electric bassist Steve Swallow and his new quintet at the London Jazz Festival. Swallow first emerged in the 1960s on the double bass, playing with Art Farmer and beginning a long-standing association with vibraphonist Gary Burton. Since the 1970s his work as a leader and sideman has been entirely on the electric bass, working extensively with guitarist John Scofield and pianist Carla Bley among others. His quintet has been active in various guises for 15 years, and appears here with Bley on Hammond organ, as well as saxophonist Chris Cheek, guitarist Steve Cardenas and Jorge Rossy on drums.
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always worth listening to eh ..............According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe. -
from the newsletter
London Jazz Festival: Steve Swallow Quintet
Monday 14 November at 11pm on BBC Radio 3
The London Jazz Festival is really in full flow now. With the music from Friday's live launch programme still ringing in our ears, tonight we've got a performance recorded just yesterday, from a new quintet led by an old hand.
Steve Swallow is one of the few jazz bass players to play electric only, having left the double bass behind 40 years ago! And the line-up of his latest band has a broader electric feel too, with long-time partner Carla Bley appearing here on Hammond Organ rather than piano. But there is a stripped-back, understated feel to many of Swallow's compositions, and he uses his renowned virtuosity sparingly, while Bley adds gentle textures rather than deep grooves. At other times the group really swings, with guitarist Steve Cardenas and sax player Chris Cheek soloing melodically and ex-Brad Mehldau drummer Jorge Rossy propelling things along.
In the interval, Swallow talks to Jez in front of a live audience at the Southbank Centre, including about the influence of guitarists such as Jim Hall on his playing. We dug out some great archive tracks to play during the interview, which illustrate the length and breadth of a great career that is still in full swing – as you'll hear tonight.According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe. -
It sounds like a great band. Chris Cheek is
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just heard the lkast two numbers and have written note to self to listen again in the morning, what a lovely band ...
now listened to it all .... great slow burn band, really cool and understated, lyrical and swinging and then you realise you're listening raptly ... stunning gig great band, lovely textures and great tunes ....According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe.Comment
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"In the summer of 1956, I came back and walked into Birdland. There, near the door at the back where I usually stood, was this tall, very skinny cigarette girl, wearing a short skirt, carrying a tray with a strap around her neck, looking very uncomfortable. The way I was feeling, it was clearly my duty to talk to her. After all, I didn't have a care in the world, so why should she?
'So, what's the problem?'
I shouldn't really have asked, because the list was very long: she had just started on this job, she was being pinched by the owner, etc., etc. Her name was Karen Borg.
I said, 'Well, it's really very simple. You put your tray down, and you walk out the door and you proceed with your life.'
She put the tray down, and we walked out the door."
(Stopping Time - Paul Bley and the Transformation of Jazz.)
Hollywood can't even touch that one....Comment
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