Keith Jarrett - Köln Concert

So much has already been said about this album. I love it. I think the last track is strange... apparently it is not entirely improvised, as it appears in the Real Book with the title Memories of Tomorrow... instead of me paraphrasing something else on the internet, here is an explanation as to what's up with that:

Keith Jarrett - Part II c / Memories of Tomorrow

Keith Jarrett - Luminessence

Three compositions that Keith wrote for strings with Jan Garbarek to improvise over. Some pieces I highly enjoy, at least there are moments that I like. Other moments tend to hang on way too long. Some of it reminds me of the Hovhannes Whale record that I have...

Keith Jarrett - Belonging

Here is Keith Jarrett with the European Quartet, which I do enjoy. I feel the ballads are a bit boring, but the modal/gospel/burners are awesome ("Spiral Dance," which is one of the first things I've transcribed on my own. The head to that tune is quite tricky., "'Long as You Know You're Living Yours" - which Steely Dan apparently plagiarized for Gaucho, and "The Windup.")

I like this group just as much as the American Quartet, except on the schmaltzy ballads. I wonder why Keith Jarrett was so adamant about not playing standards in the 1970s, but then made a complete U Turn in the 1980s-Current and only plays standards?

Keith Jarrett - Mourning of a Star

I abhor the banging of steel drums on this record, but I like everything else. Unfortunately, there is a lot of steel drum banging on this record...

Nice early version of "Everything That Lives Laments"

Keith Jarrett - Life Between Exit Signs

Here marks the beginning of my Keith Jarrett records. I have a few of them. This is his first as a leader with his amazing trio: Keith - Piano, Paul Motian Drums, and Charlie Haden Bass. Great trio free jazz great listeners that are able to get into their thing while also having everything surrounding them enter their consciousness.
I wonder what Ornette would have thought of Keith's group... Ornette had a musical bond with Haden, but I wonder if he would have dug Keith and Paul's style/ love of crazy off the beaten path percussionisms.

Whenever I wonder why I like jazz, I usually turn to youtube and watch this performance:

Khan Jamal - Three

Gotta love the vibes. An underrated vibist is certainly Khan Jamal. First heard him on a Matthew Shipp CD from 2000's, later discovered Khan Jamal has a place in jazz history... recorded often for SteepleChase records. This record has him with Johnny Dyani (groovy South African bassist) and Pierre Dørge.

Like my Walt Dickerson prized record, I will wish this one had somebody on trap set, but it is still GREAT BLACK MUSIC with good unique guitarisms from Pierre Dørge, whom I've never heard of, but I believe is Norwegian and may have been popular on the SteepleChase record label back in the day

Ahmad Jamal - At the Pershing: But Not For Me

This is a ballin' jazz record. Must be in consideration for G.O.A.T.

Ahmad Jamal - Piano

Israel Crosby - Bass

Vernell Fournier - Drums

THE MINIMALIST HOOKUP BETWEEN AHMAD AND VERNELL ON "SURREY" IS WORTH $1,000,000! THAT IS WHERE IT'S AT!!

And let us not forget the classic:

Impulsively

No, this wasn't an impulse purchase. I got it for DE DRUMS (Keith Jarrett 4tet, listening to it right now)... I don't like that it only includes a couple minutes of the opening jam, but Charlie Haden's bass sounds so nice in WAX! Although I try not to purchase vinyl if I already own the CD, I'd be really excited if I came across Keith Jarrett's Fort Yawuh (Anagram: Fourth way) or Backhand (Anagram: hand back).

It's nice to hear some other samplings from impulse records, but this is a compilation of clips of songs by impulse recording artists. The marketing idea was to find "radio friendly" material in the impulse catalog, and remix the tunes to a shorter duration for them to be played on the radio...

I want the whole damn song! Every time there is a fade out.... sheesh. Now I know what to put on the next record shopping list, though.

Pat Metheny - Kin

My Pal Zachariah went and saw Mr. Metheny live. He brought me back this record with Mr. Metheny's John Hancock on it! Sounds nice (a new incarnation of the PMG, called Pat Metheny Unity Group).

Bobby Hutcherson - Solo/Quartet

I wrote about this album a long time ago. I always enjoy throwing this Bobby Hutcherson album on. First side is Bobby the Percussion Ensemble, and side 2 is Bobby with McCoy Tyner, Herbie Lewis, and Billy Higgins. 500 Stars out of 5.

Bobby Hutcherson - Conception the Gift of Love

Jamaaladeen Tacuma - Showstopper

Jamaaladeen Tacuma played electric bass for Ornette Coleman in the mid 70's with the band Prime Time. This album is great early 80's fast funk with free alto sax blowing (not from Ornette, but mainly from James R. Watkins). Side 2 opens with a lovely strings and bass and vocal piece that is not at all pretentious. "Show Stopper" sounds like a tune right from the Ornette Coleman playbook (but with Julius Hemphill on alto!) Olu Dara on cornet. AKA the father of Nas.

Great find. Only $2!

Kenny Drew - If You Could See Me Now

I've never listened to Kenny Drew before... I don't know much about him. This record has great repertoire ("In Your Own Sweet Way," "Oleo"), great sidemen (Tootie Heath & NHøP), and was recorded on a great label (Steeplechase). As one could expect, the band takes Oleo at 7,000 MPH.

I like that Tootie Heath's snare drum is not set up how one is accustomed to hearing snare on modern recordings. I feel like the trend of designing "jazz" instruments is a new occurence that came out of the late 90's and throughout the 2000's. It seems like in the past, if you were a drummer, you would just get a really nice drum kit and not worry about the dimensions. Nowadays a jazz drummer typically tunes up all the drum heads as tight as possible (yuck), and must have a 18" bass drum (20" is acceptable, but is pushing it...)

Eric Dolphy - Iron Man

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Bright Moment

This is my first Rahsaan Roland Kirk album. It is a great recording, right now I'm enjoying Jitterbug Waltz on side 4. I like it a lot, except the percussionist is going hog wild with the bell tree:

The opening tune "Pedal Up" is a great Rahsaan original, which I first heard on youtube:

I wish Downbeat still would have a televised award ceremony with outstanding live performances like the one above from the mid 1970s...

Weather Report - Live in Tokyo

Joe Zawinul is Lord of the Distorted Rhodes! This album includes some music that was on I Sing The Body Electric... I love early Weather Report. Miroslav on bass, Eric Gravatt on skins.

I've heard a story that Weather Report wanted Airto in the group (He is on their first record), but he decided to play set with Return To Forever or do his own record, or something. So Zawinul hired a brazilian named Dom um Romao and claimed he was Airto's teacher.

Osibisa - Woyaya

This album cover is designed by Roger Dean. This is Afro-pop, but sounds like a variety of early 70's rock groups with horns. I like this group, and I like imagining them as the African Yes.

Just purchased.

Freddie Hubbard - Straight Life

Do something funky. That's the simple motto of this cast of players:
Freddie - Trumpet
Joe Hen - Tenor Sax
Herbie Hancock - Fender Rhodes
Ron Carter - Fender Bass
Jack Dejohnette - Sonor Drums
George Benson - Guitar
Richard "Pablo" Landrum

Note: To anyone that performs "Straight Life," please play it at the tempo on this record. Any slower becomes laborious and loses it's sense of adventure.

Freddie Hubbard - Sky Dive

Freddie Hubbard CTI classic (not as classic as Red Clay, or the album I am now listening to...)