What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Ian Thumwood]

If I have a favourite record label at the moment it has got to be Delmark. What I like about it is that you can take a punt of someone you have never heard of and come across the kind of jazz that is pitched directly for the fan. There never seems to be any compromise and as a consumer, you get the impression that the people behind the label know what their audience want. Last week I stumbled across Linsey Alexander as I was curious to see whether or not Delmark's policy was mirrored with it's blues artists who form the other 50% of their output. Alexander is one of the blues players on their roster and I was really taken by this track on YouTube which reminded me of the jazz-informed blues of the late, great B.B. King.

His first "commercial" disc came out a few years back when he was in his early 70's and , amazingly, all the tracks were made in one take without any editing. There are a few edges that might have been ironed out in a more produced disc but the band is right on the money. When it comes to the Blues, I prefer to listen to vintage recordings as a rule but this is a gem and proof that the legacy of the Chicago blues scene of the 1950's has not diminished. There is one track which talks about how he intended to meet the devil at the crossroads to reclaim Robert Johnson's soul and it has a great line about sending the devil an e-mail and poking him on Facebook! I can appreciate why , when he was eventually "discovered", the record producer was shocked that he hadn't landed a record deal much earlier. The record is great fun and good to see the lyrics updated in some instances although the words about "big, big women" nicely fits in with the less-PC traditions.

[Bryn]

Listening tonight to a simple coincident cardoid pair (Zoom H5) recording of last night's Meeting with a Remarkable Saxophonist at iklectik. In this case the legendary Trevor Watts:



A series of video clips from the performance have been posted on YouTube by 'Gus'.

Very much looking forward to hearing Giovanni La Rovere's multi-microphone recording in due course.

[Jazzrook]

A recent discovery for me was saxophonist David 'Bubba' Brooks(1922-2002), brother of 'Tina' Brooks(1932-74).
He recorded his first album as leader at the age of 72!('The Big Sound Of...').

Here's 'Bubba' with Bill Doggett playing 'Flying Home' in France, 1978:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNYn1IORhuE

JR

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Jackie McLean Sextet - "Rhythm of the Earth" Dreyfus/Koch 1992/2002

Listing: Rhythm of The Earth (McLean); For Hofsa (McLean); Sirius System (Palmer); The Explorers (Steve Davis); Oh Children Rise (Palmer); Osyris Returns (Palmer); The Collective Expression (McLean); Dark Castle (Palmer)

Personnel: Jackie McLean- Alto saxophone, Steve Davis- Trombone, Roy Hargrove- Trumpet, Steve Nelson- Vibraphone, Alan Jay Palmer- Piano, Nat Reeves- Bass, Eric McPherson- Drums.

Year Released: 1992| Re-released 2002 : Record Label: KOCH

Just discovered this and I thought I knew most of Jackie's dates backwards. Incredibly strong playing, brilliant band, fine, unusual compositions. Something like the Bluenote dates but updated. Wonderful stuff and Jackie's commitment was there right up to the end. Its also in Utube.

BN.

[Beef Oven!]

Bought this 2/3 years ago on a download. I always enjoy it very much whenever I play it. IMV, an interesting balance between accessible and more interesting music. I really like the drums.

[Ian Thumwood]

Here's a heads up for Tom Audustus....

As a fan of jazz guitar, I wonder of you had heard of Andy Brown? I bought my Dad his latest album called "Direct Call" and I think it is an real classic. I have not heard of any of the other musicians in the quartet and know little about Brown himself but from the opening bars of "The Jeep is jumpin'" I have been staggered by the prowess of this working group and the beautiful tone of the leader. The music strggles the mainstream / modern category throwing in compositions by the likes of Django and Hank Mobley along with lesser known compositions by the likes of Johnny Mandel and Hoagy Carmichael. Django's already odd "Appel Direct" pings all over the place harmonically in a craftily constructed arrangement which brought a smile to my face.

Generally I find that pre-rock era of jazz guitar a bit of a let down. Players like Tal Farlow, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Doug Ramey and Chuck Wayne have left me cold and you tend to have to look at the likes of Burrell, Green and Montgomery to find jazz guitar that it really in the zone from that era. The shadow of Charlie Christian seems to much to bear. Brown seems to me to be a player like Russell Malone who has the chops to make this idiom seem relevant as well as the kind of sound on his instrument that is really appealing. The music is pretty unpretentious but it yet again demonstrates just how much better working jazz groups are as opposed to ad hoc assemblies. I find this a major failing of many jazz records these days as working bands don't tend to get recorded whereas "projects" always seem to be the current fashion. This disc is amazingly tight and there is enough about it to keep you switched on, I like the pianist Jeremy Kahn but to single anyone out is unfair as this is a cracking group and what they have produced is a little gem. The band is really tight and the material varied enough to keep a wide range of jazz fans happy.

Wondered if you had encountered his music before?

[Jazzrook]

'Ritual' by the second edition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers was originally recorded for PACIFIC JAZZ in 1957 and later reissued on CD by BLUE NOTE with two extra tracks.
Here's their exuberant version of Gigi Gryce's 'Exhibit A' from this overlooked album with Jackie McLean(alto sax); Bill Hardman(trumpet); Sam Dockery(piano); Spanky DeBrest(bass) & Blakey(drums):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZyd8Q5ERA8

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

Been listening to a compilation of Michael Mantler's music which embraces jazz, contemporary classical and art rock. Every now and again I like to give the CD a spin and I like the music which reminds me of Kurt Weill. This record is one I wish I had snapped up. Now going to serious bucks. Terje Rypdal on guitar with Jack DeJohnette on drums. The vocals are by Robert Wyatt.

[Rcartes]

Ugetsu by the Freddie Hubbard/Wayne Shorter/Curtis Fuller/Cedar Walton edition of the Jazz Messengers, especially the title track. Wonderful!

[Lat-Literal]

Lat-Literal

I have two of your records myself. The Stanko disc is ok but I much preferred the earlier quartet on "Matka Joanna" which featured the excellent Bobo Stenson on paino, Anders Jormin on bass and the exceptional Tony Oxley on drums - probably the best example of an avant gardist adding to the legacy of a "percussionist" drummer like Sonny Greer. "Suspended Night" includes one of the same tunes and whilst I have always liked Stanko's playing, the young Polish trio are no match for the multi-national rhythm section on the earlier disc. It is a solid record yet not as good as something like "Litania" which is a masterpiece. I would have to say that I have become increasingly cynical about ECM and have not bought much on this label after the "Suspended Night" disc. You could almost argue that in Stanko you have Polish melancholy trumpet, with Enrico Rava you get Italian melancholy trumpet. with Kenny Wheeler you got "British" melancholy trumpet and then you can dig out Avishai Cohen for Israeli melabcholy trumpet - assuming you have already by-passed Arve Henrikson's Norwegian melancholy trumpet playing.

The other record that I also have is Bill Frisell's "Ghost Town." I would imagine that this makes an interesting contrast to the Joe Pass record. For me, Pass is a bit like a guitar version of Art Tatum but whereas the pianist can be fascinating, Pass is seems rarely to be anything other than boring. For me, Pass is indicative of the state of electric guitar in the era prior to rock although not quite as tedious as a group like "Great Guitars" which were one of the few mainstream groups to enjoy a sizeable media attention. When I was getting in to jazz in the early 80's, "Great Guitars" were the kind of group my Dad was in to. Joe Pass seemed like he could replace all three guitarists on his solo records and the sensation was often a bit too much. Fortunately, the 1980s really saw a number of guitar players like Scofield, Metheny, Abercrombie and Frisell establish themselves on the scene and I have an affinity for the work of these musicians. Frisell's work is usually best heard in other groups but I think "Ghost Town" is , along with the exceptional "Quartet", that really defines the work under his own name. There is a degree of over-dubbing but the virtuosity and technology never gets in the way of the music. This is a brilliant record . A lot of the material has a folky / Americana quality about it although "Tales from the far side" is always a tune that I constantly return to. I have the lead sheets to a lot of this music and it is surprisingly simple yet the substituted harmonies and unusual employment of bizarre choice of root notes is demonstrative of why he is such an important musician in the contemporary scene. Around the late 80's - mid 90's Bill Frisell's own discs were always intriguing however the follow up records to "Ghost Town" became increasingly uneven. "Ghost Town" is probably the one record you would select to get to the essence of his unique music.

I have just discovered this post from you Ian. Thanks very much - and that is very helpful. I have also read the comments in your post to teamsaint about Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Avishai Cohen's "Arab Melody" was on JRR this week. So too were Laura Jurd and Dinosaur, a point I make here because the BBC lists imply that she is with Dinosaur Jr which cannot possibly be true unless I am missing something hugely weird!!!!! I might have said that my "Jazz Messengers!!!!!" album (with exclamation marks) on Impulse - 1961 - features Wayne Shorter and is mainly standards. The reviews are solid to very positive and I like it a lot. I am listening to Mingus today - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Blues and Roots and Tijuana Moods, all of which are extraordinary. The latter especially prompts a question. Which other albums that are unequivocally jazz - and I mean unequivocally jazz rather than any sort of possibility for being categorised as fusion - have world music elements? I would be very interested to hear contributors' thoughts/ideas.

[Ian Thumwood]

Lat-Lit

I would concur that the best blends of jazz and World music seem to be those that are unequivocally jazz. I have some albums with African musicians such as an early Ben Allison effort which is quite noble in it's attention but I feel that the kora player seems to rely on stock motifs. It quickly palls in appeal because the jazz harmony and sense of phrasing really eludes the this musician. There are a number of albums which really do manage to take folk music from other cultures and make the ideas in to viable jazz and you can often find tracks by players like Kenny Garrett who use Asian melodies and harmonies albeit I have read interviews where he has commented that this doesn't seem to work in all instances as expressed a lack of enthusiasm for traditional Japanese harmony.

Here are a few other suggestions:-

Miles Davis & Gil Evans - "Sketches of Spain." - a must have record, I feel although not as good as "Miles ahead."

Duke Ellington - "Far East Suite." - mixture of Asian influences but pretty much pivotal in any collection of Ellingtonia.

Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath - S. African jazz but you can quite easily choose a wealth of records by his cohorts.

The records by Egberto Gismonti / Charlie Haden / Jan Garbarek were based on World music but very much in a chamber jazz feel.

When I was getting in to jazz I loved the big band writing of Toshiko Akiyoshi who seemed to blend Japanese inspired ideas in to a straight ahead jazz orchestra and come up trumps with something that sounded fresh and original. I think her records are difficult to get hold of now. A more recent bandleader, Satoko Fujii , has taken the same ideas in to a more avant garde context and the one record I have by her is startling in the shear vision of her music.

It is odd that you mention Mingus' "Black Saint and the sinner lady" as I think this would be his finest musical offering were it not for the extended work falling over at the end with the Spanish / guitar themed element. This seems a contrast to the rich, darkness of the first two movements (easily the best things Mingus ever recorded) and you may enjoy the new album by Greg Ward called "Touch my beloved's thoughts" which uses the Mingus piece as inspiration.

Abdullah Ibrahim - Again, an African influence but refracted through Duke Ellington. If you can get hold of the records made by his group "Ekaya" in the 1980s you will not be disappointed.

These records should help get you in the right direction.

[Beef Oven!]

Duke Ellington (arrangement Nigel Kennedy) 'Mainly Black’

Nigel Kennedy - violin
Alec Dankworth - double bass

Amazing performance, NK is a stellar musician! I’ve seen Alec Dankworth a few times down the years (as well as his mum & dad!). I remember a really good night at the Jazz Cafe - he had a really excellent saxophonist with him Can’t remember his name, but I know it was a Greek/Cypriot name. Probably 1991/92.

[Lat-Literal]

Lat-Lit

I would concur that the best blends of jazz and World music seem to be those that are unequivocally jazz. I have some albums with African musicians such as an early Ben Allison effort which is quite noble in it's attention but I feel that the kora player seems to rely on stock motifs. It quickly palls in appeal because the jazz harmony and sense of phrasing really eludes the this musician. There are a number of albums which really do manage to take folk music from other cultures and make the ideas in to viable jazz and you can often find tracks by players like Kenny Garrett who use Asian melodies and harmonies albeit I have read interviews where he has commented that this doesn't seem to work in all instances as expressed a lack of enthusiasm for traditional Japanese harmony.

Here are a few other suggestions:-

Miles Davis & Gil Evans - "Sketches of Spain." - a must have record, I feel although not as good as "Miles ahead."

Duke Ellington - "Far East Suite." - mixture of Asian influences but pretty much pivotal in any collection of Ellingtonia.

Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath - S. African jazz but you can quite easily choose a wealth of records by his cohorts.

The records by Egberto Gismonti / Charlie Haden / Jan Garbarek were based on World music but very much in a chamber jazz feel.

When I was getting in to jazz I loved the big band writing of Toshiko Akiyoshi who seemed to blend Japanese inspired ideas in to a straight ahead jazz orchestra and come up trumps with something that sounded fresh and original. I think her records are difficult to get hold of now. A more recent bandleader, Satoko Fujii , has taken the same ideas in to a more avant garde context and the one record I have by her is startling in the shear vision of her music.

It is odd that you mention Mingus' "Black Saint and the sinner lady" as I think this would be his finest musical offering were it not for the extended work falling over at the end with the Spanish / guitar themed element. This seems a contrast to the rich, darkness of the first two movements (easily the best things Mingus ever recorded) and you may enjoy the new album by Greg Ward called "Touch my beloved's thoughts" which uses the Mingus piece as inspiration.

Abdullah Ibrahim - Again, an African influence but refracted through Duke Ellington. If you can get hold of the records made by his group "Ekaya" in the 1980s you will not be disappointed.

These records should help get you in the right direction.

An excellent post - with a lot of leads, several of which are new to me. Thank you. To be frank, I come from a world music (and earlier mainstream) perspective in relation to both classical and jazz music so in my request I was seeking to approach it from a different angle. That can then bring in a lot of new things. In contrast, one of my favourite albums of 2015 was "Let It Be Told" by Julian Argüelles and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. Many would think of it as neither jazz nor South African township jazz in the standard sense. Today has been a full jazz day. Following Mingus, I've been listening to bits of Basie, Dolphy's "Out To Lunch" and selections by Bobby Hutcherson which s-a recently posted on the forum.

Duke Ellington (arrangement Nigel Kennedy) 'Mainly Black’

Nigel Kennedy - violin
Alec Dankworth - double bass

Amazing performance, NK is a stellar musician! I’ve seen Alec Dankworth a few times down the years (as well as his mum & dad!). I remember a really good night at the Jazz Cafe - he had a really excellent saxophonist with him Can’t remember his name, but I know it was a Greek/Cypriot name. Probably 1991/92.

Interesting.

I didn't realise he had travelled in those sorts of areas but it does make some sense!

[teamsaint]

I have just discovered this post from you Ian. Thanks very much - and that is very helpful. I have also read the comments in your post to teamsaint about Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Avishai Cohen's "Arab Melody" was on JRR this week. So too were Laura Jurd and Dinosaur, a point I make here because the BBC lists imply that she is with Dinosaur Jr which cannot possibly be true unless I am missing something hugely weird!!!!! I might have said that my "Jazz Messengers!!!!!" album (with exclamation marks) on Impulse - 1961 - features Wayne Shorter and is mainly standards. The reviews are solid to very positive and I like it a lot. I am listening to Mingus today - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Blues and Roots and Tijuana Moods, all of which are extraordinary. The latter especially prompts a question. Which other albums that are unequivocally jazz - and I mean unequivocally jazz rather than any sort of possibility for being categorised as fusion - have world music elements? I would be very interested to hear contributors' thoughts/ideas.

art Blakey's Two "Holiday for Skins" albums?

[Lat-Literal]

art Blakey's Two "Holiday for Skins" albums?

Oh yes - thank you - I would have thought so having now looked at it properly.

I think Alice Coltrane has to be in there too.