Number two dives into jazz - nice. I'm definitely looking forward to reconnecting with some great jazz. In the early 90's, I went through a phase where I listened to nothing for jazz for about three years - morning, noon and night.
It began innocuously enough - I joined the Columbia Jazz Club and got some classics in the mail - Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Errol Garner, Herbie Hancock. But for a while it was just nice background or dinner music.
Then I discovered Joshua Redman and my ears just opened. Here was this guy who was about my age playing an incredibly fresh and exciting form of jazz - and jazz versions of pop songs too. We went to go see him in concert a few times and fell even deeper for it. Joshua Redman was a gateway for me to start working backwards and listen passionately to all the greats - Sonny Rollins, Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman.
Suddenly my radio had only two presets - WBGO and WKCR (home of the great Phil Schapp - if you want to read about my memorable encounter with him, click here). I'd check the mailbox each day for a new issue of Downbeat. I could listen to a recording by Miles or Monk and name every musician playing in the session. Lunch hours were spent at HMV on 72 and Broadway with JK - one of the jazz buyers there - getting introduced to more and more great stuff. At night, JK and I would hit the Vanguard or Iridium to see jazz guys old and young.
At some point, I faded away from jazz and moved back into folk, bluegrass (which has a lot more in common with jazz than you might think) and rock - but it was great to be so so so passionate about something.
Which brings me to Muhal Richard Abrams. I'd never heard of him before listening to this album, and I really like a lot of it - it falls between traditional and free jazz. I always liked free jazz in limited quantities. It's like drinking a complex, bitter and hoppy beer - delicious and satisfying - but you wouldn't have more than one. (ok, maybe two)
If you want to check out a great track that starts out slow, but builds to an amazing kick-ass jam, give Bloodline a spin...
No comments:
Post a Comment