Cannonball's Place In The Pantheon

[Teasing the Korean]

On 12/7/2021 at 1:12 AM, Guy Berger said:

I don’t think Cannonball and Evans were a great combo.  Too much light sweetness

Completely disagree. 

[John L]

On 12/8/2021 at 0:20 PM, Peter Friedman said:

With all this discussion of Cannonball's place in the Jazz Pantheon, there has been no mention of Jackie McLean?

McLean lived during that same time period, and to my ears was the major jazz alto player. I very much liked much of Cannonball's playing as well as that of a number of other jazz alto saxophone player who were on the scene at that time.

But  it was Jackie McLean who was my personal favorite.  

Another great Bird disciple on alto from the same period was Sonny Criss.   Personally, I think that Criss also belongs in this pantheon.  He developed the blues side of Bird in his own unique way just as deeply as Cannonball (IMO).

[Peter Friedman]

14 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

Completely disagree. 

TTK, I share your view

[Teasing the Korean]

Just now, Peter Friedman said:

TTK, I share your view

On the rare occasion I get to hear Bill Evans with another first-rate soloist, I wish that he didn't record so many piano trio albums.  I realize that was his thing, but piano trios can get tedious after a while, at least for this former piano player.

[felser]

15 hours ago, John L said:

Another great Bird disciple on alto from the same period was Sonny Criss.   Personally, I think that Criss also belongs in this pantheon.  He developed the blues side of Bird in his own unique way just as deeply as Cannonball (IMO).

Criss was a breathtaking player.  Cannonball was a visionary leader.  McLean was a trailblazer.  Thankful for all of them, and my pantheon certainly has room for all three.

[Guy Berger]

13 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

On the rare occasion I get to hear Bill Evans with another first-rate soloist, I wish that he didn't record so many piano trio albums.  I realize that was his thing, but piano trios can get tedious after a while, at least for this former piano player.

I agree that Evans recorded too much with a piano trio and would have benefited from partnerships with other soloists, but it should have been someone meatier/grittier than Cannonball.  No need to add sugar on top of cotton candy.

Jackie McLean, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Yusuf Lateef… some great possibilities out there that never happened

[Teasing the Korean]

12 hours ago, Guy Berger said:

 No need to add sugar on top of cotton candy.

Respectfully, Cannonball is not sugar, and Bill Evans is not cotton candy.  So your analogy is not working for me.

 

Edited December 11, 2021 by Teasing the Korean