What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Ian Thumwood]

Thanks Ian. I suppose this does come across as a bit clever-clever, with pre-computerised rhythms rehearsed down to the last fractal duration. I would think this kind of development has as much to do with the sorts of rhythmic complexity and superhuman requirements for accurate reproduction that came from drum & bass samples created prefiltered through ratio co-ordinates, which live drummers then sought to humanise and adapt to interactive ends. At some point in the process of complexification, rhythmic superimposition can rather disappear up it own rectitude, except of course Latin purists would slate such departures from correct practices. But adapting from other musical cultures has always been what jazz has been about, and "losing the downbeat" has precedents aplenty for its trance-inducing possibilities.

The thing about the music is that the changes feel natural. I don't think this music has anything what so ever to do with drum n' bass. Maybe someone like Bartok would be a much better comparison. The drummer on the disc is Jeff Ballard, btw. The music that results still has the strong melodic content and rhythmically you can sense something of older tangoes in there. As well as originals, the music does include old, popular songs from Argentina. The nostalgia for this era of music in there within the scores and I am finding that the melodic content only reveals itself after several listens. I suppose you could compare it to what Abdullah Ibrahim does with South Africa music or even the orchestral writing of Satoko Fujii. However, the rhythm and use of harmony is coming out of a 20th century classical tradition. I think it is a really good record which demands thorough listening.

[Serial_Apologist]

The thing about the music is that the changes feel natural. I don't think this music has anything what so ever to do with drum n' bass. Maybe someone like Bartok would be a much better comparison. The drummer on the disc is Jeff Ballard, btw. The music that results still has the strong melodic content and rhythmically you can sense something of older tangoes in there. As well as originals, the music does include old, popular songs from Argentina. The nostalgia for this era of music in there within the scores and I am finding that the melodic content only reveals itself after several listens. I suppose you could compare it to what Abdullah Ibrahim does with South Africa music or even the orchestral writing of Satoko Fujii. However, the rhythm and use of harmony is coming out of a 20th century classical tradition. I think it is a really good record which demands thorough listening.

OK, I'm prone to changing my mind occasionally, so I'll give it another listen!

[LMcD]

'Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section'

[Stanfordian]

‘Heavy Sounds’
Elvin Jones and Richard Davis with Frank Foster & Billy Greene
Impulse (1967)

[CGR]

Bruce Forman was amongst a crop of younger guitarists who popped up on the Concord label in the 1980s when Carl Jefferson was trying to reinvigorate the label with more contemporary artists like diverse Joanne Brackeen and Tania Maria. There are other players like peter Sprague and Emily Remler who were also signed by the label as well as veteran guitarists like Laurendo Almeda and the late Eddie Duran. I was surprised that both Sprague and Forman drifted out of the limelight but the latter did make a brilliant duet record with George Cables which I always wished I had bought. I think Forman was a West coast musician who was probably most established in that part of the States where he was highly considered.

Concord was a strange record label which emerged by producing a swathe of sessions by the more mainstream / modern players who were often veterans of the big bands from the 1940s. My Dad had a massive collection of this stuff which seemed to work on a mix and match basis in the 1970s. I think Jefferson did well to pursue this policy in the 1970s when jazz was either limited to the Loft scene or smothered by fusion. In the 1980s they got a lot more adventurous and signed veterans like Brubeck and the then "in vogue" Art Blakey whilst also promoting a younger generation of modernists such as Forman. At the time, I was obsessed with Tania Maria's music and snapped up loads of her stuff on the sister "Picante" subsidiary which also issued a lot of contemporary Latin jazz. I look back on Concord's recordings with some affection and thought the studio recording quality was on a par with ECM but without the post-production. Concord is a label that deserves to be remember more fondly.

Thanks for the very interesting reply.

It seems that Bruce Forman has teamed up with the fusion guitarist Scott Henderson to produce a very guitar-geeky podcast with the unfortunate name of 'Guitar Wank'. (Does it mean the same in the USA?)

Have a listen here http://www.guitarwank.com/podcast

[Bryn]

Thanks for the very interesting reply.

It seems that Bruce Forman has teamed up with the fusion guitarist Scott Henderson to produce a very guitar-geeky podcast with the unfortunate name of 'Guitar Wank'. (Does it mean the same in the USA?)

Have a listen here http://www.guitarwank.com/podcast

I reckon a video of what I heard would clarify the relationship between left hand and guitar fingerboard.

[Joseph K]

Spinning here: the second disk of The European Tour 61. Excellent stuff.

Third one now.

[Joseph K]

George Benson: not too keen on his own compositions, but he's awesome on standards:

[Stanfordian]

'Everything's Mellow' – Clark Terry
Clark Terry with Junior Mance, Joe Benjamin, Charlie Persip
Prestige (1961)

[Jazzrook]

Joe Harriott with the Stan Tracey Big Brass in 1969 playing 'In A Sentimental Mood'. Wonderful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4isVVwqAYk

JR

[Stanfordian]

‘Blowing in from Chicago’
Clifford Jordan and John Gilmore with Horace Silver, Curly Russell & Art Blakey
Blue Note (1957)

Top drawer album - Those two tenor saxes are white hot!

[Jazzrook]

'Everything's Mellow' – Terry Clarke
Terry Clarke with Junior Mance, Joe Benjamin, Charlie Persip
Prestige (1961)

Terry Clarke? A new name to me.

JR

[Stanfordian]

Terry Clarke? A new name to me.

JR

Excuse my dyslexia kicking in. I've altered my original post but maybe you already knew that I was referring to Clark Terry.

[Serial_Apologist]

Halfway through a 1997 cassette broadcast with Brian Morton introducing and talking to Alyn Shipton, and what an episode! several live numbers from J-Life, one of the first of Gary Crosby's invaluable initiatives not including himself in the line-up, following the formation of the first Tomorrow's Warriors out of the Jazz Warrior's Big Band - with his son Daniel Crosby on bass, Darren Taylor - son of John Taylor if I'm not confusing him - on drums, and marking the first coming to prominence of two of the most gifted to emerge from that stable of young black players, alto and soprano saxophonist Jason Yarde, and pianist Robert Mitchell. Also featured in the band was a young singer, Julie Dexter, who in interview declares her intention always to choose lyrics with meaning to her, and not just to be "another pretty-voiced singer" - there were quite a number in the latter category coming up at the time. Must check what has become of her. Some great, spiky post-bop from this group. Also on the programme were new album tracks from Ernest Ranglin, Lars Daniellson, Dave Liebman, Anthony Braxton's Creative Music Studio of 1981 offering the version of "Impressions" recently remarked on here, Bill Laswell's heavy metal/hip hop crossover band Transmutation Live, Evan Parker's Electroacoustic Ensemble debut release, and a feature on Cecil McBee marking something of a return after several years' virtual absence from the scene, together with a great interview.

[cloughie]

Halfway through a 1997 cassette broadcast with Brian Morton introducing and talking to Alyn Shipton, and what an episode! several live numbers from J-Life, one of the first of Gary Crosby's invaluable initiatives not including himself in the line-up, following the formation of the first Tomorrow's Warriors out of the Jazz Warrior's Big Band - with his son Daniel Crosby on bass, Darren Taylor - son of John Taylor if I'm not confusing him - on drums, and marking the first coming to prominence of two of the most gifted to emerge from that stable of young black players, alto and soprano saxophonist Jason Yarde, and pianist Robert Mitchell. Also featured in the band was a young singer, Julie Dexter, who in interview declares her intention always to choose lyrics with meaning to her, and not just to be "another pretty-voiced singer" - there were quite a number in the latter category coming up at the time. Must check what has become of her. Some great, spiky post-bop from this group. Also on the programme were new album tracks from Ernest Ranglin, Lars Daniellson, Dave Liebman, Anthony Braxton's Creative Music Studio of 1981 offering the version of "Impressions" recently remarked on here, Bill Laswell's heavy metal/hip hop crossover band Transmutation Live, Evan Parker's Electroacoustic Ensemble debut release, and a feature on Cecil McBee marking something of a return after several years' virtual absence from the scene, together with a great interview.

Checked out some Julie Dexter tracks on Spotify - for my taste she has that annoying habit, that whilst having a good jazz feel, of not being keen on the right note, and thence not hitting it! By accident via Herbie Hancock’s Joni Letters I came across Luciana Souza - I like her sound very much, after exploring further!