Bol Posted September 5, 2003 Report Posted September 5, 2003 I think Bill Charlap has 2 or 3 trio albums under the name "New York Trio" on the Japanese Venus label with a bassist and a drummer other than the Washingtons. Is anyone familiar with these? What are they like? I once wrote to Blue Note suggesting that they release these in the US (the way that Sony is releasing some Japanese label recordings), and they responded by saying that it would be difficult for them to promote both Charlap's BN recordings and these Venus recordings. Quote
jlhoots Posted September 5, 2003 Report Posted September 5, 2003 These Venus CDs by Charlap are all excellent - better than the Blue Notes IMHO. Excellent sound, playing & production values. Get 'em if you can. The Washingtons are on at least one of them. Bill Stewart is the drummer on another. Quote
Jim R Posted September 5, 2003 Report Posted September 5, 2003 I'm a fan of Charlap, and I've been aware of these from looking at the Venus website (another great pianist, Eddie Higgins records for them, and that's what led me there initially). I haven't heard them, and I haven't wanted to pay the big bucks and go through the special order hassle. If they were available at my local brick&mortar stores, I would own them by now. At least I've been able to track down some of Charlap's work on other labels. Quote
jlhoots Posted September 5, 2003 Report Posted September 5, 2003 (edited) The Venus CDs are not inexpensive. FWIW, they're available at http://www.musicselection.com Edited September 5, 2003 by jlhoots Quote
DrJ Posted September 6, 2003 Report Posted September 6, 2003 I only have S'WONDERFUL, which is just that. Excellent recording quality, but more importantly the music is just superb. I can't imagine anyone with an ear open to all jazz styles would be disappointed, but if you are a die-hard fan of "out" music only, you might find it a bore. But that's not what Charlap and Co. are about by any means. There are few if any better trios currently working within this particular idiom, mining gold from the American standards book by really getting inside the tunes (as opposed to the equally excellent but very different approach of, say, the Jarrett Standards conglomerate). Quote
alankin Posted September 6, 2003 Report Posted September 6, 2003 (edited) Cadence has the Venus CDs for $20. I haven't heard them, though. Speaking of Venus and pianists, has anyone heard any of Steve Kuhn's Venus titles? Edited September 6, 2003 by alankin Quote
jlhoots Posted September 6, 2003 Report Posted September 6, 2003 Thanks for that Cadence link. Much less expensive than my previous suggested site. Interesting that numerous CDs are listed that DO NOT appear in the center section of the magazine itself. Curious as to why that's the case. Of the Kuhn CDs I have Quiereme Mucho & Love Walked In - both excellent. Quote
alankin Posted September 6, 2003 Report Posted September 6, 2003 (edited) Thanks for that Cadence link. Much less expensive than my previous suggested site. Interesting that numerous CDs are listed that DO NOT appear in the center section of the magazine itself. Curious as to why that's the case. I think they just don't have room for everything. They also alternate some of the center section material. Of the Kuhn CDs I have Quiereme Mucho & Love Walked In - both excellent. Steve Kuhn has a new one (with strings) coming at on ECM early next year. (And ECM will be reissuing several of his earlier titles that haven't made it to CD yet.) Sunnyside has just issued Oceans in the Sky in the U.S. It's a nice trio date with Miroslav Vitous and Aldo Romano that was originally issued by Owl around 1989. And speaking of the infrequently recording bassist Vitous, he has his own ECM CD coming out on 9/30. Called Universal Syncopations, it was recorded with John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Chick Corea and Jack DeJohnette. I'm looking forward to hearing this one. Edited September 6, 2003 by alankin Quote
Jim R Posted September 6, 2003 Report Posted September 6, 2003 Alan, I also want to thank you for the Cadence link. $20 is a lot better than $30 or $35, ordered from Japan! I might also mention again (it's been awhile since I posted it) that if anybody is interested in the Eddie Higgins titles, Eddie sometimes has copies to sell. I bought a couple from him for $15 each awhile back. He's also a really nice guy and seems to enjoy writing letters (no computers for E.H.). I have both his summer and winter addresses, for anybody who's interested. On a related topic, has anybody else struggled to get information from the VENUS RECORDS website? Between the fact that it's almost entirely in Japanese and their apparent (?) choice not to list all of the CD's they've issued, I'm pulling my hair out. Even what they do list doesn't seem very well organized (difficult to find/identify the links you want). Maybe I should see how many are listed at AMG... Quote
Bol Posted September 7, 2003 Author Report Posted September 7, 2003 Thanks for your responses. So, is this Cadence place reliable? Quote
DrJ Posted September 7, 2003 Report Posted September 7, 2003 (edited) Oh yeah, definitely! Very cool site, with tons of hard to find recordings (including their own label, CIMP), but they're mainly known for the excellent CADENCE monthly they've published for...well, I don't know exactly, probably 30 years or more I'd guess. Check out their site: www.cadencebuilding.com Edited September 7, 2003 by DrJ Quote
Tom Storer Posted September 8, 2003 Report Posted September 8, 2003 Steve Kuhn has a new one (with strings) coming at on ECM early next year. (And ECM will be reissuing several of his earlier titles that haven't made it to CD yet.) Do you know if the reissues will include "Playground," with Sheila Jordan? Quote
alankin Posted September 9, 2003 Report Posted September 9, 2003 Steve Kuhn has a new one (with strings) coming at on ECM early next year. (And ECM will be reissuing several of his earlier titles that haven't made it to CD yet.) Do you know if the reissues will include "Playground," with Sheila Jordan? Yes, I've heard that the CD reissues will include "Playground" as well as "Trance" and "Ecstasy." Quote
Bol Posted September 17, 2003 Author Report Posted September 17, 2003 I just got Charlap's Venus CDs from Cadence. What great CDs, and what great service! I recommend the CDs very much -- especially "'S Wonderful" and "Blues in the Night". And Cadence is the place to get them. Given that these CDs cost 2,800 yen in Japan, Cadence is charging less than what the exchange rate demands. Quote
jlhoots Posted September 18, 2003 Report Posted September 18, 2003 Agree entirely with Bol. I also picked up the newest Venus Charlap, Love You Madly. Certainly up there with the others. In addition got a Steve Kuhn trio with Gary Peacock & Billy Drummond & the newest One For All called No Problem. Made my day!! Quote
Jim R Posted September 18, 2003 Report Posted September 18, 2003 Since my post above, I've purchased all of the aforementioned Charlap Venus recordings. I had already become a big fan of his after getting some of his work on other labels (Criss Cross, Blue Note, and a few others). The Venus material just solidifies my impression that Charlap is one of the best interpreters of 20th century classics, while still being thoroughly fresh and distinctive. I've always believed that the possibilites of expressing oneself without really "breaking new ground" are pretty much limitless, as long as a musician has his or her own style, personality, and sound. Charlap goes well beyond my expectations in that regard. His touch on the piano is incredible- he never sounds like he wants to blow through some changes and get to the end of a performance. Every note seems to be well-calculated, and the guy has a great sense of what to play and what to leave out, with a consistent dose of surprises and beutifully conceived passages. I wonder why he's not talked about more on jazz boards... too conservative for some, I suppose... Quote
michel devos Posted October 20, 2003 Report Posted October 20, 2003 Home > Music > Jazz > Hard Bop > Charlap, Bill Charlap, Bill Bill Charlap is one of the strongest mainstream jazz pianists on the scene and one of the most gifted interpreters of standards. He grew up in a musical household, as the son of Broadway songwriter...more 1 2 (1-10 of 12) Sort By: Used & In StockAlphabetical Stardust 2002 CD(used) our price $9.99 (in stock) CD (new) retail $17.98 our price $14.99 (in stock) 2Gether 2001 CD(used) our price $9.99 notify me CD (new) retail $18.98 our price $15.99 (backordered) notify me All Through the Night 1998 CD (used) our price $8.99 notify me CD (new) retail $18.98 our price $15.99 (in stock) Along With Me CD (used) our price $8.99 notify me CD (new) retail $15.98 our price $13.99 (in stock) Contrasts 2001 CD (used) our price $8.99 notify me CD (new) retail $16.98 our price $13.99 (in stock) Distant Star 1997 CD (used) our price $9.99 notify me CD (new) retail $18.98 our price $15.99 (in stock) S'Wonderful 2002 CD (used) our price $24.99 notify me CD (new) retail $44.99 our price $40.92 (in stock) Souvenir 1995 CD (used) our price $9.99 notify me CD (new) retail $18.98 our price $15.99 (in stock) Written in the Stars 2000 CD (used) our price $8.99 notify me CD (new) retail $16.98 our price $13.99 (in stock) 'S Wonderful CD (used) our price n/a notify me 1 2 (1-10 of 12) I found these ones on www.djangomusic.com;Prices look like worth checking Quote
Jim R Posted October 20, 2003 Report Posted October 20, 2003 Labels, and recording dates(to go along with the previous post): 1991, 1993- Along With Me- Chiaroscuro 1993-05-05- Bill Charlap & Sean Smith- Progressive 1995- Bill Charlap / Michael Moore (Concord Duo Series, Vol. 9)- Concord 1995-06-19- Souvenir- Criss Cross 1996-06-06- The Gerry Mulligan Songbook- Chiaroscuro 1996-12-17- Distant Star- Criss Cross 1997-12-22- All Through The Night- Criss Cross 1998-12-26- S'Wonderful- Venus 2000-03- Written In The Stars- Blue Note 2001-06-07- Blues In The Night- Venus 2002- Stardust- Blue Note 2002-04-03, 04- The Things We Did Last Summer- Venus 2003-04-07- Love You Madly- Venus Quote
Bol Posted October 21, 2003 Author Report Posted October 21, 2003 Jim, What are the Higgins Venus CDs like? I've never heard him. Is he like Charlap in that he is restrained and elegant, or is he like some pianists who thunder on the piano? I've just got a Steve Kuhn CD from Venus which is more like the latter, and am not crazy about it. Would appreciate any insights. Thanks. Quote
Jim R Posted October 21, 2003 Report Posted October 21, 2003 Bol, Eddie is more the restrained/elegant type. I'm sure you would dig him, since you like Charlap. Eddie is much older than Charlap, and is very versatile in terms of styles and repertoire, but his Venus CD's are very elegant and tasty like Charlap's. Please take a look at Eddie's online discography- it's really excellent. There's a link to it provided in this thread: Eddie Higgins thread Quote
Bol Posted October 21, 2003 Author Report Posted October 21, 2003 Thanks a lot, Jim. I'll try a Higgins CD next time I order from Cadence. Your description is very intriguing. Quote
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