JSngry Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Other than versions of "This Is Not America" & "Amazing Grace" that just don't connect with me, this is a beautiful album. The LMO has certainly "mellowed" over the years in terms of overtness, but there's a depth of feeling to Carla Bley's arrangements that the earlier works didn't necessarily have. Or maybe it's just the interpretations. The band is mostly younger players, some of whom probably weren't even born when the first LMO album was made. No matter - they're living in the aftermath, and they play like they get it. They no doubt do. Carla Bley is a great arranger, and the program here is full of truly beautiful writing. The main soloists are Miguel Zenon on alto (whose playing here reminds me of nothing less than Charles McPherson's great work on Let My Children hear Music), Chris Cheek and Tony Malaby on tenors (Malaby plays with a great feeling for the music's subtleties, Cheek addresses its more blatant aspects; both do what they do most admirably, although its Malaby's near-haunting work that stics in my mind the most), Steve Cardenas on accoustic guitar (the delicacy of the accoustic is very much in sync with the overall mood of most of the music). the trumpet soloist is either Michael Rodriguez and/or Seneca Black. I don't know either player, but they too play to the music quite nicely. Not for every taste, to be sure. There's very little "swinging". Otoh, there's next to no "raging" either. It's a mostly somber but deeply heartfelt set of music that speaks to our times soberly and with no small amount of sadness. Highly recommended to all those who think they might share the sentiments of the music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tranemonk Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 nice review...I agree with most of it... But I REALLY liked "Amazing Grace..." (In general I LOVE that tune...) I missed my chance to see this at the Village Vanguard last fall... but the record is great.... Good, but short liner notes also... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 I would love hearing this one for "This is Not America" which is one of my favorite tunes in the Metheny/Mays canon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted September 5, 2005 Report Share Posted September 5, 2005 I'll probably get this soon. Haden was great to speak with in interview (a couple of years ago), and he is not afraid to let his notions of art and politics become intertwined. A beautiful cat, indeed, though some of his playing situations over the past some-odd years haven't been my favorite, his personality and contributions to the music are both hugely important. And he and Carla are like peanut butter and jelly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathan Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Can't wait to get this one, and thanks for the review! What a lineup...Cheek & Malaby are two of my favorite young saxophonists, and Cardenas is another favorite young player (he has to great leader albums on Fresh Sounds, including one w/ Malaby). Matt Wilson is a great choice on drums too. Looking forward to this immensely. nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfred Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 JSngry, thanks for the review. I pre-ordered mine (street date in Europe is late September). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnhrtg Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 JSngry, thanks for the review. I pre-ordered mine (street date in Europe is late September). ← Alfred - I stopped by the Virgin on Champs-Elysees, in Paris, and they already had this for sale (and it was not labelled an import), so it might be out earlier there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfred Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 Alfred - I stopped by the Virgin on Champs-Elysees, in Paris, and they already had this for sale (and it was not labelled an import), so it might be out earlier there as well. ← Hmmmmmmm. Amazon.de has it only for pre-order. Thanks gnhrtg, I try to get it from a local shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDK Posted September 28, 2005 Report Share Posted September 28, 2005 Listening to this now for the first time. I'm a huge Haden fan, but run hot-and-cold on Carla Bley (though I've always found her LMO work superior). First impression of the album is great. Re: Jim's initial comments, since I'm not familiar with either Cheek or Malby (the two tenors) can you point out who solos on which tracks - or otherwise how to distinguish between them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted September 28, 2005 Report Share Posted September 28, 2005 Re: Jim's initial comments, since I'm not familiar with either Cheek or Malby (the two tenors) can you point out who solos on which tracks - or otherwise how to distinguish between them? ← I love this record too. Yes, they have mellowed over the years, but there is some profoundly beautiful music on this album. I'm glad RDK asked about the tenor players - I can't tell them apart either, although I liked all of the tenor work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2005 If adjectives help, Malaby's got the more "fluid" style and less "strident" tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted September 28, 2005 Report Share Posted September 28, 2005 (edited) GRRR!!! I am still waiting its italian realese... F...Universal Group Edited September 28, 2005 by porcy62 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted September 28, 2005 Report Share Posted September 28, 2005 I would love hearing this one for "This is Not America" which is one of my favorite tunes in the Metheny/Mays canon ← I though it was a Bowie's song Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted September 29, 2005 Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 nah Porcy, he just wrote the lyrics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannonball-addict Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 Jim, I definately agree that Malaby is the more subtle player. His harmonies are so much darker and his articulations are not as "obvious" as Cheek's. Also Cheek sound like a Chris Potter rip-off a lot of the time. I know you don't care for Potter, so it's not surprising you say Cheek goes for the obvious stuff. Since apparently people here are not terribly in the know about young cats on this CD, Seneca Black is the former lead trumpeter with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He recently quit that gig. I heard he was sick of NY but I suspect some other shit too. He was a wunderkind whom Wynton purportedly "discovered," much like Ryan Kisor who is still the 2nd tpt in the LCJO and still fails to impress me that much. As for Michael Rodriguez, I first became aware of him on a very independent release by a drummer named Pete Zimmer. Rodriguez is a monster player and I suspect it is his soloing on the America the Beautiful suite (part 2 or 3). I can't believe no one mentioned the addition of Matt Wilson. What a perfect choice! Wilson's arsenal of styles and bags he can dip into is unmatched among drummers under 50 today (IMO). Also, gotta love Joe Daley's tuba solo on part 3 of America the Beautiful (Lift Every Voice and Sing)! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 I'm not very analytical about this record. I love it. Maybe more than any other Liberation Music record. And it reminds to ask: Is the Burton/ Bley Genuine Tong Funeral available on cd? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Fitzgerald Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 It was at one point - on Koch, I think. Or was it One Way. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 One Way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Have y'all seen the five-star review by the ultra-conservative at Amazon? It's quite hilarious. It convinced me to get the disc, Icantellyouthat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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