Jazzmeia Horn - Love and Liberation Year: 2019
Style or Subgenre: Vocal Jazz, Post Bop, Soul Jazz
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I felt like something new this evening. I also felt like swingin' and relaxin' along with some cool vocals. Both of which would put me a little out of my element. I had recently heard a playlist with a contemporary vocalist that caught my ear, so it was time to seek out the album from whence came that cut.
Let's just start by saying that Jazzmeia Horn has got to be the coolest name in jazz. Of course its a little off kilter since she's a vocalist rather than a wind player. Nevertheless, great name; but what's in a name, really? What's on the disc, that's what matters.
And what's on the disc is mighty fine. Horn's voice is one of those rare gifts that will make an agnostic believe in a divine power. She has that ethereal and sensuous but vulnerable quality that makes me think this could be what would happen if Karen Carpenter had been born into jazz. But unlike Karen, Horn's vulnerability doesn't preclude a sense of great inner strength and ultimately, confidence. Not only that, she's not stuck at all in ballad land, as she can wail the blues and drop some serious vocal gymnastics ripping through scat that would make Ella proud.
Occasionally, things get a little preachy for my tastes, and I could do without the spoken word sections, but about eight of the twelve cuts I find to be just wonderful at worst, possessed of otherworldly beauty at best.
It's only been two listens so far, but yeah, I think this is a keeper. I think I've found someone to listen to in addition to Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington.
The live performance clip below is great, but I have a preference for the album as it also posses some very fine trumpet work that goes along well with Horn's performance.
Duke Pearson - Wahoo! Year: 1964
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop
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This is some very classy hard bop, based in Pearson's composition/arrangement, and brought to fruition courtesy of some wonderful soloists, most notably Joe Henderson on tenor and Donald Byrd on trumpet. For his part, Pearson's style manages some good variety, being flowy in some songs and percussive in others, harmonically straightforword in some songs and more adventurous in others, but always nicely in tune wiht the song.
Byrd's solo on the opening "Amanda" is particularly tasty. Pearson's solo (save for some light drum accompaniment by Mickey Roker) on "Farewell Michelle," is most luxurious. The title cut, which has Pearson's best solo on the album, is an understated but highly compelling affair blending blues and Native American sounding melody into one of my all time favorite jazz songs. The substitution of flute for alto on this song by James Spaulding, along with another super cool solo from Byrd (and Henderson for that matter) further enhances this one for me. After another relatively subdued affair with "ESP, " Henderson especially shreds on the closer, Byrd's "Fly Little Bird Fly," the only non-Pearson cut on the album.
A most solid album through and through. Every cut a winner, but that title cut is truly a cut above.
Kenny Barron and Dave Holland - The Art of Conversation[ Year: 2014
Style or Subgenre: Post Bop, Mainstream Jazz
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Stanton Moore - Conversations Year: 2014
Style or Subgenre: Contemporary Jazz, Mainstream Jazz, New Orleans Jazz
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Here's a couple albums from 2014 with a "conversation" theme in the title.
The first entry, a simple duo affair between two all pros, the incomparable Kenny Barron on piano and the always impressive Dave Holland on bass, is most aptly titled. Imagine the simple act of two people conversing... now raise that act to a very thoughtful level of art and express it with musical instruments. That's what you get here. It's as though we get to be a fly on the wall witnessing, and absorbing, the interaction of two beautiful minds.
On the opening cut, "The Oracle," Barron's magnificent melody, enhanced by his rhythmic and harmonic mastery and inventiveness make for a fantastic listen... indeed this would sound just fine as a solo piano piece... but Holland's contributions to the conversation both in support and solo positions, really puts the piece over the top as an elite song in my collection.
There is a nice mix of originals and standards from the likes of Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk. But whether the song is old or new, the conversation is always pure Barron and Holland. Really, even with 10 full cuts on the album, there's not a single letdown among them.
It's funny, I've listened to this album a couple dozen times, and after putting it away, I always remember it fondly, but as time passes, it's just pleasant thoughts. But then when I pull it out again... WOW! The beauty and artfulness of the conversation completely captivates me. I never get the urge to skip and when it's over, it's over too soon. A truly special album and easily my top album of the year (all genres included).
Stanton Moore's "Conversations" sits as my third favorite jazz album of the year (Pat Metheny's "Kin" intervening). This is not so much the delicate conversations of Barron & Holland as things get a little more boisterous here. But that's not to say this is bombast; on the contrary, there are very meaningful conversations going on here. Being a trio, the conversation has an extra element to it. As a drum led album, Moore himself gets a full voice and the conversation is often between him and the other two (piano and bass) as a unit. David Torkanowsky plays some wonderful melodies, but his rhythmic impulses criss-cross nicely with Moore's energetic, driving rhythms on the drum kit.
The opening "Lauren Z," is a superb exposition of all that this trio has to offer. It is overall a well constructed composition from end to end, loaded with melody, and ultimately a fun, upbeat musical conversation..... one with lots of drums, but if you're not into drums, it's still very likable. The following "Carnival" has this really cool Vince Guaraldi goes to New Orleans kind of vibe to it. Most of the album is pretty fast and almost relentless, so when "Waltz for All Souls" rolls around, with it's slow New Orleans wake kind of vibe, it's a pretty welcome respite. After that, it's another race through a series of upbeat, percussive heavy conversations. I do love Moore's drumming, even if it can become a bit relentless at times.
While Stanton Moore's "Conversations" may not be as deep as Barron & Holland's, there are times when I reach for them as they're a little more fun. If this is the modern direction of New Orleans jazz, count me in on that ride as well.
Sonny Criss - Jazz U.S.A. Year: 1956
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop
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Sonny Criss - This Is Criss Year: 1966
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop
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Sonny Criss seems to be one of those forgotten gems. As with any altoist emerging from the bop scene, he's a Charlie Parker devotee, but clearly has his own personality as well. The result is some truly delightful hard bop that can be enjoyed right alongside the likes of Cannonball Adderley.
Here we have two albums released a decade apart. The first, 1956's "Jazz U.S.A.," was released on the New Orleans/R&B focused Imperial label (think Fats Domino) and received next to no promotion. Yet it somehow caught on enough to become an underground classic, and rightfully so. This is classic hard bop; lively and engaging. It also lays on the blues with tremendous intensity, but also doesn't forge to swing. That said, the album is comprised of a dozen cuts, most in the three minute range, and ultimately suffers ever so slightly from a sense of sameness before its over. But the high points, especially closer to the front end of the album are wonderful. At this point in my life, I'd swear I didn't need to hear yet another rendition of "Willow Weep for Me," but that's incorrect here; Criss' rendition is traditional yet unique, and his tone is an absolute showpiece here, along with his elegant, soulful phrasing. That sweet and soulful phrasing is so powerful on "Sunday" as to be as tear-inducing as instrumental jazz, especially hard bop, is capable of being. Oh, and dude can shred, too. Pianist Kenny Drew is as solid as you'd expect, and the occasional interjections of guitarist Barney Kessel add some welcome additional color.
If you're looking for a Miles or Herbie level of evolution over a decade, then you're not likely to be impressed by "This is Criss." But in the decade between the two albums, Criss refined his offering slightly by enhancing his soulful side even further and developing a finer sense of when to blend the shred into that soul as evidenced in the first cut, "Black Coffee." While that first cut is truly masterful and Criss has matured nicely, some of that greatness is offset by a few pop standards on the album that don't really lend themselves to Criss' capability. They're fine recordings, but incapable of becoming standouts.
These are two excellent albums with nothing more than minor quibbles keeping them from being truly essential.
After getting turned on to sax by Coltrane, I quickly fell in love with, and amassed great sax music, including solid collections of Henderson, Mobley, Turrentine, reaching back to both Bird and Hawk, and reaching forward all the way to Kamasi Washington. But somehow, Sonny Stitt escaped my early forays into sax exploration.
Although released in 1957, the music on Kaleidoscope was recorded from 1950-1952, and therefore sits squarely in the bebop vein, Stitt not yet having moved into the hard bop to come. As bop, this is top notch. Very enjoyable music. The opening "Stitt's It" is a raucous affair and it's impossible not to swing with it. After that, there's two mambo tunes in a row, the second of which is aptly titled as "Blue Mambo" as it brings a touch of the blues into the Latin dance for a nice early hybrid. Stitt proves he doesn't need a whole lot of backing though, as he delivers an ultra smoky and sensuous solo rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'." Four different pianists appear on the album; Kenny Drew's appearance on "Later" is a highlight. I know it's an overworked warhorse of a standard, but I usually like hearing yet another run at "Cherokee," and Stitt's turns out to be one of the better ones out there.
Overall this is a fine late bebop era album. The CD reissue adds four additional tracks with vocals by Larry Townsend.
Illinois Jacquet - The Kid and the Brute Recording Date: 1954
Release Date: 1955
Style or Subgenre: Jazz Blues, Jump Blues, Swing
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Enjoying my tenor this morning, I decided to grab some more, this time by a lesser known name, so I turned up Illinois Jacquet. Although also a mid-'50s release, this is a whole different kettle of fish than the previously journaled Sonny Stitt.
The opener, the almost 12-minute "I Wrote This For the Kid," rather than being centerline bebop, inhabits a very blue world. Jacquet's heavy, thick, muscular tenor tone is perfect for this almost pre-ZZ Top vibe, and Jacquet's expressive soloing keeps the long song interesting.
On the following "Saph," Jacquet falls back to fairly straightforward swing reminiscent of the previous decade. You can just see the happy Khaki-clad soldiers returning from WWII swing dancing with their gals. Then it's as hard core a mamba tune as your'e ever likely to hear; "Mambocito Mio" will have you swear you're sitting among the palms waiting for someone to deliver your daquiri. Jacquet settles into some swinging bop on the title cut, but once again with just a touch of his Texas blues flair broken up by some genre crossing percussion. The title cut also has him trading musical punches with fellow tenor Ben Webster and the exchange is as entertaining as any high dollar prize fight. If I was a judge, I'd call it a draw. The rest of the album flows nicely. Also worth mention is the infrequent but excellent trombone work from Matthew Gee.
The CD version adds nine short cuts, doubling the original running time, and adds some additional variety.
While not really breaking new ground in 1954, Jacquet manages to be highly individual and well worth an add to my rotation.
Buddy Collette - Man of Many Parts Recording Date: 1956
Release Date: 1957
Style or Subgenre: West Coast Jazz, Cool Jazz
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Okay so this guy is just showing off.... on this album, our leader here plays tenor, alto, clarinet, and flute! He also wrote 9 of the 12 compositions. This compositions are all solid, but none particularly inspiring. This is a fine if not spectacular sometimes bop-ish cool jazz set, well worth a listen for any fan of the genre/period.
Collette, despite being relatively unsung and now largely forgotten, had a fascinating history. There is a good overview here (short and well worth the time to read it):
https://www.npr.org/2007/10/17/15343792...many-parts
Ray Brown - Bass Hit! Year: 1956
Style or Subgenre: Bop
Milt Jackson with the Ray Brown Big Band - Memphis Jackson
Recording Date: 1969
Release Date: 1970
Style or Subgenre: Jazz Funk, Soul Jazz
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Ray Brown - Jazz Blues Year: 1984
Style or Subgenre: Mainstream Jazz
I wasn't sure where I wanted to go with Ray Brown today, so rather than choose, I chose to binge. Here we have three Ray Brown albums spanning almost 30 years and three distinct styles.
The first, "Bass Hit!" from 1956, is Brown's debut as leader, is a classic west coast bebop album with shades of big band and swing in tow. Brown, along with Marty Paich wrote the opener, "Blues for Sylvia," and closer, "Blues for Lorraine," placing seven standards in between. The opener is, or at least should be, a jazz classic and the closer is a snappy, slightly rowdy, exhilarating affair. Brown & company do a fine job with all the standards in between with the beautiful rendition of "My Foolish Heart" being a genuine high point. There's plenty of muted trumpet, whether on ballads or full on blaring big band sound. Brown himself gets plenty of solo time and when backing, his bass is a little more to the fore of the mix than most recordings of the time, making it easier to hear.... and enjoy. It's easy to see why Brown was considered the father of modern bass playing at the time. This is a very nice, swinging' bop album, but a must for bass enthusiasts.
As the sixties turned toward the seventies and jazz fused with R&B, funk, and soul, Bryant kept the pace despite being from an earlier era. Fellow veteran and all time great vibraphonist Milt Jackson joined Brown to make a very contemporary album of totally funked out jazz. Some might be inclined to dismiss this album as a sellout, and the style might support that, but this is still great music! Jackson is one of those guys who can get commercial without abandoning his real jazz roots, and Brown's band provides the perfect backdrop for him to do so. Yeah, you might get an image of background music for a scene from a cheap blaxploitation movie or a TV episode of "The Mod Squad," but you're also gonna' hear some killer grooves. Jackson's blending of bluesy vibe licks with the band's funky grooves makes for some serious fun and the energy level is elevated throughout.
The last of these albums is a traditional jazz album with contemporary flair, but unlike the other two selections here, sheds the large ensemble and is pared down to just a basic trio setting. The trio is also notable for returning pianist Gene Harris of The Three Sounds fame to the jazz spotlight. Again, these veterans put forth a very pleasing, if not groundbreaking album. The album title appears to have been brought forth for sales, as there's really not a lot of soul here, just really, really good straight ahead jazz to delight the ear. Highlights include the exceedingly pleasant opener, "Exactly Like You,," the very dynamic "Teach Me Tonight," and the sexy "That's All," where Harris coaxes emotive sensuality from every delicate keystroke.
Bass Introduction/Blues for Sylvia (from Bass Hit!)
This music swings merrily along combining new forms of instrumental interplay and the sheer joy of music making. It practically transports the listener right onto Bourbon Street at the end of World War I. It's easy to see how this crazy new music could have brought so much joy... or horror... to the first to hear it back in the day. some found it to be a delightful new window into musical expression and others thought it the work of the Devil himself. I like to think that, had I been who I am in 1917 rather than 2017, I would have been one of the former. The way the instruments all weave their their lines in and out between each other definitely activates happy chemicals in my brain.
Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Brown and Roach Incorporated Recording Date: 1969
Release Date: 1970
Style or Subgenre: Jazz Hard Bop
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Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Clifford Brown and Max Roach Year: 1954
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop
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This evening I decided it had been entirely too long since I listened to Clifford Brown, so I grabbed my personal trifecta of Clifford Brown and Max Roach albums and hit them in order: Brown and Roach Incorporated, Clifford Brown and Max Roach, and the previously journaled Study in Brown (p. 6).
I love Brown's trumpet, and Brown and Roach Incorporated is a classic, but I'm a little less smitten with it than I feel like I should be. These are awesome musicians who work very well together, and they light it right up on the first cut, "Sweet Clifford", just as would usually grab me, but while I like the song, I don't get overly wowed, despite the insane technical mastery as these two killer musicians both really go off. I'm actually drawn more to the following ballad, "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance." "Stompin at the Savoy" is usually a winner for me but I have versions by a number of jazz greats I prefer to this one. The fourth cut, "I'll String Along With You," another ballad, is where I get seriously drawn in, largely due to Richie Powell's piano. A marvelous tune, sweetly and soulfully delivered. The rowdy African tinged "Mildama" that follows is a showpiece for Roach and another winner, but ya' gotta' wanna' hear some drums.
Clifford Brown and Max Roach kicks off better for me with the very moody "Delilah," full of sublime melody and gorgeous soloing by saxophonist Harold Land. After a less interesting second cut comes the very sharp Brown original, "Daahoud," which would rightfully become a great jazz standard. The later "The Blues Walk" is another lively original while "Jordu" returns us to the more subdued mood of the opener. For me, Brown and Roach Incorporated has its moments, but Clifford Brown and Max Roach grabs me right at the beginning and holds me throughout.
One excellent album and one absolutely top shelf. Add in the aforementioned Study in Brown and that makes for a great evening of serious hard bop.
I'll string Along With You (from Brown and Roach Incorporated)
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