Got Chops?

Recently I got to see an advance screening of a new documentary called Chops. It follows a group of students in a Jacksonville, Florida high school jazz band through their discovery of jazz and ultimately to the "Essentially Ellington" competition in New York City, where they face fierce competition against other high school jazz bands from around the country.

As a product of jazz education myself, I found a lot in the film I could relate to, but I think anyone interested in jazz, or in documentaries in general would enjoy this film. It actually reminded me of the movie Spellbound, which chronicled the journey of several teenagers competing in the National Spelling Bee.

It's refreshing to see a group of kids like this who are so dedicated and feel so passionately about what they're doing, especially when it's jazz...an art form that so many say is dead. These kids are inspiring. And damn, they're good! The film does a great job of conveying the sense of excitement they have for this music. It made me want to pull out my instrument and some records, and to remember what that excitement was like for me when I was that age-- that excitement that we all tend to lose a little bit of as we get older.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and highly recommend it for jazz lovers and documentary lovers alike. If you have had any sort of jazz schooling you will probably find even more in the film that resonates with you. Whatever the case, you will end up rooting for these kids, and will ultimately realize that jazz and improvised music are alive and kicking, and in good hands.

You can learn more about the movie, and even sign on to attend or host a screening by visiting the Chops website.

Here's the trailer:

Chops Trailer from B-Side Entertainment on Vimeo.

Jazz Recordings That Are Out Of Print But Shouldn't Be, Part 2

Monty Alexander/Ray Brown/Herb Ellis - Overseas Special
Ornette Coleman - Of Human Feelings
Chico Freeman - Spirit Sensitive
Jim Hall & Red Mitchell (Artists House)
Elmo Hope Trio
David Liebman - Trio + One
Ken McIntyre - Stone Blues
Jackie McLean - Rhythm of the Earth
Sam Rivers - A New Conception
Archie Shepp - Fire Music

Dave Holland Quintet - Jumpin' In

This record was my introduction to Dave Holland. At the time I had been playing electric bass for about 6 years and was just learning how to play upright. I heard Holland's solo on the title track and it just about blew my head off. I had no idea you could play an upright bass like that. Just on a technical level it sounded to me like what he was doing was damn near impossible. But there was much more to it than that: not only was there an incredibly brilliant logic behind what he played, it was loaded with emotion and depth.

But that's just Dave Holland the bass player. Dave Holland the bandleader creates an open and fertile environment here for everyone to communicate and would probably be quick to tell you that this is not his show. Steve Coleman is on alto sax and flute, Kenny Wheeler on trumpets, cornet & fluegelhorn, Julian Priester on trombone, and Steve Ellington on drums, and they sound like old friends here, quickly exchanging stories, and a joke here and there. This is clearest in the collective improvisations, and there are many of these througout the record. The album is dedicated to Charles Mingus and his spirit is clearly present.

After opening with the raucous and free-form "Jumpin' In" (again, take note of the jaw-dropping bass solo as previously mentioned), we settle into "First Snow," a beautiful tone poem that truly sounds like its name. It occurs to me that you could play this tune for someone who isn't an avid jazz listener and they would still immediately get it. To me that's the sign of great music. All of the compositions here are Holland's with the exception of Steve Coleman's "The Dragon and the Samurai." It opens with a slightly twisted, sedate march feel and a unison line from the bass and trombone, until trumpet and saxophone enter with a somewhat mournful melody that fits right into the cracks. "Sunrise" is another Holland composition that describes its title in musical terms, and does so with stunning beauty. The closing "You I Love" is a clever melody written to the changes of Cole Porter's "I Love You" and it's a perfect ending to a perfect album.

The problem I have with some new jazz recorded in the last decade or so (and I won't name any names) is that it is all cerebral and technical with little to no real emotion and nothing to say. The Dave Holland Quintet was brilliant in that it managed to be cerebral and emotional at the same time. Not as easy as you might think. There is a palpable mood and feel to this record that is hard to capture in words, but it is definitely an emotional thing rather than a technical feat. Jumpin' In is a great place to start with these guys and is my personal favorite from this period (1983-84), but I would also highly recommend Seeds of Time and The Razor's Edge. Slightly different personnel on those, but outstanding records as well.

Visit Dave Holland on the web.

Friday Afternoon Fun

New Blog: This Day In Jazz

Several years ago I put together a website that listed jazz recordings in order of the date they were recorded. I did this primarily for myself first, as I had searched for quite a while for a site like this and much to my surprise I could never find one. I thought it would be a cool idea to have them organized like this so I could easily check the list and pull out a record to listen to on the exact date it was recorded. Of course, this doesn't always work out perfectly, as some records were recorded on multiple days and you don't always know which tunes were recorded on which days. Still, frustrated that something like this didn't exist, I decided to put it together. The site has been up for a while at www.thisdayinjazz.com and I know several jazz DJs who use it to program their shows. I've now decided to turn it into a blog as well, so that people can subscribe to the feed, or check the site every day and see what was recorded on that day. Here it is:

This Day In Jazz

Enjoy!!

Bobby Hutcherson - Medina

This is my favorite jazz recording. Actually, it was originally two separate sessions: the CD reissue of Medina includes another wonderful album called Spiral from the same period and with the same killer line-up: Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone, Harold Land on tenor sax and flute, Stanley Cowell on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums.

For about a year this CD didn't leave my player at all. For me, it's the perfect combination of incredible musicianship, innovative compositions, and emotion. This band clearly played a lot together and they're communicating on a level that I can only compare to Miles Davis' band from the 60s with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. Not that it sounds anything like that group, but the same spirit of adventure is there. As I mentioned, the compositions are excellent and the band takes liberties with them, finding freedom within the structure.

In my opinion, this album contains some of Hutcherson & Land's best work on record. Harold Land's burning tenor solo on the title track "Medina" is alone worth the price of admission. Not to mention the creative, forward-looking playing of Stanley Cowell and the fluid yet solid drumming of the great Joe Chambers. Joe is a gifted composer and contributes the incredible title track and three others: "Ungano," "Spiral," and "Ruth," one of the catchiest tunes I've heard in 11/4! Other highlights are Cowell's "Wedding March," Hutcherson's "Avis" and the stunningly beautiful "Visions," and Land's quirky and brilliant "Poor People's March."

Like all great recordings, this one is out of print (shame on you, Blue Note!) and the CD now fetches collector's prices. But don't hesitate to pick it up if you find it!

The Jazz Blog on YouTube

The Jazz Blog YouTube channel is now live and in living color! I've been putting up some rare videos and trying to mix it up and show a variety of different things. This is just the beginning, but so far we've got clips from The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Monty Alexander/Ray Brown/Herb Ellis, The Zawinul Syndicate, and Henry Threadgill's Society Situation Dance Band (a group that did many live performances, but never recorded)!

At some point the channel will also feature some progressive rock videos, as a tie-in with my other blog, The Prog Blog.

Come join the party:
http://www.youtube.com/MrProgjazz

Oscar Peterson - Hello Herbie

If aliens came down to visit earth and asked me what "swing" was, I would play them some Oscar Peterson. I mean, nobody plays with the feel that he does...you can't possibly listen without moving or tapping your feet.

Hello Herbie sort of flew in under the radar as far as Peterson's recordings go. He has such an enormous discography that of course some records are going to stand out more than others, and they can't all be great, right? Well, this is a GREAT record. It's also documents a very special reunion between Peterson and Herb Ellis, who had a well-known association (along with Ray Brown) up until 1958.

The rapport is still there in 1969. Peterson and Ellis are conversing like the old friends they are, with able support from the great Sam Jones on bass and Bob Durham on drums (who I will admit I'm not familiar with apart from this record, but man, is he a solid drummer!). The level of communication here is of the highest order. The soloing from Peterson and Ellis is nothing short of outstanding, but they are team players all the way. The group has a natural ability to build tunes like "Seven Come Eleven" from a simmering groove to a hard swing that's ready to boil over. This record swings like crazy.

The creative arrangements that typify Peterson's work are here too. "Day by Day" in particular is nicely remodeled. The melody of the song is broken up into rhythmic accents punctuated by agile runs from Peterson's nimble fingers, while Jones and Durham provide a unique approach to the bossa feel.

I'm not sure why this recording isn't better known...many Oscar Peterson fans may not even have heard of it. But Hello Herbie deserves to hold a higher position in the ranks of Oscar Peterson's great records. Take a listen for yourself and I think you'll agree.

Introduce Your Kid To Ornette Coleman

One of my daughter's favorite albums is Ornette Coleman's Of Human Feelings. Now, obviously she didn't come to discover this brilliant album on her own, she was introduced to it by dear old Dad. But it wasn't like I had to force her...she took one listen and was interested right away. What kid wouldn't love this incredibly magical, colorful record? I've long thought that children are better judges of music than adults. They are much closer to the creative process than most of us are as we get older. And they know when something is the real deal or when it's full of shit. As adults we've learned to not understand things that come from from spontaneous places, when they're actually pretty basic and essential parts of life.

She could hear it right off the bat...Ornette's creative spirit and the way he broke the rules, or invented his own rules really. And of course, it's got a good beat and you can dance to it. Her favorite track is "Jump Street"-- she'll often run around the house singing the melody and then ask me to put it on. But I've also been playing "Air Ship" for her more recently, and that one is coincidentally a favorite of mine as well.

So for all you adults out there who haven't yet had the pleasure of enjoying this fine bit of music, I highly recommend it. I think it's one of Ornette's best records with Prime Time. An abundance of infectious grooves and imaginative playing here. Ornette soars over, under, and through the dense, funky framework created by guitarists Bern Nix & Charlie Ellerbee, drummers Denardo Coleman & Calvin Weston, and bassman extraordinaire Jamaaladeen Tacuma. For those who say that avant-garde jazz isn't accessible, I would direct them to this album. And by all means, please play it for your kids!

The Byron Allen Trio

This is a group that I wish had made more records. Alto saxophonist Byron Allen was brought to the ESP label by Ornette Coleman, and he owes a debt to Coleman on a musical level as well, with a sound that is very influenced by him. In fact, this group covers similar territory to Ornette's mid-60s trio with David Izenzon and Charles Moffett. But these guys have their own sound and they have a lot to say.

Throughout the record, Allen playfully explores all routes to the end goal, sometimes stopping briefly along the way to break things apart and then rebuild them again, before heading off down a new path. This might sound very academic, but Allen's playing is firmly rooted in the blues. Maceo Gilchrist (bass) and Ted Robinson (drums) seem to have a telepathic relationship. Their elastic sense of time provides a natural ebb and flow that directs much of the music here. Robinson's drumming is surprising...he plays with the confidence of a seasoned player but brings a newness and freshness to everything he does. And the first time I heard Gilchrist's bass playing on this record it was a revelation, and he continues to inspire me with each listen. How is it possible this is his only recording? His unaccompanied solos are absolutely stunning...he has an earthy, sinewy sound and seems to be able to generate an endless supply of ideas with ease.

This is another entry in the category of great recordings that deserve wider recognition. If you're an Ornette Coleman fan, or you enjoy any of the stuff on the ESP-DISK label, you'll definitely dig this record. It appears to be out of print on CD, but is available for download at the ESP-DISK website.

Sonny Rollins - East Broadway Run Down

Man, this is a bitch of a record! I haven't listened to this one in a while...just pulled out the LP tonight and remembered what a mammoth recording this is. Look, there aren't enough superlatives for this one, but just listen...it's pure communication from the very first note. Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones...does it get much better?

There's a nice thing Nat Hentoff says at the beginning of his liner notes which is right on: "Sonny Rollins combines immense authority and almost as immense unpredictability." From the beginning of his solo on the title track, he is ON. And yet you never know where he's going next. While Garrison and Jones are laying down that foundation that's a mile deep, Sonny is all over the map. He's completely free in his rhythmic and harmonic conception, while always aware and constantly communicating with what's going on underneath him. What's striking too is how different his concept is from Hubbard's...when Freddie's solo starts it's clear that he puts much greater restrictions on himself in terms of rhythm and melody. And I'm not saying that's a bad thing-- just a totally different bag. Garrison's solo is simply beautiful and full of soul. I love his concept of time...you can really hear the layers of rhythm he has going on in his head. Elvin? Pure genius.

"Blessing in Disguise" kicks off the second side with a heavy groove. Again we should consider ourselves incredibly lucky to be able to eavesdrop on such a deep conversation. But you know what the highlight of this record has always been for me? "We Kiss in a Shadow." Quite simply one of the most beautiful things I think I've ever heard. You need to slow down for this one...in fact, whatever you're doing while listening, the song will draw your attention away and take you to another place. But this one is best listened to late at night with all the lights out.

National Endowment for the Arts 2010 Jazz Masters

Just received this Press Release in my inbox...

For immediate release: May 21, 2009

National Endowment for the Arts Announces the 2010 NEA Jazz Masters

Nation's highest honor in jazz is bestowed on eight living legends

Washington, DC - The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today announced the recipients of the 2010 NEA Jazz Masters Award -- the nation's highest honor in this distinctly American music. The eight recipients will each receive a $25,000 grant award and be publicly honored in an awards ceremony and concert on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

The eight 2010 NEA Jazz Masters are:

Name	Category
Muhal Richard Abrams	Pianist, Composer, Educator
Kenny Barron	Pianist, Composer, Educator
Bill Holman	Composer, Arranger, Saxophonist
Bobby Hutcherson	Vibraphonist, Marimba Player, Composer
Yusef Lateef	Saxophonist, Flutist, Oboist, Composer, Educator
Annie Ross	Vocalist
Cedar Walton	Pianist, Composer

George Avakian, a jazz producer, manager, critic, and educator from Riverdale, New York, will receive the 2010 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy.

For the full release, please go to http://www.arts.gov/news/news09/2010-NEA-Jazz-Masters.html

###

Interesting list this year! I'm particularly excited to see Muhal Richard Abrams and Bobby Hutcherson on there. The thing I don't get is why the Awards Ceremony & Concert features Wynton Marsalis!?

Weather Report

I don't listen to as much fusion as I used to, but I still love Weather Report. They are one of relatively few bands from fusion's heyday that have stood the test of time, in my humble opinion.

One of their albums that tends to get neglected is their eponymous record from 1982, pictured here. (Not to be confused with their very first record, also called Weather Report...I haven't actually heard that one so I can't comment on it.) I love this disc. If the only thing on it was the opening "Volcano for Hire," frankly, that would be enough. That tune kills me every time...what a groove! Jaco's fuzz bass playing and the buildup near the end is energizing. But there is plenty more where that came from, like the dynamic, three-part "N.Y.C." or the cerebral funk of "Dara Factor Two." With the exception of the aforementioned "Volcano" a lot of these tunes take a while to build and develop so I guess they are not as immediately flashy and infectious as something like "Birdland" or "Teen Town," but I find this album a more satisfying listen than Heavy Weather*. Repeated listening is very rewarding and reveals layers of sound. In some ways this almost sounds like a prog rock record, and maybe that's why I like it. As I said, I don't think this album gets the praise it deserves. It is definitely a favorite of mine.

*Heavy Weather is fine, but I'm not sure why it's always recommended as their best album.

Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Art Farmer, Henry Grimes & Dave Bailey

This is a cool little clip I just found on YouTube. These guys sure play together well...such great interplay and empathy between the players. Nice tune too, though I don't know the title of it. I've got the Reunion CD with a similar lineup to this, except that Chet Baker replaces Art Farmer. Really beautiful stuff. This also features one of my favorite bassists ever, Henry Grimes.

Jazz Recordings That Are Out Of Print But Shouldn't Be, Part 1

Air - Air Lore
Ornette Coleman - Crisis
John Coltrane - Infinity
Stanley Cowell - Equipoise
Bobby Hutcherson - Medina and Spiral
Clifford Jordan - Inward Fire
Harold Land - Choma (Burn) and Xocia's Dance
Mtume Umoja Ensemble - Alkebu-Lan: Land of The Blacks
David Murray - Flowers for Albert
The Revolutionary Ensemble - Manhattan Cycles
Charlie Rouse - Moment's Notice
Tyrone Washington - Natural Essence

...and that's just for starters. Feel free to add some of your picks in the comments!

Henry Threadgill - You Know the Number

Henry Threadgill is a genius who speaks a unique yet instantly-recognizable language. He started as a member of Chicago's AACM and leader of the trio Air, with Fred Hopkins and Steve McCall. He is a stunning composer, and combines the best elements of densely written, structured compositions with free improvisation. This disc features a slightly unusual instrumentation by "normal" standards, though not as unusual as on some of Threadgill's other recordings. The lineup: Threadgill on bass flute and alto & tenor saxes, Rasul Sadik on trumpet, Frank Lacy on trombone, Diedre Murray on cello, Fred Hopkins on bass, and two drummers: Pheeroan Aklaff and Reggie Nicholson.

My favorite tune here is "Theme from Thomas Cole." It's a brilliantly written piece with a couple of quirky melody lines that play off each other. After the fanfare intro, the trombone and cello play the first line. The second line (played by sax and bass) falls on top of the first and fits into the spaces like puzzle pieces. "Good Times" is a gas-- it's fun to an almost embarrasing extreme. The final cut, "Those Who Eat Cookies" sounds like some kind of demented marching band, and illustrates another trademark of Threadgill's writing: thoroughly modern sounding music that has deep historical roots.

The playing on this disc is equally as brilliant as the compositions. Threadgill's solos are masterpieces of freedom within structure, Frank Lacy's trombone punches through walls, and the interplay between Diedre Murray and Fred Hopkins is telepathic. Sadik's trumpet cuts through the upper airways with pointed clusters of notes. And the two drummers, Nicholson and Aklaff, form a senstive yet powerful foundation.

This disc is one of my absolute favorite jazz CDs that I own. For some time it has been hard to track down the original RCA/Novus CD, but now I understand that Threadgill himself has reissued it himself on CD-Rs available directly from him or through Downtown Music Gallery. Grab it!!

Ira Sullivan (with Johnny Griffin) - Blue Stroll

I picked up this recording in Chicago a few years back at the famous Jazz Record Mart. The Jazz Record Mart is also home of the Delmark record label, one of my favorite record labels and also the folks who released this fine session.

Multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan is joined here by saxophone legend Johnny Griffin and the sturdy rhythm section of Jodie Christian on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, and Wilbur Campbell on drums on this classic album of Chicago jazz. From the hard bop of "Wilbur's Tune" to the thoughtful "My Old Flame" (where Griffin lays out and Sullivan plays baritone sax with the rhythm section), this album is loaded with tasty improvisation. The real standout track for me is the lengthy blues jam "Bluzinbee," which swings like a motherf---er and boasts a staggering back-and-forth tradeoff of solos between Sullivan and Griffin on no less than six different instruments. I thought trumpet was Sullivan's main instrument, but he plays killer solos on baritone and alto saxes, as well as peck horn! His lines are well constructed and full of energy. Add to this the brilliant soloing and comping by the other four men and you have one hell of an album. Highly recommended.

Harold Land - Choma (Burn)

Harold Land is one of my favorite tenor sax players, and really one of my favorite musicians, period. You may know him from his fiery hard bop recordings with legendary trumpeter Clifford Brown, or from one of the wonderful bop albums he released under his own leadership in the 50s. But this is Harold Land 70s style-- intense, free, and funky!

He's joined on this recording by a good sized group: Bobby Hutcherson on vibes & marimba, Bill Henderson and Harold Land, Jr. on piano & electric piano (yes, both playing at the same time), Woody Theus and Ndugu on drums (both drummers play simultaneously also), and Reggie Johnson on bass. This group creates a real wall of sound with many different tonal colors. The title track "Choma (Burn)," features Land on flute, and it opens with a mysterious rubato theme before Reggie Johnson's sinewy bass introduces a sinister ostinato figure. Once the drummers come in, the groove is pretty open and nebulous-- even more so as each soloist pushes the group further out. Ndugu and Theus push and pull the time, building to incredible intensity and then reining it back in. "Our Home" is a solid, soulful 70s groove tune written by pianist Bill Henderson (all the other tunes are written by Land). "Black Caucus" is my personal favorite-- it's an all-out jam in B flat with a simple, bluesy head, similar in nature to Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz Dance." The dense rhythmic interplay of Ndugu and Woody Theus again provides a muscular foundation for majestic solos from Land, Hutcherson, and the pianists. The final track, "Up and Down" is Trane-like in its harmonic structure and is the most straight-ahead jazz track on the album.

This album hasn't received nearly the attention of much of Harold Land's other work (perhaps due to the fact that it was released on Mainstream Records, a fairly small label even in its day), but in my mind it's a must-have. In fact, it may be my favorite album of his. Sadly, it's out of print, but should be easy to find on ebay.

Elmo Hope Trio

Elmo Hope's music is full of twists and turns that take the listener to wonderful and unexpected places. He's joined on this recording by bassist Jimmy Bond and the great West Coast drummer Frank Butler. Hope's piano playing and compositional style fit each other perfectly. All of the tunes on this album are his with the exception of a beautiful version of "Like Someone in Love."

On "B's A Plenty," Hope's solo is miraculous, with new discoveries every step of the way. You can almost hear him thinking-- taking ideas and playing with them until they dissolve into new ones. The melody of "Boa" winds snakelike through the uneven form of the tune. "Barfly" is introspective and the mood is tangible— lonely and brooding. In Hope's compositions, chords resolve to surprising places and melodic ideas are unpredictable as well.

Jimmy Bond and Frank Butler offer excellent support throughout. Butler's drumming in particular is responsive and creative, as I've grown to expect from him. This is a perfect place to start for anyone who has yet to experience Elmo Hope's world. I'm not sure whether this CD is still in print, after Concord Music Group's takeover of the Original Jazz Classics label, but it should still be fairly easy to track down.

Candid reissues rare albums from the Why Not label

Earlier this spring, I was excited to stumble upon a CD reissue of Air's first record Air Song in my local record shop. Previously this was only available as a Japanese import here in the US. If you are a fan of Air, Henry Threadgill, or any of the music coming out of the AACM and haven't heard this, do yourself a favor and pick it up. What a fantastic recording it is.

Next time I went back I was even more surprised to find this Chico Freeman CD reissue called Morning Prayer, from the same series. I had read about this one online (I think I found it through a search for Douglas Ewart, who plays on this) and I really wanted to hear it. This disc is really growing on me the more I play it. It's got a great vibe to it, somewhere between the freeness of the AACM and the soulfulness of Strata-East. The selection of tunes is diverse and the playing from everyone is outstanding. I was only slightly familiar with Freeman's playing, from a stunning India Navigation CD of ballads called Spirit Sensitive. This one is completely different, but extremely rewarding. Freeman is an interesting writer (all of the compositions here are his) and a dynamic player. And what a supporting cast! Henry Threadgill on saxophones, flute & percussion, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, Cecil McBee on bass & cello, Steve McCall on percussion, Ben Montgomery on drums & percussion, and Douglas Ewart on flutes & percussion.

Some of the highlights here for me are Freeman's muscular tenor playing on "The In Between" and the quirky melody of "Conversations," which, as offbeat as it is, is incredibly catchy and will get stuck in your head after a few listens. Threadgill delivers an epic bari sax solo on this tune as well. The title track "Morning Prayer" is beautifully meditative and leads nicely into the upbeat closer "Pepe's Samba," and we also get an additional extended, previously unreleased version of this last one as well.

At this point there are two more reissues available in the Why Not series, Walt Dickerson's Tell Us Only the Beautiful Things and George Cables' Why Not?. I'm going to keep my eye out for these, particularly the Walt Dickerson as he is a personal favorite. More info on this series from Candid records can be found here.

Welcome!

Hello everyone in internet-land and welcome to my new blog about jazz. The word "jazz" has different meanings to different people, but to me it encompasses everything from bebop to fusion to the avant-garde...anything that is improvised and that "swings" (and there are lots of ways to define the word "swing" as well...I'm not just talking traditional jazz here).

There will probably be a heavy focus on reissues here as a lot of the jazz I listen to regularly is pre-1990s. I will also spend a fair amount of space discussing artists and scenes that are not as widely known. There is a ton of music out there that deserves wider recognition. Really this blog is just about sharing some music I like with you. Please feel free to join in the discussion and share your opinions!