Jazz for aficionados
Genius! http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ9El7k4mNo Rouse sounds amazing! And no, one can't have too much Monk. "Misterioso" is a great record. Griffin is fabulous, and one of my favorite tenor players. Still, there's something about the way that Rouse seems to get inside Monk's musical head that is almost creepy. |
Frogman, here's an outstanding artist you should be familiar with who no one has mentioned. "Desert Lady" is the CD I've chosen to illustrate his talents. The Lew Tabackin quartet on this CD features: Hank Jones, piano; Dave Holland, bass; and Victor Lewis, drums. While I like the entire CD, "Pyramid" is one of the cuts that's special to me. Lew Tabackin's haunting flute opens this number with an oriental mood that evokes far away places with strange sounding names. The cuts on this CD alternate between "laid back", and really cookin with a high "jump factor". Between the "laid back" cuts, and those with a high "jump factor" is where me and Rok differ, I prefer the former, while he's more in tune to the latter; but this CD has enough for the both of us. Unfortunately, I couldn't find that particular CD on "Youtube", but this one which features Lew and Toshiko Akiyoshi is reminiscent of that CD; fortunately, I have both. Here's Lew's fantasic flute, on "Desert Lady/ Fantasy"; you can't go wrong with both CD's. I would like your professional opinion in regard to "Lew Tabackin", who I feel is an under rated artist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JvUQeelTwc Enjoy the music. |
Orpheus10, you could not be more correct; Lew Tabackin is most certainly an underrated player. Lew has been one of the heroes of the NY scene for a long time and I know him personally, having recently been part of a project that recreated Henry Mancini's scores for "Peter Gunn" on which Lew was the featured soloist. A Harmonia Mundi CD release of the project is scheduled for early 2014. http://www.jazzpromoservices.com/jazz-news/harmonie-ensemble-new-york-steve-richman-conductor-with-lew-tabackin-lew-soloff-the-music-from-peter-gunn-weds-june-1-2011-at-100-p-m-st-peter’s-church/ Lew is a beautiful and exuberant tenor player with a notable Sonny Rollins influence. Heard live one immediately notices his HUGE sound and "take no prisoners" approach. He is a classically trained flutist and is widely recognized as one of the very best, certainly the best living, flute "doublers". You will notice that his style on flute has a subtle Eastern influence; probably the result of having been the featured soloist and co-leader in his wife Toshiko's big band, for which she wrote material some of which has an unabashed Eastern (Japanese) flavor. Some of my favorite playing by Lew is on Freddie Hubbard's recording "Sweet Return"; highly recommended, and as Rok says "gotta get it". |
By popular demand?? :) Toshiko Ankiyoshi Jazz Orch -- DESERT LADY / FANTASY featuring Lew Tabackin Acman3 asked why are so many great players and great music overlooked in the Jazz world. This recording is proof that great players and music can be overlooked sitting right in front of a person on his CD rack. Since O-10 and The Frogman were in such a rant, I thought I would see/hear what all the fuss is about. I got this CD soon after it's release (1994). Listened to it for a few minutes, and back on the shelf it went. Wrong place and time, both in a physical and emotional sense. I have learned that over the years, so I never sell or throw out any Cd. I might listen at the correct time, and / or grow into it later. WOW! You are spot on about Tabackin. Well constructed solos. I am amazed at how he goes from the highest to lowest notes of the instrument with such ease. He spends a lot of time in the lowest register / octave. And he can play the flute. His tone is great. The notes are round and clear without all the buzzing / spitting sound you hear with a lot of flute players. This band is very together. Very tight playing on all tracks. Great arrangements. The brass players have excellent tone also. I could not pick a favorite track. They are all exceptional. 'Be-bop' was the perfect tune to close things out. They were so tight, it could have been two people playing. This is not the first time someone on this thread has opened my eyes to music I already own. That's why I like it so. As The Frogman said, I said, ain't got it? Git it! Lord, I almost forgot to mention the Trombone player Conrads Herwig. Awesome playing on the title track. Cheers |
