What Jazz are you listening to now?

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  • Ian Thumwood
    Full Member
    • Dec 2010
    • 4187

    I think that ECM is a curious label and probably enjoys the kind of "self identity" only really shared by Blue Note. The label was something of a revelation to me when i discovered it around 1985 and , for about 10 years, I was obsessed by ECM. I have a good friend who introduced me to a lot of modern jazz when I was a teenager and i got him into ECM to the extent that he became addicted to the label. I do not think he would agree with your comments even though he has catholic tastes which range from 1920s to contemporary. I find that it is very easy to be seduced by ECM. What is interesting is the breadth of the music the label has covered which includes jazz, piano trios, Nu Jazz, Free improvisation, medieval music, folk musics and about 800 year's worth of Classical music. Quite how Eicher manages to retain a "house style" is pretty remarkable across such a wide range. Depsite this, I still find him to be a bit of a marmite character.

    I have to say that I can be pursued either way with regards to the merits of the label. There is output which I think much be classed as some of the greatest jazz recorded in the last 50 years. By the same token, I strongly feel than Eicher has had a deadening effect on a lot of the output with the studio / production being as much of a factor on the recordings as the musicians themselves. Thirty years ago I would have contested the notion about "deference" and the "cathedral like" sound recording which is at a level beyond most of the label's rivals. That said, hearing the musicians perform live can be a fascinating experience as the studio-quality production cannot be replicated on stage and the restraint necessitated by Eicher is often jettisoned. There are a number of ECM artists whose work I could not be without ( Abercrombie, Towner, Rypdal, Jarrett, Bley Wheeler, Surman, etc ) yet , by contrast, I think the label is far more inconsistent than fans would tend to let on. On the other hand , I personally feel that the polished production values often mask some really bland and ordinary records. A significant proportion of their output has a tendency to seem a bit pointless with the music on the fringes of jazz being guilty of being very much like New Age. There is also an issue where some of the records have aged really poorly or that perceptions tend to change markedly so that some records come across much better than they originally did.

    It is tempting to write the label off due to Eicher's rather narrow-minded view of improvised music , especially in respect of dynamics where the exciting is discouraged in favour of the contemplative and the fact that id does take itself a bit too seriously. That said, musicians like Enrico Rava seem tailor made to this approach towards jazz. Where it goes wrong is when American artists moved over to the label and somehow seem a bit eviscerated by it. For a label which was created to feature the European avant garde scene of the late 60s and early 70s, ECM has done remarkably well and there are some absolute gems there. The problem for future generations will be that the pervading air of melancholy and the polished production values may no longer to considered quite so favourably. In simmary, I am no longer an ECM obsessive but there is still much to enjoy even if a lot of the more recent output may appear to be a bit monchrome.

    Sorry, Bruce, I have to say the appeal of Mark Turner alludes me. I can see the connections with Warne Marsh yet at the same time understand why his music has been berated so much by more avant-leaning musicians lke Jaimie Branch whose assessent was pretty withering - albeit I think she later apologised.

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    • Stanfordian
      Full Member
      • Dec 2010
      • 9315

      'Brilliant Corners' - Thelonious Monk
      with Ernie Henry, Sonny Rollins, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach, Clark Terry & Paul Chambers
      Riverside (1956)

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      • BLUESNIK'S REVOX
        Full Member
        • Dec 2010
        • 4288

        For the curious, including me! On JRR last month Alyn played a Jimmy Smith Bluenote track, "Yardbird Suite" (with Lou Donaldson, Kenny Burrell, Art Blakey). I thought at the time and playing back the tape, something odd. Just listened again to it on YouTube, and at about 4.45 I think a key on the Hammond "sticks", really weird phrase. And then JS goes back to it to "test" (it seems to me). My surprise, if I'm right is why didn't they do another take...or "call the mechanic". Just weird. Here tis...

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        • Serial_Apologist
          Full Member
          • Dec 2010
          • 37710

          Originally posted by BLUESNIK'S REVOX View Post
          For the curious, including me! On JRR last month Alyn played a Jimmy Smith Bluenote track, "Yardbird Suite" (with Lou Donaldson, Kenny Burrell, Art Blakey). I thought at the time and playing back the tape, something odd. Just listened again to it on YouTube, and at about 4.45 I think a key on the Hammond "sticks", really weird phrase. And then JS goes back to it to "test" (it seems to me). My surprise, if I'm right is why didn't they do another take...or "call the mechanic". Just weird. Here tis...
          http://youtu.be/M_t-kRgvSks
          If that is the case, then Jimmy finds a very clever way of then disguising the "fault" by finding a catchy phrase to play over it while hammering the stuck note until it releases. At around 6.20 he then plays another held note as if referring back to it.

          I'm wondering if anybody here managed to see the Ray Charles Montreux documentary on Sky Arts last night? It defied my low expectations by turning out to be magnificent, with more improvisation from Ray than might have been anticipated as well as the expected tunes and coverage of the Sinatra end of his spectrum with the Quincyish big band behind him. When The Raelets came on I thought, "Oh here we go", but then found myself dissolving in tears! If I can work out some way of linking to it without the rigmarole of having to subscribe I will do so - I missed the Zappa documentary the previous Friday.

          Comment

          • Jazzrook
            Full Member
            • Mar 2011
            • 3088

            S_A

            I discovered recently that Sky Arts can be found on Freeview 11 and am kicking myself that I missed Zappa's Classic Albums on 'Freak Out'.
            Hopefully it will be repeated soon.

            JR

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            • BLUESNIK'S REVOX
              Full Member
              • Dec 2010
              • 4288

              Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
              If that is the case, then Jimmy finds a very clever way of then disguising the "fault" by finding a catchy phrase to play over it while hammering the stuck note until it releases. At around 6.20 he then plays another held note as if referring back to it.

              I'm wondering if anybody here managed to see the Ray Charles Montreux documentary on Sky Arts last night? It defied my low expectations by turning out to be magnificent, with more improvisation from Ray than might have been anticipated as well as the expected tunes and coverage of the Sinatra end of his spectrum with the Quincyish big band behind him. When The Raelets came on I thought, "Oh here we go", but then found myself dissolving in tears! If I can work out some way of linking to it without the rigmarole of having to subscribe I will do so - I missed the Zappa documentary the previous Friday.
              Didn't see it but will definitely catch up. There's also a wonderful (mostly) concert on YouTube, I think Paris c1969, where Ray suddenly launches into this kind of Kenny Drew piano instrumental, not his usual excellent bluesy thing, but straight jazz. The band look on amazed, and then he trades fours with the bass and drums! And this in the middle of a by now routine Ray Charles concert. He's supposed to have kicked heroin in 1965, but ...he was on something!

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              • Jazzrook
                Full Member
                • Mar 2011
                • 3088

                Joe Alexander Quintet with John Hunt, Bobby Timmons, Sam Jones & Albert "Tootie" Heath playing 'I'll Close My Eyes' in 1960:

                John Hunt (tp,flh), Joe Alexander (ts), Bobby Timmons (p), Sam Jones (b), Albert “Tootie” Heath (ds)Album:" Joe Alexander / Blue Jubilee "Recorded:New York C...


                JR

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                • Stanfordian
                  Full Member
                  • Dec 2010
                  • 9315

                  ‘Some Other Stuff’ – Grachan Moncur III
                  with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Cecil McBee & Tony Williams
                  Blue Note (1964)

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                  • Jazzrook
                    Full Member
                    • Mar 2011
                    • 3088

                    Bud Shank with Carmel Jones, Dennis Budimir, Gary Peacock & Mel Lewis playing Monk's 'Well You Needn't' from the 1961 album 'New Groove':

                    Bud Shank Quintet featuring Carmel Jones - Well, You Needn't (1961)Personnel: Carmel Jones (trumpet), Bud Shank (alto sax), Dennis Budimir (guitar), Gary Pea...


                    JR

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                    • gurnemanz
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 7391

                      Tristano 1956 with Lennie of that ilk.

                      "If people want to think I speeded up the piano on "Line Up" and "East Thirty-Second", I don't care. What I care about is that the result sounded good to me." ... and me

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                      • Stanfordian
                        Full Member
                        • Dec 2010
                        • 9315

                        ‘Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy’
                        with Trummy Young, Barney Bigard, Billy Kyle, Arvell Shaw, Barrett Deems & Velma Middleton
                        Columbia (1954)

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                        • Kernow Malc
                          Full Member
                          • Oct 2018
                          • 56

                          Alice Coltrane. Wonderful music.

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                          • BLUESNIK'S REVOX
                            Full Member
                            • Dec 2010
                            • 4288

                            Forthcoming, "Tubby Hayes Qrt - Complete live at the Hopbine, 1969" "Where am I going". A question often asked by us with bus passes...

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                            • Jazzrook
                              Full Member
                              • Mar 2011
                              • 3088

                              Originally posted by BLUESNIK'S REVOX View Post
                              Forthcoming, "Tubby Hayes Qrt - Complete live at the Hopbine, 1969" "Where am I going". A question often asked by us with bus passes...

                              http://youtu.be/1-_ZgMoLpMc
                              Great news, BN.
                              Here's Tubby with little-known Dublin-born guitarist Louis Stewart, Ken Baldock & Spike Wells playing Jimmy Heath's 'Gingerbread Boy' from 'Live at the Hopbine 1968':

                              Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesGingerbread Boy (Live) · Tubby Hayes · Tubby Hayes QuartetThe Syndicate - Live at the Hopbine 1968℗ 2015 Gearbo...


                              JR

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                              • Stanfordian
                                Full Member
                                • Dec 2010
                                • 9315

                                ‘Screamin'’ – Brother Jack McDuff
                                with Leo Wright, Joe Dukes & Kenny Burrell
                                Prestige (1962)

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