Stanley Cowell

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Watching Stanley Cowell on Youtube with Harold Land and again with Max Roach I was really struck by how good he was/is...and how low profile.

Discuss.

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

I saw Stanley Cowell perform in quartet with altoist Logan Richardson (the latest in a line a fabulous players to have come from Kansas City) that also featured Tarus Mateen and Nashait Waits. The band was absolutely cooking and demonstrated that Stanley Cowell was capable of being totally at home in a very contemporary sounding group. Although he was playing a grand piano, it was modified (to a barely noticeable degree) by a laptop that sat above the keyboard. I love this kind of jazz where the band is swinging like crazy but where you can't hear the "one" in the beat. The music was pretty outside - try imagining Jason Moran's trio backing an a more acidic alto player as opposed to a sweeter toned player like Miguel Zenon and you will get a good impression of what this band sounded like. I was fortunate to hear him as I understand he is semi-retired nowadays and rarely tours Europe these days.

Richardson himself is a nice bloke but I was fortunate enough to meet Stanley Cowell afterwards and I had a realy long conversation with him. He was extremely modest and very complimentary of his band mates. I felt that he was a true gentleman and someone who appeared genuinely interested to know if I played. We had a bit of a natter about Herbie Nichols which made him chuckle as he was obviously familiar with his music too. Sometimes I feel that meeting great jazz musicians is a huge let down and not very interesting. However, I think that I would have to say that Stanley Cowell was one of the most genuine and decent jazz musicians I've met - it was a real pleasure to have a conversation with him. I very much liked his playing too which was adventurous and pretty much "outside." It was a shame that when I tried to get hold of a CD of his work I couldn't find anything that appeared to be currently available. Also worth noting that he is also a composer of operas and extended works - probably more strings to his bow than you would imagine if you are just familiar with his Strata-East stuff.

Curiously enough, it was interesting to see mention of the eclectic Uri Caine (other great jazz pianist ) on anther thread this week as I had a long chat with him after a gig several years ago and we talked about all sorts of music in a conversation that ranged from Brahms to Jelly Roll Morton. Although he is of a younger generation, there is nothing that he doesn't know about the history of music. I felt that he was a top bloke as well.

[Serial_Apologist]

Sometimes I feel that meeting great jazz musicians is a huge let down and not very interesting.

With American greats, from interviews I've read, or the rare occasions I've had of speaking to one, they're open to talking about any musical area that interests one; with the British guys I've found there's still something of an air of not wanting to let on, a kind of modesty, false or not is difficult to say. Maybe it has something to do with not being thought a "smartypants". I feel this very much to be the case, especially, with Stan Tracey - there's lot more he knows than he's prepared to let on*.

Sorry, Ian, to just pick out one small part of what you've written here.

*Edit: Hey, maybe he just can't stand interviewers!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Thanks mucho for that Ian, wish I'd been there. Cowell is someone I've always been aware of in the background but never really picked up on. Hugely impressed.

Wiki says he's doing Univ. teaching as well now.

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

Bluesnik

I think he's retired from teaching. Certainly he isn't in to doing much touring and can count myself fortunate that he had decided to go out on the road with some younger players. I think Richardson is in his mid -twenties but he is a huge prosect. Waits and Mateen are very much a "team" and redefining jazz rhythm sections in my opinion. The gig was really good but you regret not being able to hear a recording of it in order to ascertain what exactly was going on. This was a session that would have yielded far more on repeated listening and perhaps at a more reasonable hour than at half-past mid night when the gig started! Getting too old to say up for these kind of things, especially when you have been listening to music since 4pm in the afternoon!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Nasait Waits is a big fan of the Elmo Hope Trio record on Contemporary!

Small world/good taste.


BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

Bluesnik

It is quite staggering to learn just how familiar contemporary jazz musicians are with the works of earlier players. I've gone on a few workshops / masterclasses and been surprised in many instances. Several years ago I sat in on an informal discussion with Jason Moran and I was curious to know about his tastes. At the time I had been struggling trying to learn some Herbie Nichols tunes as I was really into this pianist - I still think that Roswell Rudd's collection of his compositions is one of the best pieces of jazz repertoire available. Moran promptly sat down at the piano and rattled off "House party starting." For me, it is players like Moran and Nichols who really matter - I would also add the likes of Duke, Monk and Andrew Hill to this list.
There is also a really good Welsh pianist called Huw Warren (another very nice bloke) and he is another big fan of Herbie Nichols - I think the same applies with Stan Tracey.

It isn't always the case, but you find that musicians are extremely aware of earlier styles. Uri Caine expressed knowledge about Jelly Roll Morton's "Library of congress recordings."

Not all the pianists I have met have been that great. One famous American pianist turned up and and the worst for wear after drinking the night before and a young Armenian oianist who is making a big splash at the moment (he will be appearing at the London Jazz Festival) was a bit up his own r's - didn't care for him in the least.

[Jazzrook]

Watching Stanley Cowell on Youtube with Harold Land and again with Max Roach I was really struck by how good he was/is...and how low profile.

Discuss.

BN.

Pianist Stanley Cowell is in fine form with the equally overlooked Charle Tolliver on the trumpeter's hard-to-find 1969 album 'The Ringer'(BLACK LION).
In 1971, Cowell & Tolliver founded the impressive STRATA EAST label which deserves resuscitating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYKiHM9gJNY

https://www.serecs.com