Jazz for aficionados

@frogman @acman3 

Great explanation of what "poor Cedar Walton" was doing and why.  I tend to zero in on the message I'm hearing from the musician's soul, so the compositional challenges they face escape me.  Thanks!

Pianos aren't saxes, and vice versa.  I should know that by now.

One of the most rewarding things about JFA is exploring the links you all post.  Acman3 is probably the most prolific, but it's all appreciated!

I think there can be agreement that, when all is said and done, the most important component of Jazz is the improvisation. A beautifully stylized melody, or beautifully crafted arrangement are wonderful in their own right, but it is the improvisation that gets to the heart of the matter. As great as many of the musicians that have been featured here are, few of them can, or could tilt the balance of all of those components to the side of pure improvisation and still hold the listener’s interest. To do it in the context of a piano-less (no harmony instrument) context in which the melody instrument is solely responsible for clearly defining the harmony of the tune, all the while improvising is even more of a challenge.

Lee Konitz was one of those that could, IMO; although I admit I have to be in the mood for such a bare-bones approach to Jazz. Even the melodies of the tunes are presented in only snippets and hints interspersed within the improvisations.

The presence of Elvin Jones on this record is particularly interesting. Not a drummer one usually associates with the rhythm section of a horn player who clearly has a “cool” tone approach like that of Konitz; even if his harmonic sense was clearly very modern.

I love this record……when in the mood…..maybe it’s the endless rain up here in the North East ☺️

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLh_UKQFKe9Fe056ZVtEo6aD_cf18c_3H

i think improvisation in a general sense, and not only in the jazz context, but linked to what we call an "interpretation" in classical music is the "gist" of music experience....

A pure objective rendition of a classical written piece never was possible and never existed....

I then concur with frogman...

A real concert, jazz or classical, is always an "improvised" one....And would never be the same again....It is the writing phenomenon and the recording technological phenomenon that erased this fact from our consciousness...

Music is never completely written but always played then improvised...

For sure music without improvisation and without interpretation exist but is not for my usual taste....

I discovered lately in life that music is the musician first....Not a piece of paper....

The latest news from USA, flooded areas, heavy rain...Guys, are you all ok?

I discovered lately in life that music is the musician first....Not a piece of paper....

I like the way you think.