What Jazz are you listening to now?

[elmo]

Just released - a new album of Elmo Hope compositions by a group (unknown to me) Vinnie Sperrazza drums, Jacob Sachs piano, Masa Kamaguchi bass.
Released on Fresh Sound New Talent records the tracks that I've heard are really good, some really stretch into freer area's so its a must for me.

Here is their version of "Roll on"

https://youtu.be/Qe8ASL_SUvY?si=0yYpugx64p1X5f9v

elmo

[Jazzrook]

John Coltrane with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison & Elvin Jones playing ‘Brazilia’ recorded in 1965 from the overlooked album ‘The John Coltrane Quartet Plays’:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=p_K7R7ZplRQ

JR

[Globaltruth]

This week I saw [Ahmed] - the quartet of Pat Thomas, Seymour Wright, Joel Grip and Antonin Gerbal and have been listening to some of their live music since.

The band performs improvisational work based around the work of Ahmed Abdul-Malik.

Very refreshing. Very energising.

Glad to have seen them live.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=EMT9hZU_JVs&si=WSwuujE0qAACjWz8

[Ian Thumwood]

This week I saw [Ahmed] - the quartet of Pat Thomas, Seymour Wright, Joel Grip and Antonin Gerbal and have been listening to some of their live music since.

The band performs improvisational work based around the work of Ahmed Abdul-Malik.

Very refreshing. Very energising.

Glad to have seen them live.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=EMT9hZU_JVs&si=WSwuujE0qAACjWz8

Global

There was a very positive review of this group's music on All About Jazz last week. I am surprised Pat Thomas does not have a bigger profile. He is someone I would love to hear live.

Listened to the clip and felt they were just vamping for ages. Not a good example ? ?

[Quarky]

Currently listening to a concert by the MJQ - don't hear much about the MJQ these days.
It struck me, reflecting back on the recent discussion of Oscar Peterson, that the MJQ shared many characteristics with the OP groups, but without the pyrotechnics. John Lewis was a very fine pianist.

Example:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QOF6r5LzpY

[Ian Thumwood]

Currently listening to a concert by the MJQ - don't hear much about the MJQ these days.
It struck me, reflecting back on the recent discussion of Oscar Peterson, that the MJQ shared many characteristics with the OP groups, but without the pyrotechnics. John Lewis was a very fine pianist.

Example:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QOF6r5LzpY

Quarky

I have not listened to them since the 1980s when they reformed and made the excellent Duke Ellington tribute album. The MJQ have really fallen out of fashion and I think have also suffered in comparison with other groups with the same line up led by the likes of Bobby Hutchison and Walt Dickinson. I think think I is a bit of a shame as the MJQ were producing thought provoking music and were really innovative in using counterpoint. They are not a band that I am that familiar with and do not deserve the neglect.

There was an interesting article on YouTube last week which discussed classical pianists tackling jazz. The clips were too short to make a proper judgement but it was interesting to see the classical advocates touting Art Tatum, Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson as representative of jazz piano. No one seemed to mention John Lewis. The whole debate was interesting with Gary Burton also chipping in.

It did underscore for me that there is often a difference between the qualities looked for by classical fans and those from jazz audience. I liked the debate but it did show the former to be a bit blinkered.

[Quarky]

Thanks Ian. I found the video clip of Jazz 625 amusing. The audience seemed to have come from a different world by today's norms, but I could see myself (virtually) in the audience - and a lady friend. Steve Race nailing his colours to the mast in the face of an oncoming tsunami.

The type of Jazz that Radio 3 might slip in to their playlist programmes.

[Ian Thumwood]

Thanks Ian. I found the video clip of Jazz 625 amusing. The audience seemed to have come from a different world by today's norms, but I could see myself (virtually) in the audience - and a lady friend. Steve Race nailing his colours to the mast in the face of an oncoming tsunami.

The type of Jazz that Radio 3 might slip in to their playlist programmes.

Quarky

John Lewis was really into JS Bach and you can see that this influence would be a tick in the right box back then. The MJQ are underrated nowadays but there is still lingering degree of prejudice that I have heard from people I know who listened to jazz in 50s and 60s. They would be more accepted now , I think.

I am fascinated how jazz and classical music crossover. The MJQ were pioneers and I feel show how jazz managed the classical influence better than the other way around.

Listening to the Gershwin Piano Concerto on Radio 3 this morning made me think that his serious work sounds dated. It seems to owe little to jazz and maybe reflects the uncertainty of what jazz was in 1925.

[elmo]

Billie Holiday singing "Blue moon" with Flip Phillips, Charlie Shavers Oscar Peterson, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown and Alvin Stoller. Great performance by Billie and OP who I much prefer to hear playing the accompaniment role.

https://youtu.be/06Lo77fU57I?si=vkLqhBx9zMh77u9X

elmo

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Otis Redding "Rock me baby" from the classic 1965 Otis Blue album. Specifically for Steve Cropper who has just died in his 80s and contributed so much to these records and this entire era. I had the privilege to say hi to him and Duck Dunn when the Stax review played here in 1967. A lovely "clean" & inventive player and within this setting unbeatable RIP.

http://youtu.be/rKpI3o-1CSM?si=Upb96FjTDsWs6diV

[Jazzrook]

Otis Redding "Rock me baby" from the classic 1965 Otis Blue album. Specifically for Steve Cropper who has just died in his 80s and contributed so much to these records and this entire era. I had the privilege to say hi to him and Duck Dunn when the Stax review played here in 1967. A lovely "clean" & inventive player and within this setting unbeatable RIP.

http://youtu.be/rKpI3o-1CSM?si=Upb96FjTDsWs6diV

I first heard Steve Cropper’s stinging guitar back in the early 1960s on ‘Green Onions’
I still love it over 60 years later.

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=0oox9bJaGJ8

JR

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Yes, it's great. And everyone covered it, from Georgie Fame to Count Basie but the original is the one. The flip, which I think was first designed as the A side, "Behave yourself" is also a great memory as it heavily played on French "youth" radio along with the likes of Françoise Hardy etc! Gospel organ from Booker T.

http://youtu.be/ZdVhIiPJohs?si=FSy4di1zsV8ExbC5

[Quarky]

Legs and Co did a very worthwhile update on Green Onions::

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MF1P7kADCQ

[Ian Thumwood]

I see that pianist and arranger Jim McNeely has also died. I tthink he was a really adventurous arranger who studied with Bob Brookmeyer and , un turn , taught Maria Schneider. Probably one of the most creative jazz arrangers of the last 40 years. I love his album with Dave Douglas.

[Jazzrook]

Thelonious Monk with Charlie Rouse, Harold Land, Joe Gordon, John Ore & Billy Higgins playing ‘Let’s Call This’ from the overlooked live album ‘At The Blackhawk’ recorded in 1960:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=vSggwaog4eM

JR