Rolling Jazz Thread 2022

Another beautiful thing is that it abandons 19th century classical concert conventions. If you want to duck out for a beer or a sandwich or whatever that's fine. Inevitably I'd get tired, so there were periods where I'd find a comfortable spot and just soak up whatever was going on for a while, but of course curiosity meant that it was hard to stay still too long.
Braxton's sense of play really came through. One of my favourite bits was when I heard a piano coming from somewhere in the atrium. I wandered around the space for a good while, but couldn't find the source. In a corner of the of the atrium there was a large installation - basically a large scaffold about twenty feet long and 4 stories high filled with foliage, furniture and lighting. I must have circled it several times before I finally caught a glimpse of Alexander Hawkins, deep inside the structure, playing away on an upright piano. Magical stuff.

Tri-Axium Land! Somebody's gotta fund it!

My latest Stereogum column is up; I talked to Jeremy Pelt about touring Europe post-pandemic (and post-Euro crash) and producing for other artists, and reviewed new albums by Tyshawn Sorey, Tom Skinner, Ezra Collective, Elvin Jones, Muriel Grossmann, Hedvig Mollestad, and others:

https://www.stereogum.com/2206690/jeremy-pelt-interview/columns/ugly-beauty/

So cool! For some reason I always pictured the friendly experiences zooming around on ice skates <el3

(Re: Braxton)

Ice-skates, roller-skates, pogo-sticks - bring it on!

While we're talking Braxton, here's my interview with the great man from last year. We talked Sonic Genome, Zim and much more. One of the most joyful and mind-expanding conversations I've ever had.

https://thequietus.com/articles/30084-anthony-braxton-interview

One of the most joyful and mind-expanding conversations I've ever had.

Exactly my experience. It was a genuine thrill to talk to him and he was an absolute blast. I mean, you can't put out as much work as he does without being fundamentally an optimist, but a real love of life just comes out of his pores.

I'm saving my Braxton phase for some unspecified time in the future. At least that's what I tell myself.

I saw Nduduzo Makhathini last night. First jazz gig in way too long and I had a blast. He was playing with Chad Taylor and Logan Richardson and they looked to be having a good time. I love his vocalisations and he tells a great story. I saw him out in the foyer afterwards and got a glorious sweaty cuddle. Only slight complaint was that Richardson's horn was a bit on the quiet side. Definitely go see him/them if you can.

This 'new' Elvin Jones live album is a gift, burnout at its finest

I like the new Elvin a lot…but I don’t love it. That may change with further listens, but so far it doesn’t have the intensity of his Lighthouse dates, or Puttin’ It Together. Elvin himself sounds brilliant as always (even when playing to what sounds like three people in the audience), but there’s an overall slight uneasiness with the presence of the piano; Elvin evidently soon realized he didn’t necessarily need or want a keyboard instrument in his bands, as evidenced by all but one or two of his subsequent Blue Note dates.

my fave jazz records of the year that haven't been mentioned:

Naqvi/Smith/Cyrille- Two Centuries
Tom Skinner- Voices of Bishara
Jeff Parker ETA IVted- Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy
James Brandon Lewis and Chad Taylor- Radiant Imprints
Anna Butterss- Activies
Binker Golding- Dream Like a Dogwood Wild Boy
Eric Chenaux- Say Laura
Alexander Hawkins Mirror Cannon- Break a Vase
Brotzmann/Parker/Graves- Historic Music Past Tense Future

I mostly listened to jazz this year, more than any other year I can think of in recent memory. I also *highly* rate two Mike Cooper records from this year, "Oceans of Milk and Treacle" and "Forbidden Delta Planet Blues," but thought they might be a little too 'outré' for the thread's purposes.

the Hawkins album is brilliant, one of his best yet

Agreed, it took a minute to grab me but when it finally did it didn’t let go

Thirding the Hawkins record woah it was longer,

-wish

Have to say that the RA Washington/Jah Nada record has really grown on me— has a deeply hypnotic effect as a whole, much more into it as the months progress!!

Yeah, it's really good. It's gonna be on my year-end list for Stereogum for sure.

Wait is this some kind of posthumous Ronnie Hawkins release you are talking about?

Alexander

rompin' Alexander Hawkins

unperson, the Hedvig Mollestad record you featured in your latest Stereogum column would normally be very "not my thing," but it really rips, thanks for featuring it.

nthony Braxton's News From the '70s is now on Bandcamp:

https://felmayrecordsjazzusa.bandcamp.com/album/news-from-the-70s-soo-duo-quartet

It features six tracks from between 1971 and 1976: a mixture of solo, duo, and quartet pieces. Most important from my POV is a duo between Braxton and Dave Holland (playing cello) that was part of the 1972 Town Hall concert but didn't fit on the double LP made from that show. But if you're a fan and (like me) think that era was kind of the peak of his work, the whole thing is a must-have.

― but also fuck you (unperson), Friday, November 18, 2022

Kenny Wheeler flugehorn
Anthony Braxton sopranino, clarinet, piccolo
Dave Holland double-bass
Barry Altschul percussion

And this killer finale, with George Lewis AND Holland:
6. Four Winds
George Lewis trombone
Anthony Braxton sopranino, clarinet, piccolo
Dave Holland double bass
Barry Altschul percussion

Graz (Austria), October 1976

-
About to see Patrick Shiroishi, Che Chen, and Alex Zhang Hungtai play as a trio in Philly. Stoked.

Great set last night— very calm and almost temple-like atmosphere for the first third, with bells, regular and homemade woodwind type instruments, tape noise, singing, etc. Then, a bit more active, with Shiroishi switching between clarinet and sax and doing some nice melodies whilst Hungtai and Chen did some wild polyrhythms. Finally, the last third was the explosion, with Hungtai manically and rapidly moving a mallet between two gongs as a "base" sound while Chen did some crazy voicing on the bongos along with ample kick drum swarms, and Shiroishi just wailing on the sax. About 70 minutes, one set, excellent sounds.

sounds awesome! love when people post updates about shows itt

absolutely loved this video, which could also be posted in any number of beatles threads. will be checking out the new record:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGvl6IdBJiA

not familiar with Miguel Zenon but really enjoying this album

https://miguelzenon.bandcamp.com/album/m-sica-de-las-am-ricas

I'm listening to Mark Giuliana's album from this year, 'the sound of listening', and liking it way more than expected. He's always been a great drummer, but I don't think he's had a great (solo) record until now. Love the sonic palette of the group and the electronic interludes.

That Shiroishi gig sounds great. Still to see Shiroishi live - hopefully he'll be back in Europe next year - but he's definitely deserving of a 2022 MVP award. There are few releases I've still to hear, but he's been absolutely killing it across a wide range of sounds. The SSWAN album absolutely rips and I love the duo album he did with Cassiopeia Sturm on "bionic" (midi controlled) sax. The "ambient" duo with Jessica Ackerley is another gem.

Just clocked Che Chen and Shiroishi's duo album, sounding great: https://patrickshiroishi.bandcamp.com/album/parts-2

Got the tape of this at the show!~

Didn't clock the Ackerley duo, will have to check that out. He releases so much!

There's a good Deutsche Welle story (video) at this link about Nduduzo Makhathini; the performance that's filmed features him, singer/poet/historian Mbuso Khoza, and alto saxophonist Justin Bellairs; they put the whole thing up on Bandcamp yesterday.

man yall just heard the following Jazz Night In America excursion for the third time this weekend: Matt Wilson and friends transforming some xmas songs that sorely needed it, and I think it works, even on Lennon's Happy Christmas (War Is Over)"(I think--the little bit of soft singing at the end tipped the scales). Saying that as someone who worked many an xmas at a CD store, and heard every approach to this stuff:

Musicians:

Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O

Matt Wilson, drums; Jeff Lederer, reeds; Ted Rosenthal, piano; Paul Sikivie, bass

Set List:

Winter Wonderland (Felix Bernard, Richard Bernhard Smith)
Christmas Don't Be Late (Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.)
Up on the Rooftop (Benjamin Hanby)
Silver Bells (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans)
8 Little Candles (flory Jagoda)
Happy Christmas (War Is Over) (John Lennon)
Wonderful Christmastime (Paul McCartney)
I'll Be Home for Christmas (Kim Gannon, Walter Kent)

Oh. That reminds me that I think Matt Wilson is playing Birdland tomorrow as part of a Tadd Dameron tribute I want to see.

In the theater downstairs, not the larger room.

xxxpost taking the scenic route: something like a Rashaan Roland Kirk treeship.

Think Matt Wilson may be touring on the Xmas thing.

Or so he told me a little while ago.

At the Birdland Theater.

This 19 year-old college student on vocals is amazing. Kind of a star is born thing, although maybe somebody else already knows who she is.

https://www.anaisreno.com/

That Matt Wilson xmas set is fantastic. Love him and almost forgot how musical and fun his groups are. I was going to say they should put this out as a record but I see they did a studio version of it in 2010.