montg

Good to find another Murray fan here. And one of the great things about Murray is that there's just so many titles out there to listen too! The man certainly has a rich catalogue! I purchased my first Murray CD this year--Octet plays Trane--and it's been in heavy rotation since. Somehow the octet mangaes to fuse looseness and structure, it's really powerful. The music is more accessible than I thought it might be. This was the year of the jazz guitar for me, an instrument that was on my periphery in the past. Unexpectedly, the Brookmeyer Select was a catalyst, I really enjoyed Raney and Jim Hall on those sessions. From there it was Tal Farlow Mosaic...game, set, match. I'm hooked. I can't imagine anyone not being moved by the beauty and brilliance of that set. I've also learned to appreciate the openess and clarity of a rhythm section where the guitar is the only chordal instrument. I've been seeking out more music lately with this configuration (Chico Hamilton, Paul Desmond-Jim Hall, Charles Lloyd ECMs and so forth).

Thought I'd bump this thread up, Monday was the centennial of Red's birth.

The only thing that gives me pause is the claim 'his most diverse set to date'. For Carter, my preference would be a greater focus rather than displaying the entire arsenal, but I guess we'll see. Cuscuna has a good enough track record!

The trio album--with guests Lovano, Chris Cheek, and Dewey...This one made a lot of top ten lists, I haven't seen much discussion here though. Any interest or opinions? I haven't really listened to much Redman on CD (Other than the SF Jazz Collective CDs). I've been considering picking this one up for awhile.

How's the Kenny Cox Blue Note Conn? I was considering picking it up, the sound samples are interesting

Carter has a new release scheduled for April--finally! The new album will be a straightahead set with Carter playing flute, bass clarinet, soprano sax, tenor sax and baritone sax on with a host of top jazz players accompanying him in the band including Dwight Adams (trumpet & flugelhorn), D.D. Jackson (piano), Rodney Jones (guitar on three tracks), James Genus (bass) and Victor Lewis (drums). Covering original works by Carter through to classics by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Django Reinhardt and Julius Hemphill among others this will be Carter’s most diverse set to date. Releasing eleven albums to date on Columbia, Atlantic, Warner Brothers and his own Half Note label he has now signed a deal with Emarcy. Carter has already recorded the brand new set with legendary jazz producer Michael Cuscuna – acclaimed for his masterful reissue work and producing the likes of Dave Brubeck and the Art Ensemble of Chicago – the as yet untitled album will be released in April 2008. source: emarcy news

I heard a track the other day on radio that just blew me away...it took me a day to find out what it was, turns out it's a song from Atlantis ('Makin' out). The absolute power of Tyner's playing in this era is awesome. I ordered the Atlantis cd from concord today, can't wait.

I went to CD Now to listen to some tracks and now I'm totally not sure about this one. Although I dig organ playing, it sounds kind of old-fashioned here. So I may not pick this one up afterall. I like the PQ disc a lot (even the organ sessions). Very nice small group swing from an era that's somewhat underrepresented recordingwise-early 50s. The key, to me, is how you feel about Quinichette...if you feel he's completely derivative of Pres, you won't dig it. If you feel PQ is authentic--that somehow Pres' thing is his thing in a personal way, then you'll like it. I like it!

Cool story, thanks for sharing it

I like the Shank disc, although I agree other sessions were prolly more deserving. The last 4 selections (flute 'n oboe) are maybe the weak link in an otherwise enjoyable session, imho. Regarding Katanga: What a great album. A friend was visiting last night, he's not much into jazz but 'Native Land' was playing on my computer itunes and he stopped, almost in mid-sentence, walked over to the computer and squinted to see what was playing, Katanga's a head-turner!

Who's Bill Chase? Other than Nistico and a couple of others, I'm not too familiar with a lot of those names in the Herman band. Bad on me.

I order my own Christmas CDs about a month ahead of time, my wife is kind enough to wrap them and I wait until Christmas...kind of goofy, i guess, but it works for me. Andrew HIll Select (#16-wonderful music, I really really love the strings session) and a few odds and ends from Concord: Don Elliot, Don Freidman (Metamorphosis), and Bill Smith (Folk Jazz, a surprisingly nice session, featuring Jim Hall).

Stuff Smith "Twilight in Turkey"

Good call, I always enjoy DT's reviews on the bagatellen site. Thanks for the link.

Here are a lot more top ten lists from 2007 from jazz 'critics' jazz journalists association top ten 2007 I tend to agree with elder don's sentiments--to the extent i can parse them; understanding is, after all, part of the adventure. Tthe Slate list is a pretty bland one to me. It is, for the most part, the 'top ten corporate sponsored' jazz recordings of 2007. Or 'the top 10 jazz recordings reflecting and/or contributing to the gentrification of jazz'. Unfortunately, I have no alternatives to offer. If there's something new and underground that's really worthy of acclaim, I'd love to know what it is.

Rudresh Mahanthappa has a pretty distinctive voice, an exception to the sound-alike players the music schools take pride in producing. I've grown to really like his playing on Reimagining, I've been meaning to explore some more, thanks for bringing up this thread. According to his website he has a new cd due out in Fall 2008. rudresh

Here's a fairly typical hour of 'jazz' programing from my local public radio station. I assume it's consultant-driven and serves very well whatever purposes the consultants are attempting to achieve. But from my standpoint, it also exemplifies the compromise of public radio's identity that the corporate mentality invites. Nothing against any music on that list, per se. But the suits love vocals and piano trios and romantic sax quartets, and have pretty much squeezed pre 50s jazz, inside/outside jazz, and so many other forms of the music right off of the public airwaves. 9:00 Blackbird Ken Karsh Ventana 09:06 Thinking Of You Houston Person Thinking Of You 09:11 It's Only A Paper Moon Ray Brown Bassics 09:19 Hot Christmas Squirrel Nut Zippers Christmas Caravan 09:22 I'll Be Your Baby Tonig Curtis Stigers Real Emotional 09:28 Our Love Is Here To Sta Louis Armstr/Ella Fitzger An American Icon 09:33 Half Step Bill Charlap Souvenir 09:39 He Ain't Got Ryhthm Champian Fulton With David Berger & the 09:43 The Way You Look Tonigh Erroll Garner Body & Soul

I'd be very,very happy if the bolded got reissued! The McCann and others idea sounds interesting--I'd spring for it.

The Farlow is one of the most enjoyable of the Mosaics for me. I wasn't much of a jazz guitar fan until listening to Farlow. He has what is, for me, one of the essential qualities of jazz--the ability to humanize the instrument. Not an easy thing to do, I'm sure, on any insturment, but particularly the guitar. But somehow he has a sound and approach that is distinct--and man, can Farlow and Eddie Costa fly!

It was recently released on cd, which is pretty remarkable considering the shrinking cd market! katz at amazon BB, thank you for the overview. I've been only able to hear excerpts so far, and a couple of selections on the npr site--it reminds me a little of the Duane Tatro CD Jazz for Moderns, which I enjoy a lot.

I'm wondering what people think about Katz' Folk songs for far out folks? Sounds interesting. The 1959 lost classic, Folk Songs for Far Out Folk by Jazz Innovator, Fred Katz, the gentleman who wrote the original score to Little Shop of Horrors, brought the cello to the forefront of the jazz repertoire as part of the legendary Chico Hamilton Quintet, and gave the world the ever-popular Sidney Poitier Reads Plato. Katz believed that jazz was born from "the roots of the people." The roots he explores here are American, Hebrew, and African folk songs, all reinterpreted by Katz for jazz orchestras. The Hebrew folk songs speak to Katz's own roots as the Brooklyn-born son of a kabbalist and communist dentist. Katz is joined by the legendary likes of saxophonist Paul Horn, flutist Buddy Collette, and pianist John Williams (years before he composed the score to Star Wars). (from the website rebootstereophonic ) Any other Katz recommendations? npr feature today on Katz npr fred katz

Features the utterly fabulous and stupendous The Sleeping Lady and the Giant Who Watches Over Her. i second the 'utterly fabulous' and 'stupendous' adjectives for this piece. This is a great album

I grew up in the 70s listening to radio all the time. I love radio. I used to turn the am radio on late at night when I was a kid and turn the dial to get all sorts of interesting radio stations, across the Midwest, Southeast, and Canada on good nights for receptions. It saddens me to see what has become of radio today. Your quote above perfectly sums up the jazz programming on my local public radio station. It's so boring and bland, and at times marginally jazz with all the vocalists, I don't listen to it anymore, it just frustrates me. I can't see how any kid curious about jazz would be anything but turned off to the music if he/she turned to public radio to become initiated. I have satellite radio, where the programming is better--at least I have a chance to hear someone like Tina Brooks--although the satellite station is still somewhat limited, particularly in missing out on newer jazz artists. I listen to internet streams, mostly those produced by board members, and, increasingly, as my own library continues to get downloaded on my itunes, I'm becoming my own radio programmer (for better and for worse, I guess).

Next year may be the year the major labels died--or at least abandoned the music bidness. Hopefully, the vaults will open to some specialty companies like Mosaic as the majors give up the their vain, greedy fight.

Some newer releases I picked this year and enjoyed (most were not released in 2007, I usually lag behind) Dave Douglas --Meaning and Mystery Maria Schneider--Concert in the Garden Ari Brown--Live at the Green Mill Charles Lloyd--Hyperion with Higgins Oliver Lake--Talkin' Stick Ben Allison-Cowboy Justice Reissues I picked up in 2007 that really stand out for me (I've been catching up with a lot of Conns) Booker Ervin --Tex Book Tenor Sam Rivers --Countours My best purchase this year, at least reissue-wise, was the Tal Farlow Mosaic. For consistency and all-around excellence, this one is hard to top: