Drag On - Opposite of H20

Yes, I am listening to this record right now. When I got my turntables in 7th grade, I had dreams of being a DJ. One of my friends got me this, Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz, and Pras Ghetto Superstar.

This record is not very good, but I have it so I guess I should listen to it or get rid of it.

Eric Dolphy - Live in Europe vol 1

Great recording includes an awesome solo bass clarinet reading of God Bless The Child that only Dolphy could imagine/pull off. Great bebop/postbop flute playing on Hi Fly and Glad to Be Unhappy.

Oleo at 100 MPH rounds out this classic Dolphy collection. I'm convinced that anything Dolphy released is worth listening to. Such a creative musician that many have tried to imitate, but only sound like homages to the late great Dolphy.

Eric Dolphy - Live at the Five Spot vol 2

Again, this group could have ruled the world. I consider this to be in the upper-echelon of jazz ensembles (with Miles second quintet, Coltrane's Classic Quartet, Ornette's Quartet(s)).

Everytime I hear what Booker Little does with his trumpet at 2:30 into the song "Aggression," I just start laughing with pure joy and giddiness! Listen for yourself, it's unreal (like a laser beam machine gun trumpet). It sounds like he is ascending (even as his melodic statement descends). It sounds as if he's being beamed up!

(Listen to the 2:30 mark!)

Maybe it was me, but I always thought Tony Williams as the first example I've heard a jazz drummer play quarter notes on the hi-hat. Lo and behold Eddie Blackwell writes a novel with quarter note hi hat in the song "Aggression."

Eric Dolphy - Live at the Five Spot vol I

I always knew Eric Dolphy was a jazz master, but this album really introduced me to the genius of Booker Little. He does some things that I never thought were possible on the trumpet.

This record was so good, I jumped at the chance to pick up volume 2 from the same gig. This is a wonderful group:
Eric Dolphy - Alto Sax, Bass Clarinet, Flute
Booker Little - Trumpet
Mal Waldron - Out of Tune Piano
Richard Davis - Bass
Eddie Blackwell - Drums

I wish I could have seen this group play live!

Booker Little died at age 23. He is definitely a jazz legend that left too soon. Thank God his talents were recorded for preservation!

Miles Davis - Get Up With It

The main reason to get this album is Miles' tribute to Duke Ellington called "He Loved Him Madly."

But there are some great minimalist jazz classics, such as "Maiysha." The song is all vamp. Everybody feels groovy. Miles' organ playing seems influenced at times by Steve Reich's "Four Organs."

This is the album Miles released right before going on a 5 year performance hiatus. It almost seems like an artist at the point in which he doesn't know where to go.

I wonder who was really playing what on each track. I think there is organ on "He Loved Him Madly," but I don't see anyone listed.

If you like Parliament's Maggot Brain, then this is the Miles Davis album for you.

Miles Davis - In a Silent Way

SSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH/Peaceful

Miles Davis - In Europe

This record has some great live playing of Miles' early Second Quintet lineup (George Coleman on Tenor Sax instead of Wayne). I was just thinking about George Coleman while listening to this record. Miles kicked him out because Miles heard him practicing a solo in a hotel room. It's interesting how history celebrates the mythological stories of Charlie Parker practicing 15 hours a day, John Coltrane practicing in between sets at gigs, and Sonny Rollins taking several years off so he could practice at "The Bridge." But George Coleman gets kicked out of Miles' band, and I think therefore he may have lost some clout, especially in critics' minds. George Coleman plays his butt off on this record!

I believe that Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and Ron Carter accidentally invented hip hop on the outro of "Autumn Leaves." Listen to the 5:30 mark of this youtube clip. It sounds like a J Dilla creation. A backbeat! Oh my gosh!

This is essential listening for any Miles Davis fan. This is such a great ensemble.

I like the song "Joshua" which kinda sounds like a hybrid of John Coltrane's high energy modal pieces, and Art Blakey's jazz messengers mid to late 60's intense hard-bop. Here is a video of the group (with Wayne Shorter on tenor) playing "Joshua."

Miles Davis - In Person at the Blackhawk vol II

This record is one of my first jazz records that I purchased in Marquette, MI. The selection at the used bookstore up there wasn't always that great, but I did stumble across this. Miles' band pushes the tempo on some classic jazz. This record hints at some of the far out explorations that Miles would do with his next quintet. They play "So What" at 100 MPH. I didn't realize the saxophonist on this is Hank Mobley! I guess you learn something new every day. Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb round out the rhythm section.

Gotta
make some more coffee.

Walt Dickerson & Richard Davis - Divine Gemini

This is a gem that I'm very happy to have found. Walt Dickerson is a highly underrated vibraphonist. Some of his early Prestige recordings included Andrew Cyrille and Andrew Hill. He even had Sun Ra as a sideman in his group. Dickerson would play with hard rubber mallets, as opposed to those wrapped in cord or yarn. This gives his playing, at times, a sharper attack than most vibists. Yet his use of the sustain pedal and fast vibrato often creates these luscious legato moments, which then are intercepted by staccato chromatic flurries sans pedal.
The interplay with Richard Davis on this album is downright telepathic. I know Richard Davis teaches at the University of Wisconsin, and I would very much enjoy meeting him. I'd like to hear some anecdotes about this wonderful vibraphonist.
I would like to have more Walt Dickerson records in my collection, but his records are hard to come by. I was over-excited when I found this record at Bullseye records in Milwaukee. The bottom of the sleeve is broken, but the record is in fine shape, and that is what I'm primarily worried about. At times listening to this record, I long for the drums! Alas, I say that often!
Gotta love Steeplechase records.

Does everyone realize who Sun Ra was? Can you imagine being a vibraphone player, leading a group, and you have Sun Ra in your band? Playing harpsichord?

CSNY - 4 Way Street

Weird C$NY double album. This is when they had the Mida$ touch... anything they released turned into $$. It's a double album, and the concept is the first record is all acoustic, the second is more electric. The idea is also to try not to do Deja Vu live, but to play their 4 separate solo repertoire, sometimes together, sometimes solo.
"On The Way Home" is a great Neil Young song, but it is the most painful for me to listen to, as it is very closely linked to someone in the past...
"Triad" by David Crosby is a ridiculous song about a communal relationship...
The record opens with the last 20 seconds of "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", and I think it is about the oddest way to begin a record, unless they were trying to go for a Finnegan's Wake type no beginning no ending record concept. If so, it was a very poor attempt.

This album holds a lot more promise than what it delivers:
A 13 minute version of "Southern Man" (nowhere near as powerful as Neil's version)
A 13 minute version of "Carry On"
"Cowgirl in the Sand," "Don't Let it Bring You Down," "Chicago," "Ohio..."

A good record to hear, but I don't think it lives up to what it could have been.

CSNY - Deja Vu

This is a classic album to have in any record collection. So many great songs on this record. I think the Neil song at the end is very underrated:

"Country Girl, I think you're pretty,

Gotta make you understand.

Have no lover in the city,

Let me be your country man."

Of course this is filled with incredible CSNY vocal harmonies, and some pretty heavy jamming on "Almost Cut My Hair." Stephen Stills sings the incredibly dark "4+20", aka "The 24 year old blues."

Lee Konitz - Satori

New record. Enjoyed listening. My first Konitz record. Jack Dejohnette and Dave Holland are long lost brothers, I believe.

Eric Dolphy - Dolphy (Prestige twofer)

I just got this at Bullseye record shop on Irving off of Farwell in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This music is straight up jazzz with three jay-z's. Resplendent. It's so true.

This combines "Outward Bound" as well as "Out There." This was the point in jazz where artists felt obligated (maybe just Dolphy felt obligated, maybe just Dolphy's a&r dude(s) felt obligated) to label their albums as OUT (Seriously Out to Lunch.... I think every Dolphy album should have OUT in the title if it doesn't already). To quote Iconna Pop - "I don't care, I love it!"

Dolphy was a serious mofo on the alto sax, bass clarinet, and the flute.

AHHHHHH FREDDIE HUBBARD GOING AT IT!!!!

Jaki Byard, wow. I need to digest more Jaki Byard.

I'm listening to this record for the first time. I listened to these albums often in college, but I had them on my computer. They sound much better off the turntable than from my lenovo's crud-ridden speakers.

To quote Frank Zappa, "Make a Jazz Noise Here"

Manomanoman Dolphy is just... the best. Pure jazz as catharsis. If that makes no cents, it's owe (connie (hawkins)) kay. Went metabasketballjazz onthat one.

Neil Young - Everybody Knows This is Nowhere

I was really excited to find this record for under $10 today. It's one of my favorite Neil Young albums. With "Cowgirl In The Sand," "Down By The River," "Cinnamon Girl," this album is loaded with some heavy Neil tunes. I love the intense guitar solos on "Down by the River" as well as "Cowgirl in the Sand." The lyrics to Cowgirl in the sand have always resonated with me:

Muhal Richard Abrams - Sightsong

I just picked up a couple of records. Since I want to listen to these right away, I will probably listen to them and write up about them.

Muhal Richard Abrams with Malachi Favors on Bass. Good piano and bass duets. I usually need to hear drums, but I am okay with this recording. The record is BSR 0003, which is the third recording put out by Black Saint records. I will be giving this many rotations in the future.

Stanley Cowell - Equipose

This is a nice late 70s jazz trio with Stanley Cowell, Roy Haynes and Cecil McBee. Stanley Cowell is a great pianist that gets overlooked. This is a recent acquisition, so I haven't listened to it a lot, but I see myself keeping this in rotation quite often. Great playing from three legends of jazz.

Plus Stanley's wearing a pretty cool shirt on the album cover.

Introducing... The Eleventh House with Larry Coryell

I think this belongs up in the rafters of the Jazz Fusion hardwood courts. Nice odd-time grooves, funky bass, overzealous synthesizers, wah wah trumpet, and Alphonse Mouzon's fashion:

Another early youtube video that I recall watching over and over again is this live performance of "Low-Lee-Tah"

What can I say, I'm a sucker for 70's fusion groups that try to make odd time signature groupings sound funky and evil (did someone say King Crimson? Bill Bruford? Where?)

Great playing on this record, which I enjoy much more than Lady Coryell. I'm amazed that this group is the fourth ranked fusion group out of Weather Report, Mahavishnu, Return to Forever, and Eleventh House. So much talent going down in all of these groups. 

I think these groups very much sound like the times (subconsciously, musical things were affecting these guys -- commercials jingles and television themes played by studio musicians), so when bands these days try to emulate this sound, it comes off similar to 80's jazz musicians trying to emulate bebop (i.e. music not of their time). You always have to try for something original, not try to hold the past up on such a pedestal that you try to sound like it.

I forgot how much I like "Joy Ride" as well from this album. This may be the best tune off the album. Yet some of the melodic content... phrase endings sound JUST like they could be the end of a TV theme (pre-Mike Post)

Well, I got a little off topic there.

Some trivia:

Did you know that Alphonse Mouzon played drums in the movie "That Thing You Do?" He wrote some of the music for the jazz club scenes!

Larry Coryell - Lady Coryell

I bought this record up in Marquette, MI at a St. Vinnie's for $.50. The sleeve is in poor shape, and so is the record. A lot of people may talk about how vinyl has a better sound than cd's or mp3's, and while I agree with that, there are many variables that factor into sound quality. I don't have a very high quality turntable, and I have two pretty small roland speakers. Add in the poor condition of the record... it doesn't sound that good. But I just want to hear music. Preferably good music. This is why if I find a good record, I'll get it; if I find a good CD, I'll get it. That is part of the reason why I have two Larry Coryell records, but only one Coltrane record (I have many Coltrane CDs)

I could imagine a few electric guitarists out of Washington state in the late 60's were influenced by Jimi Hendrix. This album definitely sounds like it is a guy really into Hendrix. A lot of guitar overdubs (Coryell plays guitars, basses, and sings). A couple tracks include Elvin Jones on drums, and one also includes Jimmy Garrison on bass. The song "Stiff Neck" really sounds like they are trying very much like Jazzi Hendrix.

John Coltrane and Don Cherry - The Avant-Garde

This one, I believe, is the first "Ornette, let me borrow your band" records that I'm reviewing. Most of the tracks feature Charlie Haden, Don Cherry, and Eddie Blackwell - all members of Coleman's band. Some tracks have Percy Heath replacing Haden on bass. I find the relationship amongst the MJQ and Ornette Coleman to be fascinating in the early 1960s. They seem, to some point to be polar opposites, yet the MJQ recorded Lonely Woman, published Coleman's compositions, and educated him and Cherry at the Music Inn.

I don't care for this record, and although this may be blasphemous, it is mainly due to the playing of Coltrane! His opening solo on Cherryco sounds very amateur, almost like he is not quite sure what he is doing. I also find the tracks when he plays the soprano sax sound very out of tune.

People have preconceived notions of what Avant Garde means, and I think many people would be interested in hearing how straight ahead this recording is. It is still a band jamming on tunes... it is not quite Ascension, or some of the other late Coltrane recordings.

It is important to mention that although this record was released in 1967, it was recorded in June and July of 1960. This would have been before Coltrane had released "My Favorite Things," just to put things into perspective.

The recording of Focus on Sanity has a funky middle-eastern interlude that is nice. I thought it was it's own tune, but maybe it is part of focus on sanity...

Billy Cobham George Duke Band - Live on Tour in Europe

RIP George Duke. I gave this record a few tribute spins when I found out Mr. Duke had passed away earlier this summer. One of the best Synthesizer players of all time, as well as piano and fender rhodes. He certainly is missed.

I got this record many moons ago when my gateway into jazz music was through Jazz fusion. One of the first youtube videos I remember watching over and over is the live performance of "Al Mustafa the Beloved"

Alphonso Johnson is surely a very underrated bassist, and on this track he plays a unique instrument called the Chapman Stick. When I found this record (I think at the same place I got John Abercrombie's Timeless), I saw it had "Al Mustafa" on it. There is a very confident, undeniably funky groove on the track.

The cover is crazy; a caricature of Duke and Cobham, but their bodies are gigantic hands...

I love this album, but it is more of a nostalgic record that I get out every once in awhile to relive my fusion days. There is a young John Scofield on this record (is this his first major recording?)