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Jason Moran The Bandwagon


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Has anyone else picked this up yet? I downloaded the live tracks that he posted to his site last year, but this is just amazing. There are three pieces that incorporate speech, which really bring to light an element of Jason Moran's playing that I really hadn't noticed as being such a dominate force in his approach.

For those of you who know this trio, this is not a straight-ahead piano trio. This recording is definitely the most avant-garde and cutting edge of the lot. Keep on pushing it. I like where this group is heading!

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I just picked up the new one on Monday, and it is totally the shit, and the two tunes with voices in foreign languages will blow your mind!! :blink::blink::blink::wacko::wacko::wacko::excited::excited::excited::party::party::party::tup:tup:tup

I think JAMO is pushing the boundries of jazz -- and with a piano trio, for god's sake!! -- like nobody else I can think of who's under 40.

An incredible album for anyone who has ears for Andrew Hill. (I could say that about almost anything Moran's released.)

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Absolutely Rooster. He has to be one of the most forward-thinking pianists of our time. SoulStream, I haven't heard "Modernistic," so I can't really give an opinion on it. The trio does play "Planet Rock," by Afrika Bambatta, on this new disc though, and it is TIGHT!

Question: Is Tarus Mateen playing "acoustic electric bass" INSTEAD of an upright now, or is he playing both? I prefer a bass viol, but there are moments where he does some things on this instrument that I don't think he could have done on the upright.

I was also hoping to hear maybe just a little Fender Rhodes bleeding in here and there, but I really can't complain. This group had their balls to the wall for this recording!

jamo_solo_800x600.jpg

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I love the music on this disc, but the recording quality is from hunger. In fact, both this disc AND Joe Lovano's "On This Day" (both recorded at the Vanguard) have the worst sound I've EVER heard on a live album (outside of Dean Benedetti Bird recordings). What's up with that? Did they get these recordings off of some guy's bootleg or what?

But the music, as I said, is another story entirely. Moran is in excellent form on this disc, and the two foreign language tracks are indeed mindblowing.

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I've heard a few complaints about the sound-quality on the new Moran, but frankly, I haven't noticed all that much. But then again, I have some pretty low-end stereo equipment (a cheap boombox, and a nice but relatively inexpensive bookshelf system). Maybe on a real high-end system the SQ might be more of an issue.

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I love the music on this disc, but the recording quality is from hunger. In fact, both this disc AND Joe Lovano's "On This Day" (both recorded at the Vanguard) have the worst sound I've EVER heard on a live album (outside of Dean Benedetti Bird recordings). What's up with that? Did they get these recordings off of some guy's bootleg or what?

But the music, as I said, is another story entirely. Moran is in excellent form on this disc, and the two foreign language tracks are indeed mindblowing.

There was an article in Jazziz I believe about live recordings at the VV, last month I think. It mentioned the horrible sound quality on the two you mentioned recorded by someone at BN in an inferior way. Worst quality live VV rec. ever they said,... or something to that effect

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Yeah, I didn't really want to harp on the negative, but the sound is a bit muffled. The disc is a lot quieter on my stereo than most everything else I had sitting around. Says it was recorded by "Kurt Lundvall."

It definitely isn't the worst live recording in my collection! And it sure is some fly-ass-shit! I wouldn't say it is anywhere near as bad as "Banned In New York" or the Miles Plugged Nickel sets.

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Yeah, I didn't really want to harp on the negative, but the sound is a bit muffled. The disc is a lot quieter on my stereo than most everything else I had sitting around. Says it was recorded by "Kurt Lundvall."

It definitely isn't the worst live recording in my collection! And it sure is some fly-ass-shit! I wouldn't say it is anywhere near as bad as "Banned In New York" or the Miles Plugged Nickel sets.

Okay, I was hoping someone would make a comparison to Banned...I was a bit disapointed when I first heard it, but it's a fucking great disc, so what the hey!!

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Okay, I just got around to giving this a careful first listen today. My reaction? Next time anyone feels like starting one of those "woe is us, all the jazz giants are dying off, is anyone left?", stick this in your player and wake up to the fact that not all great jazz is fifty years old! Damn, this sucker SMOKES!!!! :excited:

Ahem. Excuse me. What I meant to say is "I recommend this disc quite highly. It is quite competent." :blink:

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I couldn't remember if I'd posted on this thread or not since I have this disc and like it a lot. Looks like I had not posted so I'll add my 2 cents - I recommend it highly. It is quite competent.

Edited by Ed Swinnich
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I gave this one a few listens last week. I would call myself a dedicated Jason Moran fan. I enjoyed this disc a lot, but to be honest I still think his best is yet to come. I have some broadcasts of performances by this trio in Europe at around the same time they recorded at the Vanguard and afterward and think one or two of those may have caught the group on better nights. I only mention that to explain why I think the essential recording/masterpiece by Moran has yet to come. In any event, I firmly believe Moran is one of the musicians to keep a close ear on in the future.

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