ghost of miles Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) Alto saxophonist Lee Konitz is a longtime master of melodic improvisation who’s played a part in some of jazz’s most momentous acts–the Claude Thornhill big band and the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool nonet in the late 1940s, and the Lennie Tristano groups of the 1950s and early 1960s. After working in Stan Kenton’s orchestra and making some albums for Atlantic, Konitz recorded a series of LPs as a leader in the late 1950s for the Verve label that received a lukewarm critical reception at the time and that are now generally unavailable. His Verve dates showcase him in a variety of settings, ranging from trio/quartet/quintet to small-big-band and strings, finding him in the company of musicians such as pianist Bill Evans, drummer Elvin Jones, and fellow Tristanoite Warne Marsh, as well as arrangers Bill Russo and Jimmy Giuffre. Heard today, they form a compelling body of work that marks a kind of last chapter in Konitz’s early period, culminating in one of his most dynamic recordings, Motion. We’ll hear music from Motion, as well as the Giuffre collaborations You and Lee and Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre, the small-group sides Tranquility and Very Cool, a with-strings Russo arrangement, and a live Konitz-Marsh performance with Bill Evans sitting in for Lennie Tristano on piano. Much of what Konitz recorded during these years has yet to be released; you can view a comprehensive online discography which lists many of the unissued sessions from the saxophonist’s stay on Verve . Konitz is also the subject of a recent book, Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improviser’s Art, which offers many fascinating insights from musicians, jazz writers, and Konitz himself on the hows, whys, and what’s-it-all-abouts of his artistic career. (According to Konitz, jazz impresario and Verve owner Norman Granz “was not a fan of mine, but he encouraged me, and even made me a weekly advance… maybe [he] was advised that I was trying, and took a chance, though his personal taste was for the older music. I always appreciated that.”) Lee Konitz: The Verve Years airs Saturday, January 12 at 11:05 p.m. EST on WFIU and at 9 p.m. Central Time on WNIN-Evansville. It also airs Sunday evening at 10 p.m. EST on Michigan's Blue Lake Public Radio. The program will be posted for online listening at the link above and in the Night Lights archives by Monday morning. Special thanks to Larry Kart for insights into why Konitz's recordings met with mixed reviews in the late 1950s. Next week: "The Memphis Mafia: George Coleman, Frank Strozier, Booker Little, and Harold Mabern." Edited April 17, 2020 by ghost of miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montg Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Looking forward to this. The subject matter--Konitz/Verve--seems an obvious one for Mosaic, maybe we should start a lobby effort! I sent an e-mail about a year ago, I forget the exact reply but I received the impression it was under consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Probably won't be able to listen live but I'll definitely be hittin' the Archive as soon as it's up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted January 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) Looking forward to this. The subject matter--Konitz/Verve--seems an obvious one for Mosaic, maybe we should start a lobby effort! I sent an e-mail about a year ago, I forget the exact reply but I received the impression it was under consideration. I've e-mailed Mosaic twice in the past several years with the same suggestion and received a positive response--evidently the possibility has crossed their minds. I also suggested Larry Kart to do the liners, and that got a positive response as well. Most of Konitz's Verve work is domestically unavailable now (the great two-CD sets MEETS JIMMY GIUFFRE and LIVE AT THE HALF NOTE have gone OOP), and there's a lot that's never been issued, per the discography that's online. Edited January 12, 2008 by ghost of miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montg Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Nice show, beautiful music. Lots of intensity, I can hear why Konitz would bristle at the suggestion his music is 'cool' in a lite sense. C'mon Mosaic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 That would make a great Mosaic. Check out all the unissued sessions in the discography! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted January 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 (edited) Lee Konitz: The Verve Years is now archived for online listening. Edited October 13, 2017 by ghost of miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted August 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 (edited) We re-aired Lee Konitz: The Verve Years this past week; it remains archived for online listening. Edited October 13, 2017 by ghost of miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted October 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Up for Mr. Konitz's 88th birthday today:Lee Konitz: The Verve Years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted October 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 And up for a happy 90th to Lee Konitz today: Lee Konitz: The Verve Years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted April 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2020 We're now going to re-air this next week in light of Lee's passing, but bumping it today in memory: Lee Konitz: The Verve Years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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