Jazz for aficionados

Frisell: real brass all the way. Alto saxophone, trumpet and trombone. What’s really cool about the way he used the brass is that he voiced the brass chords in a similar way as a guitar player would play those chords on a guitar. Notice how similar the sonorities of those brass chords are to those of the strummed guitar chords. Don’t know for a fact, but I would bet that it was Frisell who wrote the horn arrangement.

Ah...okay, Frogman. I’m thinking it might be the breathier reed sound of the sax that I picked up on. Didn’t realize one was in use. I heard a softer leading-edge texture and that's what made me think a synth had been used.

While I don’t know enough music theory to fully appreciate your explanation of the chord voicing, I think I DID actually notice it without understanding the "why". At one point, Frisell’s guitar comes out of the mix to solo and I realized it had been there all along playing chords (prior to soloing) pretty much in unison with the "horns" [what do you call it when it’s a mix of sax, trumpet, trombone?]

Might be the person I admire most in any number of musical endeavors:
THE ARRANGER. So often they are the ones that bring the magic.

Orpheus - How about some links to rehearsal videos? Show stuff being hammered out...who does what, who plays what, etc., etc. (apologies if it’s already been mentioned and done to death here).

Finding old jazz rehearsal videos might be tough.

Did find some interesting stuff while looking. Probably already known to the regulars here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0sru1t6YpE&ab_channel=Milestones:AMilesDavisArchive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOJj4YXWPLI&ab_channel=J%C3%BAlioPimentel

Ghosthouse, no, it hasn't been done, and Frogman would be the person who could shed light on the subject.

During the time I was in close contact with a jazz musician in 69, he never rehearsed or held rehearsals. The first set I witnessed; him, and what's called "pick up musicians" gathered about an hour before the set, and discussed what was to go down. I listened intently, but understood nothing.

Professional "hard bop" musicians have a language that only they understand. Since he was a friend of mine, I was really nervous before the set kicked off; "Ain't no way this is going to come out right" was racing through my mind, because this was a hard bop audience, and the place was packed.

That was a memorable set, and it went as he knew it would; the musicians played as though they they had been doing it for a lifetime.



Enjoy the music.

****Might be the person I admire most in any number of musical endeavors: THE ARRANGER. So often they are the ones that bring the magic.****

So true, I recently made the comment that this might be a good subject to explore on this thread.  When this subject comes up, the first recording that comes to mind is always Miles' "Sketches Of Spain" and to a somewhat lesser degree "The Birth Of The Cool"; both , recordings which, at the end of the day, are arranger Gil Evans' records, eventhough Miles gets the attention.  Could Miles have been replaced by someone else?  Arguably, yes.  Could Gil Evans have been?  No way!

BTW, I listened to "Black Light Syndrome" in its entirety; the first couple of cuts twice.  Thanks for the recommendation.  Tough record to comment on.  I think it's a great record.  A great record by the standards of a particular musical sensibility.  Rock and roll sensitivity all the way; with a bit of "glam" thrown in (and more than a bit of Flamenco in one spot).  Steve Stevens is a very impressive guitar player.  The recording is really about him and his amazing virtuosic guitar playing; and, it is also, over the top.  Only because of the hype, I am less impressed with Bozzio and wonder what the band could do with someone like Dave Weckl.  Stevens has a very wide tonal palette with his use of distortion and effects; but, for instance, his use of the Whammy bar is way over the top and sounds tasteless more than anything to me.  A more contained and disciplined range would be more musically effective imo.  On the other hand, a "take no prisoners", "let it all hang out" attitude is part of the R&R ethos; hence the quandary.  I realize this may seem like a contradiction of my comments re the first Bozzio and co. clip, but still....For me, when I want those particular buttons pushed I would prefer something like these; which strike me as having a little more grit and a little less "look at me!" glam:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YHqXhwtsLxk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oN0qYUeV0KQ

Btw, I really like and admire your inquisitiveness and open-mindedness.  Regards.