Satoko Fujii - Double Take Year: 2000
Style or Subgenre: Avant Garde, Modern Creative, Free Jazz
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Now this is exciting music!
I had heard this once before and was truly impressed, but continued chasing the myriad other jazz musicians on my to do list.
Today, I was in the mood for something a little, exotic, out of the mainstream but not too far out, epic in scope, commanding and compelling.... and above all I was in the mood for something by a female composer. So I returned to this massive two disc set from Satoko Fujii and her orchestra (including her husband/trumpet player Natsuki Samura, who also contributed three of the 15 compositions on in the set). The 15 piece orchestra, which can sound bigger... or intimate... is just splendid in bringing out these dynamic compositions, especially as they ebb and flow between structure and free soloing, between aggressive avant garde and some serious grooves. The overall effect ranges from mesmerizing to seriously energizing. Even with limitations on personal time with jazz and this running at over 142 minutes, I will be revisiting this one... often.
Vic Dickenson - Vic Dickenson Septet Vol. 1 Year: 1953
Style or Subgenre: Traditional Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Vic Dickenson - Vic Dickenson Septet Vol. 2 Year: 1953
Style or Subgenre: Traditional Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Another stumbleupon that I really enjoyed. Vic Dickenson plays a very nice trombone and leads an excellent septet through some classic early '50s mainstream jazz that is lightly swinging and easily enjoyable, Vol. 1 particularly so.
James Moody - Don't Look Away Now! Year: 1969
Style or Subgenre: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
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What a delight! This 1969 outing from sax man James Moody is so full of melodious, soulful playing, it's almost impossible to not smile most of the way through. Every song is unique but they all together in a very pleasing program. This is a versatile musician with plenty of ways to communicate. And his rhythm section is totally on point. A+.
Ravi Coltrane - Blending Times Recording Date: 2006 - 2007
Release Date: 2009
Style or Subgenre: Post Bop
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Like most around here, I'm a big fan of 'Trane. Alice too. So I figured it was time to give their kid Ravi a go. Despite the lineage flowing from jazz deities, I had no expectations. After all, Dweezil is good, but he's no Frank, Ziggy ain't quite Bob, and C.P.E., much as I personally enjoy him, is no J.S.
I have to say, I really like Ravi's playing and his soloing. Whether following a structure or ranging more freely, there's some spirit as well as coherent and intriguing musical flow in his lines. As much as I loved Ravi's playing though, I often found this to be a rhythm section album as I was drawn in to the foundation provided by drummer E.J. Strickland and bassist Drew Gress... and the piano of Luis Perdomo was especially noteworthy. So not only does this album have great individuals, it also has excellent balance and the ensemble felt like they placed me in the center of that balanced musical expression. Every one of the 10 cuts had a strength making the entire album a fine listen, but the bookends are particularly memorable. The opening "Shine" does just that with gorgeous melodies, excellent soloing, and exceptional piano. The closing "For Turiya" is a lament to Alice, who passed during the recording of this album. It appropriately adds harp (played by Brandee Younger), but that's no gimmick... the song is just devastating, as much due to Ravi's tender, evocative solo as anything else.
The Lyman Woodard Organization - Saturday Night Special Year: 1975
Style or Subgenre: Jazz Funk, Soul Jazz
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The title and album cover give the impression of a dire and harsh album. I don't know if Detriot in 1975 was the murder capital it is today, but one might take that to be the theme here. However, the music on the album is mostly user friendly funky soul jazz with an occasional Latin tint. The album has improvisation, but like the funky soul jazz of the era, there is more emphasis on the groove than the improv and virtuosity. That said, the band is tight, the grooves appealing, and the soloing hot enough to give the album a good balance.
Jane Monheit - The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me Year: 2009
Style or Subgenre: Vocal Jazz, Jazz/Pop Vocals, Standards
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Beautiful album from the lovely Jane Monheit. A nice mix of standards and more contemporary choices, all delivered with sensitivity and just a little flair. A great bookends album as well with stunning performances of "Like a Star" to open, and of all things, the Muppetalicious "Rainbow Collection" to close.
Gerry Hemingway - Demon Chaser Year: 1993
Style or Subgenre: Avant Garde, Progressive Jazz
I started listening to this one a couple weeks ago, and I'm having a volatile relationship with it. On first listen, I was gobsmacked; blown away. Upon second listen, I was annoyed. third listen, back in black! Then fourth listen, bored. Today, I really enjoyed it again. There is some crazy avant-gardism gong on here and for some reason, sometimes it hits me just right, but others it's all wrong. But it's always the same music, so clearly the wild card is me. Very mood dependent this is.
Emily Remler - This Is Me Year: 1990
Style or Subgenre: Guitar Jazz, Hard Bop, Contemporary Jazz
I love Emily Remler. I love this album. It's not without its disappointment however. The great thing about this album is we find Emily, a brilliant guitarist and longtime Wes Montgomery disciple, finally stepping fully out of her inspiration's shadow. The title "This is Me" is most apt. I loved all those earlier Remler albums, but it always seemed like Emily doing Wes to some extent. I really wanted to hear her do Emily. Well, here she does, and there is a unique and special beauty running through all these jazz licks. The downside is that she often slides into smooth jazz territory on this album, sometimes going so far as to augment with smooth synth flourishes that wouldn't sound out of place on a Narada new age album. Now fortunately, that's just the veneer; the surface impression. If you pay attention, the stunning technique, the joyous melodic and harmonic invention, and again that thread of beauty, all permeate the album throughout.
What a tragedy to have lost her after this album. What had she in store for us had she continued to fully express her own unique voice?
Eleventh House - Introducing the Eleventh House with Larry Coryell Year: 1974
Style or Subgenre: Fusion
I wish the guy who decided I needed to listen to Weather Report when I was 17 would have pointed me to Eleventh House instead. Now I'm not short of appreciation for Weather Report at this time, but if someone was looking for the gateway drug to get my 17 year old self hooked on fusion, this would have fared much better. For one thing, the basic sound would have been much more to my liking, primarily due to the inclusion of trumpet rather than sax. The strength of the often Joe Sample-sounding electric piano would have also pleased my younger self. And of course, my hard rockin' self would have readily taken to the generally distortion guitar centric feature of the group. While my musical palette has expanded greatly since then, I have lost none of my appreciation for this sound, but now I can also appreciate the composition, musicianship, and the tightness of the ensemble here. I'll never tire of this album.
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