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Mundell Lowe RIP


sgcim

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Mundell Lowe passed away at 10:45 yesterday morning (12/2). He was 95.

One of his important contributions to jazz was 'discovering' Bill Evans in Louisiana, and then putting him in touch with Orrin Keepnews, leading to BE's first LPs on Riverside.

My only contact with him was when I did an album with clarinetist Joe Dixon. Joe wanted to record my arr. of a tune of ML's from Satan In High Heels' soundtrack.

Mundell's reaction was, "What the hell do you want to do that song for?"

Edited by sgcim
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its bigger than all that- he had one of the most extensive carreers in jazz as far as who he played with, in addition to always doing his own stuff- lets put it this way-------you know the blue note scene, well basically, mundell didnt really play w/ anyone in that scene that i can recall--- but he played with basically everybody else besides that, in jazz.

Edited by chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez
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Probably the first jazz guitarist I knowingly heard, courtesy of Texaco.

Some of you might remember what it's like hearing music/records as a real young kid, and you don't have any reference at all what what an instrument "sounds like", then your imagination runs free and it becomes some kind of a voice or shape or color, or whatever your little youngster imagination can connect it to. Mundell Lowe's solo here, I did not know what that sound was coming from, so I heard it as some kind of turquoise underwater fish that went swimming around undetected and bothered by any of the fish. And his riff-comp behind the out chorus, that was just...some kind of giant electric neon comb.

I pity the kids today who don't get exposed to all the different timbres and shapes that musics have to offer.

 

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10 hours ago, brownie said:

His Riverside album 'Speak Low' deserves à place in the 'obscure albums' thread. A remarkable album.

So were the two CD's 'Sweet 'n Lovely' Lowe recorded for Fresh Sounds with Tete Montoliu.

That's the Guitar Moods album:

R-3308574-1325101980.jpeg.jpg

At least it was reissued in the OJC series - the one with new Alec Wilder compositions is even more obscure.

R-4257689-1359915516-3105.jpeg.jpg

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2 hours ago, Bill Nelson said:

The 'New Music of Alec Wilder' (Riverside, 1956) made a second appearance in 1960 on Bill Grauer's Offbeat label.  It was re-titled 'Tacet For Neurotics'.  Grauer pulled a Richard Bock stunt by changing the cover entirely, though I can't say that he re-spliced any of the tracks.  

That's the one I've got. It has a vaguely cheap look, but sounds just fine.

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2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Is it just my imagination, or are the early Riverside "modern" albums noticeably "junkie-free"? Or more generally, "quirky-free"? Trigger Alpert!!!!

What an impact Monk must have made, not from a junkie standpoint, but definitely from the quirk.

Yeah — like Matthew Gee, Ernie Henry, Kenny Drew, Kenny Dorham, Wilbur Ware, Johnny Griffin. Can't swear that all those guys were junkies at precisely that time, but.... Also, Riverside's house drummer was Philly Joe.

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Except for Drew, those were all post-Monk.

From this:

RLP Artist Album
201 Monk, Thelonious Plays Duke Ellington
202 Sullivan, Joe New Solos by an Old Master
203 Weston, Randy Get Happy with the Randy Weston Trio
204 Lowe, Mundell The Mundell Lowe Quartet
205 Parenti, Tony Ragtime!
206 Bell, Marty The Voice of Marty Bell - The Quartet of Don Elliott
207 Lewis, George Jazz in the Classic New Orleans Tradition
208 Lowe, Mundell Guitar Moods
209 Monk, Thelonious The Unique Thelonious Monk
210 Mayl, Gene Dixieland in Hi Fi
211 Davison, Wild Bill Sweet and Hot
212 Sutton, Ralph Classic Jazz Tradition'
213 Helm, Bob & Lu Watters Riverside Roustabouts
214 Weston, Randy With These Hands...
215 Janis, Conrad Dixieland Jam Session
216 Bechet, Sidney Creole Reeds
217 Barbarin, Paul & Sharkey New Orleans Contrasts
218 Elliot, Don & Rusty Dedrick Counterpoint for Six Valves
219 Lowe, Mundell New Music of Alec Wilder
220 Corwin, Bob The Bob Corwin Quartet featuring the Trumpet of Don Elliott

to this:

221 Gee, Matthew Jazz by Gee
222 Henry, Ernie Presenting Ernie Henry
223 Evans, Bill New Jazz Conceptions
224 Drew, Kenny Kenny Drew Trio
225 Alpert, Trigger Trigger Happy!
226 Monk, Thelonious Brilliant Corners
227 Weston, Randy Trio and Solo
228 Sims, Zoot Zoot!
229 Gryce, Gigi Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet
230 Lewis, George Jazz at Vespers
231 Halen, Carl Gin Bottle Jazz
232 Weston, Randy Jazz à la Bohemia
233 Hawkins, Coleman The Hawk Flies High
234 Mann, Herbie Sultry Serenade
235 Monk, Thelonious Thelonious Himself
236 Drew, Kenny This Is New
237 Terry, Clark Serenade to a Bus Seat
238 Lowe, Mundell A Grand Night for Swinging
239 Dorham, Kenny Jazz Contrasts
240 Jaspar, Bobby With George Wallington, Idrees Sulieman
241 Rollins, Sonny The Sound of Sonny
242 Monk, Thelonious Monk's Music
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and then...

243 Various Artists Blues for Tomorrow
244 Various Artists Jazz for Lovers
245 Mann, Herbie Great Ideas of Western Mann
246 Terry, Clark Duke with a Difference
247 Monk, Thelonious & Gerry Mulligan Mulligan Meets Monk
248 Henry, Ernie Seven Standards and a Blues
249 Drew, Kenny Pal Joey
250 Redd, Freddie San Francisco Suite
251 Lincoln, Abbey That's Him!
252 Ware, Wilbur The Chicago Sound
253 Johnson, Dick Most Likely
254 Kelly, Wynton Piano
255 Dorham, Kenny 2 Horns / 2 Rhythm
256 Golson, Benny The Modern Touch
257 Thielemans, Jean ("Toots") Man Bites Harmonica!
258 Rollins, Sonny Freedom Suite
259 Dixieland Rhythm Kings At The Hi Fi Jazz Band Ball
260 Red Onion Jazz Band Dance Off Both Your Shoes
261 Halen, Carl Whoopee Makers' Jazz
262 Monk, Thelonious Thelonious in Action
263 Bradshaw, Evans Look Out for Evans Bradshaw!
264 Griffin, Johnny Johnny Griffin Sextet
265 Adams, Pepper 10 to 4 at the 5 Spot
266 Henry, Ernie Last Chorus
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