Jazz for aficionados

Revisiting Pharoah Sander's "Welcome to Love". If anything qualifies for the term "rapturous", this does. When I was young, I was drawn to atonality. This has changed significantly with age. I can't handle the abrasive Pharaoh at this point but the mellowed Pharaoh is wonderful. 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pharoah+sander+welcome+to+love

I've just skimmed through these -- at first listen, I like them a lot. Will explore in depth. Cool discovery!  

Listening to another Binker Golding album, Dream Like A Dogwood Wild Boy.

Another well recorded album. 

Hey all,

Check out Binker Golding, Abstractions Of Reality Past And Incredible Feathers.

Just stumbled onto this album and it’s really good and well recorded,

Let me know what you think.

Jim

@curiousjim 

You're welcome! 

@stuartk 

I just found at least three Eastern Rebellion albums.
Happy listening to me!

Thanks!

@curiousjim

I originally bought it due to the Penguin Guide’s favorable rating. They are pretty persnickety.

I haven’t come across any other all-acoustic sessions where he was the leader but then I can't say I've really done an exhaustive search. Here are a few I know of where he appears as a sideman:

• "Eastern Rebellion 3"
• George Cables’ "Phantom of the City"
• Cedar Walton’s , "First Set", "Second Set", "Third Set"
• Marc Copeland’s "Stompin’ With Savoy"

There are probably others.

...And if you haven’t the original Eastern Rebellion with George Coleman, you owe it to yourself to check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=eastern+rebellion

I don’t know how complete this is but here is his wikipedia discography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Berg

I’ve listened to Bob Berg, Another Standard numerous times and it still makes me smile.

It was funny to me when I read a terrible review of this album.

@frogman , nice words...and yes, best to him, where ever hi is. Perhaps one day Rok will share his name, so that we can have one drink in his memory...

Orpheus also liked lady vocals, do not know if we have ever mentioned this singer, but I just got this album and I like it...also, its very good sounding cd

Betty Roche 'Lightly and Politely'

https://www.allmusic.com/album/lightly-and-politely-mw0000619973

**** When I mentioned Canonball Aderly recording " Something Else" being a Miles recording, I was hopeful that the OP would pop up, because that was something he would not have let stand if he was around . 

Also, it's an awesome recording. ****

We are on the same page, @acman3  .

When I saw your previous post about this (awesome indeed) recording, I suspected that it was a veiled reference to the “bru ha ha” (the OP’s often used phrase) that ensued when I suggested that it was a Miles led session, in spite of the fact that Cannonball is credited as the leader.  Our OP did not let it stand.  My reasoning was that Cannonball was a new member of Miles’ band and one can hear Miles, not Cannon, speaking to and directing the proceedings.  Not to mention, the prominent playing role that Miles has on the record.  Contracts can be a funny thing.

Anyway, I came back to post and to mention all this as an acknowledgment of the debt owed by all for the OP starting this thread and saw your last post.  A lot of disagreement and more than a little drama over the years, but no denying that the OP loves/d this music and was very passionate about it.  Best to him wherever he is.

https://jazzdesk.wordpress.com/2021/03/20/the-leader-as-sideman/

@curiousjim 

Great! I'll keep my fingers crossed!

@stuartk 

I am enjoying the Amati G5’s and I almost have permission to max out the credit cards to get a pair!

curiousjim

At one time, I was impressed with Sonus Faber "Luito" and "The Toy" models.

Happy Listening!

Bill Charlap (Trio)

@curiousjim 

Always happy to share what I've discovered. 

BTW -- which S. Fabers are you demoing??????

Good to see you are liking the loaners!

When I mentioned Canonball Aderly recording " Something Else" being a Miles recording, I was hopeful that the OP would pop up, because that was something he would not have let stand if he was around . 

Also, it's an awesome recording. 

@acman3 

Curiousjim, how is your speaker audition going so far? 

It’s going great! I’ve had the KEF’s for about three years and while they have great staging and depth, I have never liked their actual sound. With all the drivers being aluminum, they sound analog, with very little, if any warmth. The Sonus Farber loaners really sound wonderful and full.  Gonna hate to give them back tomorrow.
 

@stuartk

Starting now, I’m listening to the Cannonball Adderley album that @acman3 suggested and then I’ll start down the Du Nann rabbit hole.😁

And if I haven’t said it enough, thank you.

@acman3 

U can never go wrong with that crew!

Thanks.

@curiousjim 

You're welcome!

I always enjoy the sound of Du Naan's records.

I'd like to pick up a few more.

For a non Jazz recording, try "Come On Home" by Boz Scaggs.

Curiousjim, how is your speaker audition going so far? 

@stuartk 

what a great list.

Thank you!

@curiousjim 

Any of the records Roy Du Naan engineered for Contemporary. Many should be streamable. 

Here's a list: :

https://www.discogs.com/artist/407308-Roy-DuNann

How about this Miles Davis record ?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kag0vqS8CU

Play music you love and know. If the band shows up, your good.

@curiousjim Wow, turn it up!

Thanks @ho249 ,

Right now I have the house to myself and the amps are warming up.😁

@curiousjim These records come to mind: "Overtime" by the Dave Holland Big Band; "Power to the People" by Joe Henderson; "Unity" by Larry Young; "Gnu High" by Kenny Wheeler.

Enjoy the speakers, hope they're great.

Hey all,

I’m test driving a pair of Sonus Faber speakers and am looking for suggestions of well recorded/mixed albums that I probably haven’t thought of.  With me having a mind like a sieve, that’s most any album.

Thanks.

@tyray Dont be shy, there are not many people posting here anyway...which is perhaps strange,because there are so many views of this thread...

For our regular crew (and others too) this is another Howard McGhee’s album worth mentioning:

’Sharp Edge’ from 1961 with G.Coleman, Junior Mance, Tucker and Cobb. Published on Black Lion label (the one I have)

https://youtu.be/1_VtXjJoKB0?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/AWJdfo0DNKU?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/u2dx9PpXCxU?feature=shared

@curiousjim 

You might like this one, too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3OtGHbvI0s

I listened to that Howard Mcghee last week. Nice playing all around. 

Howard McGhee,  Maggie’s Back In Town.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been here and I thought to share this link but I wasn’t quite sure to post this cause it’s not (all) jazz per say, but after seeing this last page I noticed @jafant mention Esperanza Spaulding and @alexatpos mention Wayne Shorter and I said, why not?

This is an NPR Music Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert. The compositions are:

Milton Nascimento: ’Cais’
Milton Nascimento: ’Outubro’
Guinga, Paulo César Pinheiro: ’Saci (feat. Guinga)’
Milton Nascimento, Fernando Brant: ’Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar) (feat. Maria Gadú)’
Wayne Shorter, Edgy Lee: “When You Dream (feat. Maria Gadú)”

Please enjoy.

@frogman,’style individualistic’ I couldn’t agree more. I’ve always been drawn to dynamic musicians who make you not only look and listen to them but are also great accompaniment to their bandmates. Just like Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spaulding.

Great comments re the “greatest” ever Jazz band.  Which one?  Some thoughts:

Tone is clearly very important.  But, as has been pointed out, beauty is a subjective thing and tone quality is only one piece of a player’s personality.  Consider a great spoken word story teller or narrator.  What is more important?  The sound (tone) of his/her voice, or his/her ability to tell the story in a convincing, interesting and captivating way?  Jazz playing is story telling.  Story telling in melody, rhythm and harmony.  As much as I love a great tone, I am tolerant of less than beautiful tone if the story is great and the style individualistic. Personal call.

Haven't posted anything for awhile.

I found this in the Qobuz new releases.

https://youtu.be/IFRPurO0rV4?si=YjaNj0fRU3-uk8q5

The whole album is on Bandcamp...

Acman, I completely agree. The only 'reason' I would choose any over other (speaking of Miles) is because I like more the sound of some group, tone wise, comparing it other. (Coleman instead of Shorter. for example)

As for Evans, seamlessly is the right word

Alex, I honestly can't agree with myself on what Miles group was best, so best all time is impossible, but what I really like about Miles' "Second Great Quintet" is how they not only play solos that carry over ideas from the previous solo, but they basically finished each other's sentences. They play fragments of an idea that another player picks up and finished. This fragmentation gives it a little uneven sound, until you start following it. Once I heard it, I  thought, It doesn't get any better than this. 

Interestingly, Bill Evans trios have great interplay between each member. It's not just Bill's playing. They mesh seamlessly. Different ways to get the same effect.

As Frogman wrote before, for him the Miles’ “Second Great Quintet” is the greatest Jazz ensemble that ever was.

Any other thoughts?

If pressed, I would probably pick one of Bill Evans trios, as one that I like the most...pretty obvious, I know

Miles Davis -  Kind of Blue (65 years old)

@jafant 

We can both be thankful to @simonmoon , who consistently recommends music no one else ever mentions!

 . 

stuartk

Thank You for "Perpetual Mutations" post.

Happy Listening!

Esperanza Spaulding

Something mentioned by @simonmoon on @jafant’s ongoing "new in 2024" thread: "Perpetual Mutations" by Gavin Harrison and Antoine Farad. These players are new to me and I’m not sure how to label this genre but I’m guessing some of you might enjoy it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe2y_CtrFhg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGmQST2nMGA

I also want to thank all you guys for reminding me of all the great jazz out there!

Listening to my second Bob Berg album, The JazzTimes Super Band. In case anyone is interested, Another Standard was the first.😀

@frogman 

Great tune.  I hope to have some time today to listen to more!

https://youtu.be/9VYImu9w_18?si=FxEZP7BSPMm_EXCb

@frogman

Yes. You are of course 100% correct. I should have said diatonic chord changes. I’m aware that one may take the tones of a single chord and utilize them as a scale from which to build other chords, that while remaining within a single harmony in theoretical terms, allow players to deploy more contrast, movement and tension/resolution compared to simply vamping away on a single root voicing. Then, there is also the possibility of superimposing other harmonies on top of the root harmony. I didn’t go into this stuff because I don’t assume that everyone here is a player and is therefore interested but I will make an effort to be more accurate in future!

Good comment, @stuartk .

But, I think there may be some misunderstanding about modal Jazz. While it is true that the artistic impetus for modal Jazz was to allow Jazz players to “be less tied to chord changes”, as you point out, the players were “less tied to chord changes” as concerns the sheer number of different chord changes in a given composition. While a typical “standard” tune may have a different chord change in every measure of the tune, and sometimes even two or more in a single measure, in modal Jazz the chord changes happen much less frequently; typically every four or even eight (or more) measures. In some “modal” compositions there are no chord chord changes at all. The tune stays on one harmony for its entirety. Staying on one chord for an extended period of time the player is given the freedom to explore that harmony far longer than in a typical tune in which the frequent chord changes serves to “guide”, even force, the player to move in a certain harmonic direction while improvising. I think that this serves to give a feeling of “structure” due to its relative harmonic“simplicity”.

Interesting discussion. Although KOB is often referred to as the beginning of modal Jazz and held up as an example of improvisation that is less tied to chord changes; more "free floating", if you will, it still strikes me as more structured, less amorphous, than than the recordings by the Second Great Quintet -- especially those that feature their original compositions. As in visual art or poetry, there’s a spectrum that covers a graduated span between the explicit/representational to the implicit/abstract. Each of us will, given sufficient exposure, discover what feels most stimulating/natural along the spectrum. As I’ve aged, my tolerance for atonality, absence of evident structure and more abrasive timbres has noticeably diminished (no pun intended). ;o)

Frogman, no need to explain yourself, I fully understand your point. (and I would dare to say, even perspective in which Miles headed in that period of time) I have not respond on your previous, longer, post about second quintet, because we have spoken about that subject in the past. I might add, jokingly, that I have expected more of myself, because, since than obviously I have not made much progress listening wise and I still prefer more 'accessible' music aldo I appreciate what the artist (Miles in this case) wanted 'to say'...but, it (still) seems that 'beauty' of the tone more affects my affinity towards some music... 

Much to say about the topic, when time allows. But, for starters:  “freer”, in the context of the music of the SGQ,  does not mean “free jazz”.  

Alex, you may have read my unedited post, but I edited since I did not want to be presumptuous.  I am not the least bit surprised that you like Coleman’s tone better than Shorter’s.