Jack DeJohnette day in Chicago

August 29th, 2013 declared “Jack DeJohnette” day in Chicago by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

source: Jack DeJohnette on Facebook.

Jack DeJohnette: Special Edition Box

New ECM release: Jack DeJohnette: Special Edition Box, press release says it all…

In the year of his 70th birthday, ECM is releasing a 4-CD box set of Jack DeJohnette recordings with his band Special Edition. This includes the Inflation Blues from 1982 which was never released on CD before.

Special Edition – a band with revolving membership and an incredible cast of soloists including David Murray, Arthur Blythe and Chico Freeman – was one of the most sophisticated vehicles for Jack DeJohnette’s all-around talents. This set brings together the albums Special Edition, Tin Can Alley, Inflation Blues and Album Album, underscoring the excitement of invention and possibility one can hear in this era of DeJohnette’s career. The recordings reveal him as an artist in touch with tradition even as he sought the cutting edge of the day, paying homage to his jazz heroes yet experimenting with new sounds. There are echoes of old New Orleans grooves and Swing-era big bands in this collection, as well as material crafted with the techniques of ’80s pop singles; there are ambitious suite-like compositions, and there is spontaneously lowdown rhythm & blues.

Recorded 1979-1984 and remastered from original tapes for ECM’s Old & New Masters series.

listening to…September 14-30, 2012

Steve Lacy – the Straight Horn of Steve Lacy/Reflections

The Straight Horn of Steve Lacy features Charles Davis on baritone saxophone resulting in a unique sound…the front line of soprano and baritone saxophone playing a few Monk tunes plus Charlie Parker’s Donna Lee. Reflections is an all Monk program.

Joe Morris – Eloping With The Sun (Ritti Records)

Eloping With The Sun = Free jazzer Joe Morris (banjo, banjouke), William Parker (sintir) and Hamid Drake (frame drum). Very hip and groovy, even.

John Stowell/Michael Zilber – Shot Through With Beauty (Origin)

I think the world of John Stowell, he’s such a wiz with chord voicings. Guitar players know about him because he’s done some ear opening vids on jazz guitar, but the rest of the world hasn’t quite discovered him yet.

Stan Getz – My Foolish Heart (Hyena)

Stan Getz and Richie Bierach with the kick ass rhythm section of Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette.

Music Revelation Ensemble – In the Name of… (DIW/Columbia)

James Blood Ulmer group with Sam Rivers on three tracks. I’m not sure this is essential for Rivers fans.

John Coltrane – the John Coltrane Qt Plays (Impulse)
John Coltrane – First Meditations (Impulse)
John Coltrane – Transition (Impulse)
John Coltrane – Sun Ship (Impulse)
John Coltrane – Coltrane (Impulse)
John Coltrane – Expression (Impulse)

I thought I’d grab a handful of Coltrane for the road, not realizing his birthday was just a few days away and there would be a full day of birthday broadcast on WKCR.

Chim Chim Cheree on the John Coltrane Qt Plays has a soprano sax meltdown that I never hear anybody mention.

To Be from Expression is such an amazing and unique track, I listened to it quite a few times.

Love from First Meditations is such a beautiful tune.

..and a bunch of other stuff too.

Dave Holland

When I was 18, I was getting hip to the ECM sound and I saw this album in the rack. I thought solo bass could be interesting and bought it. I had no idea that Dave Holland played with Miles Davis. I had no clue who Anthony Braxton was. I just thought a solo bass album was a good idea.

Emerald Tears sounded amazing, as if the bass was right there in the room.  I heard a Miles tune, Solar and got my first exposure to a Braxton tune with Composition 69Q (aka B-40/RS-4-W/M23-6K).

Later I followed up by buying lots of music with Holland as the bass player. It certainly seemed like he was on a lot of albums with Jack DeJohnette in the ’70s, so I added those to my collection too. How could such a busy bass player still provide a solid foundation? I still don’t know, so I keep listening.

Mr. Holland must be keeping a tight grip on YouTube, I can’t find any examples from this album, so just buy a copy of Emerald Tears and listen to it.

update Sept 21, 2014

an example:

listening to…September 5-8, 2012

Ralph Towner – Open Letter (ECM)
Ralph Towner & Paolo Fresu – Chairoscuro (ECM)

Open Letter is a now old favorite with classical guitar over Prophet synthesizer landscapes from 1991. Chairoscuro is Towner’s most recent on ECM, duets with trumpet player Paolo Fresu, sweet, pleasant enough, Towner doesn’t seem to play 12 string guitar anymore.

I heard his early set with Oregon at Birdland, NYC a few nights ago. I wish he played more guitar, he also plays keyboards. I enjoyed myself anyway, the band was great. It was first time I’d heard Towner live. If only he’d perform more solo gigs in the states!

Michael Galasso – High Lines (ECM)

Terje Rypdal, guest…Galasso loops up violin soundscapes…kind of disappointing.

Enrico Rava – the Pilgrim and the Stars (ECM)

Early session with John Abercrombie and the ECM house rhythm section of Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen . Abercrombie is into his post-McLaughlin bag here, light strings and guitar pedals. From June 1975, just two months after the insane debut of Gateway trio with Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette.

McCoy Tyner – Sahara (Milestone)
McCoy Tyner – Enlightenment (Milestone)

I’m having my first encounters with ’70s McCoy Tyner now and it’s about time. I’ve been wanting to check out Sonny Fortune and Azar Lawrence on these albums for a while.

Lowell Davidson Trio (ESP)
The Giuseppi Logan Quartet (ESP)
Gary Burton – Lofty Fake Anagram (RCA)

listening to…August 25-September 1, 2012

Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous, Jack DeJohnette (ECM)

I read about Rypdal in Guitar Player and bought this one because he used a guitar synthesizer on one cut. He doesn’t need one. Still a favorite album after all these years. This was also my introduction to Miroslav Vitous and Jack DeJohnette (love that cymbal work!).

Terje Rypdal – Whenever I Seem to be Far Away (ECM)

Orchestra on one track, a beautiful setting for Rypdal. Even his small groups have a lush symphonic vision for his unique guitar voice.

Terje Rypdal – After the Rain (ECM)

Except for his wife’s singing, he plays everything on this album.

Terje Rypdal – If Mountains Could Sing (ECM)

A double trio – on some tracks, Terje’s trio is joined by a string trio. No synths!

Dan Wall – On The Inside Looking In (Double -Time Records)

Dan Wall play organs on a flock of John Abercrombie albums, but on this one he’s joined by the (under recorded) legendary harmony wiz Mick Goodrick.

John Abercrombie, featured guitarist on the following:

Contact One – Five On One (Pirouet)

All star cast with David Liebman, still digesting this one.

Kenny Wheeler – the Window in the Window (ECM)

Bruce Gertz – Blueprint (Freelance)
Bruce Gertz – Third Eye (RAM Records)

Two obscure albums featuring Abercrombie from the early ’90s, the RAM title is from Italy. Gertz on bass, Jerry Bergonzi – sax, Joey Calderazzo – piano and Adam Nussbaum – drums…these recordings must be documenting a working band, slick stuff.

Other:

Gamelan Semar Pegullingan: Gamelan of Love God (Nonesuch)
Pat Metheny Trio – Day Trip (Nonesuch)

A wee little trio that sounds huge. I like him in a small group, it seems so casual and relaxed, but Day Tip seems too perfect. I like the duos with Charlie Haden much more.

Last year he did a series of live dates with bassist Larry Grenadier. Will there ever be an album? I’d like to hear this, instead of some crappy bootleg.

Steve Howe – Turbulence (Relativity)

I had an advance copy of this one two years before it came out and it’s still a favorite. I wore that cassette out…at the time, this was his first solo album in years and a reunion album with drummer Bill Bruford. It rocks, this is Steve Howe at his best. Keyboard stylings by Bill Currie.

Keith Jarrett – Dark Intervals (ECM)

A solo piano album that I’ve had for years, so it’s familiar and I dig it.

Keith Jarrett – Sleeper (ECM)

Pretty darn good, I’m happy with my purchase.

Keith Jarrett – Spheres (ECM)

Only part of the original vinyl release, Hymns/Spheres. It probably wasn’t a great seller, this performance is missing piano and Keith’s grunting/moaning. If I love it, it probably didn’t sell many copies. Pipe organ sadly reminds me of my Father now, he’s loved that NPR program Pipe Dreams.

Gary Peacock – Tales of Another (ECM)

The beginnings of Keith Jarrett’s Standards trio with Peacock and Jack DeJohnette. I love Jacks ’70s sound, so this is a favorite.

Wayne Shorter – Night Dreamer (Blue Note)
Morton Feldman – Complete Music for Violin and Piano (Mode)

NPR@the Newport Jazz Festival 2012

Bill Frisell Plays John Lennon on the Fort Stage at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival. Photo: Erik Jacobs for NPR.

Last weekend I caught a bit of Bill Frisell Plays John Lennon, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012 on local station WBGO, Newark, NJ. When I got home, I realized NPR has a lot of these shows archived on the National Public Radio website. 

Some of these are even downloadable as mp3 files, some not. I’ve heard a bit of John Hollenbeck Claudia Quintet + 1 and I’m looking forward to checking out sets by Jack DeJohnette and more of the Bill Frisell performances.

listening to June 5-9, 2012

“Music is the cup that holds the wine of silence;
sound is that cup, but empty;
noise is that cup, but broken.”
-Robert Fripp

Robert Fripp – the Wine of Silence

Pleasant orchestrations of Fripp Soundscapes. Orchestrations of Frippertronics would be amazing, but this isn’t it.

I love that quote, it’s been on the back of my front door for 19 years.

Herbie Hancock – Sextant

The first track is the twisted sister of Kraftwork and Pete Namlook…Pete wishes his electro jazz was this cool. The other two tracks are slamming post-Bitches Brew funk jazz from the early ’70s.

Ahmad Jamal – A Chamber Music

My, my…what a hip little trio, I think this is out of print and it shouldn’t be. Some of this piano music Gil Evans orchestrated for Miles Ahead by Miles Davis.

Chick Corea – My Spanish Heart
Chick Corea – Return to Forever
Joe Farell – Moon Germs

Stanley Clarke is on all three albums. He’s a phenomenal upright bass player, but in retrospect, a bit of a novelty on electric bass guitar. Herbie Hancock and Jack DeJohnette are the bees knees on Moon Germs.

Chick Corea – Friends
Jimmy Lyons & Sunny Murray – Jump Up
Cecil Taylor – Conquistador
the Microscopic Quartet – Friday the 13th
Paul Motian – Monk and Powell
World Saxophone Quartet – Moving Right Along

For years I’ve posted what I’ve listened to during the day. I’ve been doing this on Facebook since Fall 2008, now I’ve decided to start doing this on the blog.

listening to…May15-19, 2012

A few weeks ago, I stumbled into my copy of Cecil Taylor’s Momentum Space back in the vault. I guess I bought it, listened to it and filed it, now I’m crazy about this album. Top shelf production with stellar performances by the trio. Pretty exciting to have Elvin here and the opening phrases by Dewey remind me of Jimmy Lyons. I never know what Cecil is going to do next when he’s playing, that’s part of his magic. Truly a historic moment.

I was looking for my copy of Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition with it’s heavenly version of Central Park West, so I pulled a few of his other albums. Saudades is a tribute to organist Larry Young, great but sometimes it slips too much into John Scofield’s thing. Beautiul when Young’s spirit shines through the music, Sco is still hip though.

DeJohnette’s Rev. King Suite on Sorcery reminds me of Alice Coltrane, melody on the organ. The low pass filter fluttering away on his drums is real trippy.

Both Kuhn and Kikuchi were recorded in NYC, Kuhn sounds like it and Kikuchi is a bit closer in feel to the ECM motherland. I’m familiar with Masabumi Kikuchi from recordings with Paul Motian, this is Motians last date before his passing last November.

May 15, 2012

Steve Kuhn Trio – Wisteria (ECM)
Masabumi Kikuchi with Paul Motian – Sunrise (ECM)

May 18, 2012

Cecil Taylor, Elvin Jones, Dewey Redman – Momentum Space (Verve)
Jack DeJohnette – Special Edition (ECM)
Jack DeJohnette, Larry Goldings, John Scofield aka Trio Beyond – Saudades (ECM)

May 19, 2012

Jack DeJohnette – Pictures (ECM)
Jack DeJohnette – Sorcery (Prestige)

For years I’ve posted what I’ve listened to during the day. I’ve been doing this on Facebook since Fall 2008, now I’ve decided to start doing this on the blog.