COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 27

This morning had me listening the self-titled, and as far as I’m aware.. only, release from Boat – Steve Cournane (drums/keys/voice), Simon Bowden (guitar) and Nils Olsen (saxes/clarinets/voice). Although I heard each of the members of the trio many times in a variety of settings, I never heard Boat live. The last time I heard this album was about 20 years ago when my friend John lent it to me. Not sure why I didn’t buy it from the guys back then, and I’ve never seen the physical disc for sale since. but thanks to Bandcamp we’re back in action. 

The album is comprised of live and studio (I’ll use that term loosely) recordings dating from 1996-1998. Only a couple of the 14 pieces clock in at over 5 minutes... which is pretty refreshing. I like the vibe and it’s still sounding pretty fresh. I’m probably digging it more now than I did back then (not that I have much memory my feelings of it back then). It’s kind of a little like C.L.Bob if half the band didn’t show up - from wild improvisations to quirky fun, it’s a 48 minute ride of eclectic mix of jazz and music that knows about jazz. Fairly recently Simon and Steve have resurrected Boat as a duo and they were booked to play at CubaDupa but alas, the pandemic put a stop to that. But hopefully they'll be back when this is all said and done. Until then, Boat will be getting a few spins.

COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 21

The morning kicked off with Steve Cournane’s Dancing Queen. The album is comprised of three trio sessions from September 2006, with Cournane joined by Roger Manins (ts) & Tom Callwood (b), Jonathan Crayford (keys) & Patrick Bleakly (b), and Joe Callwood (g) & Tom Callwood. Plenty of variety helped the morning cruise along - reggae grooves (“Plesmograph”), standards (“Alone Together”, “Evidence”) some calypso-type tunes of Steve’s (“There Will Always Be Rain”, “Toot & Repollo”), dark ballad (“John Karaitiana”) and even some ABBA (“Dancing Queen”.... and it actually works). Looking forward to giving this more air time.

Then it was onto disc 2 of Too Marvelous for Words – Sal at Concertgebouw, Amsterdam 21 June, 1981. I like that Sal’s friends/associates write the liner notes - Dick Hyman, Jimmy Halperin, Connie Crothers, Larry Bluth and Kazzrie Jaxen take one disc each. And Don Messina’s passion for the project comes through in the introduction (great work putting this together Don – thanks!). As usual, I listen to the disc at least once before reading the notes. At lunch I read Kazzrie’s notes and the first thing she mentions is Sal’s opening line on “I Never Knew” (which opens the disc) – something that leapt out at me too (and I'm sure it would grab anyone's attention). Of course there’s the influence of Tristano and the Sal’s early influence, Art Tatum, but I also hear some of the quirky, surprising twists and turners of Earl Hines’ solo work. That said, Sal is his own man and Too Marvelous for Words is distinctly Sal Mosca.