Pimuins Guide to Mal Waldron Records

[Pim]

Thanks for sharing all that great info @Onxidlib!

[Niko]

Yes, thank you very much!!

[David Ayers]

Cool info. 

 

Back to basics: Dreher is monumental and anyone who has never checked it out should get over to Spotify ASAP. Thanks @Pimfor the write-up and valuable reminder. 

Edited February 7, 2021 by David Ayers

[David Ayers]

Did you pass over Jazz Jamboree for some reason? Or did I just miss it on the site?

[Pim]

7 hours ago, David Ayers said:

Did you pass over Jazz Jamboree for some reason? Or did I just miss it on the site?

No you did not miss anything. I’ll review full albums as leader and co-leader first. Than his stuff as a sideman and at last his appearances on various artists albums.

[David Ayers]

4 hours ago, Pim said:

No you did not miss anything. I’ll review full albums as leader and co-leader first. Than his stuff as a sideman and at last his appearances on various artists albums.

Ah ok. I thought it was maybe his album as he’s on the cover - but not on all of the tracks... 

[Pim]

41 minutes ago, David Ayers said:

Ah ok. I thought it was maybe his album as he’s on the cover - but not on all of the tracks... 

He is on most of them

[Pim]

Time goes by so fast, even in a lockdown situation. Another weekly Waldron update from me. We are still in the early years of the '80's decade. Mal spent a lot of time in Japan during these years. It's a period where the quality of his output is a little mixed. The records reviewed this week:

- Some collaborations with Japanese musicians. He worked with some highly talented one's but the records of this period do not really speak to me. The collaboration with Japanese alto saxophone player Kazutoki Umezu called 'Another Step' is nothing very special and I personally do not like his style. 'In Retrospect' sounds pretty uninspired and is a really dull record. And then there's 'With Mal' with Japanese singer Sumiko Yoseyama. I did not make it a secret I do not really like vocal jazz. But where I could easily listen to a creative voice like Jeanne Lee, this is really something else. I have serious doubts about her singing skills....

- Fortunately there are three great records with the Reggie Workman/Ed Blackwell trio. Best known is probably 'Breaking New Ground' where Mal experiments with both popular and classical music. Not every effort is as much as a succes but this is a pretty good record. The version of MASH is insanely good. There's also the 'Plays Eric Satie' which is a tribute to this great mininmalistic French classical composer. Fascinating stuff with excellent contributions by Blackwell and Reggie Workman. Their last album as a trio together called 'You And The Night And The Music' sounds a bit less creative but is still highly enjoyable. All three recommended albums.

- My favorite for this week and absolutely one of my desert island discs: another duo session with Steve Lacy at the Bimhuis in 1982. It was only released some 15 years ago and it is at least just as good as the work at Dreher, maybe even a very little better. As a single disc it's also a pretty good introdcution to them as a duo. Every single composition played that night was pure magic. 

Still lots of records to go from here. Hope you enjoy reading and don't forget to comment here or on the blog. Thanks!

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-in-chronological-order.html

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-by-rating.html

[Rooster_Ties]

On 2/11/2021 at 0:35 AM, Pim said:

I’ll review full albums as leader and co-leader first. Then his stuff as a sideman and at last his appearances on various artists albums.

A ha, so then assuming the time-frame for Mal's non-leader stuff follows the same as you've outlined -- then you'll eventually get to "Soul Eyes".  Which, off the top of my head, is one of his more interesting sideman appearances, if perhaps not primarily for Mal's performance, but for the overall quality of the performances of all the players (including Mal).

https://www.discogs.com/Benny-Bailey-Sextett-Soul-Eyes-Jazz-Live-At-The-Domicile-Munich/master/600610

[Pim]

5 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

A ha, so then assuming the time-frame for Mal's non-leader stuff follows the same as you've outlined -- then you'll eventually get to "Soul Eyes".  Which, off the top of my head, is one of his more interesting sideman appearances, if perhaps not primarily for Mal's performance, but for the overall quality of the performances of all the players (including Mal).

https://www.discogs.com/Benny-Bailey-Sextett-Soul-Eyes-Jazz-Live-At-The-Domicile-Munich/master/600610

Oh yes! The records with Benny Bailey, Nathan Davis, Embryo, Dusko Goykovich and Klaus Weiss and even more. They will al be there

[soulpope]

On 14.2.2021 at 7:38 AM, Pim said:

 .... Best known is probably 'Breaking New Ground' where Mal experiments with both popular and classical music. Not every effort is as much as a succes but this is a pretty good record. The version of MASH is insanely good. There's also the 'Plays Eric Satie' which is a tribute to this great mininmalistic French classical composer. Fascinating stuff with excellent contributions by Blackwell and Reggie Workman. ....

- My favorite for this week and absolutely one of my desert island discs: another duo session with Steve Lacy at the Bimhuis in 1982. It was only released some 15 years ago and it is at least just as good as the work at Dreher, maybe even a very little better. As a single disc it's also a pretty good introdcution to them as a duo. Every single composition played that night was pure magic. 

Still lots of records to go from here. Hope you enjoy reading and don't forget to comment here or on the blog. Thanks!

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-in-chronological-order.html

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-by-rating.html

Agreement on "Breaking New Ground" and even more regarding the underappreciated Eric Satie platter, where Waldron`s style nicely melts with the compositions .... and the Bimhuis platter is excellent indeed ....

[soulpope]

On 14.2.2021 at 7:38 AM, Pim said:

I did not make it a secret I do not really like vocal jazz. But where I could easily listen to a creative voice like Jeanne Lee ....

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-in-chronological-order.html

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-by-rating.html

I`m positive we will discuss this one later on ....

[Pim]

2 hours ago, soulpope said:

I`m positive we will discuss this one later on ....

Yeah I think so  and of course their records made in Japan during Mal's 70th birthday tour.

[Pim]

Time for another weekly update! Mal was really into duets: this week there are five of them all recorded within 2 years time. 

There are two duets with the excellent bassist David Friesen: Encounters and Remembering Mal. The Muse album is the one I like best. Though it definitely also consist of more straightahead jazz there are also some successful experiments with music that is hard to describe. Lots of creativity and a true showcase of Friesen's virtuoso bass style. Love the sound of his electric 'Oregon' bass here too. Their second recording was released posthumously and is a more straightahead jazz jam session. Though nothing groundbreaking it's highly enjoyable for it's live atmosphere and hearable joy of both players. 

The 2007 Jazzwerkstatt release 'Live in Berlin' is another fantastic duo record with Steve Lacy. They made plenty and not one of them was a failure. And this one is definitely among their better one's. Also a first hearing of their Billy Strayhorn interpretation: a beautiful version of "A Flower is a Lonesome Thing'. Then we've got a piano encounter with Yosuke Yamashita: Piano Duo Live at Pit Inn. A great dual full of chemistry and lots of piano power. A setting that worked out better than I could have imagined. Also recommended for every Yamashita fan.

Only the two vocal records of this week really disappoint. The one with Sumiko Yoseyama is slightly better as her voice sounds a little better, her English is a little more fluent and there are no strings. But still, I really do not like her singing. Same goes for Femi Bellomo who's voice doesn't really suite jazz ballads. Her voice is pretty sharp and loud and sometimes on the edge of... out of tune. Interesting for a first appearance of Roberto Ottaviano. But his duo album with Mal for DIW is much better.

Stay tuned for next week as there will be some classic albums  A duet with Marion Brown, Sempre Amore with Steve Lacy, Update on Soul Note and... The Seagulls of Kristiansand which is probably one of his best known albums. Also there will be a personal story by Tom Overberghe, the director of the fantastic documentary on Mal's life: 'A Portrait of Mal Waldron'. It will be published in both Dutch and English. 

Enjoy your weekend!

https://snake-out.blogspot.com

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-in-chronological-order.html

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-by-rating.html

[Pim]

2 months running now but not even halfway there! This really is a journey and I am enjoying every bit of it. This week is a very interesting one for some of the classics that pass by and also the personal memories by Belgian filmmaker and musician Tom van Overberghe.

The week starts of with the fascinating duet with alto player Marion Brown: Songs of Love and Regret was the first and also my favorite one of their two duets. It's really Marion Brown in it's most soft and subdued way. Truly a piece of beauty and another fascinating duet form with Mal. Just listen to their version of 'A Flower is a Lonesome Thing'... Dedication was Mal's last duet he recorded with bassist David Friesen. Though not essential, it's an highly enjoyable encounter and it was also Mal's first release on Soul Note. Also enjoyable and another interesting direction in his music is the album Space, where Mal collaborates with two French Musicians: Doudou Gouirand and Michel Marre. A trio without a rhythm section the music is somewhere in between more contemporary jazz and more free improvisation. But the music is highly accessible for both Marre's and Gouirands sweet sounds. This was their first of two records.

Then up come the classics for this week: Sempre Amore with Steve Lacy.... I'll admit these two guys could hardly do anything wrong with me but this is another astonishing piece of music. A first studio encounter by this duo they stick to compositions written by Duke Ellington and/or Billy Strayhorn this time. The music is creative, original, fresh and sometimes tearjerking beatiful. Probably their most accessible record as well. There's also the solo record on Soul Note: Update. I would dare to say that it is his best solo record in the studios. It contains one of Mal's beautiful tributes in it's first appearance on record: Free for C.T. (Cecil Taylor) which is an incridible journey trough all kinds of piano styles. Also the standards played here are all played in a very original kind of way. The second reunion with Jackie McLean called Left Alone '86 is a bit like their first in 1976: it's a good record but nothing very special. And I keep having the feeling that they had more potential together than just playing a few standards together. Closing off this week with one of Mal's best known and highly rated records: The Seagulls of Kristiansund. And yes that record is just freakin great and really still one of my favorites. What a band: Woody Shaw, Charlie Rouse, Reggie Workman, Ed Blackwell and Mal himself. The chemistry is there for a full 50 minutes long and every one of them is at the top of their capabilities. Mind-blowing and essential music. 

But the real treat this week is the personal retrospect by Tom van Overberghe. I asked him if he wanted to contribute to my blog and fortunately he did! This Belgian filmmaker and musician was the son of freejazz saxophonist Cel van Overberghe and the nephew of nobody less than Fred van Hove. It was Tom who made the excellent Mal Waldron documentary 'A Portrait of Mal Waldron' which is on YouTube these days. He was pretty close to Mal and his family in the last 7 years of Mal's life. In his piece he looks back on his period with Mal but also on his own development as a human being, musician and professional filmmaker.  And don't forget to watch his documentary. It's lovely with appearances by Max Roach, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille, Steve Lacy and Jeanne Lee. 

Hope you guys enjoy reading again.

https://snake-out.blogspot.com

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-in-chronological-order.html

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-by-rating.html

Edited February 28, 2021 by Pim

[Rabshakeh]

Keep it up! I'm really enjoying reading it. There's always more Mal to know about.

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, Pim said:

But the real treat this week is the personal retrospect by Tom van Overberghe. I asked him if he wanted to contribute to my blog and fortunately he did! This Belgian filmmaker and musician was the son of freejazz saxophonist Cel van Overberghe and the nephew of nobody less than Fred van Hove. It was Tom who made the excellent Mal Waldron documentary 'A Portrait of Mal Waldron' which is on YouTube these days. He was pretty close to Mal and his family in the last 7 years of Mal's life. In his piece he looks back on his period with Mal but also on his own development as a human being, musician and professional filmmaker.  And don't forget to watch his documentary. It's lovely with appearances by Max Roach, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille, Steve Lacy and Jeanne Lee. 

Hope you guys enjoy reading again.

https://snake-out.blogspot.com

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-in-chronological-order.html

https://snake-out.blogspot.com/2020/12/all-reviews-by-rating.html

Thnx for sharing ....

[Pim]

Inspired by Tom's words I try to contact more people affiliated with him for personal stories about Mal. Up till now I tried to contact:

- Arjen Gorter

- Reggie Workman

- David Friesen

- Peter Wiesmueller

- George Haslam

- Nicolas Simion

- Mala Waldron

Maybe no one is interested in writing something down for a blog by some 30 year old Dutch Mal freak but you never know  If people here on the board have contacts with people who had a personal affiliation with Mal: it would be so great if you could help me out! 

@Chuck Nessa from earlier messages on the board I understand you did meet Mal a few times but had no personal connection to him did you mr. Nessa? Otherwise of course feel free to tell us your stories  

[Chuck Nessa]

3 hours ago, Pim said:

I

@Chuck Nessa from earlier messages on the board I understand you did meet Mal a few times but had no personal connection to him did you mr. Nessa? Otherwise of course feel free to tell us your stories  

I am afraid there are no stories, just common pleasantries. He was charming.

[Onxidlib]

Not a story but an anedote by Matthias Winckelmann who told me that Mal Waldron used to come by to Winckelmann's home for one or two chess games. This was no problem for MW except that Waldron choose the time between midnight and early morning for his visits. It seems Waldron mostly could persuade MW for a game or two. MW lost almost all chess games to MW as he was a quiet good player.

Also at the end of the 1990s Mal Waldron came along several times to visit my boss Manfred Scheffner. As my boss was in the bureau I lead MW to my boss' retreat. And at all occaisons MW smoked his cigarillo's right in the shop where I was working. A calm, friendly and humble man who had a humorous spark in his eyes and his attitude was one of demanding respect without putting one down.

[HutchFan]

More wonderful advocacy on behalf of Waldron & his legacy. 

Pim, your blog is a terrific resource for every listener who loves Mal's music. 

I'm sure that I won't be the only one who seeks out more of his music due to your efforts and enthusiasm.   

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by HutchFan

[clifford_thornton]

I'd love to see this published as a book.

[Pim]

Thank you so much for those flattering words guys that really puts a smile on my face! 
 

In the meanwhile Maya Workman has responded to my email and says she will ask Reggie Workman to consider writing a piece for the blog... I can’t believe I even got a reply. Of course Mr. Workman hasn’t even replied yet but please let me keep on dreaming 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Pim

[Rooster_Ties]

4 hours ago, Chuck Nessa said:

I am afraid there are no stories, just common pleasantries. He was charming.

Thanks Chuck. If you could expand any — even with what I realize may be only your vague impressions by now — I know a bunch of us would be interested. And/or can you clarify roughly the timeframe of your exchange(s?) with Mal?

I have to admit my only impression about Mal, the person and his personality (other than my imagination looking at what a snappy dresser he was, at least from the 70’s on — perhaps the influence from his 2nd wife, who was Japanese), is nearly entirely from the documentary below.

(And BTW, my googling has turned up nothing of the name of his second wife, nor (roughly) when or how they met and/or when they got married — nor any pictures of the two of them. Given Mal’s often dapper appearance, and what I’d consider to be chiseled good looks, I can only imagine they were a handsome couple. Can anyone confirm my assumptions? — especially with any photos?)

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Rooster_Ties

[Larry Kart]

In the late '70s or early '80s I heard Mal accompany Sonny Stitt at the Jazz Medium in Chicago. His typical "thematic/motivic" comping inspired some intense, similarly thematic/motivic playing from Stitt. Between sets I talked to Mal, complementing him on what he had played. He couldn't have been nicer.