Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:03 pm
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Part of an explosion of solo albums Wayne Shorter recorded just after he joined Miles Davis' band, The Soothsayer wasn't released until the late '70s. Listening to the album, it is hard to believe because it ranks with the best of his works from this incredibly fertile period. Shorter has been called Davis' "idea man," and the creativity and thoughtfulness that earned him that moniker are quite evident here. The album's five originals and one arrangement (of Sibelius' Valse Triste) show a multi-layered complexity that seems effortless even as it weaves together contributions from a very strong, stylistic sextet. Of particular interest is the interplay of the three horn players, including altoist James Spaulding and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. As a performer, Shorter also shows a lot of strength, with fluid, at times subtly evocative, solos that bloom with energy without ever seeming frantic or harsh. The title track shows Shorter at his most forceful and is one of the most passionate moments on the album, but even here, beauty seems to come first, while his low-key standard "Lady Day" embodies grace and calmness in every moment. [The CD version of this album also contains an alternate take of "Angola" that features some crisp playing by McCoy Tyner, as well as an energetic solo by Shorter. On this CD the alternate take is sequenced immediately following the take of "Angola" included in the original LP.]
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Fulfilling the potential promised on his Blue Note debut, Night Dreamer, Wayne Shorter's Ju Ju was the first really great showcase for both his performance and compositional gifts. Early in his career as a leader Shorter was criticized as a mere acolyte of John Coltrane, and his use of Coltrane's rhythm section on his first two Blue Note albums only bolstered that criticism. The truth is, though, that Elvin Jones, Reggie Workman, and McCoy Tyner were the perfect musicians to back Shorter. Jones' playing at the time was almost otherworldly. He seemed to channel the music through him when improvising and emit the perfect structure to hold it together. Workman too seemed to almost instinctively understand how to embellish Shorter's compositions. McCoy Tyner's role as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time was played here as well, and his light touch and beautiful, joyful improvisations would make him a much better match for Shorter than Herbie Hancock would later prove to be.
JuJu rests in the uphill portion of Shorter's creative peak. While the sidemen may have been an even better match for him than the ensembles he would put together for later albums, he was just beginning to find his footing as a leader. His performances were already showing evidence of great originality -- yes, they were influenced by Coltrane, but only in the way that they broke apart the structures of the bop sound to create a sound that had all of the variety and flexibility of the human voice. On later albums like Speak No Evil and The Soothsayer, however, Shorter would rise to an even higher level as a performer with more powerful, confident playing that reached farther afield in its exploration of melodic textures.
What really shines on JuJu is the songwriting. From the African-influenced title track (with its short, hypnotic, repetitive phrases) to the mesmerizing interplay between Tyner and Shorter on "Mahjong," the album (which is all originals) blooms with ideas, pulling in a world of influences and releasing them again as a series of stunning, complete visions.
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Ulver's fifth album, Perdition City, continues in the more modern, electronic-oriented direction of their previous two releases, Themes From William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and the Metamorphosis EP, the latter of which stated in its liner notes that "Ulver is obviously not a black metal band and does not wish to be stigmatized as such." This album hammers that point home, since it really has nothing to do with metal, musically, visually, or lyrically. Instead, Perdition City is an album of moody, atmospheric electronica, built up around basic down-tempo beats and noir-ish electronic piano harmonies, and then fleshed out with various blips and bleeps, static noises, samples, and occasional vocals. Surprising moments include the lonely soprano saxophone solo on the opener, "Lost in Moments" (which comes dangerously close to adult contemporary/smooth jazz territory); the gravel-voiced Ken Nordine-sound-alike reciting what sounds like a voiceover from a '60s detective show during "Dead City Centres"; and frontman Christophorus Rygg's slick blue-eyed soul (!) singing on "Porn Piece or the Scars of Cold Kisses." Still, the highlight is the album's closing track (and its only real "song"), "Nowhere/Catastrophe," with its climactic vocal harmonies and purring, liquid-like electronic accents. There are questionable moments, such as the arguably pretentious narration during "We Are the Dead," but, on the whole, Perdition City evokes just the sort of desolate, rainy-night-in-the-city atmosphere it sets out to create.
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When Art Blakey founded the Jazz Messengers, his initial goal was to not only make his mark on the hard bop scene, but to always bring younger players into the fold, nurture them, and send them out as leaders in their own right. Pianist Horace Silver, trumpeter Clifford Brown, and saxophonist Lou Donaldson were somewhat established, but skyrocketed into stardom after this band switched personnel. Perhaps the most acclaimed combo of Blakey's next to the latter-period bands with Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter, the pre-Messengers quintet heard on this first volume of live club dates at Birdland in New York City provides solid evidence to the assertion that this ensemble was a one of a kind group the likes of which was not heard until the mid-'60s Miles Davis Quintet. Three of Silver's greatest contributions to jazz before he turned to original soul and funkier sounds are here. "Split Kick" (introduced by the erudite Pee Wee Marquette) is a definitive hard bop vehicle, as Brown and Donaldson dig into their melody and solo lines with deep affection and joy for this music. "Quicksilver" is more of the same as the horns play in unison and pull the famous lyrical quote from "Hey, You Beautiful Doll." "Mayreh" is a happy reharmonized version of "All God's Children Got Rhythm," hard bop at its best, with Brown on fire. Of course, Donaldson's forte is soul, as emphasized during the slow "Blues," assimilating Charlie Parker's cooled tones nicely. A near ten-minute "A Night in Tunisia" establishes the loose-tight concept Blakey patented as he dominates the bandstand in loudness. J.J. Johnson's "Wee-Dot" is as definitive a bop flagwaver as there is, with a short head and plenty of solo space. Where Brown was always masterful in a ballad, "Once in a While" showcases his beautifully executed legato sound, but not at the expense of his innate ability to both invent and extrapolate without losing touch of this special melancholy song. This recording, as well as subsequent editions of these performances, launches an initial breakthrough for Blakey and modern jazz in general, and defines the way jazz music could be heard for decades thereafter. Everybody must own copies of all volumes of A Night at Birdland.
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The second volume taken from Art Blakey's pre-Jazz Messengers gig at Birdland features the immortal trumpeter Clifford Brown, altoist Lou Donaldson, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Curly Russell and the leader/drummer romping through the blues "Wee-Dot," two Charlie Parker tunes, an alternate version of "Quicksilver" and a Donaldson ballad feature on "If I Had You." All of the musicians are inspired, none more than Blakey who would soon form The Jazz Messengers as a permanent outlet for his hard-swinging drums.
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Having released an energetic live album in 2008 and a Motown tribute in 2007, the James Taylor Quartet return to the sort of classy jazz-funk that was evident on their 2006 release "A Taste of Cherry". As ever, their sound is instantly recognisable but has moved on again and, whereas the new element in "A Taste of Cherry" was brought by Nigel Price's guitar work, here the defining sound is added by Nick Smart's beautiful horn arrangements.
The other progression for this album is the huge variety of sounds and styles which are covered, without ever losing a sense of continuity. Mr Taylor's trademark Hammond organ is joined by a number of other keyboard sounds, such as the Fender Rhodes electric piano, the Hohner Clavinet and a Bluthner grand piano all of which expand the JTQ sound.
The album begins with a fierce statement of intent as organ doubles bass and Adam Betts's crashing drums set the pace for "Blacksmith" before colour is added by flute and Rhodes. Later on the album is a sort of accompanying piece in "Stonemason" where the sledgehammer drums accompany a driving, Brian Auger-esque jazz-rock tune.
Next is the dreamy "Rochester Raining", a classy piece of fusion which begins with an evocation of rain but soon picks up into something sunnier, in a similar vein to the title track.
"Same Old Fool" is the first of two tracks to feature the vocals of Corrina Greyson and is a funky workout with a Donald Byrd feel. The other is the party funk of "Get on Your Feet", which makes you want to do just that and is likely to be a live favourite.
"Inner Mystic Love" is a beautiful, piano-led samba that makes moving irresistible, whilst also being highly evocative. Later, the grand piano is used in more reflective mood for "Blue Lady", an affecting ballad of introspective delights.
The breakneck, cop show funk of "Hotwire" leads into the sophisticated jazz-funk of "The Jazz Cafe Theme" before the album closes on a truly uplifting note, as the grand piano takes the lead again for the gospel-inflected "Milk and Honey" which has echoes of Ramsey Lewis, Billy Taylor and even Nina Simone.
The JTQ continue to plough their own little niche, making records that will be bought by their in-the-know fans but escaping the notice of the majority of the record-buying public. Which is a pity because music like this deserves to be heard, having the musicianship of jazz and the accessibility of rock or pop. It is a cliche that musicians always declare in interviews that their latest album is their best and yet, in this case, that might just be true. It is certainly a collection of very fine tunes which are brilliantly played and has the power to move both emotionally and physically.
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The debut recording by Roland Kirk (this was still pre-Rahsaan) on Atlantic Records, the same label that gave us Blacknuss and Volunteered Slavery, is not the blowing fest one might expect upon hearing it for the first time. In fact, producer Joel Dorn and label boss Neshui Ertegun weren't prepared for it either. Kirk had come to Atlantic from Emarcy after recording his swan song for them, the gorgeous Now Please Don't You Cry, Beautiful Edith, in April. In November Kirk decided to take his quartet of pianist Ron Burton, bassist Steve Novosel, and drummer Jimmy Hopps and lead them through a deeply introspective, slightly melancholy program based in the blues and in the groove traditions of the mid-'60s. Kirk himself used the flutes, the strich, the Manzello, whistle, clarinet, saxophones, and more -- the very instruments that had created his individual sound, especially when some of them were played together, and the very things that jazz critics (some of whom later grew to love him) castigated him for. Well, after hearing the restrained and elegantly layered "Black and Crazy Blues," the stunning rendered "Creole Love Call," the knife-deep soul in "The Inflated Tear," and the twisting in the wind lyricism of "Fly by Night," they were convinced -- and rightfully so. Roland Kirk won over the masses with this one too, selling over 10,000 copies in the first year. This is Roland Kirk at his most poised and visionary; his reading of jazz harmony and fickle sonances are nearly without peer. And only Mingus understood Ellington in the way Kirk did. That evidence is here also. If you are looking for a place to start with Kirk, this is it.
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