Charles Tolliver Big Band - "With Love" (due Jan. 16th)

[Larry Kart]

I think a lot of contemporary recordings just sound dull and lifeless in general, regardless of how vibrant the performers may sound live. Are they just using too much compression?

For the Tolliver CD (haven't heard it yet), I have a really stupid question: is this 'bleeding ears' effect less pronounced if you turn down the volume, or does it require the listener to turn down the volume so much that the music can't really be heard properly?

Bertrand.

I haven't fiddled around with the settings too much, but my impression is that if you adjust the volume to the point where the softer passages (such as they are) sound at all realistic/lively, the louder passages will come close to making your ears bleed, while you can't really adjust the volume downwards so that the loudest passages sound normally loud. It's like almost all the sonic information is packed into a fairly narrow band in the high-volume level range. It's also a "blunt" sound -- highs are certainly there but without much air around them. On the other hand, all this may be in tune with the way the band actually plays -- exciting/intense and bashing -- though it's also hard to take for more than a few tracks at a time. In fact, now that I think of it, it may also be in tune with the Tolliver himself plays the trumpet -- blunt and intense.

[montg]

Larry, your description of the sonic aspects of the recording are exactly how I would have articulated it if I wasn's so inarticulate spot on, as they say.

A new Billy Harper interview at aaj.

billy harper

[Tjazz]

I wonder if we should assume that Mosaic's involvement will preclude BMG/Your Music getting ahold of this.

Since this is not a Limited Edition, I'm guessing BMG/Yourmusic will sell it eventually.

[John Tapscott]

I'm late to the game on this one. I listened to it a couple of times after I got it, but kind of held off on it. But this weekend, I have given it 5 listens in a row. It's so intense that your brain needs a couple spins to get used to it and to sort out all that's going on, but once this happens, watch out!! I think it's a very fine CD, and very nearly a great one, which not only gets easier to listen to which each spin but reveals more and more with each spin too. And man, the trumpet section. I've never heard anything quite like it. Usually one or two guys may be way up there, but in this case, the four seem to be way up there all the time, with a very narrow spread from top to bottom. This is the kind of strong music I really need to hear once in a while. Makes a lot of other jazz (and much of today's big band jazz) seem rather tame by comparison.

[sidewinder]

Heads up, the Tolliver Big Band are appearing on the Friday night in the Hudson Room at NorthSea this July.

Details (per website):

CHARLES TOLLIVER BIG BAND

Genre: Bigband/Swing

Performance on North Sea Jazz:

> Friday, July 13, 2007 | Hudson | 18:45 - 20:00

Line-up:

Charles Tolliver (trumpet); Todd Bayshore, Craig Handy (alto sax); Billy Harper, Bill Saxton (tenor sax); Howard Johnson (baritone sax); Chris Albert, David Guy, Keyon Harrold, David Weiss (trumpet); Clark Gayton, Stafford Hunter, Jason Jackson, Aaron Johnson (trombone); George George Cables (piano); Cecil McBee (bass); Victor Lewis (drums).

[sidewinder]

"George George Cables (piano); "

Any relation to George Cables, perchance?

[felser]

Now available on yourmusic.com for $6.99 (free shipping).

[david weiss]

Heads up, the Tolliver Big Band are appearing on the Friday night in the Hudson Room at NorthSea this July.

Details (per website):

CHARLES TOLLIVER BIG BAND

Genre: Bigband/Swing

Performance on North Sea Jazz:

> Friday, July 13, 2007 | Hudson | 18:45 - 20:00

Line-up:

Charles Tolliver (trumpet); Todd Bayshore, Craig Handy (alto sax); Billy Harper, Bill Saxton (tenor sax); Howard Johnson (baritone sax); Chris Albert, David Guy, Keyon Harrold, David Weiss (trumpet); Clark Gayton, Stafford Hunter, Jason Jackson, Aaron Johnson (trombone); George George Cables (piano); Cecil McBee (bass); Victor Lewis (drums).

We'll also be a the Blue Note Festival in Ghent, Belgium, Jazz a Vienne, Umbria and Pescara among others this Summer. Hope some of you can make it out to one of these places.

[bertrand]

Are you anywhere in France from 8/8 to 8/23?

Bertrand.

[david weiss]

Are you anywhere in France from 8/8 to 8/23?

Bertrand.

Nothing in August

I think Vienne is July 9 and Paris July 10

[BFrank]

Are you anywhere in France from 8/8 to 8/23?

Bertrand.

Nothing in August

I think Vienne is July 9 and Paris July 10

Bring 'em out to the West Coast, David!

I just saw you with The Cookers in Healdsburg, BTW. Cookin' !

[sidewinder]

Up again with this thread for the forthcoming Charles Tolliver Big Band appearance at the London Jazz Festival, November 19th.

Charles will also be featured in conversation with Kevin le Gendre just before the show. Looks unmissable !

Wonder who will be in the band lineup for this appearance?

Edited November 8, 2007 by sidewinder

[btownsurvivor]

Surprised to hear people describe this session as "strident" "harsh" "blunt" "bleeding ears" etc.

This is a phenomenal big band album that captures what a brass session should sound like unleashed playing material they dig.

Most of the great big bands I've seen live in the past 25 years (Toshiko, Ellis, Maynard, Buddy, Bellson) could would and were supposed to send you to the floor with your hands over your ears. Ok, maybe we shouldn't have always sat in the first row, but nonetheless, that's half the reason we went.

I like the lead trumpet Charles Guy a lot. Never heard of him before and there's absolutely nothing about him on the web.

To my ears, Tolliver's horn is deliberately in contrast to the brass section. He's not accentuating the punch (or providing the uber-punch, a la Ellis or Maynard) , he's aiding and abetting the melodic and thematic development.

I haven't heard the Strata East stuff yet (just ordered the Mosaic) but I do find this music militant. Not politically militant, but "wake up, this is your life clock that's running" militant. A personal wake-up call of sorts.

[sidewinder]

Looks like the BBC will be recording the forthcoming London concert for future broadcast.

Anyone else planning on going along to the performance at QEH and Charles' pre-concert talk?

Promises to be one of the highlights of the London Jazz Fest (shame Sonny Rollins is sold out though ).

[ASNL77]

Looks like the BBC will be recording the forthcoming London concert for future broadcast.

Anyone else planning on going along to the performance at QEH and Charles' pre-concert talk?

Promises to be one of the highlights of the London Jazz Fest (shame Sonny Rollins is sold out though ).

I can't make the Tolliver concert but I will be there to see Sonny Rollins! I booked my tickets two months ago..

[sidewinder]

I will be there to see Sonny Rollins! I booked my tickets two months ago..

Sounds like a good evening (last time I saw Sonny was about 15 years ago in Calgary with - would you believe it - same trombonist and bassist !) The ticket prices are steep though - £50-60 for one concert is beyond what I would be prepared to pay (even if it is Sonny and even if it is extortionate London).

Edited November 12, 2007 by sidewinder

[ASNL77]

I will be there to see Sonny Rollins! I booked my tickets two months ago..

Sounds like a good evening ! The ticket prices are pretty steep though - £50-60 for one concert is beyond what I would be prepared to pay I think (even if it is Sonny).

I know tickets are pricey but there are so many legends I have never got to see play live.... I didn't want to let the opportunity go by and regret it. I am still very sad not to have managed to see Andrew Hill play before he left us.

[sidewinder]

I didn't want to let the opportunity go by and regret it. I am still very sad not to have managed to see Andrew Hill play before he left us.

Good on you - then you will really enjoy the Sonny . As for Andrew Hill, the Bath Fest appearance was a major miracle but he was even better I think in solo performance at the QEH a few years before, on double bill with Archie Shepp.

[ASNL77]

I didn't want to let the opportunity go by and regret it. I am still very sad not to have managed to see Andrew Hill play before he left us.

Good on you - then you will really enjoy the Sonny . As for Andrew Hill, the Bath Fest appearance was a major miracle but he was even better I think in solo performance at the QEH a few years before, on double bill with Archie Shepp.

When was that Bob? I can't believe I missed this. I wasn't on the board at the time, I believe.

[sidewinder]

The Bath Festival performance with a special UK big band (plus his excellent rhythm section and with Greg Tardy and Ron Horton) was back in 2004 I think, Yves. Recently re-broadcast by the BBC (and available on 'dime). I got to chat for a while with Andrew after the gig, he signed my Mosaic booklet and some CDs. I think the QEH performance must have been around 2000-01ish. Will have to check. I think Andrew's site had audio samples from that particular performance (he played a solo set then in duet with Shepp).

[ASNL77]

Missed it then.... I wasn't jazz addicted at that time yet.