157 replies to this topic

[Mark Stryker]

"People Time," the 2-CD duet album with Kenny Barron recorded about three months before Getz died in 1991, just kills me. Getz's melodicism is so extraordinary -- every phrase as natural as breathing, and the pair just seems to float so ebulliently through the swinging tunes. I'm fond of the late records with McNeely, but for me nothing compares to the depth of expression on "People Time" ...

Speaking of "Captain Marvel," if you haven't seen this, go now: http://youtube.com/watch?v=v5u747pBucM Larry, I'm extremely jealous that you saw this band live around the same time ...
I'd love to see the rest of this tape. I remember reading a story in Down Beat around 76-78 and somebody -- maybe Stan's wife? -- said something that always stuck with me, that (paraphrasing) Stan and Miles were the youngest 50 year olds in jazz.

Jim: I haven't heard the CD of "Captain Marvel." Your comment suggests a new mix or radically changed sound from the LP. Can you elaborate?

Edited by Mark Stryker, 22 February 2008 - 09:09 AM.

[Larry Kart]

Speaking of "Captain Marvel," if you haven't seen this, go now: http://youtube.com/watch?v=v5u747pBucM Larry, I'm extremely jealous that you saw this band live around the same time ...

Thanks, Mark. That's about how it was, but with Airto too. Damn -- Tony Williams should still be in this world.

[aparxa]

I don't have have much of the albums cited below (not soon that I will get tired of jazz : ), but the Cds I listen to the most are Barron/Getz' 'People Time' and Dailey/Getz ' 'Poetry'.

[JSngry]

Jim: I haven't heard the CD of "Captain Marvel." Your comment suggests a new mix or radically changed sound from the LP. Can you elaborate?

Belden took away all the post-production reverb, so you get a very natural sounding listening experience.

Natural, but more than a little disconcerting if you['ve lived with the Lp for a few decades. But it takes care of itself in short order.Tony in particular comes into greater focus, and lordy merci, ain't that a good thing, especially since this is probably the last recorded exampleof his "classic" style (either this or Gil's There Comes A Time, but the ensemble vibe is so different there so as to make it a whole 'nother thing anyway...)

I'd forgotten about that Clarke-Boland thing, yeah, that's a doozy!

And sorry friends, but I'm with Larry on Focus. Mickey One, too.

[mikelz777]

"People Time," the 2-CD duet album with Kenny Barron recorded about three months before Getz died in 1991, just kills me. Getz's melodicism is so extraordinary -- every phrase as natural as breathing, and the pair just seems to float so ebulliently through the swinging tunes. I'm fond of the late records with McNeely, but for me nothing compares to the depth of expression on "People Time" ...

I haven't listened to that one for a long time. I'll have to give it a spin soon. When you talk about depth of expression, the song that really struck a chord with me on "People Time" was First Song (For Ruth). When I first heard this CD and that song came on I just stopped everything I was doing and intently listened to the whole song. I think I might have replayed it 3-4 times in a row before moving to the rest of the CD. Just talking about it makes me think I'll have to give it a spin much sooner rather than later.

Edited by mikelz777, 22 February 2008 - 09:25 AM.

[Larry Kart]

Chick told me a few years after his time with Stan that he thought of himself then as filling the role of Stan's "keeper" (as in "minder"). Clearly a daunting task, and if someone wasn't doing or trying to do it, chaos could ensue, Likewise, perhaps, when I asked Gary Burton in an interview (the Chick remark was just conversation) how he'd learned to be so good (apparently) at taking care of business across the board, he said ironically that he owed it all to Stan, that he'd learned from working with Stan to do everything just the opposite of what he'd seen and experienced there. As I may have said before here, Stan somehow ran across or was told about that remark and at least two years later brought it up when we ran across each other at a club, emphasizing how deeply hurt he was by it. IIRC Jim McNeely was within range when Stan said this, and from the look on McNeely's face (which Stan couldn't see), it was fairly clear that he was now occupying the "keeper" role.

[Kyo]

I'm currently really enjoying the early Prestige sides and my French CD of "The Master". I didn't
know about this West Coast Sessions set, just ordered a copy. Thanks for mentioning it!

[wordsandsounds]

My first and still favorite Getz... something just mystical and haunting about this music in my ears.

[Big Al]

To those of you who own DIZ AND GETZ: Any of y'all find the track w/Mobley out-of-place on this album? Different fidelity, totally different sound and mood, IMHO.

[bluenote82]

I love that version of "It Don't Mean A Thing (Unless It's Got That Swing)." Dizzy Gillespie really does an amazing solo on that one!

[Jams_Runt]

Re: Big Al,
Yeah, I think the Mobley song doesn't really work with the rest of Diz and Getz. I have a play-list on my ipod that skips that song.

[Bill Barton]

...And sorry friends, but I'm with Larry on Focus. Mickey One, too.

I saw Larry's comments on Focus but am I missing something on Mickey One? I used to have that one but got rid of it years ago as a generally forgettable, barely serviceable soundtrack. On the other hand, I respectfully disagree regarding Focus. Perhaps part of my love for this album hinges on nostalgia. Hearing "I'm Late, I'm Late" never fails to bring back fond memories of the wildly eccentric Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins in The Purple Grotto on WNEW-AM.

Edited by Bill Barton, 22 February 2008 - 07:22 PM.

[Hot Ptah]

Many of my favorites have been mentioned. Another one of my favorites is Anniversary. Of the later albums, I find it the most compelling for my taste.

[janschfan]

Getz/ Gilberto is a revelation in tone for sure! I'll also have to go along with Captain Marvel. The band chemistry and interaction are breathtaking. BTW, I love his duet with Coltrane on Hackensack, which is on YouTube and/or the Coltrane Jazz Icon video.

[JSngry]

...And sorry friends, but I'm with Larry on Focus. Mickey One, too.

I saw Larry's comments on Focus but am I missing something on Mickey One? I used to have that one but got rid of it years ago as a generally forgettable, barely serviceable soundtrack.

Exactly, although there was a little bit of From The People Who Brought You Focus hype about it for a quick minute...

[Holy Ghost]

...And sorry friends, but I'm with Larry on Focus. Mickey One, too.

I saw Larry's comments on Focus but am I missing something on Mickey One? I used to have that one but got rid of it years ago as a generally forgettable, barely serviceable soundtrack.

Exactly, although there was a little bit of From The People Who Brought You Focus hype about it for a quick minute...

Maybe I'm in the minority but I perfer Mickey one over Focus. There's something fresher about the arrangements and it not so lush-sounding as Focus tends to get. I have no plans of dispensing my copy of Focus because maybe it'll click later, but the clear favorite out of these two for me is Mickey One.

Edited by Holy Ghost, 25 February 2008 - 08:08 PM.

[Chuck Nessa]

I'm a "sappy" guy falling for Focus every five years or so. Loved it in school and it seems to be imprinted.

[Peter Friedman]

Getz has made so many many albums that I like a great deal, it is an impossible task to select just one or two favorites.

I decided to say a few words about the Getz albums based upon the pianist in his group. Stan made 8 albums with Kenny Barron on piano. I find Barron to be the ideal partner for Getz and like all 8 albums they did together very much. Lou Levy also was a fine match for Stan, and all the things they recorded together are also among my favorites. John Williams also recorded a number of times with Stan and all those albums are things I would not want to be without.

Finally, the Getz sessions with Al Haig, with Jan Johansnsson, and with Jimmy Rowles also deserve special attention.

[jazzbo]

I'm weird. I like Focus AND Mickey One.

[JSngry]

Oh yeah, At Large. Love that one.

[king ubu]

I'm currently really enjoying the early Prestige sides and my French CD of "The Master". I didn't
know about this West Coast Sessions set, just ordered a copy. Thanks for mentioning it!

You'll love those, I'm sure!

I only just got the early Prestige CDs (mentioned in another thread), but the Roost set, the West Coast set, the Clarke/Boland, they're all among my favourites. The Dizzy jams never quite did it for me, though (not even the one with Rollins/Stitt, it's ok, but...)
But my later Getz is still rather thing, I have "People Time" by now, one of the two Anniversary/Serenity (always mixing the titles up, which keeps me from buying the missing one, don't want to end up with two of the same), the Rowles Peacocks, Poetry with Dailey - most of these are great, too, but I generally prefer early Getz.

[king ubu]

I'm weird. I like Focus AND Mickey One.

another weirdo here!

[Thom Keith]

I know I'm in the minority on this one, and it probably has much to do with my not being a Getz "fan" by trade. But I love Pure Getz. Seemingly, the love affair for the Getz-krishnas I know was very short with People Time, but that'd be up there for me, too.

[mr jazz]

Many of my favorites have been mentioned. Another one of my favorites is Anniversary. Of the later albums, I find it the most compelling for my taste.

and the followup from the same dates-Serenity

Voyage is another nice one from this period as well.

[MartyJazz]

I love all the later concerts he recorded with Kenny Barron on piano. And for a very special treat, I highly recommend the DVD of a concert he did with KB in Munich, around 1990 I believe.

Click on this link for DVD

Edited by MartyJazz, 27 February 2008 - 01:04 PM.

[dumpy mama]

so sweet rain is not a favorite of most people?
my cent on captain marvel is that airto is annoying.

[Bill Barton]

so sweet rain is not a favorite of most people?
my cent on captain marvel is that airto is annoying.

For me, Sweet Rain ranks up there. And I also agree with all of the folks who have cited the latter-day recordings with Kenny Barron.

My take on Captain Marvel is decidedly different than yours. Airto is one of the reasons I like it. However, I wouldn't say that it is among my top favorite Getz sessions.

[dumpy mama]

well i would probably characterize airto as annoying on every single album he is on where he plays percussion rather than drums. i like him as a drummer but find him an intrusive percussionist. just because you can play a water buffalo's jawbone doesn't mean it makes "bitches brew" sound better.

[Holy Ghost]

Sweet Rain is probably 5 or so on my list.

Anyone ever compare The Penguin Guide to Jazz's 1st edition to the 4th and later editions? "Bland but occasionally beautiful, this was one of the more willowy of Get'z quartets, with Corea the probable culprit and Carter failing to save the situation..." to "This was an excellent quartet and the youthful Corea proved to be a sympathic and encouraging partner for the cantankerous leader...and Carter and Tate have the measure of the situation."

[jazzbo]

well i would probably characterize airto as annoying on every single album he is on where he plays percussion rather than drums. i like him as a drummer but find him an intrusive percussionist. just because you can play a water buffalo's jawbone doesn't mean it makes "bitches brew" sound better.

I love Airto as a trap drummer and a percussionist, as a band leader. . . .The man just is a force of nature.