Arild Andersen

[six string]

Today I saw a few albums by Arild Andersen from the late 70s, both quartet recordings and the same band members though I can't regurgitate that info. Has anyone heard or owned some of his early stuff? I know him primarily with Bobo Stenson recordings and a few others but I've not heard his own stuff. Any help would be appreciated.

[GA Russell]

Speaking of the devil, Andersen has a new album out this week. I haven't heard it yet, though.

[marcello]

Fantastic bassist!

I saw him last year with this group:

The new one is also with Tommy Smith and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra:

By the way, I spent quite a bit of time with Tommy over the last few days as he was performing with his KARMA group here and getting in some golf at Oak Hill.

[mjzee]

I think they're collected here:

Amazon

Haven't heard them, though.

[CraigP]

That Live at Belleville CD is great. I'd never heard Tommy Smith before, and he's amazing. I'm interested in the new one.

[mjazzg]

Today I saw a few albums by Arild Andersen from the late 70s, both quartet recordings and the same band members though I can't regurgitate that info. Has anyone heard or owned some of his early stuff? I know him primarily with Bobo Stenson recordings and a few others but I've not heard his own stuff. Any help would be appreciated.

If it's the material collected in early quartets - Clouds in my head; Shimri; Green shading into blue - then i've the vinyls. I'd say they were all interesting but maybe not essential. I feel they're let down a little by the writing. The playing is generally very good. I hear a rigidness to the arrangements and perhaps a rhythmic deficit which is inexplicable if you consider Andersen's ability - maybe the drummers?

I purchased them primarily to hear Juhanni Aaltonen, sax and flute, a personal favourite whose contributions are very strong. Overall they rarely seem to catch fire and display a certain tentativeness. Compared to the near contemporaneous Garbarek/Stenson dates (also just compiled in a box) then they're less adventurous

My favourite of them is Shimri. If you see Lifelines (w. Kenny Wheeler) then grab it, it's everything the quartets aren't and it has Kenny Wheeler which is good enough for anyone, surely

[JETman]

Tommy Smith has some cd's worth searching out.

[marcello]

Tommy Smith has some cd's worth searching out.

Not to derail the thread here are some of my favorite Tommy Smith recordings:

His playing throughout is extrodinary, but the song NUMBERS is one of the best tenor solos I've heard in years:

His latest:

Another great band:

Don't let the title fool you!

There is so much more here.

For you saxophonists, check out the solo recording....

Edited June 30, 2012 by marcello

[clifford_thornton]

Today I saw a few albums by Arild Andersen from the late 70s, both quartet recordings and the same band members though I can't regurgitate that info. Has anyone heard or owned some of his early stuff? I know him primarily with Bobo Stenson recordings and a few others but I've not heard his own stuff. Any help would be appreciated.

If it's the material collected in early quartets - Clouds in my head; Shimri; Green shading into blue - then i've the vinyls. I'd say they were all interesting but maybe not essential. I feel they're let down a little by the writing. The playing is generally very good. I hear a rigidness to the arrangements and perhaps a rhythmic deficit which is inexplicable if you consider Andersen's ability - maybe the drummers?

I purchased them primarily to hear Juhanni Aaltonen, sax and flute, a personal favourite whose contributions are very strong. Overall they rarely seem to catch fire and display a certain tentativeness. Compared to the near contemporaneous Garbarek/Stenson dates (also just compiled in a box) then they're less adventurous

My favourite of them is Shimri. If you see Lifelines (w. Kenny Wheeler) then grab it, it's everything the quartets aren't and it has Kenny Wheeler which is good enough for anyone, surely

Agreed with the points above.

I also really like his performance on Nana, with Edward Vesala and Juhani Aaltonen, but that's way earlier.

[six string]

Today I saw a few albums by Arild Andersen from the late 70s, both quartet recordings and the same band members though I can't regurgitate that info. Has anyone heard or owned some of his early stuff? I know him primarily with Bobo Stenson recordings and a few others but I've not heard his own stuff. Any help would be appreciated.

If it's the material collected in early quartets - Clouds in my head; Shimri; Green shading into blue - then i've the vinyls. I'd say they were all interesting but maybe not essential. I feel they're let down a little by the writing. The playing is generally very good. I hear a rigidness to the arrangements and perhaps a rhythmic deficit which is inexplicable if you consider Andersen's ability - maybe the drummers?

I purchased them primarily to hear Juhanni Aaltonen, sax and flute, a personal favourite whose contributions are very strong. Overall they rarely seem to catch fire and display a certain tentativeness. Compared to the near contemporaneous Garbarek/Stenson dates (also just compiled in a box) then they're less adventurous

My favourite of them is Shimri. If you see Lifelines (w. Kenny Wheeler) then grab it, it's everything the quartets aren't and it has Kenny Wheeler which is good enough for anyone, surely

Agreed with the points above.

I also really like his performance on Nana, with Edward Vesala and Juhani Aaltonen, but that's way earlier.

Thanks guys! Duly noted. That's the thing about albums though. Having great musicians is one thing, they sometimes need really good material to complete the picture. They might be able to improve simpler songs with their personal sound/technique but ultimately better songs will yield better recordings. Excuse me for maybe stating the obvious. I can't remember the titles but the lps of Andersen's were like 1977 and/or 1978 or there abouts so what I would surmise as his early (first) albums under his own name on ECM. I've enjoyed his playing a lot over the years on other people's albums.

[mjazzg]

Today I saw a few albums by Arild Andersen from the late 70s, both quartet recordings and the same band members though I can't regurgitate that info. Has anyone heard or owned some of his early stuff? I know him primarily with Bobo Stenson recordings and a few others but I've not heard his own stuff. Any help would be appreciated.

If it's the material collected in early quartets - Clouds in my head; Shimri; Green shading into blue - then i've the vinyls. I'd say they were all interesting but maybe not essential. I feel they're let down a little by the writing. The playing is generally very good. I hear a rigidness to the arrangements and perhaps a rhythmic deficit which is inexplicable if you consider Andersen's ability - maybe the drummers?

I purchased them primarily to hear Juhanni Aaltonen, sax and flute, a personal favourite whose contributions are very strong. Overall they rarely seem to catch fire and display a certain tentativeness. Compared to the near contemporaneous Garbarek/Stenson dates (also just compiled in a box) then they're less adventurous

My favourite of them is Shimri. If you see Lifelines (w. Kenny Wheeler) then grab it, it's everything the quartets aren't and it has Kenny Wheeler which is good enough for anyone, surely

Agreed with the points above.

I also really like his performance on Nana, with Edward Vesala and Juhani Aaltonen, but that's way earlier.

Thanks guys! Duly noted. That's the thing about albums though. Having great musicians is one thing, they sometimes need really good material to complete the picture. They might be able to improve simpler songs with their personal sound/technique but ultimately better songs will yield better recordings. Excuse me for maybe stating the obvious. I can't remember the titles but the lps of Andersen's were like 1977 and/or 1978 or there abouts so what I would surmise as his early (first) albums under his own name on ECM. I've enjoyed his playing a lot over the years on other people's albums.

I listened again to Shimri off the back of this thread today. I'd say if it's cheap and happily within your budget then give it a go but don't be too expectant. You might be pleasantly surprised, Still Aaaltonen does the interesting things for me