Konitz/Haden - Sweet and Lovely

Not long after discovering the music Lee Konitz, I picked up Alone Together (Blue Note) featuring Konitz alongside Charlie Haden and Brad Mehldau. It was placed on heavy rotation and quickly became one of my favourite albums and by the end of the year (1999) the follow up - Another Shade of Blue - also was getting plenty of airtime.
In the liner notes of Alone Together Konitz mentions that the gig was originally intended to be a sax/bass duo recording for King Records. A couple of years later I found the duo recording listed in an online discography but I was unable to track it down. Over the years it would pop into my mind and I would have a search, hoping it would eventually show up on eBay, and then forget about it again.

In December, while browsing Dusty Groove for Charlie Haden recordings, there it was - Lee Konitz & Charlie Haden Sweet and Lovely - the missing piece of the December 1996 recordings at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles. Although I placed my order immediately, someone bet me to it and it was out of stock. It came back in stock while I was somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, and by the time I found out, the elusive duo had sold out once again. The new year rolled around and the album appeared on eBay and this time around it didn't escape.

The first spin reminded me of catching up with old friends you haven't seen for many years and things just slot right back in place. That's not to say there weren't surprises - there were, and as I continue to listen, the album keeps delivering the goods. The sparseness of the sax and bass on the trio albums always appealed to me and it really comes to the fore in these seven duo performances. Sweet and Lovely has been getting regular airtime over the past month and I feel it's the kind of album that will keep on giving. I had been waiting a long time to hear this and it didn't disappoint. Konitz and Haden have added a little weight to the decision that if push came to shove, duos would be placed at the top of my favourite line-ups. Highly recommended for fans of Konitz, Haden, bass accompaniment, duos and melodic playing.

Saturday Afternoon Listening

These three albums keep my wife and I company as we attempted to get some work done this afternoon. All-in-all they made for a nice mix.

Marilyn Crispell - Storyteller (ECM)
I've listened to this album a few times this week. The trio (with Mark Helias (b) Paul Motian (d)) have very unified sound. It may seem mellow and sleepy but there is a nice energy that underpins the album (and occasionally bursting through). I particularly like Motian and Crispell combination.

Miles Davis - In A Silent Way (Columbia)
I had been a while since I had given this a spin. I can't really work out why but it worked surprisingly well bridging the first and third albums here.

New York Jazz Collective - Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven (Naxos)
The second album from this sextet has some very nice writing for three horns (trumpet, trombone, sax/clarinet) and rhythm section. By the time this one over, my attention for school work had begun to falter (hence this blog post).

Recently Listening: A bunch of Mike Nock

There was plenty of Mike Nock on the apartment airways during 2015 and I’m only just starting to catch up on things now. It was exciting to stumble upon reissues of The 3 Out at Dusty Groove a couple of months ago (they are available on vinyl too). 
Move was recorded in 1960 shortly after Mike Nock (p) Freddy Logan (b) Chris Karan (d) formed The 3 Out. The focus here is on standard tunes (there are 3 originals – 2 from Logan and a slow blues credited to the trio).

The trio’s follow up, Sittin’ In, is split in two. The first side features the trio and the second half of the album is augmented with Erroll Buddle (ts) Don Burrows (as/bs) Ron Falson and Colin Jones (trpt) and features four original tunes (one each from Burrows, Nock, Falson and Logan).

I remember hearing Mike mention that this is the group people ask him about the most. Perhaps now that Move and Sittin’ In are more easily available the questions will ease up. These two albums are essential listening for Nock fans and those interested in the rise of modern jazz in Australasia. Now we just need reissues of The Fourth Way.

Another nice surprise from Dusty Groove was a Japanese reissue of Piano Solos (Timeless). Recorded in NYC in September 1978, this solo outing provides plenty of variety in tempo and mood.

Recorded during a fertile period for Nock - In Out and Around, Talisman, The Opal Heart, Climbing and Ondas are all from this era - Piano Solos has been on regular rotation of late. “Break Time” stood out on my first couple of listens and there will be some interesting follow-up listening. “Break Time” and “Jacanori” appear other Nock albums, and “Fallen Angel” alludes to “Forgotten Love” - from In Out and Around (recorded a couple of months earlier) and Ondas. Back-to-back listens of these tracks is on the cards sometime soon. Then I'll need to give Talisman another spin too, as both solo albums were recorded in 1978. 

Two-Out (FWM Records) pairs Nock with saxophonist Roger Manins for a set of eleven standards. Taking a quick look at the Nock discography, this album appears to be the first time he has recorded an album entirely devoted to standard tunes. The cover photo really captures the essence of the album - a relaxed, fun and warm meeting of friends. I can't recall hearing Manins sound so relaxed and, at times, vocal (a new dimension seems to have appeared in his tone) and it leaves me wanting to hear more..... how about a follow-up featuring Mike's tunes spanning his career?! I'm adding Two-Out to the list of his fine duo outings including The Waiting Game (with Marty Ehrlich), Duologue (with David Liebman), Open Door (with Frank Gibson Jr.), Kindred (with Laurenz Pike)... more on the latter, later.

Mike's albums on FWM Records are available via Bandcamp.

First Discs of 2016

During the trip home over Christmas and New Year I managed to squeeze in a trip to Slow Boat Records. Pushed for time, I planned to rush in and pick up Small Holes In The Silence. Unfortunately they didn't have it, but never fear, a quick browse resulted in the following:

Steve Lacy & Maarten Altena: High, Low and Order (HatArt)

Lol Coxhill & Veryan Weston: Boundless (Emanem)

Spontaneous Music Orchestra: For You To Share (Emanem)

I managed to exhibit some self control - it wasn't easy as they had a bumper crop of albums from labels such as FMP, HatArt, Emanem etc. Before school kicks back in I will make some time to give them a listen.

Ornette Coleman: Free Jazz - Downbeat Review 1962

Recorded on this day back in 1960 was Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz. Here is the review that appeared in the January 18, 1962 issue of Down Beat. In order to provide a rounded view, Down Beat published tow reviews - the first by Pete Welding and the second by John Tynan. More vintage magazine articles can be found here.

Don Cherry: Down Beat Feature 1963

LeRoi Jones' (Amiri Baraka) feature on Don Cherry (b. Nov 18, 1936) from the November 21, 1963 issue of Down Beat Magazine. Click on image to view full article as PDF. Here are more vintage magazine articles.

New Links Page Added

I have added a new page of Jazz Links featuring radio stations, research journals, magazine, blogs, podcasts and discographies. The link will live in the "Pages" tab at the top of the left sidebar. I plan to keep adding to the page as I find sites of interest. Let me know if you hit broken links.