Artists whose technique/style of playing has changed so much over thei

[Hardbopjazz]

Any artists come to mind whose technique/style of playing has progressed or changes so much that you may think they were different artist? I listened to two Ahmad Jamal's CDs today. "Pershing,"1958 and In "Search of Momentum," 2003 and his playing is so different on the two recordings, at least I hear it to be.

Any other artists that come to mind?

[Steve Reynolds]

Evan Parker - the difference between the late 60's and early 70's to the past 20 years is quite stunning

Paul Bley - from the 60's to the 90's - much more stark, gorgeous, and to my ears, better

Cecil Taylor - from the late 50's and early 60's to anything past 1970 - new world

[Hardbopjazz]

Cecil to me, always sounded like Cecil, even when he was playing changes.

[BillF]

As Coleman Hawkins' career lasted half a century - from before 1920 till the end of the sixties - it's not surprising that there were changes, though an identifiable stylistic core always remained. I remember that in the later part of his career people said that if you played his solos at 45 rpm, rather than at 33 as intended, he sounded like Bird (who wasn't born when Hawk's professional career began.)

[clifford_thornton]

Yeah, Hawk was who I was about to say. Bill Dixon too.

Not jazz, but: John Fahey.

[B. Clugston]

Mal Waldron.

[medjuck]

Archie Shepp.

[Larry Kart]

Art Pepper

Bill Perkins

Sonny Rollins (though some may disagree)

Wayne Shorter (though some may disagree)

Miles (but of course?)

Bill Evans

Lee Konitz

[paul secor]

Some might say that Trane falls into this category, though I hear a series of flowing transitions in his music. His music changed but his basic sound remained the same, at least to my ears.

[B. Clugston]

Jimmy Giuffre.

Jackie McLean.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I think one has to mention Mickey 'Guitar' Baker, who took up classical music after moving to France.

And there was Charles Kynard, who always played two kinds of music - jazz in jazz clubs and gospel music in church every Sunday.

MG

[Big Beat Steve]

Johnny Guitar Watson.

His mid-50s guitar-led R&B and his 70s funk are soooo far removed from each other.

And there were others in the same vein.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Some people take up a different instrument and make radically different music on it. Von Freeman is one; his piano work wouldn't, I think, be recognised as his, simply by reference to his tenor playing.

Another one is Hank Crawford whose baritone playing is very boppish but whose alto playing isn't really much to do with bop. And his piano playing is real primitive.

Oh, another who always had a foot in two musics was Cleanhead Vinson.

Something's suggesting I'm making spelling mistakes. How do I stop this importuning programme?

MG

Johnny Guitar Watson.

His mid-50s guitar-led R&B and his 70s funk are soooo far removed from each other.

And there were others in the same vein.

Oh, DEFINITELY

MG

One whose aesthetics moved on, quite radically (in a similar way to Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, was Ike Turner.

MG

[clifford_thornton]

Boulou Ferre.

Well, maybe not totally, but his early recordings were much more in the avant-garde spectrum.

[Larry Kart]

Stanley Clarke (it is to laugh ... or cry?)

And for the complete opposite of what we're talking about, Errol Garner

[colinmce]

Jimmy Giuffre.

Jackie McLean.

Not sure I'd agree 100% on Jackie, but Jimmy for sure. His 1965 tenor playing is a revelation. I really, really wish he got more documentation in that period.

[John Litweiler]

Malachi Favors had a pure, unamplified sound on double bass with jazz groups and he played electric bass in church on Sundays.

[AllenLowe]

Mary Lou Williams.

Paul Bley.

Hampton Hawes.

and there's a tv spot of Bobby Jaspar in which he has a much stronger Trane influence than anything else I ever heard of him, even afterwards. It's weird.

And Chet Baker - if you heard him HEALTHY, post late 1960s, he was a much more agressive and interesting player.

Edited July 2, 2013 by AllenLowe

[mikeweil]

Harold Land - from a Hawkins/Byas inspired player to a modern California style to some heavy Coltrane influence. But his sound stayed, it was just the phrasing.

[Peter Friedman]

Charlie Mariano

[robertoart]

Some might say that Trane falls into this category, though I hear a series of flowing transitions in his music. His music changed but his basic sound remained the same, at least to my ears.

Agree. I thought of Trane too, but changed my mind for these very reasons.