Jazz for aficionados

Very nice Harold Land clips. Thanks all!

Great improviser. That record with Bill Evans was the first Harold Land recording that I acquired after having heard him live in a tiny club in the middle of nowhere in Kentucky while traveling. How much could that tiny club have been paying a great artist like Land? Not much. A sign of the times for traditionalist Jazz before the uptick in popularity with the arrival of the heralded “Young Lions”. I confess that I have always found something in his tone, a dryness, that I find grating although it never detracted from my appreciation of his improvising genius.

Speaking of Bill Evans. No dig on Monk. I like them both. “Apples and oranges” doesn’t begin to describe the differences; more like apples and pizza 😊. I love bass players and Scott La Faro is a favorite  Before La Faro gained well deserved notoriety with Bill Evans, he was recording with Harold Land. This was the second recording that I purchased with Land on it. Highly recommended...if you can find it:

https://youtu.be/u06MiRZc4JY

https://youtu.be/UihLgF5bhZs

frogman thanks for the links to the Hawes album which I have already ordered. BTW La Faro is a superb bass player. Its a shame he was killed like Clifford Brown, both in their primes, in an automobile accident.

Speaking of Monk and Evans - "Everybody digs Bill Evans" (I do have that album). I like the unconventional manner in which Monk plays and the beautiful music he creates in this manner. Monk is the only piano player that I regularly listen to his solo sessions.


How much more do I like Monk then Evans - about a 1/4 of an inch between the tip of my thumb and index finger.

Classic Monk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KshrtLXBdl8

Classic Evans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDw2ClkdeR4

frogman, what is the best solo session on record by Evans? Your opinions go a long way with me and I do need an Evans solo session in my collection.

pjw, one of the many interesting things about Bill Evans and his playing is that he, by his own admission, didn’t feel as comfortable in a solo piano setting as he did in a trio or other setting. If one thinks about it, it is not really that surprising given his overall personality and shy demeanor. However, his solo recordings are great also; even if generally not as highly regarded as his trio recordings. I have never heard a performance by Evans that I didn’t like, but I admit my very favorites are those with Scott La Faro and Paul Motian.

I have all his solo recordings and enjoy them all. My very favorite is the 1963 recording “Solo Sessions, Vol. 2”. There is something intensely personal about the playing on this record. He was struggling with his drug addiction during this time and I find something very poignant in his playing’s attitude. The usual beauty and gentleness is there, and more; even if there are moments when he doesn’t seem as focused. For something unusual, and technically “solo”, you can try “Conversations With Myself” on which he overdubs and has....conversations with himself. It may sound gimmicky, but it’s pretty brilliant. Not quite “solo”, but if you don’t know it, check out his duo recording with Jim Hall, “Undercurrent”. Fantastic record.

https://youtu.be/Nv2GgV34qIg

Cohen concert....

I can speak only about my feelings and thoughts while listening to him and his music and while doing so, I remebered some of discussions that were written on these pages as well.

Its Frogman that often spoke about 'leaving yor comfort zone' when we had themes and arguings here about 'old' vs 'new' jazz...

So, when I heard that concert I often thought how his music does not sond like anything I am used to listen.
Yes, its a trio and yes, they play tight, very controlled, almost immaculate,with great skill, nothing can be said there.Even their improvisations seemed to be very much rehersaled before, there is not a hint to any hesitation in execution.

The music that they play does not reach to blues or soul idiom, it is of different origin as well as his phrasing.

However, all that got me thinking about that (mine) 'comfort zone'. Or better, can we define why we like something or not? We can certainly define what we like and decribe it, but why, it just might be little harder.

For me, one of the most positive and interesting things that can happen over the course of a thread like this is that one can develop a sense for the musical sensibilities of some of the other contributors. We all have personal preferences and can even disagree at times while respecting those preferences. I mean this comment in the most positive and complimentary light and if I am being presumptuous I apologize; but I wanted to share. As I read Alex’s interesting and insightful comments about the Cohen concert I kept thinking that they were almost exactly as I expected they would be.

Alex asks some very interesting questions.

**** The music that they play does not reach to blues or soul idiom, it is of different origin as well as his phrasing. ****

Exactly!