A Lark Ascending Posted October 16, 2003 Report Posted October 16, 2003 The issue of where jazz is going, when the next breakthrough will come recurs constantly on jazz boards. Well, I won't say I saw the future last night but I certainly saw one route (of hopefully many) that I'd say could bear some delicious fruit. A largely UK band fronted by the great London singer Norma Winstone playing an all-Wayne Shorter tribute concert in arrangements by a young British piano player, Robert Mitchell. Now the word 'tribute' and 'innovative' don't normally go together. But here we had about ten arrangements of Shorter that were very different from the originals. Intriguing line up - piano/keyboard, voice, ss/ts/bcl, drums, electric bass and cello/electric cello. Although some of the arrangement hit a ferocious groove - most notably 'Children of the Night' - mostly they were characterised by some very clever, thoughtful, unusual arrangements that teased out the idiosyncracies of Shorter's writing and then took his own methodology and abstracted them further. Some beautifully atmospheric writing (especially re: the cello) and excellent Africanesque percussion (from a young German, Volker Strater). Norma, of course, was amazing, whether singing her own lyrics or playing with or alongside the horn wordlessly as an additional instrument. Miyako, Dance Cadaverous, Diana, Orbits, Fall, Free for All, At the Fair and Harlequin all got the treatment - sensible explorations of the less covered areas of the Shorter discography. I've got a soft spot for a number of interpretations of Shorter tunes but in general they tend to be used as blowing vehicles. Mitchell seemed to do much more at this concert, avoiding the more obvious 'arranging' styles, perhaps taking his lead from Gil Evans. I'm very partial to careful arrangement, especial arrangements that leave aside the stock 'arrangers' tools (as found in much big band jazz arrangement). Which is why I'd welcome more of this sort of approach. Forget banging stars together in a studio to give tribute to X, Y or Z. Pay a little less for the star musicians, a bit more to allow a thoughful and creative thinker to put a different spin on things. There seem to be plenty of young musicians around who will relish the chance to take up the challenge. The very concert is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Saturday, 25th Oct at 4.00 UK time. Will be streamed for the week following from the BBC jazz website. Well worth a listen. ************* Special mention to Norma Winstone - a young Turk of the 1960s who was out there in the maelstrom with Westbrook, Garrick, Surman and the rest; and is still willing to take risks with a project like this alongside much younger musicians. Compare with the younger generation of singers (many of whom I enjoy) whose idea of being radical is sticking a swing beat behind a Blondie tune! ************* UK residents can still catch this band at Bradford-On Avon (Friday 17th), Oxford (Sat 18th) and at the London Jazz Festival (Sat 15th Nov) and at York (Sun 23rd Nov). You won't regret making the effort to go! Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted October 16, 2003 Report Posted October 16, 2003 This very concert is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Saturday, 25th Oct at 4.00 UK time. Will be streamed for the week following from the BBC jazz website. Well worth a listen. Thanks Bev!!! I'm quoting your mention of this concert being on the BBC website, in case anyone skimmed your above post, and maybe missed it. Sounds very interesting. I look forward to listening to it. Quote
sidewinder Posted October 18, 2003 Report Posted October 18, 2003 Damn ! Missed the Bradford-on-Avon gig last night. Maybe check this one out in Oxford. Sounds intriguing, thanks for the info. Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted October 18, 2003 Author Report Posted October 18, 2003 I don't think you'll regret the journey! Just remembered...they did a nice 'Beauty and the Beast' too. Perhaps the one tune on their set list that might be considered a Shorter 'greatest hit.' John Fordham review here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/sto...1061699,00.html Interestingly the very thing that seemed to qualify his enthusiasm - the 'minimalist use of percussion ... rather than drums abandoned the music for extended periods to a becalmed and rather puzzled air' - was what appealed to me. Instead of a concert pitched largely at full pelt with the odd quiet moment, this one had some marvellous, extended, calm moments. That's what made it so distinctive! Quote
sidewinder Posted October 21, 2003 Report Posted October 21, 2003 (edited) I didn't ! Managed to snag two of the last 7 tickets for the gig. It was held in the O'Reilly Theatre at Keeble College - the first gig they had ever held in this lecture theatre. So new as a venue that the stage lighting was coupled in to that of main auditorium, so couldn't be dimmed. Nice to know though that the old university nack of striding down whole rows of lecture theatre seats hadn't been lost. Capacity at the gig about 100ish, so quite an intimate venue. Fascinating performance. Norma Winstone of course is quite simply quite the best vocalist we have over here - period. I liked the way that she interacted with Julian Siegal on reeds - almost telepathis at times - and the addition of Ben Davis on cello was a real master-stroke. I thought that his work (solo and as part of the front line) was outstanding throughout. Also fascinating was the intense concentration on Volker Strater's face throughout this performance- it must have required incredible concentration to co-ordinate some of those time signatures. Some of the material and tempos were unpredictable to say the least. Having spent years grooving to the Blakey 'Free For All' as a full on hard bop piece it was intriguing to hear it played as a slow, pastoral ECM type lament. Amazingly though, it worked ! Didn't recognise 'Children of the Night' either at first from the original version done with Blakey, although a later listen to the version on 'High Life' showed at least some similarity. Again, on 'Children', the unison front line with cello worked brilliantly. Particular highlights for me were the exquisite 'Harlequin' and the moody version of 'Dance Cadaverous' which they nailed completely and on which Norma Winstone's vocal was quite haunting (sorry for the pun..). Robert Mitchell sure put a lot of thought and care into conceiving this one ! Edited October 21, 2003 by sidewinder Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted October 21, 2003 Author Report Posted October 21, 2003 Have you heard his solo disc? I've bypassed it assuming it might be a bit too near the soul/electonica end of the music. But after that concert I'm intrigued. Glad you enjoyed it too. Quote
sidewinder Posted October 21, 2003 Report Posted October 21, 2003 Thank you for the original recommendation - very much appreciated ! No, haven't heard the Mitchell solo disk but agree that it'll be well worth checking out. It would have been interesting to hear what the great man himself, Mr Wayne, would have thought of this gig. I suspect he would have been suitably impressed ! Interesting on the use within this group of a dedicated percussionist and not a drummer. I suspect that this might have been a preference of Norma Winstone, who seems to prefer settings which are not over-powering and in which there is lots of space to manouever. The one addition that occured to me that could have really worked was a vibraharpist, to add a bit of chordal 'middle depth'. A guitarist such as John Paricelli would have fitted in to this combo too ! Next gig 'Shakti' at Poole next month. Closely to be followed by the Tommy Smith supergroup.. Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted October 21, 2003 Author Report Posted October 21, 2003 (edited) Yes, those would all have worked nicely. I really liked the spacious nature of the music that was able to incorporate a wide range of sounds and timbres yet still work up to some real excitement. I'll have the tape player set on Saturday afternoon. Enjoy Shakti. I've seen them a couple of times and been floored on both occasions. Hope Tommy Smith works. I saw him with the Scottish Jazz Orchestra in an excellent Ellington reconstruction. But I've never warmed to his discs. Incidentally, two new Norma Winstone discs are projected. One with the NDR Big Band on Provocateur and another with Ralph Towner, possibly on ECM. I saw her perform with the latter and Steve Swallow and John Taylor a few years back. Bodes well. Edited October 21, 2003 by Bev Stapleton Quote
mikeweil Posted October 21, 2003 Report Posted October 21, 2003 Great to hear that Norma Winstone takes part in such interesting projects - always enjoyed the intimate warmth of her voice. Have you heard her 1995 recording with Jimmie Rowles on Koch Jazz? And has anyone heard this? Recommended? Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted October 22, 2003 Author Report Posted October 22, 2003 (edited) The disc with Jimmy Rowles is brilliant. After many years of being associated with 'new' music this was her first 'standards' project. I love it. I think it was where she first did her version of 'The Peacocks' which has been taken up by quite a few singers subsequently. I find '...like song, like weather' a bit low key. Nice, but not that exciting. I prefer 'Manhattan in the Rain' from around the same time...some odd synth in places but overall a more adventurous approach to standards. The Norma Winstone disc not to miss is her only ECM solo - 'Somewhere Called Home' with John Taylor and Tony Coe. Mainly her interpretations and lyrics to tunes by people like Wheeler, Gismonti and Towner plus a couple of standards. The version of 'Tea for Two' that ends the disc will take you apart. Edited October 22, 2003 by Bev Stapleton Quote
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