What Jazz are you listening to now?

[teamsaint]

John Coltrane - Ascension

Its a record I have struggled to come to terms with, JK.
I think I am listening incorrectly!!

[Joseph K]

Its a record I have struggled to come to terms with, JK.
I think I am listening incorrectly!!

Well (if this helps) as with much of late Coltrane, while it sounds quite free, the ensemble passages do in fact imply modes - I find these quite pleasingly heterophonic. And drummer Elvin Jones always tends more towards 'time' playing i.e. keeping more of a beat than Trane's next and last drummer Rashied Ali. It's quite an extraordinary record IMO, very powerful and ecstatic (just like much of Coltrane's later works).

[teamsaint]

Well (if this helps) as with much of late Coltrane, while it sounds quite free, the ensemble passages do in fact imply modes - I find these quite pleasingly heterophonic. And drummer Elvin Jones always tends more towards 'time' playing i.e. keeping more of a beat than Trane's next and last drummer Rashied Ali. It's quite an extraordinary record IMO, very powerful and ecstatic (just like much of Coltrane's later works).

Thanks, I’ll have another listen with your comments in mind.

[Joseph K]

Thanks, I’ll have another listen with your comments in mind.

Now: John Coltrane - Meditations

[Jazzrook]

Alto saxophonist Peter King's 1983 album 'East 34th Street'(SPOTLITE) with John Horler(piano); Dave Green(bass) & Spike Wells(drums):

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

JR

[Stanfordian]

'One Foot in the Gutter - A Treasury of Soul' - The Dave Bailey Sextet
Clark Terry with Junior Cook, Curtis Fuller, Horace Parlan, Dave Bailey & Pack Morrison
Riverside (1960)

[Serial_Apologist]

Alto saxophonist Peter King's 1983 album 'East 34th Street'(SPOTLITE) with John Horler(piano); Dave Green(bass) & Spike Wells(drums):

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

JR

A great album! Peter did a very good broadcast in have on cassette from around that time, with Henry Lowther added to the line-up. Not having heard of Peter for quite some time, I hope he's all right. The others still play around London from time to time: Dave and Spike still associated with Rendell-Carr among my generation, and Spike with Tubby Hayes towards the end. John Horler is grossly undervalued, imv.

[Jazzrook]

A great album! Peter did a very good broadcast in have on cassette from around that time, with Henry Lowther added to the line-up. Not having heard of Peter for quite some time, I hope he's all right. The others still play around London from time to time: Dave and Spike still associated with Rendell-Carr among my generation, and Spike with Tubby Hayes towards the end. John Horler is grossly undervalued, imv.

Agreed, S_A. It was a recent discovery for me and think the album deserves to be more widely known.
Have also sent off for Peter King's autobiography 'Flying Home' which has had some good reviews.
If anyone's interested, the CD 'East 34th Street'(SPJ-CD 424) is available at a very reasonable price from Tony Williams' Spotlite Records, 103 London Road, Sawbridgeworth, Herts., CM21 9JJ
(email: spotlitejazz@gmail.com

JR

[Serial_Apologist]

Agreed, S_A. It was a recent discovery for me and think the album deserves to be more widely known.
Have also sent off for Peter King's autobiography 'Flying Home' which has had some good reviews.
If anyone's interested, the CD 'East 34th Street'(SPJ-CD 424) is available at a very reasonable price from Tony Williams' Spotlite Records, 103 London Road, Sawbridgeworth, Herts., CM21 9JJ
(email: spotlitejazz@gmail.com

JR

"Flying Home" I believe is another good one. Peter is typical of that species of jazz musician who always looks unwell, sporting that white complexion of the jazz salamander seldom known to venture out into that thing called day. His very pock-marked face suggests possible chldhood smallpox, I don't know? - it was still quite common for those of his generation - he's just 5 years older than I am. Several years ago I saw him perform in Essex. He arrived looking near death, and said the traffic had been terrible from SW London - which is a long distance away in traffic endurance terms in this part of the world. But, a few bars into his solo, and he seemed to completely recover, and played his usual brilliant self for the whole evening. I remember reading of a commemmorative event for Charlie Parker in America to which Peter was invited - he was not only the only non-American musician but the only non-black person to be invited.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

There was a benefit in February 2018 at the Pizza Express to help defray Peter King's medical expenses, I think ongoing. He was also ripped off in a major way in some kind of financial scam. I haven't seen anything since then. I've got a tape somewhere of the suite he wrote for himself and string quartet, a part homage to Bartok, one of his heroes. It's very good..."The Janus Suite" or something similar? His autobiography is also a must, especially his encounters/playing with Bud Powell in Paris etc. Quite unsettling.

BN.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

And Peter King playing Bird's actual Grafton plastic alto, which I think was more bakelite a la Massey Hall. Sometime in the 90s when it was auctioned at Christie's. Sends shivers down your spine...

http://youtu.be/ISadfOcJn3A

[cloughie]

Some years ago in Solihull, I saw Peter King along with Alan Skidmore backing Georgie Fame (Bass and drums were provided by Georgie’s sons) - from what I remember they were very good.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Some years ago in Solihull, I saw Peter King along with Alan Skidmore backing Georgie Fame (Bass and drums were provided by Georgie’s sons) - from what I remember they were very good.

Yep, I've got the limited double CD box set of that band (plus Guy Barker) recorded live at Ronnie Scott's. "The walking wounded" because they all except Georgie had heavy flu. It is very very good, with tributes to most of GF's influences and a really lovely "How long has this been going on" with from memory, a Pete King alto solo.

[Jazzrook]

Art Pepper in Rome, 1981 with Milcho Leviev, Bob Magnusson & Carl Burnett playing 'Blues for Blanche':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC6JowwFnBE

JR

[Stanfordian]

‘Take Twelve’
Lee Morgan Quintet (with Clifford Jordon Barry Harris, Bob Cranshaw & Louis Hayes)
Jazzland (1962)