JSngry Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 I'm feelin' Lee right about now. That moterh****er can PLAY! Quote
BeBop Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Are you guys trying to make me buy that Tristano/Konitz/Marsh Mosaic set? Well, it ain't going to work. No way. Cuz I've got will power. (Arrrrghhhhhh!) Quote
JSngry Posted April 9, 2004 Author Report Posted April 9, 2004 Man, all this week I've been listenting to that Teo MAcero SAX 5TH AVENUE side while getting ready to go to my straight job (I should be leaving now, in fact), and the last cut is this thing that starts out as a ballad, then goes into a swinging modal groove for the solos. Phil Woods goes first, and he's in good mid-70s for. Then Al Cohn plays, and he's a TOTAL gas - bluesy, Prez-y, and plenty of chromaticism! Sounds like Yusef Lateef almost.. The rhythm section is really groovin', and is building steam every second. And then Lee plays. He doesn't get "hot" or anything, he just LOCKS INTO A FREAKIN' ZONE AND PLAYS THESE BEAUTIFUL MELODIES! It's like he's so deep into the groove that he can let it take care of itself, like he's not worried about it going anywhere if he doesn't suck it's whatever to keep it hard. That's how DEEP he's into it, and that's a deep place to be. I got so far into this shit that I found myself actually hollering "Blow, Brother Konitz, BLOW" while I was getting dressed tonight. You gotta wonder how many times Lee's heard THAT! Quote
DrJ Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 I've made it through only the first few cuts of STAR EYES - HAMBURG 1983 with Martial Solal since it arrived in the mail from Cadence last week, but so far, it's a real gem. Similar stuff - nothing overtly "hot" or showy but Lee is DEFINITELY "in the zone," great way to put it. Solal is amazing in a little more demonstrative way. For a slightly different kind of Lee - a bit more fettered, less played in, but still fascinating - the date with Giuffre and Ted Brown and Warne Marsh that was last reissued on the Verve Konitz/Giuffre 2-fer in the mid-90's has also been floatin' my boat lately. Quote
RDK Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 I never really appreated Konitz until I finally saw him play live. He's really FUN! Quote
king ubu Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Lee can definitively play! I saw him live only once, with Swallow/Motian (the "Three Guys" disc - on Enja, I think - comes from that tour), and he was great! He is one of the least-licks-bound player I ever heard! Got to spin the 3CD "Motion" again some time soon! ubu Quote
garthsj Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 (edited) Would it be considered "bragging" to say that I have approximately 70 CDs by Lee Lonitz?? I have been a long time fan, since I was 12 or so ... we long-time fans had to suffer an amazing drought of Konitz recordings in the 60s and early 70s ... His output in recent years is really beyond the completist's ability to keep up ... they appear from all directions because Lee does not have an exclusive contract with any one record company, and every European musician of any consequence wants to record with him. There is, of course, controversy about his shift away from his original "swinging" Tristano-based bebop style, to his current more ethereal explorations. Konitz is a musician we could spend a year discussing on this list ... I welcome the opportunity ... For your viewing pleasure ... a great early album ... Edited April 9, 2004 by garthsj Quote
catesta Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Anyone care to give a Konitz leader date "virgin" a title to start with? Quote
Clunky Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 You can't ever have enough Konitz IMO recent arrivals here include Nonet - Roulette 1979 with Randy Brecker Lp (ever on CD?) Star Eyes Hamburg 1983 with Martial Solal Vols 1 & 2 Jazz Exchange Live with Warne Marsh , Montmarte- Storyville Gong with the wind- duet with Matt Wilson- Steeplechase Crosscurrents- really a Bill Evans Fanasy date ( with Warne again) a favourite is still "Dig it" with Ted Brown on steeplechase. Quote
JSngry Posted April 9, 2004 Author Report Posted April 9, 2004 Anyone care to give a Konitz leader date "virgin" a title to start with? MOTION, SPIRITS, and/or LIVE AT THE HALF NOTE (w/Warne) will do you right. Quote
JohnS Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 How about something on Steeplechase. Maybe "Out of Nowhere" with Paul Bley or "RichLee" with Harold Danko and Rich Perry. Someone called Lee the greatest living alto saxophonist. Could be. Quote
garthsj Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 (edited) No! No! No! If you really want to follow Konitz's incredible development as an artist, a very accessible introduction to this great improvisor would be the "Konitz at Storyville" album. Then follow this with the "Konitz With Gerry Mulligan" session. This would hook any real jazz fan forever! Lee's improvisation's with the Mulligan Quartet should be declared a "national treasure" .... While all the suggestions made so far are all exemplary, they would not allow a listener to hear how Konitz has extended the art of jazz improvisation, and has begun reducing it to its minimilist essence. Edited April 9, 2004 by garthsj Quote
catesta Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 So far they all look like excellent dates. I think I'm going to search out and grab "At Storyville" and "Live at The Half Note" dates. The second one will help fix my need for some more Marsh as well. I've already ordered this one. Thanks! Quote
garthsj Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 I think I'm going to search out and grab "At Storyville" and "Live at The Half Note" dates. The second one will help fix my need for some more Marsh as well. I've already ordered this one. Thanks! Excellent choices. The Atlantic with Marsh was one of my very first Konitz albums, the second to be exact after a 10" Prestige given to me by a cousin who "didn't like him" .. (he was a Benny Goodman fan). Just sit back, close your eyes, and let those long, complex lines flow over you... this is NOT your basic bebop ... Quote
Gary Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Lee Konitz is something of a late arrival to my collection but for what its worth heres what I have - My Sunday morning CD Just bought this one Just beginning to get my ears around My favourite is the session on here Quote
ghost of miles Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 I've got the Miles box--is that the only place where you can find those sides with Lee? One of the many things I like about this board is its general love and respect for Konitz. Lately I've been wanting to start a thread about his big-band recordings, because I'm thinking about doing a show based around them. I have nearly all of the later Thornhill recordings, and the Kenton CD SKETCHES ON STANDARDS, which contains four very good LK solos--any other suggestions? In the Cadence catalogue there are listings for two big-band dates with which I'm not familiar. Quote
mikeweil Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 (edited) I've got the Miles box--is that the only place where you can find those sides with Lee? They are available on this single CD: Original Jazz Classics OJCCD-1726-2 Track list: 1. Odjenar performed by Lee Konitz - 2:51 2. Hi Beck performed by Lee Konitz - 3:05 3. Yesterdays performed by Lee Konitz - 2:25 4. Ezz-Thetic performed by Lee Konitz - 2:51 5. Indian Summer performed by Lee Konitz - 2:32 6. Duet for Saxophone and Guitar performed by Lee Konitz - 2:37 7. Conception (Shearing) performed by Miles Davis - 4:01 8. My Old Flame (Coslow/Johnston) performed by Miles Davis - 6:33 9. Intoit performed by Stan Getz - 3:20 10. Prezervation performed by Stan Getz - 2:41 11. I May Be Wrong performed by Gerry Mulligan - 3:27 12. So What performed by Gerry Mulligan - 2:44 The Mulligan tracks are in fact from a 1950 Chubby Jackson big band session featuring Mulligan. This CD is one of the few possibilities to get the two Konitz/Bauer duets! Edited April 9, 2004 by mikeweil Quote
mikeweil Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 The Conception and the extended OJC of this give all of Konitz on Prestige, BTW: Quote
mikeweil Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 (edited) Oddly enough, my all-time favourite Konitz is on the three Nonet LPs, which are a wonderful continuation of that famous band he was in: Edited April 9, 2004 by mikeweil Quote
JSngry Posted April 9, 2004 Author Report Posted April 9, 2004 SAXOPHONE DREAMS w/the Metropole Orchestra, is a big-band/strings date, and it's sooooooooo lyrical. Highly recommended. Quote
JSngry Posted April 9, 2004 Author Report Posted April 9, 2004 Oh yeah. He plays on the MINGUS & FRIENDS live thing on Columbia. That's another bigband date he's on. Quote
ghost of miles Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Thanks, Jim, I'll look 'em up and track 'em down. Quote
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