Strictly Jazz Sounds (Part 1)

Wynton is one of the very few jazz musicians who also possesses legitimate classical chops. Most jazz players (and pop musicians) who try to play classical limp their way through it. Wynton has both the technical ability and musicality to pull it off.

1 Like

Collaborations in Jazz are quite diverse and numerous. We could spend months listing them and years talking about them. Collaborations that use contrasting instruments are quite attractive.


This 2010 collaboration between Richard Galiano and Wynton Marsalis produced an amazingly melodious multicultural recording that borders more than one genre. Having the accordion and playing live in Marciac added a distinct flavor that should not be missed.
image
1981: Ahmad Jamal Trio (Ahmad Jamal, Piano; Sabu Adeyola, Bass; Payton Crossley, Drums) performed this live with Gary Burton on the vibraphones. You can listen to Autumn Leaves, Tones for Joan’s Bones, Morning of the Carnival, One (Ahad) and Bogota. The Vibraphone is stunning.

@Lonson:
Looking forward to your input here as well. I’ll check our the Hoffman thread.
I thought I’d play Modern Jazz Quartet’s Lonely Woman. I hear this as a Third Stream Jazz take on Ornette Coleman’s Lonely Woman. The ties between MJQ and Ornette are especially strong through John Lewis’ sponsorship of Ornette early on at the School of Jazz in Massachusetts. A strong performance by the MJQ.

1 Like

Agree. Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour had a stab at arranging & playing classical. Grusin composed some too. I like “Amparo” the first three tracks of which were composed by Grusin. The fourth track (Pavane) was composed by Gabriel Faure and features Renee Fleming.
image
and “Two Worlds” Tracks 4, 7 and 12 were composed by Grusin. Track 7 features Renee Fleming. Track8 features violinist Gil Shaham.
image

2 Likes

I recall this LP vividly and continue to listen to it to this day. I stumbled upon Oregon and was intrigued by their sound and diverse instrumentation. It truly challenged my notion of Jazz at the time, and your connotation of World Music-Jazz hits the mark. I liked it so much I picked up all their Vanguard LPs in my college days when funds for such extravagance were short. Then moved on to Ralph Towner on ECM.

Clearly this group was influenced by Paul Winter and the Winter Consort, and I might add Yusef Lateef.

image

3 Likes

Here is a thought and it may assist @dancingsea who is considering adding a turntable to his existing system in order to explore among other things jazz of the 50’s and 60’s. I thought I’d share some albums that could comprise a good introduction in to jazz of this era on vinyl. I add on LP as a stretch, as the artist is known to push the boundaries of jazz starting with my first Sun Ra LP purchased at Bob Koester’s Jazz Record Mart in Chicago:

Classic Jazz, Classic Miles, and recommended on the Sony Legacy vinyl re-issues which can be obtained at reasonable prices.

Dave Brubeck’s classic, with Paul Desmonds chill martini sound and the drum work of Joe Morello. A jazz and audiophile classic on the Analog Productions 45 RPM version.

A Jazz and Audiophile classic, Stan Getz’, Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and the sultry Astrud Gilberto kick-off the Bossa Nova craze.

Having the MoFi one step, this is beyond comparison, but pricey. An alternative version on Sony’s reissue CS 8171 is worthy, and more reasonably priced. Another being Music on Vinyl’s reissue MOVLP065.

I encourage others to provide recommendations for @dancingsea or anyone else for that matter interested in starting a Jazz LP collection. I’m sure we can come up with some John Coltrane? :grinning:

6 Likes

As a tidbit, Renée Fleming put herself through undergrad singing with a jazz trio. Illinois Jacquet invited her on tour with his big band, but she continued with her studies at Eastman. As it turns out, good call.

Her non-classical recordings are better than I expected.

I’ll post here though probably infrequently.

I’m listening to Richard Sears Sextet featuring Albert Heath “Altadena”

Richard Sears – piano, composition, Kirk Knuffke – cornet, Patrick Wolff – tenor saxophone, Steven Lugener – bass clarinet, alto saxophone, Garret Lang – bass, Albert Heath – drums

I ordered the new Clifford Anderson cd from Rope a Dope Records on a day when they were including two free discs with an order, and this was one of the discs they included.

Glad they did. It’s very good. Nicely recorded too. The compositions are interesting. . . piano-centric with a dollop of Ornette Coleman flavor.

1 Like

image Doc was 91 and Nick was 23 when this recording was made. I saw Payton when his first album came out in a small club in Berwyn, Il. He was great. I think the music made on this cd is remarkable considering the almost 70 year difference between the two. Let’s face it, excellence knows no age restriction.

2 Likes

I happen to have all the LPs above :grinning: My copy of Mingus Ah Um is a gatefold re-issue on Jazz Image. I could not get the Columbia original pressing. As for Coltrane, Ballads on GRP records (or Impulse?) was recommended by Jazznut in another thread. I also recommend his works in collaboration with Miles Davis including recordings from the 1960 European tour. Also, I recommend John Coltrane collaborations with Kenny Burrell on one side, and together with Tommy Flanagan altogether but these might be monaural records from 1956 and 1957. Still hi-fi though.

1 Like

That would have been Fitzgeralds in Berwyn? Good chance I was there.

That is correct. I believe his first performance there was on a Thursday night, followed on Sunday by Cyrus Chestnut.

I think artists need to be very careful when they meld jazz and classical. I’ve seen it turn out great (like Warren Bernhardt Trio’s and Cyrus Chestnut’s pieces based on Chopin’s Prelude Op.28, No.20), but I’ve also seen it turn out like easy listening pablum (like portions of Claude Bolling’s and Jean-Pierre Rampal’s Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano).

Hi Craig,
Grusin, Ritenour, and Marsalis classical are classical compositions and performances in their own right without any Jazz amalgamation or fusion which shows musical and technical mastery.

Yes, there’s good Jazz and not so good Jazz based on Classical. I think the following are nice examples:
Claude Bolling & Yo-Yo Ma “Suite for Cello & Jazz Piano Trio”
Claude Bolling & Pinchas Zukerman “Suite for Violin & Jazz Piano Trio”
Emmanuel Pahud & Jacky Terrason “Into the Blue”

I have always found Wynton to be too technical in his playing (not that there is anything wrong with that). It just doesn’t grab me at the emotional level. Time and time again I try to listen and come away disappointed. Maybe some here can suggest albums that are otherwise because I don’t doubt that he is an extremely capable musician.

1 Like

May be Neo-Bop and Post-Bop are not in tune with your taste. His easiest performances on the ear are probably “Standards & Ballads” , “The Magic Hour” and “From Billie Holiday to Edith Piaf”
From the top of your head, who are your top three Jazz artists?

Acquired this when first released. Though only available on the used market (and pricey), throughout this 24CD, 462 track box the genius of one of the greatest composers of the 20th century is on full display.

5 Likes

Another set acquired when released,. Saw one new copy still available (with a very high asking price) but a few reasonably priced used sets are on offer. Attending a terrific performance of Audra McDonald’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill is the closest I ever came to hearing Lady Day live, but it gave more than hint of just how special that would have been.

4 Likes

The Billie Holliday I do have, purchased when it came out. I enjoy it to this day. The Ellington Box set, that is one that got away from me and now I regret not purchasing it.

@Sohail & Serhan, great challenge. You got me thinking about Wynton and his playing I too find it technical or somewhat distant. A couple LPs came to mind when he was with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. I’l pull one and see how it holds up and report back. That is assuming I can find them.

1 Like