Alexander Hawkins

I'm not a big fan of his playing. I thought that he sounded extremely conventional in that Sam Rivers line-up next to guys like Pete Wareham and Jason Yarde. However, I think I heard that Dave Wickens is on drums with the Charlie Parker group. DW is an awesome player; I'd certainly catch the group just for him.

Jason, thanks very much - I look forwards to studying that link!

There's a really nice cut with Amancio Da Silva, Joe Harriott and Norma Winstone on the 'Impressed with Gilles Peterson Vol. 1' CD. Norma Winstone really caught my attention, although I don't know if this is typical or her!

I would have just posted about this on the end of the Braxton thread, but it's such an incredible piece of work, I thought maybe talk about it specifically! I've been taking in Braxton's 'For Alto' over the last couple of days (goodness knows how long it'll take..!) Although it seems to be particularly hyped among Braxton's work, as far as I can see, this is ALL justified. It's a simply remarkable piece of work. The technical command he has of the horn seems to be remarkable. I'm not a saxophonist, but his darts in and out of the altissimo harmonics, for example on 'For Composer John Cage', must be technically treacherous. But the technique aside (and big deal, after all, in some senses: if it sounds good...), it's a revelation. I don't think I own any other solo records - apart from pianists. I suppose I've been a little apprehensive about an album length (let alone a double album length, as this effectively is) of solos. Don't get me wrong, I love the various track-length precedents 'Picasso', 'God Bless the Child', 'Tenderley', etc., but was a bit wary of a whole album. But the interest is sustained here by sheer brilliance. I think this should also be a port of call for anyone who thinks Braxton is somehow studied or passionless (I think the equation between the two is fairly false anyway). The John Cage tribute, for example, is ecstatic. The string of harmonics he blows around halfway into this track is extraordinary. In fact, they remind me of nothing quite so much as Sonny Rollins at the very end of 'Loverman' from the album with Coleman Hawkins. I was started thinking about this thread also by one on Charlie Parker, asking who sounded most like him. On a related point, I really hear Braxton strongly here as part of a Parker - Dolphy - Braxton continuum. Strangely, given his comments e.g. in Graham Lock's (excellent, IMHO) book 'Forces in Motion...', I find the Ornette influence harder to pin down. But anyway, does anyone else particularly like this album? I must say, it's been nothing short of revelatory to me, despite its hype.

FWIW, I think the London gig's at the Albert Hall.

My thoughts almost precisely on reading this thread. And as Dolphy is to Bird, so I hear Braxton is to Dolphy (although maybe Ornette should feature in the aetiology too). But back to the thread of the question, I've never heard Schildkraut, but am now certainly curious!

Just got a really nice record of duets with Warne Marsh and Red Mitchell. Still going through it at the moment, but there's a great reading of 'Hot House'. I really want to hear more Marsh!

I want to live in Chicago.

The first song from 'Buena Vista Social Club.'

Wow. I just listened to Live in Berlin for the first time. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. A relatively accessible Art Ensemble album? Wonderful, though. I love the waltz on the first side. And some of Roscoe Mitchell's soprano work is extraordinary. I'd easily bolt this onto any Art Ensemble recommendations made!

I suspect it could be a little bit of both - On the first few listens, it just didn't really appeal, and from there, I guess I was less and less willing to keep trying. Could have been a few things: 1) me being bloody minded because this is a record everyone likes (I hope it's not this!) 2) a subconscious variant on the 1) (a shame, but not quite so dumb) 3) I'm not really that pre-disposed to Miles Davis' playing on the whole... Obviously, as with any other music, I'd never try (nor would I be able anyway) to talk someone into or out of liking it. I guess this is just one particularly egregious example of people's tastes not conforming!

I definitely agree with this. I think in academic writing especially, there comes a point where form and substance DO meet. The substance of an idea (especially a new or at least unusual one) is unlikely to be understood if the style is too dense. Poor style can obscure ideas either partially, with the result that they're misunderstood, or wholly, with the result that they go unnoticed at all.

I usually keep my head down in discussions of this album, but I have to admit that it leaves me a bit cold...

Wow, I'd love to here Cherry playing Monk on the piano!

Thanks - I'll pick them up when the seller's next in town! It was Creative Music Orchestra and another, if I remember correctly. Chuck, in the early days, were you ever tempted/in a position to record Braxton when he was still in Chicago for your label?

I don't know what to make of Ehrlich...I don't know his playing beyond this quartet, and generally when I listen, I'm so startled by Braxton's piano that I overlook Ehrlich. Will make a concerted effort later to listen to him. Does anyone know how likely the Arista stuff is to appear as a Mosaic? I held off buying a couple of LPs the other day, having this thought in the back of my head.

I very much enjoy this album. Simmons and Lasha are both really interesting. The playing on this album brings Joe Harriott to mind, although I don't know the work of any of the three well enough to know if this is a fair comparison. The solo horn introduction to Lost Generation (is this correct? I'm going from memory) is enthralling. I like the compositions here a lot as well; I've always thought that Congo Call would be a nice one to take down and play.

I think maybe North also did 'The Misfits'

Thank you - that discussion is really interesting.

I just picked up an old LP of duets between Warne Marsh and Red Mitchell. I can really hear a lot of Marsh in Braxton playing standards.

Thanks Chuck. Is it musically significant? Are there any obvious ways to pick one from the other just by listening? I often see Ken Vandermark referred to as a typical Northside player, which was what suggested this question to me; as far as I'm aware, I haven't heard any 'Northside' music, and wondered whether North/South side styles were sufficiently cognate that liking one, I would have an idea that I liked the other!

One other thing. More embarassing than the above, north/south of what? A river?

Not that consequential, I suppose, but interesting to know for the purposes of recognising other things I might like! I've now seen in a few places the distinction between 'Northside' and 'Southside' playing from Chicago. Is this a valid disctinction? What are the distinguishing features of playing from the respective 'sides'? Am I correct in thinking that the AACM is predominantly a Southside thing? Sorry, these are questions from a non-American, non-Chicagoan - I'm just curious! Thanks in advance!

Hmmm always wondered who this guy was (not to keenly). Doesn't he appear in the lyrics of a Slim Gaillard song? 'Jumpin' at the Record Shop', or something like that?!?

I scribbled something above about Braxton's piano playing. I'm intrigued. I find it a little 'easier' to hear him play ballads just at the moment - there are more little snippets of single line type work. It's in his playing of things like 'Body and Soul' from Yoshi's (1994) that I hear the Monk/Elmo Hope thing. I find his more 'up' playing quite daunting at times. Real keyboard 'assaults', a lot of the time. On the first couple of listens, I found it quite primitive, especially compared with his horn work; but as I spend a bit more time with it, I'm coming around to it. I think as much as anything, I admire his playing. He seems to be doing something original, and although I don't always recognise where, he seems to know where he wants to get. On a slight tangent, I've found it interesting - having only just recently got into Braxton - to listen to the Yoshi's discs in the same period as the 23 Standards music. The Yoshi's things seem to be a lot closer to his 'restructuralist' tendencies that the more 'stylistic' 23 Standards discs.