I must check out more of the West Coast sound. I invested in that big box set Alvey recommended several months ago, but Bloss, Bill Evans and Annie Ross will keep diverting my attention. I had a listen to Harold Land and one of Mr. Chet's live sessions the other day. Bud Shank I'll be certain to investigate.
Right now.
Coltrane.
A Love Supreme.
I watched the 1996 film Kansas City last night. It featured contemporary musicians playing 1930s jazz musicians and their music. An actor played a young Charlie Parker watching the night club show from the audience.
I gave 'A Love Supreme' a try ten years ago and couldn't get on with it. I was sorry as I admire Coltrane as a player to the extent I chose 'Blue Train' as one of the four pieces for my father's funeral (he would have approved, I know. The other pieces were by Ellington, Louis and Monk). But what Robbie was watching would be more my cup of tea.
Blue Train ! What bold, modern music this remains, over 60 years later. The theme is so powerful, and the solos... Has the Blue Note sound ever been more powerfully expressed? Lee Morgan is the jazz Ivy God bar none.
Indeed, indeed. I placed my father's battered copy of 'Jazz On Record' (1967 edition) on top of the coffin, muttered a few words, assured the well-meaning fool conducting the ceremony it was NOT a Bible, and we were off: 'Take The 'A' Train' (actually the great Billy Strayhorn - 'Swee'pea' - rather than The Duke), followed by 'Blue Monk', 'Blue Train' and 'Potato Head Blues'. It was worth it, just to savour the air of bemusement all around. They'd have preferred 'Jesus Wants Me For A Community Care Worker', no doubt.
Inspired by white Levis ... (and Vanessa):
BRING DOWN THE BIRDS - Herbie Hancock
West Indian Limes has just reminded me, my late father's tastes were defined at one end by Roland Kirk - and Herbie Hancock. He didn't have a good word to say about Coleman, Shepp, Ayler, Sanders, Shorter and much of Rollins. In fact, I'm certain, were he still alive, there would be a good deal of discussion and disagreement - though he was more open-minded than one of his friends, who dismissed everything post-1929 or thereabouts.
There was some jazz - free form perhaps - that Philip Larkin castigated as 'bagpipes and concrete mixer'.
It's hot so I'm in a mellow mood wanting nothing too heavy
- Hancock Speak Like A Child
- Morgan Ceora
- Duke Pearson Books Bossa
- Grant Green Idle Moments
Lots of Azymuth too. Who doesn't love "Last Summer in Rio"
Bossa & Latin ATM. Jobim's '68 album "Wave" & Herbie Mann "Live at Newport"
'Blue Train'. Right now. At this very moment.
Re Rs post above, Blossom Dearie has a version of 'Wave' on 'Blossom's Planet'.
Dizzy Gillespie. Still highly enjoyable.
'A Night In Tunisia'...
How long must it be since I first heard this?
Ben Webster... cool? More or less at the opposite end of the spectrum to Parker and the bebop boys...
Something new, Raffy Bushman's - Look Up, an album from a few years back.
Can't take the credit for this, recommended by a chap I follow on IG. Who incidentally posts some great stuff.
He's also appearing at Ronnie Scotts 26/07/2022
Last edited by Runninggeez (2022-07-14 08:39:51)
RG,
Yes, the Raffy Bushman album is really good.
You can either listen to it fully or just have on in the background.
He reminds me of Robert Glasper.
Once I made the evolutionary jump into streaming, my ears were reawakened to 80s pop sounds, analogue synth and what a lot those bands are doing now. Which isn't that much, but some are still releasing albums and touring. Seen Heaven 17 twice this year, now touring the USA for the first time, Tom Bailey's Thompson Twins which are like a poor man's David Byrne live complete with Psycho Killer cover. Not quite as transcendental as Byrne, but good entertainment.
But I still listen to a lot of jazz: Bill Evans later period, Stacey Kent, Bruut!, New Cool Collective, Dave Brubeck, Miles of course, Stan Getz, Duke Ellington, Gerry Mulligan, Louis Armstrong, et al. Chet Baker isn't cutting it these days, generally set-up a playlist and then delete. Plenty of Sinatra and the more later 60s sound of Sammy Davis.
Jazz FM toned down their playlist during the first weekend following the death of the Queen.
Two tracks stood out - a strings with piano version of Round Midnight by Esbjorn Svennson and Ahmad Jamal Saturday Morning.
Sometimes you need a bit of piano jazz to ease the mind
''Sometimes you need a bit of piano jazz to ease the mind''
Totally agree, the vibe and undertone of our time is increasingly senses over burdened, so you need to take a break...
Duke Ellington will always deliver on that front, as too Dave Brubeck, et al.
I purchased a lovely vocal jazz album at the weekend.
Samara Joy Linger Awhile.
A new singer on the Verve label. Lovely mix of standards.
She has pitch perfect diction sounding like those 1950's Cool Jazz singers.
The opening track Can't get out of this mood is alone worth the price of the album.
It very much reminds me of the music I used to hear in the Ralph Lauren flagship stores. They probably still play that classic, uncomplicated swinging jazz in the background.
Bruut! A Dutch band that fuse everything from Italian film music, to surf inspired techno-jazz, but their alto-sax ballads really stand-out. Worth checking out.
The two Jeff Goldblum's albums are alright too. Just lively jazz standards played straight.
Barrington Rogers and the 'Roadblock', amazing tonal progressions, cool jazz
Miles Davis's Orbits and Teo before bed.