What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Bert]

The more I listen to AH, the more I .............

[Joseph K]

The more I listen to AH, the more I .............

Eargasm?!

I'll see your Leverkusen and raise you a...



I love both Chad Wackerman and Gary Novak (the former is the drummer on Leverkusen, the latter on Warsaw for those who don't know) but personally - 'prefer' is too strong a word - since Novak is jazzier he has the edge for me...

I have all of these Manifesto Record live releases of Holdsworth except for the first one, Live in Tokyo IIRC; I should correct that at some point. Also should actually watch the DVDs too.

[Bert]

Eargasm?!

I'll see your Leverkusen and raise you a...



I love both Chad Wackerman and Gary Novak (the former is the drummer on Leverkusen, the latter on Warsaw for those who don't know) but personally - 'prefer' is too strong a word - since Novak is jazzier he has the edge for me...

I have all of these Manifesto Record live releases of Holdsworth except for the first one, Live in Tokyo IIRC; I should correct that at some point. Also should actually watch the DVDs too.

Same here - why do the DVDs never see the light of day????

[Stanfordian]

‘Inner Urge’ - Joe Henderson
with McCoy Tyner, Bob Cranshaw & Elvin Jones
Blue Note (1964)

[Joseph K]

Miles Davis - Cookin' at the Plugged Nickel

[Jazzrook]

The Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra playing a tribute to Muddy Waters, 'Blu Blu Blu' in 1990.
Impressive guitar from David Fiuczynski.

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=EeMa2Fs46Sc

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

The Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra playing a tribute to Muddy Waters, 'Blu Blu Blu' in 1990.
Impressive guitar from David Fiuczynski.

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=EeMa2Fs46Sc

JR

Thanks for posting that track, Jazzrook. The UMO disc opens in a similar vein but also veers towards music inspired by 20th century composition albeit still owing a lot to Ellington.

[Stanfordian]

‘Breezin’ - Sonny Red
with Yusef Lateef, Blue Mitchell, Barry Harris, Bob Cranshaw & Albert 'Tootie' Heath
Jazzland (1960)

[Stanfordian]

‘Sonny Stitt Sits in with the Oscar Peterson Trio’
with Ray Brown & Ed Thigpen
Verve (1959)

[Stanfordian]

‘Blue & Sentimental’ – Ike Quebec
with Grant Green, Paul Chambers & Philly Joe Jones
Blue Note (1961)

[Stanfordian]

‘The Tokyo Blues’ – Horace Silver
with Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook, Gene Taylor & John Harris Jr:
Blue Note (1962)

[Stanfordian]

'The Real McCoy' - McCoy Tyner
with Joe Henderson, Ron Carter & Elvin Jones
Blue Note (1967)

[Ian Thumwood]

I have been listening to Elmo Hope in my car this week. It s a shame that lead sheets to his music never feature in things like the Real Book and he hasn't had any advocates for his music that have allowed the compositions of the likes of Herbie Nichols. Andrew Hill and Kenny Dorham see the light of day. I am finding it difficult to pigeon hole Hope's playing and the more I listen, the more I am inclined to see him as someone who had a highly original spin on Bud Powell. There is also something about his playing which really reminds me of Richard Twardzik.

I would have to say that I feel him music is most fully realised when featuring horns. Some of the material on the Avid album replicates the repertoire also played on the Clifford Brown Blue Note album where I think Hope's writing is the best thing about these sessions. For me, the most impressive session involving Hope is "The Fox" where I think the band Harold Land led reveals the full potential of Hope's writing. The Avid album has two sessions with horn including one with a very young John Coltrane and Hank Mobley. Despite the stellar line up, it is the second album with Frank Foster which really impresses me more than the others and it is great to hear the Foster outside of the context of the Basie band. In my opinion, this is an album which should be better known.

The trio sessions on the Avid disc are a mixed bag. The Blue Note trio session is great but the two, smaller 10 inch albums called "High Hope" and "Here's Hope" large;y feature Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones were poorly recorded by a smaller label which did not do justice to Hope's playing. The two albums replicate a lot of earlier material recoded earlier and the sessions lack the care and attention of Blue Note. What is most shocking about these last 2 discs is that I believe they were recorded in 1961 but if someone had told me they were made in 1951 I could have believed them. I understand that, even by the standards of Hope's tragic, shocking and short life, he was not in a good way when he made these records.

In my opinion, Hope's playing offers an original and individual approach to the music emerging out of Bebop. The form of his compositions sounds like they are often contrafacts following an AABA format yet have some interesting harmonic twists. I would be nice to see the music to see how his compositional mind works. At the same time as admiring his work, I can also see why he remains obscure and somewhat cultish. Because his music was so rooted in bop, I feel that his compositions would probably not fascinate more contemporary players in the way that Monk, Nichols and Hill have intrigued musicians long after their passing. I think Nichols and Hill took a long time to appreciate as they were effectively ahead of their time. For my money, Hope was very much of his time and perhaps this is what has counted against him getting the credit his 1950s work is due.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

You don't mention the Contemporary 1959 "Elmo Hope trio" album with Frank Butler and Jimmy Bond. To my mind Elmo's pinnacle along with "The Fox". It's a superb record, both in compositions & solos. "Homecoming" on Riverside is also excellent, and also the duo date with Bertha his wife.

The "Last Date" sessions are sprawling and a good producer would have made a huge difference. But it was not to be. He's still one of my favourite pianists though. The Penguin guide refers to him as "painting in watercolours" as opposed to Monk's "in oils" and I get that. Monk btw called him a genius. Very funny story about him and Monk in the RD Kelly biography.

[Jazzrook]

Elmo Hope with Harold Land, Stu Williamson, Leroy Vinegar & Frank Butler playing 'Vaun-Ex' recorded in L.A. on October 31, 1957.
This track is from the excellent 75-minute CD 'Trio and Quintet'(BLUE NOTE) currently available at a bargain price via Amazon(ASIN: B000008BAK).

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=e_c6ILXwHz8

JR