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Ran Blake

srellek

By srellek
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srellek Newbie

srellek

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This sui generis pianist, composer, educator turns 89 in a few weeks. He's still creating and still performing (in NYC next week, posted in the Shows section). For those who know his work, no words needed. But if you don't know it and are interested in creative improvisation at its most unique, instrumentalists who carve out a wholly personal sound, film noir, or just have an affinity for the completely different — check it out.

His discography is not intimidating and fairly modest for a seven-decade career. Some recommendations to sample:

  • 1962 – The Newest Sound Around (RCA) with Jeanne Lee
  • 1966 – Ran Blake Plays Solo Piano (ESP)
  • 1976 – Breakthru (IAI) produced by Paul Bley
  • 1980 – Film Noir (Arista-Novus)
  • 1986 – The Short Life of Barbara Monk (Soul Note)
  • 1997 – A Memory of Vienna (HatHut) with Anthony Braxton
  • 2001 – Sonic Temples (GM) on Gunther Schuller's label
  • 2015 – Ghost Tones: Portraits of George Russell (A-Side)
  • 2021 – Looking Glass (A-Side) digital only

His book, Primacy of the Ear, is of interest to not only improvising musicians but artists of any kind. He's also just published a book (co-written) on film noir and his biography, Shimmering Shadows, is just being published this month and is a fascinating read. He was friends with Gunther Schuller, George Russell, and Thelonious Monk, his family and Nica. He cajoled a job at Atlantic Records from the Ertegun brothers because he loved Ray Charles so much, worked with Tom Dowd there. He also studied with Oscar Peterson, Mal Waldron, Randy Weston, and Mary Lou Williams. 

Ran is a special cat. His music is deserving of — and will reward — your time.

Edited by srellek
clifford_thornton Mentor

clifford_thornton

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Interesting re: the books. I have a few of his records, on ESP, RCA, Horo, and Milestone, as well as a Hat Hut CD or two. I don't know whether it is a feeling of "sameness" or better put, "consistency," that has resulted in my not seeking out more. But glad he's been here to do all that he's done.

mhatta Collaborator

mhatta

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My personal favorite is 2000's Horace Is Blue (A Silver Noir), similar to what John Zorn did on News For Lulu, but I thought the approach of emphasizing the melancholic aspects of hard bop was interesting.

Chuck Nessa Mentor

Chuck Nessa

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Have a soft spot for Ran and his playing. Met him in a recording studio in Boston in 1975. Cuscuna had invited me to an Oliver Lake session for Freedom. Ran had engaged string players for the session. A few years later he was in Chicago and we had a wonderful evening of chat and stories with him and Terry Martin in our apartment.

Seeing this thread sent me to my lp shelves to grab "Wende" only to see it is missing. Shit.

romualdo Rising Star

romualdo

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can I also suggest

1. the recent "Newest Sound You Never Heard" Blake/Lee double - 66/67 European recordings

2. "All That Is Tied" (Tompkins Square) solo from 2005

3. live in Lithuania "Vilnius Noir" (NoBusiness LP) - duo with David Fabris (g), 2010

4. "Cocktails at Dusk - A Noir Tribute To Chris Connor" - 2012 studio (Brussels) solo recordings

AllenLowe Proficient

AllenLowe

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it may be time for me to revisit Ran. I just never warmed to his playing, I tended to admire it without liking it. When I listen I always find myself waiting for something to happen. But I am an impatient listener, so I cannot say that is my final verdict.

clifford_thornton Mentor

clifford_thornton

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10 minutes ago, AllenLowe said:

it may be time for me to revisit Ran. I just never warmed to his playing, I tended to admire it without liking it. 

can understand this for sure. I do have a soft spot for the ESP, RCA-Victor (w/ Lee), and Milestone albums though.

T.D. Mentor

T.D.

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1 hour ago, AllenLowe said:

it may be time for me to revisit Ran. I just never warmed to his playing, I tended to admire it without liking it. When I listen I always find myself waiting for something to happen. But I am an impatient listener, so I cannot say that is my final verdict.

 

1 hour ago, clifford_thornton said:

can understand this for sure. I do have a soft spot for the ESP, RCA-Victor (w/ Lee), and Milestone albums though.

I'm kind of in the same boat. Have three albums. Enjoy "Short life of Barbara Monk" and "Silver is blue", but don't pull them off the shelf often. Liked "Memories of Vienna" on first hearing but considerably less on subsequent listens.

Opinion subject to revision/reassessment, so I'll put those recordings in the queue.

colinmce Community Regular

colinmce

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Love Ran. Dave Fabris confirmed on Facebook the other day that ezz-thetics will be releasing a 2006 duo performance at BIMhuis in the near future. 

I have every record he's made, but I can understand that's it's not necessarily for everyone.

I'll also submit both volumes of Painted Rhythms: The Compleat Ran Blake for curious listeners; all in all maybe his finest recorded work. These used to be very hard to turn up, and I paid a lot for the CDs many years ago, but they are now very cheap secondhand, as well as available on streaming. I also love his recordings with Sara Serpa, especially Camera Obscura.

I will take this space to renew my search for The Complete All That Is Tied Sessions that was released exclusively on emusic.com in 2007. I have asked after this high & low over the years, including with the label and with some of Ran's people-- no one has been able to turn it up. It would be great if the label would re-issue the album with the extra tracks, but that clearly is not in the books. I have almost come to doubt it was ever actually released, however there are a few contemporaneous reviews online.

romualdo Rising Star

romualdo

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Just received this in the latest DMG newsletter

Friday, April 5th at 7:30pm

RAN BLAKE - Shimmering Shadows 

Ran Blake will perform a rare NYC concert in solo and duo format with special guests. To celebrate the release of Ran’s biography, this concert will be inter-spliced with a live interview and film clips to present a retrospective of the life and music of this iconic pianist.

At National Sawdust
80 North 6th St
Brooklyn, NY 11249
(646) - 779 - 8455
info@nationalsawdust.org
 

srellek Newbie

srellek

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On 3/27/2024 at 3:01 PM, colinmce said:

Love Ran. Dave Fabris confirmed on Facebook the other day that ezz-thetics will be releasing a 2006 duo performance at BIMhuis in the near future. 

I have every record he's made, but I can understand that's it's not necessarily for everyone.

I'll also submit both volumes of Painted Rhythms: The Compleat Ran Blake for curious listeners; all in all maybe his finest recorded work. These used to be very hard to turn up, and I paid a lot for the CDs many years ago, but they are now very cheap secondhand, as well as available on streaming. I also love his recordings with Sara Serpa, especially Camera Obscura.

I will take this space to renew my search for The Complete All That Is Tied Sessions that was released exclusively on emusic.com in 2007. I have asked after this high & low over the years, including with the label and with some of Ran's people-- no one has been able to turn it up. It would be great if the label would re-issue the album with the extra tracks, but that clearly is not in the books. I have almost come to doubt it was ever actually released, however there are a few contemporaneous reviews online.

It does exist — in fact, I shared this with you in 2014. 

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