Gato Barbieri

[Jazz Kat]

Well, I'm just about off to go take a biology regents, but I thought I'd cruise the Big O for a while.

My newest musical discovery, Gato Barbieri. My dad had his Ruby Ruby record for years, (he bought it for the appearence of Herb Alpert) and before I knew who he was, I stould clear away from the record. About five or so years ago, I found out who he was. But just recently, like yesterday, I started listening to samples and been playing my dad's record.

Are there any fans here?

[Alexander Hawkins]

I'm afraid I don't know much of his playing at all, but he is superb IMHO on Don Cherry's 'Complete Communion'.

[jazzbo]

I'm a fan. I love the Impulses and the RCAs. I like how he fused South American sounds with adventurous jazz textures.

[WD45]

Those Impulse! sides are amazing. That tone!

[RDK]

Is Jazz Kat old enough for "Last Tango in Paris?"

[clifford_thornton]

I'm more of a fan of his earlier, 'out' material - the ESP, his work with Don Cherry and Alan Shorter and the Jazz Composers' Orchestra. The Dutchmans and the Impulses aren't my first choices, but I do like the first couple of Impulse sides.

The ESP - "In Search of the Mystery" - is a total motherfucker, with Sirone, Bobby Kapp and Calo Scott on cello. Heavy as shit.

[Д.Д.]

My favorite is his early duo of his with Abdullah Ibrahim "Hamba Khale" (BYG) - reissued on CD a couple of years back. What a powerful sound on tenor!

The latter stuff got watered down progressively, with each susequesnt work becoming more and more repetative and formulaic (by the middle of his FLying Dutchmen perid Barbieri seem to have stopped imporvising alltogether, just replaying the same melodic line all over and over again with very sight variations - not totally unenjoyable, but a far cry from his earlier stuff).

Still have to get the ESP one.

[jazzbo]

The ESP IS great.

[Jazz Kat]

Is Jazz Kat old enough for "Last Tango in Paris?" 

←

LOL, my dad used to play Herb Alpert's version of that song all the time as a kid. About 5 or 6 years ago, the movie was on tv, as my family was gathered around it. I quickly shouted out to my dad, "Hey that's herbie's song!" not relizing the two people having sex right in front of me!

I heard Gato's soundtrack album, and it sounds great! Im definately going to hear more of his albums.

[Free For All]

Is Jazz Kat old enough for "Last Tango in Paris?" 

←

Ah yes...the "other" Maria Schneider.

[vibes]

I love Gato's earlier work (pre-1975, mostly). Here's my favorite:

[Rosco]

I love a lot of Gato's earlier things...

The ESP is great, Fenix, El Pampero (Flying Dutchman), Latino America, Viva Emiliano Zapata (Impulse), his contributions to Don Cherry's Complete Communion (Blue Note) and Carla Bley's often bewildering Escalator Over the Hill (JCOA). Gato's sound comes blazing out at you, but there was a warmth and melodicism to even his 'out' playing.

And then it all went downhill into mushy fuzak. I blame Alpert.

But the early stuff, man... Fire in the soul.

[Guest youmustbe]

Check out 'Afro Cubano Chant' on Hip Bop Essence...his first record after his wife died and he had a triple bypass...my favorites are 'Caliente' (Fireflies kills!) and 'Complete Communion'.

Gato was/is an original. He didn't really improvise, just made 'statements'...I like that...improvising in Jazz is over rated. Some of the greatest 'improvisers', Pops, Miles, Johnny Hodges et al played pretty much everything note for note in their 'improvisations' from one night to the next and ad infinitum.

It's about 'communicating' in the end, not necessarily coming up with 'new shit' every time you go out there.

[SEK]

I really like his first three Flying Dutchmans: "The Third World", "Fenix", and "Under Fire". Another notable earlier appearance for Gato (and also for Carla Bley btw) is on Gary Burton's "A Genuine Tong Funeral".

[Guest akanalog]

i would second the recommendation of the dutchmen-"under fire" "bolivia" "fenix" and "the third world". the "third world" one is more on the free side than the latin side, to my ears. it has folks like charlie haden and roswell rudd and beaver harris on it, so some people on this board who aren't into barbieri might want to check it out. i think "under fire" and "bolivia" are available as a two-fer, which is a good deal for anyone looking to explore this period, though i think, as other people have mentioned, "fenix" is the best one. "el pampero" doesn't work for me for some reason as well-i seem to have a bias against live at montreux dates.

[fent99]

Been listening to Gato this morning and apart from putting me in a great mood it got me thinking that Latino America is an astonishing reissue. I've never heard the original Chapter One and Two but am amazed that stuff could be cut from these performances. Love the "single" cuts too.

Anyone comment on the how the originals compare? I have Chapter 3 too and have loved it for years but would love to hear the rest of the impulse stuff. Any views on Chapter 4, recently reissued?

I like the Flying Dutchman stuff I have (Third World Revisited and a live one?) but they are a bit more raw.

Anything later than the impulse stuff worth investigating?

[Guest]

Don't get me started on Gato Barbieri...I *love* that guy's playing! Well, all up through his Impulse albums. My favourites are Bolivia and the first two Impulse titles.

He was just such a master melodicist. I think that's what's putting some people off too - he dared to play the simple and the memorable. And as has been said - improvising in jazz is perhaps "overrated" - it is about communicating. And he did that billiantly while still maintaining an undisputable jazz element. It's all in the tiny little variations and embellishments and the fantastic tone he had. In that respect I find him very very similar to Carlos Santana, and I would have loved to hear them play together on some strong material.

[skeith]

Can't add much to people's well stated comments, except that I am a fan too and very much like the Impulse and Flying Dutchman releases as well as the Last Tango soundtrack.

"Ruby, Ruby" and those other Alpert produced records are really commercial compared to his earlier fine work.

[chris olivarez]

Been listening to Gato this morning and apart from putting me in a great mood it got me thinking that Latino America is an astonishing reissue. I've never heard the original Chapter One and Two but am amazed that stuff could be cut from these performances. Love the "single" cuts too.

Anyone comment on the how the originals compare? I have Chapter 3 too and have loved it for years but would love to hear the rest of the impulse stuff. Any views on Chapter 4, recently reissued?

I like the Flying Dutchman stuff I have (Third World Revisited and a live one?) but they are a bit more raw.

Anything later than the impulse stuff worth investigating?

I ordered chapter 4 from BMG and I hope it was remixed. The guitar was way down in the mix and while some may consider that a blessing I found it really annoying. I like the majority of the Flying Dutchman and Impulse sides but after Herb Alpert got ahold of Gato I started to lose interest though "Ruby Ruby" was ok.

[chris olivarez]

Don't get me started on Gato Barbieri...I *love* that guy's playing! Well, all up through his Impulse albums. My favourites are Bolivia and the first two Impulse titles.

He was just such a master melodicist. I think that's what's putting some people off too - he dared to play the simple and the memorable. And as has been said - improvising in jazz is perhaps "overrated" - it is about communicating. And he did that billiantly while still maintaining an undisputable jazz element. It's all in the tiny little variations and embellishments and the fantastic tone he had. In that respect I find him very very similar to Carlos Santana, and I would have loved to hear them play together on some strong material.

Carlos and Gato jammed on "Europa" on a PBS special years ago and Carlos played on a track of a Gato album called "Tropico" but it wasn't very strong and as a matter of fact the album was pretty damned bad.

[chris olivarez]

As you might expect with the exception of the Herb Alpert and Sony albums I'm partial to Gato. I had a chance to interview him before the first A&M album came out and he was a pretty cool guy. At the time he had gotten his family out of Argentina just before the military junta got ahold of them and that and having to tour to support the new album had left him pretty tired but he still sat down and talked to me for an hour and to this day I consider that my favorite interview.

[fent99]

Cheers guys guess I'll go for Chapter 4 regardless! Thanks

[JohnS]

Not a fan but Fenix has a place in my collection

[Guest akanalog]

fenix, the third world, boliva, under fire, chapter 4....all good stuff that have by gato.

i think fenix is my favorite right now.

[Guest akanalog]

i like the albums where there is another solo voice best myself i think.

something like el pampero, there's just too much of gato blowing straight through. it can be invigorating to listen to, but something like the third world is nice where rudd's trombon can provide another voice upfront.