All That Jazz ...

[Fiftyfifty]

Another giant passes
Composer and alto saxophonist Lee Konitz passed away at age 93 In a career starting 1925 Konitz performed in a variety of styles from bebop to cool to blues to avante garde never out of step with the changing times

Konitz is regarded as one of the conceptualisers of the cool era with his performance on the landmark album ‘Birth of the Cool ‘

He continued to perform till a couple of years ago His last recordings being with guitarist Bill Frisell and piano icon Kenny Barron
Konitz leaves behind a monumental discography

Here he plays with the young Brad Mehldau and veteran bassist Charlie Haden, live at Birdland

RIP Lee Konitz

Courtesy: Pune Jazz and Blues Club

 

[Nikhil]

Losing too many of the good guys of recent.
Rest in Peace Lee Konitz!




.

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Here he plays with the young Brad Mehldau and veteran bassist Charlie Haden, live at Birdland

Listening to this again after having posted it, I'm overwhelmed by the sense of 'cool' that each of the legends - Lee, Haden, Brad and Motian brings to this performance. Truly awesome!
I realised that none of the artistes directly plays the original tune. So here's the original tune in the super seductive voice of Julie London - worth hearing and playing in your mind while listening to Lee Konitz & co. improvisations

 

[coaltrain]

What a nice room!

Here is another Ruth album cover you may want to consider. Perhaps gives you more “body and soul”?

Thanks Vivek.
Funny thing is, while I have a lot of Blue Notes, I’ve never heard an album by the 3 Sounds! Just goes to show that there’s always new music to discover

 

[vivek_r]

Thanks Vivek.
Funny thing is, while I have a lot of Blue Notes, I’ve never heard an album by the 3 Sounds! Just goes to show that there’s always new music to discover

There is so much of the mainstream greats to listen to. And no time or too many distractions as the case may be.

Today after Lee Konitz’ Motion (love the album) it is Monk and it’s already 10!!

 

[vivek_r]

Today ah yes we have a full wind section from one person. What a musician - Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Album: We free kings

 

[moktan]

Takeo Moriyama’s East Plants has a beautiful , eclectic sound. My personal favourite is Kaze , a gem of modal jazz. Here though the venerable Japanese drummer is with his Trio delivering a most energetic and intense version of Coltrane’s Mr PC.

 

[vivek_r]

By the way Moktan. This was crazy (good) stuff. More rock no?

 

[Sushant Sharma]

So I like listening to Jazz and have only been doing it for a short while. When you have spent a major part listening to rock or pop or fusion or what not, you understand how key instruments maybe the guitar in a rock setting or the drums function. You might also have held the guitar and dabbled into it or seen your friends play it. You know from repetition or otherwise how this music plays or goes. I know what band Eddie Vedder was in before pearl jam or how Kurt Cobain rose to fame or trivia and things related to older rock bands which draw you closer and paint a more intimate scene between you and the performer.

When you make a transition to a form like jazz, sure you buy the album "kind of blue" or see multiple praises about Coltrane or Bill Evan's or the Greats and the usual suspects. The problem someone like me faced was I had never really heard a Sax or Piano or trumpet being played live, far from having tried my hand at playing any of these instruments. So by repetition you memorise maybe Kind of blue or Giant steps. When listening maybe you look for the interplay between band members and learn a thing or two about call and response and things of the like.
To cut a long story short, you might need to read more about the art form and about the performers and styles and so on.

e.g a FM places importance on knowing the tone of instruments in live settings so you know the tone being reproduced by an instrument when you listen at home. I agree.

Another FM said to me "jazz is too wide an area for me, I like Hard bop and so forth". made me realise I lean more towards cool jazz and fusion.

Another FM just on another post said something about the piano and how when a key is struck, the pianist cannot hold that note as long as a vocalist or a wind instrument can and uses techniques to embellish. So true.

I just saw a video about how a Jazz Pianist would play the piano differently when playing solo, Duo, Trio or in a full band setting.
It just came to my attention the memebers in Oscar Petersons band and relation to the Modern Jazz Qurtet and some other similar things.
Dont get me wrong, I dont mean to paint a picture for others like me about it all being daunting and an uphill battle. I also just play tunes and let go and relax.

My request to the memebers who have been listening to jazz or other art forms longer and have a better understanding, please do share (if you feel like now and then) more anecdotes or knowledge of the art form when posting, it really helps a newbie like me. Though I understand, jazz appreciation can be a college course in itself. thanks for reading this long winded post.

 

[moktan]

Though jazz is cerebral I do not want to overreach myself by attempting to intellectualize.
However besides seeking out new sounds, the way I approach jazz is by familiarizing myself with some standards by listening them over and over again. And then listening then some more - how the same artist has interpreted it over time and how others have done it as they came along .
Sometimes careful attention to the name of the piece can give rich dividends as jazz composers do not just name their pieces on a whim. Also albums have a theme and individual pieces contribute towards the resolution or the telling of a story. One can discern this quite clearly In The Egg a longish composition on Herbie Hancock’s Empyrean Isles. But I guess the same applies to classical music too.
Reading liner notes help at times but their over suggestiveness might constrain us into a certain type of listening.
Even in a given song - trying to clue in on how the pianist or the saxophonist or the percussionist interprets the theme can be quite engaging. The sounds will be protean, sometimes unbridled and wanton but always coming ‘home’.
Some jazz standards are like fossils that trap in their tunes how jazz was changing and it’s fun to listen to them. Some jazz pieces are iconoclastic attempts at breaking down old édifices others throw the gauntlet with their new sound still others engage in different types of politics but it’s never dull.
Also jazz cats are very cool , nattily dressed and with great names - Miles , Mingus , Monk. Some of them lead dissoute lives but they were intellectuals in their own right (eg Charlie Parker).
And jazz album have great cover art including the one of Monk with his guns.

As an example regarding the interpretation of the standards we have Thelonious Monk’s Round Midnight , perhaps one the most covered jazz standards.
Here are two versions of it. One by a Monk and another by Miles ( for me this is one my most favorite Miles album ).

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Very honest and well articulated questions Sushant. I'll try and post some links. In the meanwhile, take a look at this: it is fun but also a good demonstration

 

[Fiftyfifty]

So I like listening to Jazz and have only been doing it for a short while.

This too is excellent and educative. Bernstein is a master, and he presents beautifully and in a simple manner:

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Part 2 of the Bernstein Video

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Some movies on jazz artistes, e.g. Bird, I Called Him Morgan, and Round Midnight all provide excellent insight into the lives of artistes, their chosen genres and live performances featuring them.

 

[Jayant_S]

So I like listening to Jazz and have only been doing it for a short while. When you have spent a major part listening to rock or pop or fusion or what not, you understand how key instruments maybe the guitar in a rock setting or the drums function. You might also have held the guitar and dabbled into it or seen your friends play it. You know from repetition or otherwise how this music plays or goes. I know what band Eddie Vedder was in before pearl jam or how Kurt Cobain rose to fame or trivia and things related to older rock bands which draw you closer and paint a more intimate scene between you and the performer.

When you make a transition to a form like jazz, sure you buy the album "kind of blue" or see multiple praises about Coltrane or Bill Evan's or the Greats and the usual suspects. The problem someone like me faced was I had never really heard a Sax or Piano or trumpet being played live, far from having tried my hand at playing any of these instruments. So by repetition you memorise maybe Kind of blue or Giant steps. When listening maybe you look for the interplay between band members and learn a thing or two about call and response and things of the like.
To cut a long story short, you might need to read more about the art form and about the performers and styles and so on.

e.g a FM places importance on knowing the tone of instruments in live settings so you know the tone being reproduced by an instrument when you listen at home. I agree.

Another FM said to me "jazz is too wide an area for me, I like Hard bop and so forth". made me realise I lean more towards cool jazz and fusion.

Another FM just on another post said something about the piano and how when a key is struck, the pianist cannot hold that note as long as a vocalist or a wind instrument can and uses techniques to embellish. So true.

I just saw a video about how a Jazz Pianist would play the piano differently when playing solo, Duo, Trio or in a full band setting.
It just came to my attention the memebers in Oscar Petersons band and relation to the Modern Jazz Qurtet and some other similar things.
Dont get me wrong, I dont mean to paint a picture for others like me about it all being daunting and an uphill battle. I also just play tunes and let go and relax.

My request to the memebers who have been listening to jazz or other art forms longer and have a better understanding, please do share (if you feel like now and then) more anecdotes or knowledge of the art form when posting, it really helps a newbie like me. Though I understand, jazz appreciation can be a college course in itself. thanks for reading this long winded post.

This sounds a lot like my experience with Jazz. My dad was a huge Jazz buff and I had no patience for it as a kid.
I started appreciating the art form a lot later in life - as recently as 5 years ago.


I found this book to be an invaluable reference.
But you're right about playing tunes to just let go and relax. Applies to any form of music in my opinion

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Thanks Guys. This is mighty helpful.
@Fiftyfifty At the cost of oversimplifying those Bernstein movies, they break it down to familiarizing yourself with the jazz form and knowing a bit of jazz vocabulary and on the other side, having an idea of standards so you can take it further from their and see what an artist does differently when he interprets a jazz standard his way. I guess there has to be a slight method to the madness.
@moktan thanks for stressing on the need to listen to standards and familiarizing yourself with them to then be able to see further improvisation/somebody's own stamp/style on a variation. And also the other nuances you mentioned in your post.

@Jayant_S thanks. I will rememebr to seek out that book and I am glad your journey continues.

PS I have watched Lee Morgan and Dexter Gordon Around midnight.Will check out Bird. thanks

 

[himadri]

Sadly Allan Holdsworth is no more.
Waiting for this CD (recorded in 1986) to be released from the vaults.
Cheers ( the bar is empty).

 

[moktan]

 

[vivek_r]

Sushant do not listen to this. Moktan has gone abstract in his wilderness !

Now my album du jour.Gently moving along and swinging. And suddenly you hear “Jesus Christ Super Star”. This one is easy. Desmond’s only showing with the Modern Jazz Quartet. All of Desmond is easy bur interesting!

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Sushant do not listen to this. Moktan has gone abstract in his wilderness !

Now my album du jour.Gently moving along and swinging. And suddenly you hear “Jesus Christ Super Star”. This one is easy. Desmond’s only showing with the Modern Jazz Quartet. All of Desmond is easy bur interesting!

Vivek, I am the deer in headlights..haha..will give this one a listen. thanks for the suggestion.