Jazz in the Media

Congratulations to Herbie Hancock on his recent Grammy... seriously. It's an achievement and I applaud his incorporation of Joni Mitchell's music... really. CBS Sunday morning just did a segment on Herbie, again congrats. Next week, they'll do yet another feature on Quincy Jones. Nothing against these guys, but they're basically the walking dead of this music (Herbie less than Quincy). Quincy has been less about Jazz than about production for years.

CBS Sunday Morning tapes in New York. New York is the home to Billy Harper, William Parker, Rob Brown, Dick Griffin -- all survivors. Or even young guns like Potter, Turner and McHenry. While not my bag, they certainly bring a fresher voice to the table than Hancock or Jones these days.

How 'bout Chicago? Ari Brown, Kahil El Z'abar, Hamid Drake, Fred Anderson, Ernest Dawkins... heck, how 'bout Von Freeman or even Eric Alexander? Point is, this music has an audience and it would be a larger one of they'd get some exposure (can you resist El Z'abar's One World Family!?!??).

So while I'll congratulate Herbie and Quincy, particularly Herbie's comment that his Grammy, "is good for Jazz," I have to give both failing marks for failing to seize the opportunity to point the world to other aspects of this great music. As Z'abar says in the lyrics to One World Family, "This generation's too busy thinking about themselves...." I don't expect Herbie to shoulder this burden on his own -- that's not his job. But many years ago, a famous, respected musician let Herbie earn his shot. It's time to pay back, Herbie.

Archie Shepp - Jazz A Confronto

By request. This is THE Shepp Quintet, from a great period. Unfortunately, this was digitized from the LP, and from the file size, I'm guessing it was mono. I'm not sure why, but if I recall, the reason was something to do with my turntable outs malfunctioning. Anyway, here it is.

It's two long tunes, one soprano, one tenor. Then tenor cut, Lybia, is simply awesome. Shepp is in top form, wailing and crying with some of his fiercest energy on record. At one point early in Shepp's 14-minute solo, Cameron Brown actually drops out -- it burns that much. All the Horos are OOP, though some of them are available from old stock. I've queried the founder of Horo about the plausibility of any of this stuff being reissued on CD. He informed me that there were no plans to do that. Hopefully, someone will buy him out and do just that!

1. Lybia
2. My Heart Cries Out To Africa

Rome, Italy, September 28, 1975

Archie Shepp - tenor sax, soprano sax
Charles Majid Greenlee - trombone
Dave Burrell - piano
Cameron Brown - bass
Beaver Harris - drums

George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet - Earth Beams

For this generally upbeat session -- recorded in Holland -- Adams is joined by co-leader and longtime colleague pianist Don Pullen, and is backed by drummer Dannie Richmond and bassist Cameron Brown. Richmond spurs the saxophonist on, while Brown strikes hard in support, resulting in some strong solos by Adams on tenor sax. Adams seems to glide effortlessly up and down his horn, his patented licks never tiresome. Most of the original tunes are blowing vehicles, which work well with the superb talent represented here. Pullen is more pensive than usual, but always effective. The lyrical flute work by Adams is a pleasure, but it lacks the verve of his saxophone playing. Some of the best moments come from the interaction between Pullen and Adams, whose legacies left an indelible imprint on late 20th century jazz. ~ Steven Loewy, All Music Guide

1. Earth Beams
2. Magnetic Love Field
3. Dionysus
4. Saturday Nite In The Cosmos
5. More Flowers
6. Sophisticated Alice

George Adams - tenor sax, flute
Don Pullen - piano
Cameron Brown - bass
Dannie Richmond - drums

Recorded August 3-5, 1980

George Adams Quintet - Paradise Space Shuttle

This was my first George Adams record, and from the first needle drop, I hated it. I wouldn't even give it a second chance. Then my father played it on his system and I heard it for the first time. Half the record is quirky to fair; half is outstanding. Adams fiery tenor receives admirable support from the highly underrated and under appreciated Rahn Burton (credited here as Ron Burton). Don Pate is on bass, and Al Foster has the same zing he carries on Abbey Lincoln's People In Me. Azzedin Weston rounds out the band with miscellaneous percussion. The opening track is a burner, and Adams sets the tone for the rest of the record. Track 2, Send in the Clowns, is one of the prettiest ballads I've ever heard Adams do. Track 3 is the first version of this tune I ever heard, it may be the first recorded version. Adams and Foster do the Coltrane and Elvin thing. The title track aims for Interstellar Space, but misses. City of Peace is Burton's contribution, and but for a few moments, seems to fill out the album's time requirements. The album's funky closer would be okay, but just lasts too damned long.

1. Intentions
2. Send In The Clowns
3. Metamorphosis For Mingus
4. Paradise Space Shuttle
5. Invisible Funk-a-Roonie-Peacock

George Adams - tenor sax, flute, vocals
Rahn Burton - piano
Don Pate - bass, electric bass
Al Foster - drums
Azzedin Weston - percussion

Recorded December 21, 1979

Abraham Burton/Yousuke Inoue - Drifting Inward

This is OOP. If you're unfamiliar with Burton, you need to fix that. James Carter is on three cuts here and Burton acquits himself very well.

www.indiejazz.com says:
In 2000 Yosuke Inoue made a second album as a leader with Abraham Burton entitled Drifting Inward for M&I Records. Together, Burton and Inoue toured the world.

There is little about this record on the web. Little is needed. It's a strong outing, heavy on the young-lion sax work. Also recommended from Burton (and still in print) are Cause and Effect with Eric McPherson and Horace Tapscott's Aiee! The Phantom.

1. Pithecanthropus Erectus
2. Rio
3. Salsamba
4. Just The Two Of Us
5. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
6. Drifting Inward
7. On A Clear Day
8. A Song For My Teacher
9. Just Friends
10. Dad

Abraham Burton - alto sax, tenor sax
James Carter - ts (4, 5, 9)
James Hurt - p
Yousuke Inoue - b
Eric McPherson - dr

Recorded February 22-23, 1998

Yusef Lateef - The Last Savoy Sessions

AMG says:

These pivotal sessions for Lateef and his Detroit-based groups comprise some of his most important music recorded for the Savoy label. This double CD set consists of complete albums The Dreamer and The Fabric of Jazz. (1959) and Jazz & The Sounds of Nature and Prayer to the East (1957) as well as a bonus cut. CD one is from the 1959 date, and contains some true Lateef classics like the slow swing of "Oboe Blues" and the bright, uppity waltz of "Valse Bouk." The 1957 dates on Disc Two show Lateef and Harden more focused and together or contrary and conversational. "8540 12th St." showcases the two horns mostly listening and spontaneously responding with some unison added on this classic hard bopper, Harden's poignant one note preludes on his solo are unique as an organist might play it. The Prayer to the East session includes the easy blues swing of the title cut, with Lateef's flute invoking Arabic inflections. Others from The Sounds of Nature are the Afro-Cuban to swing-beated "Check Blues" with unusual harmonics from overblown flute or stabbing flugelhorn notes, and the 6/8 one-note bass (or rabat) foundation for "Gypsy Arab," a flute/percussion processional with gong coda. This is a welcome reissue, as it puts the final stripe on Lateef's prolific music for Savoy prior to his more commercialized outings for Atlantic proper. It's some of his more profound, definitve work and is easily worthy of a hearty and universal high recommendation, especially a must buy for those new to Lateef's musings.

I say:

Yusef is one of the most underrated guys out there. Some of the most soulful and long-lasting ideas of the period. He had a big, bold sound, and a strut in his playing. It's a pity he's not a household name -- he deserves better. One of the reasons he's so unknown is he's still alive, thus some sort of unspoken threat to the bullshit musical establishment. No matter, check these out. You'll buy them if you do, as the sound quality here is mid-tier at best (160KPBS).

Equal Time Live at the 2007 Telluride by the Sea Film Festival

Equal Time was chosen to play the opening of the Telluride by the Sea Film Festival in Portstmouth, NH. Drummer Rob Duquette subbed for Mike Walsh, and it gave the band a different feel. Midway through the last song, one of the festival attendees walked between the band and the stanchions, kicking the recorder and ending the recorded part of the session. People are sometimes very careless.

Track List

1. Aquarian Sound
2. Greetings to Idris
3. Tell Your Ride
4. Traveler of Tomorrow
5. With a Little Help From My Friends


Tim Webb - bass
Rob Duquette - drums
Thom Keith - saxophones

Recorded at the Portsmouth Music Hall, September 21, 2007