Joe M

The way I see it, Blue Note today reflects of the tastes and musical direction of its boss (Bruce Lundvall) just as much as it did back in the 50's and 60's. The only thing is there's a different guy running the show now, so of course he's going to do it his way, and part of that means paying the bills. The good thing is, no matter what they put out today, good or bad, jazz or not, the legacy of the 50's and 60's output is secure, what happens today is simply a different story. Plus, keep in mind, the market is different today, it's more about who your audience is, and I think in Lundvall's mind, they typical Blue Note customer is not the hard core hard bop head (not enough of them to make it happen $-wise), but rather a well educated, upper middle class person with some disposable income, someone who is willing to spend a few dollars to buy a record rather than download it off of a file sharing site, etc. That person probably likes jazz, owns Kind of Blue and Time Out, and enjoys music by the likes of Cassandra Wilson and Norah and Van Morrison, etc. In a way, I think Lundvall is looking at the model of a label like Nonesuch, a label that can release some serious enthusiast recordings (Richard Goode's output for the label on the classical side, Bill Frissel on the jazz side) and mix that in with other music that isn't really stylistically similar but attracts the same listeners (Wilco, Caetano Veloso, etc), or at least listeners that fit the same demographic profile. As far as Lion and Wolff being upset, well, they aren't around now, but I think even if they were upset, they'd be just as happy to know that their legacy still lives on in the music, and the people who love it, regardless of the company that owns the tapes. Hey, at least Blue Note isn't trying to do what the guys at Columbia are doing with their "jazz" program. Wait till you hear their new "jazz sensation" - Nellie McKay, the sticker on the cd compares her to "two of pop cultures polar opposites - Doris Day and Eminem." (I'm not kidding - she combines the worst aspects of both!) They're trying to push it to jazz radio right now, so just be glad it's Norah that Blue Note people have to put up with and not this cabaret/hip-hop from a 19 year old white girl "piano prodigy" garbage.

Yeah, this is really nice. I wasn't familiar with the group before this cd but it's real nice, it doesn't sound like your typical bop record, yet is still in the same relative ballpark. Margitza sounds very good, haven't heard anything from him for a few years now. BTW, Sunnyside is releasing a TON a great stuff these days. Did anyone around here catch Diego Urcola's new cd Soundances? This guy is really someone to watch out for. He's listened to plenty of Freddie, but he's got his own sound and concept.

Ahhh! "Mel Lewis" that's the one. Thank you. Sounds like a very interesting album. Sundog - PM me, perhaps I can help.

You all know that Norah makes a guest cameo on the album?

Try this: Mel Lewis & the Jazz Orchestra "Make Me Smile & Other New Works By Bob Brookmeyer" Recorded in Concert at the Village Vanguard Finesse Records FW 37987 Recorded January 7th thru 11th, 1982 featuring Dick Oatts, Tom Harrell, Joe Lovano, Kenny Garrett, Jim McNeely, Bob Brookmeyer & Mel Lewis Don't know if it's ever been on cd.

BTW, Jan (and everyone else) sounds great, wait, make that GREAT on this new cd. Bev is right it is more mainstream than what Jan has been doing for some time now, but it's very good, and I think all fans of Jan's playing, old or new would really enjoy this, and perhaps even be a bit surprised at times.

Well, yes and no. The days of the big labels putting out new hard bop records by young, relatively talented young lions is over. For example, Verve wouldn't release any Harper Brothers records in this era. You have to be either a big name (Wayne or Herbie or Brecker) or have some crossover appeal, for the most part. Or be a vocalist. Still, while you may not see as large of a jazz section in stores today, from what people in the business tell me, the jazz imprints at the major labels are holding their own, in many cases far better than their pop counterparts. There's money to be made in jazz, even for the big guys, they just can't go out and start signing Marlon Jordans and Javon Jacksons to multi record deals anymore.

I just got this in the mail today from Savoy. If you thought the whole Verve Remixed thing was controversial, I guess this one just upped the ante. Just the idea of this record turned me off, and I don't consider myself to be a mouldy fig (there's some nice stuff on the new Verve Remixed 2 album). This one just makes no sense, and totally passes over the true briliance of Parker's work. People featured on the project include Me'shell NdegeOcello, Dr. John, the Kronos Quartet, Dan the Automator, Hal Willner, Hubert Laws, Ravi Coltrane, Rob Swift and others. And the record sounds as just as odd as all those names thrown together would lead one to believe. It seemed like a bad idea, and sounds like an even worse one (at least to these ears). Any thoughts on this, even the idea, if you haven't heard it?

I'm surprised no one has talked about this new cd yet. It was recorded live at Antibes last year. It's a very inspired trio set, recorded under some apparently less than perfect conditions, but all three (Peacock and DeJohnette) rise to the occasion. I think it's easily among the best cds by the group. Almost all of the material has been recorded by Keith, but it's all very fresh. Keith's solo on Someday My Prince will come also really surprised me, for at times it sounds (at least to these ears) as though he's making some very subtle allusions to Wynton Kelly's solo on the Miles album of the same name, which certainly caught me off guard. He's not quoting Wynton, but at times he approaches the various changes in a way that seems to make reference to Kelly's solo. It's also interesting to hear the trio return with a cd of standards after the last two records, they sound energized. Any thoughts?

Luciana Souza

Dave Douglas That being said, I like much of his music, but I'm just tired of hearing how "brilliant" he is! Good, but not brilliant.

Yeah, I think the last person that had been playing "pre 60's" blues and swing based jazz just quit last week, so I guess it's now officially "over". It's all just hype, "movement" or not. They never stopped playing that music, and they never will. Maybe the media just isn't going to talk about it much, just like the didn't around 1973 or so. What IS over is the era of the "young lions" on big record labels. But hard bop, bebop, whatever you want to call it is still alive and is being played by quite a few musicians, even many of those who have released "fusion" albums. For example Roy Hargrove has a new neo-soul cd, but he still has his quintet and continues to tour with both groups. BTW, add Nicholas Payton to the list of those going down the "fusion" road.

Pardon me while I go vomit... (inside joke for Harley fans)

That's cool, I stayed away from Goodman for a long time, and when the Charlie Christian box came out last year, it really changed my opinion of his music. It's almost unfair to call it the Charlie Christian box, there's so many great musicians on those sessions. Also, try checking out some Artie Shaw, I think Bluebird has but together some nice reissues/comps in their new incarnation in the past couple of years.

I know Goodman might not be to "hip" these days, but if you write him off, you're writing off a lot of excellent music. That said, maybe try some Phil Woods, though you're not likely to find more than a few clarinet cuts on any one of his recordings. He has some very nice clarinet work on Mike Melvoin's new cd "It's Always You" but he's only on a few cuts. One of my favorites is Paquito D'Rivera, who is a highly underrated clarinetist, he has complete mastery of the instrument, and has a nice modern conception. Peploski also has a recent cd out on Nagel Heyer, with some nice Strayhorn material as I recall, and a nice band (I think w/ Lewis Nash). And then there's always Jimmy Hamilton's work with Ellington!

Personally, I can't get worked up one way or another about Wynton signing with Blue Note. Some may find his music boring, but it's a lot more interesting than all of the digital ink people waste on talking about him! On the other hand, I guess considering the fact that HE is the cause of all of problems "creative" jazz musicians face today, maybe we all SHOULD be mad that Blue Note would dare sign him! I just can't get worked up about it, that's all. I mean, yes, I know David S. Ware's new recording of the Freedom Suite would be on top of the Billboard Jazz sales charts if it wasn't for Wynton telling people not to like that kind of thing. After all, the American public sits glued to their radios and tv's waiting to hear what Wynton has to say about jazz. Face it, most people have NO CLUE about jazz. None. Not at all. They don't give an f*@% about innovation or improvisation or swing or avant garde or what is or isn't jazz. And they especially don't care about J@LC. The argument that Wynton has deluded the masses about what "is" jazz doesn't fly. We in the jazz world think everyone knows who Wynton is, but believe me, most people I know have no clue who he is, and no clue about anything about jazz. If I tell someone I'm a jazz fan, there's two stock reactions. 1) blank stare, 2) oh, I LOVE Kenny G! Wynton isn't a factor. Jazz started down the road to elitism decades before Wynton was born, and to 96 percent of the population it is totally irrelvant and that has NOTHING to do with Wynton, they don't even know who he is! Do you really think an auto mechanic in Oklahoma City who has to work all day and then gets home and worries about how he's going to pay the next month's rent is going to give a damn about pretentious improvised art music (with no lyrics)? - Wynton or not? Either way, jazz is not a factor in his life, or the lives of most people, this is NOT Wynton's fault, and he has NOTHING to do with it. Yes, it may be a big topic of debate in the uppity Lincoln Center scene or oh so hip downtown music circles, (or on jazz BBS's) but to most people jazz, no matter what - Ken Burns, Pulitzer Prize, Columbia Records, three piece suit, gumbo - jazz, be it swing, bebop, fusion, avant garde or retro, simply isn't an issue, and it's not even close to being one! Only crazy jazz people like us who live in our own little worlds can't figure out why more people would rather buy the new Beyonce record rather than a new Joe Lovano cd. To quote a famous scholar - "duh!" Wynton didn't kill jazz, because most people don't know it EVER existed! This is one of those crazy arcane topics that insiders in a particular biz or scene go crazy about, and one which outsiders say, "what's all the fuss about - WHO CARES!" Wynton threads remind me of Star Trek conventions where people get into arguments about why Spock said "blank" in episode 31. It may seem like a big life and death issue of passion for those who are so into it, but in reality it's all a bunch of BS that doesn't really matter. All these Wynton lovers and haters need to go out and get into the real world and get a life! So what if he's on Blue Note. Aside from freaks like us WHO CARES and WHY SHOULD THEY?

Wayne.

A very nice disc, nothing surprising, but these guys are the real deal and know how to make it happen. 100 percent genuine. This is like a Prestige release from the late 50's early 60's - not earth shaking, but very tasty.

Wait a second. Where the hell did this artistic director talk come from?!!! I think Bruce Lundvall is very happy with his position right now and with the people working for him in A&R, they're doing well financially, and why in the hell would Blue Note suddenly drop MMW to sign Marcus Roberts? Wynton has sales potential, but not the way it was being done at Sony. Talk about flooding the market! That, and given a Blue Note approach, I think his Blue Note debut could be pretty good, if not excellent. Have any of you heard Ted Nash's new cd w/ Wynton? Oh my! Now that's what we should hope to hear, and on Blue Note, it just might happen. And Kevin is right, Blue Note today is not the label of Lion and Wolff, so the talk of profaning the legacy is a bunch of BS.

Yes, I was at the Monterey Concert in 2000. Here's the setlist- 9-17-00 The Monterey Jazz Festival The Wayne Shorter Quintet - w/ Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Alex Acuna Masquelero Aung San Suu Kyi Ju Ju The Wayne Shorter Quintet with the Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra Orbits Angola Vendiendo Alegria

Yes, I have. It's a nice record, the tracks with Jeremy Pelt are especially good. Yoko's Delight is very cool. EJ Strickland is also becoming very quickly someone to look out for, he really sounds exceptional on everything I've heard from him.

Any more feedback on this one? I think it's brilliant. I had never really thought of Wayne as an arranger, but he does some great thing with the large ensemble. It's interesting to hear how these pieces developed over time. He performed some of them with an orchestra at Monterey in 2000, and it's great to hear them on record. It would have been nice if they had put the recording dates somewhere on the cd. Also, has anyone else noticed the peak distortion on She Walks Through the Fair? I looks like they tried to mask it with a crazy pan effect on the soprano and some reverb, but it's noticeable.

I think Jim would have been better off if he had a more experienced arranger write the charts for the strings. They sound kind of dated, though it's still a nice session, but not great. A good album to compare it to is Stefano DiBattista's new cd on Blue Note, Round About Roma. I'd put both Stefano and Jim on about the same par as players, good players, not on the level of Kenny Garrett or Jackie Mac, but good regardless. Well, Vince Mendoza did the charts for Stefano's cd, and they're wonderful (and I'm not always a big Mendoza fan). They integrate very well with the quartet and the original compositions. By comparisions Snidero's charts just seem to be lacking something.

I'm surprised Osby sells that much! People would be shocked if they found out how few units a lot of well known jazz musicians actually move. That's not to say that you have to do a fusion record to get good sales. Regina Carter's new disc is doing incredibly well, it sold 5,000 in one week, and knocked Norah Jones off the #1 spot at Amazon for the first time in weeks. The thing is, in order to sell, it seems that more than anything else, an album needs to have a compelling story behind it (and be somewhat accessible). Another album of standards or hard bop tunes by a 19 year old trumpet player isn't going to do well anymore, at least not right now, or not well enough for a major record label. People will buy the reissue instead. Now, say what you want about record companies, but I think this album was Roy's baby, though Verve certainly didn't try to stop him. I asked Roy back in 98 about what he wanted to do in the future - the first thing he said was a strings record, the second was some sort of jazz funk electonic record. The good thing about Roy is, he's still got the quintet, and is still doing the bop thing, and I think will keep doing the bop thing, even if this project does really well. By the way, there is no "scratching" on this record (at least that I remember). And there's very little hip hop - freestyles by Common and by Q-tip.

Yes, some of this material was from the Happy People sessions (I think that album was unfarily mailgned. Even if you didn't like the cuts with the vocalist, the Hutcherson tracks, and the rest of the album were all excellent, with lots of great blowing). Now about the 9/11 thing - they recorded more than one albums worth of music on 9/11 and 9/12/01. The press release says nothing about those cuts being "inappropriate for the time" (Happy People was release in spring 02) but rather being inapproriate for the album concept, which was to feature Bobby Hutcherson, that vocalist Jean Norris, and be a little less intense. I think they were going for a bridge between the pop sound of Simply Said and this, more open ended blowing sort of a session, though the Billy Harper tribute was a pretty intense. Now about the album, it's obvious that Kenny's back and is still on fire. Some journalists still don't get it though, I read one review that said Standard of Langauge was full of smooth jazz / r&b tunes!!! Please, these critics have no clue at all. That said, I still don't think this is as good as Songbook, which is my fav thus far, but that's probably because Vernell Brown is no Kenny Kirkland...