Chris Potter Quartet: Lift "Live at The Village Vanguard" (2002)

Chris Potter Quartet:
Lift "Live at The Village Vanguard" (2002)

Just as you're about to really get into tenor saxophonist Chris Potter's funky unaccompanied solo on "7.5," the rest of the band charges in, led by Kevin Hays on an electric keyboard sounding like a ringing cell phone. It grabs your attention, and the band doesn't let go for the next fifteen minutes, with Hays soloing commandingly on piano, and Potter and the song's composer, drummer Bill Stewart, duetting in gripping, telepathic fashion. Stewart carries on with bassist Scott Colley before Potter returns, shadowed by Hays' touch tones.

Colley propels "What You Wish" as Potter lays line on top of line, intensifying the composition as he follows each idea. As the piece continues, Hays takes his turn, generating as much momentum as Potter before him. Potter starts "Stella by Starlight" with a delicate reading, the atmosphere handled by Stewart's continuous brushing, Colley's solid bass, and Hays' piano flourishes, before he opens his heart and gets strong supportive backing from the band.

The title track is complex, shifting among tempos and soloists so that it's three or four tunes in one. By the end, the band is in a race to the finish line, until they cross it and restate the melody to cool down. The lovely "Okinawa" features Potter's soprano and a minimalist piano solo echoed by Hays' simultaneous keyboard. The effect is ethereal and graceful, suggestive of a Japanese koto.

The program closes with a version of Mingus' "Boogie Stop Shuffle" in two parts. The first, a solo intro, puts Potter's round tone on display in a cascade of notes before finally taking aim at the melody, and the band joins in to swing the tune like it was meant to be swung. To tackle Mingus without a big band, you need a band that sounds big, and with Hays doubling on electric and acoustic keys, together with the hard swing of Stewart and Colley, the quartet manages to sound twice its size.

Track Listing: 

1 7.5 14:57 

2 What You Wish 13:51 

3 Stella by Starlight 7:16 

4 Lift 11:58 

5 Okinawa 9:15 

6 Boogie Stop Shuffle Sax Intro 4:13 

7 Boogie Stop Shuffle 15:09

Personnel: Scott Colley: Bass; Kevin Hays: Piano, Fender Rhodes;Bill Stewart, Drums; Chris Potter: Tenor Sax.

Patricia Barber: Verse (2002)

Patricia Barber: Verse (2002)

Eclectic in everything she does, Patricia Barber has come up with a winner in Verse. Sound samples may be found at www.patriciabarber.com . All original material, Barber's songs tell stories and bring each tale's meaning around emphatically through modern mainstream jazz interpretations. Reaching into folk song territory, the vocalist provides timeless spiritual communication: made for jazz and designed to appeal to everyone who likes good vocal art. Dave Douglas, Neal Alger and Joey Baron prove superb partners for Barber's venture. Together, they're what makes the world go 'round. Verse appears to be the logical selection for best jazz album of the year.

By moving jazz along the modern mainstream highway to an area where new sounds blend with timeless tales in perfect harmony, Barber's succeeded in going over the top.

Track Listing:
The Moon; Lost In This Love; Clues; Pieces; I Could Eat Your Words; The Fire; Regular Pleasures; Dansons La Gigue ; You Gotta Go Home; If I Were Blue.

Personnel:
Patricia Barber- vocals, piano, Fender Rhodes; Dave Douglas- trumpet; Joey Baron- drums; Michael Arnopol- bass; Neal Alger- guitars; Eric Montzka- drums on "You Gotta Go Home;" Cliff Colnot- arranger, conductor for "Clues;" Paul Phillips, Marlou Johnston, Ronald Satkiewicz, Baird Dodge, Fox Fehling, Qing Hou, Lei Hou, Robert Swan, Karen Dirks, Lawrence Neuman, Lee Lane, Katinka Kleijn, Lawrence Brown, Judy Stone- strings on "Clues."

Kenny Garrett - Pursuance: The Music Of John Coltrane (1996)

Kenny Garrett - Pursuance: The Music Of John Coltrane (1996)

While clearly paying homage to Coltrane Kenny Garrett is such a huge talent that he creates something here that is uniquely his own. Never imitative the tunes have the spirit of Coltrane's versions while incorporating a bright texture that centers on Garrett's alto but is certainly enhanced by the addition of Pat Methany. Brian Blades is amazing as always. This guy is Max Roach and Tony Williams in one package. What a drummer ! Overall this is a very fine collection and Garrett can play both melodically sweet and on the edge in a way that makes him one of this eras finest jazz musicians. Highly recommended.

01. Countdown (3:42)

02. Equinox (7:38)

03. Liberia (7:33)

04. Dear Lord (5:53)

05. Lonnie's Lament (5:23)

06. After the Rain (7:21)

07. Like Sonny (6:13)

08. Pursuance (6:05)

09. Alabama (6:10)

10. Giant Steps (3:23)

11. Latifa (5:47)

Kenny Garrett (alto saxophone)

Pat Metheny (guitars)

Rodney Whitaker (bass)

Brian Blade (drums)

Herbie Hancock: River: The Joni Letters (2007)

Herbie Hancock: River: The Joni Letters (2007)

While it might be easy, on the surface, to view pianist Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters as a continuation of Possibilities (Hear, 2005), nothing could be further from the truth. Possibilities was an unapologetically pop record; River is unequivocally jazz—although such broad classifications shouldn't matter. River is, quite simply, a superb disc that takes Joni Mitchell's extant jazz proclivities and gives them an even greater interpretive boost.

The majority of River is culled from Mitchell's "classic" songwriting period—Clouds (Reprise, 1969) through Hejira (Asylum, 1976). Still, "Tea Leaf Prophecy," from Chalk Mark in a Rainstorm (Geffen, 1988), featuring a guest vocal appearance from the songwriter herself, proves that, while she may not be writing as consistently, she still is capable of greatness. Here Hancock's group—saxophonist Wayne Shorter (no stranger to Mitchell), bassist Dave Holland, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and guitarist Lionel Loueke—plays it light, with a gentle bossa rhythm that's even more harmonically rarified than Mitchell's arsenal of open tunings have been on her own versions.

The title track from Court and Spark (Asylum, 1974) begins in pianistic abstraction, but ultimately settles into a soft groove for Norah Jones' characteristically relaxed vocal delivery. But while the groove remains during both Shorter and Hancock's solos, the group transcends Mitchell's innate lyricism into more adventurous territory. Holland skirts the line between interaction and anchor, while Colaiuta is the biggest revelation. Best known as a virtuosic powerhouse drummer, his remarkably subtle work throughout the album affirms there's far more to him than reputation suggests.

Tina Turner turns in a surprisingly understated "Edith and the Kingpin," from The Hissing of Summer Lawns (Asylum, 1975), while neo-soulstress Corinne Bailey Rae's sweet-voiced version of Blue's (Reprise, 1971) "River" feels almost paradoxical, turning the song's plaintive wish into optimistic reality. Leonard Cohen approaches "The Jungle Line" as spoken word in duet with Hancock, who stretches the esoteric Hissing tune even farther, while Shorter winds in, out and around Luciana Souza—whose own The New Bossa Nova (Verve, 2007) establishes an unmistakable debt to Mitchell—on a deeply personal reading of Hejira's "Amelia."

Two non-Mitchell instrumentals—Duke Ellington's classic "Solitude" and Shorter's "Nefertiti"—draw a direct line between Mitchell and the jazz world. "Nefertiti" is especially notable. The original, mid-1960s Miles Davis Quintet version was a vibrant feature for the late drummer Tony Williams. Here, Shorter plays more liberally with the repeating theme, with Hancock driving the tune's improvisational core, while Colaiuta begins in relative quiet, but builds to a powerful climax before everyone fades gently to black.

But it's Clouds' classic "Both Sides Now" that defines the album's elegant but intrepid spirit. Mitchell's familiar melody may be obscured by a more daring and elastic approach, but it's there nevertheless. River: The Joni Letters is both classic Hancock and proof of the potential for Mitchell's material to be taken even further into the jazz sphere, with a group that respects the writing while viewing it as grist for greater liberties.

Track Listing: Court and Spark; Edith and the Kingpin; Both Sides Now; River; Sweet Bird; Tea Leaf Propechy; Solitude; Amelia; Nefertiti; The Jungle Line.

Personnel: Herbie Hancock: piano; Wayne Shorter: soprano and tenor saxophones; Dave Holland: bass; Vinnie Colaiuta: drums; Lionel Loueke: guitar; Norah Jones: vocal (1); Tina Turner: vocal (2); Corinne Bailey Rae: vocal (4); Joni Mitchell: vocal (6); Luciana Souza: vocal (8); Leonard Cohen: vocal (10).

Kenny Garrett: Beyond the Wall (2006)

Kenny Garrett: Beyond the Wall

Sometimes homages can be too reverential. Alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, with a spiritual energy mirroring a significant influence, John Coltrane, intended to use Beyond the Wall as an opportunity to record with pianist McCoy Tyner, with whom he's shared the bandstand on occasion. Though a scheduling conflict prevented Tyner from participating, his spirit—and that of his late employer—looms large over the project. The result echoes the scope of larger-scale Tyner projects like Asante (Blue Note, 1970) and the fierce modality of middle-period Coltrane.

With Tyner unavailable, Garrett's choice of Mulgrew Miller was inevitable. With so many pianists citing Bill Evans as a primary influence, Miller has defined his career by looking to Tyner for his primary inspiration. Garrett had already tailored his writing on Beyond the Wall to Tyner's distinctive language, so Miller gets to pay tribute but, with a more muscular sound, still speak with his own voice. And direct links are forged on most of the disc, to both Tyner and Coltrane, with the appearances of tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson.

Beyond the Wall came about because of a 2005 visit to mainland China, inspired by Garrett's longstanding interest in the nation's culture and spirituality. He's always been a deeply passionate player who can speak volumes with a single note, and the relentless intensity of the majority of this record makes it the most purely cathartic album he's ever recorded.

Whether it's the out-of-time opening to "Calling," which resolves into a slow 6/8 vamp where Sanders and Garrett solo in tandem, or the up-tempo burn of the title track, everyone is firing on all cylinders. And while the route through Tyner must inherently lead back to Coltrane, Garrett's heads—more fully-realized than Coltrane's relatively short themes—echo Tyner's more compositional approach to setting context for improvisation.

There is some respite, specifically "Realization: Marching Towards the Light)," where a sampled chorus is the pulse that drives the song, and the chamber-like "Tsunami Song," featuring Garrett on piano and a haunting melody played by Guowei Wang on the bowed, two-stringed erhu.

From there it's a gradual buildup from the light funk of "Kiss to the Skies" to the finale, "May Peace Be Upon Them." "Kiss" is one of four songs to feature wordless vocals and, while they're interesting the first few times around, they ultimately feel superfluous. "May Peace" is curiously ambiguous, beginning in a gentle space but leading to an out-of-time whirlpool of sound featuring Garrett at his most visceral.

It's hard to find fault with the deeply emotional ride of Beyond the Wall except, perhaps, in its unrelenting seriousness. Still, with a cast of players this strong, one can forgive its earnestness and revel in performances that bring Tyner's and Coltrane's innovations into the 21st Century.

Track Listing: Calling; Beyond the Wall; Qing Wen; Realization (Marching Toward the Light); Tsunami Song; Kiss to the Skies; Now; Gwoka; May Peace Be Upon Them.

Personnel: Kenny Garrett: alto saxophone (1-4,6-9), piano (5); Pharaoh Sanders: tenor saxophone (1-4,6-8); Mulgrew Miller (1-4,6-9); Robert Hurst, III: bass; Brian Blade: drums; Bobby Hutcherson: vibes (3,4,6,7,8); Ruggerio Boccato: percussion (1,3,4-8); Nedelka Echols: vocals (3,4,6,8); Genea Martin, Kevin Wheatley, Arlene Lewis, Geovanti Steward, Dawn Caveness: vocals (6,8): vocals; Guowei Wang: erhu (5); Jonathan Gandelsman: violin (5); Neil Humphrey: cello (5); Susan Jolles: harp (5).

Bill Charlap Trio - Stardust (2002)

Bill Charlap Trio - Stardust (2002) 

With his elegant lyric sensibility and use of classic harmonies which might be characterised as equal parts Hank Jones and Bill Evans, pianist Bill Charlap manages to suggest something at once timeless and modern in his approach to jazz piano. And while references to past and present masters of the keyboard abound in this recital of Hoagy Carmichael compositions (as in his tasty appropriation of Evans's tolling intro to "Some Other Time" on a poignant reading of "The Nearness of You", or his interpolation of Red Garland's "Billy Boy" as a prelude to "I Walk with Music"), Charlap manages to evoke the dreamy, unhurried character redolent of so much of Carmichael's music, while maintaining his own probing, crystalline presence. Thus, while a briskly swinging jaunt through "Jubilee" finds him navigating an equestrian set of changes in a round-robin romp with his exceptionally empathetic rhythm mates (bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington), his sultry flirting with tenorist Frank Wess on "Blue Orchids" and his lofty harmonic byplay with guitarist Jim Hall reveal a musician wise beyond his years--restrained and relaxed and confident enough not to hide behind a fusillade of empty notes. Such maturity is part of what makes his storytelling accompaniments behind master vocalists Tony Bennett and Shirley Horn--and a breathtakingly slow, humid trio treatment of "Georgia"--so richly rewarding. --Chip Stern

Tracks

1 Jubilee

2 I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)

3 Rockin' Chair

4 I Walk With Music

5 Two Sleepy People

6 The Nearness Of You

7 One Morning In May

8 Blue Orchids

9 Georgia On My Mind

10 Stardust

11 Skylark

Bill Charlap (Piano) 

Kenny Washington (Drums)

Peter Washington (Bass)

Tonny Bennett & Shirley Horn (Vocals)

Jim Hall (Guitar)

Frank Wess (Tenor Sax)

Chris Potter: Unspoken (1997)

Chris Potter: Unspoken (1997)

Twenty-seven year old reed man Chris Potter made a big splash on his 1992 debut as a leader for Criss Cross. He showed remarkable promise not only in tenor sax work, but also on alto, soprano, bass clarinet and alto flute. On this one he sticks to tenor and soprano, but his playing is no less fluent and capable. An all-star lineup joins the former Steely Dan and Joe Henderson sideman for this date: John Scofield on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. All four are in top form for this album, which manages to be warm, smooth, inviting, and adventurous all in one package.

Potter shows that he's been doing his homework. "Wistful," the opening track, veers perilously close to Coltrane Imitator Wasteland, but Potter skirts the edge of homage without lapsing into slavish regurgitation. "Hieroglyph" recalls Coltrane on soprano, complete with a tasty proto-world music ostinato from Holland, but again, Potter's playing is fresh and involving. "Seven Eleven," on the other hand, makes you wonder if Chris was digging into his Ornette collection. Then "Amsterdam Blues" starts with an unaccompanied tenor of such quality that I became sure I'd find some of the works of Mr. Sonny Rollins over at Chris's house. Still and all, Potter is a player of enormous talent who is already far along in synthesizing these and other influences. This is a fine album, but I'll bet I'll like his release of 2007 even better.

The highlight here is "Et Tu, Brute?", the album's most striking track. Scofield contributes some scalding guitar licks to a rhythmically complex workout requiring some careful listening by the quartet. Of course, these guys are old hands, and they come through. With no loss of energy, the lovely title track follows, featuring some tasty arco by Holland and passionate playing by everyone. "Time Zone" is as far out as this one gets, with some remarkable variations of mood and tempo a free section of great vigor. Potter is clearly the star here, proving he's worthy of the company he keeps.

The legendary trumpeter Red Rodney loved this "kid:" "This kid is exactly what I like to hear in a kid. He sucked up everything like a sponge, but his sound is original; his articulation is different from anybody; his harmonic knowledge is profound." Red was right. The kid has a great tone, great chops, and by the way, he wrote all the tunes. While this is relatively common these days, Potter's tunes show a wealth of good sense, imagination, and care. He's paid attention to architectonics, and it shows.

Unspoken is a solid album from start to finish. 

1-Wistful

2-Seven Eleven

3-Hieroglyph

4-Amsterdam Blues

5-Et Tu, Brute?

6-Unspoken

7-No Cigar

8-Time Zone

9-New Vision

Chris Potter (woodwinds, soprano & tenor saxophones)

John Scofield (Guitar)

Dave Holland (Bass)

Jack DeJohnette (Drums)

Chris Potter: Gratitude (2001)

Chris Potter : Gratitude (2001)

Chris Potter is probably the second most famous young tenor player working today, Joshua Redman being the clear numero uno. After releasing over a half-dozen albums for Criss Cross and Concord, Potter now makes the leap to a major label, Verve, with the excellent Gratitude.

Jazz is a lethargic sales category, so major labels often like jazz artists to do concept albums — usually tributes to legends both living and dead — to attract the attention of otherwise indifferent consumers. But tributes often seem self-conscious and forced, stultifying the artist’s individual voice by imposing an artificial agenda upon it. Happily, Gratitude escapes this fate. It’s a generalized tribute, an acknowledgement of saxophone greats (eleven of them, to be exact) who have influenced Potter and continue to do so. (McCoy Tyner made a similar gesture with Jazz Roots. ) The idea seems to flow naturally from Potter’s artistic self-image, and so it serves him well.

Rather than clutter the record with guest artists and the like, producer Jason Olaine wisely has Potter sticking with a quartet all the way through. And as quartets go, this one couldn’t be more burning — joining the saxophonist are Kevin Hays on piano and Rhodes (sounding better than ever), Scott Colley on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. The group focuses on Potter’s originals for an unbroken stretch of nine tracks, beginning with the Coltrane dedication "The Source," cleverly based on "Mr. Day" blues changes. Not until late in the program does Potter start to tackle standards, and when he does, it’s with an unconventional flair. He interprets "Body and Soul" on bass clarinet, in duo with Colley — a nice update on the version found on 1995’s Sundiata (Criss Cross). He plays alto, fittingly, on the Bird tribute "Star Eyes," with Hays laying out. And he closes the album with a solo tenor reading of "What’s New?", intending the title as a double entendre, a rhetorical question about the prospects for innovation among the current generation of jazz artists. Sandwiched between these standards is the original "Vox Humana," a tribute to Ornette Coleman, on which Potter plays a Chinese wood flute — one among many creative breakthroughs on this refined, rewarding disc.

1-Source, The (For John Coltrane) 6:36

2-Shadow (For Joe Henderson) 5:47  

3-Sun King (For Sonny Rollins)                  7:00

4-High Noon (For Eddie Harris) 8:19

5-Eurydice (For Wayne Shorter) 6:00  

6-Mind's Eye Intro 0:44

7-Mind's Eye, The (For Michael Brecker and Joe Lovano) 7:14

8-Gratitude 3:05

9-Visitor, The (For Lester Young) 7:39

10-Body And Soul 5:29  

11-Star Eyes (For Charlie Parker) 5:22  

12-Vox Humana (For Ornette Coleman) 5:24

13-What's New (For the Current Generation)  2:23

Personnel: Chris Potter, tenor, alto, and soprano saxes, bass clarinet, alto flute, Chinese wood flute; Kevin Hays, piano, Fender Rhodes; Scott Colley, bass; Brian Blade, drums

McCoy Tyner Trio with Symphony Orchestra;What The World Needs Now: The Music Of Burt Bacharach (1997)

McCoy Tyner Trio with Symphony Orchestra;What The World Needs Now: The Music Of Burt Bacharach (1997)

McCoy Tyner (Piano)

Christian McBride (Bass)

Lewis Nash (Drums)

1-(They Long to Be) Close to You Bacharach, David 7:51

2-What the World Needs Now Is Love Bacharach, David 6:09

3-You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart) Bacharach, David 5:04

4-The Windows of the World Bacharach, David 5:30

5-One Less Bell to Answer Bacharach, David 5:39

6-A House Is Not a Home Bacharach, David 5:36

7-(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me Bacharach, David 4:43

8-Alfie Bacharach, David 4:26

9-The Look of Love Bacharach, David 7:10

It took a number of listenings for me to really get into this album, even though I am a HUGE McCoy Tyner fan. John Clayton did an excellent job with the orchestrations. There is a great deal of variety. It is both harmonically challenging, yet accessible. 

A big band (at least some of whom have played in McCoy's own big band)joins the orchestra on "You'll Never Get to Heaven if You Break My Heart." They get a good groove going, and my one regret is that they do not appear on more of the tracks. 

McCoy has excellent rapport with both Christian McBride on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. I'm not sure if this was his working trio at the time or if they had just gotten together for this recording. Anyway, it sounds like they had been playing together for a quite some time. 

There are times when McCoy's wordless vocals get in the way as he takes off on a solo. I used to find this a total distraction, but I am coming to appreciate the fact that it is simply a part of his music and that there is a place for it. 

McCoy's playing has become more refined, elegant, and reflective since his Milestone recordings of the 70s. I love his playing from that era, but it was time to evolve some more. That is a good thing! Here is an elder statesman of jazz who still can deliver the goods.

John Patitucci: On the Corner (1989)- (New Link)

John Patitucci: On the corner

Label: GRP Records 

Year: 1989

Track Title
1. On the corner
2. Avenue "D"
3. Venetian moonlight
4. A better mousetrap
5. Vaya con dios
6. Kingstone blues
7. Painting
8. Strength to the weak
9. Flatbush ave
10. The storyteller
11. Bertha's bop

Credits

Bass - John Patitucci
Drums - Al Foster (tracks: 3, 11) , Alex Acuna* (tracks: 5, 7) , Vinnie Colaiuta (tracks: 2, 6, 10)
Drums, Percussion - Dave Weckl (tracks: 1, 4, 8, 9)
Electronics - Judd Miller (tracks: 1, 9)
Guitar - Paul Jackson Jr. (tracks: 6)
Percussion - Jay Oliver (tracks: 4)
Piano - Chick Corea (tracks: 3, 11)
Piano, Synthesizer - John Beasley (tracks: 1, 2, 7 to 10)
Saxophone [Soprano] - Eric Marienthal (tracks: 6)
Saxophone [Tenor] - Kirk Whalum (tracks: 8) , Michael Brecker (tracks: 2)
Synthesizer - David Witham (tracks: 1 to 10)
Vocals - Alfie Silas (tracks: 6) , Howard McCrary (tracks: 6) , Phyllis St. James (tracks: 6) , Rick Riso (tracks: 6)

Dynamite bass work (as always), contemporary (but not "smooth", though not quite straight ahead either), stacked with excellent players: Chick Corea, Michael Brecker, Al Foster, Dave Weckl, Alex Acuna, Vinnie Colaiuta, Eric Marienthal, etc., each selected to contribute to the style and sound of particular songs. A good effort.

Wayne Shorter: Adam's Apple (1966)

Wayne Shorter: Adam's Apple (1966)

By the beginning of '66, Wayne Shorter had already made jazz history twice: forging gospel-drenched hard bop with Art Blakey from '59 to '64 and helping to create the metaphysical artistry of the Miles Davis quintet during the mid-'60s. So it should come as no suprise that Adam's Apple , which was recorded in February of '66, has Shorter compositions in standard AABA blues form and introspective ballads that sound like his work with Davis.

Recorded at the infamous Van Gelder studio for Blue Note Records, Adam's Apple features Shorter leading an all-star rhythm section consisting of pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Joe Chambers. As in the second "classic" Miles Davis quintet, Hancock and Shorter find solace in each other on Adam's Apple. Shorter's solos throughout the album are encouraged by Hancock's stride-like comping.

Adam's Apple features underrated drummer Joe Chambers, who appeared on four of Wayne Shorter's Blue Note albums during the '60s. Not a well-known Blue Note favorite like Tony Williams or Art Blakey, Chambers still manages to produce outstanding aesthetics of sound on his drums, frequently using the tom-toms in his solos to produce a tympanic effect. Chamber's playing is so controlled throughout Adam's Apple that he manages to keep a swinging tempo during his extremely polyrhythmic solos.

The title track of Adam's Apple opens up with a punchy bass line from Workman that sounds like pure Motown. Workman's tone on Adam's Apple is deep and ethereal, sounding alot like his work with the John Coltrane quartet. "502 Blues (Drinkin' and Drivin')" is a contemplative ballad where Shorter plays long lines of blues over the rhythm section that gives the song a suspended-like quality until Hancock brings it down with an impressionistic solo in the style of Bill Evans.

"El Gaucho" has the bossa nova sound that was gaining wide popularity during the '60s. Shorter plays stop-and-start phrases which is a sign of things to come later with his fusion outfit, Weather Report. "Footprints" has a memorable walking bass line in 6/8 meter throughout the whole course and Shorter's theme is instantly recognizable. "Footprints" would later be recorded by Shorter with the Miles Davis Quintet.

Adam's Apple ends with the avant-garde Hancock composition "The Collector." The piece features abstract improvisation by all members of the quartet, especially in the rhythm section. Hancock solos with unpredictable chaos, but leaves enough space for a dramatic solo by Chambers at the end.


Track Listing:

Adam's Apple,
502 Blues(Drinkin' and Drivin'),
El Gaucho,
Footprints,
Teru,
Chief Crazy Horse,
The Collector

Personnel: 

Wayne Shorter,tenor sax;

Herbie Hancock,piano, 

Reggie Workman,bass; 

Joe Chambers,drums

Keith Jarrett: Belonging (1974)

Keith Jarrett: Belonging (1974)

Personnel: Keith Jarrett (piano); Jan Garbarek (soprano & tenor saxophones); Palle Danielsson (bass); Jon Christensen (drums).

Song

 

1. Spiral Dance 4:07  

2. Blossom 12:11

3. 'Long As You Know You're Living Yours  6:10  

4. Belonging 2:12  

5. The Windup 8:22

6. Solstice                  13:22

Amazon.com essential recording

When Keith Jarrett debuted this largely Nordic quartet, he was in the midst of developing a U.S.-based group of the same size with heavy leanings toward the approaches of Ornette Coleman and Paul Bley (even using veterans of Coleman bands). With the Nordic band, Jarrett was better suited to play wistful, melodic vamps that got great mileage out of Jan Garbarek's wavering but mostly vibrato-free tone and the ethereal rhythmic floats supplied by drummer Jon Christensen and bassist Palle Danielsson. "Blossom" is a lengthy, smoldering ballad, as tender as it gets in Jarrett's canon and worth every minor move the group makes. And while things are fairly icy throughout the slower spots, the band slinks into a couple gospel-touched gems, "'Long as You Know You're Living Yours" and the harmonically piled, funky "Windup." All in all, this is not only one of the Jarrett high marks, it's a pinnacle for 1970s jazz overall. --Andrew Bartlett

The spine on the CD cites Keith Jarrett as the recording artist, but many regard this as a Jan Garbarek album. Jarrett was the non-Scandinavian in a superb quartet that comprised Garbarek (saxophones), Pelle Danielson (bass) and Jon Christensen (drums). Garbarek and Jarrett constantly interplay, offering melancholy, romance, sadness and emotional, musical bliss on 'Spiral Dance' and 'Blossom', and manage to groove along with the out-of-character 'Long As You Know You're Living Yours'. One of the finest moments from ECM's exceptional and now sizeable catalogue, perhaps Jarrett and Garbarek need to work together sporadically in order to spark and recharge each other.

Recorded at Arne Bendiksen Studio, Oslo, Norway on April 24 & 25, 1974.

Eliane Elias: Brazilian Classics (2003)

Elias: Brazilian Classics (2003)

Now that longtime Blue Note pianist/singer Eliane Elias has left the label for RCA/Bluebird, several compilations of her work are being released, including the present item, Brazilian Classics. A cynic might note “just in time for Christmas,” but even if its release is motivated mainly by marketing concerns, the CD provides a useful, focused troll through Elias’s back catalogue. Although Elias has ranged far and wide in her recordings (which include hard bop, pop-jazz, and classical pieces), this is the music with which she is most associated— bossa/jazz classics from the songbooks of Jobim, Nascimento, and others from her native Brazil.
Elias is at home with this material and her piano work is muscular and confident. As such, the best tracks on the album are the instrumentals that feature her in a trio setting, mostly with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Throughout punchy and inventive takes on “Passarium,” “One Note Samba,” and “Black Orpheus,” Elias goes toe-to-toe with the rhythm section, with exciting results. Her tendency to introduce subtle reharmonizations and rhythmic variations keeps these well-worn tunes from sounding like boring retreads.

Somewhat less successful are the tracks featuring her vocals. While her thin yet husky delivery is appropriately unstudied on Só Danço Samba,” it can’t quite carry “Chega De Saudade” or “Girl From Ipanema” convincingly. Having Elias’s young daughter sing on “Ponta de Areia” was not the wisest of decisions either, bringing to mind, as it does, grade school recitals best left forgotten.

That said, however, Brazilian Classics is an appealing listen, thematically unified and impeccably produced. The hardcore jazz fan may do better with Elias’s Plays Jobim album, from which many of the best tracks with Gomez and DeJohnette are taken. But bossa nova fanatics, or maybe those wishing for a warm Brazilian breeze in the dead of winter, will enjoy this generous selection of Elias’s work.



Track Listing: Passarium; Chega De Saudade; Carioca Nights (Noites Cariocas); Garota De Ipanema (Girl From Ipanema); Milton Nascimento Medley; Waters Of March/Agua De Beber; One Note Samba; Crystal And Lace; Jazz 'N' Samba (So Danco Samba); Brazil (Aquarela Do Brasil); Iluminados ; Jet Samba (Samba Do Aviao); Wave; Black Orpheus (Manha De Carnaval); Dindi; O Polichinelo (Clown)

Personnel: Eliane Elias, piano, vocals; various personnel including Eddie Gomez, Marc Johnson, bass; Jack DeJohnette, Peter Erskine, drums; Michael Brecker, sax; Cafe, percussion

John McLaughlin: Trio of Doom (2007)

John McLaughlin - Trio of Doom (2007)

John McLaughlin (Guitars)

Jaco Pastorius (Bass)

Tony Williams (Drums)

Tracks

1 Drum Improvisation

2 Dark Prince

3 Continuum

4 Para Oriente

5 Are You The One Are You The One

6 Dark Prince

7 Continuum

8 Para Oriente

9 Para Oriente

10 Para Oriente

This release may have its detractors due to the very short playingtime, not much more than 35 mins of effective music. But what we get is absolutely fabulous, with all three supermusicians in topform. The liner notes hints at Jaco Pastorius beginning to have some psychological problems, but sure isn't audible in his playing.

One could have feared an unmusical clash of ego's, but in fact the respect between this three giants seems so great that it's a lot more like a super-fusion version of Cream, with all three instruments and all three musicians having equal weight in the furious jamming.

We get their entire set from Havana, for the first time ever, starting after a fine drumintro with what's actually the highlight of the whole release, a monstrous version of "The Dark Prince" with a very inspired McLaughlin-solo. Followed by a beautiful "Continuum" with John adding some fine chordal colours under Pastorius' beautiful soloing. The precedings ending on a bit of a bum note though, with a rather disjointed jam, only to be recognized as "Are You The One?", when McLaughlin plays the theme at the very end. A version far from the grandeur of the original on "Electric Guitarist" with Tony, John and Jack Bruce.

So far it's been a very good year for Jaco Pastorius fans, with this gem and with the wonderful DVD with Weater Report "Live At Montreux".

The whole project has been supervised and produced by John McLaughlin and as one would suspect the sound his absolutely top-class.

Another fine Legacy-release.

Keith Jarrett: Nude Ants (1979)

Keith Jarrett: Nude Ants (1979)

Jon Christensen Drums, Percussion

Palle Danielsson Bass, Double Bass

Jan Garbarek Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)

Keith Jarrett Percussion, Piano, Timbales

Tracks

Disc 1

 

1Chant of the Soil Jarrett 17:13

2 Innocence Jarrett 8:15

3 Processional Jarrett 20:33

Disc 2

 

1 Oasis Jarrett 30:35

2 New Dance Jarrett 12:57

3 Sunshine Song Jarrett 12:03

"Nude Ants" is a true classic in Keith Jarrett's prolific live recordings. With his "European" Quartet, Jarrett released some very fine albums("belonging," "personal mountains"), one brilliant record("my song")before moving onto a Standards trio, more solo improv, and classical work in the 80's. But this 1979 album, recorded live at the Village Vanguard, is truly a live masterpiece. Jarrett contributes the 6 wonderful, and sometimes far-out compositions, which spring the band's amazing interplay into uncharted(but highly listenable)territories. Jan Garbarek is capable of a unique, beautiful tone or an angry snarl on Saxophone, while drummer Jon Christanson and bassist Palle Danielsson keep things funky and interesting. Jarrett is in superhuman form here, playing wild gospel, dark middle eastern, or bill evans esque chord voicings(in his own original style of course). Be warned:Keith was in a good mood-meaning there's alot of moaning, groaning, screeching and sighs here. It's not hard to ignore, and it actually proves the astounding energy of some of the tracks. "Chant of the Soil" is a menacing funk, with some great solos from Garbarek and Jarrett, and a wonderful percussion and drum duet between Christanson and(i believe) Jarrett towards the end. The energy on this one is infectious. "Innocence" is beautiful, Debussy like ballad, which shifts moods brilliantly. "Processional" is Jarrett's acoustic jazz version of Miles Davis' "He Loved Him Madly." Dark, and gloomy, this track is a group-improvisational triumph, with many different sections and interludes. Disc 2's opener "Oasis" continues the lenghy, slightly dark interplay of "Processional" this time with the music of the Middle East for inspiration. This is maybe the most complex and strange track on the album. "New Dance" is a joyful sophistacated jam, and a highlight of the album. It's also the title track if you think about it..."Sunshine Song" is homerun number 6 as compositions go on this album. Beautiful and haunting, is it a fitting closer for a somewhat dark live album. Overall "Nude Ants" isn't the place to start if you want to hear Jarrett's "European" quartet, but it is a funky, funky live album.