mikeweil

I am curious what classical music the organissimo board members hear in concert - from medieval to baroque and classical, romantic, to brandnew compositions of living composers. JSngry hipped to this existing thread, so I decided to copy my two recent posts here. Yesterday afternoon - April 1, 2023 that is - my wife and I took the trip to a small Frankfurt church that has a short Vesper on the first Saturday every month. Cellist Leonie Maier and harpsichordist Ortrun Sommerweiß, my favourite among those who graduated from the Frankfurt academy in recent years, played cello sonatas by Lanzetti, Geminiani and Telemann, and a solo harpsichord sonata by Haydn. It was excellently performed. A few weeks ago we saw Alexander von Heissen perform his concert exams with harpsichord concertos by J.S. & C.P.E. Bach and Joseph Haydn, and a wide range of solo pieces a week later, from Byrd to Bach. Wednesday evening (April 12) we saw another Frankfurt student play her exams concert, Seulki Bae from Korea, in a well programmed and performed solo recital on a copy of a Henri Hemsch harpsichord built by Christian Fuchs (whose workshop happens to be in the 18th century building my grandparents lived in). Great pieces by Geminiani, Gerd Domhardt (a 20th century composer), J.S. Bach, Johann Mattheson, Händel, Christian Gottlob Neefe (Beethoven's teacher in Bonn), and a flute sonata by Louis-Gabriel Guilleman which was a real tour de force for the flutist. We could talk briefly to the period performace department director, she was delighted to see us again, and even more that we will attend most of the concerts by her students. The was a choir rehearsal for a welcome performance for the newly inscribed students - this really is a house full of music! Let's revive this thread!

R.I.P. That's shocking news, even considering his age. I adore his trios with Ray Crawford, and the later ones with Crosby and Fournier.

Double CD reissue.

From the Jazztet Mosaic box set.

1995 double CD reissue.

It was part of the Mosaic Jazztet box set.

This afternoon:

BTW - I had overlooked that this subforum was changed to "Album of the Month" before it went asleep, so I changed the thread title accordingly. This gives us more time to discuss it. Do you know similar studio jam sessions that go along at such a relaxed pace with similar results? Would these meet my expectations? I only have the first with Charlie Parker in the Parker Verve box set.

AFAIK these are the only recordings from the Jazz Galerie ever released.

That's a very interesting interview. This is a pic from El Babaku's recording at the Jazz Galerie, a very special album. the Fritz Pauer also is very good. Billy Brroks was an amazing drummer.

I tend to think he adds the extra spark that's missing on the two other Verve LPs pairing Hawk and Ben.

For all Art Farmer fans: https://artfarmer.org/art-farmer-discography-introduction/

I pulled out two other Verve albums combining Hawk and Ben earlier today, and they didn't quite give me what I expected and what this Webster album gave me. This is one of the best studio jams I ever heard. The other two are a bit more routine, although the saxists are excellent. And I must admit I prefer Jimmy Jones to Oscar Peterson.

Ben Webster And Associates : Roy Eldridge (tp) Coleman Hawkins, Budd Johnson, Ben Webster (ts) Jimmy Jones (p) Les Spann (g) Ray Brown (b) Jo Jones (d) New York, April 9, 1959 26357-1 Budd Johnson 26358-3 De-dar 26359-2 Young Bean 26360-3 Time after time (re,ch,bj out) 26361-3 In a mellow tone All tracks first released on LP Verve MGV8318. CD reissue on Verve 835 254-2 in 1988. Listening to some Ben Webster during the last weeks, inspired by the thread on his music, I looked at my collection and decided to get me copies of the two Verve albums that were on my buying list for so many years. Ben Webster And Associates arrived a week ago, and I was mesmerized by the long opening track (actually the last one recorded at the session). The gang takes this Elington tune at a relaxed medium tempo, the rhythm section sets the pace, the three associate horns play the theme in unison while Webster answers them, and then they all play a solo, more or less in a reversed order. Usually the leader starts, but here they all set the mood for Ben, one by one, beautifully displaying their respective individual stylistics. Ray Brown takes the first, then Jimmy Jones mostly in single note lines, with few chord punctuations thrown in, which lets you notice the relaxed walking bass with straight rhythm guitar and minimal drums. Les Spann is next, starting with octaves without too much resemblance to Wes Montgomery, followed by a fluid Budd Johnson and a muted Roy Eldridge. Next, Coleman Hawkins raises the energy level just a little bit, with Jo Jones joining his intensity level. Jones then sets the stage for Ben Webster with a short, tatsteful drum solo. Webster starts tenderly, takes the longest solo before they return to the theme. To listen to all these masters using their skills for an amazing display of diversity is a masterpiece of taste and individual style. Where JATP tends to turn into cutting contests, this studio context inspired all to play their musical best, IMHO. The other tracks are almost bonus material to this excellent studio jam, two blues type riff tunes with short solos, a great Webster ballad feature and the closer dedicated to his teenage friend. To these ears, total mastery. I could listen to this type of session for days and I am glad I finally got it. What do you think?

R.I.P. He was such an important figure between the US and German scenes. Good teacher as well, directing the jazz department at the Frankfurt Music University for many years. Sad that I never had the opportunity to attend one his concerts while I was working there in a different department.

Thanks for the encouragement. I will write up something after a more in depth listen to the album I have in mind.

Really good player. IIRC I saw him only once as a member of a CBBB concert. R.I.P.

I think that thematic improvisation may be more attractive for an audience, but how many out there are good at this? Given two songs with different themes over the same changes, will the impro sound the same? The saying "lost in the changes! may get a new meaning here.

I just got me a copy of an album that was on my want list for many years, and I am delighted. I'd love to discuss it as AOTW. Why nor re-start the series in a more casual way? When there is no opposition, I will go ahead. What do you think?

Back to main topic: Apart from those I repeatedly suggested or supported, like an early Ellington set and a Lionel Hampton Decca/MGM set, I'd like Ben Webster and Illinois Jacquet Clef/Verve sets.

There is a link between the two styles of Tony - you can hear it on The Old Bum's Rush. On that album he almost plays like he did in the new Lifteime and the Stanley Clarke album on Nemperor, and later in his Quintet. After the Rush LP he switched drum brands, as he needed a bigger sound for that style that Gretsch drums couldn't project. I also sense Tony's personal image of the sound of black power on drums in the direction he took.

This album is from 1998. Their trumpet player. Raudel Marzal Torres, an excellent player, now lives in Berlin. I was introduced to him by a mutual friend and old percussion buddy a few years ago, and during our two weeks trip to Berlin in late March had an opportunity to talk to him at length. He is now a member of Juan Marcos Gonzalez' Afro-Cuban All Stars off and on and will tour this summer with the Euro-Cuban All Stars, a Slovenian-Cuban joint venture.