Denys Baptiste

[JSngry]

Not going to say too much, because I don't know too much, and there's probably lots of posters here who do, but let me kick off the thread by saying just this-

Denys Baptiste seems to have one of the freest minds I've heard out of a young jazzman in years. No hangups about what "is" or "isn't" jazz, what is fair grist for the mill and what isn't, what jazz should or should not be getting into. The cat really seems to take the "it's all good" philosophy to heart, not as a point of contention, but as a fact of life.

I heard ALTERNATING CURRENTS and was charmed. Tonight, I heard I HAVE A DREAM (thanks to a nudge by Bev), and was startled. In a good way. What Stevie Wonder was doing for R&B in the 70s, Denys Baptiste seems to be thinking about doing to jazz now - throw tightass obsession about the "rules" out the window, and use whatever he needs, old and/or new, to use to get his point across. It doesn't always work, but it does more often not. And when it does...well, like I said, I was startled. Carribean, Be-bop, Post Be-Bop, Free, R&B, Mixology, Strata-East, Oliver Nelson, Charles Mingus, Marvin Gaye, all these flavors are good to him, and he mixes them freely and joyously.

Keep an eye on Denys Baptiste. He's a free man.

Edited March 6, 2005 by JSngry

[Gary]

He's definitely worth catching live if you get the chance.

I saw him around 5/6 years ago about the time of his first CD 'Be where you are' he was really good then & its sounds as if he's come a long way since.

[JSngry]

He's definitely worth catching live if you get the chance.

Has he come to America yet?

Not that he "needs to", ya' know, but that's the only way I'll be able to catch him live.

[A Lark Ascending]

Denys is wonderful live - I saw him a couple of weeks back playing alongside Soweto Kinch in one of Gary Crosby's bands, Nu Troop.

He's yet to really reveal that fully on disc.

His most recent recording is:

A really ambitious project based on MLK's 'I Have a Dream' speech. It doesn't quite come off but marks a player really prepared to work at the composing as well as the playing.

It's worth keeping an eye on this label:

http://www.dune-music.com/index2.asp

Run by Gary Crosby (one time member of the Jazz Warriors who rocketed Courtney Pine to stardom) it mainly (though not exclusively) puts out music by Afro-Caribbean jazz musicians in the UK.

Baptiste runs the risk of getting overlooked in the excitement generated by Soweto Kinch, a fabulous alto player who I believe is already making his way in the States. That would be a pity - he's a marvellous player with a really engaging stage manner.

To my mind the real star of this part of the UK scene is the older Jason Yarde. It is a complete mystery to me why we have not had a solo record yet. He turns up on other peoples' discs but has not put one out for himself. He played with Louis Moholo's band at the recent Jazz Britannia jamboree and I've got a ticket to see him at Cheltenham in late April - hopefully this is sign of a growing profile.

Finally, here's a project for the next six days. Click on this link to the BBC programme 'Jazz Line Up". After Stacey Kent has read her script about what's on the programme you will hear Jazz Jamaica's arrangement of Wayne Shorter's 'Footprints' (arrangement by the aforementioned Jason Yarde). Jazz meets reggae, meets ska, meets fun. The soprano sax solo here by Andy Sheppard is outstanding.

Be quick. It's only there until next Saturday.

Edited March 6, 2005 by Bev Stapleton

[JSngry]

Click on what link to the BBC?

[couw]

Click on what link to the BBC?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazzlineup/index.shtml

[JSngry]

Thank you!

[A Lark Ascending]

Sorry, forgot the link!

Thanks Couw.

An afterthought. This Dune CD has Baptiste in 1997 playing Jazz Messenger-like hard/post-bop. On board are a couple of other names who have gained big profiles over here - alto/baritone player Tony Kofi and pianist Alex Wilson (very big on the dance/Cuban scene):

[sidewinder]

Second the comments above about Jason Yarde. He was part of the Andrew Hill Big Band lineup here a few years back, and interestingly featured quite prominently by Hill. Also part of the UK big band backing Sam Rivers recently (at least for the Bath concert - I think he missed Southampton).

[A Lark Ascending]

Apologies in advance for hyping UK jazz further - no intention to promote it as 'better than this', 'better than that' - it's just that hearing this stuff in the flesh quite regularly I'm very excited by it and believe it could excite well beyond its native land.

Here are three recordings from elsewhere in the UK scene by bands making very big waves, and, what is more, getting attention beyond the established jazz audience:

Acoustic Ladyland:

Polar Bear:

Partisans:

Look here for details - a great independent label dedicated to getting lesser known music out:

http://www.babellabel.co.uk/

The other place worth exploring is the F-IRE collective. A collective based in London that has been operating for a few years now - musicians work, practise, play together, share and solve problems. It has spawned an extraordinary number of bands who are now staring to pop up everywhere. A sort of self-help group to by-pass the problems of getting recorded, getting gigs etc. I'm very much looking forward to some F-IRE big band concerts due at this years Cheltenham and Bath Festivals:

http://www.f-ire.com/

This is Bev Stapleton signing off with his letter from the UK for this week...

Edited March 6, 2005 by Bev Stapleton

[sidewinder]

The 'F-IRE' collective seem to be prominently featured in the Cheltenham lineup this year. I see that Ingrid Laubrock's quintet (with Ben Davis on cello) is one of the groups that is featured. That one will be worth checking out.

Nice to see Ornette and Herbie on the bill too ! B-)

[JSngry]

That "Footprints" was nice indeed. And fun!

But this I HAVE A DREAM thing is outright startling! Which is fun, too!

The only section of it that I felt fell flat was the "gospel" portion. Just didn't feel "real" to me. That's a feeling that comes from a specific environment, and one that can't be faked. But then again, not a lot of contemporary American gospel feels real to me either, so what does that prove? Are there Sanctified Churches in the U.K.? Maybe it's realer than I realize!

Otherwise, ragged around the edges sometimes, but the cat's writing some stuff that I ain't heard nobody doing. Not so much the raw materials as the way he puts it together. At times, it seems like ATTICA BLUES arranged by Stevie Wonder for Strata-East, but not really, not literally. "Spiritually", if that makes any sense...

This thing was just released over here, but it's been out in the UK for a while now, tight? Any buzz about what the next Denys Baptiste album will be? I will be listening!

Edited March 6, 2005 by JSngry

[JSngry]

If that cover's not an Instant Classic, I don't know what is.

[A Lark Ascending]

The 'F-IRE' collective seem to be prominently featured in the Cheltenham lineup this year. I see that Ingrid Laubrock's quintet (with Ben Davis on cello) is one of the groups that is featured. That one will be worth checking out.

Nice to see Ornette and Herbie on the bill too ! B-)

Yes, Ingrid Laubrock is another gem of the current scene - her recent 'Forensic' CD is a great leap forward in her recording career - very freewheeling with Shorter and Steve Lacy overtones. From Germany but, hey, an honorary Brit!

I've booked her gig and the Ornette. Chose Enrico Rava over Herbie, however.

[A Lark Ascending]

On the Polar Bear/Acoustic Ladyland/Partisans front I meant to say that all three have new CDs coming out in the next two or three months which are likely to bump up their visibility somewhat.

Ignore all the fuss over Jamie Cullum - this is the real jazz UK 'revival' (what...again?) of the present.

[A Lark Ascending]

That "Footprints" was nice indeed. And fun!

But this I HAVE A DREAM thing is outright startling! Which is fun, too!

The only section of it that I felt fell flat was the "gospel" portion. Just didn't feel "real" to me. That's a feeling that comes from a specific environment, and one that can't be faked. But then again, not a lot of contemporary American gospel feels real to me either, so what does that prove? Are there Sanctified Churches in the U.K.? Maybe it's realer than I realize!

Otherwise, ragged around the edges sometimes, but the cat's writing some stuff that I ain't heard nobody doing. Not so much the raw materials as the way he puts it together. At times, it seems like ATTICA BLUES arranged by Stevie Wonder for Strata-East, but not really, not literally. "Spiritually", if that makes any sense...

This thing was just released over here, but it's been out in the UK for a while now, tight? Any buzz about what the next Denys Baptiste album will be? I will be listening!

Glad you found so much to enjoy in 'Let Freedom Ring'. I saw the premiere a couple of years back at the Cheltenham Festival.

I suppose, for me, it would have been nice if they could have rehearsed a bit more before recording. It's that raggedness that holds it back from getting my full enjoyment. I'm not talking the deliberate raggedness that could make things like the Brotherhood of Breath sound so winning; it just sounds under-rehearsed. Pure economics, I've no doubt.

I've heard nothing about new projects from Denys - the Dune site is the place to watch.

While I think about it, try and get a copy of Soweto Kinch's 'Jazz Planet' single. Kinch integrates hip-hop/rap into a very Ornettish style. Now hip hop/rap is a world I'm clueless about and generally draws a blank - but somehow he carries it off in a way I can handle. This single is an absolute scream - a rap on a world where jazz players are celebrities and boy bands play in the back rooms of pubs where there's not enough space for their dance routines!

Jazz Jamaica have a new CD coming based on Motown! They're playing this round the UK including Cheltenham.

[Guest che]

Personally I did not like 'Let Freedom Ring', a concept to far for me. . His debet album " Be Where You Are" is wonderful.

Che.

[Clunky]

I don't find the raggedness of Let Freedom Ring off putting , it's an excellent release.

I must however get some more Polar Bear, i've only heard their broadcast from last year on BBC 3 jazz on three, twas super excellent indeed.. extracts of new album sound very exciting..........

[sidewinder]

Chose Enrico Rava over Herbie, however.

I'm still procrastinating over this dilemma !

[A Lark Ascending]

I must however get some more Polar Bear, i've only heard their broadcast from last year on BBC 3 jazz on three, twas super excellent indeed.. extracts of new album sound very exciting..........

Their new album is available for order direct from Babel in advance of it official release:

http://www.babellabel.co.uk/ecomcart/

[jazzbo]

Hey, this Bapatiste "Let Freedom Ring" is good stuff. All over the map as far as Trane and Jo'burg and bit of West Indies and Cannon and Strata East and Jihad and the Mingus spoken attitude, yet cohesively and inventively stirred in. Nice arrangements. Dig the guitarist a

LOT. Nice playing, the playing ain't the real big deal of it, the whole sort of collective performance and texture is what I'm digging and I think I'm supposed. I should check this guy out further and probably will.

Did the trick today uplifting wise today. I needed some plucking up by the suspenders.

[A Lark Ascending]

This is the UK disc of the moment. Not yet in the shops but available from the label directly:

Gritty, punky, spluttery, impassioned, exciting, lyrical (in a raw sort of way). From the F-IRE stable, a parallel development (with occasional overlaps) with the Dune group of players that Baptiste works in.