What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Beef Oven!]

I'm listening to a Bobby Hutcherson album, 'Dialogue'. In 2013 a jazzer forumite answered a request from me for a steer on something not too dissimilar from Tony Williams' album, 'Lifestyle', which is a long time favourite of mine.

I can't remember who gave me the steer (please put your hand up!), but to say it hit the spot is an understatement!

[Nick Armstrong]

[Old Grumpy]

Well, since you ask:

Asaf Sirkis Trio - Shepherd's Stories.

I have had this CD for a while, but recently heard the excellent Maciek Pysz Trio at a local jazz bar. The two of Maciek's CDs I bought (Insight; A Journey) are also well worth a listen. In the spirit of democracy CDs by the other members of the trio were also on sale (including Shepherd's Stories).

OG

[Quarky]

You Tube references would be appreciated!

Art Tatum - Deep purple - great!

[burning dog]

george adams - suite for swingers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_r4Nmz96pk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEwKqzJmvVI

Bobby Hutcherson - Oblique

Laid back stuff with telling contributions from Herbie Hancock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m18zaFKBwpU

[Ian Thumwood]

BD

"oblique" is a brilliant album but there is a companion album called "Happenings" by the same line up (bar one) which is even better.

[Ian Thumwood]

BD

"oblique" is a brilliant album but there is a companion album called "Happenings" by the same line up (bar one) which is even better.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Billy Strayhorn tribute box set, 8cds/dvd, "Out of the shadows" on Danish Storyville.

Al Cohn/Bob Brookmeyer/Mose Allison Quintet, "Winter" cd on Coral.

"The legendary Hasaan", piano, Max Roach trio, Atlantic.

And at this very MOMENT...David Amram on the Cerys show. Who'd of thought, Amram, French horn, the beats, ex Pettiford, Mingus, Monk, numerous film scores, Harold Land etc etc live at age 84 in the studio with Bella Ceryssimo. Really nice program.

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

From recollection the Hassan trio sides are marred by a badly out of tune piano. This is a major bugbear for me as lousy pianos have a propensity to devastate what would otherwise be sensational record dates. (Thinking f some of Monk's Prestige sides, a few Blue Note records, etc.)

I've been listening to an awful lot of Blue Note recordings all year and have had "Ready for Freddie " on in the car most recently . I keep returning to Freddie Hubbard whose output on this label is exceptionally consistent and he had a ability to perform ballads with a beauty which is over-looked by most jazz fans. I think he was perhaps under-appreciated due to the fact that there is no real standout record under his leadership at that time as the quality of the ones I have heard is extremely solid. In the end, I suppose it comes down to personal preference and I think "Ready for Freddie" is probably the one the ticks all the boxes for me.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"Here to stay" Hubbard, Bluenote:

"Here to Stay", a true rare find, was first
released as part of a two-LP set in 1979 after
languishing in the vaults for over 15 years. It
features a Hubbard in his early twenties, and
most definitely in his prime. Freddie was a
member of Art Blakely’s Jazz Messengers at
this time. In fact, the lineup of musicians is
comprised of the Jazz Messengers of the day
(with Wayne Shorter on tenor, pianist Cedar
Walton and bassist Reggie Workman) with
drummer Philly Joe Jones filling in for Blakey.
The music is fiery, brilliant and full of
excitement, including a particularly memorable
version of “Body and Soul”. Here to Stay is a
hard bop rarity (now heard in stunning
fidelity) from some of the top young lions of
the 1960s. It is, quite simply, one of the most
inspired albums of Hubbard’s career."

Maybe not at quite 'that' level but a really lovely date,

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

It is strange to revisit some of the old Blue Note records and find that they sometimes failed to release some cracking sessions at the time - largely due to having too much material by one artist released at any one time. I've snapped up loads of these Blue Note records this years where they have been available for around £3 so it doesn't matter if you get the odd clinker. The recent book on the label is pretty uneven and I feel doesn't identify the better albums that a book should be doing 50 tears after these sessions were made.

Hubbard is brilliant and I think that the 2 albums cut with Tina Brooks show this as a dream combination albeit he quickly grew in stature after this session. It is weird to think how some players like Donald Byrd has an almost cultish following but was hugely uneven whereas Kenny Dorham seems to be appreciated more by musicians than fans. Mobley can range from being on the money to almost being uninterested in the material on some sessions. Hubbard is the best thing about "Roll call." If I have come to any conclusion about the label in 2015 it is that Joe Henderson was probably their most consistent tenor player. Everything I have with him one goes up a gear from the records made by his contemporaries.

[Beef Oven!]

I'd like to order that from Amazon, but I don't think it will fit through my letter box.

[burning dog]

BD

"oblique" is a brilliant album but there is a companion album called "Happenings" by the same line up (bar one) which is even better.

Beef Oven! has hit the spot on this part of the site with Bobby Hutcherson who has a lot of fans round here!

Re:- Happenings
I borrowed that one years ago from a library which had a brilliant jazz section, it is indeed a wonderful album


There's quite a few live albums of a band with Harold Land, Hutcherson and Stanley Cowell, though some are hard to get hold of.

They featured at the same Antibes jazz festival as the then new Miles Davis band with Shorter Corea Holland DeJohnette.

A old hipster German taxi driver, Koenig, took me to the site of this gig for nothing after I noticed him playing some Miles and Coltrane on the CD player. I was staying in nearby Mougins not Germany!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Beef Oven! has hit the spot on this part of the site with Bobby Hutcherson who has a lot of fans round here!

Re:- Happenings
I borrowed that one years ago from a library which had a brilliant jazz section, it is indeed a wonderful album


There's quite a few live albums of a band with Harold Land, Hutcherson and Stanley Cowell, though some are hard to get hold of.

They featured at the same Antibes jazz festival as the then new Miles Davis band with Shorter Corea Holland DeJohnette.

A old hipster German taxi driver, Koenig, took me to the site of this gig for nothing after I noticed him playing some Miles and Coltrane on the CD player. I was staying in nearby Mougins not Germany!

Claim to fame.,,,I once stood on stage with Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land..,,Oh OK, I was "on the stage" but in the wings when they played! I should have brought my jazz bongos. Welsh Jazz Fest c. 1985.


That amazing Antibes date is on Utube. Stanley C tearing it up.

BN,

[Ian Thumwood]

I've been listening to the album by pop singer Laura Mvula with the Metropole Orchestra. When her debut, studio album was released "Front Row" went a bit over-board with the record which was given some serious analysis that you wouldn't expect for a pop disc. This wasn't surprising given her background as a classically trained musician and I have been keeping an ear out for her music. Weirdly, the album has now been re-made with the backing of the Metropole Orchestra and this is the disc that I've started to listen to. The first couple of tracks are simply amazing in their shear scope. There is a problem with the mix being unbalanced with the vocals seeming a bit echoey yet the ambition of the music is hugely impressive. I couldn't believe that someone in pop music would have the ambition or nous to do something like this and about three tracks in I was convinced that I was at last listening to the kind of contemporary pop record that someone who is in to jazz would want to encounter. Unfortunately, the promise somewhat diminishes due to the lack of variety and the similar tempo of everything.

It is a strange sensation listening to this record as it sounded amazing in my car yet , after listening to Gretchen Parlato on my MP3 at the gym, the musicianship of Mvula appeared more restricted. I am about 6 tunes in so can't make a proper judgement as yet. It is difficult not to be intrigued by a musician who is thinking on this scale (the original studio disc features a smaller band but the songs were actually composed with the intention of being performed by a full orchestra.) The orchestrations are very lush in an almost Disney animation - like fashion.

It is probably fair to say that Mvula isn't on the radar of the likes of SA nor Bluesnik, but I wondered if anyone else had checked her out. I would say that she was pretty exceptional for a pop artist in these times but maybe not a singer who will pull up trees for a listener used to say Dianne Reeves. I would be curious to learn Alyn's opinion.