Jazz: Competition & Discussion

[RoundTheBend]

Private Message - Direct Message, etc.

Basically I was asking for a copy.

[PurpleHazel]

[RoundTheBend]

Checking out this for the first time from Keith. I'm noticing these compositions/jams are like classical serialism or something. Really unique Jazz... not what first comes to mind when I hear the word Jazz at least. Most intriguing is the bowed bass in a high register [cello?] (to me at least). Not saying it isn't jazz, rather weaves into really interesting musical soundscapes similar to that of serialism (for what I know about it/experienced).

Really interesting stuff!


Willisau (Quartet) 1991 by Anthony Braxton

[Kool Keith Sweat]

Glad you find it interesting! I still have a lot of difficulty in satisfactorily interpreting many of Braxton's recordings in the '80s and beyond, but that's part of what keeps on bringing me back

This is the second or third time you've mentioned really liking bowed bass (you are hearing a bass). Kind of speaking out my ass here, but I think of it as more of a European stylistic thing until the late sixties or seventies when most avant-garde bassists (worldwide) employ it frequently. So, you wouldn't be used to it listening to the American "classics" of the sixties, but wouldn't find it a thing if you familiarized yourself with improvised music after 1970. Mark Dresser, William Parker, Barry Guy, Barre Phillips, Kent Carter, Peter Kowald, Sirone, and Ernst Reijseger are always a treat to hear, and frequently use a bow; their recordings are all over my overall. From this year, there's a truly excellent recording from Brandon Lopez; he's usually great at exploring the timbres of the bass and often employs a bow. Also from this year, there's a good recording from Luke Stewart that uses a lot of bow and amplifier; similarly, Splitter Orchester's Mike Majkowski often uses a bow (and other things) to explore the possible timbres of an upright bass (his favorite thing is something like the different low-volume multiphonics heard by recording in different parts inside the bass or sth). One great recording that's also springing to mind (that's available on Spotify; most of these people's best recordings will not be), is Peter Jacquemyn and Evan Parker's Marsyas Suite; the bow here is really illustrative of the flaying.

[RoundTheBend]

Thanks so much for your input Keith!

You are a treasure trove of info for helping me understand Jazz constructs I thought I understood... especially those past the 60s.

Also excuse my ignorance on the bowing of jazz bass... my limited experience has just never heard it before the recordings you've shown.

I think you've brought up a really interesting point that allows me to get into more experimental jazz, is it does seem like these artists are pushing every boundary possible, and its much more exciting to recognize it that way than the ignorant way I may have in the past (someone taking a dump on a saxophone and calling it music). I was maybe stuck in some western/pop music ways of trying to quickly associate myself with a melody, beat, etc... and the whole point of this is to smash those concepts and distort them and play with their boundaries. I always knew Jazz was meant to do that... but somehow never really appreciated it until your recs, so thanks!

Also last night I had a bit of a surreal experience with Ayler's spirtitual unity. I was up late walking the halls of a large hotel, and typically your brain interprets the world that the floor is the constant and everything else is moving, but somehow the music messing with the melody/music constructs somehow distorted my real reality, and I was seeing the geometry of the very symmetric hallway tweak too. It was creepy and surreal, yet fitting. Near the end of the album I was on the street next to a swamp and I've seen snakes and gators there before, yet this time it was a bit more creepy and "wild" if you will.

[RoundTheBend]

What d'yall think about this album being classified as Jazz?


Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

[RoundTheBend]

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008...azz-albums

I found this list helpful for some early jazz albums and was an ok list for all of jazz (missing some essential records in my opinion).

[Kool Keith Sweat]

[RoundTheBend]

RE: Astral Weeks
Yeah - I agree. While it clearly is a secondary genre, the best aspects of the album are all rooted in Jazz. Even the vocal style feels a bit more free form with minor scat-like performances. And no, it doesn't explore the music like a typical jazz ensemble would of the time.

Ha- I'm so out of touch with Jazz I thought you were referring to Miles Davis for half of that, then realized it made no sense if that were the case. Richard Davis... from the wiki:

[Kool Keith Sweat]

For those with a record player and for fans of British improvisation, Treader recently reissued the incredibly difficult to find (and I can now say incredible) "Evan Parker with Birds" as well as Alexis Taylor's solid "Rubbed Out" on LP; they also released some excellent previously unreleased material of Spring Heel Jack with Leo Smith, Steve Noble, and Pat Thomas, titled "Hackney Road". Fingers crossed they intend to reissue "John Tchicai with Strings" and continue releasing new material!