From one Charlie to another

[Serial_Apologist]

Heading this week in tribute to Charlie Watts for want of another - No Radio Times were to be found anywhere today. Below now amended

Sat 9 Apr
5pm - J to Z
Kevin Le Gendre presents a session by UK jazz stars Binker and Moses (drummer Moses Boyd and saxophonist Binker Golding), whose album Feeding the machine blends heavy grooves, soaring melodies and freewheeling improvisation. And American jazz pianist and composer Helen Sung shares some of her musical inspirations, including a dream-like composition by bassist Meshell Ndegeocello.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001691z

Midnight - Freeness
Corey Mwamba with new music and guests, with Laura Cannell discussing her album Antiphony of the Trees, in which she reinterprets birdsong through the recorder. She also shares her inspirations. Plus music by Francesco Covarino - who weaves lullabies from sparse guitar, toy instruments and field recordings - and oceanic meditations on consciousness from Ukrainian violinist Valentina Goncharova.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00161yk

Sun 10 April

Jazz Record Requests makes way for summat else.

[Alyn_Shipton]

The Mingus celebrations are Easter weekend. J to Z this coming Saturday (9th) is Binker and Moses: "Freewheeling UK jazz duo Binker and Moses in session, with music from their latest album, Feeding the Machine. Plus acclaimed pianist Helen Sung shares her inspirations."

[Serial_Apologist]

The Mingus celebrations are Easter weekend. J to Z this coming Saturday (9th) is Binker and Moses: "Freewheeling UK jazz duo Binker and Moses in session, with music from their latest album, Feeding the Machine. Plus acclaimed pianist Helen Sung shares her inspirations."

Thanks for your help, Alyn.

[Ian Thumwood]

Heading this week in tribute to Charlie Watts for want of another - No Radio Times were to be found anywhere today. Below now amended

Sat 9 Apr
5pm - J to Z
Kevin Le Gendre presents a session by UK jazz stars Binker and Moses (drummer Moses Boyd and saxophonist Binker Golding), whose album Feeding the machine blends heavy grooves, soaring melodies and freewheeling improvisation. And American jazz pianist and composer Helen Sung shares some of her musical inspirations, including a dream-like composition by bassist Meshell Ndegeocello.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001691z

Midnight - Freeness
Corey Mwamba with new music and guests, with Laura Cannell discussing her album Antiphony of the Trees, in which she reinterprets birdsong through the recorder. She also shares her inspirations. Plus music by Francesco Covarino - who weaves lullabies from sparse guitar, toy instruments and field recordings - and oceanic meditations on consciousness from Ukrainian violinist Valentina Goncharova.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00161yk

Sun 10 April

Jazz Record Requests makes way for summat else.

As a birdwatcher, I was intrigued by the Laura Cannell feature which explained how birdsong has influenced her music but regret that the samples i sought out on Youtube struck me as being headache inducing. I think it is a shame that Olivier Messaien's music is so little appreciated by the birdwatching community and whenever the issue of music influenced by birds has come up in discussion with other birdwatchers, most people do seem unaware of his work.

Conversely, there seems to me to not be that many examples of jazz musicians being interested in birdsong. The obvious example if the Jeff Ballard trio album with Lionel Loueke and Miguel Zenon called "Time's tales" which includes a compisition based on notated birdsong. It is a really good album but this one piece is so fascinating it eclipses everything else on it . It makes you wish the musicians had explored the idea further. I suppose this would be a dream project for me and would be fascinated just how much further the idea could have been taken. The other example is David Rothenburg and the Nightingale project which includes a lot of electronic manipulation of Nightingale song but , I feel, also takes it's cues from Jimmy Guiffre. Other than this, I am aware that Maria Schneider is also a very keen birdwatcher and one of my favourite compositions of her's is inspired by the Cerulean Warbler - a bird which is vrious chades of blue and white and which seems far easier to identify than European warblers which are usually green, brown or grey and a nightmare to identify.

There is plenty of jazz music inspired by birds in jazz but I would love to hear jazz musicians try to take a more scientific approach and improvise on the notated birdsong. I am not too aware if there are many other jazz musicians who also have birdwatching as a hobby.

[Jazzrook]

As a birdwatcher, I was intrigued by the Laura Cannell feature which explained how birdsong has influenced her music but regret that the samples i sought out on Youtube struck me as being headache inducing. I think it is a shame that Olivier Messaien's music is so little appreciated by the birdwatching community and whenever the issue of music influenced by birds has come up in discussion with other birdwatchers, most people do seem unaware of his work.

Conversely, there seems to me to not be that many examples of jazz musicians being interested in birdsong. The obvious example if the Jeff Ballard trio album with Lionel Loueke and Miguel Zenon called "Time's tales" which includes a compisition based on notated birdsong. It is a really good album but this one piece is so fascinating it eclipses everything else on it . It makes you wish the musicians had explored the idea further. I suppose this would be a dream project for me and would be fascinated just how much further the idea could have been taken. The other example is David Rothenburg and the Nightingale project which includes a lot of electronic manipulation of Nightingale song but , I feel, also takes it's cues from Jimmy Guiffre. Other than this, I am aware that Maria Schneider is also a very keen birdwatcher and one of my favourite compositions of her's is inspired by the Cerulean Warbler - a bird which is vrious chades of blue and white and which seems far easier to identify than European warblers which are usually green, brown or grey and a nightmare to identify.

There is plenty of jazz music inspired by birds in jazz but I would love to hear jazz musicians try to take a more scientific approach and improvise on the notated birdsong. I am not too aware if there are many other jazz musicians who also have birdwatching as a hobby.

https://www.jazziz.com/diane-moser-birdsongs-for-eric/

JR

[Quarky]

That's just reminded me of Seagulls Of Kristiansund - Mal Waldron:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCT7TsTWK-E

I believe there may be many more examples of Bird Song inspired music originating from Scandinavia, but I haven't done any research.

[Jazzrook]

Dave Holland with Sam Rivers, Anthony Braxton & Barry Altschul playing 'Conference of the Birds' in 1972:

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

JR

[Serial_Apologist]

Dave Holland with Sam Rivers, Anthony Braxton & Barry Altschul playing 'Conference of the Birds' in 1972:

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

JR

[Serial_Apologist]

whenever the issue of music influenced by birds has come up in discussion with other birdwatchers, most people do seem unaware of his work.

But how many bird watchers are interested in music of any kind in the first place?

Conversely, there seems to me to not be that many examples of jazz musicians being interested in birdsong. The obvious example if the Jeff Ballard trio album with Lionel Loueke and Miguel Zenon called "Time's tales" which includes a compisition based on notated birdsong.

I was going to say Charlie Parker - friends nicknamed him "bird" for that reason, if I'm not mistaken. Also, Eric Dolphy - particularly his flute work.

I am not too aware if there are many other jazz musicians who also have birdwatching as a hobby.

Good subject for another thread?

[Jazzrook]

Roland Kirk playing 'Serenade to a Cuckoo' in 1972:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=biWgs0GB2TY

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

Jazzrook

Thaks for the suggestion.

By chance, have found the Jeff Ballard track in question:-

i have to say that I think this track is absolutely fascinating. Anything that features Lionel Loueke on guitar is always worthy of attention . He is a genuine musical maverick ibbmy opinion but everyone on this trio record is on top of their game.Shame that the concept was not explored further.

[Serial_Apologist]

Not quite sure about Binker and Moses - something not working there between them, not quite sure what - maybe give them a second listen. Otherwise an excellent J to Z today: phenomental piano playing on the second track by the erstwhile guitar-led group. Ms Sung gave the best account of her inspirations thus far in the series, for me - not often does one find oneself cheering out loud to the great void in empathy with someone else's reactions. Great that she chose that wonderful chorale from Kenny Wheeler - I think others have gone for that one too. I liked her incisive playing as well: that opener for her was surely a Geri Allen tune, if I'm not mistaken?

[Ian Thumwood]

i caught a bit of J-Z coming back from football. No matter what had been played anything would have been better that the autopsy of Saint's 6-0 home reverse against Chelsea but I have to say, what is there not to like about Binker & Moses? I quite like them. They seem to be top blokes and really personable. Hearing them live would be exciting and I think that having them in the studio was a good idea. I did not hear all the programme but their music struck me and sounding a bit like some of the more adventurous jazz from the mid 1980s. There were moments when the electronics came in when I was reminded a bit of Jan Garbarek. for music that is supposed to take it's cues from Late Coltrane and alot of the jazz that followed in his wake, I think Binker & Moses are extremely accessible. There is no high-brow intellectualism about their music. They just get out there and blow. After 60 years, we are used to this approach to jazz but they try to put a contemporary spin on it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You can see why the electronics have been brought it and i think it is salient to ask how they can take this further . Do they need to bring in another instrument?

I don't feel that B&M are quite as near the forefront as the Miles Okazaki group which included 3/5th of Steve Solena's Five Elements band. This, for me, if pretty much the kind of jazz where new ideas are coming to the fore. Combined, they made the Jessica Williams track seem very mainstream but curiously made me wish the bassist and drummer were given some credit as they really contributed in making this trio sound so good.