I 've been listening to some old CDs that I have not played for years this week. First up was the Bill Frisell album with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones which must have been one of the drummer's least appearances on disc. Prior to it's release, the album was slated to be absolutely terrific. The reality was probably one of Frisell's weakest albums with the potential for a Coltrane mash-up akin to the excellent "Ask the ages" by Sonny Sharrock replaced by polite-Americana where Elvin seems totally bored and disengaged and the most exciting track where things eventually starting to burn coming to ab abrupt stop just as the music catches fire. It is probably the most disappointing all start album I am aware of with the starts never seeming to fly. A missed opportunity of epic proportions which dies credit to none of the musicians.
The other album was Charles Mingus' "Ah um" which I always loved but have not got around for playing for a long while, The band includes a roster of lesser soloists like John Handy and Booker Erwin who are coaxed in to some career-defining moments on this record. The most well know name is probably trombonist Jimmy Knepper, someone it is always great to hear. I would have to say that I am not a big fan of Mingus' music. I love the Mingus Big Band and would have to say on the two occasions I have heard them perform live, it has been some of the most exciting music I have heard. Mingus' own records are a mixed bunch and I think he is often uneven or perhaps even detrimental to his own reputation so the extent that I have never really warmed to his music. "Ah um" is probably the exception although "Black Saint" runs it close. Part of the problem stems from the unevenness of his output and also that (to my ears) he has never sounded particularly modern to me. The influence of Ellington is sometimes overwhelming but Mingus is not on the same par as the Duke and I would always plump for Ellington's music first if given the choice.
The weird thing about Mingus' music is that whilst there are records where he pushed the music by employing the likes of Eric Dolphy, there are probably more examples where his music fits a Mainstream / Swing agenda. I don't think that Mingus ever was really a bopper and tracks like "Pussy Cat Dues" and "Jelly Roll" probably compare with contemporary groups like those led by Steve Bernstein who are happy to use 20s/ 30's repertoire and rough it up considerably with the result that the jazz does not sound like a respectful museum piece. It is evident that the bassist loved Ellington's music and was equally enthralled by early musicians like Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller. At best, he is fun ti listen to and affords a degree of exuberance that is sadly absent is so much jazz today. However, when push comes to a shove, so much in Mingus' music comes from pre-bop styles of jazz, I struggle to consider him to be Modern as you would with [layers like Davis, Coltrane, Hill, Hancock, etc. Some of his earlier writing from the 40's owes everything to Duke (especially some of his earlier big band arrangements) but Mingus' over-reliance on working things out in rehearsals or indeed on the performance stage just means for me that Ellington get the preference every time. Still, "Ah um" remains one of the most enjoyable jazz records of the 1950's and one of the best examples that yiu do not need to be modish to produce a gem of a recording. You just get the feeling that Mingus was probably born ten years too late.
The other album was Charles Mingus' "Ah um" which I always loved but have not got around for playing for a long while, The band includes a roster of lesser soloists like John Handy and Booker Erwin who are coaxed in to some career-defining moments on this record. The most well know name is probably trombonist Jimmy Knepper, someone it is always great to hear. I would have to say that I am not a big fan of Mingus' music. I love the Mingus Big Band and would have to say on the two occasions I have heard them perform live, it has been some of the most exciting music I have heard. Mingus' own records are a mixed bunch and I think he is often uneven or perhaps even detrimental to his own reputation so the extent that I have never really warmed to his music. "Ah um" is probably the exception although "Black Saint" runs it close. Part of the problem stems from the unevenness of his output and also that (to my ears) he has never sounded particularly modern to me. The influence of Ellington is sometimes overwhelming but Mingus is not on the same par as the Duke and I would always plump for Ellington's music first if given the choice.
The weird thing about Mingus' music is that whilst there are records where he pushed the music by employing the likes of Eric Dolphy, there are probably more examples where his music fits a Mainstream / Swing agenda. I don't think that Mingus ever was really a bopper and tracks like "Pussy Cat Dues" and "Jelly Roll" probably compare with contemporary groups like those led by Steve Bernstein who are happy to use 20s/ 30's repertoire and rough it up considerably with the result that the jazz does not sound like a respectful museum piece. It is evident that the bassist loved Ellington's music and was equally enthralled by early musicians like Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller. At best, he is fun ti listen to and affords a degree of exuberance that is sadly absent is so much jazz today. However, when push comes to a shove, so much in Mingus' music comes from pre-bop styles of jazz, I struggle to consider him to be Modern as you would with [layers like Davis, Coltrane, Hill, Hancock, etc. Some of his earlier writing from the 40's owes everything to Duke (especially some of his earlier big band arrangements) but Mingus' over-reliance on working things out in rehearsals or indeed on the performance stage just means for me that Ellington get the preference every time. Still, "Ah um" remains one of the most enjoyable jazz records of the 1950's and one of the best examples that yiu do not need to be modish to produce a gem of a recording. You just get the feeling that Mingus was probably born ten years too late.
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