Last albums

[ejp626]

Sorry - let me repost from New albums.

One of these days, I am going to work on an article on "last works," i.e the last thing an artist accomplished before death. I think there would be two general categories -- one where the artist was pretty sure this would be their final work (either due to old age or extreme sickness) or where death was sudden and more unexpected. The article will probably focus on fiction and painting/sculpture, so I thought I might throw open the topic for music here. The kinds of issues that interest me are the commonalities, especially in the first category. Are there a lot of songs that seem to sum up life? Are the songs angry or resigned? Were the albums completely finished, or did someone finish them up? Not really trying to be morbid, but just thinking about the last creative acts of artists.

The three recent CDs that come to mind where the artists probably knew it was their last work: Ray Charles, George Harrison and Warren Zevon. I think we have heard plenty of testimony that with the Zevon album in particular, working on that actually provided Zevon with a purpose and he seems to have lived on longer than expected.

I am much less familiar with how this plays in jazz. Perhaps more frequently death was unanticipated (Dolphy, Booker Little, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, etc.). Perhaps Dexter Gordon's work in and for Round Midnight comes close to fitting the bill. And His Mother Called Him Bill is something quite different -- a magnificent tribute but not directly created by the artist himself.

Anyway, just thought I would throw it out there.

[Guy Berger]

Sorry - let me repost from New albums.

One of these days, I am going to work on an article on "last works," i.e the last thing an artist accomplished before death. I think there would be two general categories -- one where the artist was pretty sure this would be their final work (either due to old age or extreme sickness) or where death was sudden and more unexpected. The article will probably focus on fiction and painting/sculpture, so I thought I might throw open the topic for music here. The kinds of issues that interest me are the commonalities, especially in the first category. Are there a lot of songs that seem to sum up life? Are the songs angry or resigned? Were the albums completely finished, or did someone finish them up? Not really trying to be morbid, but just thinking about the last creative acts of artists.

The three recent CDs that come to mind where the artists probably knew it was their last work: Ray Charles, George Harrison and Warren Zevon. I think we have heard plenty of testimony that with the Zevon album in particular, working on that actually provided Zevon with a purpose and he seems to have lived on longer than expected.

I am much less familiar with how this plays in jazz. Perhaps more frequently death was unanticipated (Dolphy, Booker Little, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, etc.). Perhaps Dexter Gordon's work in and for Round Midnight comes close to fitting the bill. And His Mother Called Him Bill is something quite different -- a magnificent tribute but not directly created by the artist himself.

Anyway, just thought I would throw it out there.

Coltrane's final work (Expression, Interstellar Space, Stellar Regions) have a sort of "finality" about them, though I'm not sure if Trane actually knew he was going to die at the time.

Also, Beethoven's final works have a sort of valedictory, "looking ahead to the next world" aura.

Guy

[A Lark Ascending]

Mahler's 10th is interesting.

Unfinished with only the first movement in close to complete form, the rest in unorchestrated sketches.

Deryck Cooke used the sketches to put together a performing edition in the 60s which I find as beautiful as any of the 'proper' symphonies.

What is interesting is that it ends in a glowing, positive manner. The previous two 'symphonies' ('Das Lied von der Erde' and No.9) are almost textbook examples of the sad, longing farewell.

[Dan Gould]

Here's a picture from Hank Mobley's last recording session:

[bertrand]

Interesting idea for an article. I think you should definitely discuss the last Lee Morgan session (the one where he's wearing that hideous blue suit). It is a unique animal in his discography, and may (or may not) indicate where he was going. And you can't get a more unexpected death. Even the woman who shot him was surprised.

Bertrand.