What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Joseph K]

Joe,

I think you will find that it is the "Jass bored.".

Is that a yes?

[Joseph K]

This is excellent:

[Joseph K]

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

[Joseph K]

John Coltrane - Ascension

[Joseph K]

John Coltrane - Ascension

It's been too long since I last listened to this.

[Serial_Apologist]

John Coltrane - Ascension

I remember the first time I came across that recording. It would have been somewhere around 1966, in Dobells, the fondly remembered jazz specialist shop where you were welcomed with abrupt dismissal while regular customers turned away, should you not know exactly what you were enquiring about.

Dobells had a row of listening booths at the rear end of the shop, where you could take your prospective buy for a try-out on their equipment with its heavy pick up - goodness knows how many records were worn out before customers left the shop with the new purchase under their arm. My tastes had not got as far as free jazz at that stage; in fact I'm ashamed to admit my view of the value of any jazz album hinged very capitalistically on the number of tracks to be found on an album. Less than five per side and it was definitely not worth the price! And so, without even hearing any of Ascension, my mind was made up by the clear absence of track divisions of any sort on either side of it.

It was not until many years later, probably the late 1970s, when, having been offered a very nice joint at the house of a friend called Mike Pearce, now long gone, I listened in quick succession to the first Schoenberg string quartet, followed by "Ascension"... and it "clicked", immediately, opening up a whole new panorama of jazz I had previously been too conservative and timid to investigate.

[Joseph K]

It was not until many years later, probably the late 1970s, when, having been offered a very nice joint at the house of a friend called Mike Pearce, now long gone, I listened in quick succession to the first Schoenberg string quartet, followed by "Ascension"... and it "clicked", immediately, opening up a whole new panorama of jazz I had previously been too conservative and timid to investigate.

Well, I can own up to similar experiences with albums that are now amongst my favourites, e.g. In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. These were growers, and it took a few years, perhaps even as much as half a decade from when I first bought them that truly appreciated them - I like to think that this process will continue...

[Joseph K]

John Scofield - Time on my Hands

[Joseph K]

Dizzy Gillespie - Billie's Bounce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVYsh-zfdwE

[Joseph K]

John Scofield - Meant To Be

[Ian Thumwood]

I have returned to Steve Lehman's "The people I love" which sees his trio augmented by the pianist Craig Taborn. This is one of those records which are immediately fascinating yet returning to it again, it seems even more interesting. The premise seems cerebral yet the music really hinges on rhythm so that the experience is far from cold and academic. I believe Lehman was a former pupil Jackie McLean which, listening to the tone of his alto, makes a lot of sense even if the influence of Steve Coleman is obviously important too. Although this is a quartet, the bass and drums largely concern themselves with providing the jagged groove with the fascination of the music stemming from how Lehman and Taborn interact with each other over this. The first group composition on this consists of Taborn not actually comping but providing rhythmic punctuations almost like a piece of minimalism albeit the time signatures appear to jump-cut all over the place.

Playing the disc yesterday I was struck by the thought that the concept of placing the phrases over different beats in this fashion is not too dissimilar to what Lennie Tristano was trying to do with his groups over seventy years ago. Jazz may have moved on a lot since then yet it is fascinating hearing Lehman try something similar even if Tristano's music almost eliminated the significance of the bass and drummer to little more beyond keeping time. I have two discs by Steve Lehman, the other with a larger ensemble which explores similar ideas. These recordings strike me as being a really good indication of the state of jazz at the moment. Most of the compositions are originals although the newer record includes a composition by the late Kenny Kirkland and a cover of a piece of Rap which is one of the best tunes on the record - the lyricism of the alto recalling Paul Desmond as it lithely glides over the complicated rhythm. Without reading the notes, you would have no indication of this tune's origins. This is a record I would recommend

[Serial_Apologist]

Great stuff there Ian. Am I alone in feeling worried about the fortunes of jazz right now - as if Brexit wasn't enough already?

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Starting to compile a "self isolation" play list in anticipation! Well, I'm listening to Tubby Hayes at Ronnie's playing "Alone Together". Followed by Billie Holiday, "Me myself & I" (well, she has Lester on board, so not so bad).

Tubby "Alone Together" (Mike Pyne channeling his Tyner) http://youtu.be/kxhK7AnJ-Gg

Heard an announcer on R3 this morning refer to "that virus that's in the news". It's getting like "Macbeth", don't mention*that* play!

BN

[Bryn]

Starting to compile a "self isolation" play list. Well, I'm listening to Tubby Hayes at Ronnie's playing "Alone Together". Followed by Billie Holiday, "Me myself & I" (well, she has Lester on board, so not so bad).

Heard an announcer on R3 this morning refer to "that virus that's in the news". It's getting like "Macbeth", don't mention*that* play!

BN

I find it somewhat misleading that so many public bodies still refer to "the coronavirus", rather than "Covid-19". Common colds are also caused by (different) coronavirus species.

[Quarky]

Left Alone - Mal Waldron

By myself - Rosemary Clooney (swing)

Tommy Dorsey & the young Sinatra - too numerous to mention!