George Russell

[fasstrack]

I always thought his writing pretty original and dazzling. Here is Concerto for Billy the Kid, featuring Bill Evans and a short solo by Art Farmer:

 

[Larry Kart]

Great album. I like this track:
 

 

[fasstrack]

The later stuff was also quite interesting. I'll try to post some... 

[optatio]

MPS/MOTOR MUSIC 539 084-2 [1998]

[JSngry]

 

 

[JSngry]

whoa...

 

 

[felser]

Yeah, quite a talent.  I think the primary thing I am missing by him is the Columbia album he did with Bill Evans, as it's always been so pricey on CD.  Owned the vinyl back in the day.  

[jlhoots]

All good - don't overlook the Riverside small group albums.

[optatio]

GUNTER SCHULLER AND GEORGE RUSSELL: BRANDEIS JAZZ FESTIVAL. CBS/SONY 25DP 5327 [1989]

[fasstrack]

Thank you all for the links. I will listen shortly and intently...

[JSngry]

7 hours ago, jlhoots said:

All good - don't overlook the Riverside small group albums.

Nor the Deccas.

[fasstrack]

This is wonderful: has an interview with Russell, and performances of Concerto for Billy the Kid and Stratusphunk. Starring Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Jimmy Cleveland, Barry Galbraith, etc.

 

Edited August 15, 2016 by fasstrack

[fasstrack]

i

It keeps getting better! Here's the score to Ezzthetic: https://www.ejazzlines.com/mc_files/2/ezzthetic_jlp-8020.pdf

And All About Rosie: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/32182

Edited August 15, 2016 by fasstrack

[six string]

On August 15, 2016 at 7:43 PM, fasstrack said:

This is wonderful: has an interview with Russell, and performances of Concerto for Billy the Kid and Stratusphunk. Starring Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Jimmy Cleveland, Barry Galbraith, etc.

 

Indeed.  Outerview was my intro to his music and I became a fan the day I heard it.  Jazz In the Space Age is my favorite but they are all worthy.  He frequntly used musicians I wasn't familiar with but I never worried as he always seemed to find people capable of playing his music which is all that really mattered.  Thanks for posting this clip Fasstrack.  Nice find.  I sometimes struggle to follow some of his concepts but the music is easy to get.

[fasstrack]

14 hours ago, six string said:

  I sometimes struggle to follow some of his concepts but the music is easy to get.

I never got into the Lydian Chromatic stuff myself. Perhaps I should.

Funny thing is: once he says what he must compositionally the improvising is almost always on standard changes. Like Concerto for Billy the Kid is I'll Remember April. Ezzthetic is straight up Love For Sale, even the head...

[BillF]

3 hours ago, fasstrack said:

I never got into the Lydian Chromatic stuff myself. Perhaps I should.

Funny thing is: once he says what he must compositionally the improvising is almost always on standard changes. Like Concerto for Billy the Kid is I'll Remember April. Ezzthetic is straight up Love For Sale, even the head...

Interesting. Even as a non-musician, I can recognize those changes. Tristano was another avant-garde musician who stayed with standard changes, wasn't he?

[fasstrack]

7 hours ago, BillF said:

Interesting. Even as a non-musician, I can recognize those changes. Tristano was another avant-garde musician who stayed with standard changes, wasn't he?

I don't know how 'avant-garde' he was. He recorded Intuition in the late '40s, which was pretty 'out' for that time. And, yes, the Tristano guys played the changes, with their own heads on the tunes...

[six string]

It's certainly a lot easier to "get" it by listening to music vs. reading about it.

Edited August 23, 2016 by six string