Jazz for aficionados

Gotcha Orpheus.  Good point about the contrast between Sidewinder and Search.  Have to remember to also view these things in the context of the times in which they were released.

I'll give a listen to the music on the link you provided.  Also, found "Evolution" on Spotify and will listen more to that later.  Interesting that on track 1/Air Raid I swear I heard a melody or progression that sounded like something from a Steely Dan or maybe a Donald Fagen solo recording.  Will listen again.  Would not surprise me at all if that pair borrowed something.

Do you consider Dolphy's "Out to Lunch" abstract?  

Although abstract may seem to be an easy word to describe, it's not. The definition can only be agreed on by the people using the word. I'm going to find jazz that I call abstract, and see if it fits your definition as well, and you can do likewise, and between all of us, we will know what we're talking about when we say "abstract jazz".

Grachan, calls this "New Africa", since I don't hear "Africa", it must be abstract. I don't hear Art Blakey's Africa with the talking drums, therefore it's not concrete, so it must be "abstract".


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xo0mzj-lg4


The first cut is "Queen Tamam"; jazzy African Queen; "you go girl, strut your stuff"; somehow I can not picture an African Queen; therefore it's got to be "abstract"


This is definitely abstract because it's beyond my facility's to comprehend it as coherent jazz.


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJRcWW0R44Y


While that's not a precise definition, it's good enough for me.




Enjoy the music.

If Eric Dolphy's "Out To Lunch" ain't abstract, grits ain't grocery, eggs ain't poultry, and Mona Lisa was a man.

Some of my favorite musicians are crazy about "Eric Dolphy"; it must have been his personality. If I owned this record, I would leave it at a friends house, and give him a ring when I wanted to hear it.




      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B09BWkpVv74



That guy can mess up anything; that was one of my favorite tunes, and look what he done did to it.




Enjoy the music.

"If Eric Dolphy's "Out To Lunch" ain't abstract, grits ain't grocery, eggs ain't poultry, and Mona Lisa was a man."

O - Okay!  So Out to Lunch is a good example of "abstract" to both of us.

"Some of my favorite musicians are crazy about 'Eric Dolphy'; it must have been his personality. If I owned this record, I would leave it at a friends house, and give him a ring when I wanted to hear it."

That's pretty funny.  And I appreciate your candor.  
I want to like Dolphy because people I think know more than I do say there's something there.  BUT he's a real tough listen for me.  Something I have to work at.  Eventually (maybe) with enough listening what he's doing will start to sink in - but not without work.  The opposite of  accessible!  And time being short, got to ask...is it worth the effort?That's rhetorical.

My bro-in-law is a gifted musician.  Runs a "boutique" studio blah blah blah.  Bottom line...I respect his o-pinion.  Long time ago he had this Brecker Bros. album.  Don't recall the name but it sure wasn't the Beatles Love Me Do.  Weird time signatures and complex rhythms.   I remember him describing it to me as "musician's music".  High technical content...not too much for the layperson to grab onto right away.  That's kind of how I see (hear) Dolphy.  By the way though, sound quality on the Rudy Van Gelder remastered version on Spotify is really good.  Some very interesting percussion sounds.  I'm guessing it was a very good recording from the get go.  

Ghosthouse, one of my friends like's free jazz, and every time these musicians come to town, he gives me a ring; fortunately, we've been friends for a very long time, so I go pick him up, with earplugs; but "free Jazz" should be free, you shouldn't have to pay for it.

I've been through what you're talking about in regard to that musician, and I always say the "politically correct things one should say in order not to offend" (it's easier that way), but I still don't like snails and raw oysters, nor will I make an attempt to eat them. Music I don't like is no different than snails or raw oysters.


Enjoy the music.