Joanne Brackeen - Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven Recording Date: 1986
Release Date: 1987
Style or Subgenre: Post Bop
This is my second Joanne Brackeen album. I was 100% fully gobsmacked and totally in awe of my first Brackeen album, Aft.
This is nothing like Aft.
But I am still once again 100% fully gobsmacked and totally in awe. I love every last note on this album. Not just every song, mind you, but every last note. It's choice, it's expression, it's placement. Each and every note absolute perfection. It's as if Brackeen has a direct pipeline to all the happy neurons in my brain. And this is a bit of a wacky album. Nominally post bop, this thing is really all over the place. But no matter where she goes, I follow, happily, excitedly, joyfully.
What a composer.
What a pianist.
What a leader! She's got an all star cast here, including Cecil McBee on bass, Al Foster on drums, Brnaford Marsalis on alto&soprano, and one of my all time favorites, Terence Blanchard on trumpet. Now I have a good collection of Terence Blanchard albums, and he has a distinct personality. This doesn't sound so much like the Blanchard I'm used to, but he's positively brilliant putting his considerable talent perfectly into Brackeen's musical vision.
Sonny Rollins - The Bridge Year: 1962
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop
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Sonny Rollins was an amazing musician. This album doesn't grab you by the scruff of the neck, nor does it draw you in slowly through atmosphere. It isn't hot enough to be one of those super fiery things like the wow-level hard bop of the day, nor is it cool enough reach the listener in that way. And yet it is totally captivating, without the labels to easily define why. This is just a master craftsman and his crew coming together to make simply great jazz. Wonderful..
Geri Allen - The Life of a Song Year: 2004
Style or Subgenre: Post Bop, Modern Creative
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I love Geri Allen, so even not being familiar with this particular disc, I was poised to grab it when I saw it at a fundraiser for $3. But my bag was getting pretty full and I was trying to be more judicious in my selections. Then I saw the accompaniment: Dave Holland on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Sold! No way I wasn't walking out with this one. Upon throwing it in the disc player, the opening cut, LWB's House, immediately confirmed the wisdom of my purchase. Allen's melodic and harmonic invention are on full display and the rhythm section are total fire. DeJohnette adds so much character with his brilliant tom work. To be honest, most of the rest of the disc didn't display the level of personality in the opener; it was merely excellent to outstanding.
Ahmad Jamal - Chamber Music of the New Jazz Year: 1955
Style or Subgenre: Cool Jazz, Post Bop
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Pro: this is some beautifully elegant guitar quartet cool jazz and Jamal's playing is gorgeous.
Con: this very early Jamal date has yet to really display Jamal's unique personality.
Overall, that con is pretty insignificant relative to the strength of the con. Really, this is wonderful music.
Honi Gordon - Honi Gordon Sings Year: 1962
Style or Subgenre: Vocal Jazz
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This Saturday Night Vocals recommendation came to me by way of recommendation and thanks are in order as this hit me right in my traditional jazz vocals sweet spot. Ms. Gordon has a sublime voice for these songs and her delivery is sublime.
Slivovitz - Liver Year: 2018
Style or Subgenre: Jazz Rock Fusion, Jazz Funk, Avant Garde, touches of just about everything else
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I remember being confused when I read about "progressive jazz" and learned it is not at all like doing to jazz what progressive rock does to rock. It had nothing to do with frequent tempo changes, odd time signature, nonstandard instrumentation, or classical influence. Upon spinning this live set from this Italian ensemble (who crystalized their style after a visit to Hungary and taking on Balkan influences), I couldn't help but think this is what I was thinking when I first heard the term "progressive jazz." These guys are all over the place, refusing to settle into any kind of groove for any length of time. Dynamics are constantly shifting. Some times they just go straight hard rock, just with jazz instrumentation. Sometimes they get totally funky. And often, they're switching up those tempos and time signatures. They are always very active, maybe even hyperactive. And it all works superbly! These cats can rock and swing at the same time! Really, they get down, they get up with it, but no matter what they do, I dig what they're doing. This was really quite a find for me. Easily one of my favorite discoveries in this still young year.
McCoy Tyner - For My Lader Year: 1973
Style or Subgenre: Post Bop
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As I listened to this 1973 release by my favorite pianist, I couldn't help but think I've heard most of these devices, these unique rhythms, these harmonic inventions on other Tyner albums.... and yet, once again, I've never heard them combined in this way. Even with the length and breadth of Tyner's catalog, he really doesn't repeat himself, and it's always A+ stuff. On this album, much more adventurous than the romantic title and cover photo would indicate, Tyner gets outstanding contributions from his ensemble mates, with special joy coming from Sonny Fortune's flute (he also does well on alto and soprano) and Michael White's violin.
Hadley Caliman - Projecting Year: 1975
Style or Subgenre: Neo Bop, Post Bop, Mainstream Jazz
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Hadley Caliman - Celebration Year: 1977
Style or Subgenre: Neo Bop, Post Bop, Mainstream Jazz
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Did a mini binge on some straight ahead mid 70s sax jazz. Accessible yet interesting, and most importantly entertaining. Caliman also breaks out the flute for some welcome variety and seasonal uplift; a great accompaniment to a breezy spring Saturday afternoon.
Dena DeRose - Live at Jazz Standard Volume 2 Year: 2008
Style or Subgenre: Vocal Jazz, Piano Jazz
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I usually post my previous night's Saturday Night Vocal experience on Sunday morning. But my dance card is quite full tomorrow, and I didn't want to wait longer to share this, so up it goes here on Saturday evening, immediately upon completion.
The thing here is that , while having a glorious voice (and phrasing) for jazz vocals, Ms. DeRose isn't just another pretty voice. She's also an excellent leader and pianist. This trio makes wonderful vocal jazz, but can also jam, too. Four of the album's eight cuts are in excess of eight minutes, which means lots of instrumental passages. The shortest song is over 5 1/2 minutes, not at all typical for a vocal album, but the extended format songs all breathe throughout, with vocals and instrumental work substantially contributing to a sublime whole.
There is one pure instrumental, a most excellent reading of Dave Brubeck's In Your Own Sweet Way.
It seems that, just like the Junko Onishi Trio album from two Saturdays ago, I have once again scored a magnificent female led, piano trio + vocals album that is a live Volume 2 for which I must now hunt down the Volume 1. This music is soooooo good, I can't not have the full set!
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