Revisiting (more or less) jazz c. 1995-2016

[Larry Kart]

Someone has been contributing to a local library sale an ever-growing batch of jazz CDs from 1995-2016, all them $2 each, all from players I know of but haven't in most cases been listening to that thoroughly or even at all during that period, e.g. Lovano, David Sanchez, Stefon Harris, Kenny Garrett, Roy Hargrove, Michael Zenon, Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane,  Seamus Blake, Dave Douglas, Jeff Watts, Sam Yahel, etc. So I've been buying almost everything they've put out at the sale -- in the name of "education" or "re-education," doncha know -- been listening my way through it all, and thought I might report after a while on how what I've heard strikes me. Some prior reactions/prejudices have been confirmed, others have been pleasantly altered, some players I knew of glancingly have come into focus. Perhaps I should add that this aforementioned "gap" in my jazz knowledge stems from the fact that during those years, and for some time before that, I was no longer a jazz journalist, had to buy all the CDs I acquired, and thus acquired only those that I felt fairly sure, for one reason or another, that I would like/were necessary. So beware -- unless I change my mind, the deluge is coming,

[JSngry]

Plenty of good to great playing, I'd anticipate. As far as "great music", at least great in the sense of gaining traction and forming an ongoing trail that moves beyond itself...Kenny Garret, for sure, Stefon Harris, to a degree, Dave Douglas, if you need that in your life (and many do), and...a lot of good to great playing otherwise.

The Lovano side that seems to have been slept on is Friendly Fire, with Greg Osby, Jason Moran, Cameron Brown, & Idris Muhammad. That one gets frisky and rope-walky, downright noisy at times. More of that type thing in general, music that forces you to have an opinion, would have been good.

[felser]

I consistently enjoy Eric Alexander's work (the same way I consistently enjoy Dexter Gordon's), but find my attitude about most of what has been put out since the Marsalis revolution is pretty jaded.  I find a lot of it expertly played but bloodless, the sense of discovery replaced by a sense of mastery, so much "been there, done that, but we can do it too, maybe even better).  I realize this is both a sweeping generalization and also a defense of my own biases, which prefer what I heard when I first discovered the music, but there it is.  If I had discovered jazz through Wallace Roney and Kenny Garrett rather than through Miles and Trane, I might feel differently.  And I do love Garrett's Trane album.

[Morganized]

I agree with felser.  Have never really known why but I would say technically mastered but soulless...  Just IMHO

1 hour ago, felser said:

I consistently enjoy Eric Alexander's work (the same way I consistently enjoy Dexter Gordon's), but find my attitude about most of what has been put out since the Marsalis revolution is pretty jaded.  I find a lot of it expertly played but bloodless, the sense of discovery replaced by a sense of mastery, so much "been there, done that, but we can do it too, maybe even better).  I realize this is both a sweeping generalization and also a defense of my own biases, which prefer what I heard when I first discovered the music, but there it is.  If I had discovered jazz through Wallace Roney and Kenny Garrett rather than through Miles and Trane, I might feel differently.  And I do love Garrett's Trane album.

 

 

[Larry Kart]

Early returns:

Roy Hargrove's "Earfood": Never cared for him before but thought this latter-day (2008) album with his working group of the time might show improvement. Not IMO. The nanny-goat tone and blurted-out, wandering-all-over-the-lot "hot" lines -- yeesh. The second-coming of Jesse Drakes or Joe Guy.

David Sanchez's "Obsessions" and several other Sanchez albums from before and after that one: Sanchez I don't get at all. Nothing awful but also nothing more personal and interesting than what one might have heard from a freshman in a Berklee practice room.

James Carter Organ Trio "Out of Nowhere': Where's Earl Bostic when we need him? I pretty much can't believe this.

Ravi Coltrane's "In Flux" and "Spirit Fiction": Sounds almost nothing like his father, has a genuine  throaty soulfulness to his sound that IMO can't be bought or faked. How much he has/will have beyond that, I don't know, but so far I'm moved and on board.

Seamus Blake's "The Call," "Stranger Things Have Happened," "The Bloomdaddies," and "Bellwether": Blake I knew of some already and kind of liked, but this was a heavy dose. Haven't pored over all of them, but his duet with Chris Cheek on "Sing Sing Sing" from "The Bloomdaddies" really cracked me up -- some crazy/serious fun. 

Stefon Harris' "Blackout Evolution" and "Urban Us' -- Have enjoyed several previous Harris albums, but these are much too "processed," especially sound-wise, for me; everything seems to be enclosed in Saran Wrap with all the air sucked out.

Miguel Zenon's "Jibara" and "Awake": Hell, yes. And his rhythm sections!

More Lovano albums than I care to list, including both "Trio Fascination" discs and "Saxophone Summit" with Brecker and Liebman: Over time I've been pretty much been worn down by Lovano's samey-ness and his somewhat "inhaled" tone, but  I was pleasantly surprised by how alert and brainy he can be when taken all at once in mass quantities  and how brainy Brecker and Liebman (neither among my favorites)  sounded alongside him. Also, the "Summit" rhythm section (Phil Markowitz, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart) is quite fine, and the varied trios of the second "Fascination" album are all at least interesting.

The Blue Note All Stars' (Tim Hagans, Greg Osby, Javon Jackson, Kevin Hays, Essiet Esssiet, Bill Stewart) "Blue Spirit," from way back in 1996: Exceptionally intense and vigorous so far, really together, not just another semi-"Young Lions" jam session. A Bob Belden production. Hagans' "Twist and Out" (based on "Twist and Shout," natch) is a seriously hilarous/ hilariously serious line.

Kris Davis' "The Slightest Shift" (2005): A new name to me, pianist-composer Davis is very impressive/thoughtful even meditative, reminiscent perhaps of Angela Sanchez. Sanchez's spouse of the time Tony Malaby is in fine appropriately rather reserved form.

More to come, unless someone wants to cast a veto.

[jlhoots]

Glad to see you enjoyed the Kris Davis.

Several other good ones in-between - her brand new Duopoly also works IMHO.

[felser]

I was at a Dizzy Tribute concert at Penn's Landing in Philly in the early 90's, just before he passed.  David Sanchez was feeling his oats, I guess, from the premature Columbia contract, and played what he considered a hot-shot solo on one tune.   Veteran Mario Rivera was up next for his solo. He played Sanchez's solo note-perfect, then played a vaudeville version making fun of Sanchez's solo, then played his own solo.  The trumpet section for that concert was Jon Faddis and Freddie Hubbard, each good-naturedly trying to out-showoff the other one, and Wynton Marsalis, who clearly did not approve and played very close to the vest.

[JSngry]

Hey, Mario Rivera. That cat could play.

[danasgoodstuff]

"The Lovano side that seems to have been slept on is Friendly Fire, with Greg Osby, Jason Moran, Cameron Brown, & Idris Muhammad. That one gets frisky and rope-walky, downright noisy at times. More of that type thing in general, music that forces you to have an opinion, would have been good. "

I've passed on that more than once, ditto the Summit with Leibman and Ravi, may have to remedy that.

Miguel Zenon, is he the one who did the album where the tunes were interspersed with bit of Porto Rican radio?

[JohnS]

Thanks Larry, nice post.   You've pretty much confirmed my opinions about a lot of this stuff.  But then I'm an oldie and do not hear too much "new" these days.

[sidewinder]

I'm quite a fan of those Sanchez Columbia CDs. OK, some of the tracks seem to be aiming at the MOR market but there is some solid stuff in there as well, particularly when Edsel Gomez is in the lineup. I guess it helps if you are a fan of the Puerto Rican style. Incidentally, I caught Sanchez with Hilton Ruiz at Birdland the night they were recording the Candid 'Live at Birdland'. Not one of Sanchez's better nights, perhaps. There were about 15 of us in the audience and Alan Bates was on the next table !

6 hours ago, JSngry said:

Hey, Mario Rivera. That cat could play.

Remember seeing him on baritone in George Coleman's Octet !

Have to say that the Bobby Watson & Horizon releases of this era (maybe slightly before it) are a standout. The Blue Note releases in particular.

Edited October 15, 2016 by sidewinder

[ArtSalt]

1995 as I remember was just about the peak and then the decline of Acid Jazz in the UK, also a golden era of compilations on Verve and the DJ Gilles Peterson. Plenty of this stuff getting played by me. I was big into the pit bull latin jazz of Snowboy, a very English take it on the genre.

Charlie Hunter's Ready Set....Shango! and Wynton Marsalis was still untainted and on a good roll I think until the millennium. Really liked Monty Alexander's Yard Suite eventually saw him live in around 2005.

Later Sex Mob I thought was brilliant with the Bond music album and their take on Prince covers.

Lots of jazz bands now seem similar to me, there's a definite style: The Bad Plus and The Go Go Penguins, lots of good music out there still, Blue Note is interesting again, some of it. The resurrection of Okeh and I quite like the party music of The Hot Sardines.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

18 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

James Carter Organ Trio "Out of Nowhere': Where's Earl Bostic when we need him? I pretty much can't believe this.
 

More to come, unless someone wants to cast a veto.

Earl is where he's always been - in the grooves of umpteen long play albums  As possibly the only fully paid up Earl Bostic fan on the board (maybe the world) I've just GOT to say, there is no one, no ONE, like Earl; a sax player with the impact of being run over by a concrete mixer.

No veto, not even from me

But, as a Bostic fan, if I listened to this, do you think I'd throw up my hands in joy or throw up my stomach?

(Key point )

 

MG

[Larry Kart]

6 hours ago, The Magnificent Goldberg said:

Earl is where he's always been - in the grooves of umpteen long play albums  As possibly the only fully paid up Earl Bostic fan on the board (maybe the world) I've just GOT to say, there is no one, no ONE, like Earl; a sax player with the impact of being run over by a concrete mixer.

No veto, not even from me

But, as a Bostic fan, if I listened to this, do you think I'd throw up my hands in joy or throw up my stomach?

(Key point )

 

MG

My Bostic experience is somewhat limited -- I know the Bostic hits that almost everyone knows because they were so much in the air for many years, but the only Bostic album I have is "The Complete Quintet Recordings" with Groove Holmes, Joe Pass, et al., which I like a lot, though I probably couldn't handle it as a steady diet. My remark was a way of saying that in the face of Carter's IMO garish freak show one might need/want to hear player like Bostic, who genuinely, as you say, has "the impact of being run over by a concrete mixer." 

[medjuck]

I remember hearing a radio interview with Benny Golson in which he said Earl Bostic was a great saxophonist.   I was surprised because the only Bostic with which I was familiar was his version of Harlem Nocturne which was the only thing even near jazz they played on the only radio station in my home town. 

[JSngry]

Earl Bostic could play. No matter how "simple" the "what" of how he plays, the "how" of how he always plays it is very high-level.

I actually have a lot of like for James Carter, because his reverse-engineering is done on a tenor-centric model, not a TraneMath one. That takes a lot of guts these days, actually. I mean the guy actually figured out Lockjaw's mechanics, that shit has mystified many for decades. This guy, I don't know how he did it, but he did it. So, you know, serious props for that. Props and love too, because, you know, it takes love to get through that kind of thing and come out on the other side with a successful result.

Now, having said that...reverse-engineering is still reverse-engineering, and unlike his models, a little of James Carter tends to go a long way for me. But I can listen to both Out Of Nowhere & Live At Baker's Keyboard Lounge often enough and not have it hurt. In fact, I laugh along because...I get it, I guess. And on the latter, you get Larry Smith's beautiful rendition of "Sack Full Of Dreams" (second only to Jug's imo), and a Gerald Gibbs organ/synth/whatever the hell it is, that morphs from Jimmy Smith to Joe Zawinul to Oscar Peterson to Manahattan Transfer to god knows where else, it's one of the greatest examples of Unfiltered Exhibitionist Black Music Audacious Genius, I've heard in a loooong time, this motherfucker ain't letting nothing get in the way, no matter what it is, and, you know, if you can go all the way there with that, hell yeah, go there with it. He can, and he does.It's fieakin' Rahasaan-esque.

This guy, Gerald Gibbs...this is not the same solo in every way (I searched in vain for anything from the Baker's side), but dig how the visual is so in sync with the playing, Earl Grant Plays Soul Jazz Organ For A Post-Jo Ann Castle World, hey, you do not get that every where, especially not in these days.

As for Carter's choreography, hey - Black Marching Bands, baby. It's real, it IS a thing.

If this is the worst music made on the planet on any given day, music has not had a particularly bad day.

Part 2, and yes, there is a "vaudeville" element to all of this, but hell, so be it. There's also also as much serious virtuosity. and never a loss of...fun. I get it. It's the kind of thing I could listen to for a good while at night in a club, and maybe for 10 minutes on a record by myself at home. Maybe some real "have to be there" shit.

 

[John L]

I like James Carter better in the organ trio context than in other contexts where I have heard him.   I really went for Layin' in the Cut when it was first released, and still enjoy it quite a bit.  Out of Nowhere also has some fine moments (IMO).  Where I get off the bus with James Carter is when he starts trying to summarize the full history of jazz saxophone in the course of a 2-minute solo.

[uli]

Love James Carter. The organ trio has been a longstanding group of his but for me he is one of those cats who can't do anything wrong whether in a third stream context or with WSQ

 

[danasgoodstuff]

James Carter unquestionably has massive skills http://harderbop.blogspot.com/2011/04/james-carter-ruined-my-life.html

But to my way of thinking he's never made any music on record that's commensurate with those skills.  If I had to pick one album of his it would be the Django tribute 'cause it just tickles me to hear him charging around on bass sax, but that's damn close to novelty act stuff.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thank you ALL for that. I'm going to get those two albums that Jim S mentioned without having heard the YouTube bits you've all kindly put up.

MG

[mikeweil]

Jim's description of Carter's organ trio is very much to the point. I saw them live during that tour when the videos were made from a broadcast on a German (Bavarian) tv station. Gibbs is better on the videos; on the gig I caught he was more concerned about flirting with the girls in the front seats than playing at his best. 

The most convincing Carter I have heard always was when he had really fast company. To match that with the best qualities of black entertainment, that's what I admire and never hear being understood from local German players - when they do it, it's gimmick. With Carter, it's great black music tradition. 

Thanks for linking those videos - I downloaded them immediately. Live at Baker's is a very good album - there should be more like this from Carter.

Edited October 17, 2016 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

Here's the complete performance from Burghausen, 2004: