All That Jazz ...

Since you're on a Garbarek trip, please sample his work on Keith Jarrett's My Song album. No track on this album is dull. Jarrett-Garbarek is as deadly a combo as they ever come. Not as experimental as his works on Novum, etc but lots of soaring melodies interspersed with jarring atonal riffs. I love his work on Zakir Hussain's Making Music, too.
Yes, I love My Song album and track as well. This quartet though was short-lived. Thanks for Zakir Hussain's recommendation. Will check it out.
 
While we are on a Jan Garbarek trip, here is his album Dis, 1976, on ECM Recorde, supported by Ralph Towner on guitars. The Cover talks about the windharp on the album, modeled on a Aeolian harp (Aeolis:the Greek God of wind) which is recorded on the coast of Southern Norway, a place suitable because of unending gusts of wind coming from the North Sea.
20201016_133950.jpg
20201016_133913.jpgI wouldn't have been surprised if you said to me that Garbarek is actually playing Ragas on this album. You can hear a very strong Indian influence in his playing here. The music is very mellow, atmospheric, melencholy and relaxed. The 12 string and classical guitars have an equal presence on most songs.
Here is a scathing review that actually tears into the effort put on this album and basically trashes the hell out of it. I disagree with the review totally but enjoyed the caustic sarcasm deployed by the reviewer.

 
Three from Saturday AM and so lovely all 3. Also move from B to C!

Donald Byrd - A New Perspective (Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II was his full name!!)is a splendid album that has a hymnal quality with voices. And look at the guys on the album - Hank Mobley, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Burrell. The solos are all relaxed and yet inventive and lovely. My favourite kind! A must own!


Cachao - Master Sessions Vol 1 - Is a delightful Cuban jazz album. Produced by Emilio Estefan Jr and Andy Garcia. Lots of Cuban jazz forms. Delightful one by the bassist Israel Lopez

Here is the first song from the album (for me the equivalent of “you had me at hello”)



Hoagy Sings Carmichael- songs sung by the legendary songwriter. I must admit I start drifting 2/3 of the way into the album. But what a 2/3.

Some Trivia - James Bond was described as looking like Hoagy Carmichael - in the words of Vesper Lynd “‘He is very good-looking. He reminds me rather of Hoagy Carmichael, but there is something cold and ruthless in his …’ and Gala Brand in Moonraker “Rather like Hoagy Carmichael in a way. That black hair falling down over the right eyebrow. Much the same bones. But there was something a bit cruel in the mouth, and the eyes were cold

Here is a song many will know

 
Three from Saturday AM and so lovely all 3. Also move from B to C!

Donald Byrd - A New Perspective (Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II was his full name!!)is a splendid album that has a hymnal quality with voices. And look at the guys on the album - Hank Mobley, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Burrell. The solos are all relaxed and yet inventive and lovely. My favourite kind! A must own!


Cachao - Master Sessions Vol 1 - Is a delightful Cuban jazz album. Produced by Emilio Estefan Jr and Andy Garcia. Lots of Cuban jazz forms. Delightful one by the bassist Israel Lopez

Here is the first song from the album (for me the equivalent of “you had me at hello”)



Hoagy Sings Carmichael- songs sung by the legendary songwriter. I must admit I start drifting 2/3 of the way into the album. But what a 2/3.

Some Trivia - James Bond was described as looking like Hoagy Carmichael - in the words of Vesper Lynd “‘He is very good-looking. He reminds me rather of Hoagy Carmichael, but there is something cold and ruthless in his …’ and Gala Brand in Moonraker “Rather like Hoagy Carmichael in a way. That black hair falling down over the right eyebrow. Much the same bones. But there was something a bit cruel in the mouth, and the eyes were cold

Here is a song many will know

Interesting character Hoagy Carmichael! His compositions are amazing and would rank among the best in jazz! I remember watching the audience, in particular the senior members, literally weep as 'Georgia on my mind' played at a show around Stone Mountain, Atlanta. Wondered if any Indian audience would collectively weep listening to Sare Jehan se Achha! I'm not judging, just wondering :)
Here's a lockdown version of another Carmichael standard: Some of you may remember the French singer Marilena Paradisi from her performances in India. Here she sings 'The nearness of you' accompanied by my friends Prabhakar and Ralph. Nicely done..... And a very transparent recording too.

 
While we are on a Jan Garbarek trip, here is his album Dis, 1976, on ECM Recorde, supported by Ralph Towner on guitars. The Cover talks about the windharp on the album, modeled on a Aeolian harp (Aeolis:the Greek God of wind) which is recorded on the coast of Southern Norway, a place suitable because of unending gusts of wind coming from the North Sea.
View attachment 50927
View attachment 50928I wouldn't have been surprised if you said to me that Garbarek is actually playing Ragas on this album. You can hear a very strong Indian influence in his playing here. The music is very mellow, atmospheric, melencholy and relaxed. The 12 string and classical guitars have an equal presence on most songs.
Here is a scathing review that actually tears into the effort put on this album and basically trashes the hell out of it. I disagree with the review totally but enjoyed the caustic sarcasm deployed by the reviewer.

I always found the Garbarek's playing, especially on Soprano Sax or windharp, very similar sounding to reed instruments like Shehnai for example. Maybe his sustained notes, lack of vibrato, spacing brings our ragas to mind.

Dis is a wonderful album despite the review. Ralph Towner 12-string is a great foil to Garbarek's strident tone.
 
"Maybe his sustained notes, lack of vibrato, spacing brings our ragas to mind". That's a very plausible insigh. @shyamv . A good album for sure.
Keith Jarrett and him on "The windup" is a great uptempo tune aswell.
 
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While we are on a Jan Garbarek trip, here is his album Dis, 1976, on ECM Recorde, supported by Ralph Towner on guitars. The Cover talks about the windharp on the album, modeled on a Aeolian harp (Aeolis:the Greek God of wind) which is recorded on the coast of Southern Norway, a place suitable because of unending gusts of wind coming from the North Sea.
View attachment 50927
View attachment 50928I wouldn't have been surprised if you said to me that Garbarek is actually playing Ragas on this album. You can hear a very strong Indian influence in his playing here. The music is very mellow, atmospheric, melencholy and relaxed. The 12 string and classical guitars have an equal presence on most songs.
Here is a scathing review that actually tears into the effort put on this album and basically trashes the hell out of it. I disagree with the review totally but enjoyed the caustic sarcasm deployed by the reviewer.

Mention of Ralf Towner reminded me of his band Oregon which I first heard in my college days. Surprised to see them still going strong when all of them must be in their seventies.
 
Last night’s listening session was electric. Literally.
Anyone interested in jazz fusion should definitely check out these classics:

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Ha! We seem to have common tastes :)
This are the albums that I started to listen to jazz with. These, and My Spanish Heart, Tutu. It is much later that I saw Clint Eastwood's 'Bird' on Charlie Parker's life. I was floored by the amazing sound of the saxophone playing notes in two's up and down the main melody at that frantic pace, as if he knew he wouldn't live long. So while I'm hooked on bebop and hardbop and ballads, the albums you listed remain my first love
 
Though not exactly jazz, like John Cale’s Paris 1919, Richard Thompson’s Henry The Human Fly is an eccentric album — wistful and timeless.
Feels good to listen to it after a while.
The first one is The Angels Took My Race Horse Away


 
Been listening to jazz for as long as I've been listening to music! But this book I read recently was a revelation - will highly recommend to all jazz lovers - Young, old, experienced or new to jazz...
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Ha! We seem to have common tastes :)
This are the albums that I started to listen to jazz with. These, and My Spanish Heart, Tutu. It is much later that I saw Clint Eastwood's 'Bird' on Charlie Parker's life. I was floored by the amazing sound of the saxophone playing notes in two's up and down the main melody at that frantic pace, as if he knew he wouldn't live long. So while I'm hooked on bebop and hardbop and ballads, the albums you listed remain my first love
Nice . I also started jazz with these fusion albums. Just add Chick Corea, Aldemeola, mahavishnu orchestra , Jean luc pointy, Allan Holdsworth, weather report , etc.
Then I heard Miles Davis Kind of blue, and John Coltrane Ballads and things have never been the same again.
First love is of course always first.
 
Hey I have been stuck with my 3 Cs for a strange reason. I always drift when I listen to this first CD. Something always comes along. So I forced myself to listen

Serge Chaloff - Blue Serge Is a CD I should like. Baritone Sax playing a lot of standards and beautifully. But why do I drift? Just don’t know. I forced myself to listen and it’s beautiful! Do you think so too?


Benny Carter - The King is a lovely album and features the saxophonist with a good back up band. The aging Saxaphonist in a small group format is an easy recommendation, playing his own compositions. Here is a neat song


James Carter - The Real Quietstorm has a bunch of compositions by Monk, Sun Ra, Ellington and his own, and played nicely. Not easily (some blowing here and there) but worth the effort of buying the CD. Hear below - nice intro and playing no

 
Purchase the Audiolab 6000A Integrated Amplifier at a special offer price.
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