The Jazz Project - Album 77: Art Tatum - "The Genius of Art Tatum"

             To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 77

Art Tatum - The Genius Of Tatum
No beverage. 

Photo credit: https://img.discogs.com/iqGnXrpTjzQvwlFXP84om9AX6Qo=/fit-in/600x604/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-5802476-1549828321-3592.jpeg.jpg

1.  "The Man I Love": A lovely intro of solo piano work. The runs on notes are delightful and employed often. At 0:40 the complexity dials up and the track turns into a whirlwind of notes. The skill level is clear, and it's very high. It feels like the perfect blend of Classical music and traditional Jazz. About 2 minutes in it takes on this swaggering swing, and it just feels good to listen to. To be honest, I was expecting a band, but the solo piano work is fun to listen to. 
   
   
2. "Over The Rainbow": This track walks the line of being true to the song and true to the art form. Each measure seems to alternate between the traditional melody and a jazzier version. It's an incredible cover. 
   
   
3. "Memories Of You": Very reminiscent of the first track. There are some excellent moments of piano work, but it could benefit from a band. I think it's calming to listen to, and the skills demonstrated are impressive. 
   
   
4. "Body And Soul" A jazz standard. Tatum's performance of it feels true to form based on my experience with this song. His control over the dynamic range of his instrument is masterful, as his sense of rhythm. If you're a fan of this jazz standard, this performance should do good things for you. This version does add little flecks of classical into the mix adding a refreshing take on this piece. 
   
   
5. "Makin' Whoopie": While the shortest song on the album, this one was the punchiest. It's tempo and Tatum's fury as he punched his way up and down the whole keyboard makes this a memorable song. Arguably my favorite track on this collection. 
   
   
6. "Mighty Like A Rose": This intro is beautiful and textured. Masterful isn't a strong enough word for Tatum's skills. The places this song goes makes it arguably my favorite track. It's just fun to listen to. The piano playing is manic at times but feels wholly intentional. 

Overall Thoughts: With a runtime of 28 minutes, it didn't take long to get through. Honestly, I was a little underwhelmed with the experience. Acknowledging that Art Tatum is one of the greats in the world of Jazz, I would have enjoyed my time more if there was a full band playing around Tatum. All that being said, if you're into Jazz piano playing, this guy's skills are bar-none and worth your attention. 

Info: I couldn't track down much on this release beyond that the artist is Art Tatum, and it was recorded by Norman Granz. 

The Jazz Project - 78: Betty Carter - "The Audience With Betty Carter"

             To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 78

Betty Carter - The Audience With Betty Carter

Drinking: Black Tea, and a glass of water with lime juice and a pinch of salt. 

Photo credit: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61cKVPdK7lL._SL1200_.jpg

1.  It's pretty exciting to have a live album on the list. It begins with a pulsing piano part and Betty's vocals. The piano playing is dynamic. The idea of sing about the sounds of life and the idea of sounds overall is cool. I can feel the energy of the room through this recording, it's incredible. The scat Carter employs is excellent, it feels in the moment, as her soul flows through her. The drummer rides the line of flashy and holding this explosion of sound at bay, Thankfully it has this solid bass acting as the grounding giving a montage of what's to come for the rest of the show. All that being said, it's hard to believe that this song will continue for 25 minutes. The tempo is slowly increasing as does the intensity of the music around +5:30 mark. Having grown up in the time of this song called "Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop", I grew to be burnt out on scat singing. This doesn't create that vibe at all. In fact, it's quite refreshing to hear a vocalist shred over a hurtling walking bass-line and a whirlwind of piano and drums. At 8:53 we get the line "we're moving on again", and the pace drops down to a much calmer moment, elegant adjacent. It's a nice respite from the intensity of before. These moments also showcase Carter's range, which is impressive. Additionally, it makes for a good stylistic flex as far as the band's skills. The tone changes on a dime at 10:58, and the piano crashes into a much higher volume and the listener is thrown back into the rocketing speeds of before. The bass seems to rise higher into the mix, and my god does that walking bass-line fly! Impressive isn't a strong enough word. I'm excited to see where this song continues to go as it's got 13 minutes left on the shot clock. I only wish I could see Carter work the stage, as in my mind she's bouncing around the stage working the crowd as the music takes over their bodies. At 13:31 we move on to a more mid-tempo jazz groove. The phrase "we're moving on again" seems to be the band's queue to segue to the next moment. Moving from moment to moment, tempo to tempo helps keep this particular vocal style feeling fresh. Part of the power of scat is it allows the singer to become an instrument and gives the rest of the band room to work with and share the spotlight. My mind moves away from this performance to wonder what rehearsals for this song were like. Did they jam this song for 25 minutes a shot? Or is this merely a prolonged jam because they were caught up in the moment? Both are possible, especially if they're skilled. Around 18 minutes in the crowd starts clapping along, which is nice. I wish more crowds would organically clap to live music, they're as much a part of the energy as the band is. The tempo almost totally drops out at 20:10. We're crawling along letting the tension build in this beautiful moment. It wanders towards delicate, while the bass holds the groove tight. This moment holds for quite a while, and it feels like the band settling into the stage for the rest of the show, much like squirming in a big comfy chair while the opening credits roll before a movie. A just like that, at 23:03 we're punched in the gut as the song blasts back into the hyperactive speeding tempos of before as Carter sings in a long-held "we're moving on!" The crowd loses their mind and cheer the band on as they go careening to the end of the song in the final minute and a half. Truly a magic piece, and that's speaking as someone who isn't super into scat style vocals. An odyssey of sound! 
   
   
2. "I think I Got It Now": After getting the crowd whipped up with "Sounds (Movin On), we enter this slow love song. It's sultry and decadent in sound. Carter's vocal control when holding on a single note is truly magical. The piano work on this is free-flowing and gorgeous, while the bass is holding the moment together. A beautiful piece. 
   
   
3. "Caribbean Sun": This picks up the pace from before with a samba like feeling. It feels sunny and bright. Carter solos between phrases to keep the jubilant feeling flowing. The rhythm section holds the energy tight, not letting it get too frenzied. The bass work really shines here. These songs feel short after the intro, comparatively. 
   
   
4. "The Trolley Song": I wonder if this was an homage to San Francisco, where this was recorded. It seems too on the nose to be otherwise. The drums and piano paint this frenetic picture of a trolley firing up. Then the bass hurtles in and Carter fires off words with startling precision over this tempo. It's amazing how much they pack into the first 26 seconds, as at 27 the tempo slows and we have a classic jazz moment. Walking bass-line, over symbols and piano while Carter talks about getting on and riding a trolley. It's fun, with humorous moments tossed in. This band's control of tempo is astounding. At 2:38 the band hits on a trolley/city sounding moment that would best belong in a musical, as it captures the feeling of urban travel shocking well. 
   
   
5. "Everything I Have Is Yours": Another serene, slow tempo song. This group commands the energy of a show in a great way, letting it rise and fall. Carter employs her lower registers here and lets them shine. It's hard to pull myself away from this song to write, it's captivating. The piano plays with its dynamic range quite well, employing the delicate high notes, while filling space with the extreme low keys as well. The bass is fat and expansive, and the drums are just barely there holding the tempo. It's quite a picturesque moment. 
   
   
6. "I'll Buy You A Star": The tempo picks up to an upper mid-paced feeling. Carter climbs and descends her vocal range while the band swings hard underneath her. The piano gets plenty of moments to shred over the bass and drums between vocal performances. There are some odd yet functional choices Carter makes in her vocal performances. It fits the feeling of the song well. 
   
   
7. "I Could Write A Book": Opens with a swinging bass-line, and the band hops in moments later. Carter joins the procession with some scat licks and introduces the band to the crowd. The bass keeps this track in the land of head bobbing. While it's not show-stopping, it's an enjoyable moment and sometimes that's enough. I feel like these lyrics were riffed on the spot, though I have no evidence of this, my gut just thinks that's what's going on. 
   
   
8. "Can't We Talk It Over/Either It's Love Or It Isn't": This song gets an introduction from Carter, and it's a nice moment, a nice change of pace. Musically this is slow, delicate, but I wouldn't say fragile. It's like watching the sunrise try to break through clouds. The music frames Carter's voice really well, almost like it's draping itself around her to keep her warm from the cold. The piano work is excellent. This song segues into a mellower, more fragile song. Again, the music embraces Carter while she croons out the lyrics creating this somber moment. It's quite beautiful. 
   
   
9. "Deep Night": This track opens with a bounce, a classical piece in feeling. Then moments later it takes on this deep swing on the drums and we enter this swaying Jazz. Moments late we're back in that bouncing classic moment before the band once again bounces us back into that deep swinging jazz. Carter and the band seem to enjoy these quick change moments. There's a blistering solo at 0:53. It recaptures moments from "Sounds (Movin On)". I'm not in love with this track, but I'm quite intrigued by it. It fades out on the close, as much as you can fade on a live track. 
   
   
10. "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most": We open with these big bright chords on the piano. It almost sounds like colors being splashed on canvas. The atmosphere the music creates is delicate and enchanting. Conjures up memories of drizzly weather on a spring day, where the sun is trying to break free of clouds. At 2:56 there's a transition to a more traditional Jazz sound, with stirred snares and bigger "jazzier" chords. The bass player's tone is excellent. The daylight breaks through around 5:28 as the tempo picks up as does the dynamic range of Carter's voice. Those final piano chords are damn fine. 
    
    
11. "Tight": Snaps count off this intro, and we enter a mid-paced song. Another song to get your head moving. There are these nice percussive moments where each instrument (and singer) play on these beats. A third of the way in the audience so wrapped up in the moment they're clapping along with the band. I'm a big fan of the piano solo. I know it's the title of the song, but this track is tight man, it's so good. Definitely take this one in.
     
12. "Fake": The bass work here is great, and while it's not the usual walking bass, it backbones the sweeping piano shockingly well. This isn't my favorite vocal performance on the album, but it's far from bad. I'm surprised I've never heard of Betty Carter before this album, she's so talented, such a great singer. Her range is, well, I don't have the words to say beyond amazing. There's an excellent bass solo starting at 1:51. It wanders off the path for a moment there, but it quickly finds its way back. I'm glad this excellent instrument got to be in the spotlight. There are not enough bass solos out there in the land of music. 
    
    
13. "So.....": Another intro from Carter where she interacts with the audience, and it's an honest moment. I'm glad it's not peppered through the album, because it makes these moments special. It begins much like a feature film would, big, sweeping, trilling, and grandiose. It segues in and out of this with a slow samba-like piece. It makes for a bit of an odd song, but Carter's vocal performance keeps me enraptured in these moments. The piano solo in this song is excellent, as most of the solos on this album have been. 
    
    
14. "My Favorite Things": Man, what an opening! It's like listening to lightning being caught in a bottle. I'm interested in how Jazz has latched on to this song. It's left me near speechless. Like "Sounds (Movin On)" they play with the tempo, including throwing you into a jet stream at 0:56 that's rocketing towards a shooting star of favorite things ripping through the cosmos. The bass-line at 1:26 hooked me. Something about those few notes were magic. The tempo drops out again for a few bars and we return to the original tempo from the intro. The music crescendos up in volume before kicking us back into the blistering moments. I can't go further without giving the drummer some serious credit, this playing is astronomically good. What a performance! Do not miss this track. 
    
    
15. "Open The Door": This song bossa novas hard. It's hard not to get wrapped up in that bassline and miss the elegant piano playing or Carter's singing. The change at around 1:59 spices up the number even more. This is an interesting song to close on, I think I would have swapped this with "My Favorite Things" and finish the album as hot as you opened it. Perhaps there was a good reason for the order, who knows? What a delightful track! 

Overall Thoughts: This was a memorable album, and one that I want to track down for my collection. It stands up whether you look at it as a regular album and even more so when you look at it as a live album. In a live setting, there are so many variables, and it makes for an amazing product when it all happens. I feel speechless when taking in my thoughts on this album because it truly was a humbling and enjoyable experience. Check it out ASAP! 

Info: This album was recorded over between December 6th and December 8th, 1979 in San Francisco at the Great American Music Hall. It was released on Betty Carter's own record label Bet-Car and produced by Betty Carter. It features Betty Carter on vocals, John Hicks on piano, Curtis Lundy on double bass, Kenny Washington on drums. 

If you loved this album you can pick it up here! 

The Jazz Project - Album 79: Oliver Nelson - "Blues And The Abstract Truth"

             To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 79

Oliver Nelson - Blues And The Abstract Truth

Drinking: Amaretto Sour

Photo credit: https://www.amazon.com/Blues-Abstract-Truth-LP/dp/B07NMKFMZ2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2VIII945TRYNR&dchild=1&keywords=blues+and+the+abstract+truth&qid=1611267822&sprefix=blues+and+the+abstr%2Caps%2C-1&sr=8-1

1.  "Stolen Moments": There's something very familiar about this piece. Whatever it is, I can't put my place on it, but this is the Jazz I live for. It's both stripped down and simple, while still being textured and complex. The trumpet solo at 1:25 is timeless. Every piece of this puzzle feels like it's exactly as it should be. If someone asked me for a quintessential jazz moment, I'd give them one of Paul Desmond's solos in "Blue Rondo A La Turk" and I'd give them this track. Given the 8:45 run time on this song, I'm interested to see where it goes. A flute solo joins in at around the three minute mark, and it's also an excellent offering. This transitions into a saxophone solo, and it feels effortless. The performance reminds me of Desmond, even though I know there isn't. There's a hint of an echo behind the saxophone, and I feel like it's ringing off the piano strings. Regardless of how it's achieved, it's a great sound. We segue to a piano solo at around 5:55. The piano feels like it's further back in the mix compared to where the saxophone just was, which does take away from the experience, but it's still a classic solo. The moment changes briefly at around 7:05 with this cool swelling piece between the horns and saxes, with the drums rolling fiercely underneath. This transitions immediately into a great little passage where the instruments toy with the dynamic ranges of their respective volume. This track raced passed, it's hard to believe 8 minutes has already gone by. A beautiful chord to end on. 
   
   
2. "Hoe Down": This piece opens with a great, pointed intro. The instruments are panned in to each side excellently, and it creates this excellent call and response moment. the trumpet takes off into a solo over an excellent walking bass line. The drums are tight, and the piano is quietly filling in the space between the instruments. I still wish the piano was mixed a little louder. A tenor sax solo takes the stage at ~1:48 and it comes in swinging. It's mixed quite loud and hard right in the mix. It's an interesting choice, and I think bigger speakers it would make for a concert like experience in my living room. Baritone sax takes over around the 2:50 mark. It's got a swing to it, and this one is panned hard left. The piano can barely make it over the baritone, which too bad because the chords they're playing are excellent. And finally! A quick drum solo at 3:50 before we return to the riffing from the beginning, which is quite catchy. This was a fun piece to be sure! 
   
   
3. "Cascades": Drums open this piece and clear the stage for a pretty tight saxophone riff. Again, this is some classic jazz sounds. The winds/brass playing under the solo is tight. Bass and drums are in the pocket. This train is rambling down the rail in the best way possible. We segue into a trumpet solo, and things continue to cook as this player has chops! We get a piano solo near 2:48. I'm going to sound like a broken record but I wish it was louder. Everyone else gets a respectable level of noise, this feels like it's being recorded several feet away, and it suffers for it. Truly a loss too, because it's a great solo. The band starts playing again as a whole and play out the song to a long form fade out. 
   
   
4. "Yearnin'": The tempo is slowed down for this sound. It opens with that classic trio sound of piano, drums, and upright bass. The feeling is cool, calm, collected, and classy. The riff work in this song is excellent, especially the harmony work utilized. This is followed by a saxophone solo. There's something very Bop about this album, without feeling like it's ripping anything off. The rhythm work works extremely well, the solos are free yet so very tight, it's all happening. It's hard to keep focus on sharing the feelings and experience of listening to it because I keep getting sucked into the moments created by these musicians. Don't skip this song. 
   
   
5. "Butch And Butch": This harmonized duet is excellent, and gives me Dean Martin/Frank Sinatra vibes, but I couldn't tell you why. I see what the sax solo at roughly 0:38 is trying to do, but it isn't working for me. It moves away from this meditation and on to other things, but still fails to wow me. Thankfully I'm not struggling to hear the piano as much as previously, though it can still use a bump in volume. These moments segue to a trumpet solo. Again, I see where it's going and trying to do, and it's not doing it for me. It's not bad, per say, but it's not for me. The sax cuts back in for another go at soloing, and it's alright. A piano solo takes over around 3:15, and it's my favorite solo so far. This track has been my least favorite on the album so far. Make it in the back half of an album before hitting one that doesn't land with you is pretty excellent though, well done! The end is a revisitation of the intro with some slight tweaks, and was quite enjoyable. 
   
   
6. "Teenie's Blues": Opens with an excellent bass line over a single hi-hat and the occasional snare work. It's so classy, so true to the moment. Some excellent bluesy brass and sax join in over this walking bass-line. To say it's so good would be an understatement. A tenor saxophone tears into the moment and shreds its bell off. Unlike the previous track (in my humble opinion), each choice seems to fit into the moment in a strange but meaningful way. This segues to a different sax, and they play a much cooler, softer solo. There's some good runs, but it doesn't present nearly as in your face. Part of me feels like these solos are weird flexes of skill, but I don't get that vibe from this piece. It's a reinterpretation of what blues and jazz can mean to each other. The piano is back for another solo, and again could be higher in the mix, but the playing is skillful. It's truly excellent. This is quickly followed by a bass solo that is quite punctuated. I do wonder why more bass solos aren't bowed. After the solo we're taken back to the brass and sax riffs from the intro, and we ride this moment to the end of the album. 

Overall Thoughts: If you didn't pick up the trend, I wish Bill Evans' piano playing was mixed higher. It was excellent playing but it was hard to pick out over the saxophones and trumpets. This felt like a quintessential jazz album that had truly missed my radar. Looking at various articles and reviews, "Stolen Moments" quickly became a jazz standard after this performance, and it is totally clear to me as to why. Definitely check this album out! 

Info: This album was released in August of 1961 through the Impulse! record label. It was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey, and features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone, Oliver Nelson on tenor saxophone, George Barrow on baritone saxophone, Bill Evans on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. 

If you'd like to pick up this album, you can find it here! 

The Jazz Project - Album 80: John Surman/John Warren - "Tales Of The Algonquin"

             To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 80
John Surman/John Warren - Tales Of The Algonquin

Drinking: Water

Photo credit: https://macdndev.azureedge.net/genesis-temp/5/b/3/4/2/c/5b342c8daee911a627bd26af52b3655bdd9188ae.jpg

1. "With Terry's Help": This song opens with woodwinds over chaotic drums in a large fanfare. It's dissonant but listenable. After a brief pause, we enter a Hard Bop feeling section. The music feels angular, but it flows and the instruments riff together nicely. It also sounds a bit like the beginning of a weird game show or sitcom. At 1:26 a soprano sax solo starts. It's shrill and biting but full of passion. This musician certainly has chops! A piano cuts in around 2:45 with some cutting chords underneath the soloing saxophone. Around 3:19 the solo is handed off to baritone sax. I prefer this solo, but I also tend to like the lower registers, and baritone instruments excite me more. This solo continues over more Hard Bop-like riffs and chord changes. As I've listened to it, it has grown on me. 
   
   
2. "The Dandelion": A much more delicate intro with soprano saxophone over a plucked bass. Other brass and horns playing softly in the background. Shortly into it, the track picks up a bit more rhythm as the drums jump in, but it doesn't push the melody along, it just gives this ballad some structure. A piano solo takes over, and it feels and sounds so good. Working its way around chords and licks, it feels honest and delightful. Reminds me of Herbie Hancock, but just a little bit. There's this looseness to the band, but they can maintain this feeling without feeling like they aren't playing together. It's like they're trying to make sure everyone has space to work with if something strikes them at the moment. I imagine this is an incredibly fun band to play in. The sax solo about three minutes in doesn't excite me, it feels like they are merely running scales for a portion of it, and it doesn't do much for me. Thankfully it doesn't live in that moment much before going on into a new direction. It ends much like it started, delicate and calm. 
   
   
3. We'll Make It": The intro is some standard jazz licks, and it's welcomed. The band feels much tighter in this piece, but it still gives off this looseness that allows anyone to throw something into the ring. The duet riffs are executed with precision. While it doesn't feel like it's bringing anything new to the table, it is certainly fun to listen to. This track leans into the big band sound that's available. The baritone sax solo yet again is excellent! I wonder what it was like to listen to this album come together in a studio, I bet it was a magical experience. 
   
   
4. "Picture Tree": This song starts with big chords and then segues right into a duet melody before going back to a big chord, and then again into a duet. This transfers on into a trumpet solo that plays over some excellent jazz drums and a walking bass solo. It feels like a moment of out the Miles Davis playbook without sounding like Miles Davis, which to this writer is quite impressive. The band loop in and out of moments the trumpet makes available to create a full sound. While the melodies aren't my favorite, I'm quite impressed by this band's ability to land all the moves. Another ripping saxophone solo towards the middle of this song. This one is blistering as it tears its way through the entire register of the instrument. At brief moments in time, the solo seems to get lost in the shred but it quickly finds its place again. Near the end, the music dials down into a more somber moment and the bass takes a solo. A good solo, but after that sax solo, it's hard to take anything else in.
   
   
5. "Tales Of The Algonquin: The Purple Swan": As we enter the second side of the album we begin the suite titled "Tales Of The Algonquin". This piece begins with this delicate moment piano, and a bowed bass. Flutes and sax play over these oddly bowed bass pieces and this inquiring yet mysterious piano chords. It's an odd moment, yet very intriguing. It creates an image of a small watering hole deep in a forest, and the forest and the inhabitants are talking among themselves. 
   
   
6. Tales Of The Algonquin: Shingebis And The North Wind": This piece opens with piano and drums, and it's much less experimental. The percussion gives it this bounce to it. Brass and winds join in with these hopeful sounding chords. The bass adding a nice counterpoint to the feeling. Brass fill in more gaps as a muted trumpet starts soloing over the rest. This vamping rhythm section keeps the piece grounded. The percussion going wild in the back is wild stuff, giving the music an exotic feel. It doesn't draw any images to my mind, but I'm enjoying living in this moment. All the pieces can keep this vamp from feeling rehashed and boring, but fresh and lively. Honestly, it's quite a feat. The percussion fees like it's trying to take over the piece, which adds this interesting complexity to the piece. It also sounds like the bass is slowly giving over to the chaos of the percussion too. Other brass starts riffing over the music underneath the muted solo. Two-thirds of the way through we lose the original moment and start listening to this climbing chord progression that grows in volume and intensity while the muted trumpet tries to hold its own against the growing cacophony. The music then slowly dies down as the piece draws to a close. The muted trumpet solo finds its voice as everything slows to a crawl and the piece whispers out. 
   
   
7. "Tales Of The Algonquin: The Adventures Of Manabush": This song begins with a sliding and angular bass solo. After exploring this atypical bass sound it finds this riff that it latches onto and vamps on as the percussion joins in. Once the drums find its place the bass takes off on this wicked walking bass-line while brass and saxophones enter the fray. The brass and winds enter in such a manner it feels like either a call and response routine or a battle for the stage. Then a baritone sax solo kicks in and clears the stage for its ripping nature. This musician has chops. While the solo continues most of the band falls away and the bass and drums try to hold their own against the onslaught of this solo. As the solo comes to a close, the bass and drums do as well. The brass and winds find their space again for a brief moment before the bass and baritone burble back up. It's cacophonous, and it feels like conflict or a battle. The bass dials up the speed as the baritone takes front and center once more. As the solo comes rocketing towards the end of the track the rest of the band jumps back in and plays these big chords while the saxophone wails under it all. While it creates these interesting moments, this piece left me feeling underwhelmed.
   
   
8. "Tales Of The Algonquin: The White Water Lily": Drums open this piece, and the rest of the band slowly join in with these somber and quiet chords. The brass and winds play this delicate melody as the percussion gets a little wild underneath. Musically it creates a sense of quiet wonder. Like something magical has just happened, and it's taking a moment to absorb the truth of the moment. Short, but sweet.
   
   
9. "Tales Of The Algonquin: Wihio The Wanderer": The final track opens up with a Hard Bop moment, with the walking bass over drums, and the rhythm instruments playing these loud chords and a soloist working the space between everything. It feels familiar, yet wholly original to this group. However, this moment slowly descends into chaos as the piano, bass, and drums lose all melody. The baritone sax holds its own over this devolving rhythm section. It creates these angular and anxiety creating moments. What it makes me realize is how talented this band is. They can hold their sound as a big band group, as a hard jazz combo, and also as a free-jazz collective, and they do it without letting go of their identity as a band. As the song draws to a close, some brass starts playing a traditional melody over the chaos, grounding the piece a little bit. The song fades out as the chaos continues. 
   

Overall Thoughts: This piece interested me in ways I can't quite describe. Some parts were familiar to me, and others were alien and hard to come to grips with. Some reading informs me that this British jazz group balanced a big band tradition and mixing it with free playing and modern ideas of layering. I think with more experience in the various style of jazz this album utilizes that I might have an even more enjoyable experience with this record. The moments where I can hear the intention and I can pick out the melodies really spoke to me, but I lose the moment when it descends into chaos. Still, I think it's an incredible album.

Info: This album was released in 1971 via the Deram label. It was produced by Peter Eden. It features John Warren on baritone, flute, and he composed and arranged this record, Alan Jackson on drums, design, and percussion, Mick Osborn on alto saxophone and clarinet, Stan Sulzmann on alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, and flute, John Surman on baritone saxophone and soprano saxophone, Barre Phillips on bass, Harry Miller on bass, Stu Martin on drums and percussion, John Taylor on piano, Alan Skidmore on tenor saxophone, flute, and alto flute, Danny Almark on trombone, Eddie Harvey on trombone, Malcolm Griffiths on trombone, Harry Beckett on trumpet and flugelhorn, Kenny Wheeler on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Martin Drover on trumpet and flugelhorn. 

If you liked this album you can pick it up here! 

The Jazz Project - Album 81: Eberhard Weber - "The Colours Of Chloë"

             To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 81
Eberhard Weber - The Colours Of Chloë
Drinking: Rock City Coffee

Photo credit: https://ecmreviews.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/the-colours-of-chloc3ab1.jpg

1. "More Colours": The album opens with these thick, layered sounds made of full, colorful chords. It's sonically rich enough that I can't quite pick out what instruments are playing. The first thing that struck me was how good the chord choices are, which is exceptionally good. Violins start playing a melody at ~1:20, and it feels like Classical, with a Jazz core. Think of it as the gum in the middle of a lollipop. Around 2:15 a fretless... bass? The feeling a little off-kilter but it reeks of raw emotion. The music returns at ~3:10 to fill in space around this very vocal-like bass performance. Piano joins in around 3:30, creating a unique feeling, perhaps even fluid. At times it feels like watching a sunrise, or the tide roll in during the early hours. It doesn't feel like it has a structure in a standard sense, but it does feel like a very complete idea. This sonic picture doesn't feel like it's missing anything. 
   
   
2. "The Colours Of Cloë": Before the music started, I wondered what lush landscape awaited me, and when I pressed play, I wasn't disappointed. A synthesizer burbles in the background with a long gong over which strings play. It feels warm and welcoming. It creates these feelings of joy, love, and personality. The bass at 1:39 is almost sitar-like in this brief but magical moment. Ocarinas start playing over some excellent cymbal work. It feels very cinematic to me, especially when the bass solo starts at 2:47. Around 3:40 the music enters this moment that feels oddly urban. It fits the landscape, but it was a strange turn. It's like easy-listening contemporary Jazz (at least for the time). It segues into some chords that could be described as sinister, but it doesn't feel that way in this context. The melody choices are nontraditional based on my own experience with Jazz but fully grip my attention. At around 6:50 we return to the beginning moments of this piece, and it feels like I've returned home after an odd by very satisfying journey. The fade-out was a great choice. 
   
   
3. "An Evening With Vincent Van Ritz": This starts with a much darker tone compared to the previous tracks. The music keeps climbing and climbing. It almost creates anxiety in me. Haunting voices sing in the background of this song creating a feeling of eternalness, of floating in a dark cloud, unsure of where you're going. I found it very difficult to put my feelings into words. At around 2:05 there is a dramatic shift from the ethereal moments to a classic jazz feeling. A trumpet solos over some fat hand-plucked bass. It's a weird turn but a welcomed one. The bass playing is maniacal and incredible. Even with the change in feeling, of sound, this song eludes me as far as how to describe what I'm feeling beyond saying that it's really good stuff and I love listening to it. We return to the ethereal, dark sounds of the beginning around 5:05 and we ride that out to the end. 
   
   
4. "No Motion Picture": This is by far the longest song on this album at roughly 19 and a half minutes. It begins with sounds of what can only be described as water drops which are immediately followed by a stupid good bass riff. This is also immediately followed by some excellent repeating synth lines. the layers keep coming and stacking up until it's this wall of sound. There's a quick jab of some orchestra like strings at ~1:05. One measure later we're back into the wall of sound moment. I feel like this is what I'd be hearing if I was tripping and free-floating through space near the speed of light. There's a huge texture change near 2:20. It's slow, with a slow funk to it. Eerie ocarina plays over the chords, and I'm feeling excited yet a tad perplexed about where I'm about to go over the next 16 minutes. There's a bass solo at 3:44, and it's so good. The bass has such a unique voice to it. At around 5:20 it returns to that fat bass solo from the beginning, and all I can think of is that Weber could write some wicked metal licks. With all these changes it's hard to discern my feelings or thoughts about this piece. It feels very "buy ticket, take ride". The music is very captivating though and feels like a long sonic painting or mural. So much so that I wonder if Weber experiences synesthesia. A new moment arrives near 7:20, with a stuttery piano solo. It's a beautiful piece, and I could live in this moment for a long time. the piano is fluid, serene, and fragile. It's so easy to let this portion of the piece just wash over you for hours. still, there are over 10 minutes of this piece, which feels quite overwhelming. The music slowly transfers from the fragile serenity to a loud, joyful feeling. The piano player is really hammering those keys. I need to look this piano player up as I love his sound. At 12:10 we return to the intro with the water droplet sounds and that fat bass-line, except instead of synths layering over the repeating melody it's now a piano. In a way, it's almost scarier this way? The overtones created by the layers of piano add even more to the atmosphere created by this section. The moments between 12:30 and 12:37 feels very much like "Piano Phase" by Steve Reich. Soon synths begin to enter and it feels cacophonous. At 13:10 drops us into this choral moment. It feels like that sound you hear when all the segments of a large wind-chime have been hit and the notes are just reverberating together in this moment. The drums start soloing under it and slowly the choral music fades out. A marimba starts playing around 14:27. It's hard to describe the moment beyond the phrase child-like wonder. The fat bass returns at 15:17, and it returns with synths which makes that moment around 12:10 even more perplexing. Again we segue to that orchestra/ocarina moment. The music feels like it's rising and falling at the same time, and it's eerie, but not in a scary way? This segues back into that choral moment from before. The fat bass moment returns, but again with an organic piano, which further confuses me. Brass joins in for the last few moments. I don't quite know what I spent 19 minutes hearing, all I know is that I loved it. 

Overall Thoughts: This album was intimate, cinematic, revealing, creative, and shockingly hard to describe. It's a beautiful piece though, and I will be searching for it on vinyl for my collection. The artwork doesn't speak to me, but there are so many layers here that you can listen to it several times and pick new things out. That bass playing, it's so good. Needless to say, I loved it. Plus, there was a fluegelhorn, and fluegelhorns are cool. 

Info: This album was released in 1974 through the ECM label. It was produced by Manfred Eicher and recorded at Tonstudio Bauer which is located in Ludwigsburg, Germany. It features Eberhard Weber on bass, cello, ocarina, and voice, Rainer Brüninghaus on piano and synthesizer, Peter Giger on drums, Ralf Hübner on drums (track 2), Ack van Rooyen on fluegelhorn, Gisella Schäuble on voice, and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra. 

If you liked this album, you can pick it up here! 

The Jazz Project - Album 82: Steve Coleman And Five Elements - "The Tao Of Mad Phat: Fringe Zones"

                 To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 82
Steven Coleman - The Tao Of Mad Phat
Drinking: Black Tea

Photo credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/The_Tao_of_Mad_Phat.jpg

1. "The Tao Of Mad Phat": This track begins as a saxophone solo that goes on for several minutes. It's soulful and flowing, full of great licks. The full band joins in and it's one of the funkiest things I've heard in a long time. It's like one part Jazz and one part Funk are jammed into a blender and violently jamming the two styles together into a wonderfully blended mesh of delight. The slap bass is particularly excellent. It's hard not to bounce your head to this hard-hitting groove. While bouncing the groove I look up "Tao" and according to the Oxford Dictionary, its a noun meaning "the absolute principle underlying the universe, combining within itself the principles of yin and yang and signifying the way, or code of behavior, that is in harmony with the natural order." I suppose the album/title track would suggest that Jazz and Funk are the yin and yang, with music being the underlying principle? Perhaps, but the band's control of rhythm and the fiery improvisation on this track is quite incredible. Between the seven and eight-minute mark, it reduces to a prolonged soloing session between the artists that isn't quite as cohesive as the beginning, but it still grooves super hard. The guitar solo around 9:30 and 10:00 is so good, but just under that layer is some incredible drumming. My mind is taken to an inner-city street market, with many different voices calling out to attract viewers and customers. There's an organic nature to the scene the music is painting. We enter a section around the 13-minute mark that maintains many of the rhythmic elements from before but with a much darker tone to the music. The saxophone returns to playing over the band as it closes. So delightful, and such a great track. 
   
   
2. "Alt-Shift=Return": This song opens with some harsh yet funky guitar chords over a walking bass and some popping drums. The music is almost computer-like, or perhaps like a cash register. Whatever it's trying to emulate it fully gripped my attention. It's like the rhythm section is the computer and the brass is what's happening on the screen. A different take, the rhythm section is the shop and the sax is the shopkeeper greeting and ringing out customers. There's a strong repetitive nature to this song that carries at least through ~2:50. Something changes each repetition, and it's only noticeable over time and I'm not catching what it is, which is slightly frustrating. All the elements from the start are there, but it's different as well. Very intriguing, frustrating isn't the right word. I enjoyed this track, but something about the mechanics of this track truly eluded me. 
   
   
3. "Collective Meditations 1 (suite): Changing Of The Guard": I immediately looked up if Kamasi Washington referenced this in any way, but nothing came of that search. this song is frantic, angular, but so full of shred. Rhythm notes and chords are jabbing into the air as the piano has a very off kilter solo, but my gut says it was entirely the plan to paint the music this way. This almost sounds like a riot or a fight. Not a relaxing track, but captivating. 
   
   
4. "Collective Meditations 1 (suite): Guards On That Train": We seamlessly segue into this new song. There's a theme of guards to the titles. This track also maintains a frantic pace, but the walking baseline grounds it and brings some fluidity to it. Additionally, the angular piano lines are gone. This train is going a million miles an hour. Is the band the guard? Is it the old styles of Jazz? If this is all improvisation, I'm stupid impressed. 
   
   
5. "Collective Meditations 1 (suite): Relax Your Guards": Easily the shortest song on the album with a run time of 36 seconds. It operates at a slower pace, with a strong sense of swagger, but the jabbing piano returns for a brief moment. At roughly 15 seconds it goes into this slower funky jam. A quick but enjoyable snippet. 
   
   
6. "Collective Meditations 1 (suite): All The Guards There Are": This song carries the swagger the previous track carried with it and feels a bit more like classic Jazz with a hint of Funk hanging in the background. It's a fast-paced track without the frenetic feeling from the earlier fare. My head is telling me the guards are the musicians, and they're trying to cobble a band together in the musical narrative. 
   
   
7. "Collective Meditations 1 (suite): Enter The Rhythm (People)": This song starts with the same hard funk drums and bass with some seriously menacing chords from the keys. Maybe this is a battle of the bands situation, maybe not. The bass solo around 1:10 is odd, with a tone you don't hear often, but it's an enjoyable solo. This song leaves me feeling perplexed. It takes a small stylish shift at ~2:20 that loses some of the menace and is a big shift from most of the earlier material. Ultimately I left this song feeling lost. 
   
   
8. "Incantation": "Incantation" starts with a strong Coltrane vibe to it. The funky backbone feels very Tom Waits-like and I'm loving it. There's a strong back-alley vibe to this solo, like a group of neighbors playing in the street. Meditation is the word I want to use to describe this, but the rhythm section sounds like it has a stronger intent than a meditation. Incantation was a good choice for the title of this song. There's a big change at ~2:20, it's sultry, somber, and a little nostalgic in sound. Perhaps the incantation has been completed? Maybe the cost was too great? 
   
   
9. "Laid Back Schematics": A fun duet between the sax and bass. Keys slowly enter the mix creating a layering effect. It's hard not to bob your head to the music. This is one of the few tracks where you can hear band members talking. The song is a nice change of pace from the overall album. The layers keep coming and going until it all comes together around 3:10. There is a fun groove to the sax solo that plays over the jam around 3:50. Not my favorite solo on the album, but it fits the mood of the song well. This feels like another meditation or jam, it lacks any real narrative feeling to it. Sounds like it's fun to play in though. Admittedly this is the first song where I'm actively waiting for it to end. Stick around for the bass solo at the end though, it's worth the wait. 
   
   
10. "Polymad Nomads": This clocks in at over 10 minutes in length, so saddle up! Solid rhythm to the intro. It feels like it's building to somewhere, though it may not, given the nature of other tracks on the album. A minute and a half in there's a duet passage with the bass and keys that is pretty great. The rhythm is still vamping on that first passage. At roughly 3:15 the drums start shaking free of the meditation and change up the overall vibe of the track. A trumpet cuts in and starts soloing over the mix, and it feels good to hear some fresh instrumentation hit the sonic landscape. The trombone solo is excellent. About halfway through the song and we are still vamping around this moment. Brass has a nice passage at ~5:20 that breaks up the feeling a bit. This is a fun jam session, but beyond the fun of listening to musicians do their thing there doesn't feel like it offers anything else. That being said, this would make for a great show in a live setting. It has a solid end making for a pretty solid track overall. A journey for sure. 
    
    
11. "Little Girl On Fire": A beautiful piano opens this track with a very classic Jazz sound. Full and somber, with little flourishes of licks tossed in. It's so good. Where has this been all album? I get a Herbie Hancock vibe from the piano performance. The sax joins in around 1:20 with a soulful solo that is also excellent. It all washes over you like a memory, intangible yet sweet, real yet elusive. Drums and bass join in around 3:10, and it's masterfully done. Such a great sounding band. It walks the line of feeling old and new, classic yet fresh. It cannot be stated enough, the drums on this song are so good! It makes me want a cocktail and a cigarette. The piano solo around 4:50 is delightful. This is such a dynamic piece. It piques my interest that they'd open the album in such a contemporary manner and close it with such a classic soundtrack. Perhaps that is to make the album inline with the idea of Tao. I'm going to take another moment to say that the drums are so good! This sounds like night time on the streets, cold yet tantalizing, with cold drinks and hot nights. Some of the structure gets lost around 10:40, but the soloing makes up for it. The Funk kicks in super hard at roughly 11:55, and the song breaths in new life. It's a great, yet jarring, change up. The band is going at it so hard, and push to dial up the Funk even more. The slap-bass work is mind-bendingly good. This song could act as a history piece, taking the listener from classic Jazz to Modern Funk. Perhaps that was the point. 

Overall Thoughts: This album was quite the journey. I liked a lot of it, I loved some of it, and a few tracks left me watching the clock. Overall, I think you should certainly check out this album if not for the first and last track. There is some incredible musicianship on this album that you shouldn't miss.

Info: This album was released in 1993 through the Novus label and produced by Steve Coleman. It features Steve Coleman on alto saxophone, piano, and vocals, Andy Milne on keyboards, David Gilmore on guitar, Reggie Washington on bass guitar, Gene Lake on drums, Roy Hargrove on trumpet (track 10), Josh Roseman on trombone (track 10), Matt Garrison on bass guitar (track 10), Kenny Davis on acoustic bass (tracks 8 and 10), and Junior Wedderburn on percussion (tracks 8 and 10). 

A Return, and The Jazz Project - Album 83: Diana Krall - "Love Scenes"

         Hello, world. The holidays and my day job pulled me away from this project for quite some time. That's the way it goes sometimes. But, I'm glad to back at the desk and sharing more of my musical journey. I've been intrigued with the traffic around my jazz entries, so I'm going to start the year off with one and explore the genre some more. So, without further ado, here's album 83! 

Album 83
Diana Krall - Love Scenes
Drinking: Stone IPA

Photo credit: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/6122hSB27hL.jpg

1. "All Or Nothing At All": This song begins with an excellent bass solo, and is a stellar way to introduce an album to the listener. All the tropes of smooth jazz are present but are presented in a way that feels shiny and new instead of stale. This track is tasty; sparse but flavorful. I wish the guitar was a bit more forward in the mix, though I'm loving the bass. Krall is an amazing singer, and the band is tight. I can feel myself sitting in a smokey cocktail lounge sipping a G&T and letting the band take all the stress off my shoulders for a while.
   
   
2. "Peel Me A Grape": The title made me raise an eyebrow, but the bluesy swing in the backbone of this track grips my attention. Like the previous track, Krall's voice transports me away from my room into a jazz club. The illustrative nature of the lyrics feels flirtatious, especially with the fun chords on this track. I loved the piano solo on this song. A great example that you can't judge a track by its title. 
   
   
3. "I Don't Know Enough About You": A nice change in tempo to something a little quicker, featuring some excellent piano work. The guitar and the bass solos gripped my attention. I missed writing about this song because it sucked my attention in so well, a real winner. 
   
   
4. "I Miss You So": This track features some incredible tone from the guitar playing, which is quite welcomed. The song sounds like snowy days, warm blankets, and longing for your lover. I get where the phrase smokey lyrics come from with this song. It closes with some excellent guitar playing. 
   
   
5. "Can't Take That Away From Me": This mix seems muddy compared to the previous tracks, but I can't put my finger on why. The clarity from the previous tracks is gone, and it feels like people are stepping on each other's toes. This yields a lack of coherency in the feeling for me. What saved this track for me was Krall's performance, which was quite enjoyable. It took me this long to realize they don't have a drummer in this group, which is an interesting choice, and really telling of the skill of the rhythm section. I didn't care for the piano solo either, it felt like it was far too wandering, and it took the drive of the song with it. Thankfully the direction of the song is returned with the guitar solo which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the closing to this track. 
   
   
6. "Lost Mind": The bluesy swing feel to this album speaks to me on many levels, and this track continues to drive that home. It's like a slow and sexy Stevie Ray Vaughan song, which feels a little weird to say, but the lick is very SRV in sound. I'm not in love with the guitar tone when it dips into the lower registers, but the song overall is enjoyable. 
   
   
7. "I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You": I'm feeling and enjoying the music in the intro of this song, but not the vocal delivery as much. Something about it feels off-kilter compared to the delicate nature of the music. The slow and soulful guitar work is excellent and has a hint of Chet Atkins' vibe to it. I think some bass would have been cool, but the duet does provide an intimate feeling to the setting. This track leaves me feeling quite conflicted, it has a beautiful and personal vibe to it, but it runs on too long. The lack of other instruments leaves it feeling incomplete. So far this was my least favorite song. 
   
   
8. "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me": The full band returns on this track and they do so fully in sync with each other. We also return to a perfect vocal delivery from Krall. One of the best parts of this song is how successfully the band fills in the space between each moment of Krall's vocals. It's tight and it's effective, and a strong moment on the album. My only wish was this song ran longer as it's the shortest song on the album at two minutes and fifteen seconds. 
   
   
9. "Gentle Rain": We open with some truly tasty guitar playing. There's just a hint of breakup on the tone, which sounds so good, almost hypnotic. A wonderful intro. I think Leah Zeger from Leah And The Moonlighters could have drawn a lot of inspiration from this track. Slow, and sadly sweet in sound this song sucked me into it thoroughly. 
   
   
10. "How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky)": The piano intro is sad and delightful to listen to. I played the first 25 seconds over and over about five times. Everyone sounds excellent, and it creates such a soulful environment. The Piano solo hits home, albeit that it makes up most of the song so perhaps it's no longer a solo. A heavy-hitting track on this album. 
    
    
11. "My Love Is": The snapping fingers are produced shockingly well, and it matches the bass remarkably well. This song is minimal and perfect with the layers stacking up like fine china. It works so well! One of my favorite vocal performances on the album, and overall two thumbs up from me. If you like upright bass, check this track out. 
    
    
12. "Garden In The Rain": Worth several contemplative listens, as we close with the soulful sound we started with. A great closer to the album. Not much to say except it's definitely worth your time. 

Overall Thoughts: I dug this album quite a lot. the mix was almost always on point and the performances felt free and flowing while still being wholly deliberate. Huge kudos to the rhythm section for holding it together so well. I made it through the whole album without realizing there wasn't a drummer, which is a feat! If you like the more soulful side of jazz and excellent vocals, this is 100% a must listen. 

Info: This album was released on August 26th, 1997 through Inpulse! records and recorded in Avatar Studios in New York, New York. It was produced by Tommy LiPuma and features Diana Krall on lead vocals and piano, Russell Malone on guitar, and Christian McBride on bass. 

If you dug this album you can pick it up here! 

The Jazz Project - Album 84: Anthony Braxton - "For Alto"

                To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 84
Antony Braxton - For Alto
Drinking: No beverage

Photo credit: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71MdsgavhOL._SL1200_.jpg

1. "Dedicated To Multi-Instrumentalist Jack Gell": While incredibly short, this song was a somber, clear tune. Braxton is a skilled player, though I wonder who Jack Gell is. 
   
   
2. "To Composer John Cage": Right out of the gate my brain is telling me this is going to be a weird one as John Cage has some pretty bizarre things to say in the music world. That being said, the intro to this song doesn't disappoint. I think that featuring the saxophone as the only instrument on this album is a bold statement. You can tell he's giving his all from the frantic breaths peppered in and around each lick. While the Cagian freestyle is beyond my musical comprehension, I enjoy the sound of the solo saxophone. The breathing acts like percussion and creates a very human experience. Say what you will about the listenable nature of the music, this musician has chops. Strangely, it sounds like he's trying to capture the sounds of a child's imagination as it runs rampant from each idea to the next with wild abandon. I must then wonder what John Cage thought of this track, especially those wild sax screams. 
   
   
3. "To Artist Murray dePillars": This track opens with a somber, melodic open which serves as a nice reprieve from the wild nature of the previous tracks. I love that you can hear the tapping of the keys over the music as there's no band to hide it. It continues to create this intimate experience between the listener and Braxton. My mind takes me to the cosmos, where all the wild trills are planets, stars, and comets sailing by my starship piloted by Braxton. 
   
   
4. "To Pianist Cecil Taylor": There's a sense of strut to this song. I wonder if this improvisation is in any way supposed to mimic a piano player. This song does a great job of walking that line between a jazz solo and free jazz, even if it favors the free jazz side of the path. My brain initially wants to discount free jazz because it's not a tune, which is what my brain is used to, but I immediately look back and realize I could never play this music. Still, I do find this to be a challenge to listen to. 
   
   
5. "Dedicated To Ann and Peter Allen": I find it interesting that some songs are "To ____" and others are "Dedicated To ____", why the difference? That said, I do enjoy the naming conventions. Such a sad intro to a song. Had these people left the world before this song was composed? Or perhaps this song reflects a strained relationship. This song is a mammoth, with a running time of 12 minutes and 54 seconds. I love Braxton's use of silence in this composition. It pulls my attention in and makes each note that much more satisfying. The moments of breathing are captivating, creating a beautiful piece. At times his breaths act like a stirred snare. Using the keys to subtly tap out a line. I'd almost call this piece an experiment of playing around with interesting silence. This piece just speaks to me. 
   
   
6. "Dedicated To Susan Axelrod": Another slow and somber intro. I'm surprised this is how he chose to order these tracks. But, I suppose I'm not in line with his vision as I struggle with this type of music. I dig that you can hear his tongue and breath technique in the microphones. I know I've said it before but it creates this intimate experience. where you're almost in the room with him. It almost sounds like he's fighting with the saxophone, which is quite evocative. I'd love to know what his brain was thinking about while he was writing this album. Was it written moment to moment, or was a meditation on an idea? The arpeggios in this song are beautiful, yet extremely wild. 
   
   
7. "To My Friend Kenny McKenny": This song returns to the wild side of town. I get the sense that Kenny is someone who has explosive opinions on things. It emulates the sound of a piano scraping across the floor as you try to move it from one side of the room to the other. Or perhaps it's a heavy metal table. This track sounds incredibly violent as the sounds created sound far outside of the instrument's normal range. I think this has been the most challenging song on the record for me. The weird humming/feedback at the end was pretty cool. 
   
   
8. "Dedicated To Multi-Instrumentalist Leroy Jenkins": A mono note opening, which is quite interesting. It builds into an explosive crescendo of random honks of alto saxophone. Another track that is difficult to sink my teeth into. I've read some articles espousing the groundbreaking importance of this album, but I must say it's lost on me. Where this movement found footing amazes me, but as mentioned before, I don't think I have the skills and experience to understand it either. It makes sense to me that it's a journey through the possibilities of sound, but I still feel lost. 

Overall Thoughts: Free Jazz is largely lost on me. I don't yet understand the value of the movement, though I recognize that it is there and has a serious following. I hope that one day it will click into place in my mind. All that being said, I have to give Braxton some serious props for pursuing this album, especially as a solo album without overdubs. It found ways to bring humanity into the music and fully exploring what an instrument could offer on the sonic canvas while bringing the listener into the room. It's a wild record, and I'm glad I experienced it. 

Info: This album was recorded in February of 1969 at Delmark Records in Chicago. Solely performed by Anthony Braxton on Alto Saxophone. 

If you liked the album you can stream it at the YouTube link above, and you can pick up a copy of the record here! 

Cheers! 

The Jazz Project - Album 85: Krzysztof Komeda - "Astigmatic"

               To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 85
Krzysztof Komeda - Astigmatic
Drinking: PBR

https://img.discogs.com/B0wEucLgfu_22a3yQvcpNFz_yKg=/fit-in/600x598/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2841202-1303486755.jpeg.jpg

1. "Astigmatic": The song opens with a jilted opening. Clean trumpets play over an eerie piano. The piano is almost manic in sound. I like how it's all starting to pull together with the drums and bass, falls away, and then comes back. The staccato rhythm is gripping. As the trumpets continue to perform I catch a mild glimpse of Miles Davis. Musically this feels like a relationship, starting with a fight, but about three minutes in it starts cooling off into a calm moment. Still, it feels like the piano, drums, and bass is operating independently of each other leaving me feeling disoriented. About six minutes in there is an odd trumpet solo that feels like it's trying to display fragility, but gently or gracefully but in a manic, crazy way. It's like looking for your keys in the house when you're already 20 minutes late, this crazed frenetic mindset builds inside until it almost fully takes control of you. This crazed piece segues to a duet between the trumpet and bass. I wonder what this studio session was like. I want to believe they were all on the same page as they performed this music, but how would you recreate these moments? It feels like a stream of consciousness that is freely flowing through these musicians. At ~11 minutes in we get a familiar Jazz moment with free soloing and one hell of a walking bass line. I know it can't last, but it's a nice change of pace from the journey this album has taken me on. At ~13 minutes the saxophone takes the spotlight for a sporadic and clustered solo. Regardless of how it sounds, this player has some serious chops. The bass takes over with a sliding and bend heavy, yet quiet solo. A feeling takes over that the music is mimicking a bad dreamscape. The entity is trapped and hysterical, yet free. A drum solo pops up around the 18-minute mark, which was a highlight, it's arguably my favorite part of this track. The band comes back together around the 19-minute mark to close out this track. These moments are very similar to the opening of the album. As an equally eerie ending comes closing in, I find myself wondering if this was a one-take performance. 
2. "Kattorna": This is the shortest track on the album by far. It features a much more conventional opening to a track, and I find the riffs to be quite pleasing. It sounds like the chase scene in a late-night gangster movie. Or perhaps watching beat cops rolling his way through the night. Highlights for me are the bass work on this track and the drum work. This band likes flirting with varying levels of tension, and we only leave the tension for brief moments. It's almost exhausting to listen to. 
3. "Sventetic": I love what the bass offers up during this intro, it's very vocal! It sounds like a cold and misty morning, and the sun is struggling to break through and burn off the mist. Suddenly, the sun breaks through and at two minutes in it's painfully hot, making the world feel sluggish. This song could be a soundscape, painting pictures with these tight, jabbing lines in black and white. Six minutes in we get a break with some classic jazz noodling. I hate to say it, but my lack of theory knowledge might be impeding my ability to follow along on this track. I want to see it as a song instead of a sonic experiment, but I can't really find the narrative in the song. Perhaps it's because there isn't one, but I'd be surprised if that was the case. With five minutes left on the clock, we make a return to the moments from the intro. That appears to be the formula for this album, passage, intro, repeat passage. 

Overall Thoughts: This album was largely beyond my comprehension. I certainly tried to follow along but I struggled with the lack of melodic structure. I agree with the quote from Jazzwise magazine, "Stanko himself said that this is an album that could never have been made in America". It's not something that would have survived American culture. I'm glad it found its place though, and I want to come back in the distant future and see if I have a better experience with this album.

Info: This album was recorded over two days in December of 1965, and the album was released in 1966 on the Muza Label. It was produced by Wojciech Piętowski, and features Krzysztof Komeda as the bandleader and on piano, Rune Carlsson on drums, Günter Lenz on double bass, Zbigniew Namys∤owski on alto saxophone, and Tomasz Stańko on trumpet.

If you want to purchase this album, you can do so here! 

Cheers! 

The Jazz Project - Album 86: Steps Ahead - "Steps Ahead"

              To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 86
Steps Ahead - Steps Ahead
Drinking: Budweiser Copper Lager with Jim Beam

Photo credit: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Pq1wy0kdL.jpg

1. "Pools": This song has a very mellow opening. One of the things that immediately jumps out to me is the layers of tone contained on this track. Everyone is operating in their own space like they're occupying their own layers. In my head, I see a bird's eye view of traffic, or a big restaurant opening up and prepping for the day. While my brain is painting this picture I dial into the bass-tone, it's very reminiscent of Jaco Pastorius, or perhaps it should be the other way around. The saxophone in one of these sections is super slick! It's greasy almost, with these lines and runs, it's amazing how he pulls it off. The bass solo starting ~2:56 is very conversational, which is something I love in any solo. It's like if you zone out while listening to your friend talk and you're just registering the noise and notes of their voice. After a vibraphone solo, it pops into my brain that this song is like Bebop, and Funk was put into a blender and given a good frothy mix. I'm now focusing on the drums and piano, just how time mixes in. Hot damn, they're holding this groove down so it doesn't fly away, while still letting it strut around feeling good. I get the feeling that I'm looking inside the brains of a jazz performer when I listen to this. Each movement and moment is a different synapse firing off with an idea. It's crazy but contained, like a daydream. An excellent track to start the album. 
   
   
2. "Islands": I'm loving this intro, it's got a great rhythm, though I wish it kept this moment for longer instead of switching to this flowing passage. This particular part is a little too easy-listening for my tastes. As of ~1:08, it takes on a cool twist that is more in line with my taste. The music certainly achieves an island feel to it. I feel like they're capturing the sound of a soul sailing quickly by an island taking in the sights and sounds. I found my ear honing in mostly on the bass performance. It's tight, and a strong backbone to the songs. Soon, my focus also starts taking in the drums. Together they're deep in the pocket and holding this track down. Regardless, I'm not in love with this track, even though it returns to the beginning passage, which does salvage it a bit. 
   
   
3. "Loxodrome": I love the name of this track. the solemn opening is pretty great. It's like the opening to a Bogart film if it was made in the '80s. It sounds like a biopic following the life of an entry-level mobster going about his daily life with all the hustle and bustle that would come with that lifestyle. The piano solo is sharp and cutting, love it! The following bass solo is just as excellent. My only wish is that the solo didn't slow the pace of the song. Still, this person's chops are hard to critique. The section starting at ~4:25 is simply awesome! It's like beautiful chaos, the tension is heated. It clears the five-minute mark just in time for the song to come to a close. 
   
   
4. "Both Sides Of The Coin": This track has a little sass to it. The saxophone brings a sense of welcome to the song as well. I'm enjoying the intro quite a bit. At ~0:50 there is a weird trilling section that confuses me, but what do I really know? I'm lost that's for sure. This song is one of my least favorite tracks on this album. This song seems saxophone focused. Ultimately, "Both Sides Of the Coin" didn't do much for me. 
   
   
5. "Skyward Bound": An excellent open and delightful intro. Loving the bass work happening behind these moments. Something is happening on this track, and I can't quite put my finger on it. All I know is I'm getting goose-pimples listening to this song. The vibraphone solo at ~2:04 is captivating. It's slaying me with how good it is. I wonder if this was a song to remember someone, like a memorial song, as I'm getting that feeling. This track is a strong contender for my favorite song on this album. 
   
   
6. "Northern Cross": An interesting opening, it's quite busy. Sounds like a busy intersection in a city. Something is at a rolling boil and is about to hot-break all over the place. Stormy is a good word for it. I'm feeling lost trying to follow everyone as they play, though, it's holding my attention. I'm loving the bass-line at ~3:50, it's got some funky qualities to it. I do wish I had more to say about this track, I think I want to go back and give it a few more listens to wrap my brain around it. 
   
   
7. "Trio (An Improvisation)": This track features a somber opening by the saxophone. I thoroughly enjoy the bowed bass, it's a sound I greatly enjoy. I love how everyone slowly joins in by ~1:20. It sounds like a forest, or a town starting to wake up. The bass takes on a quiet menacing tone at ~2:50 which brings us to a moment I quite enjoy at ~3:13, it's so dark! There are moments where I'm taken back to Holtz's The Planets, strangely. Perhaps it's not a town or a forest that inspires this piece but the brilliance, darkness, and vastness of our cosmos. The bowed bass at ~5:04 melts my heart with its beauty. I also see in my mind this grand conference between the philosophers of the ages, a long-held debate about humanity while they all struggle to get their words in. Truly a strange yet inspiring piece, and an excellent choice to end the album. 

Overall Thoughts: I quite enjoyed this album, although some tracks lost me periodically. I blame my ear more than anything. The highs were really high, and I loved the journey getting there. Cohesively, I'm thoroughly impressed with how this band performs. 

Info: This album was released in 1983 through the Elektra/Musician record label, and was produced by Don Grolnick. Steps Ahead, at this point, was helmed by the following musicians: Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone, Mike Mainieri on vibraphone, synthesizer vibes, marimba, synthesizer, and percussion, Elaine Elias on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Peter Erskine on drums. 

If you liked this album, you can pick it up here! 

The Jazz Project - Album 87.5: Danjo Reinhardt - "The Best Of Django Reinhardt Vol. 1"

             To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 87.5
Django Reinhardt - The Best of Django Reinhardt Vol. 1
Drinking: Seltzer

Photo credit: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71sg9h9fmYL._SS500_.jpg

        I need to make a quick note in this particular entry. I couldn't track down the actual 87th album, Django Reinhardt: Retrospective 1934-53, which was unfortunate. After some research, the closest I could get with the resources available was The Best Of Django Reinhardt Vol. 1". Being 35 tracks in length, I truly believe this is an acceptable substitute, and I hope you enjoy my track-by-track look at this record. 

1. "Griserie": To start, I'm a tad shocked to hear an accordion at the start of a volume of music dedicated to a famous guitar player. That aside, the music sounds good. It's a shame Reinhardt wasn't around for modern recording practices to capture his playing, more fidelity would only enhance the experience. I suspect he's playing in the back behind the accordion as there are some tasty licks peppered in. 
2. "Si j'aime Suzy": A cute, romantic song. Django is holding the rhythm incredibly well, and his ability to knock out these hammer-on and pull-off licks is incredible. Additionally, I'm floored by his tremolo picking technique. This was a fun track! 
3. "Blue Moon": I love the big band sound this song provides. Django has a cool swagger in his playing on this track. Again, I wish he was more in the center of the music and the overall track. 
4. "What A Difference A Day Made": A classic song, and classic performance. Over these few tracks, Reinhardt shows a very particular playing technique while playing behind the band. A great track!
5. "Rosetta": This has got that Django sound I was hearing about! Those chord changes are smoking! The little flourishes here and there are amazing! That picking hand is a beast! A great track, and a memorable one. 
6. "The Object Of My Affection": I love the swing of this track. Django's percussive playing provides a great shuffle that keeps this song toe-tapping. The piano playing has some great flavor as well! The solo featured in this song has a great amount of attitude, though the following trumpet solo isn't my favorite. Right at the end, we get a moment of Reinhardt flair that is excellent! 
7. "I Can't Give You Anything But Love": The guitar playing is incredible! This is what I've been waiting for this whole album. I love how it switches from vibrato filled soloing to blisteringly fast shred. I wish his playing was more forward in the mix because it's just so good. The singer in this track is also great, especially her scatting technique, it doesn't throw all these syllables in your face all the time. The violin solo was a delightful surprise. 
8. "After You Gone": This song features the best violin solo over a jazz intro that this listener has ever heard. Django holds the track up with this rhythmic backbone like a beast! The song definitely has swing to it. Another great guitar solo on this track. Reinhardt's playing complements violins so well. 
9. "Limehouse Blues": First, I love the name of this track. This has a real Roma vibe to it. I really like what this song provides. Why it took so long on this album to get to this type of playing is beyond me. His picking technique is out of this world!
10. "Swing Guitars": The title of this song excited me, and there is a swing to this song. The violin is laying some stuff down in a delightful way, and it reminds me of an announcer at a fight. The first solo has lots of class behind it, and then the song gets funkier and weirder as it goes on. I dig this track a lot. With what seems like a key change, the violin carries the song out. 
11. "Shine": After 11 tracks, I still cannot wrap my brain around how he plays at this pace so consistently, it's insane. That aside, I was not wowed by this track, but it does contain some great virtuosity. 
12. "Sweet Chorus": I like how off-kilter the intro is. The tempo allows Django to let that guitar work wail! I'll be revisiting this song later as this song just swings in all the right ways. 
13. "Charleston": Given the sound of the song, I can only guess this is about the dance, not the city. With seemingly little effort, Django gets this song to pop with that shuffle strumming pattern he utilizes. A smoking track. 
14. "Solitude": This intro spoke to me, all these little flairs from Django grabs your ear and holds the attention. It sounds like someone trying to capture all the sounds one experiences living a quiet life. Birds singing, houses creaking, and the sadness of living alone. 
15. "Hot Lips": "Hot Lips" has some swing to it! This track has attitude! I'd say given what little knowledge I have Django Reinhardt, this would currently be the track I'd pass to someone so they could get a taste of what he offers. 
16. "Rose Room": Out of the gate, this song feels quite blah. I'd want to know why "Rose Room" was added to this list as it doesn't pop like some others I've heard. Even the solo seems quite blasé. Bland is the word I associate with this track. 
17. "When Day Is Done": That intro! WOW! I loved it. The somber feeling of his tone as the song progresses past the intro is incredible. I'm utterly in awe of his ability. Sadly, when the whole band joins in, this atmosphere the intro has created dissipates into something less dramatic. Oh well, I guess it makes sense in the way that coming home from work would help you ease up and be happier. It's a shame though because the beginning was an enrapturing moment.  
18. "Chicago": I found this shuffle to be quite attractive. A good head-bobbing track. Not much else to say about this song. 
19. "Miss Annabelle Lee": I'm discovering I prefer the endpoints of the Django spectrum, fast and slow. The tempo and pace of this song are excellent! The mid-tempo offerings so far have been bland, even dull to me. Thankfully, this song has some spunk to it. Loved it. 
20. "Mistery Pacific": The intro is pretty great, almost tribal! How he can hold that ferocious pace so consistently is beyond me. The offset beat this one possesses is inspiring. How one couldn't dance where you stand while listening to this song is beyond me.  
21. "The Sheik of Araby": Another mid-tempo song that leaves me feeling bored. There is a blistering solo in the middle that's redeeming and worth hearing. Don't skip to the solo, the rest is skip-worthy. 
22. "Parfum": A touching intro. His vibrato technique is so good. I need more soloing Django in my life. On top of that, his understanding of rhythm is amazing. We find Django blending jazz and more traditional styles very successfully on this track. This currently lives in the top three favorite Reinhardt songs. 
23. "Alabamy Bound": Not a bad track in this giant spread of songs. It doesn't wow me after "Parfum," but we all be a "Parfum" all the time now can we? The violin solo is excellent (this is a trend in the Django catalog it appears). About midway through the tempo picks up and takes off. Stick around for that middle section, it's very worth it. 
24. "Crazy Rhythm": This song has some great flavor to it. The brass section swings and feels fresh. I'd play this music at a dinner party. I'd love to hear Django and the sax player solo-dual, I bet it'd get heated. 
25. "Out Of Nowhere": "Out Of Nowhere" only reaffirms my suspicion that I'm only into slow and fast Django. This feels like a cool autumn day for me. The sax solo is excellent. I'm loving this song. 
26. "Sweet Georgia Brown": The intro features a great percussion part. I'm not loving this track, but it has a great party aspect to it. There are a lot of voices holding the floor for a brief moment and exchanging turns right up to the sax solo. I do feel the trumpet is too muted and doesn't shine in its moment. 
27. "Sweet Sue": I love the trombone solo, we need more trombone solos as a people. These songs have been moving away from Django's virtuosity and it saddens me, though his chord work is impeccable. 
28. "Japanese Sandman": This is a strutting song! Django's guitar playing has tons of attitude and I'm loving it. More slide trombone too, what a treat! It isn't my favorite Django solo, but it kept my attention. Don't skip this one. 
29. "Saint Louis Blues": I feel like I should be sipping a mint julep on a porch in the south when I hear this song. It transports me to a life I don't get to live, which is pretty cool. I liked the solo best, but the rest of this song was alright too. 
30. "Bouncin' Around": I liked this song right out from the get-go. It's got swagger and it feels like you're following someone around who's up to no good. Django's playing at the end has a lot of sass to it, and I enjoyed this one. 
31. "Lady Be Good": Django's playing here feels very conversational. It works for the song, perhaps the guitar is begging the violin to be good. Ultimately the song didn't wow me. 
32. "Daphne": The song starts with the violins saying Daphne with the way they play, very cool. This song has some pluck to it. I dig it. the pace feels right for what the violin is playing. It's more musical than the last piece. Django's solo feels perfect for this song. Surprisingly enjoyable song. 
33. "I've Found A New Baby": I think that was the most metal intro yet! That dissonance! It wowed me. This song has some good tone to it. The drama helps it stick out! I think this is some of my favorite chord work. 
34. "Baby Won't You Please Come Home": I can imagine having this is an old-time bar as it's just starting to open. It's daylight and you can still smell the sweat from the night before. 
35. "Avalon": This must be an old recording or a live recording. Everything bleeds together. The music is good, but the product is meh at best. You can barely hear Django in the back of the mix over the bass. I would have dropped this track from the list. 

Photo credit: https://live.staticflickr.com/5675/21434160825_546cc8cb6d_b.jpg

 Overall Thoughts: I wanted to love this more than I did because of Reinhardt's status in the music scene. Hell, he influenced one of my favorite guitar players, Tony Iommi. Unfortunately, a lot of it was his being part of a band and forgoing the guitar as the focus of the piece, given that he was a bandleader though, this makes sense. I'll come back to many of these tracks, but not the album as a whole. 

Info: It makes sense why there is so much violin player considering he spent a good chunk of his career playing violinist Stephane Grappelli. Django was born on January 23rd, 1910 in Belgium and died of a stroke on May 16th, 1953 at the age of 43 in France. His recording career was immense, and his impact on the world is inescapable. Part of his legacy is due to the fact that he performed all this music with two functioning fingers on his fretting hand after an accident rendered his ring and pinky fingers paralyzed. 

If you want to listen to some Django Reinhardt, you can check on out another compilation featuring many of these songs here. Additionally, if this sounds like your jam, you can pick up the above album here!