What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Jazzrook]

Charles Mingus with Clifford Jordan, John Handy, Jane Getz & Dannie Richmond playing ‘New Fables’ live at The Jazz Workshop, San Francisco, June, 1964:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=guduVt3Xfe0

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

I was intrigued to learn that the ' Bud on Bach' track by Bud Powell was actually utilising a composition by the son CPE and not the father JS. I had not been familiar with the source material and assumed that it was by the more familiar Bach. CPE Bach is totally unfamiliar to me although I am aware of his reputation.

Interestingly composition was written for piano students and is not considered technically demanding. However, the most striking element about it was how the line of the composition seems to forecasts that of Bebop. It would be fascinating to discover what classical music Powell learned when he was studying the instrument.

I am not usually much of a fan of more Classical composers of the Classical era and cannot abide Mozart. I feel this period post JSB does not have much resonance with jazz as in the case of 20th century composers so it is fascinating to see Bud Powell performing this. Recently I have been sight reading a lot of Muzio Clementi and find this composer to be fun to play whilst being fascinating to read about due to his role as a business man and his local connections with Blandford Forum where he grew up. CPE Bach remains a mystery.

[Serial_Apologist]

I was intrigued to learn that the ' Bud on Bach' track by Bud Powell was actually utilising a composition by the son CPE and not the father JS. I had not been familiar with the source material and assumed that it was by the more familiar Bach. CPE Bach is totally unfamiliar to me although I am aware of his reputation.

Interestingly composition was written for piano students and is not considered technically demanding. However, the most striking element about it was how the line of the composition seems to forecasts that of Bebop. It would be fascinating to discover what classical music Powell learned when he was studying the instrument.

I am not usually much of a fan of more Classical composers of the Classical era and cannot abide Mozart. I feel this period post JSB does not have much resonance with jazz as in the case of 20th century composers so it is fascinating to see Bud Powell performing this. Recently I have been sight reading a lot of Muzio Clementi and find this composer to be fun to play whilst being fascinating to read about due to his role as a business man and his local connections with Blandford Forum where he grew up. CPE Bach remains a mystery.

I tend to agree re the second half of the C18 Classical era (properly designated) not providing adaptability for jazz - it's too "idiomatic"; however CPE Bach is a welcome exception for me, a revolutionary without whom we would not have the symphony whose music sounds remarkably fresh today compared with the usual suspects (Haydn often excepted). Classical music then comes alive once more for me after around 1880 with the modernist precursors such as Hugo Wolf, Mahler and Debussy.

[Ian Thumwood]

Jeff Ballards's ' Timeless Tales' which is a trio with the seriously undeŕvalued Lionel Loueke and Miguel Zenon. There is a wise range of material oh this exceptional disc but the transcription of the song of the Western Wren as a almost Ornettish theme never ceases to stagger me. An essential track for other bird watching jazz fans although the whole album is terrific . I love the drums / alto/ guitar line up. One of the most rewarding and intriguing jazz albums of 21st century .... the polar opposite of watching Scotland trying to play football at the moment ! It was a shame there was no follow up record and the bird song as jazz vehicle merited further exploration. It did make me wonder which of the three musicians was the bird watcher.

[Jazzrook]

Noah Howard, Takashi Kako, Kent Carter & Oliver Johnson playing Coltrane’s ‘Ole’ in 1975 from Howard’s album ‘Live in Europe Vol. 1’:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=5Vo0H_Ri3Ms

JR