jazz in the gardens at midnight ....

[Serial_Apologist]

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.

I think one needs to go back further to find the sources of divergence, Oddball, and that may be part of the confusion: hard bop, Cool jazz, Thirdstream, modal and free jazz all really got underway in the 1950s (pace Lee Konitz).

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

This week we mark the end of BBC Piano season with a very special ‘sporting’ event - the six-by-two piano relay. It’s the jazz Olympics, if you like.

We invited a half-dozen of the best jazz and improvising pianists the UK has to offer to participate in a unique performance, never attempted before on Jazz on 3 (or perhaps anywhere else?). The concert begins with a series of three duos on two pianos, featuring Matthew Bourne and Kit Downes in the starting blocks, followed by Alcyona Mick and Liam Noble, then finally Pat Thomas playing alongside Robert Mitchell.

Following the three duos, we move onto the daring ‘freestyle’ event. All six pianists are invited to the stage to take part in an extended relay performance, passing the musical baton between them as they see fit. Combinations are spontaneous and random – sometimes all six musicians share two stools at the same time. The resultant music passes from beautiful romantic sections through to more angular and conversational passages, each musician adding their own voice to the flow of the piece. Whilst their individual flavours are thrown into the mix, the piece is certainly more a consequence of the ‘team’ as a whole – a magnificent example of collective composition, all in the heat of the moment.

We also managed to pull Kit Downes aside before the gig to unearth his favourite under-appreciated pianist.

from jex in the newsletter ....

....nobody does it better ....

[handsomefortune]

was the group pianist sesh worth a listen?
oooops - they aint done it yet - it's tonight.

please ignore.

[Serial_Apologist]

was the group pianist sesh worth a listen?
oooops - they aint done it yet - it's tonight.

please ignore.

So far so good!

Alcyona Mick's and Liam Noble's rendition of Pete Saberton's frantic piece stood up well against the two late 80s versions of it I have pairing Sabbo with John Taylor.

Pat Thomas doing his splish-splash Pullen the clusters over our ears while Robert Mitchell spins out fast figurations oop t' top end.

[Quarky]

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?

Alyn - totally agog at your encyclopaedic knowledge of Jazz - probably Google could not match the information presented in your book.
However as far as I am concerned, it is going to have to be bit of at a time, building on my own knowledge base.

I was interested to note that you regard Bill Evans as a key, if not the key pianist of the modern era, and I will start with him (always found him a little melancholic). Unfortunately you do not have a podcast on him. S-A, calum, any ideas for a good primer on Bill Evans?

[Serial_Apologist]

I'll happily cede to Calum's advice on Bill Evans recommendations, Oddball, he being more knowledgeable than I, save to say Bill's tone is by no means melancholic in general.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

this is the best biography of Evans but serious and detailed

this site looks pretty comprehensive if not reverential

good ol' wicki


allaboutjazz article


the best advice with Evans is that the trio with Lafaro & Motian are indispensable works in the history of jazz ... and brilliant

i also love the box sets of live sessions from his later years [see discog]

[Quarky]

Much appreciated, Calum.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

it was fun Oddball i am an Evans NUT

[Alyn_Shipton]

Oddball, sadly the Jazz Library on Bill doesn't seem to have converted into a podcast. Here's the playlist as starters: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazzlibrary/pip/7wwco/

[Quarky]

Much appreciated, Alyn.

[Quarky]

And not forgetting Jazz 625:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX7KkVanSEo&feature=related