All That Jazz ...
- Thread starter Nikhil
- Start date
A mellow album from McBride? That’s a firstNice relaxed evening listening to this right now.
.
I need to check this out, along with Inside Straight.
Jayant_S
Well-Known Member
The suspense is killing me! What should I get?
LOL!
My apologies, Jayant. Music + drink = scrambled eggs
Here’s the album I was referring to:
Jayant_S
Well-Known Member
Thanks Rajesh! I'll definitely love this! Anything the Crusaders put out in the 70s sounds so good to meLOL!
My apologies, Jayant. Music + drink = scrambled eggs
Here’s the album I was referring to:
View attachment 66075View attachment 66076
I came across this most insightful piece of advice from the very wise Joseph Campbell: “When you find a writer who really is saying something to you, read everything that writer has written and you will get more education and depth of understanding out of that than reading a scrap here and a scrap there and elsewhere. Then go to people who influenced that writer, or those who were related to him, and your world builds together in an organic way that is really marvellous.”
He’s talking about writing but of course it applies equally to everything — art, philosophy, politics, friendship or jazz. And to that end, over the last few days, I’ve been doing a deep dive into Clifford Brown, listening to everything I can find, from the superb albums with Max Roach to his incandescent playing during other people’s sessions.
While listening to On Basin Street (EmArcy, 1956), I heard the track, Gertrude’s Bounce, and discovered that Richie Powell (what a great talent he was) wrote the tune based on how this artist called Gertrude Abercrombie walked “just like the way the rhythm sounds in the introduction." How she walked. Hmm. So I looked her up — she was quite something, running a salon in Chicago not unlike the legendary one her namesake, Gertrude Stein hosted in Paris. Dizzy Gillespie played at one of her weddings, James Purdy wrote a story about her, she went around wearing a witch’s hat — what a character! This is her with Sonny Rollins:
Then I went through her art — it wasn’t what I’d imagined, filled as they were with strange and desolate images. Here’s one for your viewing pleasure:
And then I tried walking like the introduction to Gertrude's Bounce… to really get into the spirit of things, you understand… and even conscripted my wife into the cause to see if a woman would look any less ridiculous doing so… but no, it really is an absurd way to saunter, impossible to pull off without bringing the arms into play, and requiring a little bit of high-stepping and a whole lot of grinning. Which, come to think of it, is actually a pretty good way to carry oneself through lockdowns.
Bounce like Gertrude, people.
—Orko
He’s talking about writing but of course it applies equally to everything — art, philosophy, politics, friendship or jazz. And to that end, over the last few days, I’ve been doing a deep dive into Clifford Brown, listening to everything I can find, from the superb albums with Max Roach to his incandescent playing during other people’s sessions.
While listening to On Basin Street (EmArcy, 1956), I heard the track, Gertrude’s Bounce, and discovered that Richie Powell (what a great talent he was) wrote the tune based on how this artist called Gertrude Abercrombie walked “just like the way the rhythm sounds in the introduction." How she walked. Hmm. So I looked her up — she was quite something, running a salon in Chicago not unlike the legendary one her namesake, Gertrude Stein hosted in Paris. Dizzy Gillespie played at one of her weddings, James Purdy wrote a story about her, she went around wearing a witch’s hat — what a character! This is her with Sonny Rollins:
Then I went through her art — it wasn’t what I’d imagined, filled as they were with strange and desolate images. Here’s one for your viewing pleasure:
And then I tried walking like the introduction to Gertrude's Bounce… to really get into the spirit of things, you understand… and even conscripted my wife into the cause to see if a woman would look any less ridiculous doing so… but no, it really is an absurd way to saunter, impossible to pull off without bringing the arms into play, and requiring a little bit of high-stepping and a whole lot of grinning. Which, come to think of it, is actually a pretty good way to carry oneself through lockdowns.
Bounce like Gertrude, people.
—Orko
Jayant_S
Well-Known Member
This sounds like a Marx brothers routine - any chance you recorded a video clip?
This sounds like a Marx brothers routine - any chance you recorded a video clip?
Uh, let’s just say that I would prefer people to suspect that I’m an idiot than to provide recorded proof and remove all doubt.
Sushant Sharma
Well-Known Member
Just read up on Gertrude Abercrombie. Wondering how Billie and Renita walked.
Billie, as in, Holiday? I’m convinced that she didn’t walk; she either stumbled or glided six inches off the ground.
Who’s Renita?
Sushant Sharma
Well-Known Member
Yes, not Holiday. Am briefly aware of Billy Holiday's tumultous life but doesn't she look like a goddess of elegance and calm in most photos you see of her.
Oh. I had no idea that there were other, uh, bouncers. Let me try these other walks and report back.
What a lovely write-up @Orko !
Thank you, you're very kind.
(You know, if we ever have a physical meet-up with all the folks on this thread, don't bother introducing yourselves with your real names because unless you're Benedict Cumberbatch, there's no way your real names will be as interesting as your chosen monikers. So I'm going to continue calling you by your forum names — Mr. Fiftyfifty, Mr. Coaltrane, and so on. I have spoken.)
I got on the Cole train (groan!) with Giant Steps, and his Atlantic albums are still my favourites - a good balance between the ‘sheets of sound’ of his Prestige period, and the fire-breathing pyrotechnics on the Impulse sessions.
Giant Steps, Coltrane’s Sound, Coltrane Plays The Blues and Ole Coltrane are the standouts for me.
Giant Steps, Coltrane’s Sound, Coltrane Plays The Blues and Ole Coltrane are the standouts for me.
Avinash Pai
Member
I have been watching NPR music's tiny desk concerts on YouTube for a while now. Was watching the Vijay Iyer trio and Rudresh Mahantappa perform when I chanced upon Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. Absolutely spellbinding music this.
For excellent sound that won't break the bank, the 5 Star Award Winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers is the one to consider!
