Larry Kart

Inside Schoenberg's mind (or soul) circa 1917: From the text of Die Jakobsleiter: "Though grandeur gleams around me, humiliation still chafes me; I attempt to flee from matter; disgust makes it easy for me, hunger forces me back. However high I raised myself, I shoiuld nver lose them from my sight; their best is mine; as is their worst. I plunder, steal, and wrest I way, disdain what is acquire and inherited,gather it together, seize it, to grab it anew, to shape a model certainly new, perhaps higher. They are the theme, I the variation. But a different motive impels me, drives me to a different goal. Which? I must know that! Away! I leave my word here: ponder it well! I take my form with me; it lies ahead of you meantime until it reappears in your midst with new words -- the old ones again -- to be misunderstood once more. Even rather prophetic, one might say: e.g. "I take my form with me; it lies ahead of you meantime until it reappears in your midst with new words -- the old ones again -- to be misunderstood once more."

BTW, there was the case of Han van Meegeren (see Wikipedia), the 20th Century forger who created a great many fake Vermeers and reaped a good-sized fortune from selling them -- this process fueled in good part because Vermeer left behind distressingly few paintings. Because van Meegeren was such a talented forger, and thus in some respects a highly talented painter per se, there were some who said "So what's the difference between a genuine Vermeer and a Vermeer that van Meegeren faked/made up?" Well one simple difference would be that Vermeer was Vermeer and Van Meegeren was Van Meegeren -- which meant, among other things, that any genuine Vermeer we do have was an expression of Vermeer's sensibility, of who Vermeer actually was, and thus was to some degree connected to all prior and subsequent genuine Vermeer paintings in a continuing narrative, if you will. But Meegeren's fake Vermeer's were expressions only of Van Maeegeren's desire to imitate Vermeer and his ability to do so in a manner that would fool many experts. Further, any Vermeer that was genuine that differed from earlier Vermeers would be evidence of a possible notable change in Vermeer's sensibility, while none of Van Meegren Vermeer's could be allowed by him to differ much if at all from the "Vermeers" he had already forged and put on the market.

" I'm just happy people are still making vibrant music and this jazz music we all love is managing to carry on." Well, I'm not that happy that people are making music that more or less imitates vibrant music. If such imitative music leads you to return to and explore its sources, good -- those sources are readily available, even if the men who created them are no longer alive (or even if, in more than a few cases, they still are). But the ability to distinguish the original from the would-be reproduction is is not unimportant, no? In particular -- and I admit that here it gets tricky, though I myself have no problem with it -- it can give one the ability to, in the case of a player who has been affected by and absorbed powerful influences and yet has come out the other side as his own man (the late Clifford Jordan would be one example, the man you cited, Lou Donaldson, would be another; and what of all the tenor men who were powerfully swayed by Coleman Hawkins or Lester Young?) ... as I was about say, it can give one the ability to detect and sort out those artists' paths of assimilation from others and see just where and how their influences were transformed into each artist's own unmistakably genuine sensibility. In a world where one not only can't detect the difference between, say, Brew Moore, Bill Perkins, and Harry Allen but also is forbidden to say that there are such differences, I might as well slit my wrists.

I buy CDs and LPs (used). Only time I downloaded something was to burn it to a CD -- this because IIRC that was the only way I could obtain what was on that recording. I've never listened to anything via computer, though I have an up-to-date IMac; my amp/speakers/headphone set up delivers superior sound, which matters to me. When I listen to music, it's not for background purposes; I concentrate on it/pay attention.

Kent Nagano's recording of Schoenberg's incomplete but still fairly massive (about 45 minutes) oratorio Die Jakobsleiter (Harmonia Mundi) coupled with the original a cappella version of Friede aid Erden op. 13 and an arrangement of that work (by an unknown hand) for chorus and orchestra. Nagono's recording of the quite difficult to realize Die Jakobsleiter is luminous and precise, with baritone Dietrich Henschel in the crucial part of Gabriel a standout. The closing pages, with a soprano soaring above are stunning. Schoenberg broke off work on Die Jakobsleiter when he was called up. to serve in the the German Army in World War I and never returned to it; the part that he left virtually complete was scrupulously filled in by his pupil Winifred Zillig. Known for working at white heat, Schoenbeg may never have regained the requisite fire to continue with part two -- the total work, libretto by Schoenberg, would have been at least twice as long -- though some speculate that what S had written so far was so prophetic of future developments in his music that he may have felt that what he had had in mind musically for Part Two either would no longer match up with the libretto of Part Two or that he felt that he didn't yet have the musical means at hand to realize those prophetic ideas. In any case, Die Jakobsleiter is brilliant and doesn't feel like a torso. P.S. Just listened to it again. Brilliant doesn't begin to describe this work. And as Zillig said, torso though it may be in one sense, the ending of the part we have is one of the moar remarkable "endings" in music. The sense it creates of entering previously unknown spheres!

If you like Nick Brignola, I can endorse "On A Different Level" (DeJohnnete is on fire there) "Flight of the Eagle," "It's Time," "Seems Like Old Times," and "Raincheck." The others from Nick on the list I haven't heard. I should add that"It's Time" has some non-bari, multi-track pieces, which I think come across just fine, but some might bridle at the idea; in any case, Nick plays very well on all his horns. Also, for John Hicks fans, he's in excellent form on "Seems Like Old Times." He and Nick are a good pairing, as are Nick and Claudio Roditi.

And I do hope you'll take note of what I said about Grant Stewart and his influences and where he's gone with them versus Alexander and his influences and where he's gone with. them. If it's all pretty much the same to you, so be it. It isn't to me. And I have 66 years of experience, and boy what I learned in those extra three years! ): BTW, when Stewart hit me the way he did, I was a bit surprised, because i heard the Rollinisms and Mobleyisms right off and thought that that would be it. But no.

The hell with it; I just ordered "Bright Moments" despite Alexander's presence. I do, however, love Grant Stewart's playing -- to me the difference between him and and Alexander defines the difference between being influenced by other playrers (in Stewart's case Rollins and Mobley) and then building something fresh, personal , and "in the now" on that versus virtually reproducing another man's licks and breath, where in Alexander's case one wonders (at least I do) why not go back to the original that's being emulated and forget about the near Xerox copy? Also this sort of and degree of emulation just feels creepy to me.

The Barnes/McKenna "'The More I See You" arrived today -- very good so far. A bit puzzled, though, about who's who because they sound rather similar. A note on the jacket says that Barnes is panned to the left and McKenna to the right, which fits my sense of who they are stylistically based on a few prior encounters with their work -- Barnes more long-lined and elusive/adventurous harmonically and rhythmically, McKenna more gruff in tone and foursquare in his phrasing. albeit they both swing hard. The liner notes by tenor man Sam Taylor mention one track and say that Barnes solos first there, but the player who solos first on that track is on the right. Anyone have a clue as to how to sort this out?

Absolutely

Sure do remember the Beehive thing. I'll have to listen again, but I'm not sure Nicky wasn't in better shape on "Bird Lives!" The Beehive pairing of Clifford and Max, though, was almost beyond belief.

Prejudice or learned experience, take your pick. Second-hand George Coleman doesn't work for me. Influence is one thing -- this IMO is another.

Looks promising except for Eric Alexander.

Nicky (not Nickie) Hill can be heard at his best on that live Charlie Parker memorial concert album held under Joe Segal's aegis, with Ira Sullivan the featured artist and two fine rhythm sections -- Jodie Christian, Donald Garrett, and Wilbur Campbell and Dorrel Anderson alternating on drums. I was there and was thrilled to the roots of my being. Nicky was, as Dexter said of Mobley, so hip. He sounded, maybe, like a cross between the Hankenstein and Wardell Grey. Heard him a lot back in the day -- sadly, he was somewhat erratic for the usual reasons, messed up too much. But when you heard him when he was on, in the good sense -- whoa! Very heady, and as the saying goes, he could swing you into bad health.

Me, too -- that was a great slice in time for Sonny.

Wish I did, but when I looked Vol. 2 was too pricey ($37.50). I got Vol. 1 through Tommy's Jazz Criss Cross offer for $14 IIRC, along with some other Criss Cross titles, all worthwhile. I'll get for the Barnes-McKenna CD now (thanks for the heads up) and maybe add the McKenna/Sam Taylor. I have one of Taylor's own CDs, which was very good.

Maybe the only post-bop date that I know that doesn't sound like a "post-bop" date if you know what I mean but just is. Swana is his own man, an urgent/genuine linear player not unlike Bill Hardman, the late tenor man Bootsie Barnes probably never left the semi-Mobely-esque bag he came up in (he also reminds me some of a mostly forgotten Chicagoan, Nicky Hill), and the rhythm section is excellent, as is the writing, mostly originals.

Obit writer in training? ""Bennie Goodman"... "Charlie Parker's fast, jumpy sax solos..." Good that they took note of Joe's passing though.

Fine drummer, GREAT big band drummer. He's particularly inspired on the Bill Potts "Porgy and Bess" album. I believe I was told that he was a bit late for the date and sight read his way through things all the way. Maybe that's just what a pro should be able to do, but to do that at such a high level of inspiration! There lot of "hits" written into in those arrangements, and Persip nails them in an utterly free manner, as though he were making it all up. Also, he had a big beat, if you know what I mean.

Thanks for the tip. I just ordered It.

Two political posts deleted. You know who you are and where the line is.

It's one thing for Gary Peacock not to be put off by the tone of a somewhat goofy Candoli Brothers album (don' t know that one myself, but I like the Candolis in all modes; for Gary it was just a gig) and another thing to be Gary Peacock and to be a member of Evans' working trio and not to be bugged by Creed Taylor messing with that date in the studio in whatever way he did -- the "way" we don't know except that it alienated all three musicians. BTW, doesn't a good producer know that alienating the members of the group you're recording is seldom a good idea? BTW, dig the Candolis in the movie "Bell, Book, and Candle," with Kim Novak, Jimmy Stewart, and Jack Lemmon. The scene where the Candolis agitated duo trumpet work drives Janice Rule out of her mind is priceless. The Candolis arrive at about 5:10 but the whole scene should be seen.

It's not so much WHO followed Alfred, though some tried to (he certainly was an inspiration for Chuck, for one), but that the MUSIC to some notable degree has followed the music that Alfred significantly fostered. And I'm not just thinking of BN's shaping influence on latter-day hard bop, but of the influence of the whole broad reach of Blue Note -- e.g. Andrew Hill, Sam Rivers, Shorter, the two Tony Williams albums, the more adventurous Hutcherson albums. et al. Gazing at, for one, the liner notes for various semi-recent Criss Cross releases, I can't tell you how many times that label's artists cite recordings from what might called the "left wing" of vintage Blue Note as crucial influences on their own music.

My point is that Creed Taylor mattered mostly to himself and to his bosses until, as you say, he didn't. I don't dislike Taylor that much, enjoy many albums he produced, just don't see why he mattered that much. This sensibility of his seems to me to have run about as deep as an interior decorator's -- nice if you like that kind of decor, and nice for him and his bosses if a reasonable-sized segment public digs it for a reasonable chunk of time, but then? Surely, Lion's footprint was deeper and of more consequence. It's not just a matter of reflecting sensibilities but of what your taste and core values are. That Lion's "sensibility"(i.e. his taste and values) led him to put a bunch of chips behind Jimmy Smith right after he heard him in a club for the first time certainly paid off for Lion, is one thing; that Smith went on to make the fine, fun big-band albums he did for Verve (those were Taylor productions, right?) is another. Yes, it takes all kinds (don't forget Oliver Nelson), and I admit that circumstances and timing are fluid things, and in terms of results Creed Taylor is not Enoch Light. But if we're lining up sensibilities and could read minds, I'd bet that Taylor and Light had more in common in their noggins than not. If Creed could have made money off of Dick Schory, I think he would have in a minute.

How many of the Mel Lewis records that Sonny Lester sold were sold because of the efforts and "calls' of Sonny Lester? Financial backing, sure, but that could have been a lot of people. Sure, producers "ride on the backs of others"; how could it be otherwise? But you were talking about Creed's meaningful "calls." Versus Alfred Lion's? George Avakian's? Milt Gabler's? Or even, knowing full well what a jerk and a blowhard he was, John Hammond's? The list could go on. And what of Chuck Nessa, who is an different category but who has done more for the music than Creed could ever imagine. The CT albums you mention above were commercial successfully and musically solid but in the over all scheme of things -- meh . . . or meaningful only within the context of that squishy fraught time for the music and, if you will, in terms of Wes Montgomery's financial well-being (assuming the cash for his albums was distributed to him in an equitable fashion before his death). That is not nothing but not something that alters the course of the music, as the Jones-Lewis outfit arguably did to some degree and in a more e or less lasting manner. I think that the fact and continuing legacy of Thad's writing, and the fact that such a band has been viable as long as it has been, probably matters more in the overall scheme of things than Sunflower, Salt Song, Road Song, and the rest of Creed's legacy. What next? Erect a statue of Clive Davis?