Who's for the Oscar? Plus Lakecia in hot pursuit.

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 4 June
5pm - J to Z
Kevin Le Gendre with a showcase of the finest new jazz and classics of the genre, today featuring highlights of a concert by saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, with the set drawing on her 2020 album Pursuance: the Coltranes, which pays homage to Alice and John Coltrane.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017tv5

12midnight - Freeness

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017tvc

Sun 5 June
4pm - Jazz Record Requests

http://www.alynshipton.co.uk/blog

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017ty4

Tues 7 June - Sky Arts
7pm - New. Oscar Peterson: Black + White

2-hour long TV documentary.

The life and work of the Canadian jazz pianist featuring archive footage and interviews.

[Serial_Apologist]

J to Z can be patchy, as I expect we all think whenever a particular programme comes up with stuff not to our particular tastes; however the featured guest is usually well worth a wait, and today I much enjoyed Kendrick Scott's résume of his own favourites, particularly the Charles Lloyd track from "Of Course, Of Course" (1966). I always felt he should have stuck with that group, rather than the one immediately following with Jarrett, McBee and DeJohnette that made him famous.

[Jazzrook]

J to Z can be patchy, as I expect we all think whenever a particular programme comes up with stuff not to our particular tastes; however the featured guest is usually well worth a wait, and today I much enjoyed Kendrick Scott's résume of his own favourites, particularly the Charles Lloyd track from "Of Course, Of Course" (1966). I always felt he should have stuck with that group, rather than the one immediately following with Jarrett, McBee and DeJohnette that made him famous.

I also enjoyed Kendrick Scott's choice of 'Apex' from 'Of Course, Of Course' and have finally managed to track down a Mosaic Select version of this CD.
Here's 'East of the Sun(And West of the Moon)' which wasn't on the original LP:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=f_p3l3OXELM

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

I really liked the track "Apex" which I caught whilst on the way to the Ageas. I must admit finding Charles Lloyd's records to be erratic. One of my friends is a massive fan and has most of his ECM output. I have "Canto" which I think is exceptional but the performances often vary due to who he has backing him. Lloyd seems inspired by pianists and pairing him with the excellent Bobo Stenson was inspired. I have not heard any of his latest stuff on Blue Note.

Lloyd himself is a bit of an enigma. There are moments when I feel that the criticisms regarding him being a lightweight Coltrane are understandable and there are instances where his intonation can be poor, especially when he switches to alto. I entirely understand why he has detractors. However, by the same token there are moments when his music is completely in the zone. The use of Eastern influences in a jazz context is probably only matched by Yusef Lateef but I would argue that Charles Lloyd has a desire to take the music further.

I have seen him twice, the first time with the excellent Geri Allen and the music was exceptional. Several years later I saw him with Eric Harland and Zakar Hussein and it was musical alchemy. It felt that the gig with Allen clearly marked Lloyd out as one of the giants of our time yet, if anything. the trio gig was incredible. I am surprised that they attempted something so daring in a large, open air venue. Everyone's attention was fully engaged and you wondered what he was going to pull out of the hat next. Harland is a really good pianist too. When at the top of his form, I think Lloyd can be as compelling as Wayne Shorter.

[Alyn_Shipton]

I like Charles. Never prepared to stand still. I think the Marvels and his latest Blue Note are well worth a listen. If Boardees don't remember it, this might be of interest: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02r6l2d

[Quarky]

Liked JRR. As ever a mixed bag, an assortment. This week the spotlight was on the piano, with some fine tracks. I haven't enjoyed the Jazz piano for ages, following a bad experience with Django Bates, a little while ago.

[Serial_Apologist]

Tues 7 June - Sky Arts
7pm - New. Oscar Peterson: Black + White

2-hour long TV documentary.

The life and work of the Canadian jazz pianist featuring archive footage and interviews.

Now on!

[Serial_Apologist]

Now on!

Did anyone else get to see this? From those featured wearing Covid face masks and references to Floy'd police murder it would appear to be a recent documentary. It was good, moving at times; I'd always wrongly assumed Peterson to be a superficial entertainer after the mid-1950s, but this made it clear there was much more to him than this: the superabundant technique for its own sake that so often gets brickbats was in many ways a gesture of defiance.

Unfortunately Sky Arts don't do iplayer - the trailer below gives the flavour; other documentaries on Peterson are available:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxYywC_4nGs

[Ian Thumwood]

Did anyone else get to see this? From those featured wearing Covid face masks and references to Floy'd police murder it would appear to be a recent documentary. It was good, moving at times; I'd always wrongly assumed Peterson to be a superficial entertainer after the mid-1950s, but this made it clear there was much more to him than this: the superabundant technique for its own sake that so often gets brickbats was in many ways a gesture of defiance.

Unfortunately Sky Arts don't do iplayer - the trailer below gives the flavour; other documentaries on Peterson are available:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxYywC_4nGs

I find Oscar Peterson to be a complex musician to listen to. His profile was really high at the time I discovered jazz and I can even recall a time when he had his own programme on the BBC. I agree with the comment about his technical brilliance and I think his political stance regarding issues such as anti-apartheid was alwayts in the background when you listen to compositions such as "Nigerian Marketplace." I had never doubted that his music was not politically charged but it is strange that this never seemed to earn him the Brownie points such as Abdullah Ibrahim whose career overlapped in the 70s and 80s.

He is a strange musician to listen to as he was, on the face of things, "Modern Jazz" yet there was a lot in his playing which predated Be-bop and makes him sit outside the mainstream rather like the even more odd Erroll Garner. Peterson suffered from over -exposure in being associated with Norman Granz yet there are moments such as the Ella & Louis tracks featured on JRR where he playing was totally apposite. I am intrigued by the fact that there are a number of Peterson's contemporaries who made Modern Jazz popular at the same time yet have really disappeared from the consciousness of many jazz fans who seem obsessed with Miles, Coltrane and Blue Note to recognise a broader picture where modern jazz could be both popular and appeal to a musically educated audience. It is probably fair to say that Peterson is under-rated as a composer.

Personally, Peterson is a musician I tend to admire rather than like. He seemed to by-pass the whole Bud Powell influence yet I feel he was not unaffected by the emergence of Bill Evans. The various trios lack the appeal of Bud or Hampton Hawes for me but , as a soloist working without a bass and drums, I prefer to hear Peterson challanged in this respect. The one album of his which I really liked was the duo with Milt Jackson where the fact that Peterson has to work harder makes it a more interesting listen. As far as comping is concerned, maybe Peterson was a little too perfect and it would have been interesting to hear him work with a soloist who could potentially wrong foot him. I think his playing is pretty amazing when you consider that he had to cope with arthritis from an early age.

I wonder just how much Miles Davis' dismissal of Peterson had on infliuencing jazz fans. The comment about Peterson having "to learn the blues" was a bit harsh, especially coming from Davis' own middle class background. I have never heard or read a blindfold test featuring Oscar Peterson but it would be fascinating to have heard his opinion of other players and what qualities it was exactly that he admired. I am aware that he had played duets with Herbie Hancock and I think was an admirer of McCoy Tyner too. Outside of this, I would love to know how diverse his tastes were.