So, What Are You Listening To NOW?

[HutchFan]

[mjazzg]

13 hours ago, jlhoots said:

Need to pull that out & see if my DVD player still works.

I wish it had been a CD release. I ended up with downloads, terrific music 

[jazzbo]

Warmest morning yet. . .but rainy. Still nice to not have to wear heavy socks!

Starting off with a new arrival to the mailbox:

Miles Davis “Birth of the Blue” Columbia/Analogue Productions SACD

I disclike the title and the concept of titling this but the music is excellent and the mastering is really good.

One fault: it’s short. They could have added a little.

I wasn’t going to purchase this but eventually I caved.

[jazzbo]

“Classic Vanguard Jazz Piano Sessions” disc 1

Jo Jones Trio! Sir Charles Thompson Quartet!

[Rabshakeh]

Archie Shepp - Blue Ballads

 

I really struggle with this period of Shepp. He seems to run out of breath quite a lot and there's a samba version of "If I Should Lose You" where he doesn't seem to be able to control his horn. Maybe it is on purpose. 

Edited March 29 by Rabshakeh

[jazzbo]

Once again the stereo LP from the Rhino sixtieth anniversary mono/stereo 2 LP set

John Coltrane “My Favorite Things”

[Peter Friedman]

[Kevin Bresnahan]

2 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

Archie Shepp - Blue Ballads

 

I really struggle with this period of Shepp. He seems to run out of breath quite a lot and there's a samba version of "If I Should Lose You" where he doesn't seem to be able to control his horn. Maybe it is on purpose. 

I bought several of Shepp's Venus recordings during a sale and like you, I struggle to get into his playing on them.

Thursday night, I saw Dave Schumacher play at Arthur's House of Jazz in Methuen, MA and after the set, he offered his latest CD (2024) for sale so I bought a copy. The place was pretty packed and he only managed to sell 2 CDs. Bummer. I'm playing that CD now and it's really good stuff and I'm very glad I bought it.

Dave Schumacher & Cubeye - Smoke In The Sky (Cellar). Great latin jazz here. You can hear/buy it on bandcamp: https://daveschumachercubeye.bandcamp.com/album/smoke-in-the-sky

Dave Schumacher - Baritone Saxophone
Josh Evans – Trumpet (1, 5-8)
Jesus Ricardo – Trumpet (2-3)
Peter Brainin – Tenor, Soprano Saxophones (1, 5-8)
Manuel Valera – Piano
Alex “Apolo” Ayala – Bass
Mauricio Herrera – Congas, Iyá, Itótele, Okónkolo, Chekeré
Joel Mateo – Drums, Bells

[Chuck Nessa]

[dougcrates]

[jlhoots]

4 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

Archie Shepp - Blue Ballads

 

I really struggle with this period of Shepp. He seems to run out of breath quite a lot and there's a samba version of "If I Should Lose You" where he doesn't seem to be able to control his horn. Maybe it is on purpose. 

I always liked Shepp's Venus CDs. Whaddya gonna do?

[rostasi]

[Kevin Bresnahan]

1 hour ago, jlhoots said:

I always liked Shepp's Venus CDs. Whaddya gonna do?

I think what turns me off is his intonation. He doesn't seem like he has a firm hold on the sustained notes and it gives it a kind of frailty that makes me cringe a bit. Sucks getting old I guess.

[JSngry]

He's always played ballads like that, more or less. It's wobbly, but it's a controlled wobbly.

[Peter Friedman]

[optatio]

Eric Dolphy: Iron Man. West Wind WW 2057 [Germany 1990]

[jazzcorner]

MGM E 4042 (compilation)  - The George Shearing Quintet "Soft and Silky" - rec. 1949 to 1951

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Mel Powell - Borderline (Vanguard/Mosaic). Disc 3 of the latest Mosaic release. Nice stuff. Sound quality sounds a bit below the previous discs. It's weird to see a pianist listed with a trio and see that it's piano/sax/drums.

[Peter Friedman]

Harold Mabern  - Misty

[jazzbo]

Robert Hunter “Tiiger Rose” Fiftieth Anniversary 2 cd set, disc 1

Newly released set. . . I haven’t listened to this album in a long time but I remember it fondly. Was part of my final period of rock listening before jazz nearly completely swallowed up my interests and musical attention.

 

 

[jazzbo]

Craig Taborn "Daylight Ghosts" ECM cd

Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Chris Speed
Double Bass, Bass Guitar – Chris Lightcap
Drums, Percussion – Dave King
Piano, Electronics – Craig Taborn
 

Edited March 29 by jazzbo

[Rabshakeh]

4 hours ago, JSngry said:

He's always played ballads like that, more or less. It's wobbly, but it's a controlled wobbly.

I’m not a musician but it doesn’t always sound controlled or intentional to my ears. I mentioned above that one that which is particularly creaky.

[JSngry]

Oh, the outcome is quite intentional.

I can crack on Shepp for some things (like long-windedness) but lack of intention would never be one of them.

If it was not controlled or intentional to one degree or another, the flow of the line would dissipate or otherwise break down.

Shepp has always been as much a painter as he has been a player, and a still-life painter is just not what he has done, ever.

Now having said that, he did have a series of physical issues that affected him. But rather than struggle against them, he embraced them and intentionalized them. That's why the line keeps flowing, and that's why it's intentional and controlled.

That's also why those Venus records have such emotional power to me. They're true, because life doesn't always pull its punches. Sometimes they land, land hard.

But oh well about that, right?

[Peter Friedman]

[jlhoots]

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

Oh, the outcome is quite intentional.

I can crack on Shepp for some things (like long-windedness) but lack of intention would never be one of them.

If it was not controlled or intentional to one degree or another, the flow of the line would dissipate or otherwise break down.

Shepp has always been as much a painter as he has been a player, and a still-life painter is just not what he has done, ever.

Now having said that, he did have a series of physical issues that affected him. But rather than struggle against them, he embraced them and intentionalized them. That's why the line keeps flowing, and that's why it's intentional and controlled.

That's also why those Venus records have such emotional power to me. They're true, because life doesn't always pull its punches. Sometimes they land, land hard.

But oh well about that, right?

Deja Vu is another Venus CD by Shepp that I like. Obviously "different strokes".