johnlitweiler

Howard Mandel has an interesting review of a recent Shorter concert: http://www.artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz/2013/02/1218.html Haven't felt the urge to keep up with Shorter's CDs but I feel a lot like Howard about what I've heard of him in recent years: Shorter's phrasing isn't very often interesting any more. Nothing wrong with free forms if the improviser has something interesting to offer. His quartet's spontaneous-ensemble theme recalls are far from unique or innovatory. Come to think, Shorter's phrasing in itself never was consistently inspired - the way he used to create tension in his solo forms was what made him so outstanding. Maybe his recent minimalism is his idea of doing away with the solo in favor of making a group statement? Maybe that's why Blade feels the need to fill in the spaces, to keep things interesting? Maybe I'm a fuddy-duddy?

NONSENSE I like Red Garland's All Morning Long. And some of the long Gene Ammons All-Stars pieces, too - quite creative. Of course the Art Ensemble's Early Combinations, Old-Quartet Sessions, and All.the Numbers, and Charles Tyler's Saga of the Outlaws, and the International Phonograph Julius Hemphill and Bill Dixon reissues and lots and lots of others.

Are these CDs or LPs?

Freshly painted cabooses, of all things!

Half a block from here is a block of stores and restaurants. Junkies stand in front of them daily and beg money from the passing university students, and there's usually one raggedy guy or another who uses an old homeless newspaper for a prop while he peddles something else. You can see how some of these guys deteriorate, sometimes quickly sometimes slowly, year by year until they disappear. At the alley is a mural depicting a bright and good-hearted young friend, a talented artist, who died of an OD. Whenever I entered the restaurant where he used to work, he'd play a Thelonious Monk CD on the background music. The idea that C. Parker played so great because he was high is b.s. He may have needed to get off in order to play at all, but that's not the same thing, and apparently Bird knew it.

Swaggie should immediately reissue all their David Dallwitz LPs on CD, as well as their Earl Hines / Jazz Portraits of Australia (Hines playing all Dallwitz pieces) and their Ade Monsbrough LPs. Beginning with Dallwitz's Ern Malley masterp[iece.

Gaddy was a young man playing with two younger men, Clark and Barker, in veteran Jarman's quartet. They first played together in public in 1966 and were together for only a few times in the course of, I'm sure, less than a year - Gaddy's death was the group's end. He was so distinctive, such a colorful pianist, as in Jarman's "Non-Cognitive Aspects" (one of the very best jazz-poetry recordings, BTW) - yet not just ornamental or "meditative". His colors fit and enhanced Jarman's alto-sax virtuosity, his active lines and harmonies had their own weight. Definitely original. How many other pianists back then excaped the influences of Cecil Taylor or Bill Evans? I believe Larry is right about the debilitating condition - Gaddy did not have self-destructive habits. IIRC Clark was 21 when Song For was recorded and Barker was younger. Charles Clark was a kind of outside Mingus with a big tone, force - presence, as King Ubu would say. He was a favorite of Jarman and Abrams and played often with Braxton. He also was the bassist in the first Roscoe Mitchell concert I ever heard (also 1966). A Braxton group with Leroy Jenkins, Clark, Barker, and usually Maurice McIntyre played often in clubs and concerts. Clark did less jazz work after he began studying with Guastafeste and playing in the Civic Orchestra. Different stories I heard back then about Clark's death included stroke and heart attack. The Chicago Symphony then established the Charles Clark scholarship for talented young African-American musicians to study with CSO members.

Thanks for an important article, Jeff. I believed the primary job of Human Resources departments was to prevent competent empoyees from getting hired.

A favorite of mine as well, Cooke and Harrison especially meant a lot to me. Alun Morgan also wrote in that book. "Ten Modern Jazzmen" by Michael James comes highly recommended but it's rare, I've never seen it.

Yes he is. Now that you mention it, does any saxophonist who came after Gordon have a similar laid-back attack?

I was wrong. Thanks for the photos, Jim.

Tesser's article is right.

My sediments exactly. rather too lean and slender?

Yes.

Does the CBC still broadcast jazz, classical, Acadian music, etc.?