The Jazz Thread

[Fluffy Lothario]

I find the more experimental jazz is much more interesting and rewarding when it’s good, but very hit or miss - I’ll listen to one supposed classic and even though it’s weird as hell, it clicks immediately; I’ll listen to another and even after multiple listens, remain completely baffled.

The only thing I’ve heard with Cecil Taylor was the original Jazz Composers Orchestra. His style is pretty abrasive and out there.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

To make a symphony orchestra, big band, choir sync and swing together well is not something you should take for granted. John Wilson orchestra does a splendid job though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK1_Jsk9B9Y

[PuffyPat]

just bought tickets to see kamasi washington a week from today. so pumped rite now. i hope thundercat is there.

[TVC 15]

I was flipping through channels yesterday night when I came across Wynton Marsalis and his band performing at Abbey Road studios, tearing it up fierce. I've forgotten how good his compositions are and how tight his band can be. It was a nice reminder about how much I'm a fan of his work.

[Fluffy Lothario]

just bought tickets to see kamasi washington a week from today. so pumped rite now. i hope thundercat is there.

Been slowly making my way through The Epic, and honestly, at this point, it’s not doing that much for me.

[Zantera]

It's AOTY without a doubt

[Fluffy Lothario]

And see, I think the hype for the album is part of what’s killed it for me. I listened to it expecting to hear “the next big thing in jazz”. All I hear is a pretty good late era Sanders album.

Plus, let’s be honest here. This is three albums under one title. It’s the equivalent of Miles Davis releasing Cookin’, Relaxin’, Workin’ and Steamin’ under one title and being like “whoa, biggest baddest jazz album ever”.

[Zantera]

I know some people consider it 3 albums but I don't really get that. But I've only ever listened to it in one sitting, so I haven't experienced it any other way. There are some great recurring themes that overlaps and returns later in the album, so there's definitely continuity to it. I'd definitely count this as one album (because it was released as one) just the same way I count Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence as one album, because that's how it was released.

[Fluffy Lothario]

The discs are literally titled Volume 1/2/3 and have separate names though. And I can only see releasing it all under one album as a ploy to make some kind of grand statement (The EPIC man, whoa, how epic).

It’s either three albums, or one insanely bloated album. Regardless, the project suffers from being an enormous overindulgent ego trip.

[PuffyPat]

so i saw kamasi a couple days ago, and he blew my mind. holy shiiiiiiiiit. it was so gooooooood. i got to meet him afterwards and he was the chillest dude. also got to meet one of my favorite drummers ronald bruner jr, so that was icing on the cake. it was such a fantastic night.

i don't feel like the epic is bloated at all. i don't think he intended for it to be one big album, but that's just how it ended up. this was the culmination of nearly a decade of work. they recorded in 2011 after a few years of writing, and finally put it out this year, and they probably felt like this was the best way to do it at this point.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Tower of Power Horn Clinic

Found this nice video of ToPs horn section in action during a clinic. The Doc rules! 

Another one a bit more in your face

[Zantera]

so i saw kamasi a couple days ago, and he blew my mind. holy shiiiiiiiiit. it was so gooooooood. i got to meet him afterwards and he was the chillest dude. also got to meet one of my favorite drummers ronald bruner jr, so that was icing on the cake. it was such a fantastic night.

i don't feel like the epic is bloated at all. i don't think he intended for it to be one big album, but that's just how it ended up. this was the culmination of nearly a decade of work. they recorded in 2011 after a few years of writing, and finally put it out this year, and they probably felt like this was the best way to do it at this point.

I will probably see him when he comes here in a month or two (November I think), really stoked. The Epic is not only my favorite album of the year, but I would say it is up there among my favorite Jazz albums. Sure, I'm not as deep into the genre as some, and my knowledge is limited to only the bigger names so far, but I truly love The Epic that much. It covers so much ground and pulls off the various jazz styles so perfectly.

[PuffyPat]

yeah. it's fantastic. probably my fav jazz album of all time.

[Big Hath]

Tower of Power Horn Clinic

Found this nice video of ToPs horn section in action during a clinic. The Doc rules! 

Another one a bit more in your face

simply the best.  The amount of talent that has been a part of that horn section through the years is unbelievable.

[Fluffy Lothario]

Listening to almost nothing but jazz at the moment. While in a jazz phase again, I'm gonna start filling in the cracks with some of the classics I still haven't gotten around to. Just bought:

Max Roach - We Insist!
Monk - Monk's Music, Brilliant Corners, Genius of Modern Music  (Monk is the gaping hole in my jazz collection at the moment)
Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else
Mingus  - Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus

And an album from one of my favourite current jazz groups, Angles.

Also, I checked out Bill Evans' Waltz for Debby recently, and wasn't a fan. I like my jazz big and raucous, for the most part. It just felt like the skeleton of a jazz recording to me, like someone forgot to record the sax or trumpet or whatever.

[jsem]

That Cannonball record is pure gold.

[Big Hath]

That Cannonball record is pure gold.

most definitely.  Top 10 jazz album for me.

[Fluffy Lothario]

I listened to that album tonight, it did sound damn good. Interesting that on Cannonball's album, Miles takes the lead in a good number of the songs.

[Fluffy Lothario]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuKJkghC2u0

This is hilarious. Comedian who can't play piano hires a jazz band and records an album with them.

[Big Hath]

he was actually playing some things that made me think of Thelonious Monk 

[Sacul]

Wait, so that's not how you play jazz?

[Fluffy Lothario]

IT ALL SOUNDS THE SAME

he was actually playing some things that made me think of Thelonious Monk 

Cecil Taylor here.

Can you imagine what the other dudes were thinking when he started playing?

[Slipknot]

Monk, Taylor, Davis, Coltrane, Mingus and Coleman   

[Sacul]

IT ALL SOUNDS THE SAME

Once you listen to a jazz song you've listened to them all, right?

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Listening to Michel Camilos One More Once. 'Why Not' just makes me smile everytime, so damn groovy and joyful.

[ytserush]

Listening to Michel Camilos One More Once. 'Why Not' just makes me smile everytime, so damn groovy and joyful.

I have his Rendezvous album. I keep waffling on if I should just sell it or not. It's not a bad album, but I probably don't give it the love it deserves. Haven't listened to it in more than a year.

[PuffyPat]

kamasi's working an a new album (and a graphic novel apparently).

[Zantera]

kamasi's working an a new album (and a graphic novel apparently).

Another 3 hour album?

[TVC 15]

I know some people consider it 3 albums but I don't really get that. But I've only ever listened to it in one sitting, so I haven't experienced it any other way. There are some great recurring themes that overlaps and returns later in the album, so there's definitely continuity to it. I'd definitely count this as one album (because it was released as one) just the same way I count Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence as one album, because that's how it was released.

Went through a YouTube rabbit hole with his music last weekend. Damn, I was impressed! I prefer listening to The Epic in tiny, digestible bits. Good to know that he's already working on a new one.

[ariich]

Listening to Michel Camilos One More Once. 'Why Not' just makes me smile everytime, so damn groovy and joyful.

I dig his piano albums and all, but One More Once is just so outrageously groovy. Easily my favourite thing I've heard from him.

Anyone else checked out Hiromi's new album? Pretty much what you'd expect, but some really great stuff on it.

[Mosh]

Hiromi's new album is good, but the trio stuff is starting to get kind of formulaic for me. I loved Move, didn't care for the one after, this one is better but I feel like it isn't really anything I haven't heard before still.

[ariich]

Voice was so so great and yeah Move was very good but I agree, it's got a bit formulaic. Top notch stuff, but doesn't excite me much anymore.

[pcs90]

I don't know if I'd consider it just "jazz" as they have a ton of other influences, but any Snarky Puppy fans on this board? This thread seemed to be the best place to mention them.
For those who haven't, I definitely recommend checking them out. They have some of the best musicians around, in any style.
Anyway, their new album just came out and it has some pretty cool stuff on it. Definitely a different vibe to their live-recorded stuff, but very nice regardless.

[ariich]

I would say Snarky Puppy belong here, yeah, they're basically jazz. And they're great, though I'm mostly familiar with their live outputs rather than their studio albums. We Like It Here is SOOOOOOO good!

[pcs90]

I would say Snarky Puppy belong here, yeah, they're basically jazz. And they're great, though I'm mostly familiar with their live outputs rather than their studio albums. We Like It Here is SOOOOOOO good!

Agreed, that album is great all the way through. I've only listened to their older studio albums once each probably as I prefer the live ones too, but this new one is excellent even though it's a studio recording.