COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 26

There was a little Sal listening over the weekend. Friday night, the duo tracks from Lee Konitz’ 1971 album Spirits had a spin and on Sunday night Jimmy Halperin’s Pslam had a run too. This morning I returned to Ruckus: Live at CJC (Creative Jazz Club Aotearoa) and my mood was such that I could focus in more that last week. I hadn’t heard any of DavidWard’s music in a long time and I really enjoyed re-connecting with it. He brings a slight quirky, fun approach to his music which went down well during the early start on Monday morning. Dave never was one for playing millions of notes, and this still seems to be the case. Not afraid of letting lines breathe is something that I’m aware of but that doesn’t mean it always happens! Nice band too – anything with John Bell (vibes) and Chris O’Connor (drums) is going to interest me. Rui Inaba (bass) was new to me and he slots in well. Nice sounding live recording too.

Following that, I wrapped up Sal Mosca’s Too Marvelous for Words with disc 5, containing the remainder of the Rotterdam concert and the Maastricht concert June 24 1981. In addition to some lines by Sal and Lennie Tristano, unsurprisingly, the repertoire across the five discs is drawn from the great American songbook (“Donna Lee” and “Hot House” get a couple of runs each too). He doesn’t really favour a particular tune “A Family Song” and “You Go To My Head” appear three times each, and plenty appear twice, but the set list stays pretty fresh concert to concert. Do I have a favourite concert? Well, I need to spent more time with the recordings and eventually one may stick with me a bit more than the others. Over the past several years I’ve moved away from playing standards. I still enjoying listening to them though and there’s no guarantee I won’t return to them at some stage. This set of discs serves as a lovely reminder of how much music can be extracted from these gems (and just how great Sal was).

COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 23

I will admit to being a little zoned-out as David Ward’s Ruckus: Live at CJC was playing this morning. End of the week tiredness or hangover from yesterdays kick in the guts? I’m not sure.... perhaps a bit of both? Anyway, it deserves more attention than I gave it, so I will return to it next week.

Along with a very welcome cup of tea, I followed up Ruckus with my daily fix of Too Marvelous For Words - Disc 4: De Doelen Hall, Rotterdam 20 June, 1981. This concert is notable as it features Sal’s own pieces more than the other concerts of the tour. In fact, the first ten pieces are Sal’s lines/compositions. It’s a treat getting to hear them back to back, and it brings a different vibe to the disc. It lifted my spirits somewhat, but it has been a long day.

Something about listening to all these pieces by Sal made me want to bust out Psalm – Jimmy Halperin’s duo album with Sal. It might get a run later tonight unless it is bumped by Sal's duo with Lee - Spirits. We'll see, but I'm sure both will get a run shortly.

Of Sal’s solo recordings (probably my favourite setting for Sal), I have listened to A Concert and Trickle the most. For You and Sal Mosca Music are off limits until I deal with my lack of a turntable situation.

COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 22

After another early morning round of Steve Cournane’s Dancing Queen kicked off week 3 of the pandemic lockdown. Then it was onto disc 3 of Too Marvelous For Words – Sal Mosca at Utrecht, 21 June, 1981. How about the chord solos on “Prelude to a Kiss” and “There Will Never Be Another You”? Sal had a sense of harmony second to none. He can be quite the romantic too, perhaps more so than others associated with Lennie Tristano. On studying with Sal Mosca, Larry Bluth wrote in the liner notes “The most basic material began to take on aspects I never knew existed.” I had a similar experience during my studies with Richard Tabnik and Connie Crothers. If fact, when people asked me what I worked on in my lessons, they often gave a puzzled look when I answered.... a kind of, “is that it?” look. Yeah, that’s it.

Then came the sad news of Lee Konitz’ passing. I clearly remember hearing Lee for the first time. It was Birth of the Cool. A pivotal moment in my life. Things would be very different had I not heard that when I did. I'll leave it there for now while I listen to Birth of the Cool.

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.

COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 20

Root 70 kept me company as I toured their discography during the start of the lockdown. Now I’m on tour with Sal Mosca, a disc a day from Too Marvelous for Words – a 5-CD set documenting solo concerts in the Netherlands during June, 1981. This was spurred on by our listening group. Unable to meet this month due to the pandemic lockdown, we are exchanging emails. One of the topics was artists born in April. I picked Sal (27 April, 1927-28 July, 2007) and as I hadn’t listened to his work in a little while.... here we are. 

Box sets can pose a problem, as you can easily overload or skim over things. I tried to stretch it out to a disc a week when I first got hold of the set back in 2016. And I think that helps. This week is the condensed version, and as I’m working these recordings definitely won’t receive the attention they deserve but I’m enjoying having Sal in the room nonetheless. Anyway, I kicked things off with disc 1: The Hague, 19 June, 1981.

COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 16

I’m making the most of waking up early by getting stuck into work straight away and last week I found it nice having a bit of kick musically to get me going (Root 70 fit the bill). The last few work mornings I’ve been listening to the latest offering from Mike Nock – This World - a co-led group with drummer Hamish Stuart, saxophonist Julien Wilson and bassist Jonathan Zwartz. 

While it didn’t grab me right from beat one, it is growing on me. But I think it’s when I’ve been listening to it more than anything. Moody, dark, sombre - but there’s also a warmth too....relevant to the current scene, but it’s not exactly “caffeine music” (an exception is the gospel-shuffle “Riverside”). 

It can be quite chilled out (“Home”) and at this time, that’s not a bad thing at all. But there seems to be something holding back pieces that you’d expect to ramp up. Like on “The Dirge”....I kept waiting to hear this take off with some straight up swing. But maybe it’s a hangover from listening to the energy of Root 70 lately. Wilson uses the electronics sparingly. Necessary... no, but he uses them tastefully, and on “Any Heart” they add a nice texture and colour. The opening of “We Shall Rise Again” really shows the influence Mike has had on Norman Meehan’s playing.

I feel I’m going to dig This World more once some semblance of normality returns and fancy listening something to mellow out with – sunny afternoon or late at night might be better than early morning.

COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 12

This afternoon I wrapped up the tour of Root 70’s discography with the self-titled debut album released in 2000. Plenty of youthful exuberance here. Will the lads don the drag if the 20^th Anniversary Tour takes place later in the year once this shitshow is over? A couple or three quick takeaways from the discography tour. The albums are nicely recorded. Jochen and Matt are one of my favourite rhythm section pairings. The blend – in separate sections (the horns and rhythm) and together as a whole. The overall ensemble sound is one of balance. They bring some old-school sensibilities (group sound, recording techniques) into a contemporary setting. 

A keen eye would have noticed that I skipped the vinyl version of Fahvergnugen (with Wolff Parkinson White remixes and an alternate take) as I still don’t have a turntable.... maybe I’ll take it off the shelf and stare at for a bit. Meanwhile, I wait for the box to arrive and throw the "Root 70 Plays Root 70" idea out there once again.