Rolling Jazz Thread 2023

Oh, that's Dave Mandl's band. He used to (does?) write for Wire. Good stuff. They played in London recently but couldn't make it up.

Ha, I didn't even register that connection with Wire.

I just played that first track again today and liked it even more. Not that I'm arguing they are near equals in the quality department, but for all the times I've read hype about groups that channel the spirit of '70s Miles, this is one of the few that actually makes a convincing case that they could even be in the same ballpark. Some major Jack Johnson vibes.

Nice; definitely gonna buy their stuff. Thanks!

Glad you like it! I made it about five minutes into that track and bought the full download and pre-ordered the new CD.

I saw Makaya McCraven's In These Times show last night, 11 piece band incl. a string quartet, Brandee Younger on harp, three horns (Marquis Hill, Greg Ward, and De'Sean Jones, who also conducted the strings), Junius Paul, and Matt Gold. It was pretty incredible. Def more about the ensemble and the tunes rather than blowing, but everyone got a moment and MM was ridiculous throughout.

This is truly my year of guitar ballads, so I'm psyched about this record by pedal steel guitarist Dave Easley with Jeff Parker and Jay Bellerose.

https://daveeasley.bandcamp.com/album/ballads

There was supposed to be a new Ohad Talmor album coming out today called Back to the Land on Intakt. It's a two-CD set recorded with a trio (Chris Tordini on bass, Eric McPherson on drums) plus a ton of guests: Joel Ross, David Virelles, Leo Genovese, Shane Endsley, Russ Johnson, Grégoire Maret, Adam O'Farrill. A lot of the tunes are based on transcriptions from a rehearsal recording Talmor found of Ornette, Lee Konitz, Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins; that group played a one-off concert at the Umbria Jazz Festival in 1998 and none of that music was ever heard again.

Anyway, it's not coming out because Denardo Coleman has objected, possibly because Ornette's name appears in big letters on the front cover. So the release has been pulled from the schedule and who knows, maybe it'll come out later or maybe it'll have to be destroyed or something. I don't know, but I have a physical copy already cause Intakt still sends me physical promos even though I have asked them several times to stop.

I thought for a second it was going to be another nonsensical casualty of the Israel/Hamas thing, but it's just Coleman fils being overprotective again.

I saw the Daniel Villarreal show in Brooklyn this week. Loved Panama 77 but was having trouble with the mellower new album. New songs sounded way bigger and more dynamic live. Great show.

This is truly my year of guitar ballads, so I'm psyched about this record by pedal steel guitarist Dave Easley with Jeff Parker and Jay Bellerose.

https://daveeasley.bandcamp.com/album/ballads

this is right up my alley

Sylvie Courvoisier's latest ensemble and 2CD on Intakt Records includes Nate Wooley, Wadada Leo Smith & Christian Fennesz (+ others).

I've bought it hadn't gotten around to listening it yet.

This is truly my year of guitar ballads, so I'm psyched about this record by pedal steel guitarist Dave Easley with Jeff Parker and Jay Bellerose.

https://daveeasley.bandcamp.com/album/ballads

Absolutely stunning. Lots of Frisell / Jim Hall / Ry Cooder vibes. Beautiful melodies, great sounds.

Exploring other beautiful guitar vibes on this thread btw -
Thread of Jakob Bro (Danish jazz guitarist, maker of floating minimal ballads)

I know I mentioned Emergency Group upthread already, recently, but I finally got to their new record and, it's absolutely all I hoped it would be.

https://emergencygroup.bandcamp.com/album/venal-twin

Yeah, I was impressed enough to write about it for the BA newsletter. Thanks for recommending them!

No problem. For all the great new music you've introduced me to, it's nice to return the favor.

Listening to it now and loving it. Wish it was issued on vinyl.

Reading unperson's newsletter, I can definitely hear pre-70 Grateful Dead in there.

People have made comparisons to On the Corner-era Miles, but I don’t hear that at all.

insanity, and this from the guy who literally wrote the book!

Really liking Chimaera, never been much into Courvoisier but the addition of Wooley, Smith, and Fennesz kicks everything up a notch.

Started an ILM thread on Patrick Shiroishi if people want to talk about his work.

S/D: Patrick Shiroishi

Today I listened to Susan Alcorn Septeto del Sur. More folk than jazz at times, but the free improv moments resemble Derek Bailey. The guitar solo in the last track is very Marc Ribot-esque.

Next up was Crossing Four by Ned Rothenberg. Great ensemble, especially the combination of Mary Halvorson and Sylvie Courvoisier.

Really enjoying the new Mike Reed record, The Separatist Party, out on Astral Spirits / We Jazz. Features Rob Frye, Cooper Crain, Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Quinivin and spoken word by Marvin Tate.

Not the biggest fan of the spoken word bits, tbh, but the rest of it smokes, really like Crain's contributions.

https://wejazzrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-separatist-party

Would also really recommend this Rob Frye album on Astral Spirits from two and a half years ago (sorry for the slight derail since this isn't a new jazz release!) if anyone is into the sound of that new Mike Reed album, since the main players are p much Bitchin Bajas + Ben Lamar Gay (the track below from it is esp awesomely Isotope 217-ish IMO):

https://astralexoplanet.bandcamp.com/track/xc175020

Missed that one, thanks for the heads up!

heard this Gregory Tardy track (from 2020) on the radio and am now excited to check out more. this tune rules!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gD_JrZr9uI

the Rob Frye stuff on AS is really ace, i honestly just subscribe to their digital albums and it is absolutely worth the $15/month

Angelica Sanchez Nonet - Nighttime Creatures

^^

this is lovely

I can't go (covid) but Ben Lamar Gay is playing down the block with a Norwegian rhythm section (and another Chicago sax player).

The Dave Easley record mentioned above has definitely made my end of year list over the past week— hard to listen to almost anything else.

Another pedal steel record of recent that has been great is the Jordan Martins record on Astral Spirits, 'Fogery Nagles.' https://fogerynagles.bandcamp.com/album/fogery-nagles

(wouldn't really call the latter "jazz," but yknow)

hope they call the follow-up record Fogerty Choogles

lol. it’s worth a listen! but could have easily been on their more “ambient-far out jazz” sub-label

checking it out now

my favorite record on AS remains quin kirchner's "the shadows and the light." i was thinking of QK the other day because a friend was showing me a very kraut-y record from the early 2010s that featured him and also hamid drake. can't for the life of me remember what it was, though

hard to pick my fave AS record, tho i often think of this one, which is a fucking scorcher https://astralahmed.bandcamp.com/album/nights-on-saturn-communication

oh yeah. i forgot that one is on AS. pat thomas >

Grammys nominees for Feb 2024

31. Best Jazz Instrumental Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new instrumental jazz recordings.

The Source
Kenny Barron

Phoenix
Lakecia Benjamin

Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn
Adam Blackstone

The Winds Of Change
Billy Childs

Dream Box
Pat Metheny

32. Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new ensemble jazz recordings.

The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute - Ritmo
ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vicent, Emilio Solla

Dynamic Maximum Tension
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society

Basie Swings The Blues
The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty Barnhart

Olympians
Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest

The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions
Mingus Big Band

Of those, I've only heard Lakecia Benjamin (pretty good), Billy Childs (decent but breaking absolutely no new ground), and Darcy James Argue's Secret Society (fantastic).

The Pat Metheny solo record is really nice

The new Matana Roberts is incredibly moving, album of the year.

Xp Quinn Kirchner. I saw him play drums with the comedian John Mulaney once. Just played drums while jokes were told at very large venue. One of the more interesting pairings.

Also, Budo Jeru, Quinn Kirchner plays on the Rob Frye record mentioned up thread

love the Kirchner record that begins with this excellent version of “Flowers for Albert,” also on Astral Spirits

https://quinkirchner.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-pro-musica

will check out both records, thanks

my favorite record on AS remains quin kirchner's "the shadows and the light."

Thanks for the tip on this, I sampled it last night and immediately placed an order.

I like the kirchner album I heard a lot then I saw him live and was like whoa ... this is AMAZING ... not sure why the album didnt sound more like this..

I love watching John Hollenbeck (looked this up after listening to their new studio album):

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

Higher quality video -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_7JUrtTQaA