Frank Strozier

[Daniel A]

This is from one of his first recording sessions at age 21, and I think his playing is incredible.

 

 

[jlhoots]

2 hours ago, Daniel A said:

This is from one of his first recording sessions at age 21, and I think his playing is incredible.

 

 

That's an excellent album.

[jazzbo]

I agree, it was reissued on cd in Japan in 2021 and is still available.

[T.D.]

Thanks for the recommendations.

That one was 1000 yen for a long time at cdjapan. Probably still is, per Lon (I haven't checked recently, cutting down on purchases).

I was intending to buy but passed due to lack of reviews and Andorran issuer. Will try to find  a copy.

[danasgoodstuff]

Didn't Strozier give up sax for piano at one point due to the declining quality of the cane used for reeds?  I share his frustration, but that's a little drastic!  A great individual voice on sax, he was.

[adh1907]

On 1/11/2017 at 4:23 PM, mikeweil said:

Just found a video of the 1968 Don Ellis Orchestra performance at Tanglewood with Strozier: https://archive.org/details/calauem_000152

The Ellis part starts at about 26.30 .... Strozier plays the opeing solo on K.C. Blues, probably the only piece in 4/4 the band ever played, including Ellis' transcription of Charlie Parker's solo for the horns. 

Think this is worth reposting. Strozier’s solo is very good here. Klemmer’s, awful. Love the Sun Ra style costumes. 

[JSngry]

 

[sgcim]

It's kind of ironic that he does his most incredible playing on other people's tunes, and not as incredible playing on his own tunes. That's why I wasn't that excited by "The Music of FS" album; they're not that great tunes, and the playing isn't as inspired as FS' playing on his own albums. I've written tunes and BB charts based on HLWK and TMTGA from Long Night, and even TMOTSC from that album.

[sgcim]

1 hour ago, danasgoodstuff said:

Didn't Strozier give up sax for piano at one point due to the declining quality of the cane used for reeds?  I share his frustration, but that's a little drastic!  A great individual voice on sax, he was.

When we went to see him at a club in Rye, NY. , we went up to tell him how great he sounded, and how much we loved Long Night. He just looked at us and said, "You two guys are musicians, right?" That woke me up to reality.

He wound up getting a job as a Science teacher from a District Supervisor that he played club dates with. FS really played the schist out of Hava Nagila according to the Supervisor/pianist!

[bertrand]

1 minute ago, sgcim said:

When we went to see him at a club in Rye, NY. , we went up to tell him how great he sounded, and how much we loved Long Night. He just looked at us and said, "You two guys are musicians, right?" That woke me up to reality.

He wound up getting a job as a Science teacher from a District Supervisor that he played club dates with. FS really played the schist out of Hava Nagila according to the Supervisor/pianist!

I don't understand his response.

[sgcim]

Just now, bertrand said:

I don't understand his response.

I think he was saying that only jazz musicians appreciate his music.

[bertrand]

That's kind of a snooty attitude on his part. I am not a musician and I love his music.

Edited January 6 by bertrand

[danasgoodstuff]

56 minutes ago, bertrand said:

That's kind of a snooty attitude on his part. I am not a musician and I love his music.

I don't think that's snotty, I think that's despair.

[sgcim]

52 minutes ago, danasgoodstuff said:

I don't think that's snotty, I think that's despair.

Yeah, that's how we read it.

[T.D.]

6 hours ago, sgcim said:

Yeah, that's how we read it.

+1

And he happened to be correct in that particular case. 😆

[sgcim]

On 1/5/2025 at 3:57 PM, sgcim said:

It's kind of ironic that he does his most incredible playing on other people's tunes, and not as incredible playing on his own tunes. That's why I wasn't that excited by "The Music of FS" album; they're not that great tunes, and the playing isn't as inspired as FS' playing on his own albums. I've written tunes and BB charts based on HLWK and TMTGA from Long Night, and even TMOTSC from that album.

Tonight we played my chart on TMTGA, Frank's masterpiece, and it was a big disappointment. First, the trumpets didn't put on their mutes, and then argued with me that  I didn't specify which mute to use. Duh, you've got to be told to use a Harmon mute in modern jazz?

Then, the alto player played my transcription 'accurately' as far as my transcription of Frank's brilliant solo and playing of the melody went, but he chose to give it this cornball  'white' interpretation of it that made we want to puke. At least he got through it, the alto player in the other band had a decent interpretation of it, but didn't even make it halfway through it. It all just goes to show what a genius Frank is, and that he can't be replaced. When he's gone, he's gone...