jazz in the gardens at midnight ....

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Alyn kicks off with a St Sonny classic track of beloved memory in my case

Geoffrey covers more of the field in the piano trio game [not too appetising funnily enough ... must be the genre]

to mark John Taylor's 70th Birthday, Jazz Line-Up presents iconic British Jazz Pianist John Taylor in concert at the Radio Theatre within Broadcasting House London.
Claire Martin will present the programme that will feature John with his Quartet of:
John Taylor, piano
Julian Siegel, saxes and bass clarinet
Chris Laurence, bass
Martin France, drums
Richard Fairhurst, second piano
And as special Guest Oren Marshall, tuba

JLU is the one to catch

As part of 'Piano Season on the BBC', Jez Nelson presents a unique performance featuring six of the UK's leading jazz and improvising pianists playing two pianos - occasionally all at once. Matthew Bourne, Kit Downes, Alcyona Mick, Robert Mitchell, Liam Noble and Pat Thomas will begin the concert in duos, before coming together in an extended improvised relay, passing the music between them and sharing the stool in spontaneous, and at times random, combinations.

Jon3 does gimmix innit

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Six pianists, two pianos, things that tight at the BBC?

Sounds to me just the sort of thing Jim would have fixed back when the Beeb still provided quality family entertainment.

BN.

[Old Grumpy]

Geoffrey covers more of the field in the piano trio game [not too appetising funnily enough ... must be the genre]

Disagree, Geoffrey's looks like the one to catch - Jez, on the on the other hand (no pun intended!) will probably be the one to miss.

OG

[MrGongGong]

Disagree, Geoffrey's looks like the one to catch - Jez, on the on the other hand (no pun intended!) will probably be the one to miss.

OG

Definitely agree
but there again he's got one of my fave eccentric tuba players
what's not to love ?
and the excellent mr Seagull himself ............

[Quarky]

"Alyn kicks off with a St Sonny classic track of beloved memory in my case

Geoffrey covers more of the field in the piano trio game [not too appetising funnily enough ... must be the genre]"

A most interesting Saturday's Jazz entertainment.

Gilles Peterson kicking up a storm on Radio 6.

Sonny Rollins, my all-time favourite Jazz Musician. I did see him at the Barbican a year or two back, but I was missing something. Compared to his recordings in the 50's, there did not seem to be the same degree of engagement. But I caught up with him again on Alyn's JRR.

But the highlight was Geoffrey's programme on Jazz trio. Geoffrey is an admirable navigator of the Jazz-boat, steering a very accurate course. Full of throw away lines that actually give a deep insight into Jazz music - "the Jazz trio is in bouyant good health" - quote from Sonny Rollins "Jazz is wedded to the popular song". And he demonstrated exactly the state of the art with his selections. Highlight for me was Bill Charlap - Cool. He really caught the essence of the piece throughout his improvisation, which must be an extremely difficult thing to do. Mehldau and Simcock play very difficult improvisational sequences, but they do not seem to have a lot to do with the "character" of the popular song. Jarrett, Marcus Roberts.

Conclusion for me was that the Jazz trio as a genre has stabilised. No time for all this airy fairy Classical stuff of the 19th/20th Century - leave that to Lang Lang in its rightful place. Also no time for John Cage-type experimentation, I guess that is left to the Improv scene. As for Arnold Schoenberg, unless Mehldau and Simcock are working it in somehow to their work, I assume serialism is also out in the cold.

[Serial_Apologist]

But the highlight was Geoffrey's programme on Jazz trio. Geoffrey is an admirable navigator of the Jazz-boat, steering a very accurate course.

Sorry but I just can't get into Geoffrey's presentational manner - ok as it probably was for JRR (which I seldom listen to) - but I was aghast at his hyperbollick description of the Bad Plus trio track, which was total carp, (the track as well).

[charles t]

Neither are at fault, presentation-wise.

Per Miles's:

'I just hate hearing English spoken that way!'

[Serial_Apologist]

Neither are at fault, presentation-wise.

Per Miles's:

'I just hate hearing English spoken that way!'

I'm not being anti-American, charles, this time!

[Quarky]

The value of GS's programme for me was the overview of contemporary Jazz piano, which I was badly in need of. So wasn't too bothered about a non-BBC accent.

But I have to admit that when Geoffrey presented JRR, his presentation did bother me. But then I didn't find much at all to enjoy in the programme at that stage. Alyn Shipton is definitely an improvement for JRR in my view. Overall however I am at the stage where I need a more detailed overview knowledge of Jazz, rather than just savouring each individual track which is served up for our delectation.

[charles t]

I'm not being anti-American, charles, this time!

A temporary, yea, vertiginous state, thereof, Serialist (exclm mark assumed)

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

if Mittney wins all bets are off ....hi charles t

[charles t]

[Willard] Mitt...

Verily, I say this unto Thee:

Yea, carry that Book of Mormon where-ever Thee go in your white shirt and tie.

[Alyn_Shipton]

Returning briefly top the topic of the thread, Oddball, there's loads of episodes of Jazz Library available for download, which should give you a bit of the overview you're after. And far be it from me to recommend my own New History of Jazz, but maybe that might help?

[handsomefortune]

help!
charles t's giving me nightmares!

[Quarky]

Many thanks Alyn. I do have a copy of your book in my bookcase, and probably now is the time to read the later chapters, post John Coltrane.

Up to the 1960s it was easy to follow Jazz, since in the main there was a common direction. But since then it seems to have splintered into various kinds and types, with musicians going forward along various routes.

So my current appreciation is that Jazz has stabilised into various sub-genres, of which the piano trio is one. Anyhow, that view seems good enough to go forward.