cello in jazz

[Bright Moments]

while enjoying this:

track 4, Bachianas Brasileiras No.5, with charles curtis' excellent cello solo, i realized that we don't hear much cello in jazz!

why is that?

such a wonderful instrument, surely i can solicit some recommendations for cello in jazz essentials from my pals here at the "big O"!!

[Alexander]

Dave Douglas has worked on a couple of projects with a cellist named Peggy Lee (no, not HER). I like what I've heard of her on albums like "Mountain Passages."

[Spontooneous]

More people need to know about David Eyges.

[Nate Dorward]

Ernst Reijseger is the name that springs to mind -- especially the albums with the Clusone 3.

[7/4]

track 4, Bachianas Brasileiras No.5, with charles curtis' excellent cello solo,

Hey...I know him. He usually plays modern avant classical.

[ep1str0phy]

Diedre Murray's work is often fine--especially her work with Fred Hopkins. Erik Friedlander, too (he's on lots of stuff).

Dewey Redman's classic 'The Ear of the Behearer' has some fine cello on it... played by one Ms. Jane Robertson. Don't know what happened to her, but she can cook.

And I'll throw it out there now--I like a lot of Ron Carter's cello (esp. on Dolphy's 'Out There'). Someone will disagree (he's often playing in microtones--or out of tune, take your pick)--be judicious.

[Jim R]

while enjoying this:

track 4, Bachianas Brasileiras No.5, with charles curtis' excellent cello solo, i realized that we don't hear much cello in jazz!

why is that?

such a wonderful instrument, surely i can solicit some recommendations for cello in jazz essentials from my pals here at the "big O"!!

Not exactly jazz, but the Brasilian connection here reminds me of Jaques Morelenbaum's work with Morelenbaum 2 / Sakamoto. See what you think...

http://youtube.com/results?search=morelenb...s&search=Search

[Larry Kart]

It's a different kind of thing, plucked not bowed, but Oscar Pettiford.

[wordsandsounds]

Peggy Lee's stuff on Spool is the real deal compared to that Douglas release in my opinion.

I'm surprised no one has come up with Erik Friedlander yet. Whether as a sideman or solo he is really inventive.

Check him with Ehrlich's Dark Woods Ensemble such as

Douglas' Parallel Worlds, Five, or

Zorn's Bar Kokhba sextet and String Trio

Myra Melford's Above Blue and Same River Twice or even with Fred Hersch like on Forward Motion...

Then there are his releases:

... Among others...

There are some others as well such as Tomas Ulrich (from Ben Allison to Dom Minasi).

[tonym]

I've always found the cello of Vincent Courtois very engaging. Whether it's the musical environment he's playing or simply his manner, his contributions to Louis Sclavis' or Yves Robert's discs always appear impressive. Very 'European' if you know what I mean, many recordings can be found on ECM.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Nat Adderley's "Work song" features some splendid cello solos from Keter Betts and Sam Jones.

Mongo Santamria's "Montreux heat" features an unbelievable cello solo on "Pajaro Cantor" from French reedman Allen Hoist.

MG

[Alexander Hawkins]

I've always enjoyed Abdul Wadud's stuff e.g. with Hemphill.

[B. Goren.]

Dave Holland, Life Cycle:

[Tom in RI]

Check out Hank Roberts on Phil Haynes fine cd, Free Country. Also, waiting for the Andorran pirates to release Fred Katz's work on Decca from the 50's.

[Claude]

Well, reading the topic I was just about to add a recommendation for Hank Roberts too. I especially like his contributions to some Tim Berne albums, like "Fulton Street Maul", "Fractured Fairy Tales" or the duo "Cause & Reflect".

Edited May 8, 2006 by Claude

[AllenLowe]

sorry, this topless cellist has got 'em all beat - and they swing -

meet Charlotte Moorman -

Edited May 8, 2006 by AllenLowe

[brownie]

The same doing her thing...

[Bright Moments]

Charlotte Moorman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Madeline Charlotte Moorman (November 18, 1933–November 8, 1991) was an American cellist and performance artist.

Moorman was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. She studied cello from age ten and won a scholarship to Centenary College (Shreveport, Louisiana) where she took her B.A. in music in 1955. She received her M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and continued on to postgraduate studies at The Juilliard School in 1962.

She began a traditional concert hall career but was soon drawn into the active mixed-media performance art scene of the 1960s. She became a close associate and collaborator of Korean avant-garde artist Nam June Paik, with whom she toured widely. In 1963 she established the New York Avant Garde Festival which played annually in various locations including Central Park and the Staten Island Ferry until 1980 (except for the years 1970, 1976 and 1979).

In 1967 she achieved notoriety for her performance of Paik's Opera Sextronique, a seminude performance which resulted in her arrest on charges of indecent exposure; she was given a suspended sentence. The incident gave her nationwide fame as the "topless cellist." Composer Edgard Varèse called her "the Jeanne d'Arc of New Music." She also performed Paik's TV Bra for Living Sculpture (1969) with two small television receivers attached to her breasts. Another memorable piece was her performance of Jim McWilliams' Sky Kiss in many locations including New York and Sydney, Australia, which involved her hanging suspended from helium-filled weather balloons or the brightly-colored inflatable sculptures of Otto Piene.

As well as being a star performer of avant-garde pieces, she was an effective spokesperson and negotiator for advanced art, charming the bureaucracies of New York and other major cities into co-operating and providing facilities for controversial and challenging performances. The years of the Avant Garde Festival marked a period of unparalleled understanding and good relations between advanced artists and local authorities.

In the late 1970's Moorman was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy and further treatment, to continue performing through the 1980s in spite of pain and deteriorating health. She died of cancer in New York City on November 8, 1991, aged 57.

Charlotte Moorman was involved with the Fluxus movement of avant-garde and performance art and was a friend and associate of many well-known artists of the late twentieth century, including Nam June Paik, John Cage, Joseph Beuys, Yoko Ono, Carolee Schneemann, Jim McWilliams and others. In 1966 artist Joseph Beuys created his work Infiltration Homogen für Cello, a felt-covered violoncello, in her honor. Body artist Carolee Schneemann maintains a memorial page for Moorman on the Web.

[Bright Moments]

thanks all for the recommendations! keep 'em coming!

[Hank]

I've always enjoyed Abdul Wadud's stuff e.g. with Hemphill.

Also Wadud's work with Arthur Blythe: LENOX AVENUE BREAKDOWN and ILLUSIONS.

[B. Goren.]

One of my favorite cello players is Erik Friedlander, and specially when plays with Myra Melford.

[B. Goren.]

Another favorite of mine is Fred Katz who recorded with Chico Hamilton quintet.

[Hank]

There's an excellent Fred Katz tribute album called, A VALENTINE FOR FRED KATZ, by Fred Lonberg-Holm, with Jason Roebke on bass, and drummer Glenn Kotche (who's also the drummer, interestingly enough, with Wilco).

[Joe]

How about Peter Warren on those Jack DeJohnette Special Edition records?

And another vote for the Diedre Murray / Fred Hopkins recordings.

Edited May 8, 2006 by Joe

[ep1str0phy]

I've always enjoyed Abdul Wadud's stuff e.g. with Hemphill.

Oh hell yes!