What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Serial_Apologist]

For much superior to Marsalis's reworkings, Kenny Cox and the Contemporary Jazz Quintet, Blue note 1968, "Mystique", Leon Henderson on tenor, Joe's youngest brother. 2 marvellous LPs from this group as Bluenote lost interest, they were based in Detroit.
http://youtu.be/69u9dwtb7sM

The way they juggle around with the time brings some of Andrew Hill's stuff of the time to mind a bit. This was the way to deal in jazz-funk - before over-dependence on bass figures became more limiting on interactive possibilities: the resulting tensions hold the attention constantly. Here's some more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ElhvdD_2M8

Thanks Bluesie - must admit I hadn't heard of any of these guys!!!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Charles Moore was a very fine trumpet player who went into teaching I believe. And around that time got involved in a furious Downbeat exchange with Don Ellis about the musical & cultural merits of late Coltrane. Moore being hugely appreciative. Leon Henderson was Joe's youngest brother in a big family, "Great player, as good or better than Joe" - Marion Brown. Kenny Cox was a stalwart and inspiration of the Detroit scene for years. He said the band played a lot more "out" & free in live gigs, and that the Bluenote albums were only partially representative. One of the great lost outfits.

[Ian Thumwood]

Wynton Marsalis's first Columbia album "Wynton Marsalis" from 1982. Dug this out today, first time in years, and was surprised by how useful it was. Lifts from Mile's second quintet and Shorter etc, "Doesn't he think we did it right the first time?!" MD, but it's an interesting début & compositions. If he hadn't been caught up in the hype/fostered it, where would he have gone. Anyway, "Father Time"....
"http://youtu.be/eGeEvIXTmTQ

I have "Think of One" and Black Codes" which are good, the latter probably being one of the best albums from the 1980s. The whole "Marsalis" issue overlooks the fact that the albums they put out often had more established players like Al Foster and Herbie Hancock making guest appearances plus the bands gave wider coverage to musicians like Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Kirkland and "Tain" Watts. Since making these records, Wynton has considerably broadened his palette with collaborations with the likes of Wilie Nelson and Eric Clapton whilst also pursuing a more Ellingtonian approach with the LCJO.



Conversely, I feel that the quartets Branford has been leading for the last twenty-odd years are severely overlooked and cover the same Ben Webster - to - Albert Ayler territory as the likes of David Murray. Their last album was incredible even though lumbered with the daft title " Between the shadow and the soul." It includes a version of Andrew Hill's "Snake hip waltz" as well as a deconstruction of Keith Jarrett's "The Windup" which is so ferocious that I was wondering whether it was a sort of statement regarding his opinion of the pianist's work. You can pick this album up very cheaply online and I feel it would make a fascinating contrast with what he was playing with his brother's quintet 40 years ago. It topped the "Best of 2019" in many polls that year. I think that this album topples over in to "Jazzrook" territory and may also interest Bluesnik. There aren't many contemporary bands that push this hard when playing and it did strike me as moving more in to the territory of the quartet's bassist, Eric Revis, own work which is firmly in the avant garde.

The amazing thing for me about this quartet album is the the music feels like a live gig and the music does not hold back. I like the fact that there are still musicians working within what used to be referred to as "the tradition" even if these days this seems to incorporate more outside playing than in the 1980s. It does seem hypocritical that Wynton seems to cop a lot of flak which tends to avoid players like Jeremy Pelt, Terence Blanchard and even the late Roy Hargrove. I much prefer this kind of jazz to some of the newer trumpet players and certainly feel that some of their writing is more assertive than the material performed by groups like "Dinosaur" which are bit too modish.

[Serial_Apologist]

I have "Think of One" and Black Codes" which are good, the latter probably being one of the best albums from the 1980s. The whole "Marsalis" issue overlooks the fact that the albums they put out often had more established players like Al Foster and Herbie Hancock making guest appearances plus the bands gave wider coverage to musicians like Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Kirkland and "Tain" Watts. Since making these records, Wynton has considerably broadened his palette with collaborations with the likes of Wilie Nelson and Eric Clapton whilst also pursuing a more Ellingtonian approach with the LCJO.

"Think of One" is my one Wynton recording! I thought the Miles "second quintet" mid-60s period a good starting point, on the same basis composers in the 1920s continued being influenced by "The Rite of Spring", even though Stravinsky had himself "moved on" stylistically. I bought "Black Codes" for a lady friend on its basis, one track having been broadcast on JRR if I remember correctly, and she still has it, despite not really being a jazz buff. Not sure quite what that says!

Subsequent Branford recordings have all to my information been fine, just not sufficiently of interest to have bought.

Their last album was incredible even though lumbered with the daft title " Between the shadow and the soul."

An attempt at a homage to TS Eliot, perhaps.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"Think of One" is my one Wynton recording! I thought the Miles "second quintet" mid-60s period a good starting point, on the same basis composers in the 1920s continued being influenced by "The Rite of Spring", even though Stravinsky had himself "moved on" stylistically. I bought "Black Codes" for a lady friend on its basis, one track having been broadcast on JRR if I remember correctly, and she still has it, despite not really being a jazz buff. Not sure quite what that says!

Subsequent Branford recordings have all to my information been fine, just not sufficiently of interest to have bought.



An attempt at a homage to TS Eliot, perhaps.

I also thought maybe a nod to Eliot, buy it's Pablo Neruda...

"I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body...."

[Serial_Apologist]

I also thought maybe a nod to Eliot, but it's Pablo Neruda...

"I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body...."

Well that's fine then: Neruda!

(We should tell Ian, maybe...)

[Ian Thumwood]

"Think of One" is my one

Subsequent Branford recordings have all to my information been fine, just not sufficiently of interest to have bought.

I would suggest that this is further evidence of the benefit of keeping a regular band together for a long while, something that i think always reaps rewards. From recollection, I have seen Branford's quartet on at least 2 occasions and would have to say that the way this group deals with dynamics with a measure of control that no other group I have caught live has managed.

[Jazzrook]

Brantford Marsalis playing 'Blues For One' at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco in 2012:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=Dy2FxAq2vyU

JR

[Stanfordian]

‘The Sidewinder’ – Lee Morgan
with Joe Henderson, Barry Harris, Bob Cranshaw & Billy Higgins
Blue Note (1963)

[Stanfordian]

‘Out to Lunch!’ – Eric Dolphy
Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Richard Davis & Tony Williams
Blue Note (1964)

[Joseph K]

‘Out to Lunch!’ – Eric Dolphy
Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Richard Davis & Tony Williams
Blue Note (1964)

A great album, this!

I currently have the new McLaughlin album on. Sounds even better than before!

[Stanfordian]

‘Blues and the Abstract Truth’ – Oliver Nelson
with Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy, George Barrow, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers & Roy Haynes
Impulse! (1961)

[Stanfordian]

A great album, this!

I currently have the new McLaughlin album on. Sounds even better than before!

Hiya Joseph K,

Although I love it I know diddly-squat about jazz. If you mean John McLaughlin, I've looked him up and I have never previously encountered him. I'm playing some of his music on YouTube at the minute.

[Serial_Apologist]

Hiya Joseph K,

Although I love it I know diddly-squat about jazz. If you mean John McLaughlin, I've looked him up and I have never previously encountered him. I'm playing some of his music on YouTube at the minute.

But on the other hand I would have thought your knowledge of hard bop to be unequalled, Stan: certainly massively more than mine!

[Stanfordian]

But on the other hand I would have thought your knowledge of hard bop to be unequalled, Stan: certainly massively more than mine!

Hiya Serial_Apologist,

I know what type of jazz I like. I play it but never study it and no virtually nothing about it. However, with my classical music/opera reviewing activities I take a very different approach. I study it and try to learn as much as I can.

As you have noticed the jazz I play each day tends to be from a small sub genre of Jazz - Hard-bop from around 1958-1966 and mainly on Blue Note. I never even read the sleeve notes or CD booklets but I do know the names of most of the players and their respective instruments, but that is about it.