Post by John on Sept 4, 2015 20:37:12 GMT
Jazz has been around a 100 years now. It grew up on the streets of America where African people were transported into a new culture far away from their land into a new harsh life.
I been into Jazz for a number of years and I am discovering old/new music all the time.
For me jazz has developed from a mainly dance based music to a serious art form. Its ability to develop new ideas and yet retain its history I find fascinating.
I have decided to talk about some of the albums I enjoy
Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington The great reunion
Two giants of Jazz together for the first time, I got into this album whilst listening to SpeedySteve system we used it a reference point whilst trying out different amplifiers. Both artists are really enjoying playing together you can hear it in the playing, everyone has plenty of space and allow other band members to join in, the music is underpinned by a sense of swing. Louis playing is so lyrical you can hear how inspired so many. Duke holds everything together, you have to listen carefully for his sublime playing but it is there. It has a timeless quality to it and always manages to seduce me.
Keith Jarrett The Koln Concert
This is completely improvised it has a wonderful sense of melody. At times Keith seems almost ecstatic and express this with the odd cry (you either not mind this or hate it). I had this in my collection for over 20 years and whilst I may not listen to it as much I still enjoy it when I do. The album is really well recorded and a great system test.
Christian McBride Live At the Tonic
Another great live album The playing is immutable and encompasses many different styles in coherent manner James (Sovereign) got me into this album The playing is fresh and infectious. A 3cd set that keeps me occupied is a rarity indeed.
Robert Glasper Canvas
Another live album Robert is able to infuse styles and is considered by many to be one of the leading lights in Jazz. Robert is infusing (lightly) Hip Hop music and I actually get it and like it which is rare for me and says a lot about Robert ability.
Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus
For me Sonny Rollins is a legend, a musicians musician. The guy has kept on developing and this captures him early on in his career. A Classic for sure. The album also has some great drumming from Max Roach
No list should be without some John Coltrane but gosh what album to go for, I went for A love supreme where John tries to conveys his love for music. Coltrane can play fantastic melodies but also challenge. Coltrane is acknowledging his spiritual leanings in this album but this ain't no new age album, its Coltrane at his heights .
Christian Scott Anthem
Hard to sum up this album but here a exert from a review that captures while its worth investigating
“ What it comes down to is a deeply moving, utterly odd and beautiful recording by Scott. His lyricism is deep; his bravery for putting out an album like this is celebratory, because it may be deeply misunderstood. He accomplishes in large part his desire to move jazz in a new direction, one that embraces all of his musical interests and allows him to remain, in his way, faithful to a tradition began in a place that has been devastated by a disaster unfathomable to anyone who hasn't lived through it. The grief, resilience, and ultimate celebration of this magical place called New Orleans by its musicians has been inspiring, as has the courage of its people. Scott has summed up in Anthem the sound of many individual voices, offered them as a gift to any who will listen. It's a generous and visionary recording, one that doesn't back away from what is difficult or nearly impossible to define. Anthem is the work of an artist who has fully arrived into his creative possibility, and yet points toward something mysterious and anticipatory in the process. Anthem approaches brilliance “
Wynton Marsalis Think of One
Wynton can blow with the best of them but he also has a ear for melody. This is probably his best known album
Shawn Lane Jonas Hellborg and Jeff Sipe Temporal Analogues of Paradise
I was lucky enough to see Shawn play before he died. When I saw him I was totally blown away,
This is very much improvised music all players are given space to Shine. Its a album I keep going back to as the understanding of this band is so strong. Its like a electric response to the Koln Concert.
Miles Davis A Kind of Blue
No list is ever complete without A kind of blue. Miles brought a modal approach that mved away from the bebop sound into something a lot more intimate.
I been into Jazz for a number of years and I am discovering old/new music all the time.
For me jazz has developed from a mainly dance based music to a serious art form. Its ability to develop new ideas and yet retain its history I find fascinating.
I have decided to talk about some of the albums I enjoy
Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington The great reunion
Two giants of Jazz together for the first time, I got into this album whilst listening to SpeedySteve system we used it a reference point whilst trying out different amplifiers. Both artists are really enjoying playing together you can hear it in the playing, everyone has plenty of space and allow other band members to join in, the music is underpinned by a sense of swing. Louis playing is so lyrical you can hear how inspired so many. Duke holds everything together, you have to listen carefully for his sublime playing but it is there. It has a timeless quality to it and always manages to seduce me.
Keith Jarrett The Koln Concert
This is completely improvised it has a wonderful sense of melody. At times Keith seems almost ecstatic and express this with the odd cry (you either not mind this or hate it). I had this in my collection for over 20 years and whilst I may not listen to it as much I still enjoy it when I do. The album is really well recorded and a great system test.
Christian McBride Live At the Tonic
Another great live album The playing is immutable and encompasses many different styles in coherent manner James (Sovereign) got me into this album The playing is fresh and infectious. A 3cd set that keeps me occupied is a rarity indeed.
Robert Glasper Canvas
Another live album Robert is able to infuse styles and is considered by many to be one of the leading lights in Jazz. Robert is infusing (lightly) Hip Hop music and I actually get it and like it which is rare for me and says a lot about Robert ability.
Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus
For me Sonny Rollins is a legend, a musicians musician. The guy has kept on developing and this captures him early on in his career. A Classic for sure. The album also has some great drumming from Max Roach
No list should be without some John Coltrane but gosh what album to go for, I went for A love supreme where John tries to conveys his love for music. Coltrane can play fantastic melodies but also challenge. Coltrane is acknowledging his spiritual leanings in this album but this ain't no new age album, its Coltrane at his heights .
Christian Scott Anthem
Hard to sum up this album but here a exert from a review that captures while its worth investigating
“ What it comes down to is a deeply moving, utterly odd and beautiful recording by Scott. His lyricism is deep; his bravery for putting out an album like this is celebratory, because it may be deeply misunderstood. He accomplishes in large part his desire to move jazz in a new direction, one that embraces all of his musical interests and allows him to remain, in his way, faithful to a tradition began in a place that has been devastated by a disaster unfathomable to anyone who hasn't lived through it. The grief, resilience, and ultimate celebration of this magical place called New Orleans by its musicians has been inspiring, as has the courage of its people. Scott has summed up in Anthem the sound of many individual voices, offered them as a gift to any who will listen. It's a generous and visionary recording, one that doesn't back away from what is difficult or nearly impossible to define. Anthem is the work of an artist who has fully arrived into his creative possibility, and yet points toward something mysterious and anticipatory in the process. Anthem approaches brilliance “
Wynton Marsalis Think of One
Wynton can blow with the best of them but he also has a ear for melody. This is probably his best known album
Shawn Lane Jonas Hellborg and Jeff Sipe Temporal Analogues of Paradise
I was lucky enough to see Shawn play before he died. When I saw him I was totally blown away,
This is very much improvised music all players are given space to Shine. Its a album I keep going back to as the understanding of this band is so strong. Its like a electric response to the Koln Concert.
Miles Davis A Kind of Blue
No list is ever complete without A kind of blue. Miles brought a modal approach that mved away from the bebop sound into something a lot more intimate.
