwig Afonso on drums, with two guest spots by guitarist Larry Campbell. Classic hard bop compositions make up the backbone of the material, the funky nature of this material really seems to appeal to the group. Horace Silver's "The Jody Grind" and Cannonball Adderley's "Sack 'o Woe" use aggressive piano comping and locked in bass and drums to create a nice pocket for Smith to fill with a solid meaty solo. Campbell's guitar adds a very nice touch when the band plays the blues, deep down in the alley stuff like B.B. King's "My Baby's Gone" and Robert Johnson's "From Four 'Til Late." Slower material works pretty well too, Wayne Shorter's moody "Footprints" tends to drift a bit, but Charles Mingus' "Nostalgia in Times Square" develops nicely. I think that this album worked well, and will surprise listeners are willing to give it a chance. It takes a little while to adjust to the tone of the bassoon, but applying it to this selection of classic jazz material was successful. Hopefully Smith will get a chance to produce a sequel that focuses on original compositions.
Blue Bassoon - amazon.com

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Zevious - After the Air Raid (Cuneiform, 2009)

2009-11-12T18:08:00.003-05:00

Zevious is a strong guitar, bass and drums trio that takes the hard edged fusion on seventies stalwarts like The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Tony Williams Lifetime and combines it with the post-modern aesthetic of progressive rock and modern jazz. Consisting of Mike Eber on guitar, Johnny DeBlase on bass and Jeff Eber on drums, the band is very tight and turns on a dime, using intricate arrangements and improvisatory exploration to make their point. The band makes a high impact at speed, and tracks in the beginning of the album set a frenetic pace with "Where's the Captain" and "Coma Cluster" bringing stinging interplay between the three interplay to the fast paced material. They end the album nicely, with a punk-jazz song called "Glass Tables" that should appeal to open eared music fans on the pop and jazz sides of the listening spectrum. It is not all modern fusion however, the band also uses some moody soundscapes to good effect on the title song and the ominous composition "The Ticket That Exploded," presumably named after the William Burroughs novel of the same name. I liked this album, it felt like the musicians worked really hard gigging and woodshedding to carve a unique space in the crowded musical firmament.
After The Air Raid - amazon.com

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Keith Jarrett - Paris / London: Testament (ECM, 2009)

2009-11-11T13:48:00.005-05:00

For the past twenty or so years, pianist Keith Jarrett has alternated between extemporaneous solo performances and trio recordings with his longtime bandmates Gary Peacock and Jack JeJohnette. This three disc collection is a recording of two long solo performances recorded live in Europe. It is a fascinating, if exhausting listening experience with Jarrett moving from gentle melodic improvisations to abstract, at times dissonant sections. He has stated in the past the he is merely the conduit for the music and that sense is continued here with the music flowing onward like a river, broken only by lengthy stretches of buoyant applause. It must be said that Jarrett never takes the easy way out as a solo performer, he demands a lot from himself and the audience. Using the length and breadth of the keyboard he crafts elaborate stories with the piano. If you are a fan of the Jarrett solo canon, you will most certainly like this album, but newcomers are probably better served with The Koln Concert album as a starting point. Also, don't miss the special guest post from Ethan Iverson on Destination Out where he compares Jarrett's spontaneous recordings to Paul Bley's records of the mid-1960's. Paris / London: Testament - amazon.com

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Paul Motian - On Broadway, Volume 5 (Winter and Winter, 2009)

2009-11-10T14:54:00.003-05:00

Drummer Paul Motian has been mining a unique version of patient and subtle jazz since his emergence as a member of the famous Bill Evans trio in the 1950's. Recently he has been leading several bands, including this one that plumbs the depths of Broadway show tunes for their material. Joining him on this album are Loren Stillman and Michael Attias on saxophones, Thomas Morgan on bass and Masabumi Kikuchi on piano. "Morrock" opens with some mid-tempo lush piano chording and subtle percussion probing the song. Yearning and mournful horns accentuate the emotional impact. "Something I Dreamed Last Night" has slow, subtle baritone saxophone and longing alto playing in a melodic slow ballad form. Subtle brushwork from the leader underpins it all. Enigmatic piano is the hallmark of "Just a Gigolo" with strong yet flexible alto hinting at the melody over rumbling bass. "I See Your Face Before Me" has slow piano touching the melody in an oblique manner and low bluesy baritone sax which gains a Ben Webster like growl. Subtle and breathy alto alto makes its case along with a quiet interlude of bass and brushed percussion. "A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening" keeps the pace slow, but the gentle and melodic nature of the group's improvisation is interrupted by some groaning vocalizing by one of the band members that is quite distracting. "Midnight Sun" and "Sue Me" round out the album with gentle and probing performances marked by light and airy interjections from the horns. With the spacious nature of the music and the preponderance of slow tempos, the music here has a definite late-night vibe to it. Quiet and subtle reflections are the order of the day here, as the musicians take the source material and shape it to their will like clay. (Edit: corrections 11/13/09)
On Broadway, Vol. 5 - amazon.com

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Cedar Walton - Voices Deep Within (HighNote, 2009)

2009-11-09T15:31:00.002-05:00

It is hard to think of a classier musician in jazz than Cedar Walton. The pianist has a wonderful knowledge of the piano and compositional technique, and the music he makes is both thoughtful and accessible. Joining him on this album are Vincent Herring on tenor saxophone, Buster Williams on bass and Willie Jones III on drums. These musicians have played together for years in one context or another and the experience shows as the music is deeply in the pocked and swinging from the first note. It is interesting to listen to Herring switch to tenor from his usual alto saxophone, and he sounds good, with a deep vibrant tone and fluid improvising. He gets extended solos on Stevie Wonder's "Another Star" and Sonny Rollins' hard bop standard "No Moe" and makes the best of them. Wlaton's lyricism and respect for the melodic nature of jazz comes through very well on this recording especially on his original "Dear Ruth" and a slow and pointed version of John Coltrane's "Naima." The only soft spot for me was their version of “Over the Rainbow,” a song I’ve never really cared for and the arrangement seemed unnecessarily florid. But that is just the nature of the song and a minor quibble. Williams and Jones are integral to the success of this album; they are locked in throughout and provide an excellent foundation for the music. It is hard to imagine any fan of mainstream jazz not enjoying this album, the music is swinging, subtle and characterized by careful thought and consideration.
Voices Deep Within - amazon.com

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Fred and Annie Mae McDowell - My Home is in the Delta (Testament, 1995)

2009-11-08T16:05:00.002-05:00

Like many bluesmen, Mississippi Fred McDowell was as familiar with spirituals and gospel music as he was with the deep blues. It wasn’t unusual for bluesmen to play the gutbucket music on Saturday night and the sanctified music on Sunday morning. This collection finds the great guitarist and singer playing several selections of blues accompanied by only his percussive slide guitar playing before his wife joins him for a short set of traditional spirituals. The blues tracks cover the depth of life in the south in the 1950’s and 60’s with topics like running afoul with the law on “I’m in Jail Again” and some juke joint blues on “Diving Duck Blues” and “Big Road Blues.” Fred’s guitar is extraordinary - slashing out the riveting slide playing that made him a legend. His wife Annie Mae joins him to help sing classic spirituals like “Amazing Grace” and the effect is quite good. Annie Mae really feels these songs and sings them with great enthusiasm. They also have a kicking version of the ancient standard “When the Saints Go Marching In.” This was a very good album that showed the different facets of Fred McDowell’s music and the ways in which he used his unique talents for guitar playing and singing to create potent and powerful music whatever the genre.
My Home Is in the Delta - amazon.com

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Ben Perowsky - Esopus Opus (Skirl Records, 2009)

2009-11-07T18:31:00.002-05:00

Coming in an oversized package that is as colorful as the music itself, drummer and composer Ben Perowsky’s latest disc draws on a wide variety of source material: rock and pop, Indian music, jazz and modern classical to create a very exciting and vibrant statement. On this album, he is joined by Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Ted Reichman on accordion and Drew Gress and bass. You might think with just a quartet that their sound palette might be limited, but this is not the case at all due to Reichman’s facility on his instrument. He is able to get sounds and tones running the gamut from a Hammond B3 to a wheezy bagpipe and this greatly enhances the arrangements of this album. Among the most interesting performances are a couple of jazzified rock ‘n’ roll covers, notably the group’s hell-for-leather take on Jimi Hendrix’s anthem “Manic Depression.” The energy is pure rock ‘n’ roll, but the arrangement is ingenious and all jazz with Perowsky’s powerful drumming driving the performance home and Reichman pumping his bellows for all he is worth. Two Beatles songs illustrate how much depth the band has. “Within You Without You” was one of their first experiments with Indian music and instead of the sitar George Harrison used on the original, long lines of accordion and clarinet make for an alluring soundscape. “Flying” is taken at a patient gentle tempo. It’s not all covers, though, "Esopus Opus" is a short blast of original, organic fun that deserves a chance to be a 45 RPM single if such things existed any longer. This is a wildly imaginative and well played album. In retrospect, I am surprised that this album did not get more attention during Patrick Jarenwattananon’s Jazz Now project, as it seems like the ideal album to introduce an audience raised on rock ‘n’ roll to the joys of jazz.
Esopus Opus - amazon.com

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Recent reads

2009-11-06T15:07:00.003-05:00

Tower by Ken Bruen: Nicky and Todd grew up on the mean streets of Brooklyn, looking for any way to scrape by. Falling into the thug life, their paths diverge: one becomes a street criminal, the other an undercover cop. But their lives would continue to intertwine. This was a very well done collaboration, both Bruen and co-writer Reed Farrell Coleman take one character and tell their story. Both men have a strong, economical writing style that brings their characters stories into a bright light. Bruen seems to really enjoy thest types of collaborations, he also co-writes a series of novels for Hard Case Crime with Jason Starr. Nothing fancy here, just a solid hard hitting crime novel - it is written without pretense and doesn't overstay its welcome.
Tower - amazon.com

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett After Terry Pratchett's startling revelation that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, fans have been wondering what would become of his epic creation, the epic series of Discworld fantasy novels. Well, we needn't have worried, the latest installment is one of the funniest yet. The city of Ankh-Morpork has gone mad for the sport of Foot-the-Ball, a mix of soccer and street theater that often leaves players and spectators alike bloody or in some cases dead. Lord Vetanari, the benevolent tyrant of the city, decrees that this much change, and charges the wizards of Unseen University with taming the game and making it respectable. Culminating with a wildly funny winner take all march between the wizards and a gang of street toughs and hooligans, the story also tells a fine tale of understanding and redemption. Mr. Nutt, an orc no less, is smuggled into the city in an attempt to save this race and integrate them into the great melting pot of Ankh-Morpork. So slapstick comedy and puns with a touch of class is the order of the day, and this makes for one of the best Discworld tales in quite a while.
Unseen Academicals - amazon.com

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R.E.M. - Live at the Olympia (Warner Bros., 2009)

2009-11-04T21:11:00.005-05:00

At first blush, this might appear to be a quickie live album from a veteran band, keeping the fans happy with a little product while they figure out what to do next. But digging a little deeper yields an interesting story. Their output in the 2000's was seen as a series of diminishing returns. So in preparation for their latest studio album, Accelerate, they did five concerts to preview the material and work out the kinks. Having fresh material which was at a very high level and a chip on their shoulder to prove that they were still relevant made for some excellent live performances captured here on a two-cd set. The band sounds more raw and feisty than they had in quite some time, blasting out some of the highlights that would anchor the then forthcoming LP "Living Well's the Best Revenge," "Horse to Water" and "I'm Gonna DJ." Longtime R.E.M. fans will no doubt be excited about the material from their lengthy career that is interspersed amongst the new songs. Long loved songs like "So. Central Rain" and "Disturbance at the Heron House" get dusted off and taken for a spin. There is no radical remaking of the music from their familiar studio versions, but the music is played with such a robust energy that they are revelatory in their own right. Far from a band that was playing out the string, these performances and the ensuing Accelerate LP shows that R.E.M. are not going to go quietly.
Live At The Olympia - amazon.com

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Ornette Coleman - The Complete Science Ficiton Sessions (Columbia 1971, 2000)

2009-11-03T18:48:00.005-05:00

This is a fascinating two disc set that collects music that the great saxophonist Ornette Coleman recorded in a concentrated session in September of 1971. The music was eventually released on the albums Science Fiction and Broken Shadows. Coleman brought together former colleagues like bassist Charlie Haden, tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman, drummers Billy Higgins and Ed Blackwell and trumpeters Don Cherry and Bobby Bradford. These musicians and some other special guests explore the length and breadth of Coleman's vision of small group music at that time. Some of the more experimental tracks included here feature vocalists, like the soaringly beautiful voice of Asha Puthil who fits in almost like another reed player as she soars around the music on "What Reason Could I Give" and "All My Life." Poet David Henderson's slow and distorted recitation and an uncredited crying baby lend their talent to "Science Fiction" which is one of the strangest of all Coleman performances. Bluesman Webster Armstrong joins the music to sing "Good Girl Blues" and ground it it the rhythm and blues firmament. But ultimately, the focus of the music is on the instrumentalists, and the approach they take to improvising on Coleman's compositions. The playing of the musicians is truly thrilling and exciting. Much of the music seems rooted in the blues, but has evolved to far as to be almost unrecognizable as such. Performances like "Civilization Day," "Law Years" and "School Work" are some of the most exciting and invigorating music he has ever produced. The way that the musicians are able to improvise collectively is very impressive. The music never sounds forced or lost and remains accessible no matter how far out it goes. For some reason, these sessions seem to be forgotten when people talk about Coleman's finest work, and I think that's a shame. There is a lot of music on these two discs that is of very high quality.
Complete Science Fiction Sessions - amazon.com

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Stefon Harris and Blackout - Urbanus (Concord, 2009)

2009-11-02T13:45:00.002-05:00

Like his colleague, pianist Robert Glasper, vibraphonist Stefon Harris experiments with aspects of funk and hip-hop on his latest album. Harris plays vibes and marimba on this disc, joined by Marc Cary on electric and acoustic piano, Casey Benjamin on alto saxophone and vocoder, Ben Williams on bass and Terreon Gully on drums. I thought at the more straight ahead tracks were the most successful ones on the album, the ones where Harris' shimmering vibes and percussive marimba are able to stand out and take charge. An example of this is "Tanktified" which allows horn riffing and percussive drumming to lay down a nice foundation for vibes and electric piano. But things really take off during the back to back short improvisations of "Shake for Me" which is propelled by quicksilver marimba and "Minor March" which gives the core band a nice turn on acoustic instruments, culminating with a nice modern bop solo from Benjamin and sterling vibes from the leader. The downside for me were the dated sounding performances featuring vocoder that gave the music a time locked 1970's feel. "Christina" was a pale performance where this device and an overly pastel toned fender rhodes piano stripped the energy from the music. "They Won't Go (When I Go)" recalls Neil Young's bizarre experiment Trans where the distorted vocals rob momentum from some otherwise interesting music. So, it's a bit of a mixed bag in the end, where the less successful experimental pieces are offset by the band's stock and trade, strong acoustic jazz. I hope I don't sound like too much of a moldy fig curmudgeon, I think that musicians should be encouraged to experiment and try to incorporate different things, but for me personally the vocoder just wasn't it.
Urbanus - amazon.com

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Joey DeFrancesco - Snapshot (HighNote, 2009)

2009-10-31T12:44:00.007-04:00

Organist Joey DeFrancesco reunites his original trio with Paul Bollenback on guitar and Byron Landham on drums for a nice off the cuff live album, recorded earlier this year in Arizona. The music is shorn of pretensions and is a vivid representation of a club set by a fine working band. "Eighty-One" opens the album in style, with the band building from a medium tempo and slowly raising the heat. The standard "The End of a Love Affair" also keeps things on a low simmer, with DeFrancesco working the keyboard with patience and restraint. Things kick up a notch at the 3:00 mark settling into a fast groove led by Landham's agile drumming. Bollanback gets a subtly shaded guitar feature, before the group slows things back down and takes it out. "Ode to Angela" has a mild start, bubbling from the organ, building to a section where DeFrancesco piles on heaps of lush chording, before giving way to Bollenback's guitar. "Songline" builds the pace in a fast moving trio improvisation, making space for a clear toned guitar interlude. "You Don't Know Me" slows things down to a ballad pace, with DeFrancesco adding some enormous slabs of organ at times a little over the top, but adding a bit of a gospel air to the proceedings. The band performs "Fly Me Too The Moon," which builds energy with some wailing sustained organ work, and "Whichole" a flat out groover to wrap up the set, and they do in a very strong fashion. It is clear that the band has been playing together for quite a while (on and off for fifteen years) and they are very locked into each other throughout. Fans of the groovin' jazz organ tradition perfected by the likes of Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff and Larry Young will find a lot to enjoy with the generous and enjoyable album.
Snapshot - amazon.com

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The Vandermark 5 - Annular Gift (Not Two, 2009)

2009-10-29T14:18:00.003-04:00

The latest statement from this long running group was recorded live at the club Alchemia in Krakow during March of 2009. After a change a few years ago, the band has stabilized as Ken Vandermark on tenor saxophone and Bb clarinet, Dave Rempis on saxophones, Kent Kessler on bass, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello and electronics and Tim Daisy on drums. "Spiel (for Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill)" is a very long performance that opens the album with some cool riffing of the horns and wild electric cello before strong tenor saxophone and swinging Dolphy-ish alto propel the music into the stratosphere. At the 10:45 the music drops off dramatically, with bass and cello providing a drone for Vandermark to quietly improvise over on clarinet. Slow and spacey alto responds before the full band returns with strong collective improvisation to conclude the performance. "Table, Skull, and Bottles (for Bruno Johnson)" Has some medium up riffing and sawing electric cello before Rempis enters with a deep alto solo. A bass interlude heralds the entry of Vandermark with some agile and bluesy tenor. "Early Color (for Saul Leiter)" opens with slow, patient tenor saxophone and percussion. The music gradually increases in intensity and builds to a powerful conclusion. "Second Marker (for Ab Baars)" has a swinging opening over strong cello and bass. Vandermark's tenor solo is extraordinary and ripe with thrilling ideas throughout. "Cement (for Michael Haberz)" opens with subtle percussion before strong riffing horns come in to pick up and propel the music. Lonberg-Holm's electric cello is particularly interesting here, reminiscent of the work John Cale did for the early Velvet Underground. He is reeled back in for a hard and fast round of collective improvisation before Vandermark breaks free from the pack to soar like a majestic eagle with a great caustic tenor saxophone solo. "Cadmium Orange (for Francis Bacon)" wraps up the album with acoustic cello or bowed bass along with lightly blown horns. The music is light and nimble with the horns and bows squeaking and skittering freely. The music gets stronger at the halfway point with full-bodied riffing from the horns and guitar like distorted electric cello with heavy rock-like drumming. The music then builds to a strong and vibrant conclusion.This is one of the finest working groups in jazz and their commitment to musical adventure remains as true today as ever. The dedications of the compositions seem to really inspire Vandermark and his companions to make thrilling and very enjoyable music.
Annular Gift - amazon.com

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The Apocalypse is Nigh

2009-10-28T09:45:00.004-04:00

I am known at work for (among other things) having a esoteric taste in music. Sharing an office with four other people in close proximity, I carve out my own little niche in the maelstrom by playing music as much as possible. So when a colleague whose musical interests extend as far as Coldplay came in, handed me a list and asked "Do you have any of these CD's?" I was taken aback, to say the least. The discs in question were:

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Thelonious Monk - Monk's Music
Albert Ayler - Spiritual Unity
Peter Brotzmann - Machine Gun

So being the music nerd I am, I responded, "Yes, I have all of them, they are considered classics." But what I was thinking was: "You're messing with me, right?" In the United States, jazz has a market share of approximately 2% and for the out there stuff like Ayler and Brotzmann it's even less. So for a People Magazine reading, Survivor watching person to ask me about music like this was highly improbable. Apparently she had read the Steve Hamilton novel Night Work and music, especially jazz, plays a big role in the narrative with the protagonist playing tracks from these albums in the course of the plot. This isn't new, many great mystery novels have evoked jazz in the past, but to evoke the freest of the free is a fascinating twist. I'll have to check it out soon.

Lightnin' Hopkins - The Gold Star Sessions, Vol. 1 (Arhoolie, 1993)

2009-10-27T11:23:00.004-04:00

These rare early recordings of the great blues guitarist and singer Lightnin' Hopkins were recorded in Houston between 1947 - 1950 and remastered from acetates and 78 rpm records in the early 1990's. Capturing Hopkins in his purest form, mostly unaccompanied with just his wry voice and guitar, this makes for a fascinating listen. Hopkins was a songster who took material from wherever he could find it, be that a blues standard like Big Joe Williams "Baby Please Don't Go" or his own topical (and risky) blues "Tim Moore's Farm." In this amazing song, Hopkins lays bare the facts of plantation life. Told that his wife has died, the protagonist asks the bossman for permission to attend the burial and is denied with a vicious racial slur. This song and the haunting "Death Bells" are among the deepest of the deep blues, but it is not all heartbreak and desperation. "Lightnin' Boogie" shows Hopkins' idiosyncratic guitar style in full bloom, while "Bid Mama Jump" and "Treat Me Kind" would have been popular in the taverns and juke joints of the Gulf Coast where Hopkins plied his trade. Overall, this was a very good album and the performances are first rate throughout. The sound quality is a little rough in spots, but nothing that blues fans haven't heard before.
Gold Star Sessions, Vol. 1 - amazon.com

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