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Lewis Nash is a bad ass


Hardbopjazz

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Nash has long been part of the straight-ahead elite, in my view. I've seen him numerous times over the years, starting from when he was with Betty Carter at the start of his career; also with Ron Carter and of course Tommy Flanagan's trio. Always a delight, always swinging.

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Kenny Washington once wrote about Nash in some liner notes that he had the best time of all the drummers of their generation.

My favourite Nash playing is found on one of Nnenna Freelon's Columbia CDs - he and Kenny Barron and Christian McBride play meticulously and make it all sound so easy ...

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There are copies for one cent on amazon - get it for that price! It's one of the best jazz vocal albums of its time.

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Kenny Washington once wrote about Nash in some liner notes that he had the best time of all the drummers of their generation.

I am approving this statement without reservation. Nash is one of the hardest swinging drummers extant. For me, if Lewis Nash is the drummer, be it a big band, a combo or a piano trio, it is a guarantee of a tight, swingin' rhythm section. Here are some albums I have with Nash on drums (all of them are highly enjoyable recordings):

Brian Lynch: Back Room Blues

Benny Green: In This Direction

Steve Kuhn: Looking Back

Tommy Flanagan: Beyond The Bluebird

Lew Tabackin: I'll Be Seeing You

Jimmy Heath: Little Man, Big Band

Mike LeDonne: Soulmates

Clark Terry: What A Wonderful World

Tommy Flanagan: Let's

Tommy Flanagan: Lady Be Good... For Ella

Lew Tabackin: What A Little Moonlight Can Do

Clark Terry: Portraits

Rob Schneiderman: Dark Blue

Bill Mays: Ellington Affair

Larry Willis: How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

Oscar Peterson: Meets Roy Hargrove And Ralph Moore

Scott Hamilton: After Hours

Tommy Flanagan: Sea Changes

Kenny Drew: Falling Leaves

John Lewis: Evolution II

Classical Jazz Quartet: Plays Bach

Ray Brown: Walk On

Don Friedman: Waltz For Debby

Gerald Wilson: New York Sound

Don Friedman: My Favorite Things

Roland Hanna: Milano, Paris, New York: Finding John Lewis

Gerald Wilson: In My Time

Helen Sung: Helenistique

Classical Jazz Quartet: Plays Tchaikovsky

Ted Rosenthal: The King And I

Gerald Wilson: Monterey Moods

Helen Sung: (Re)Conception

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I love Nash's playing, particularly on Jim Hall's Magic Meeting and Tommy Flanagan's Sunset and the Mockingbird: The Birthday Concert. Hell, he even recorded with Don Pullen (Random Thoughts, with James Genus on bass). Nash and Victor Lewis are really the gold standard for their generation of drummers.

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I caught the Rosnes quartet at the Vanguard on Thursday, and share the view of Professor Nash. Friendly chap who responded to a slight handwave from me by coming over to our table and shaking everybody's hand while wearing a big smile. Also caught him with Randy Weston's group at the Kennedy Center fairly recently.

Wasn't Rosnes part of SF Jazz Collective for a bit, and maybe writing an arrangement or two for BlueNote 7, not to mention recording and performing with current hubby Bill Charlap?

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