Alexander Hawkins Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 I would have just posted about this on the end of the Braxton thread, but it's such an incredible piece of work, I thought maybe talk about it specifically! I've been taking in Braxton's 'For Alto' over the last couple of days (goodness knows how long it'll take..!) Although it seems to be particularly hyped among Braxton's work, as far as I can see, this is ALL justified. It's a simply remarkable piece of work. The technical command he has of the horn seems to be remarkable. I'm not a saxophonist, but his darts in and out of the altissimo harmonics, for example on 'For Composer John Cage', must be technically treacherous. But the technique aside (and big deal, after all, in some senses: if it sounds good...), it's a revelation. I don't think I own any other solo records - apart from pianists. I suppose I've been a little apprehensive about an album length (let alone a double album length, as this effectively is) of solos. Don't get me wrong, I love the various track-length precedents 'Picasso', 'God Bless the Child', 'Tenderley', etc., but was a bit wary of a whole album. But the interest is sustained here by sheer brilliance. I think this should also be a port of call for anyone who thinks Braxton is somehow studied or passionless (I think the equation between the two is fairly false anyway). The John Cage tribute, for example, is ecstatic. The string of harmonics he blows around halfway into this track is extraordinary. In fact, they remind me of nothing quite so much as Sonny Rollins at the very end of 'Loverman' from the album with Coleman Hawkins. I was started thinking about this thread also by one on Charlie Parker, asking who sounded most like him. On a related point, I really hear Braxton strongly here as part of a Parker - Dolphy - Braxton continuum. Strangely, given his comments e.g. in Graham Lock's (excellent, IMHO) book 'Forces in Motion...', I find the Ornette influence harder to pin down. But anyway, does anyone else particularly like this album? I must say, it's been nothing short of revelatory to me, despite its hype. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rostasi Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 (edited) But anyway, does anyone else particularly like this album? I must say, it's been nothing short of revelatory to me, despite its hype. Red, I agree with you completely! It was such an incredible revelation to me as a child. It was an amazing sound world coming from a single sax. Twists and turns and "sheets of sound" (to use a Trane analogy). That was my introduction to his work and I wanted to know more about this guy, so, next weekend, the guys at, I think, Hegewisch Records outside Chicago introduced me to "Three Compositions of New Jazz" and off I went. I think that record, tho, was greatly responsible for my father selling my alto. I came home from school one day and it was gone. He used the lame excuse that I wasn't practicing enough. Maybe my teacher complained... Big regret for not continuing tho... Edited March 24, 2005 by rostasi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 (edited) I would have just posted about this on the end of the Braxton thread, You should have! I enjoy it, but I'm more interested in duos and small groups. Edited March 24, 2005 by 7/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonguthartz Posted March 24, 2005 Report Share Posted March 24, 2005 (edited) I suppose I've been a little apprehensive about an album length (let alone a double album length, as this effectively is) of solos. Don't get me wrong, I love the various track-length precedents 'Picasso', 'God Bless the Child', 'Tenderley', etc., but was a bit wary of a whole album. But the interest is sustained here by sheer brilliance. If you've become inspired to explore solo sax records, here are some other masters (and masterpieces) of the genre: Evan Parker (Monoceros, 1978, Incus, reissued on Chronoscope; also Conic Sections) Joe McPhee (Tenor, 1976, Hat Hut, reissued on hatOLOGY) Peter Brötzmann (14 Love Poems, 1984, FMP) Roscoe Mitchell (half of Nonaah, 1978, Nessa LP) CALLING MR. CHUCK!! Mats Gustafsson (Impropositions, 1996, Phono Suecia) John Butcher (13 Friendly Numbers, 1991, Acta, reissued on Unsounds) Steve Lacy ( Solo Live at Unity Temple, 1997, Wobbly Rail; his two Monk records on Soul Note are also superb) And recent CDs by artists who have not been documented extensively in the solo genre: Scott Rosenberg - V: Solo Improvisations (2000, Umbrella) Ken Vandermark - Furniture Music (2002, Okka Disk) I should also mention a great solo clarinet record by John Carter, Suite of American Folk Pieces for Solo Clarinet (1979, Moers) But anyway, does anyone else particularly like this album? I must say, it's been nothing short of revelatory to me, despite its hype. Discovering For Alto led me to get a turntable (this was before it was reissued on CD) and, eventually, to this. For Alto is certainly great and certainly of great historical significance. But I think there are better solo Braxton records, perhaps the best being the newly-reissued Saxophone Improvisations Series F. His solo saxophone performances have changed over the years; the early solo works functioned like etudes and provided the basic building blocks ("language music") of all of Braxton's subsequent work, including his later solo work. Much to explore! -Jason Edited March 24, 2005 by jasonguthartz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Hawkins Posted March 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Jason, thanks very much - I look forwards to studying that link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 To Jason's excellent list of major solo saxophone works I would add: Gianni Gebbia "Arcana Major / Sonic Tarot Sessions" (Ratascan / Studio Supremo) Bhob Rainey "Ink." (Sachimay) Jack Wright "Places To Go" (Spring Garden) Ned Rothenberg "The Crux. Selected Solo Wind Works (1989-92)" While all four are highlyl individual musicians, you will hear elements of "For Alto" in each of these works. Today listened to Braxton's "Saxophone Improvisations Series F" for the first time, and indeed this is an outstanding record - and quite different from his later solo works (which I also enjoy a lot - in fact I strongly prefer Braxton in solo stetting). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonguthartz Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Ned Rothenberg "The Crux. Selected Solo Wind Works (1989-92)" Yes, I should have included Rothenberg among the masters. Another is Abe Kaoru -- if you think an all-solo record is a challenging listen, Abe's 10-volume Live at Gaia series (1977-78, DIW) might be the ultimate challenge! And I really screwed up by omitting John Zorn, whose 2-volume Classic Guide to Strategy (1983/1985, Lumina, reissued on Tzadik) is indeed a classic. (He recently released Vol. 3, which I haven't heard.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 This is becoming a very intriguing -- and no doubt, now having read it, ka-CHING-inducing -- thread. Abe Kaoru. Tell us more, oh Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 This is becoming a very intriguing -- and no doubt, now having read it, ka-CHING-inducing -- thread. Abe Kaoru. Tell us more, oh Jason. Tony, we had a bit of a discussion on Kaoru Abe on in The Rat with some recommendations from Jon and Nate, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 D'jever talk about my old friend Steve Nelson-Raney? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 This is becoming a very intriguing -- and no doubt, now having read it, ka-CHING-inducing -- thread. Abe Kaoru. Tell us more, oh Jason. Tony, we had a bit of a discussion on Kaoru Abe on in The Rat with some recommendations from Jon and Nate, I think. What is this Rat of which you speak, oh David? I'll do a search. B-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 D'jever talk about my old friend Steve Nelson-Raney? After a search of the board, no mention of Steve Nelson-Raney except for your mentioning listening to... Posted on: Oct 11 2003, 06:37 PM Steve Nelson-Raney/Jon Mueller "Cutting Off the Edge of Time" Steve Nelson-Raney/Gary Verkade " Improvisations for Organ and Saxophone" Recommended, Mr. N? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonguthartz Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Abe Kaoru. Tell us more, oh Jason. Lots of info on Abe here: http://www.info.net.nz/opprobrium/html/pri...4_reviewsA.html I've only heard a couple of volumes of the Gaia series, and find them a bit too unfocused. I much prefer his beautifully intense duos with guitarist Takayanagi Masayuki: Mass Projection & Gradually Projection (both 1970, DIW). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 I have Steve Nelson-Raney's duo with Hal Rammel (winds and invented instruments, respectively) "Breathing" on Penumbra. Never listened to it. Gonna listen to it NOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Steve is an old friend from the beginning of the '70s from Madison. He started as a pianist and has taken up saxophones. Do a search on his name. He has stuff to sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Kaoru Abe souunds interesting to me , AMGs bio starts Biography by Eugene Chadbourne To some listeners, this avant-garde Japanese player from the '70s wins the sweepstakes for the most abrasive saxophone sound in history, an important competition indeed in this genre. With some saxophonists claiming their tone can remove coats of varnish from antiques, cook a 20-pound goose in one hour, or even wound a small rodent at 200 feet, there is no denying the impact of Kaoru Abe on alto sax; and on clarinet, he hardly harbored ambitions to be the new Artie Shaw. Chaney let me know what you find please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 I have Steve Nelson-Raney's duo with Hal Rammel (winds and invented instruments, respectively) "Breathing" on Penumbra. Never listened to it. Gonna listen to it NOW! 'Bout time. Steve and Hal are old friends from many years ago. Hal covered for me on my job so I could record Lester Bowie's Numbers 1 & 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 I suppose I've been a little apprehensive about an album length (let alone a double album length, as this effectively is) of solos. Don't get me wrong, I love the various track-length precedents 'Picasso', 'God Bless the Child', 'Tenderley', etc., but was a bit wary of a whole album. But the interest is sustained here by sheer brilliance. If you've become inspired to explore solo sax records, here are some other masters (and masterpieces) of the genre: Joe McPhee (Tenor, 1976, Hat Hut, reissued on hatOLOGY) Peter Brötzmann (14 Love Poems, 1984, FMP) I especially enjoy the Joe Mcphee & Peter Brotzmann tiltles, another good solo Joe Mcphee is 'As Serious as Your LIfe'hatOLOGY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Any opinions of Braxton's SOLO (NYC) 2002 (parallactic 53/2-CD)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Dorward Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Tony, we had a bit of a discussion on Kaoru Abe on in The Rat with some recommendations from Jon and Nate, I think. Not me, I've never heard his stuff. Re: solo discs, Stephane Rives' Fibres is a very interesting new one, on the extreme end of things. Didn't know you knew Nelson-Raney, Chuck. I corresponded with him a few years back concerning his settings of Tom Raworth's poetry but haven't heard his music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonguthartz Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Any opinions of Braxton's SOLO (NYC) 2002 (parallactic 53/2-CD)? You can download two complete tracks from that set here: http://www.injazz.net/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chaney Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Any opinions of Braxton's SOLO (NYC) 2002 (parallactic 53/2-CD)? You can download two complete tracks from that set here: http://www.injazz.net/ Thanks Jason! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Another solo set worth mentioning 3 outstanding CDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregK Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Another solo set worth mentioning 3 outstanding CDs. what label is that Roscoe Mitchell on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 what label is that Roscoe Mitchell on? Mutable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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