forget 'Waldo'... ---> where's Mark Shim????

[Rooster_Ties]

Two really strong Blue Note albums, in '98 and 2000, and BLAMMO - nothin' else since (at least not that I'm aware of).

What's the deal??? He was one of my favorite young tenor players of the last few years, and sounded like he has/had a TON of potential.

Killer fat/full tone, with great restraint, and his solos told stories. Not a "Joe Henderson" clone, but definitely out of that mold.

Where you at, Mark??? We miss you!!!!!

Edited August 22, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[Rooster_Ties]

PS: Be careful - I think there's also another "Mark Shimm" out there in the jazz world -- note the extra "m" in his last name. Might even be a sax player too, if I remember right. (Something from a thread on the old BNBB.)

If I remember right, somebody saw something they thought was by Shim, on "Shim Records" no less. But it turned out to be Shimm on "Shimm".

...or, rather, your typical "flim-flam, Shimm-sham"!!!

Edited August 22, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[Dmitry]

Saw him with Michele Rosewoman sometime last year.

At the Jazz Gallery here in NY.

[Rooster_Ties]

It's been over two years, and the guy hasn't been on any recordings (that I know of) since then??

Based on those first two BN's, I'd preorder any CD he releases, without as much as a sample first.

[Larry Kart]

Here's a report on a June 2002 sighting of Shim that I sent to a friend. I agree that he's among the most promising younger guys:

Back from a week in Manhattan, where I heard one pretty interesting band, lead by bassist Mark Helias, with Herb Robertson, Mark Shim, Craig Taborn and drummer Eric McPherson. The drawback was Helias' themes, which were not very interesting in themselves and which, on several pieces, the frontline was expected to noodle around for many minutes at a time. Shim sounded at least as usefully eccentric as does on record, sort of like a cross between Joe Henderson and Ike Quebec, but that doesn't do him justice; the main effect is that whatever figure he seems to be thinking of when he begins a phrase turns out to side-slip into two or three or more others before the next breath is taken and/or the next sense that a phrase has begun occurs, and you pretty much can't, in the listening moment, tell where the side-slips occur--the effect is of an oblique layering of lines. Emotionally this doesn't come across as trickiness or a "method" at work but as a kind of lush courting of disruption, a la Tyrone Washington perhaps, or come to think of it, Ed Wilkerson. Whatever, Shim certainly shows promise.

Robertson was far beyond anything I've heard from him on record, though perhaps I haven't heard the right ones. What he does that's most striking is use a plunger mute not so much for color but to further break down rhythmically an already multi-noted, swift tempo passage. That is, each note that's already been articulated quite a bit by lips and fingers can be broken down further by the plunger into "notes" of different timbres, interspersed with leaps (Shavers-like perhaps) into a near freak register. Robertson's control of this process is close to mind-boggling, and his goal is primarily rhythmic and line-shaping, I think, not coloristic; in any case, again, I heard no trickiness or a desire to charm but a technique driven by considerable intensity of thought; there were times when it seemed that the 1945-6 Gillespie was in the room, not in terms of sonic resemblance but dramatized exuberance-scariness. This was the most straightahead format in which I've heard Taborn, and he got into some very lush, neo-Hancock grooves.

[sonnyhill]

I saw him a couple of months ago at the Jazz Gallery in NYC in a quartet with Liberty Ellman on guitar, Humberto Kavee on drums, and Drew Gress on bass. He sounded really good. It is a shame that he has not had a recording out in a while.

[Big Wheel]

Saw him with Michele Rosewoman sometime last year.

At the Jazz Gallery here in NY.

Dmitry, do you remember if there was a young trombone player named Dion Tucker in the band?

[Vincent, Paris]

Mark Shim is now part of Elvin Jones' Jazz Machine.

They'll play in Paris in a few days, on September 5, at La Villette Jazz Festival.

Mark Shim is also part of altoist Steve Lehman quintet, which is about to record for Fresh Sound New Talent. Must watch for this one when it comes out. Lehman, former student of both Jackie McLean and Anthony Braxton, is one of the most original alto player I've heard in years. He just completed a full year stay in Paris and he's now back in NYC.

[robviti]

It's been over two years, and the guy hasn't been on any recordings (that I know of) since then??

Shim appears on This is Carmen Lundy (2001) and Curtis Lundy's Purpose (2002). I saw him with Elvin Jones a few months ago and he sounded quite good.

[mikeweil]

Saw him with Michele Rosewoman sometime last year.

At the Jazz Gallery here in NY.

Dmitry, do you remember if there was a young trombone player named Dion Tucker in the band?

When she toured Germany in September 2002, she had Steve Wilson, Mark Shim, Kenny Davis and a very young but very talented drummer, Tyshawn Sorey.

[Dmitry]

Saw him with Michele Rosewoman sometime last year.

At the Jazz Gallery here in NY.

Dmitry, do you remember if there was a young trombone player named Dion Tucker in the band?

Nope, don't think he was there.

Shim played last week [with Rosewoman again] in some place in Upstate NY.

[Dmitry]

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, 9/12 & 9/13

MICHELE ROSEWOMAN w/ MARK SHIM/ STEVE LEHMAN/ BRAD JONES/ ERIC McPHERSON (Quintessence), Sweet Rhythm, 88 Seventh Ave. South

at Bleecker (1st) St., check times & prices. Info: 255~3626, 414~2667,

www.sweetrhythmny.com

[James]

Wonderful description of the June 2002 performance, Lawrence!!

[Larry Kart]

Thanks, James. But when I heard Shim a week or so ago at the Chicago Jazz Festival with Elvin Jones, he was pretty disappointing. My impression was that this was a more conventional framework than he would have preferred (and his frontline companion was the would-be tricky and lame Delfayo Marsalis), but it seemed like Shim, trying to sound more straightahead, ended up sounding like no one much was home at all. Just a lot of almost Lockjaw-like gestures, thrown together with a sort of "Is this what you want?" lack of conviction and/or interest. By contrast, and by chance, Ed Wilkerson played in the afternoon with the local Burgess Gardiner Big Band (nice outfit), and on Gerald Wilson's "Blues for Yna Yna" was faced with a similar situation to the one Shim may have faced with Elvin -- i.e. the chart, and the style of the band as a whole, called for Wilkerson to simplify and broaden his normal solo style a fair bit in order to fit in. But he easily and naturally made that adjustment and played a powerful solo that filled his role in the piece and was, at the same time, clearly an Ed Wilkerson solo. Maybe the difference is just a matter of experience, but I wonder if it's more than that. The sense of core personality/identity we used to get and expect from every gifted soloist is now something I keep my fingers crossed for every time, because too often it goes right away. Hope I'm wrong in Shim's case, because everything else I've heard from him was strong and novel.

[Simon Weil]

Robertson was far beyond anything I've heard from him on record, though perhaps I haven't heard the right ones. What he does that's most striking is use a plunger mute not so much for color but to further break down rhythmically an already multi-noted, swift tempo passage. That is, each note that's already been articulated quite a bit by lips and fingers can be broken down further by the plunger into "notes" of different timbres, interspersed with leaps (Shavers-like perhaps) into a near freak register. Robertson's control of this process is close to mind-boggling, and his goal is primarily rhythmic and line-shaping, I think, not coloristic; in any case, again, I heard no trickiness or a desire to charm but a technique driven by considerable intensity of thought; there were times when it seemed that the 1945-6 Gillespie was in the room, not in terms of sonic resemblance but dramatized exuberance-scariness.

Well I couldn't tell you if Robertson was doing that or some other thing, but the one time I've seen the guy live (with Tim Berne 5 years ago), he was just astounding. He has amazing technical control and a fully worked-out artistic sensibility which produced solos of a happy/sad clown quality.

I've got most of his solo records and he never seems to come close to that verve/presence - so, on that, I agree with Lawrence.

But, my God, if you could ever get that down on disc...

Simon Weil

[Larry Kart]

"Amazing technical control and a fully worked-out artistic sensibility which produced solos of a happy/sad clown quality" sounds exactly like what I heard from Herb Robertson live, and while I've heard much less recorded Robertson than you have, there is at least one track from one album -- Mark Helias' 1987 "The Current Set" (Enja), w/ Berne, R. Eubanks, V. Lewis, et al. -- that I think comes close to capturing him running wild. I believe the piece is "Rebound," it's definitely on Side 1. BTW, I have "The Current Set" on LP, don't know if it's on CD. Also BTW, I recall reading a Robertson interview somewhere, online probably, where he speaks of the influence he had on Dave Douglas (perhaps through direct teacher-student contact? I don't recall) and makes some friendly but wry comments on Douglas' trumpet playing.

[Simon Weil]

...there is at least one track from  one album -- Mark Helias' 1987 "The Current Set" (Enja), w/ Berne, R. Eubanks, V. Lewis, et al. --  that I think comes close to capturing him running wild. I believe the piece is "Rebound," it's definitely on Side 1. BTW, I have "The Current Set" on LP, don't know if it's on CD.

Thanks, Lawrence. I have snaffled a copy- instantaneously. It does have "Rebound" track 3 on the CD. For me, the Robertson record which works best is "Falling in Flat Space". That is a quiet, understated sort of record - and quite scary. It has power like that - power in a different way to the thing he achieves in concert (or the gigs we saw, anyway) - but power.

Also BTW, I recall reading a Robertson interview somewhere, online probably, where he speaks of the influence he had on Dave Douglas  (perhaps through direct teacher-student contact? I don't recall) and makes some friendly but wry comments on Douglas' trumpet playing.

Might be thisOne Final Note Interview by Joe Milazzo (who posts here as Joe).

The Bud Powell record has that happy/sad sensibility too, but not so charged.

Simon Weil

Edited September 9, 2003 by Simon Weil

[Larry Kart]

Yes, that's the interview. Kudos to Joe. As a former journalist, I'm sure he must have been handling his side of things very well to get so much good talk out of Robertson, who certainly sounds like he's a great guy in addition to being a fine player.

[Simon Weil]

Yes indeed, kudos to Joe. It's a fine interview.

Simon Weil

[alankin]

Upcoming Mark Shim appearance:

Carmen Lundy - Something to Believe In (Justin Time) Oct 21

-- with pianist Anthony Wonsey, bassist Curtis Lundy, and drummer Victor Lewis plus guests, percussionist Mayra Casales, saxophonist Mark Shim and violinist Regina Carter

Edited September 10, 2003 by alankin

[Tom Storer]

I'm fascinated to hear that Mark Shim is playing with people like Michele Rosewoman, Mark Helias and Tim Robertson. My only exposure to him was when he was playing with Betty Carter. I believe he went through the jazz masterclass series she ran, and then he toured with her and appeared on her (marvelous) album "Look What I Got." As a result I thought of him as a mainstreamer, along the lines of other Betty alumni (Stephen Scott, Cyrus Chestnut, Curtis Lundy, Ira Coleman, Kenny Washington, Lewis Nash...). Glad to hear he's still working, if not recording for the time being, and that he's widened his horizon. He sounded good with Betty.

[king ubu]

I got Mark Shim's "Turbulent Flow" today, just listened to it and am quite impressed!

Thanks everybody! Only got it because you made him sound quite interesting, and that's at least what he turns out to be. His take of Joe Henderson's "Recorda Me" is quite impressive, Harris and Simon (completely unknown to me) turn in some good solos, too. The only slight drawback (upon first superficial hearing) is the sometimes a little too contemporaneous sound (alright, it's only rhodes, and I'm not opposed to electronics whatsoever, but the sound just sometimes bugged me a little).

How is his first disc? Worth looking for?

ubu

[Rooster_Ties]

I think I like "Turbulent Flow" better than his first disc (also on BN), but both are quite good. Don't pay a mint for it, but his first disc is well worth keeping an eye out for, for anything under $10 or even $12.

[king ubu]

thanks, Rooster. Will look for it. There's some Blue Note sale here, so I picked up "Turbulent Flow" (along with Tyner's "Asante", "Extensions", Osby's "Art Forum" and some others) for 10 or 11$. But they only had the second of Shim's albums.

But that Osby was one I was looking for for quite some time, so never give up hope on finding a CD...

ubu

[Rooster_Ties]

I think "Art Forum" is Osby's first really great album. The first one that gave a glimpse of what was yet to come. Before that, I'm afraid I kind of only considered him a "Steve Coleman" wanna-be. By the way, I didn't get "Art Forum" until about 2000 or 2001, even though it came out in 1996.