A Few Random Thoughts about Jazz
Gary Peacock died in early September. He may well have been the most successful bass player in jazz history, in terms of income and ticket sales. How is that? He was part of the Keith Jarrett trio (with Jack DeJohnette) for decades and recorded a number of albums with the trio, and, of course – as a solo artist. After hearing of this death, I came across a double DVD (ECM) of the Jarrett trio playing in Japan in the 1990s – they tended to re-interpret the American songbook – fabulously entertaining stuff it is too. Many will not be aware that Peacock actually replaced Scott LaFaro in Bill Evans’ trio in 1962/3 and played on Evans’ first Verve LP – “Trio 64.” Listening to that album you can hear a really inventive bass player – but the interactions with Evans don’t interweave the same way as with LaFaro – this was a criticism at the time – but modern ears will find that recording pleasing. He then headed off to the extreme avant guard with Albert Ayler – playing on the legendary “Spiritual Unity”, before fronting his own bands in the 1980s. A true legend. Incidentally, and sooner or later I’ll get around to writing about this, his origins were on the “West Coast”.
A couple of weeks ago two albums arrived in the mail on the same days featuring Charles Tolliver. One was the recent Tone Poet reissue of It’s Time by Jackie McLean. The other was a new album by Tolliver “Connect” released on Gearbox records. Pure Pleasure reissued an allstar session (Gary Bartz, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock) led by Tolliver in 2019 that was recorded in 1968. So he’s going through a bit of a renaissance (at least in my house) these days. To me, Charles Tolliver is like the Art Pepper of Trumpet – instead of the muscular style of Freddie Hubbard, or the staccato style of Miles, Tolliver plays fluid melodic lines that are relentlessly inventive, allowing the music to flow, but never playing predictably over the chord changes. Really underrated. He should be touring in 2021 (presuming the Pandemic fizzles out eventually). Short interview here. And a great Before & After from Jazz Times here.
It has been an unusually good year so far for jazz fans with the Blue Note and Acoustic Sounds audiophile reissues, and lots of really great new recordings by Artemis, Dinosaur, Pat Metheny, Ambrose Akinmusire, Carla Bley, Joshua Redman (and band), Avishai Cohen (the trumpet playing one!), Bill Frisell (fantastic sounding vinyl record), John Scofield and more.
But, there were two records that I have really enjoyed. The first was the last recording by Jimmy Heath (“Love Letter”), one of the great post bop tenor sax players – accompanied by Kenny Barron on a series of standards, all ballads, with two vocal tracks by Gregory Porter and Cécile McLorin Salvant. Gorgeously presented in a firm cardboard sleeve, with the newish brown Verve label – it is a wonderful record just to relax to. I had it on repeat (flipping over from one side to the other) for weeks after it came out. Heath died soon after the recording – he was 93 – remember he was a peer of John Coltrane’s in Philadelphia in the 1940s . If you enjoy this recording, you can check out the Quota and the Thumper – both available from the Jazz Workshop on vinyl.
The other album that I really enjoyed was released by Gary Bartz and Maisha (a UK jazz group). This LP came out on the Night Dreamer imprint and is a direct to disc recording: the acetate is cut directly from the microphones – no tape involved. So, super analogue. It is a wonderful “intergenerational conversation!” If you’re spending €40 a couple of times a month for Tone Poet reissues of deceased musicians – spare a few bob for the living and up and coming and buy this or any of the records listed above.
Finally, despite my own rule to avoid anything recorded before 1950 – I just cannot listen to lo fi no matter how good the music – I pulled the trigger (good price) and bought the Craft recordings Charlie Parker 100th anniversary 10” box set. These were the sides that Parker recorded for Savoy records between 1944 and 1948 – and boy are they good. I have bought a lot of box sets in my time – but I don’t ever remember listening to the whole thing before (admittedly 4×10” doesn’t take forever) in one sitting. The sheer power, agility, imagination of Parker and his sidemen is just startling – and this was it – peak Bebop – everybody who played jazz arterwards was in some way derivative. Beautifully presented except for the god-awful sandpaper inner sleeves (its not as if you can get nice plastic 10” inners anywhere nearby) – definitely worth looking at – or streaming. The sound, for the era is very good indeed.
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The Parker should be available on CD on the 06th of November. Looking very forward to it.