Went to see Franciso Mela lead a quartet at Cachaça last night. Hardly anybody was there for the 9 o'clock set so they waited until almost ten to start. It was cool, especially the young dude on guitar, Nir Felder, who was really burning it up.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 28 September 2007 17:53 (sixteen years ago) link
Does anyone have anything interesting to say about Paul Desmond? I always enjoyed his playing with Dave Brubeck a lot more than Brubeck's playing. I just picked up a quartet recording of him w/Jim Hall - Desmond has some really nice improvisatory surprises in his playing, although at other times he sounds kind of rudimentary - at least he generally avoids bop cliches of his time though. Great sound, obv.
― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 3 October 2007 02:57 (sixteen years ago) link
Sorry, I got nothing for you.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 15:52 (sixteen years ago) link
i haven't heard all that much Desmond -- just the big Brubeck recordings. One of my favorites is the Jazz Impressions of Japan LP, which at first glance sounds kind of cringe-worthy, but it's actually a really deep, melancholy recording. Desmond sounds great on that one. He's good on that Concierto record with Jim Hall, too. That's a nice album, for sure -- Chet Baker and Ron Carter are on there as well.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 15:58 (sixteen years ago) link
I originally opened this thread to rep for my neighbor, guitar player Jim Hershman, who last night did excellent versions of "Embraceable You" and then "Little Wing," with all the bells and whistles, at his usual Monday night gig at a nice bar/restaurant down the block called Novo.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 16:18 (sixteen years ago) link
what city?
― tylerw, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 17:03 (sixteen years ago) link
New York. Borough of Queens.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 9 October 2007 17:19 (sixteen years ago) link
A funny thing happened last night while I was at the jazz club- you know those weird humming/grunting noises you sometimes hear on jazz recordings, presumably from one of the players being picked up by a drum or piano mic? (I think they have their own thread). Well, I heard some yesterday, but they weren't coming from the stage, but from the audience.
It was the guy next to me. He was a musician himself, but I don't know if that is a valid excuse.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 26 October 2007 21:35 (sixteen years ago) link
Here's that other thread: Jazz pianists who make weird humming noises during their improvisations
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 26 October 2007 21:36 (sixteen years ago) link
guys that new meshell ndegeocello record is really good
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 8 November 2007 23:50 (sixteen years ago) link
Cooper-Moore going wild on mouth bow
― Rockist Scientist, Thursday, 22 November 2007 16:26 (sixteen years ago) link
I went looking for videos because I put on Cooper-Moore/Assif Tsahar's America earlier, and it remains one of my favorite albums from the last several years. I like the degree of control on this album, and I like the variety.
― Rockist Scientist, Thursday, 22 November 2007 19:54 (sixteen years ago) link
just saw George Cartwright, who lives in Mpls now but has been in the free/improv scene forever and played with Ornette, Sharrock and a bunch of famous people...Saw him with a standup bass, drummer, and Andrew Broder from The Fog on guitar...was really great, Cartwright can flat out wail and Broder, who's def. not a school musician in the same way obv as the other dudes, does well by not trying to keep up, but using lots of delay and volume pedals to do atmospheric and textural stuff...they also did a stellar version of "Oxford Town" by Dylan that sounded like Dylan fronting Crazy Horse circa 72 with Steve Mackaye from the Stooges records... so great, I bought a CD by Cartwright called "A Tenacious Slew" which is poetry and the some pretty funky free/funk/improv stuff....local mpls super drummer JT Bates is on that.
http://www.georgecartwright.com/
also bought this record with is fucking AMAZING...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Q73F5BZRL._AA240_.jpg
the vinyl orig. i bought has a way better cover though...
also bought Louis Armstrong - The Town Hall Concert Plus...am liking it...i really like it mostly...for some reason i have trouble with listening to armstrong on the vocal stuff, which i feel bad about for some reason, i guess it seems cheesy to me, but it shouldn't...too much overexposure to "what a wonderful world" over the years...also this is late 40s so maybe a little past his prime?
any Byrd/Armstrong recommendations would be very welcome..thx jazz d-bags thread.
― M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 7 December 2007 17:41 (sixteen years ago) link
if yo don't already have the hot 5/hot 7 armstrong stuff, you need it. there are various versions of this material floating around -- I've got the Columbia/Legacy 4-disc set, which can be found for pretty cheap, I think. It's as good as everybody says. I also like some of Armstrong's 50s recordings -- his albums of Fats Waller and W.C. Handy are very nice. As for Donald Byrd, you need "Black Byrd"! One of my fave jazz/fusion/disco/funk records. I actually haven't heard a lot of his earlier hard bop records, though he's good as a sideman on the prestige Coltrane dates.
― tylerw, Friday, 7 December 2007 17:52 (sixteen years ago) link
i have trouble listening to the good armstrong stuff because of the recording quality :(
― Jordan, Friday, 7 December 2007 18:03 (sixteen years ago) link
This has a lot of fans over at AAJ. Has anyone here heard it?
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?z=y&EAN=094639153220&itm=1
― Rockist Scientist, Friday, 7 December 2007 18:03 (sixteen years ago) link
That's: Terence Blanchard: A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)
― Rockist Scientist, Friday, 7 December 2007 18:04 (sixteen years ago) link
Only listened to clips. I was hoping it would have the second-linish track that plays over the photo montage on the When the Levees Broke dvd, but I don't think it does.
― Jordan, Friday, 7 December 2007 18:09 (sixteen years ago) link
have you guys heard david sanchez?
i saw him live in chicago on a weekend trip....live was amazing, not sure if he has any good records...
― M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 7 December 2007 18:11 (sixteen years ago) link
ok guys what are our best of 07 lists
mine is predictable
Mingus & Dolphy - Cornell 64 Erik Friedlander - Block Ice & Propane Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, - Time and Time Again Herbie - River: The Joni Letters Robert Glasper - In My Element
that's all i got.
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 04:50 (sixteen years ago) link
My list is currently being thrown into turmoil by the fact that I'm listening to everything from this year, like, all at once. DAMN, this Kahil El'Zabar's Infinity Orchestra album, which I thought was small cheese at the time, is actually shit-hot and fabulous, he's leading a huge band of French jazz dudes through his very AACM pieces, and only soloing once on the balafon, and whoa it's maybe making its way onto my overall list and I only have a couple of days left to firm that up, argh.
I'll make a top 20 jazz list in a couple of days.
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 05:23 (sixteen years ago) link
okay not really in order except for the top ten or so
1. Kahil El'Zabar's Infinity Orchestra, Transmigration 2. Hiromi's Sonicbloom, Time Control 3. Helene Corrini / Beatrice Graf, 2 Ailes 4. Sean Noonan Brewed by Noon, Stories to Tell 5. Jerry Granelli V16, The Sonic Temple 6. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Red Earth -- A Malian Journey 7. Bobby Santabria, Big Band Urban Folktales 8. Lafayette Gilchrist, 3 9. Norah Jones, Not Too Late 10. Jan Larsen, Strange News From Mars 11. Muiza Adnet, Sings Moacir Santos 12. Marlon Simon & the Nagual Spirits, In Case You Missed It 13. Jose Peixoto f/ Maria Joao, Pele 14. Misha Piatagorsky, Aya 15. James Carney, Green-Wood 16. Josh Roseman & New Constellations, Live in Vienna 17. David Binney & Edward Simon, Oceanos 18. Anat Cohen, Noir 19. Misha Piatagorsky, Uncommon Circumstance 20. Brad Shepik Trio, Places You Go 21. Baja, Maps/Systemalheur 22. Anat Fort, A Long Story 23. Kartet, The Bay Window 24. Myra Melford & Tanya Kalmanovitch, Heart Mountain 25. Anat Cohen, Poetica
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 20:56 (sixteen years ago) link
wow the Lafayette Gilchrist album is way too low at #8, and Muiza Adnet should be higher. also I have to find that Baja album, that thing is KRAYZEE.
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 20:57 (sixteen years ago) link
significant things I haven't heard:
David Murray, Sacred Ground William Parker, Corn Meal Dance Mingus at Cornell '64 the new Paul Motian
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:03 (sixteen years ago) link
(xpost) Wow, I didn't know anybody else had that Lafayette Gilchrist record. I saw him play with David Murray, Ray Drummond and Andrew Cyrille in the Black Saint Quartet (stepping in the shoes of the late John Hicks) and it was very nice.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:04 (sixteen years ago) link
I want to hear that Erik Friedlander album, but I want to hear his installment of Zorn's Book of Angels even more. (I guess I don't need to mention that his playing on Ned Rothenberg's Inner Diaspora is excellent, since even Sundar was teasing me about mentioning the Rothenberg album over and over again.)
― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:07 (sixteen years ago) link
I loved Friedlander's last solo record. Also pissed that I haven't heard the new Cuong Vu (we used to be like THIS) or the Maria Schneider record that everyone is oohing and aahing about.
And yeah GILCHRIST IS FUNKY YO.
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:08 (sixteen years ago) link
My favorite (so far, I usually end up buying a bunch more stuff after seeing the best of the year lists) is that wonderful live Billy Bang/Frank Lowe album.
― The guy who just votes in polls, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh I love Billy Bang, haven't heard that record though.
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:11 (sixteen years ago) link
also I forgot Chris Gestrin's after the city has gone: quiet and Michael Blake Sextet and Colin Vallon Trio.
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:17 (sixteen years ago) link
This Trio M thing sounds promising (was on somebody's personal list over at AAJ):
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7517504
― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:18 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh crap that's another one I liked! On the same label as an even better one, Alan Pasqua's The Anti-Social Club!
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:19 (sixteen years ago) link
Last night I went to see Toninho Horta play at Cachaça. It was cool, but too much fusion-y noodling for my taste, and no sing-along Brazilians in the audience like I read about in the review of the last time he played there.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:20 (sixteen years ago) link
"I want my money back, there were no sing-along Brazilians!"
― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:22 (sixteen years ago) link
Word up! THEY TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE SING-ALONG BRAZILIANS.
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:23 (sixteen years ago) link
There were three world-weary Italians at the next table, but that did not compensate.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:25 (sixteen years ago) link
Here's the Ben Ratliff review of the other show, if you think I am inventing.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:27 (sixteen years ago) link
Also available here.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:28 (sixteen years ago) link
There was also some glad-hander promoter/manager/crony type with a Cousin Brucie DJ voice trying to strong-arm the good people into buying CDs.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:30 (sixteen years ago) link
My favorite jazz albums of 2007:
1. Ned Rothenberg - Inner Diaspora 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
My favorite albums (all categories) of 2007:
1. Ned Rothenberg - Inner Diaspora 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 8. 9. 10. Tokyo Jihen - Variety 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Five albums I suspect will eventually make it onto the general list: Rahim AlHaj - Home Again; Wu Fei - Distant Youth; Erik Friendlander - Book of Angels Vol. 8; Nina Virdee - Gurbani Keertan; Nejo & Dalmata - Broke and Famous.
― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:40 (sixteen years ago) link
sorry I didn't get back to you about that show KL. Couldn't have gone anyway.
― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:44 (sixteen years ago) link
band practice
Maybe I should have bought you one of those CDs off of Cousin Brucie.
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 21:56 (sixteen years ago) link
The Top 10 I submitted to the Voice jazz poll (haven't come up with a Pazz & Jop 10 yet):
Fred Anderson & Hamid Drake, From The River To The Ocean<BR>David Torn, Prezens<BR>Arve Henriksen, Strjon<BR>Supersilent, 8<BR>Satoko Fujii Quartet, When We Were There<BR>David S. Ware, Renunciation<BR>Matthew Shipp, Piano Vortex<BR>Jacques Coursil, Clameurs<BR>Other Dimensions In Music, Live At The Sunset<BR>Burnt Sugar, Live From Minnegiggle Falls<BR><BR>Reissues of the year:<BR>Miles Davis, The Complete On The Corner Sessions (duh)<BR>Andrew Hill, Compulsion (John Gilmore, fuck yeah!)<BR>Noah Howard, The Black Ark<BR><BR>Honorable mention (couldn't vote for it because a Wire piece I wrote was borrowed for the liner notes): Borbetomagus, Live In Allentown.
― unperson, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 22:00 (sixteen years ago) link
Fred Anderson & Hamid Drake, From The River To The Ocean David Torn, Prezens Arve Henriksen, Strjon Supersilent, 8 Satoko Fujii Quartet, When We Were There David S. Ware, Renunciation Matthew Shipp, Piano Vortex Jacques Coursil, Clameurs Other Dimensions In Music, Live At The Sunset Burnt Sugar, Live From Minnegiggle Falls
Reissues of the year: Miles Davis, The Complete On The Corner Sessions (duh) Andrew Hill, Compulsion (John Gilmore, fuck yeah!) Noah Howard, The Black Ark
Honorable mention (couldn't vote for it because a Wire piece I wrote was borrowed for the liner notes): Borbetomagus, Live In Allentown.
― unperson, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 22:02 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm glad they're doing that again.
― The guy who just votes in polls, Wednesday, 19 December 2007 22:23 (sixteen years ago) link
I have heard like zero new jazz albums this year, except for New Orleans albums like Shamarr Allen's debut (which is fantastic), Harry Connick Jr., and Bob French's one on Branford's label. I meant to hear Alvin Batiste's last record too, but haven't yet.
Last year I was way into the Nik Bartsch and Dave Holland Quintet records, nothing like that this year.
― Jordan, Thursday, 20 December 2007 16:44 (sixteen years ago) link
I think I say this every year, but here we go again: Jordan we should get together sometime and listen to stuff, or I should burn you a disc, or something.
I know it's not going to happen, but isn't it nice to know we could?
― Dimension 5ive, Thursday, 20 December 2007 16:54 (sixteen years ago) link
Haha, yes! I would love a cd at least.
Btw I feel bad, you have a knack for showing up at, like, whatever the worst Digd0wn gig of the year is. :> (New Year's at the Majestic, though!)
― Jordan, Thursday, 20 December 2007 16:57 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh snap -- I might have to flee my family for that. But my bro-in-law will be in town, so we might be getting sloshed and playing Wii all night.
I thought you guys sounded pretty good at that weird park in Fitchburg this summer! The kids liked it, anyway. DIGD0WN IS FOR THE CHILDREN!
― Dimension 5ive, Thursday, 20 December 2007 17:15 (sixteen years ago) link