Today's Listen:
Mary Lou Williams -- ZONING
Simthsonian / Folkways reissue. LP Recorded in 1974. Excellent sound quality.
Wonderful music. Every tune is 'fresh' and killer. I am beginning to see and hear her, the way the OP does.
She is joined on two of the tunes by pianist, Zita Carno. I am not familiar with her. The booklet says she is a classically trained player, but well 'attuned' to Jazz. Says she wrote notes to 'Giant Steps'
I would say, anyone that can translate Coltrane to English, is most definitely 'Attuned'. In any event, the two of them playing together is wonderful.
A couple of tunes have Tony Waters on Congas. Amazing. The music does not sound dated. It's as modern as anything being recorded today.
Re-discovering Mary Lou makes me happy and sad. Happy for the music, and sad that she and her music was so neglected, in a relative sense, by the Jazz establisment.
Ain't got it? Git it!
I noticed that her tunes are just the right length. She does not play too long. Or it could just be that, time flys when you are having fun.
Cheers