Howard Alden

[Hardbopjazz]

In March I caught his trio at Smalls in NY. I can't decide yet if I like his playing. Anyone have an opinion on his playing? Any recordings of his worth picking up?

[John Tapscott]

In March I caught his trio at Smalls in NY. I can't decide yet if I like his playing. Anyone have an opinion on his playing? Any recordings of his worth picking up?

I certainly enjoy his playing, and every album of his that I have. though I probably gravitate more to guitar players whose style is slightly more modern, like Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Raney, Kenny Burrell, and Jim Hall. But Alden is definitely a fine player. One of his CD's I highly recommend is a two guitar quartet album he made with Jimmy Bruno on Concord. The name of it escapes me at the moment but the guitarists are well separated on left and right channels and make a compatible but somewhat contrasting combination.

[mjzee]

I concur on the Howard Alden/Jimmy Bruno duo. Check this out:

They do great versions of both "Jaguar" and "Sixty Four Bars on Wilshire".

(The Herb Ellis/Joe Pass mention is of a different album, packed as a two-pack with the Alden/Bruno.)

[robviti]

i enjoy his playing as well. my favorite is take your pick on concord, which also features renee rosnes and lew tabackin.

[EKE BBB]

Howard Alden is present in a high percentage of the best mainstream recordings from the last 15-20 years. His name is a life-insurance of good jazz!

[randyhersom]

Anybody who covers Herbie Nichols gets a listen from me. I think that's on Take Your Pick, which I recommend.

[A Lark Ascending]

...gets my vote. Lovely solo album.

[mr jazz]

He played well in New Orleans at jazzfest recently. His duet with Anat Cohen on Shreveport Stomp was electrifying.

[Larry Kart]

Guys like Howard Alden, and Alden in particular, drive me nuts with their IMO dumpy complacency within the style they favor and have every right to favor if they'd would or could do more than, for the most part, just present it to us. The best corrective, I think, if corrective there be, is comparison/contrast. Leaving aside a unique genius like Jimmy Raney (that wouldn't be fair to most of the guitarists on the planet), here is a track by the late Joe Puma, who stylistically is in about the same place Alden is or would like to be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpJz7eTZ85E

A world of difference, I think, in terms of liveliness and inventiveness within, again, a similar stylistic framework. BTW, when Puma recorded that track he was 37 -- younger than Alden is now.

[jlhoots]

I like him.

He's on a Randy Sandke Quartet CD called Unconventional Wisdom which is very nice (no piano in the group).

He's been just fine in person too.

[A Lark Ascending]

This one's very nice too (though the cover doesn't help his cause!).

[Jim R]

Alden is a marvelous guitarist with considerable versatility in technique and style, and great taste in choosing material. He is also widely regarded as a very humble and sweet man. I thought this really came through when he was interviewed by Marian McPartland on her "Piano Jazz" show some years back.

The first recording of his that I ever bought was "Snowy Morning Blues" (1990), which includes tunes by Ellington, Monk, and James P. Johnson. I think it's still my favorite Alden recording.

[A Lark Ascending]

Good to read such a warm, generous comment, Jim.

[JohnS]

A nice guy, I met him a few years back when we booked him at our club and he kindly signed the booklet to the Tal Farlow Mosaic for me.

My guess is that he can play more or less anything but he prefers to work in a mostly mainstream-ish style.

[sgcim]

 

[Ken Dryden]

I first discovered Howard Alden with the release of the Alden-Barrett Quintet: Swing Street on Concord Jazz. It was an instant favorite and I've pursued Alden's many recordings evey since. He's a talented guitarist and banjo player with a strong discography. He wasn't active for a few years due to health issues, but he seems to be well now. 

In addition to the Concord Jazz CDs previously mentioned, all of his collaborations with Ken Peplowski, the late 7 string guitarist George Van Eps (who inspired him to get a custom built 7 strong for himself), Warren Vaché and others are well worth acquiring.

Here is a link to a broadcast focused on his recordings that I aired in October 2022:

https://archive.org/details/timeless-jazz-10-16-22-howard-alden

Here are a few CDs of interest not already mentioned in this thread:

[BillF]

I saw Howard Alden about 10 years ago in Wilmslow, Cheshire. I remember him playing a tune by Haroid Arlen and quipping about confusion between their names. He also sang the praises of George Van Epps, saying he should be better known.

I also recall that Alden recorded the guitar performances for Sean Penn's character in Woody Allen's film, Sweet and Lowdown.

 

[randyhersom]

One degree of Cecil Taylor!

[Ken Dryden]

Howard Alden didn’t just play guitar for Sean Penn’s character but he taught him enough guitar that made it look like Penn was actually playing. Howard told me that Penn was still interested in guitar and was in touch about further lessons with him after shooting wrapped.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I've never been able to catch Alden live. It seems like every time he plans to play in the Boston area, something happens and he has to cancel. The last time was many years ago now. I wonder if he'll ever make back this way?

[Peter Friedman]

I have many of Howard Alden's CDs which I certainly do enjoy. He is a fine player who has recorded with a broad range of musicians.

[BillF]

3 hours ago, Ken Dryden said:

Howard Alden didn’t just play guitar for Sean Penn’s character but he taught him enough guitar that made it look like Penn was actually playing. Howard told me that Penn was still interested in guitar and was in touch about further lessons with him after shooting wrapped.

👍

[Ken Dryden]

I've done an interview or two with Howard Alden and he is a lot of fun. I caught him leading a trio in Bryant Park in NYC a decade or so ago, with guest Lew Tabackin on a few songs. He also played the Atlanta Jazz Party one year, though the founder didn't care for him, as he disliked any style after swing. His loss...

Edited November 22, 2022 by Ken Dryden

[Milestones]

I would say that Alden basically plays in a swing style (and settings), so what's up with that Atlanta guy?

 

 

[Ken Dryden]

Howard Alden has been known to play a little bop, I guess some of his technique worked into a solo and pissed off the presenter. The Atlanta Jazz Party is no more and its founder is deceased.