Jazz for aficionados

Frogman, I remember the first time I heard "Speak Low" by Sonny Clark. I was on a date in a night club when I heard this music emanating from the jukebox. It had been one of my favorite tunes for some time, but I never heard it played so well. At that time I couldn't identify the musicians, but I knew this was the best tenor sax solo I had ever heard to play that tune.

Of course we now know it was John Coltrane. Yes, he advanced from the time that came out till the clip you posted, but he could not have played that solo on "Speak Low" any better.

After I learned the personnel on that record, I realized why it was the best I had ever heard; it features Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor. It was Released Mid March 1958, Recorded September 1, 1957 Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, plus that LP also had Rudy's stamp of excellence on it.

You gave a perfect description of Bobby Hutcherson's vibes.


Enjoy the music.

****Yes, he advanced from the time that came out till the clip you posted, but he could not have played that solo on "Speak Low" any better.****

You're probably right; I agree.  But, I don't think that he was trying to play "better"; he was trying to play different.

Hello Gents. I thought Frogman had a good suggestion with respect to the "drama" issue....find examples of the same tune, with and without it.
AND I’m not trying to be a provocateur on that point whatsoever. I think Orpheus brought up a meaningful issue such that whatever word you use for the performance characteristic he "hears" and is calling "drama" it might be a distinguisher for great vs mediocre performances. I’m very interested to hear more on the topic.

I watched the clip Frogman posted of that Coltrance Quartet doing Impressions. I tend to agree with O that there’s late work by JC that I do not care for (though the Impressions performance did not qualify as that for me). I also suspect Frogman might be right about that work being a logical progression in JC’s development. I’d say we can sometimes confuse personal preference and taste with Objective Truth and need to avoid this. On the other hand, if JC’s development took his music to a technically valid place but left behind emotion, I think that IS an objective reason for parting company. As O once wrote, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I’ve got 20/20 vision." THAT is a GREAT quote.

By the way, I readily admit I have so much to be exposed to and learn about jazz...certainly don’t consider myself an "aficionado" so, off topic, but I will comment McCoy Tyner is killer in that Impression performance. Thanks Frogman.

O - I still do fully intend to check out those clips you posted after the Sonny Clark/Speak Low and the Lee Morgan/Search.

He could create a mood with one held note, could swing with the best of them and could make music that was just plain fun.  Amazing musician.

Toots:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dzYLLetk6-I

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d5U3LN_MpIM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_AUMhRPcxWU

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yh4su_xGJ84

Good comments Ghosthouse.  

****On the other hand, if JC’s development took his music to a technically valid place but left behind emotion, I think that IS an objective reason for parting company.****

I have a different take on JC's development, and this is not meant to invalidate your excellent comments.  JC's development didn't leave behind emotion; it took him to a place where it was PURE EMOTION.  Whether we as individual listeners can relate to or understand his message (emotion) is not what determines the ultimate validity of it.  The key point, I think, is that we can all agree that he was a musical giant.  So, it seems to me that until we as listeners can rightfully claim to be as artistically advanced as a John Coltrane, it is more honest and fair to the artist in question, and productive for the growth of our own musical awareness, to keep the door just slightly open to the possibility that it is we who don't understand the message; not that the message is no good. 

We can debate whether "if a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?"; but, we KNOW a falling tree makes a sound.