Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Stan the Man

A jazz national treasure in the U.K., pianist, composer and bandleader Stan Tracey couldn't be less known across the pond. His career now stretches a good half century-plus, with -- so I've read -- acclaimed work for all manner of jazz ensembles. Not that I've heard 99% of it. But the little that has crossed my path has been arresting, beckoning me to investigate further. Tracey's 1965 musical adaptation of Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood" may be his best known work. Again, my knowledge of all this is far too sketchy. I haven't heard the entire album, but if it's consistent in quality with "Starless and Bible Black," it must be one gorgeous recording.
On this languid ballad, Tracey himself takes a back seat to his tenor saxophonist, one Bobby Wellins, who is appropriately suggestive rather than assertive. Whether the performance suits Thomas's literary thrust is immaterial in light of its stand-on-its-own beauty. Sounding, in the best possible manner, like a memorable film theme, a la Jerry Goldsmith's near perfect credit music for Chinatown, "Starless and Bible Black" makes me want to produce a movie just so Tracey's glorious work could accompany it.


Monday, January 10, 2011

Books and Covers

Here's a potential blindfold test item that might separate the men from the boys. Hampton Hawes was a funkmeister supreme, a swinging stylist whose notes were etched in blue. Like Horace Silver, an obvious keyboard influence, Hawes's piano work was steadfast in its allegiance to the basic principals of hard bop. Given the opportunity, he'd rock the joint and then come back to offer a second helping.
That's why it's instructive to hear recordings like this that blow the lid off of hardened notions of musicianly style. Here Hawes takes on the the echt jazz impressionist ballad and does quite a convincing job with it. He's obviously heard Bill Evans, but doesn't mimic him. Hawes finds his own way into the tune, yet, paradoxically, it would be hard to identify the playing as his. In all, it's an enjoyable lesson in the importance of avoiding preconceptions.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

In The Zone

Two men taking all the time in the world stating and then ruminating on a tune they obviously both love. No tempo changes, no technical flash, practically no movement outside the mid-range. Just letting the gorgeous melody say what it has to say and then etching variations that humbly attempt to meet that beauty at least half way.
The mood is so difficult to pin down. Not a hint of overt sentimentality or self pity. Yet catching the rueful melancholy of Richard Rodger's melody as if they co-composed it themselves. Maybe it's the reverence that Baker and Bley hold for Rodgers that most permeates this performance. Or the respect they held for each other as fellow musicians.Here everyone wins: composer, soloist and accompanist. If understatement gives you chills, this one's a spine tingler.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

State of Israel

Israel Crosby was a subtle monster of the bass who was already killing as a teenager ("Blues of Israel" from a 1935 session under Gene Krupa's leadership), going on to enliven Ahmad Jamal's recordings of the 1950s. I "get" Jamal in bits and pieces. My favorite work of his is the early drummer-less trio recordings with Crosby and guitarist Ray Crawford. Miles Davis's over-the-top praise of the pianist continues to taunt me -- what did he hear that I don't? -- but then again Miles never had a kind word for McCoy Tyner. Go figure.
As for IC, his beat and rotund tone are pure pleasure. Hear him on "Profoundly Blue" with Charlie Christian and company. This was a special player whose quarter century career was actually too brief.

A vastly cleaner audio version of "Easy to Remember" can be heard on

THE COMPLETE AHMAD JAMAL TRIO ARGO SESSIONS 1956-62 on Mosaic Records.