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It is intriguing to hear George Gruntz in the context of a small group. I knew he had played with Phil Woods but he is now best remembered as an arranger for his own big band which seemed to continually garner a roster of A list soloists including the likes of Joe Henderson, Elvin Jones, Kenny Wheeler, Ray Anderson, John Scofield , Donny McCaslin , Palle Mikkelborg, Dave Liebman, Marcus Belgrave, Tom Harrell and practically every trombonist of note. I have loads of his records and have always admired his work which covered a wide range of bases. I initially got in to him my picking up the LP "Theatre" at Mole Jazz back around 1986 on a trip up to London and was blown away by the music. This was one of ECM's rare forays in to big band jazz and included a suite with Sheila Jordan based on Tennyson's Arthurian poem. There are some tracks which stray in to "Third Stream" but, by and large, his music was really about communicating good quality jazz. It was usually convened for the jazz festival season.
Picking up the earlier comment, I grew up listening to Count Basie's music from the 50's and 60's. I would have to admit that initially I was not too fussed by the later stuff as the band seemed to become a pastiche of itself. The later records are uneven in my opinion but you can find plenty of recordings of concerts from this era on line which strongly suggest that it was a different beast outside the studio. In the end, record producers had Basie's band churning out a lot of pop dross such as covers of the Beatles or James Bond themes which did not do the band justice and I feel gave a false impression of the band. I would have to say that as I have grown older I have been more receptive of the later versions of the band and appreciate the fine writing of the likes of Sammy Nestico who tried to forge a more modern identity. Nestico is still going, I believe. However, I think that "Atomic" is one of those records like Miles' "Kind of Blue" which is too familiar and not a particular favourite even though I would not contest it's greatness. At this time, Basie was producing a swathe of great music for Roulette which gave the band a very broad appeal. You can understand why contemporaries always cited Ellington and Basie as the best of the bunch.
Even better than the stuff on Roulette is the music made for Norman Granz which was collated on a massive Mosaic box set about 15 years ago. These records are incredible and only marginally less impressive than the legendary music produced in the 30's and 40's. I think that judicious selection of Count Basie's music would be a shoo in for the most essential jazz records ever and, as a shift in the gears, maybe only marginally less significant than Armstrong, Parker, Miles and Coltrane. Whilst his ambition was not as broad as Ellington's, there is a cut off point before and after the Decca recordings where "vintage jazz" was left behind and a more modern feel for time evolved that presaged Bebop. It is fascinating to hear the band evolve over the 1940s and, notwithstanding the hiatus when Basie was forced to scale down to an Octet, the seeds were planted for the New Testament band which ultimately defined the "modern" sound for big bands in a similar fashion to Miles' 2nd Quintet. I think the sound and style of the Basie band of this era dictated what big bands would ultimately sound like from this point onwards in a fashion that was only really equalled by Gil Evans. Although massively different in approach, both Basie and Evans led bands which dictated how large ensembles would sound for at least 30 years afterwards. I think Basie's influence was also a lot wider than given credit for. The 50's were dominated by all sorts of bands who looked to evoke the legendary work by Basie in the 30's whether featuring a coterie of former Kansas City-ites or big bands such as those led by such diverse musicians as Harry James and Shorty Rogers. I would also strongly argue that Basie's economy of playing and treatment of the writing for horns had a massive influence on Horace Silver. The rhythm may have been different but I cannot see how some of Silver's writing could have existed without the influence of Basie's second band.
For me, Basie is core to understanding a lot of jazz from the late thirties to about 1960. He seems to have informed so much other music that I feel his bands have been fundamental to jazz. On top of this, I don't think many other big bands have nailed dynamics as much as Basie's bands and as a coherent musical unit I don't think it has had many peers. I think that there are many groups where there is a level of telepathy between the musicians which gives the impression of the music having a sixth sense. However, I doubt that there are as many ensembles that could play with the precision of Basie's band. The band that I feel probably gets closest to it is Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band which is extremely well drilled yet it does not have an ounce of the jazz savvy of Basie's finest work which, we should not forget, often included soloists in the 1950s who were the contemporary players of their time and grew up in the furnace of Be-bop. I don't think of this Basie band as being "old-fashioned in the least.
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I have always felt that this track was incredible. The dynamics of the band's performance are frankly beyond comparison.
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And Manhattan Transfer's take on the song. Cheryl Bentyne's high notes are superb!Originally posted by Ian Thumwood View PostI have always felt that this track was incredible. The dynamics of the band's performance are frankly beyond comparison.
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I think that must be the one, JR - thanks very much; I'll check it tomorrow.Originally posted by Jazzrook View PostComment
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First time I heard the Basie band was as Frank Sinatra's backing band - it was quite commonly broadcast on the Light Programme in the 1950s and of course on TV variety shows, possibly including Sunday Night at the London Palladium. The first time I heard the "proper" Basie band was on an EP at school, with Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Williams fronting the band on three numbers, including "April in Paris", "Every Day I Have the Blues" and "Party Blues", the second track on Side 1 being just an instrumental blues. The warmth of the rapport between Ella and Joe was just wonderful, teasing in "Every Day" and feeding each other's scat exchanges on "Party Blues", with its great unison riff. Not being particular at that age (16) I didn't bother noting the soloists, apart from Thad Jones, who mirrors the vocalists beautifully. So impressed was I that I taped the EP onto a reel-to-reel - must have had a direct connecting lead - and although the Scotch tape wore out there was just about enough still listenable to transfer onto a cassette, which I still have!!! My father then obtained an LP (Pye) of the band playing pop tunes from 1964 - pretty banal stuff with very little soloing though of course the precision with which the arrangements, possibly quincy Jones's, were played was right there, and I suppose one has to say it was quite forward-thinking in one way for a famous jazz band to be playing pop as early at that date, a good couple of years before the Buddy Rich band was doing similar.Originally posted by Ian Thumwood View PostI have always felt that this track was incredible. The dynamics of the band's performance are frankly beyond comparison.
I'll get down to doing the weekend broadcasting tomorrow, having had rather a heavy day today.Comment
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‘A Fickle Sonance’
Jackie McLean with Tommy Turrentine, Sonny Clark, Butch Warren & Billy Higgins
Blue Note (1961)
Jazz FM, a constant pleasure - For those who dont know, despite its name it's an internet only station.Last edited by Stanfordian; 11-05-19, 14:57.Comment
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This link to part of a 1978 Jazz in Britain devoted to British trumpeter Henry Lowther's Quaternity is offered as a corrective for those who write off most British contemporary jazz of the 1970s, being very much of its period and well worth hearing, in my unhumble opinion:
Henry plays violin - which he very rarely does these days - the rest of the band consisting of Alan Wakeman (yes a relative!) on tenor and soprano saxes, Phil Lee guitar, Chris Laurence bass and Trevor Tomkins, drums.
Only part 1 of the introductory tune is heard, unfortunately. If you stay connected to the link (and your computer does what mine does) further excellent Henry Lowther stuff from more recently follows on. Enjoy!Comment
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James Clay & David "Fathead" Newman from their 1960 album 'The Sound Of Wide Open Spaces' with Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones & Art Taylor:
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Donald Byrd - "Fuego", 1959 Bluenote (title track). And had I realised Alyn was running a Bluenote themed programme today, I would have requested it
A great album, with Jackie Mclean, from the sometimes maligned (here) Mr Byrd. Roy Hargrove chose "Low Life" from this as one of his favorites. Anyone hear a shade of "Out of this world" in this?
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Herbie Hancock: Takin’ Off
From the new Blue Note 80th anniversary series of LPs...
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Donald Byrd's 1955 album, "And Then Some", was my first self-bought jazz LP. Not sure I still have it. Must keep an eye open for it.Originally posted by BLUESNIK'S REVOX View Post
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The same album was also released as "Hank Jones - Quartet - Quintet" and has since been remastered for CD release.
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Last edited by Bryn; 11-05-19, 14:14.Comment
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I bought "Fuego" coupled with "Amen" on a Bluenote import 45 in c. 1960 from City Radio in Cardiff. "Wales and the West, for all your jazz records". A very fine outfit with a single Quad speaker in a corner booth where you were allowed (if "trusted" as not a dilettante) to take an album. "Cooooooooooool"
People forget Bluenote did a huge amount of business on 45s in its domestic US market.
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‘Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy’
Louis Armstrong with Trummy Young, Barney Bigard, Billy Kyle, Arvell Shaw, Barrett Deems & Velma Middleton
Columbia (1954)Comment
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Dizzy Gillespie's Sextet with John Coltrane on January 6, 1951 playing 'Congo Blues':
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