Teo Macero/Teo Records

[JSngry]

I bought these 13 discs having no idea what to expect, and by and large was delightfully surprised. Macero functions mostly as writer/arranger/bandleader/producer on all but the older material (with one possible exception), not playing very much (again, with a few exceptions). He reveals himself as incredibly eclectic, highly skilled in all genres, and somebody who delights in performances that are full of vigor. Few of these CDs are "perfect", packaging on all is amateurish, with horrible artwork and minimal/incomplete/no liner notes, and some of it has "demo" sound quality. But the music is another story altogether...

1)THE BEST OF TEO MACERO - apparently this one has been out before on Stash, and maybe American Clave. It's an eye/ear opening collection of material from the 50s & 60s (including Macero's Debut session w/Mingus). The music is very cutting edge, and reflects a strong "20th Century Classical" influence. But there's jazz, REAL jazz running through all of it, which makes it something else altogether. Of particular note is Macero's use of accordian as a textural instrument. It's almost "electronic" sounding in spots. Besides Mingus, Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Lee Konitz, Clark Terry, & Eddie Costa are among the many "name players" on these sessions. Not for every taste, to be sure, but this is a disc I'll be returning to for a good long time.

2)POP JAZZ - EXACTLY what it says it is, and SUPERB in every regard. Quite possibly one of the best records of its type ever made, even if the "demo" quality of the sound runs throughout. Big whoop. A little "smooth", a little "disco", a little "fusion", and a poppy reworking of "Danny Boy", all of it working within the boundaries of expectations but throwing in more than enough curveballs to keep it interesting for those who are paying attention. Extra nice surprises - a straight-ahead Lee Konitz 4tet piece w/Fred Hersch, Mike Richmond, & Adam Nussbaum, as well as an appearance by Sal Salvador's Crystal Image group. This is a truly great record, "pop jazz" or not. It is what it is, it does what it sets out to do, and it does it better than anybody would have a right to expect.

3)DARK STAR - another great one. Uncredited personnel most likely includes Dave Liebman, Bill Evans (sax), Lew Soloff, Larry Coryell, Harold Danko and/or & Jimmy Madison, a.o. (there are no liner notes, but a similar sounding band turns up on another selection on another CD where personnel IS listed). This is spirited, complex-yet-accessible material that exists in the netherworld between advanced post-bop and "fusion", Liebman is on fire throughout, and the cut "So Long Miles" works up a near-frightening head of steam, venturing into late-Gil Evans territory. This one was the real surprise of the batch, as none of these players are on my "high priority" list, if you know what I mean, but this is a first-class date, defintely.

4)THE BLACK KNIGHT - Another surprise, and a major recording, in my opinion. Dark, moody, and sinister, the recording features a pianist (presumably Macero, although he himself weaves a tale of meeting a pianist on a street corner, recording him, and never hearing from him again. Yeah, right...) playing heavy handed forboding melodies, with guest musicians (including Joe Maineri, DJ Logic, Vernon Reid, & Dave Liebman) accompanying/interacting. There are no cliches, and the music is consistently surprising and gripping. Another one not for everybody's tastes, but if you're into "this kind of thing", don't miss it.

5)IMPRESSIONS OF CHARLES MINGUS - originally issued on Palo Alto, and a collection of groups of various sizes. The material is bold and brash, and the players respond in kind. Not a lot of subtlety, but a lot of emotion and musical color. Fetured players include John Stubblefiel, Pepper Adams, Lee Konitz (in particularly fine form), and many more. Maybe not "essential", but WAY above-average.

6)SAX 5TH AVENUE - a "tribute" to the Elling Rainbow Room bands, this one features a six-man sax section (Macero, Phil Woods, Lee Konitz, Al Cohn, George Young, & Pepper Adams) with a rhythm section of Benny Aranov, Joe Beck, Michael Moore, & Jimmy Madison. It's marred by three vocals by Teddi King, a singer I've never warmed to at all, on MAcero originals that all have nice melodies (especially "The Girl From Sad County") but absolutely horrible, sophomoric lyrics. These cuts are redeemed(or almost redeemed) by Marcero's scoring for the saxes, which is luminous, thick, colorful, and altogether outstanding. Plus, there's two extended jams where the "names" get to blow at length, and they don't mess around. Cohn in particular surprises, sounding at times all the world like Yusef Lateef! The rhythm section refuses to play it safe, even on the vocal numbers, and that's a joy to hear as well. A very mixed bag, but if you can dig getting a side for a few numbers and ignoring the rest, this is one of those.

7)FUSION - yet another eye/ear opener. A collection of Macero's orchestral compositions, most from the early 1950s, but two from the early 1980s, performed by The London Philharmonic, and augmented in a few spots by The Lounge Lizards and Ryo Kawasaki. I'm not well-enough versed in this idiom to comment authoritatively, but the music sounds interesting, and not particularly imitative. Derivitave, perhaps, but not imitative. It consistently held my interest, and I expect to return to it over the years.

8)FOR A DREAM - a collection of Pop/R&B material. But there are some REALLY left-of-center touches throught. Macero thinks nothing of taking the same harmonic turns in a straight R&B production as he does in his Classical and Jazz work, the playing is ultra-top-notch, "New York Slick" at it's best, and the result is a few certified potential off-the-wall "cult classics", if only anybody would ever hear them! Fans of eccentric pop are STRONGLY encouraged to drop a fin on this baby!

9)THE SPIRIT - a mixed bag, half on the level of DARK STAR, the other half being pastoral ruminations that don't do all that much for me. When it's good, it's great, and when it's not, my attention wanders. Still, well worth the Five Spot for the good parts.

10)BUMPS IN THE ROAD - sounds to me like the DARK STAR band w/Lou Soloff as the sole horn. The material's good, but Soloff is a better "role player" than frontman if this side is any indication. Nice, but far from gripping.

11)THE ECLECTICISM OF TEO MACERO - more "concert" music, some of it very good, some of it sounding like things written just to be written. Enough good stuff to be a worthy $5 purchase, though, easily. Macero's ventures into dissonance and microtonality more than hold my interest here. It's the other stuff that doesn't.

12)A DREAM - JOSHUA PIERCE, PIANIST - a collection of Macero's "light classical" piano pieces. Light indeed, but not offensively so.

13)JAMBOREE - Yuck. "A Ballet Entertainment". A faux-"southwestern" pastiche of no merit as far as I'm concerned.

Some great music at even greater prices. Carpe Diem!

[Big Wheel]

Is 1) comprised of complete sessions, or is it a compilation as the name implies?

These are certainly tempting if the CD Baby sale is still going on.

[jazzbo]

According to my searching last week, only about five of these show up for five dollar purchasing right now. . . .

"The Best of Teo Macero" does, I THINK, include complete sessions of the material it compiles. VERY GOOD CD. (I have the Stash version).

[tjobbe]

there have been more but they are out of stock currently and thats why you cannot order them... I tried but I believe as soon as they are back in stock you should be able to get them for this $5 deal

Cheers, Tjobbe

[jazzbo]

When I tried last week there were about five that WERE in stock, but would not show up as part of the five dollar sale and would not ring up at five dollars even if you had three or so other five dollars in your basket.

Hopefully that won't be the case when these others are back in stock. . . I may or may not order more. . . I'm way over budget with a huge family thing to pay for coming up . . . !

[JSngry]

Is 1) comprised of complete sessions, or is it a compilation as the name implies?

THIS lays it all out, I think.

As for the $5 thing, the CD Baby site is pretty quirky in this regard, or so it seemed when I ordered. I finally gave up looking within the $5 sale searches and just searched by "Teo Macero" and added everything that came up to my cart. A few were not going for the fiver, and I deleted them. The ones I mention here all went for $5 when I ordered them.

I was so pleased by what I heard here that I went back last week & ordered the Monk & Ellington tribute discs at regular price, and I'll order the Miles tribute when it comes back in stock. At $15 per disc, they're not cheap, but they're not outrageous either, and I think I will be pleased.

Along those lines, keeping in mind the very diverse styles covered, I'd think that #s 1-5 & 7-8 would be safe bets at regular price for those who are into the styles covered on each one, and that #s 6 & 9 would be worth it for those who don't mind CDs that have some really strong stuff mixed in with slightly lesser material.

All told, I must say that this purchase has really made me aware of just how comprehensive Teo Macero's skills truly are. Frankly, I've always thought of him as a one-time "contender" who kinda gave it all up to be a producer, an "industry guy". Such is not the case, obviously. Can't say that I hear any indication that he's remained a particularly strong player per se, but his writing has definitely remained vital, his tastes broad and true, and as THE DARK KNIGHT shows, he's not afraid to keep moving ahead. THAT side could pass for one of Matthew Shipp's recent experiments in spots!

Edited April 5, 2004 by JSngry

[tjobbe]

Hi Jazzbo,

just got an email that some are back in stock again, so have a look ...price is still at 5$ for the ones Jim mentioned

Cheers. Tjobbe

[jazzbo]

Hmmm. . . not all of those were at 5 dollars when I looked this morning!

I've since decided to hold off . . . I have five of them now, six if you count my Stash copy of "Best Of" and haven't heard them all yet. . . .

[JSngry]

The Miles tribute is back in stock, and in my cart.

Edited April 5, 2004 by JSngry

[JSngry]

As well as that Frank Hewitt thing on Smalls. The samples intrigued me.

[Bright Moments]

enjoyed the black knight.

would sure like to know who the pianist really is!