What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Serial_Apologist]

Probably the least known album featuring Miles Davis with the title 'The Jazz and Classical Music Society presents a program of MUSIC FOR BRASS by Gunther Schuller, John Lewis, Jimmy Giuffre, J.J.Johnson conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos and Gunther Schuller'(COLUMBIA) from 1956.

Currently very difficult to find.

Here's 'Three Little Feelings':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzN275in8-M

JR

Thanks for that link, JR. I remember spotting those recordings in Ian Carr's discography at the end of his Miles biog, and thinking, hmm, must look into those sometime.

[Jazzrook]

Tenorist Booker Ervin's hard-to-find 1966 sextet album 'Heavy!!!' with Jimmy Owens(trumpet, flugelhorn); Garnett Brown(trombone); Jaki Byard(piano); Richard Davis(bass) & Alan Dawson(drums):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L79yRnXYo1Y

JR

[Jazzrook]

Terry Gibbs(vibes) & Terry Pollard(piano & vibes) with Herman Wright(bass) & Jerry Segal(drums) playing 'Gibberish' & 'Now's The Time' from 1956:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8z6fwq4ZSE

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

On the subject of "neglected" Miles, I was given an LP of "The man with the horn" for my birthday and have been playing that this week. It is a record I had heard a very long time ago and it never really registered with me as being that good. Davis recorded this in 1981 and it was a comeback album which marked his return in a decade where he seemed to be trying too hard to remain relevant. I had a negative perception of this disc, largely because I was more familiar with the follow up albums such as "Aura" and "Tutu."

The 1980's Miles discs are generally not highly regarded as he was trading off an earlier reputation but "The man with the horn" is interesting because it is far more akin to the stuff he was producing in the previous decade with a group dominated by the guitar as opposed to a wash of keyboards. The music is far better than I remembered if being and Miles is genuinely engaged in the music as opposed to the posing that mars so much of the albums he produced which followed. It was really nice to be reacquainted with this record and to find that it is actually pretty good even if the title track with the vocal seems to belong to another record altogether. Not a bad record by any stretch of the imagination and a lot better than what followed. It doesn't sound as dated as "Tutu" , for example.

[Serial_Apologist]

On the subject of "neglected" Miles, I was given an LP of "The man with the horn" for my birthday and have been playing that this week. It is a record I had heard a very long time ago and it never really registered with me as being that good. Davis recorded this in 1981 and it was a comeback album which marked his return in a decade where he seemed to be trying too hard to remain relevant. I had a negative perception of this disc, largely because I was more familiar with the follow up albums such as "Aura" and "Tutu."

The 1980's Miles discs are generally not highly regarded as he was trading off an earlier reputation but "The man with the horn" is interesting because it is far more akin to the stuff he was producing in the previous decade with a group dominated by the guitar as opposed to a wash of keyboards. The music is far better than I remembered if being and Miles is genuinely engaged in the music as opposed to the posing that mars so much of the albums he produced which followed. It was really nice to be reacquainted with this record and to find that it is actually pretty good even if the title track with the vocal seems to belong to another record altogether. Not a bad record by any stretch of the imagination and a lot better than what followed. It doesn't sound as dated as "Tutu" , for example.

I think I must have given it away. I remember us all wondering if that album title had the same double meaning for Americans as it did for us dirty-minded British lot. And it turns out it did, or does, according to my, admittedly, Canadian lady friend!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Agree with SA, I bought a box set of that stuff and it always sounded to me like one of those "music minus one" things, Miles meandering over a (awful) backing tape...

BUT, I have just acquired Jackie McLean's "Nature Boy" (Bluenote), now rare, vastly disregarded and critically panned (the predictable tramline Morton/Cook). It's Jackie playing mostly ballads late in the day (1999 Bluenote) with Cedar Walton, Billy Higgins etc and I think it's exceptional in what it set out to do. Never trust a critic. No, not never. Especially them.

[Ian Thumwood]

Agree with SA, I bought a box set of that stuff and it always sounded to me like one of those "music minus one" things, Miles meandering over a (awful) backing tape...

I would agree with that assessment with regards to some of Miles' other 1980's offerings. "You're under arrest" and "Tutu" are really hard to take seriously these days and , to be honest, I never listened to his work on Warner after the last album because he seemed so behind the curve. I think this assessment has been exacerbated with the passing of 30-odd years and I am not aware of these albums being given a "revisionist" assessment. Stuff like "Decoy" seemed ok at the time but this coincided with the point I was discovering jazz which was approximately the point at which anything vaguely fusion was out of favour.

That said, "Man with the horn" is not really a fusion record. It has more in common with what he was doing in the 1970s than subsequent records. The title track is fine as a piece of pop / soul and probably the kind of thing you would appreciate if you liked stuff such as Bill Withers. (Which I do.) But the bulk of the record is guitar-driven and featured quite a bit of percussion. It sounds far more purist as jazz now than it probably did at the time. All in all, I was surprised at how good an album it is. Ok, it is not a patch on the stuff with Herbie and Wayne but it does not deserve to be slagged off. SA wrote a comment about "Milestones" being Miles' last hurrah at be-bop but the closing "Ursula" turns that notion on it's head. This album deserves to be more appreciated.

[Serial_Apologist]

I would agree with that assessment with regards to some of Miles' other 1980's offerings. "You're under arrest" and "Tutu" are really hard to take seriously these days and , to be honest, I never listened to his work on Warner after the last album because he seemed so behind the curve. I think this assessment has been exacerbated with the passing of 30-odd years and I am not aware of these albums being given a "revisionist" assessment. Stuff like "Decoy" seemed ok at the time but this coincided with the point I was discovering jazz which was approximately the point at which anything vaguely fusion was out of favour.

That said, "Man with the horn" is not really a fusion record. It has more in common with what he was doing in the 1970s than subsequent records. The title track is fine as a piece of pop / soul and probably the kind of thing you would appreciate if you liked stuff such as Bill Withers. (Which I do.) But the bulk of the record is guitar-driven and featured quite a bit of percussion. It sounds far more purist as jazz now than it probably did at the time. All in all, I was surprised at how good an album it is. Ok, it is not a patch on the stuff with Herbie and Wayne but it does not deserve to be slagged off. SA wrote a comment about "Milestones" being Miles' last hurrah at be-bop but the closing "Ursula" turns that notion on it's head. This album deserves to be more appreciated.

"Seven Steps to Heaven" was the tune I was thinking of - AABA structured - not the rest of the album, though!

[CGR]

"El Hombre"
Pat Martino- Guitar with Trudy Pitts Organ, Danny Turner flute, Mitch Fine drums, Abdu Johnson congas, Vance Anderson bongos
Prestige

Recorded in 1967 and of its time with the latin rhythms trying to be more 'ethnic' and not that sophisitcated, martini drinking, bossa of the early 60s. But the guitar playing is really nice.

[Serial_Apologist]

Phil Woods European Rhythm Machine - Molde '73

Some kind soul just posted this on the British Jazz forum as a timely recalling of our guys' contribution to US-Anglo-French relations. Gordon Beck totally inhabiting pre-Return To Forever Chick Corea, Ron Matthewson reminding us just what a truly great bass player he could be. Don Humair extrêmement à la batterie.

To all 1970s jazz decryers - be amazed, be very amazed!

https://tv.nrk.no/serie/moldejazz/FBUA57004872/15-01-1973

PS There's more to follow on that - some contemporaneous Keith Jarrett which is pretty amazing

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"El Hombre"
Pat Martino- Guitar with Trudy Pitts Organ, Danny Turner flute, Mitch Fine drums, Abdu Johnson congas, Vance Anderson bongos
Prestige

Recorded in 1967 and of its time with the latin rhythms trying to be more 'ethnic' and not that sophisitcated, martini drinking, bossa of the early 60s. But the guitar playing is really nice.

Pat Martino was and is a phenomenal guitarist. Doesn't get the same name checks as the other "Pat" but a remarkable player. George Benson said that he thought he had everything down, all the Wes technique, he then heard Martino. And to come through the health/medical issues he did and start playing again is really something in stamina and commitment.

[Serial_Apologist]

Pat Martino was and is a phenomenal guitarist. Doesn't get the same name checks as the other "Pat" but a remarkable player. George Benson said that he thought he had everything down, all the Wes technique, he then heard Martino. And to come through the health/medical issues he did and start playing again is really something in stamina and commitment.

Indeed. And I've never understood how Martino sometimes gets disparaged when compared with Wes, Benson & co. I'll have a dry Martino - stirred but not shaken, please. Have you ckecked the Phil Woods, Bluesie?

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Le Phil, Will listen this evening. Always thought that was a remarkable band also. My favourite Daniel Humair story is his playing on Chet Baker's v. fine 60s Rome comeback session with Rene Thomas and Bobby Jaspar etc., and Baker pocketing all the dates money "as if it was a privilege to play with him"; Humair threatening to knock him through the wall if he didn't pay the band. Baker threw the money on the floor contemptuously...Humair made him pick it all up again and hand it to each member "politely"

[Serial_Apologist]

Le Phil, Will listen this evening. Always thought that was a remarkable band also. My favourite Daniel Humair story is his playing on Chet Baker's v. fine 60s Rome comeback session with Rene Thomas and Bobby Jaspar etc., and Baker pocketing all the dates money "as if it was a privilege to play with him"; Humair threatening to knock him through the wall if he didn't pay the band. Baker threw the money on the floor contemptuously...Humair made him pick it all up again and hand it to each member "politely"

[Ian Thumwood]

Pat Martino was and is a phenomenal guitarist. Doesn't get the same name checks as the other "Pat" but a remarkable player. George Benson said that he thought he had everything down, all the Wes technique, he then heard Martino. And to come through the health/medical issues he did and start playing again is really something in stamina and commitment.

Bluesnik

The reviews of Pat Martino's last album "Formidable" received some ecstatic reviews last year and was considered one of the best albums of 2017 - a remarkable feat given that it was made with a working band are musicians who are pretty much unknown. I was really intrigued by this disc but I think you will find that he inspires a big following regardless of the incredible circumstances of his return from ill health. "Formidable" has also cropped up in American best selling charts which is suggestive of a big following, I am not familiar with his work yet whenever I encounter reviews of his work or interviews with the musician himself, there is an incredible amount of respect for his work.

It is fascinating to compare the kind of jazz that American audiences appreciate and contrast with the taste over here. There is a willingness to accept the mainstream in the States whereas the push in the UK always seems to be for the new. I am not convinced that organ based jazz has the same following in the UK as it does on the States where it enjoys more status and perhaps can be considered it's own sub-genre rather like Gypsy jazz.