AOTW Nov 20-26, 2005

[Adam]

I was actually going to pick the Blue Note Sonny Clark Trio, but a de facto thread on it came into being in Reissues:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...&hl=sonny+clark

Like Guy, I'll ask that people please don't post in this thread until the current AOTW is finished -- I just want to give people a heads up so they can pick this up in time for November 20.

So then I thought I should respond to my own email from long ago:

"Hmmm, no Woody Herman or Dizzy Gillespie or Gil Evans or Rahsaan Roland Kirk yet."

But at least we've had Gillespie, and almost one Kirk.

So Gil Evans came to mind. At first I thought "Out of the Cool," for another classic album.

And then I thought, nah, maybe try Steven Bernstein - Diaspora Blues, with the Same Rivers Trio.

But then I decided on

The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix

There's a new "Bluebird First Editions" version. I've never successfully attached a photo, so if anyone feels like it, please do.

tracks:

1. Angel

2. Crosstown Traffic

3. Medley: Castles Made of Sand/Foxey Lady

4. Up From the Skies

5. 1983 - A Merman I Should Turn To Be

6. Voodoo Chile

7. Gypsy Eyes

8. Little Wing

Alternate Takes:

9. Angel

10. Castles Made of Sand

11. Up From the Skies

12. Gypsy Eyes

recorded in New York, 1975, except Track 8, recorded in 1975.

Gil Evans - leader, arranger, piano

The Orchestra includes more than I feel like typing at the moment, but here's a cut and paste job from All Music Guide:

His unique 19-piece unit, an orchestra that included two French horns, the tuba of Howard Johnson, three guitars, two basses, two percussionists and such soloists as altoist David Sanborn, trumpeter Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson, Billy Harper on tenor, and guitarists Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie.

I hope you all find it worthy of discussion.

Edited November 9, 2005 by Adam

[sidewinder]

Good selection - I'll dig out the original vinyl. This was the first Gil Evans LP I ever bought and at the time it came out I racell that it was pretty well overlooked by the record buying fraternity. The arrangement of 'Up From The Skies' is a beauty - one he featured extensively on his tours thereafter.

I seem to recall talk of this session being very rushed at the studio due to commercial pressures at RCA.

[Rooster_Ties]

I think we need to add the title "Little Miss Lover" as a medley with "Crosstown Traffic" to the track listing above (talkin' about track #2 probably - though double-check this - I got my info on-line).

And not to thread-jack things... but I was just looking around the web to see what other Hendrix tunes Gil ever covered -- and the only one I came up with was "Stone Free" (which is not found on this album). Is that the only other Hendrix tune that Gil ever recorded or performed?? (Meaning besides other performances of the same tunes found here.)

I haven't heard this album in years, but I remember Gil's various versions of "Little Wing" quite fondly.

Edited November 9, 2005 by Rooster_Ties

[Free For All]

There's a new "Bluebird First Editions" version.  I've never successfully attached a photo, so if anyone feels like it, please do.

←

I love this side! I'll be back to comment a little more in depth.

[medjuck]

I think we need to add the title "Little Miss Lover" as a medley with "Crosstown Traffic" to the track listing above (talkin' about track #2 probably - though double-check this - I got my info on-line).

And not to thread-jack things...  but I was just looking around the web to see what other Hendrix tunes Gil ever covered -- and the only one I came up with was "Stone Free" (which is not found on this album).  Is that the only other Hendrix tune that Gil ever recorded or performed?? (Meaning besides other performances of the same tunes found here.)

I haven't heard this album in years, but I remember Gil's various versions of "Little Wing" quite fondly.

←

I think you're right about Stone Free being the only Hendrix tune Gil did that's not on this cd. BTW Little Wing wasn't on it originally but was on Comes a Time. (Or was that "Angel"? I forget-- anyway on eof the Hendrix songs was originally on the other Lp. ) I heard many of Gil's version s before I ever heard the Hendrix version. I love that song. My wife is learning to play guitar and the other day I heard her trying out some chords that I knew immediatly were for "Little Wing". It sounded great to me.

[Adam]

I have a cassette copy of Gil Evans Live at Sweet Basil, I believe, in which they play a couple of the Hendrix tunes, but I don't know if there are any additional Hendrix titles from those listed above. Will check the title list later.

OK, from All Music:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:cwv8b5m4bsqs

Vol. 1 includes Voodoo Child, Up from the Skies

Vol. 2 includes Stone Free.

Also, Live at the Public Theatre, which I've never seen. According to AMG: "Two Gil Evans LPs originally recorded for the Japanese Trio label and put out in the United States on the now-defunct Black-Hawk company features the veteran arranger leading a 14-piece group at a pair of 1980 concerts."

Volume 1 includes Up From the Skies

Vol 2 includes Stone Free

Edited November 9, 2005 by Adam

[John Tapscott]

Had this one on vinyl many years ago. Picked up the Bluebird CD edition today. I'm really looking forward to hearing this one again and checking out what people think of it.

[Adam]

Up, for comment.

I'll be late with mine, as usual.

Except can I say that I don't care for the first few notes of the album - they bode of a certain smoothness that never comes to pass.

[Noj]

As a huge fan of Hendrix I was excited about this album and picked up the Bluebird reissue. I was disappointed and found it unlistenable. It lacked whatever it is I find appealing about Jimi's music. I sold my copy shortly after buying it.

[medjuck]

As a huge fan of Evans I was also disappointed in the cd. At first it just seemed ponderous to me. I thought I was listening to Stan Kenton. I much prefer later versions of all these songs ( some of them by even larger Evans groups).

Is "Littlle Miss Lovely" still part of track 2? They have re-edited (or removed edits) since the original Lp release and I no longer have that to make comparisons.

The booklet with the first cd release had interesting comments from the band members that aren't included in the Bluebird edition.

I do prefer the alternate take of Up from the Skies-- probably because of Hannibal Peterson's solo. I notice it is the later take (if I'm reading the matrix numbers correctly, which is far from a sure thing.) I wonder why they chose the earlier take.

[JSngry]

Can't say that I find this unlistenable, but I too was disappointed when it first came out, and have yet to really warm to this collection. Problem is, I think, that only two charts are by Gil, and it seems as if most of the album was made w/o him really having too much direct influence on the music. Still haven't heard the CD version though, so maybe that's a different animal.

Evans' next RCA album, There Comes A Time, was/is another matter entirely. To me, that's a great album, and an even greater CD. Whereas the Hendrix album seems mostly loud and unsubtle, monochromatic, even, TCAT is a multi-textured work of electronic/accoustic beauty, with a depth of detail that has continually rewarded years of close and repeated listening. It kinda sunk upon initial release (perhaps the much better hyped Hendrix side failed to meet anybody's expectations, and the followup was doomed to be ignored?), but it's by far the better album imo. I'd go so far as to call it a genuine masterpiece, especially in the expanded CD form. So much color....

Gil's conversion to/immersion in electronics was/still is a matter of no small contention, and has been vigorously discussed/debated over the years. If I were looking for ammo, I think I might pick the Hendrix album as an exhibit for the prosecution, and There Comes A Time as one for the defense.

[Adam]

Hey all,

Feel free to open it up to a discussion of the larger point of adapting contemporary pop & rock songs into jazz big band arrangements. I fin the album very enjoyable, but I too am finding its "jazz" interest limited.

Track 1 doesn't do much for me. track 2 makes me think that Evans coould have tackled a blaxploitation film score.