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CJ Shearn

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Posts posted by CJ Shearn

  2. Clora Bryant, R.I.P.

    in Artists

    Posted

    Damn.  RIP.  A MAJOR inspiration for women on the jazz scene today.  I think she and Viola Smith are two of the most important women to emerge in jazz at that time, of course Shirley Scott too, all in that span of a few decades.  I mentioned Clora in my women in jazz piece for New York Jazz Workshop.

  3. What Are Your Favorite Jazz Recordings of the 21st Century?

    in Recommendations

    Posted

    On 8/31/2019 at 6:36 AM, mjazzg said:

    Anything or maybe everything released by Wadada Leo Smith this century. The releases on TUM alone stand up as a truly remarkable body of work.

    Definitely agree about the Matana Roberts trilogy.

    Then there's releases by what I like to think of as the Chicago scene - Josh Berman, Jason Stein, Jason Adasiewicsz, Mike Reed, Jason Roebke, Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid, Jaimie Branch, Makaya McCraven (not the same scene? but same city). Tim Daisy

    Rob Mazurek's small group and large ensemble recordings

    Irreversible Entanglements and Keir Neuringer's intense solo record

    And I haven't even got to nearer home and Europe yet.

    Too many!

    And Threadgill on Pi, just take your pick of them

    Wadada's solo Monk album is very good, I have the other one released at the same time but haven't  cracked it open yet.

    One of my good friends has known Keir for years, Keir is something else.

     

     

  4. Review of Miles' "Birth of the Cool Documentary"

    in Jazz In Print - Periodicals, Books, Newspapers, etc...

    Posted

    13 hours ago, Dave Garrett said:

    FWIW, Automattic, the parent company of WordPress, just acquired Tumblr a couple of weeks ago. Not sure if that'll eventually mean more integration between the two platforms or not, but either way Tumblr's certain to be in better hands than it was with Yahoo/Verizon. 

    Oh Very cool.  I use Wordpress for my New York Jazz Workshop and I enjoy the flexibility.

  5. Review of Miles' "Birth of the Cool Documentary"

    in Jazz In Print - Periodicals, Books, Newspapers, etc...

    Posted

    2 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

    Me neither.

    I see what you both mean.  I mean valid as in he has an opinion as I do mine, but the few reviews I've seen, not sure what vantage point he's coming from...  it's like ok, I KNOW exactly what to expect from say, "Rubber Band" so I'm not gonna hope it's like whatever I think it should be, I try to look at what I review for what's there in the music, not what I think should be there.

  8. Review of Miles' "Birth of the Cool Documentary"

    in Jazz Radio & Podcasts

    Posted

    4 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

    Nice review!  Mostly agree with all of it, but count me in the camp with a handful of quibbles about giving short-shrift to a few periods/albums.

    I felt like 30 more minutes (on the right stuff), would have made an already great documentary truly outstanding.  I guess "truly outstanding" probably in an unachievable goal, but there were some things that really didn't get but a mention, or a minute or two.

    I did think the sequence covering his 'debut' at Newport in, what was it, '55? -- that was told essentially through a very "animated" sequence of still photos -- was certainly a part of the story I knew, but didn't know the import of.  Still, the second great quintet only got a minute or two, pretty much all focused on Footprints (iirc) -- a great tune, sure, but (iirc) that was the only thing covered between his early 60's triumphs, and Bitches Brew.  The early 70's coverage was not half-bad, iirc (wasn't there a nice On The Corner sequence?) -- but overall, I just felt like a little too many things were left. out.  And yet, there was time for 2+ minutes of "Some Day My Prince Will Come" -- which I've never thought of as being the most revelatory Miles track ever.

    But all quibbles.  A very solid 8/10 in my book -- and much of it probably closer to 9/10 (in spots).

    Thanks Rooster! I attended the Sunday matinee with the Q&A session (loved meeting Vince... we've been in touch for a few years, one of the nicest cats I've met) what Stanley Nelson said was there were given a "2 hour movie with a 2 hour budget" in regards to my question  about how did they set out to make it different from The Miles Davis Story.  He said that hands were raised immediately about what albums to discus, but they tried to cover as broad a swath as possible.  I felt Herbie Hancock could have told the "Butter notes" story, and that they could have covered the Second Quintet and 80's a bit more, but I like how it was presented.  I went in with an open mind not to be a hyper critical Davis devotee and just enjoyed it.  Wallace Roney was very thankful I mentioned him in the review, because he said that was the first time anyone asked him to do a documentary on Miles and detailing their relationship in such a way, some of which can be heard in my podcasts with him.  I'll be happy to own it when released.  It's certainly a far better crafted film than the recent John Abercrombie one, which compared to Bill Frisell: A Portrait was a major let down.

  15. June 19 BN Japanese Reissues - uncommon titles

    in Re-issues

    Posted

    4 hours ago, felser said:

    Agreed, Sebesky did that sort of thing better than anyone, and I enjoy those CTI albums, with Sunflower being one of the best along with Hubbard's First Light and some others.

    Sebesky's thing to my ear always had musical integrity, and that music is very much a product of it's time, but still holds up. Natural Illusions is well played, polite mood music, nothing more.

  16. June 19 BN Japanese Reissues - uncommon titles

    in Re-issues

    Posted

    On 5/16/2019 at 9:49 AM, felser said:

    I think of it like a subpar CTI record.  If Hutcherson playing "Sophisticated Lady" etc. with a bunch of string arrangements by Wade Marcus turns you on, go for it.

    Right.  I always felt Natural Illusions was Blue Note attempting to cash in on the success of Milt Jackson's Sunflower but much more watered down.  Sure, Don Sebesky's string arrangements on the latter may turn some people off, but the playing is so, so, serious and great.  Even with the rhythm section of Hank Jones, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette purely in session mode, it still sucks.  At least Carter/DeJohnette  shined more on CTI albums.

     

  25. Dexter Gordon "At The Subway Club 1973" (Elemental Music)

    in New Releases

    Posted

    5 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

    Maybe I'm blessed with not such a great system (I listen on high-end computer speakers when home) but I noticed that mentioned in the liners and am listening to Rochlin spin out lines on On The Trail and don't feel that he is way down at all. Maybe I'm missing his comping when Dexter blows but I really don't hear it as a poor mix or that he's not sufficiently prominent especially when soloing.

    I don't have a great system either but the odd mix and soundstage is very apparent on my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro headphones

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