This is one of the essential albums of what I think of as Paul Motian Piano Jazz. Motian, a drummer, played with Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett before branching out on his own. In trios with bassists Charlie Haden or Gary Peacock and pianists including Paul Bley, Masabumi Kikuchi, Geri Allen and Marilyn Crispell, he recorded often abstract, sometimes spacy music that still reverberates after many of the participants' deaths.
Your right the only song i wanted to post was the first, the rest were c..p. did not realize I was posting a "play list". lesson learned, dont mess with settings when you know little about that stuff!
Your right the only song i wanted to post was the first, the rest were c..p. did not realize I was posting a "play list". lesson learned, dont mess with settings when you know little about that stuff!
Gianluigi Trovesi (all'opera) - Profumo di Violetta
This album is amazing. I bought it when it came out in 2008, a wonderful set of HD files. At first sight, it may look like heavy going, but to my ears, it's anything but.
Yes the Aldana is a bit hit and miss. A bit ‘late’ Rollins at times but she has a vey sweet tone on the sax. Found the Shabaka on Qobuz - unusual but melodic and found it grows on you. Will check out some of his earlier albums.
I'll listen to it with Rollins in mind. I hadn't made that connection. Funnily enough, it's her tone that is one of the things I've struggled with!
The Shabaka is my favourite album so far this year. It had me almost from the first note. It's also the first after he gave up playing the saxophone in favour of a clutch of flutes. Aside from his solo EP from 2022(?) whose title escapes me - you'll find it. It has a portrait in the same style as the new album on the cover - his earlier work is quite different.
I've been listening to quite a bit of Trevor Watts lately. He's a sadly obscure British alto player who died a few years ago, with a surprisingly large discography. I hadn't heard his solo album with him playing horn, percussion and synths (the rather basic ones favoured by jazz players (why is that?), until recently:
Barry Guy, Howard Riley, John Stevens and Trevor Watts - Endgame
Free improvisation from four greats of the British improv scene, but surprisingly not scary. That much.
It's also on JAPO, which I've just found out means Jazz by Post, a division of the ubiquitous ECM. It sounds nice on the office system, but I'd like to get a sub in here somehow.
Mr Waits' seminal album - one of my 'timeless' collection and so unlike anything else around at the time ( or any of his previous albums for that matter ).
Mr Waits' seminal album - one of my 'timeless' collection and so unlike anything else around at the time ( or any of his previous albums for that matter ).
I remember it coming out. It was the soundtrack for quite a few weeks in my shared house.
This is the latest 'Complete' release, remastered for at least the second time and in HD (24/96) for the first time, perhaps. Rollins sounds good, the audience intimate (think Bill Evans' albums at the same venue a few years later) and the bass a bit lost sometimes.
The YT playlist is a mishmash of earlier versions and 13 tracks long, against the 18 tracks I'm listening to.
Allen's first stab at integrating blues and earlier forms with modern/free jazz and it's stunning! As good as anything I've heard from a US sax player recently and nearly up there with the stellar James Brandon Lewis. Why is Allen relatively obscure?
The YT playlist is complete, but in the wrong order. Do you care?
Sun Ra - Inside the Light World (Sun Ra Meets the OVC)
This is all I can find on YouTube. It's just a bit of the album from a VHS tape.
This is a great Ra Record, with a good sound, for once. If you're Ra-curious, this one could be a good place to start. The Arkestra is in excellent form, and Ra has kept his sometimes tiresome noodling in check (there. It had to be said).
From what I've read, the OVC is some kind of instrument in the vein of the Theramin.
Maybe the wrong place to post this? have not listened to anything, music,radio,tv for a long now time now, since my last post and I have to say that I have not missed it. Reading instead in (almost) total silence, so much to discover, enjoy and learn from. Wonderful. Purge or ?
Several books by Joe Nesbo, Bill Bryson, Robert Ludlum and a few in between. Current struggling a bit with Mervyn Peake (did at school,never got on with it just thought I would give it another go) Happy days.
Comments
This is one of the essential albums of what I think of as Paul Motian Piano Jazz. Motian, a drummer, played with Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett before branching out on his own. In trios with bassists Charlie Haden or Gary Peacock and pianists including Paul Bley, Masabumi Kikuchi, Geri Allen and Marilyn Crispell, he recorded often abstract, sometimes spacy music that still reverberates after many of the participants' deaths.
This one has Gary Peacock in the bass chair.
And piano trios were only part of Motian's music.
Uglymusic's unerring good taste strikes again!
Fat Freddy's Drop - Blackbird Returns
Not too much Yee-haw, though
Mad Professor and Yellowman - A Feast of Yellow Dub
This album is amazing. I bought it when it came out in 2008, a wonderful set of HD files. At first sight, it may look like heavy going, but to my ears, it's anything but.
Lloyd's best for a while, I'd say.
Hopkins' final album and he's in good form. It's a fine trio album, even if Murray isn't my favourite reed player.
Shabaka - Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace
https://melissaaldana.lnk.to/EchoesOfTheInnerProphet
Found the Shabaka on Qobuz - unusual but melodic and found it grows on you. Will check out some of his earlier albums.
The Shabaka is my favourite album so far this year. It had me almost from the first note. It's also the first after he gave up playing the saxophone in favour of a clutch of flutes. Aside from his solo EP from 2022(?) whose title escapes me - you'll find it. It has a portrait in the same style as the new album on the cover - his earlier work is quite different.
Trevor Watts - The Deep Blue
It's a rather nice album.
Barry Guy, Howard Riley, John Stevens and Trevor Watts - Endgame
Free improvisation from four greats of the British improv scene, but surprisingly not scary. That much.
It's also on JAPO, which I've just found out means Jazz by Post, a division of the ubiquitous ECM. It sounds nice on the office system, but I'd like to get a sub in here somehow.
Don Pullen, Chico Freeman, Fred Hopkins and Bobby Battle - Warriors
Enjoy!
There were four Jones brothers, weren't there (all musicians)?
I'm not sure it entirely works, but I come back to it every so often.
I know Hank Jones was a painist and the 3 recorded as a trio a few times I think.
Such a wonderful Pepper track.
This week's soundtrack Chez Ugly, and it's not at all ugly
Sonny Rollins - Live at the Village Vanguard
This is the latest 'Complete' release, remastered for at least the second time and in HD (24/96) for the first time, perhaps. Rollins sounds good, the audience intimate (think Bill Evans' albums at the same venue a few years later) and the bass a bit lost sometimes.
The YT playlist is a mishmash of earlier versions and 13 tracks long, against the 18 tracks I'm listening to.
Allen's first stab at integrating blues and earlier forms with modern/free jazz and it's stunning! As good as anything I've heard from a US sax player recently and nearly up there with the stellar James Brandon Lewis. Why is Allen relatively obscure?
The YT playlist is complete, but in the wrong order. Do you care?
JD Allen - Toys/Die Dreaming
Some wonderful glimpses of Coltrane's influence, here. The bassist and drummer, who I'd never heard of, are pretty good, too.
Give it a go. It's not too ugly
Bill Laurance and Michael League - Where You Wish You Were
Old Unconscious (no jokes, please!) - The Circular Ruins
I'll be giving it some more plays
Arooj Aftab - Night Reign
Sun Ra - Inside the Light World (Sun Ra Meets the OVC)
This is all I can find on YouTube. It's just a bit of the album from a VHS tape.
This is a great Ra Record, with a good sound, for once. If you're Ra-curious, this one could be a good place to start. The Arkestra is in excellent form, and Ra has kept his sometimes tiresome noodling in check (there. It had to be said).
From what I've read, the OVC is some kind of instrument in the vein of the Theramin.
Bab L'Bluz - Swaken
I've played it twice already today.