105 replies to this topic

[Christian]

I really have to stop sneaking glances at other peoples’ posts, then try to reply. I’m obviously missing the plain-as-day meaning.

But now that image is seared into my conscience: Nelson Riddle, Mafioso.

[Christian]

Just did. That's an eyeful! You might describe those patterns as ... jazzy. (getting the thread back on track here...)

[Rich Kennedy]

Riddle's charts for Linda Ronstadt were very nice, I think.

No way, really? No offense, but they were soft even for Ray Mancini. I always thought those were a good voice wasted arrangements. The Francis Albert/Riddle combinations were bombastic, yes, but a sort of contradictory 50's macho male kind of thing. My favorite is a standard example: Under My Skin has almost a croon vocal, gleefully admitting the unmanful love hook while struggling to loosen and keep one's cool. Then the screeching bridge with bouncy rhythm section shares what is really happening inside under that cool. At that point then Sinatra is modulating up a bit, louder and almost veering off course of the melody, intoxicated at the thought of love. I never liked Riddle at all accept with Sinatra and I like the late Capitol years almost exclusively. Then there is the (now standard, everyone uses it now) accompaniment to Fly Me to the Moon which almost never refers to the melody at all, but winds in and out of it except during the vocal rests.

But it was Frank who punched out reporters and all... I hope Mr. R. had no such nefarious ties (of any kind).

That got a lot of publicity (the reporters thing). Did you know that if an interviewer ever mentioned the word "jazz" within the context of Yusef Lateef's career, he would go into a tirade about the meaning of the word, how insulting it was to refer to his work and "African American Classical Music" in total with such a vulgar word. And end the interview with the tirade? I'm not saying this because briusing Sinatra is a sore spot with me. I'm saying this because there has always been a certain amount of criminal involvement in entertainment. Some rolled with the punches, but no one could really fight it and work. There are plenty of examples of artists on short fuzes acting out lousily (Sinatra usually punched out reporters when asked about Mafia ties, then confronted them each succeeding time he encountered the particular reporters). I am reminded of Miles' contempt for audiences. In the long run, you either like the music or you don't. You rarely have to meet these people.

[Hugues]

Last night I was listening to "The Man I Love" by Ella Fitzgerald, with strings arranged by Nelson Riddle. Despite Ella's wonderful voice, it tends to be a bit bombastic to me, but it's just my sentiment.

[Rich Kennedy]

My mom too. He also called Katherine Graham a two dollar whore. I think it was in response to her husband's paper being more concerned with his crime ties than his latest album at the time. But as I said before, what ends up mattering is what we are listening to today, no matter how much of a schmuck any of these folks could be.

On Riddle: it was Sinatra that made the arrangements work. With Ella, the arrangements sometimes butchered the songs. I am the great Gerschwin defender (I even have recordings, some original to the late forties and early fifties, of the greatest Gerschwin apologist of all time in his prime, Oscar Levant), and Ella defender, but the Gerschwin Songbook stinks (so does the Mercer Songbook, BTW). One watching of An American in Paris will ruin that album for you forever and it is not supposed to be that way, even though the performances and arrangements in the film are mostly wonderful. On the album, some of the songs that should be bright and shiney, just fall flat. They are done as if they are there as documents that a song was written and it was performed.

[Christian]

This topic might deserve its own thread: Gender Gap Among Jazz Performers, and More Specifically, Jazz Audiences

Amanda Ameer wonders:

If jazz publicists and marketers are not concerned with the gender situation, they certainly should be. In my (albeit limited) experience with jazz, the genre is men playing music for men. Like football. (Yes, I realize women watch football, but you see my point.) In the four years I was at Dartmouth, there was one woman in the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble. Girls auditioned, but none except this one was good enough to make it, apparently. I asked members of Stefon Harris' Blackout about this issue when we were at a Chamber Music America New Music Institute together, and they said most of the time women are singers in jazz, but rarely instrumentalist performers. The sign at the Village Vanguard says the capacity is 123 people. At the 11:30pm set on Saturday, I counted 17 women including myself watching the three men on stage. What is that all about? It really bothered me. ...

I have to say, spooked as I was by the gender imbalance, I was extremely impressed by the age range at the [Brad] Mehldau concert. We were sitting behind a table of about eight high school boys (ordering soda - so cute) and next to two couples, one pair well over 60 and the other mid-40s. My kingdom for that range around me at a classical concert. So like I said, we all have our own demographic issues to grapple with.

I gave Sarah a Cyrus Chestnut CD for Mother's Day. We once saw him in concert together (third date), but recently decided against seeing him again -- her decision (budgetary, or so claimed), not mine!

Edited by Christian, 12 May 2009 - 11:41 AM.

[Greg P]

I never really thought about it, but i suppose improv is largely about male posturing and self absorption

[Jason Panella]

So I finally dived into Bill Frisell's catalog today.

Wow, wow wow wow. I've only picked up The Intercontinentals and Floratone, but both are pretty amazing. I wish I had more insightful stuff to say, but I need to let it sink in. I'm really impressed with Frisell's texturing techniques; I've read that's he's cut back on all of the effect pedal-soaked madness of her earlier stuff, but effects or not, he seems to really get that atmosphere is as important as soul.

[Christian]

Christian, on 12 May 2009 - 11:39 AM, said:

[i]I have to say, spooked as I was by the gender imbalance, I was extremely impressed by the age range at the [Brad] Mehldau concert. We were sitting behind a table of about eight high school boys (ordering soda - so cute) and next to two couples, one pair well over 60 and the other mid-40s. My kingdom for that range around me at a classical concert. So like I said, we all have our own demographic issues to grapple with. </i>

I'm trying to see Mehldau tonight at the Library of Congress. Tickets are free, but they've all been taken. So I'll get in the "standby" line for no-shows and hope for the best. Gotta get down there and get a number, then come back later (depending on when I arrive) and see if my number gets called. Feels like a long shot, but it's worth it.

[Christian]

I can't pull up any reviews of last night's amazing show, but my searches did turn up news about Mehldau's latest release, of which I wasn't even aware until I saw the CD table after the performance.

[Josh Hurst]

Has anyone else heard the new Fred Hersch, Alone at the Vanguard? Thom, I noticed that you praised it over in the New Stuff... thread, and I vaguely remember Christian, perhaps, being a fan of this man. I couldn't help but notice the four-and-a-half star review at All Music-- which hails it as a "once in a decade album." Wow!

[Josh Hurst]

Thom Jurek, on 10 March 2011 - 07:00 AM, said:

Piano jazz fans would do well to check out Kenny Werner's latest, Balloons (Half Note). It features four new long compositions and the quintet includes trumpeter Randy Brecker, saxophonist David Sanchez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Antonio Sanchez. The tunes are very song like, full of interesting but utterly accessible melody and rounded harmonic interplay. Given the length of these jazz songs, there is lots of room for individual improvisation, but it is all on the melodic side. Fans of Werner's more angular and quirky work might have to adjust a bit, but this is a very elegant, emotionally honest recording from start to finish.

Thom, I really appreciate the recommendation. I have not heard the album yet, but I am listening to the title song, which is streaming here, and thinking this is one I may need to try to pick up tomorrow afternoon. Quite lovely!

[Christian]

Thom Jurek, on 11 March 2011 - 12:50 PM, said:

Josh Hurst, on 10 March 2011 - 04:27 PM, said:

Has anyone else heard the new Fred Hersch, Alone at the Vanguard? Thom, I noticed that you praised it over in the New Stuff... thread, and I vaguely remember Christian, perhaps, being a fan of this man. I couldn't help but notice the four-and-a-half star review at All Music-- which hails it as a "once in a decade album." Wow!

I like almost everything Hersch has recorded, but his solo piano work in a live setting usually floors me because you can measure how much growth is there. Alone At The Vanguard is over the top great.

I've been thinking ever since I spent the last of my birthday money that I wish I could've found $10 to get Hersch's Whirl. And then this news of a live album, which came out of the blue. Guess I better check it out.

[Josh Hurst]

I've been spending some time with Tirtha, the new album from pianist Vijay Iyer (working here in a trio format with guitarist Prasanna and tabla player Nitin Mitta). If you follow contemporary jazz at all then you know who Iyer is-- he's won acclaim from the Grammys and the NPR crowd alike-- but this new recording is a little bit different: It's a blend of jazz idioms with Indian music tropes... though to call it "fusion" would be inaccurate, something Iyer is quick to point out in his liner notes. This stuff is so seamless that it really sounds dramatically different from any other jazz/Indian crossovers I'm familiar with-- and I suppose I'm thinking largely of the wonderful Miles from India collection from a few years back. This is really hypnotic work, and quite beautiful, to boot.

[Christian]

Just saw today that Iyer is coming to town at the end of April. I told my wife, eagerly, that I wanted to go. She reminded me that we already have plans that night. Drat.