HutchFan

Dick Hyman - Plays Harold Arlen: Blues in the Night (Musicmasters, 1990) Hyman made a series of solo-piano albums for Musicmasters dedicated to GAS composers. They're all excellent, but I like this one best.

Last thing I'll say on this topic, because I fear that I've taken us down a rabbit hole: I don't think sound and music are the same thing. It's not my intention to say that they are equivalent. I think sounds are the building blocks of music. Music is sounds that have been organized. Sounds are organized by the composer/musician, and the musical composition is perceived by the listener. But there is a great deal of "wiggle room" between the composer and the listener. It's not a 1:1 relationship like math -- or even verbal language. It's a very, very loose language -- and that's one of the things that makes it so wonderful. It's also one of the aspects of music that makes it able to express feelings, ideas, and emotions that seem to reach BEYOND the constraints of everyday language. Re: Cage -- I think he was playing with the idea of sound as music -- without the composer playing any part in organizing it. The whole aleatory thing. I suppose that's sort of interesting. But I prefer sounds that have been organized into music on both the composer's end and the listener's end. In a piece like 4'33", it's only happening on the listener's end. Or at least that's what I think he was going for.

I don't disagree. Yes, music is a sort of language with rules or conventions that make it understandable to others. But those rules and conventions are meaningless outside of consciousness, a framework that makes them meaningful. I would say that music "on the page" -- that is, music apart from human experience -- is just like color in the world of nature. Without an eyeball and an optic nerve and a brain and a consciousness, color as we commonly think of it doesn't exist. The human interpretive act is an inseparable part of the equation. No human being, no color (as we know it). Of course, color can be expressed by a physicist in terms of a mathematical formula, I suppose. But how relevant is that when we are looking at a sunset or a painting. The meaning doesn't come from the math, it comes from our inner experience, the act of perceiving an outer reality.

No argument from me there. However, I would argue that subjective experience is what makes music meaningful. The other, objective stuff is only sounds. In other words -- from my point of view -- the objective is inseparable from the subjective. Particularly when we're dealing with a subject like music.

mjazzg, I would argue that ALL of our experiences of music are subjective experiences! That's what makes music so powerful and wonderful and unique -- and closer to expressing the ineffable than any other art! I'm not even familiar with the music being discussed, but I say that your reaction to the music is 100% valid AND soulpope's reaction is 100% valid. There's no need to try to make them align -- especially if, by doing so, you reduce the scope of music that you enjoy. OTOH, I think it's a healthy and soul-enlarging process to go the other way around: Striving to hear music that you haven't found your way in to, trying to make sense of music that doesn't "resonate." Doing that expands the scope of your musical world. *************** Just re-read what I'd posted and I'll say "Sorry!" if I've butted in on your conversation. Just couldn't resist the opportunity to opine/preach/"ride my hobbyhorse."

Yes. This. And this too!

Rab - When you say "Latin America," are you specifically interested in Central & South American artists & bands? Or were you also interested in the Caribbean?

Prompted by the Latin-American jazz thread started by @Rabshakeh: Opa - Goldenwings / Magic Time (Milestone)

I really like this Brazilian band: @Rabshakeh, the YouTuber who posted this video, pimalves, has many other Brazilian/Latin American albums on their channel: https://www.youtube.com/@adamalvespin/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0 Lots of stuff to explore there! Another thought: If you like Airto Moreira's music, he produced two albums for the Uruguayan band Opa. (Several of the Opa band members also played in Airto's band Fingers.) The two Airto-produced Opa albums were made for Milestone: Goldenwings (1976) and Magic Time (1977). Both were released on a single CD, and I'd definitely recommend it -- especially if you enjoy Airto's sort of Brazilian/pan-Latin fusion.

Enrico Pieranunzi Trio - Seaward (Soul Note, 1996) with Hein Van de Geyn & André Ceccarelli

It's very good. I think Pieranunzi subsequently took his music to an even higher level (beginning in the 1990s), but Vol. 2 is still very strong.

IMO, the most amazing assemblages of soloists were in various incarnations of Duke Ellington's bands. Consider: - Ellington (as pianist, composer, and bandleader) - Harry Carney - Johnny Hodges - Paul Gonsalves, Ben Webster, Jimmy Forrest, Harold Ashby - Barney Bigard, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton - Bubber Miley, Rex Stewart, Cootie Williams, Ray Nance, Clark Terry, Shorty Baker, Cat Anderson, Taft Jordan - "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown, Tyree Glenn, Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, Booty Wood - Wellman Braud, Jimmy Blanton, Junior Raglin, Oscar Pettiford, Jimmy Woode - Sonny Greer, Louie Bellson, Sam Woodyard - Adelaide Hall, Ivie Anderson, Betty Roché, Al Hibbler, Herb Jeffries - Billy Strayhorn (composer, arranger) Without a doubt, each of these artists were made "greater than the sum of their individual parts" by being part of Ellington's orchestra. But still... "super bands" for sure.

Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler, et al - Live at Roccella Jonica (Splasc(h), 1985)

Now on my turntable: Mike Richmond - Dream Waves (Inner City/Sonet, 1978) with Andy LaVerne & Billy Hart An off-the-beaten-path gem.

Yes! Lacy at his best! I've come to the same conclusion. They were remarkably consistent from beginning to end.

Marlene VerPlanck Sings Alec Wilder (Audiophile, 1986) with Loonis McGlohon (p), Rick Petrone (b), and Mel Lewis (d) This album is a definite (if unlikely) favorite discovery of 2022. It's really gotten under my skin. I'm not sure how much improvising is happening. In that regard, I suppose it's cabaret as much as it's jazz. Then again, one of the pleasing aspects of Wilder's music is that it's nearly impossible to pigeonhole. Regardless of category, I'm very taken with the songs and VerPlanck's clear-as-a-bell singing. Anyone who grew up in the U.S. in the 60s and 70s has heard VerPlanck's voice. Known as the "New York Jingle Queen," she sang for Campbells soup ("Mmm, mmm, good!"), Nationwide insurance ("Nationwide is on your side"), and Michelob beer ("Weekends were made for Michelob... Yeah").

Slide Hampton Quintet featuring Clifford Jordan - Roots (Criss Cross, 1985) They're terrific. I went bananas for J&R this year, bought about a dozen of their albums. And I've enjoyed every single one.

You cannot go wrong with Blue Mitchell !!!

Me too. I think current & ongoing re-assessment of jazz in the 1970s--including "spiritual jazz"--was long overdue. They pushed at boundaries and tried new things. Some of it worked, and some of it didn't -- but the best of it was amazing, imo.

Enrico Pieranunzi Trio - Vol. 2 (YVP, rec. 1988)

I'm not familiar with that one. Thanks for the heads-up!

Well done!

Prompted by the @bresna post above re: Paolo Fresu: Aldo Romano - Ritual (Owl, 1988) with Franco D'Andrea, Paolo Fresu, and Furio DiCastri