Rolling Jazz Thread 2020

I'm not sure if this is the thread for general jazz questions I have been pondering...

To what extent are contemporary jazz musicians expected to be composers, or evaluated on their compositional skills?
Would a jazz artist or group who never writes their own material be regarded as a lightweight or novelty, as I suppose is still the case in rock?
Have the last 30 or 40 years of jazz produced any often covered jazz standards like Take Five, 'round Midnight, etc?
Is it unfair to judge recent jazz records by the fact that "none of the songs caught on" and became standards, as does one critic I have been reading?

I mean, people can judge records on any grounds they want but I'm not sure you're getting the point if you say that Ben Monder has failed since no one calls out "Echolalia" at jams.

It's no "Wonderwall", that's for sure.

Yes, unlike some itt I am nowhere near an expert, but that particular take (whither standards) strikes me as kind of anachronistic: that's just not as strong an element of jazz culture as it once was. Contemporary players don't tend to cover show tunes or film themes anymore either.

To what extent are contemporary jazz musicians expected to be composers, or evaluated on their compositional skills?
Depends on the scene or subgenre they're operating in. Kamasi Washington is not being judged by the same standards as Vijay Iyer, despite the fact that they both write their own material.

Would a jazz artist or group who never writes their own material be regarded as a lightweight or novelty, as I suppose is still the case in rock?
Such a thing is vanishingly rare these days; the first examples that come to mind are Broken Shadows and Roots Magic, both of which are explicitly repertory/tribute projects. But Broken Shadows is made up of guys who already have a strong reputation as composers (Tim Berne, two of the guys from the Bad Plus) so it's clearly seen as a fun side project, and judged as such.

Have the last 30 or 40 years of jazz produced any often covered jazz standards like Take Five, 'round Midnight, etc?
No, but that's because the market has changed. Those songs were not just performed by jazz groups; they were hit records that the general public, or at least a sizable swath of it, would recognize. That doesn't happen anymore. Jazz musicians do record each other's compositions sometimes, but as the scene has become smaller and smaller, it's become more and more important to make a name as a total creative artist who writes and performs one's own material.

Is it unfair to judge recent jazz records by the fact that "none of the songs caught on" and became standards, as does one critic I have been reading?
Yes.

I think you can lament the fact that songs don't become standards anymore, but you can't hold it against individual records or musicians. That sounds kind of like criticizing jazz artists for the fact that jazz isn't popular--the cultural momentum is out of anyone's control.

Rockit is a jazz standard!

A third volume in BBE's J-Jazz series will be released in February. I've already pre-ordered mine. (N.B.: The CD version has three more tracks than the vinyl.)

https://bbemusic.bandcamp.com/album/j-jazz-volume-3-deep-modernjazz-from-japan

I'd be curious what the most recent tunes getting played at jam sessions (and by college groups) were. I'm sure there are some.

Like when I was in school, some '90s tunes had definitely become modern standards (Kenny Garrett 'Sing a Song of Song', the theme from Mo' Betta Blues, etc). And aside from jazz artists recording each other's tunes on official releases, I think you'd have to look at the youtube culture of lesser-known jazz musicians doing covers, there's tons of that.

I think quite a few Stevie Wonder tunes count as standards now. possibly a couple of later Ornette compositions. if Global Warming by Sonny Rollins isn't a standard yet it should be

there have been several attempts with Radiohead which I'd rather forget

Yes, I was specifically thinking about standards written by jazz musicians, so the Ornette and Rollins might apply.

Which Ornette are you thinking about? Are any of these tunes e.g. in the Real Book?

probably not. I’ve heard a few covers of 80s tunes like kathelin gray, feet music, latin genetics, song x, mob job (idk if some of those tunes are older) but probably not ubiquitous enough to be considered true standards, they should be though

I feel like there have been a ton of versions of "Lonely Woman," but that's 60 years old.

oh man this dolphy solo on “head shakin” though

Smalls livestream is great right now.

Guy who inspired this thread is playing: Math & Music: The Severed Alliance. Some Recent Academic Approaches (Do Not Read If You Hate Drums)

Man International Anthem is having such an incredible year. My copy of the new Exploding Star Orchestra showed up today and it is absolutely pushing so many buttons for me, I like the vibe so far.

steve potts holy grail being reissued on CD and LP:

https://www.forcedexposure.com/Catalog/potts-steve-musique-pour-le-film-d-un-ami-lp/FFL.062LP.html

Checked out the Karuna Trio's (Adam Rudolph, Ralph M. Jones & Hamid Drake) Imaginary Archipelago after flipping through Ted Gioa's EOY list. It's a solid Codona impression, and more besides. Also belatedly caught up with Dan Weiss / Starebaby's latest, which drove home, in reverse, why I struggle with instrumental metal: the players are almost never as virtuosic and imaginative as they are here.

Hearing Hamid Drake again reminded me of how much I enjoy his playing. If anyone's heard it, how's Every Dog Has Its Day But It Doesn't Matter Because Fat Cat Is Getting Fatter (great title btw)?

karuna trio sounds promising!

I've heard the Mat Walerian record. It's free jazz, but very meditative - he's big into Japanese philosophy and that kind of Zen-ness shows up in his work, but not in a kitschy way. All of his records are at least worth hearing.

Sounds cool, thanks.

Is that this?: https://esp5037.bandcamp.com

Yep, that's the one.

enoying that. did mat walerian write his own wikipedia page?

I liked the first piece a lot. Vibe reminded me a bit of Sonoluminescence Trio, which also includes William Parker.

The Jazz Standard, one of NYC's best clubs, has closed. The last time I was there was at the end of January, to see Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, and Tyshawn Sorey; I wrote about it here.

Ugh. RIP. I had no use spent so much time at that place, no words.

well fuck

on the other hand, Birdland is reopening?
https://www.birdlandjazz.com/calendar/

Interesting. I watched a lot of those Sunday night virtual shows.

Really enjoying the Okuden Quartet (Walerian/Shipp/Parker/Drake) record, thanks. Calm, spacious free jazz is the best free jazz.

sure, on wednesday

Have you guys been watching the Smalls feed on Friendbook? Good stuff. Really good piano and guitar duo right now.

NY Times Jazz Top Ten--I'm ignorant of most, but thrilled to see Dialectic Soul incl.! Playlist at end: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/arts/music/best-jazz-albums.html

Currently enjoying the Susan Alcorn album from that list, it's got a good vibe and the pedal steel is really great in that context.

Yeah, that's a great record. Didn't make my own year-end list, but I liked it a lot.

Briefly dipped into the unfamiliar-to-me releases on that list and the Lloyd, Gamedze and Alcorn are all sounding great.

That is a seriously stacked band on the Charles Lloyd album

How that Ron Miles record mentioned on another thread? Didn't know he had a new one.

Okay, hadn't looked at the lineup on that Charles Lloyd record until just now but yeah.

Dezron Douglas/Brandee Younger album is really pleasant and enjoyable: https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/force-majeure

I like that, it's very pretty and simple and it swings a bit as well.

Yeah, it's a really nice record. I saw them perform as a duo opening for Tony Allen in 2019.

What a likeable album!

one of my fave swinging bass-player+1 duo albums is the classic Ray Brown/Duke Ellington one This One's For Blanton. I'm not saying it sounds like this one, but similar vibes.

With all due respect to John Surman, the interplay between Anouar Brahem and Dave Holland on Thimar makes me wish they'd done a proper duo LP. Bass + plucked strings is an underused configuration, to be sure.

I haven't heard the Ellington/Brown but it's an appealing premise.

Ray Brown swings so hard even your eyes are trying to tap their toes!

It's nothing you haven't heard before but Matthew Halsall's Salute to the Sun is the kind of flutey, chilled out spiritual jazz I'll never get sick of:

https://matthewhalsall.bandcamp.com/album/salute-to-the-sun