Gil Evans and Lee Konitz - 'Heroes' and 'Anti-Heroes'

[Justin V]

Has anyone heard either of these two albums? I've been getting more into Lee Konitz's music and have heard two other piano-duet albums of his, Duos with Lee (with Dan Tepfer) and Duplicity (with Martial Solal). Scott Yanow, whose listening and reviewing skills are often questionable, blasts Evans's "arranger's piano," but I like the idea of Konitz with sparse accompaniment. At any rate, I've just ordered Heroes, so I'm interested to read what people think of these two albums.

[king ubu]

Don't know these but:

1) There's a fairly nice, rehearsal-like album by Lacy and Evans which does make me interested in Konitz/Evans

2) You'll need more Konitz/Solal, get the hat disc "Star Eyes"! (There are quartet albums around, too, a double disc/reissue on CAM and a fine one on Steeplechase)

3) There's a duo album of Konitz with Michel Petrucciani (on Owl, as is the Lacy/Evans) - unlikely, but it does work!

[Larry Kart]

Has anyone heard either of these two albums? I've been getting more into Lee Konitz's music and have heard two other piano-duet albums of his, Duos with Lee (with Dan Tepfer) and Duplicity (with Martial Solal). Scott Yanow, whose listening and reviewing skills are often questionable, blasts Evans's "arranger's piano," but I like the idea of Konitz with sparse accompaniment. At any rate, I've just ordered Heroes, so I'm interested to read what people think of these two albums.

Like them both a lot.

[jeffcrom]

Has anyone heard either of these two albums? I've been getting more into Lee Konitz's music and have heard two other piano-duet albums of his, Duos with Lee (with Dan Tepfer) and Duplicity (with Martial Solal). Scott Yanow, whose listening and reviewing skills are often questionable, blasts Evans's "arranger's piano," but I like the idea of Konitz with sparse accompaniment. At any rate, I've just ordered Heroes, so I'm interested to read what people think of these two albums.

Like them both a lot.

Me too. Whatever you want to call Evans' piano style, it works well with Konitz.

[alankin]

The duo Michel Petrucciani on Owl is called Toot Suite.

Other duos I've heard:

Lee Konitz featuring Harold Danko - Wild As Springtime (Candid, 1984)

Lee Konitz - Franco D'Andrea - Twelve Gershwin In Twelve Keys (Philology, 1988)

Lee Konitz & Kenny Werner - Unleemited - Play the Music of Alain Guyonnet (Sunnyside or Owl, 1992)

Lee Konitz - Fran Wunsch - Into It (Westwind, 1993)

Lee Konitz / Franco DeAndrea - Inside Cole Porter (Philology, 1996)

Lee Konitz & Paul Bley - Out of Nowhere (Steeplechase, 1997)

Edited April 11, 2013 by alankin

[fasstrack]

Has anyone heard either of these two albums? I've been getting more into Lee Konitz's music and have heard two other piano-duet albums of his, Duos with Lee (with Dan Tepfer) and Duplicity (with Martial Solal). Scott Yanow, whose listening and reviewing skills are often questionable, blasts Evans's "arranger's piano," but I like the idea of Konitz with sparse accompaniment. At any rate, I've just ordered Heroes, so I'm interested to read what people think of these two albums.

I was at that gig at Greene Street in 1980 the recordings were made from. I thought they sounded great. I remember they played Gil's arrangement of Summertime for Miles's Porgy and Bess, and it didn't make it to the CD. Guess they recorded a couple of nights.

[Larry Kart]

One of my favorite Konitz duo albums is "Speaking Lowly Vol. 1" (Philology) with Italian pianist Renato Sellani. It has a special air of tenderness, even stillness, if you will. Lee is in a mood to be very respectful of the melodies, and he leans far more than usual on timbral shadings, almost a la Johnny Hodges at times (e.g. on "Laura"). Here's "Polka Dots and Moonbeams":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-woRCZaBkC0

[colinmce]

There's also the great Porter songbook duo with Red Mitchell, I Concentrate on You.

[sgcim]

Sure, Gil weren't no "Py-ano virtuoso", but his solo on the Astrud Gilberto rendition of "Look To the Rainbow" keeps playing in my mind for years now, and that's all that matters.

Any duo with Martial Solal is worth picking up- an absolute genius at the art of duo playing

Edited April 11, 2013 by sgcim

[JSngry]

Has anyone heard either of these two albums? I've been getting more into Lee Konitz's music and have heard two other piano-duet albums of his, Duos with Lee (with Dan Tepfer) and Duplicity (with Martial Solal). Scott Yanow, whose listening and reviewing skills are often questionable, blasts Evans's "arranger's piano," but I like the idea of Konitz with sparse accompaniment. At any rate, I've just ordered Heroes, so I'm interested to read what people think of these two albums.

Like them both a lot.

Me too. Whatever you want to call Evans' piano style, it works well with Konitz.

Same. It gets narcotic sometimes, in the best way, just falling deeper and deeper into a zone of quiet still beauty.

[imeanyou]

I've had both for a long time and played them a lot for a number of years. Gil is a great accompanist, his style is spare, 'pensive' and he leaves lots of space for Konitz to work his magic. 'Prince of Darkness' on Heroes is a wonderful Miles tribute. As has already been mentioned the Hat duet with Solal is superlative. Also worth checking out is 'Duplicity', an earlier duo set with Solal that got a cd release a few years ago.

[brownie]

Any duo with Martial Solal is worth picking up- an absolute genius at the art of duo playing

Fully agree. One Solal duo album to get is 'The Date' where his partner is the great Jimmy Raney!

[JohnS]

I've had them since release. Very nice and have a permanent place in my collection. I'm particularly fond of Gil's contribution.

[flat5]

They are good & u-ni-cue

[Justin V]

Thank you, everyone! Looking at the Penguin Guide, it appears that Konitz recorded a couple of duet albums with Don Friedman as well. I can't think of any other saxophonist who has recorded as many duet albums with pianists, but Konitz really seems to flourish in small groups. I'll post about Heroes after I receive it.

[imeanyou]

Thank you, everyone! Looking at the Penguin Guide, it appears that Konitz recorded a couple of duet albums with Don Friedman as well. I can't think of any other saxophonist who has recorded as many duet albums with pianists, but Konitz really seems to flourish in small groups. I'll post about Heroes after I receive it.

Friedman is someone I have a lot of time for, wasn't aware he'd made some recordings with Konitz. I'll have to remedy the situation PDQ!

[Chuck Nessa]

Thank you, everyone! Looking at the Penguin Guide, it appears that Konitz recorded a couple of duet albums with Don Friedman as well. I can't think of any other saxophonist who has recorded as many duet albums with pianists, but Konitz really seems to flourish in small groups. I'll post about Heroes after I receive it.

Maybe he just likes paychecks.

[imeanyou]

Picked this one up today...