Live at the Village Vanguard [Live]

Live at the Village Vanguard [Live]

ASIN: B00000AGCN

Editorial Reviews
From Jazziz
There's no mistaking the gamesmanship when the laser hits the info on Wessell Anderson's Live at the Village Vanguard. Instead of just working a week and honing the pieces as Irby did, alto saxophonist Anderson bet the farm on the bandstand, documenting his quintet in the act. Those who've caught the genial leader live know that he helms a whirlwind of a band, and indeed this new disc is a tad more loose-limbed than his studio dates for Atlantic - both of which are gems, by the by.

The record mixes standards and originals, beginning with a sideways take on Boots Randolph's yackety sax called "African Cowboy." With an implied grin, it reminds us how far a little wit goes toward making complex improvisation seem a keenly entertaining art. The rhythm section of drummer Jaz Sawyer, bassist Steve Kirby, and pianist Xavier Davis boils over. And the group's sound is pretty much defined by animation. Rolling through the shopworn "I'll Remember April," Anderson makes it seem like he heard it for the first time that morning.

An extraordinarily resourceful improvisor, the saxophonist never blows blather while trying to drum up the next set of ideas. Because he foregrounds old-school blues and swing, lazy listeners have tended to cast him as a conservative. But his tart sound and natural sense of daring have all the intrigue and smarts of forebears such as Jackie McLean and Arthur Blythe. There's an audio verite feel to this Vanguard recording, and the grit of the ensemble has never been so evident.

Tracks:

Rocker
Autumn In New York
Godchild
The Lady Is a Tramp
It's Only a Paper Moon
My Shining Hour
All Across the City
While We're Young
Last Night When We Were Young

Customer Reviews:

4 ½ stars.......2007-06-04

From Charlap's solo choruses in "Rocker," at once burning hot and supremely cool, to the wistful "Last Night While We Were Young," this is an absorbing and sometimes startlingly good record. Although it doesn't seem right that Charlap tends to get most of the attention - i.e. the focus on Charlap in interviews about the trio's work, his lone cover photo here, and some critics' annoying habit of dubbing the unrelated bassist and drummer "the two Washingtons"- he really is a fine player. His solos are consistently interesting and invigorating; his technique is impressive; and how about the way he uses the piano? Even if one may grow weary of a certain right hand tremolo/trill effect as transitional device, Charlap's quiet but hip comping, use of lower registers, piano-rattling glissandi, and superimposition of left hand and right hand are extremely effective and rather unique. So too are his undulating lines, at once muted and strong, and his enviable ability to create a translucent, ethereal musical space. It is for these reasons that "Autumn in New York" garnered such a reverent response from the Vanguard audience - and "My Shining Hour" such a raucous one.

Speaking of "My Shining Hour," let me not be guilty of the same Charlap-centered commentary I lamented earlier. As the liner notes point out, "the incandescent playing captured here is made possible by trust," a trust which in turn is only possible thanks to the rock-solid foundation provided by Peter Washington on bass and the combustible energy released by Kenny Washington on drums. Although I feel that Peter has not yet been ideally captured on recording, it is quite evident from this album and others that Kenny sets the fire under the band and leads them to "Shining Hour" heights. The very swinging feel of a potentially square tune like "Rocker" and potentially static arrangement of "While We're Young," as well as "Last Night While We Were Young's" magical coda, owe much to Kenny's fire, too.

It should be no surprise, then, that numbers like "Lady is a Tramp" cook when the Charlap Trio plays `em, and ballad arrangements like "All Across the City" are so good they almost hurt. But "While We're Young" also provides indisputable proof that this group can play in 3. So let's hear some more waltzes, and more of that glorious ebb and flow that another pianist named Bill inspired at the same Village Vanguard :) How about more bass and drum solos too?!? (come now, 2 bass solos and 1 drum solo really are not enough for a whole album). Then, consider the possibilities of straight 8, Latin, funk, mixed meter...you know these guys can do it. To me, this would make a visit to see them at the Vanguard or Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola that much more memorable - and their group that much better.

A Great Snapshot of an Excellent Trio.......2007-06-01

After many years of widespread acclaim as one of the best working groups in mainstream jazz, the Bill Charlap Trio has finally issued its first live recording, and the results are most impressive. Individually, the group's members are all virtuoso musicians of the highest caliber, and in any setting they can be counted upon to deliver vivid, engaging performances (see for example Charlap's collaborations with Warren Vaché and Peter Washington's work with the great Tommy Flanagan). However, when they play together their rapport is so strong that each seems to bring out the best in the others, and even on the trio's studio recordings they sometimes attain a level of controlled intensity that is downright mesmerizing, both on uptempo numbers and on slow ballads. Here, they reach that level again and again, and the interplay among them is consistently thrilling; each plays with great energy and creativity, but also with great precision, and they are so perfectly attuned to one another that when they improvise together they do so with a degree of cohesion and unity that is nothing short of astonishing. ("My Shining Hour" provides an especially good example of this.) Their own enjoyment of what they can do is both palpable and infectious, and while they never indulge in the kind of showboating that sometimes mars live recordings, the presence of an attentive and appreciative audience does seem to inspire them. The sounds made by that audience are not the least bit obtrusive, but their applause helps to create a pleasant atmosphere of immediacy, as does the immaculate sound achieved by engineer Joel Moss. The disc is also nicely programmed, though there are fewer rarities than one might expect given Charlap's extensive knowledge of the American songbook and his penchant for reintroducing overlooked but worthy material.

In all, this is a most welcome document of an exceptional group in action. It is also long overdue, so let's hope that volume two will follow in short order!

Live At The Village Vanguard: The Master Takes

Average customer rating:

Got Soul?
great live coltrane musical magic act.
Excellent introduction to the Quartet
One of the greatest of live music albums
an evergreen classic

Live At The Village Vanguard: The Master Takes
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Grp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Live at Birdland
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ASIN: B0000065KK
Release Date: 1998-02-24

Tracks:

Spiritual
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
Chasin' The Trane
India
Impressions

Amazon.com

John Coltrane's legendary 1961 stint at the Village Vanguard marked one of many watersheds in his career. For the first time on record, Coltrane was delving into extended solos, featuring another saxophonist in his front line and extending the rhythmic palette of his group to include East Indian tinges. Eric Dolphy stands out in the Village Vanguard sessions, both for his poingnant bass clarinet work on "India" and for his dragon-like alto sax elsewhere. As usual with the "classic" Coltrane Quartet, pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones create a storm of crisp chords and torrential rhythms. This creates an ideal foil for Coltrane's irrepressible saxophone creativity. Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Got Soul?.......2007-04-14

You want to hear the human soul at its best? Here you go.

great live coltrane musical magic act........2007-03-24

"chasin' the trane," "india," and "impression" are highwire acts of fierce musicianship. there is a nervous tension contained within the rapid fire notes (notes that rub off against each other with a speed producing audio sparks), which moves each of these tunes along towards a breathless climax. heady stuff. "spiritual," is simply one of the most gorgeous coltrane tracks out there. if you don't have this album, get it soon.

Excellent introduction to the Quartet.......2006-03-09

For those not familiar with Coltrane's Classic Quartet (Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones), this is a great springboard for diving into his plethora of works with the ensemble. Though there are only a few cuts on this album, it's about quality, not quantity. Besides, Coltrane blows for 15 minutes on "Chasin' the Train" and about as long on the modal jazz standard, "Impressions". Backed by one of the greatest rhythm sections of all time!

And even within those two cuts, it's not about quantity, but quality. He doesn't exactly play a flurry of notes, but keeps his ideas relatively simple, and just builds and builds for all those choruses (I recall reading somewhere that he blew 96 choruses on "Chasin' the Train").

If you're into Coltrane's playing with Miles, then this shouldn't be that far of a stretch for the ears. This also seems to be one of the very few albums he recorded live with the quartet that didn't feature "My Favorite Things", which seemed to be his Quartet's staple later on.

One of the greatest of live music albums.......2005-10-16

If you are already a Coltrane fan, which you must be if you are considering purchasing a 4 cd set, then I would simply say to you why are you hesitating? This collection is quite simply one of the greatest collection of live music I had the privilge of listening to. It is Coltrane (and his band) at the peak of their powers.If you are a casual jazz or music fan with money considerations, then I would suggest you buy the one cd version that was released while he was alive and use the savings to explore more of his albums. However, once you start listening to Coltrane you will come back to considering this collection because there is simply no comparative recordings that capture his brilliance.

an evergreen classic.......2005-06-12

Listeners unfamiliar with the Coltrane catalogue could do worse than to begin with this gem, which features the 'classic quartet' supplemented by multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy.

Track by track:
"Spiritual": One of the most beautiful of Coltrane themes. It opens with majestic fanfare, then moves into a syncopated waltz time. Coltrane starts on tenor, finishes on soprano sax. McCoy Tyner's piano underpinnings imbue this work with a cleansing grace, like urban rain washing away the city grime.

"Softly As In A Morning Sunrise": A quick stroll through the park, with Elvin Jones shining on both brushes and sticks. Tyner has a typically sparkling solo, ushering in Coltrane on soprano sax.

"Chasing The Trane": Almost a power trio. Coltrane on tenor, never letting up, and never repeating himself. He does everything but turn his horn inside out. The rock group "Cream" was never quite this intense.

"India": An unusual theme that sounds to me more American Indian than Far Eastern. Coltrane's soprano sax takes on a skirling, keening quality, sometimes erupting into furious squalls.

"Impressions": Another marathon in which Coltrane leaps between straightforward lyricism and Ornette Coleman style free jazz. Elvin Jones pounds away and prods throughout.

Average customer rating:

ACCEPTABLE, POLITE & MUSHY
The great Wynton in a week
For the price you gotta love it. and its delectable
Marsalis is a Genius
Excellent

Live at the Village Vanguard
Wynton Marsalis
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Live at the House of Tribes
Standard Time, Vol.5: The Midnight Blues
The Magic Hour
Live in Swing City - Swingin' With Duke
Black Codes (From the Underground)

ASIN: B00003A9NY
Release Date: 1999-12-07

Tracks:

Welcome (#1)
Cherokee
The Egyptian Blues
Embraceable You
Black Codes From The Underground
Harriet Tubman
Monk's Mood
And The Band Played On
The Cat In The Hat
(Set Break)

Tracks:

Welcome (#2)
Uptown River
Down Home With Homey
Reflections
Jig's Jig
Sometimes It Goes Like That
In A Sentimental Mood
Knozz-Moe-King
(Set Break)

Tracks:

Welcome (#3)
Buggy Ride
I'll Remember April
Stardust
In The Court Of King Oliver
Bona & Paul
Four In One
Way Back Blues
Rubber Bottom
Midnight In Paris
Play The Blues And Go
(Set Break)

Tracks:

Welcome (#4)
Pedro's Getaway
Evidence
Embraceable You
A Long Way
The Arrival
Misterioso
Happy Birthday
The Seductress
(Set Break)

Tracks:

Welcome (#5)
The Majesty Of The Blues
Flee As A Bird To The Mountain
Happy Feet Blues
Thelonious
Stardust
Intro To Buddy Bolden
Buddy Bolden
Swing Down Swing Town
Bright Mississippi
(Set Break)

Tracks:

Welcome (#6)
Citi Movement
Winter Wonderland
Brother Veal
Cherokee
Juba And O'Brown Squaw

Tracks:

Welcome (#7)
In The Sweet Embrace Of Life
Local Announcements
Altar Call
Final Statement

Amazon.com

This stupendous seven-CD collection from the all-world trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Wynton Marsalis chronicles the amazing evolution of his underrated live septets at the legendary Village Vanguard from 1990 to 1994. Sequenced to simulate a week-long gig, the set melds together three different incarnations of Marsalis's ensemble: the gifted New Orleans-born drummer Herlin Riley, the ebullient Wessel Anderson on sopranino and alto saxes, and the fluent trombonist Wycliffe Gordon are the constants. The mercurial Marcus Roberts and the fleet-fingered Eric Reed alternate on piano, while Ben Wolfe and Reginald Veal lock it down on the bass. These selections showcase the astounding "school" of musicians that followed Marsalis's first superband with his brother, Branford Marsalis, the late Kenny Kirkland, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. Marcus Roberts's articulate lines sonically sigature his uptempto original, "The Arrival," and his solo on Thelonious Monk's "Misterioso" calls forth the soulful spirit of Monk's mentor, James P. Johnson. Eric Reed accompanies the leader with a well-traveled, harmonic magic carpet on "The Seductress" and provides some imaginative ivory ticklings on the 5/4-cadenced "Uptown Ruler," with Herlin Riley's Big Easy backbeats and Mardi Gras Indian chants. Wycliffe Gordon makes a stylistic stop in Kansas City on Count Basie's "Way Back Blues," with his territory trombone tones, and pays his dues to Tricky Sam Nanton on Duke Ellington's "Play the Blues and Go." Reginald Veals's "Brother Veal" rings with his deep sound, while Wes Anderson's Afro-Arabic "The Egyptian Blues" and Todd William's uptempo, Coltrane-like "The Cat in the Hat Is Back" display their horn and composition skills. Another Marsalis cohort, Dr. Michael White, makes a surprise appearance with his Preservation Hall clarinet on the traditional hymn "Flee as a Bird to the Mountain." Marsalis's studio recordings are revisited, from the early '80s tune "Knozz-Moe-King" to the parade pulsations of "Juba and a O'Brown Sqauw" from the 1997 Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Blood on the Fields. His encyclopedic command of the trumpet tradition is in full effect. Check out his bop-ballad renditions of "Cherokee," "Embraceable You," "Stardust," and the muted musings on the short but sweet "Bona and Paul," inspired by two character's from Jean Toomer's literary classic, Cane. Two extended compositions, the 40-minute "Citi Movement," with its aural impressions of urban life filtered through swing, ballad, and Afro-Latin forms, and the nearly hour-long jazz spiritual "In the Sweet Embrace of Life," a movement from In This House, on This Morning, are well paced for this enthusiastic crowd. With Wynton Marsalis's superb playing and leadership, along with his dowm-home introductions of Lionel Hampton, Cassandra Wilson, and Joshua Redman, this potpourri of selections does what all remote recordings are meant to do: it puts the listener at home in front of the bandstand and captures the one-of-a-kind ambience and interplay of live music making. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Customer Reviews:

ACCEPTABLE, POLITE & MUSHY.......2007-05-28

It's appropriate that ounce per ounce this 7 CD set is a barn burner of a value for the amount of original music provided. That said, Mr. Marsalas is the Wal-Mart of Jazz, good value of low to moderate quality items with a little bit of everything on show. Everything except intensity, improvisation any interesting playing. At best the 3 bands don't muff their parts & stay tightly focused. But I can't really take it for Jazz; every note seems preordained, laid-out in a light meaningless groove & I never feel anyone ever takes off & flies, leaving the rest of the players scrambling to catch up.
Instead a well trained group of musicians provide archeological coverage of what jazz must of sounded like when it was alive.
I started listening to Jazz at 11 years of age with no encouragement from anyone. My first album ever was "Monk's Dream" I still love that album today & it brings back rich memories of learning to appreciate an obscure musical dialogue.
Marsalas never puts me in mind of anything more daring then a Jackie Gleason alum.
Here are two examples of what I mean; the "drum solo" 10 min. in on Uptown Ruler is unbelievable pallid & of no interest. I don't like drum solos but may a good drummer has sucked me in against my will. Now the next track , "Down Home with Homey" (really that title says it all about how generic this music is) has a bass solo about 90 seconds in that sound like the guy is just plucking the strings till the ensemble comes to his rescue. Compare this to any of many Charlie Haden discs on his own or with Ornette Coleman & I think you'll see the difference between these 3 bands & what the best Jazz is like. I mean there are good moments (Wynton does a few good trumpet licks, the players strike a real groove at times) on this set, it is 7 discs, but the overall effect is really a turn-off. Even at 20 bucks it barely seems worthwhile. Three stars for value, one star for the tunes.

The great Wynton in a week.......2007-05-12

Many people, and critics, says that the best Wynton's perfomance recorded was "Live at Blues Alley"... but after when you listen this set box, your will change your opinion. I will see play to Wynton in three times ( one in septet and two with the Jazz Lincoln). Wynton with your Jazz Orchestra is very good... but in septet or octet is superb. In this set this is the kind of combo. Several tracks are played in spledid way. One o these records is ( alone) one masterpiece: the record number five. The sound is perfect: you feel stay into the Village Vanguard, and all the crew plays very ,very well, standards, or the Wynton's themes. From me is one of the best buy ( also the set is very cheap) in many time, because the music is of high voltage. And is a pleasure listen seat and very near of you to the Wynton's crew. After of listen the records ( or one session... for example) you feel that this evening, or this morning was in Village Vanguard with the group in a super sesssion of pure jazz. Please buy the set!

For the price you gotta love it. and its delectable.......2006-11-25

I know Wynton is not exploring the unknown space here but it is good old fashion good time music and its accessible. For the price it is one of the best bargains out there. Plus there will always a place for classic jazz. This is music for the heart and the roots. I went to college in New Orleans and I will always consider it my alma mater. Love Wyton and his family along with the Nevilles.

Marsalis is a Genius.......2006-06-09

This is easily the most underrated CD of all time. When I received this CD I was blown away. The solos, the leads, everything was great.

Buying this 7-CD set for 30 bucks made me feel like a thief. Most people who gave this CD a bad rating can't get over what Wynton said about Miles Davis. They are both great and enjoying Marsalis doesn't take anything away from Miles Davis.

Wynton Marsalis is the greatest living jazz musician and one of the best ever and he proves it with this CD. It is a must buy for all jazz fans and all trumpet players.

Excellent.......2005-10-22

First let me confess, I haven't listened to the entire collection yet; it's about 9 hours total, and I've listened to maybe 40% of it at this point over a day.

The most telling thing I can say about the collection is, I expect to listen to the other 60% within the next day or two, and doubt I'll get tired with it. There's so much to listen to ... for starters, the song selection is excellent. Styles vary, as do tempos and volumes (and the key, if that's a big thing for you). Despite being hashed together, the songs flow very well and the week-long set premise is believable. The tunes are well orchestrated, polished, and in general you won't find yourself waiting for the solos to start as is sometimes the case with other artists. The recording quality is very good, little background noise for being live.

I can't speak well enough of the musicianship present. Wycliffe and Wes Anderson shine in particular in my opinion, though Wynton steals the show. His opinions on the art may cause an argument in some quarters, but I can't envision any dispute about the man's talent and taste (both as a composer and a soloist). The solos are well divided amongst the group - Wynton doesn't hog - and the approaches are refreshingly unique.

I feel required to find at least one complaint, so I'll nitpick about the packaging. The box and cd envelopes are actually pretty good-looking. Or at least, mine were before I took the plastic off. Each cd is individually wrapped, which is a little tedious in itself, but the plastic tends to take some of the ink when you remove it, leaving white patches. Doesn't really bother me, but I suppose that it could, conceivably, aggravate someone.

Average customer rating:

Smokin' Live 1967 Big Band
Big Band Greatness

Live at the Village Vanguard
Thad Jones & Mel Lewis
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Presenting Joe Williams & Thad Jones/Mel Lewis
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Thad Jones Legacy

ASIN: B0009IW9SE
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Tracks:

The Little Pixie
A-That's Freedom
Bachafillen
Don't Git Sassy
Willow Tree
Samba Con Getchu
Quietude
The Second Race
Lover Man

Album Description

The Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra was little more than a year old when this album was recorded live at the Village Vanguard, which was the band's Monday night home for every week of its existence. Jones almost single-handedly brought the big band into the modern age with this origanization. Swung hard by Mel Lewis's drums, the band sailed through the complex charges of Jones and Bob Brookmeyer with panache. Soloists include Brookmeyer, Jones, Richard Williams, Jerome Richardson and Joe Farrell. Three bonus tracks have added to the original LP, which has been remixed and mastered in 24-bit.

Customer Reviews:

Smokin' Live 1967 Big Band .......2006-01-01

A great Jazz Orchestra with spirit and class laying down some exciting performance.
We have here the presence of Thad Jones on coronet and his co-leader Mel Lewis on drums with a band of about 20 including trombones,sax,flute,clarinet,piano,bass and guitar playing some extraordinary music in total elegance.
The songs performed here are fast in tempo,medium in tempo,total swing,stomp,even a Fats Waller song and a Latin Jazz Romp..there are also 3 bonus tracks adding another 20 minutes of playing time, a nice cover of Lover Man and 2 Thad Jones originals which were not part of the original LP all here in 24 bit remastered glory.

Big Band Greatness.......2005-07-03

This is a landmark jazz album, presenting one of the great big bands of all-time. Composed of the cream of New York jazz musicians, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band featured the inspired writing of Jones and the driving, swinging-like-hell drums of Lewis. The repetoire was limited--most of these selections can be found elsewhere, notably the Village Vanguard Live Sessions #3 and the album Potpourri. But if you lack these, you'll want this. First class in every way.

I saw the band several times at the Village Vanguard, where it played on Monday nights. It was simply thrilling.

Stepping Stones: Live at the Village Vanguard

Average customer rating:

Woody Shaw is no joke....
d--n good recording
Total agreement with all the reviewers!!!!!!
It's About Freekin' Time. Does not suck. The Anti-Wynbag.
Jazz Masters of the '70's

Stepping Stones: Live at the Village Vanguard
Woody Shaw
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rosewood
Woody Shaw Live, Vol. 4
Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall
Woody Shaw Live, Vol. 3
Tex Book Tenor

ASIN: B0009Y26P4
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

Stepping Stone
In A Capricornian Way
Seventh Avenue
All Things Being Equal Are Not
Escape Velocity
Blues For Ball
Theme For Maxine

Customer Reviews:

Woody Shaw is no joke...........2006-11-30

I'd venture to say that at this period of his career he was the best trumpet player of all time. He was the total package...composer, brilliant technician, melodic and adventerous.
After hearing this album its hard for me to listen to Freddie Hubbard in the same way any more since Woody takes Freddies style up about 10 notches.
Woody's career was too short and inconsistant to be considered the Greatest of all time but at his peak (on this album) there was nobody better in my opinion.

By the way, I would not have happened upon Woody's music if it hadn't been for sites such as amazon, allmusicguide etc etc.
Needless to say this music isn't advertised at your local record store and is rarely stocked.
I ordered this album a few months ago off of amazon and since then I've picked up pretty much everything I can find with Woody on it.

One last note, the sound quality on this recording is incredible..it sounds better than most studio recordings.

Great post bop jazz.

d--n good recording .......2006-08-20

I listen to this recording at least once a day in between my booker little and lee morgan,art blakey listenings.What a fresh and exciting,sentimental,fiery live recording this one is tops,peace!

Total agreement with all the reviewers!!!!!!.......2006-08-20

It's so nice to read such wonderful, positive words about my homeboy, Woody Shaw! You guys wrote so well, all I can add is, buy the record, and hear what all the fuss is about. The best review, of course, is best post hard bop trumpeter (with the best hard bop trumpeter being Lee Morgan, his idol and my favorite musician). All the cuts are great, but my favorite is "Escape Velocity", the only cut released while Woody was here. It was on Woody III, my favorite Shaw record; if you can, buy that one, too!
OK, I think you get the gist--buy this record!

It's About Freekin' Time. Does not suck. The Anti-Wynbag........2005-12-15

This is a great session. Woody was definitely the anti-Wynbag. Wynbag and his progeny seem rather sterile by comparison.

For whatever reason, Columbia sat on this after the initial vinyl release in '78 and never released it to CD during Woody's lifetime. Mosaic did not include it in the recent Columbia retrospective. I have owned this on vinyl since 1979 or so and I still find it exciting and fresh. Most of this was recorded at the Vanguard. This is a document of a real, working quintet with NY-style hard-edged playing. These guys play like they've been touring together for years. If you're looking for a crappy-ass LA rehearsal band or a college pick-up band or some lame jam session laboring through Stella and Straight no Chaser, then you should give this one a pass.

But that's just my opinion, K?

Jazz Masters of the '70's.......2005-09-02

Bottom line, this records kills. When Wynton and Crouch would have you believing jazz was dead in the '70's, here's proof positive they were dead wrong. It's sad that guys like Woody were toughing it out in the lean years only to be shunned when the post-Wynton twenty something's were getting all the label and media play. I still can't believe Columbia dropped Woody for Wynton! Maybe now they're trying to make up for it. This document will stand the test of time when many of the "neoclassical" recordings have long been forgotten. This is no rehash. This is music by musicians who clearly know the lineage but have developed a sound of their own. You gotta pay some dues for that! Not only are the performances on "Stepping Stones" stellar, the writing is great as well. Like Miles' legendary ensembles of the '50's and '60's these guys sound like a BAND, this ain't no pickup date. If you want to hear cutting edge hard bop by some of the unsung heroes of the art buy this CD immediately. This music deserves to be heard and it's players given their due.

The Art of the Trio, Vol. 2: Live at the Village Vanguard

Average customer rating:

notes on a controversy
Fine piano trio music
The guy is really good, so take a chance on him...
Today's Most Challenging and Refreshing Jazz Trio.
Major, major jazz

The Art of the Trio, Vol. 2: Live at the Village Vanguard
Brad Mehldau
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Songs: The Art of the Trio, Vol. 3
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Elegiac Cycle

ASIN: B0000062VD
Release Date: 1998-03-10

Tracks:

It's Alright With Me
Young And Foolish
Monk's Dream
The Way You Look Tonight
Moon River
Countdown

Amazon.com

This live set, recorded at New York's Village Vanguard in the summer of 1997, presents pianist Brad Mehldau with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy, the same personnel as on The Art of the Trio, Volume One. This is hardcore jazz, with tunes by Cole Porter, Thelonious Monk, Jerome Kern, Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer, and John Coltrane. Mehldau hasn't yet earned a place in the highest rank of the jazz pantheon, but if he keeps making recordings of this caliber, he'll blow away a lot of the opposition. He doesn't wear his influences on his sleeve but, with the support of Grenadier and Rossy, executes harmonic reconstructions of standard texts. --Stanley Booth

Customer Reviews:

notes on a controversy.......2005-01-18

Sorry, this isn't really a review of this album. It's a few thoughts on the "controversy" over comparing Mehldau to Bill Evans (see, e.g., the "Major, major jazz" review on this page). Mehldau himself has disavowed the comparison on several occasions, most notably in the liner notes to Art of the Trio Vol. 4, in which he says he only listened to Evans "a little, when I was 13 or 14 years old"--and then goes on to provide a detailed analysis of how his trio functions in a different way than Evans's. If you take this at face value . . . (After I read Mehldau's liner notes, I was hoping someone would get him a copy of Harold Bloom's _The Anxiety of Influence_ for his birthday.)

Some of Mehldau's points (e.g., racial troping and the role of the bassist) are repeated in a well-written review on this page. I'd like to respond to a few of those points--because methinks it has gotten to the point where Mehldau (and some of his fans) doth protest too much.

Let me grant three points immediately: 1) Mehldau is a unique and gigantic talent. His personal expression is not in any way invalidated by similarities or differences with Bill Evans or any other pianist. 2) Harmonically, Mehldau is not an impressionist the way Evans was. 3) Collective improvisation is not the key to the Mehldau Trio as it was to Evans's best trios.

But!

The comparisons to Evans did not come out of the blue, and racial troping (or "profiling") seems to me something of a red herring. I mean, if it were that simple, why isn't Mehldau also frequently compared with George Shearing, Dave Brubeck, Vince Guaraldi, and Chick Corea?

Beyond the obvious facts of performing in a trio and playing in a Romantic, introspective manner, Mehldau is frequently compared to Evans, I believe, mainly because of his choice of repertoire. On his very first album, for instance, Mehldau recorded two Richard Rodgers classics--"It Might as Well Be Spring" and "My Romance"--that had long been associated with Evans. In fact, Evans recorded "My Romance" many times, starting with *his* first album. And on this album (AotT2), Mehldau plays "Young and Foolish," which Evans recorded several times.

Beyond such specific examples, there is a general similarity in what they play, a mix of high-quality standards (Rodgers, Porter, Gershwin, etc.), originals, and unexpected works by contemporaries. That might sound generic enough to be true of nearly any jazz performer--but if you look carefully at what Mehldau plays, you will see it resembles the things Evans recorded much more than it resembles what most other jazz performers, pianists or otherwise, play. Keep in mind, too, that using the "great American songbook" as the basis for major league jazz improvisations (and writing pieces in a similar vein) was quite unusual and not exactly fashionable during Evans's peak years, which coincided with the free jazz and fusion movements. It's less unusual now, after the Keith Jarrett and Wynton Marsalis standards collections, but there is no question that Evans is an important link between pre-bop and contemporary performance of standards material.

Mehldau and Evans also resemble each other in the things they play that are off the beaten path (for the jazz world). Mehldau has covered material by such elder statesmen of the rock establishment as Paul McCartney and Paul Simon--which is still a little unusual for a jazz performer. But the Paul Simon song he recently covered, "Still Crazy After All These Years," comes from the same album that the Simon song Evans liked to cover ("I Do It for Your Love") does. Also, Mehldau has gotten a lot of attention for covering tunes by Nick Drake and Radiohead--just as Evans received attention for covering Johnny Mandel's Theme from M*A*S*H and songs by Burt Bacharach (before he was considered one of the "old masters"). In both cases, they saw the lyrical value of material that others wouldn't might not have thought to convert into jazz.

So the claim that there are "no similarities" between Evans and Mehldau just doesn't ring true. In addition to their similar choice of repertoire--which suggests a great amount of temperamental affinity if not necessarily direct influence--both are classically trained pianists, and you can easily hear that (although I don't think Mehldau's touch is quite as refined as Evans's was).

Also, the claim that Mehldau has "a fire that Evans never envinced [sic]" doesn't wash with me. Miles Davis said he hired Evans specifically because he wanted Evans's "quiet fire." And that fire wasn't always all that quiet, as anyone who has heard Evans's early recordings with George Russell (e.g., "Concerto for Billy the Kid" and "All About Rosie") well knows. Evans was perfectly capable of barnstorming when he wanted to. This was a man who played Beethoven's Third Concerto at his senior recital and who liked to play Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto for his own private enjoyment. If you think you can play those virtuoso masterpieces without fire in your belly, guess again.

Okay, those are my points. I just think the pendulum has tended to swing too much from uncritical comparisons to (blindly following Mehldau's own not disinterested lead) uncritical disavowals of all affinities. Hey, it's a massive compliment to be compared to Evans. And it shouldn't mean that Mehldau isn't his own man, because he most definitely is. It's just that given what he's playing (esp. in a jazz piano trio format), Evans is the obvious point of reference and will remain so, just as Verdi would be an obvious point of comparison for Puccini. Sure, let's be aware of the crucial differences between them. Let's look for and celebrate everything that's distinctive in Mehldau's playing (because there's plenty of that). But when we look through the musical universe, to whom are we likely to compare Mehldau? Verdi? Madonna? Bill Monroe? Stuff Smith? No one picked Evans's name out of a hat.

P.S. If you love piano jazz, get all of Mehldau's albums, including this one (well, maybe except Largo). You see, he's this great contemporary jazz pianist, a little like Bill Evans, only different . . .

Fine piano trio music.......2004-03-28

As a serious fan of Bill Evans, but with little knowledge of the jazz world, I picked up the first four volumes of Mehldau's Art of the Trio recordings following a recommendation from a friend.

Volumes 1 and 3 are studio recordings; volumes 2 and 4 are live (I don't have volume 5, yet, another live volume, this one on 2 CDs). I think Mehldau is great, and I especially like the studio recordings. They are lyrical and melodic, whereas the live recordings tend more toward pyrotechnics and displays of virtuosity.

If you like the kind of music Bill Evans played, you'll certainly like volumes 1 and 3. You may prefer the live ones, especially if you're into Keith Jarrett (at least Mehldau doesn't grunt and squeal all the time). In any case, this is great music, well played and the trio has a great rapport.

The guy is really good, so take a chance on him..........2003-08-16

This is my first Mehldau CD, and I like it a lot. A piano trio live at the Village Vanguard? How can that NOT remind jazz lovers of the two famous Bill Evans' albums recorded live there 36 years earlier? Brad is not quite in that league perhaps, but he's a lot closer than I would have guessed. Of course, he does not want to be known as "almost as good as Bill Evans." He wants to see reviews of other respected young pianists described as "almost as wonderful as Mehldau." If you like piano jazz with an edge, this is for you. He plays standards, but with his own twist and a '90's sensibility. They are recognizable and pretty, but taken in some new directions as well. Kind of like Monk did, and Evans did, and that's great company. On this disc, the trio tackles a Monk original, and a Coltrane original, and a Mancini original, plus Cole Porter and Jerome Kern. The '30's and the '50's and the 60's in only six tunes. Even the few moments of these 73 minutes I don't love are still interesting. Check it out!

Today's Most Challenging and Refreshing Jazz Trio........2001-11-20

This album is the 2nd volume of the trio's production entitled: "The Art Of the Trio". It is also the first of the live recordings of the pianist Brad Mehldau with his partners Larry Grenadier (bass) and Jorge Rosy (drums) at the Village Vanguard in NYC, this time during a summer appearance in 1997.

The album is definitely a highlight of the Trio's material and it brings Mehldau's outstanding musical virtues as a pianist directly into the audience. One of the best way to evaluate the musician is live, in direct with no studio cosmetics or second chances. Mehladau not only passes the test -or any test you wish to give him- but also exceeds any expectations you may have weather you are a Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett or Corea follower. Critics impose a heavy stigma on Mehldau when they compare him to Bill Evans and claim that he is the next successor to the throne. I never buy or reject any artist's music because of his influences, similarities, or differences, but rather on his own capabilities. Within the piano jazz trio format, Mehldau is extremely creative, very sharp, takes risks, very moving, a virtuoso when it comes o technique, and takes jazz into music boundaries where very few artists can go. Without getting into the similarities or differences with the other piano masters, having heard all of the Evans, Jarrett, Corea, and Hancock albums I recommend you that if you appreciate free format jazz piano trios, include this CD in your collection. It will either be one of your best and favorites ones throughout time of the most challenging one if you are an extremely conservative listener. I celebrate that modern jazz has a young pianist with such talent and capacity.

The repertoire is composed of six "covers" and does not including any of Mehldau compositions -as he did in the Trios Vol IV: Back at the Village Vanguard-. During the CD's one hour twenty minutes, the tunes range from "Monk's Dream" (T. Monk) and "Countdown" (J. Coltrane) to classic standards like "Moon River" (Mercer-Mancini) or "It's Alright with Me" (C. Porter) allowing Mehldau to expand his creativity to the max.

Lastly, try not to get to involved with Mehldaus' very extensive comments and reflections that appear in the inside of the CD's cover, like some reviewers who have rejected and criticized Mehldau's thoughts as if the item offered were a book instead of a jazz piano CD. Believe me, Mehldau's language is the piano and his thoughts make a lot of sense when he plays "his jazz" into our souls. Keep speaking Mr. Mehldau, your playing came just in time as jazz piano was getting monotonous.

Major, major jazz.......2001-09-19

It's easy to evaluate a jazz musician's career in retrospect, usually when they're in middle age, and declaring greatness over a large body of work and years of concerts. It's never so easy when faced with a still growing body of work from a contemporary artist. Bard Mehldau is one such artist, and even though he has made fewer than 10 discs, one can say without hesitation that he is a great jazz musician. The proof is in the playing, and this CD is one of many great doorways into that playing.

As a pianist, Mehldau is a virtuoso, secure in both hands and with an effortless variety of articulations at any speed. But he's no Oscar Peterson, he has plenty to say. Plenty.

To his own frustrated bemusement, Mehldau has often been compared to Bill Evans [even among the professional editorials on Amazon] yet that is a shallow case of racial-profiling. Other than being a white piano player, there are no real similarities. Mehldau is lyrical and introspective in the Evansian sense only in the manner with which jazz musicians call ideas from out of themselves. He has a fire that Evans never envinced and a style that is unique and refreshing. Like a lot of modern jazz artists, he has gone to the classical repertoire to expand his harmonic range and his improvisational sense, but where for most jazz players, the classical touchstones are Stravinsky, Bartok and Debussy, Mehldau has turned back to the 19th century, especially the piano music of Robert Schumann. So instead of expanding jazz harmonics by extending tonalities, he uses the more subtle but richer approach of placing simpler chords in an overall harmonic structure that is more complex; basic inversions that give a sense of false cadence, diatonic harmonies over extended pedals to create ambigiuous key relationships, etc. These are all composers' concerns, and that is what Mehldau often does, his improvisations are re-compositions. He frequently takes apart the structure of a tune, examining it from many angles, and does so with tremendous vitality and swing. The approach is more like Sonny Rollins, with the advantage of the harmonies a piano provides. And it's tremendously gripping and exciting, rich in detail and imagination. There is the sense in listening to him that you are discovering what he is right along with him.

Also unlike Bill Evans, this is definitely a soloist-accompanist trio, not a collective. Grenadier and Rossy could not be more solid or sympathetic with the leaders approach, and they are vital in maintaining the ideas and energy. Pervious criticism is cloth-eared and unwarranted. Mehldau is fast becoming an essential part of the music, don't let him get away without you.

Live at the Village Vanguard
Average customer rating:

live is best

Transcendent + exciting = masterpiece

A Live in trio to be compared with Kenny Werner's Peace.

BANG!

Live at the Village Vanguard
Uri Caine Trio
Manufacturer: Winter & Winter
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Goldberg Variations: Aria and 70 Variations Adapted, Arranged and Composed by Uri Caine

Plays Mozart

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ASIN: B0001MQHUY
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Tracks:

Nefertiti
All The Way
Stiletto
I Thought About You
Otello
Snaggletooth
Go Deep
Cheek To Cheek
Most Wanted
BushWack

Album Description

To play for a week at the Village Vanguard is every musician's dream - especially if it's recorded. Uri Caine recorded this disc from May 20-25, 2003. He had been thinking about how one can perform music by Bach, Beethoven and Wagner meaningfully these days - how to fetch these milestones of music out of the imaginary museum and fill them with life.

Customer Reviews:

live is best.......2004-07-26

I recently had the chance to catch Uri Caine at the Vanguard and was blown away. The music as expected was sensational, but the nuances - the control of dynamics unmatched since Bill Evans, the transitions from overpowering block chords and technically demanding runs to quiet intimate moments of extraordinary beauty - were what stood out. This album catches all of that. The trio is extraordinary, working together like a single entity, and the tunes are challenging and reward repeat listening. In particular, pay close attention to 'Otello' - it will stick in your brain (all for the good) for a long long time. This album challenges, swings and emotes - one of the best live piano trios I have heard in a long time

Transcendent + exciting = masterpiece.......2004-07-18

Yeah ! + 6 stars for
1) this is a live performance
2) the musicians (Drew Gress and Ben Perowski on top-top-top-top-top (listen to the team-up with Chris Speed on Iffy, issued in 2000). My hat to you BEN ! He is what ARI is in Kenny Werner's trio... But he's got his own style (chromatics, polyrhythm...listen to his solo track 3... + wink of an eye to the drummer of the Bad Plus : do you want a lesson? take track 4 + intro track 5. Listen to how he can groove hard (on "I thought about you"). These guys can do everything. Real musicians, real profesionnals, you bet !
3) good mix between standards (3 = Nefertiti + Cheek to cheek + I thought about you ) and originals (6 = among which great "BushWack" with a good dose of humour...)
4) impressive technique (Uri Caine is a raving crazy (listen to intro on I thought about you... I won't play piano anymore... And This crazy pianist can also be mellow : listen to the transition between Nefertiti and All The Way!...) + creative urges (great Stiletto between all the musicians, a hit which makes me think of All Things are you and Jabali by Kenny ) = emotions (Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!... hush now, don't explain!)
5) empathy + reactions between the musicians (Stiletto again) + disorientation (Stiletto again...and other tracks) = really good chemistry.
6) it gives such a great joy, we're into a jazz club, not any club, the Vanguard... for avant guard music, you bet.
It's enough to drive you mad... Tune it up !!! Not to be missed LIVE ! Mark my words !

A Live in trio to be compared with Kenny Werner's Peace........2004-07-18

Uri Caine, like Kenny Werner, is a jazz giant who needn't such praise. Musicians for musicians, these guys know who they are, and jazz connoisseurs also know who they are. Their performances (Kenny Werner at the Blue Note in NYC in April 2003, and Uri Caine at the Village Vanguard in May 2003) have been issued this Summer. Both groups are REAL GROUPS. Musicians (see my preview for Kenny Werner's Peace) in a superlative trio, in the sense of a Bill Evans with a Scott La Faro and a Paul Motian or in the sense of a big-great-superlative rhythmic section with, for instance(...), a Herbie Hancock with a Ron Carter and a Tony Williams... No more, no less... Not a leader with two sidemen but three musicians respecting one another, three great technicians without yielding to facilities but playing together for the sheer joy of the public ! Chris Speed has benefited (and still is?) from superlative drumming of underestimated Ben Perowski (listen to great Speed's album "Iffy" issued in 2000; for that matter the bassist was Drew Gress that we find here, in Uri Caine's superlative trio. Drew Gress, no need to introduce him : he is one of the fastest double-bass musician to enjoy the greatest celebrity in the jazz scene today. (Drew Gress plays in many groups, and to compare what's right, lets say he's been Fred Hersch regular bassist for many years.)
Like Peace by Kenny Werner, Live Village Vanguard shares some rare standards (from Miles'"Nefertiti" which is a composition by Wayne Shorter; Kenny Werner also played Wayne Shorter's themes from that Miles Davis album : great tune "Pinocchio" and superb and mysterious ballad "Fall" !) + varied original compositions by the pianist (6 by Uri Caine, 4 by Kenny Werner). Between the tracks, no time for applause, Uri like Kenny, pursues his work at great speed. Change of time, change of rhythm... These musicians have no time to be self-centered. Neither do we. As listeners or musicians, more than once we're at a loss for words. No need to talk there. Just admire the music. And smile at such sense of humour here and there, such velocity and space between the musicians, thinking that Jazz is not dead, thank ### !
Marvellous...

BANG!.......2004-06-28

Man, if Uri's not one of the cats that brings some of the most diverse playing to the table! Thunderously powerful, and tastfully restrained. After hearing many of his other albums, I rushed to get this album of his trio. Well worth the money, search and listen.

Testifyin'!: Live at the Village Vanguard

Average customer rating:

Hot-doggin
Where have I heard this before
Impassioned Perfomance
Very Good
Put your axe down and go home!

Testifyin'!: Live at the Village Vanguard
Benny Green Trio
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Green's Blues
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ASIN: B000002V06
Release Date: 1992-05-05

Tracks:

Introduction
Don't Be 'Shamed
Humphrey
Bu's March
Beutiful Moons Ago
Testifyin'
Carl's Blues
Down By The Riverside
I Should Care
The Sheik Of Araby
McThing
Billy Boy

Customer Reviews:

Hot-doggin.......2005-08-04

The Cole number (Beautiful Moons Ago) is a pleasure to listen to, and this may all have been a lot of fun if you were there, but what comes through on the recording too often is a group of musicians vying for attention without synergy or heartfelt emotion

Where have I heard this before.......2003-03-04

It's a great album--when it was done by Oscar Peterson 30 years before it.

Impassioned Perfomance.......2002-09-22

For years I have told jazz fans to begin their Benny Green experience with this recording. I couldn't even guess how many copies I have given away as gifts. And after all these years the truth is that I have yet to find one person who has not fallen in love with Benny's music after hearing this recording. Taped at the Village Vanguard in 1991, I personally consider this CD to be the crowning achievement of Benny's early career. For those who have continued to follow his music, there can be no doubt that Benny has continued to grow and expand his range. But if we want to select one recording that says "here is what the first part of Benny's career is all about," then this is the recording.

The highlight is track 4, a Benny Green original called "Bu's March." This tribute to Art Blakey is simply stunning. The tune resonates with me like few other jazz tunes can, largely because of the great passion Benny reveals. Other great songs include a Christian McBride original titled "McThing" and a lovely version of "Down by the Riverside." The trio of Carl Allen, Christian McBride, and Benny is one of my favorites and the band pulls off a tight and excellent performance.

The other thing I like about this recording is that it is live. You get to hear all the other sounds that we hear each weekend is a good jazz club. I am not talking about the pretty jazz clubs where everyone sips their wine and gives a little golf clap after each tune. These are the sounds of a real jazz club...the sounds that I love to hear with jazz music.

I hope that one day soon Benny releases another live recording of this same gritty design. Until that time, this recording will have to do. And in my opinion, I will be able to manage the wait so long as I have a copy of "Testifyin!" close by.

Very Good.......2002-02-08

Recorded in 1991. The sound samples speak for themselves. This is straight ahead jazz played by the masters. Good sound quality.

Put your axe down and go home!.......2000-08-24

This recording is incredible. I'm a big fan of almost anything "Live at the Village Vanguard," and this is one of my favorites--that includes Trane, Sonny Rollins, and all the other greats. The Vanguard is like a litmus test for jazz musicians--if they perform well there, they've pretty much proven themselves worthy of whatever accolades have been thrown their way.

That said, this recording is, again, incredible. I've never been too horribly impressed by Benny's writing, but on this disc he really shines, contributing such memorable originals as "Don't Be Shamed," the rollicking "Bu's March," and the infectious "McThing." There's also his lovely reading of the rarely played "Beautiful Moons Ago" (popularized by Nat King Cole) and a sweet solo version of "I Should Care" where Benny gets his stride thing going on.

I always felt that this trio (Allen, McBride, Green) sounded over-produced on their studio recordings. It was good stuff, but it just sounded too "clean." Well, here they are at the Vanguard, at their dirtiest, filthiest, guttural best. Highly recommended.

Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard
Average customer rating:

Sublime, but Desperately Needs Remastering

Just as good as before

Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard
Dexter Gordon
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ballads: Dexter Gordon

ASIN: B0000027EC
Release Date: 1990-09-07

Tracks:

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Amazon.com

If asked to name an influential saxophonist of the modern-jazz era, a casual fan would probably first cite John Coltrane or Charlie "Bird" Parker. But tenor saxman Dexter Gordon is as much a giant of the genre as they--his visionary work linked modern jazz's early-1940s infancy to its late-'60s adulthood. Gordon's 1962 relocation to Copenhagen may account for his relative lack of renown today. Homecoming, recorded in 1976 upon a return to New York, proves that in Europe, Gordon had further refined his classic mastery of ballads and blues. More intriguingly, the teacher had become the student, as the abundant influence of Coltrane's free-jazz breakthroughs attest. --Anders Smith-Lindall

Customer Reviews:

Sublime, but Desperately Needs Remastering.......2002-09-23

Dexter Gordon truly made a triumphant return to the United States with his engagement at New York's storied Village Vanguard in 1976. Sweeping into town, he didn't even have his own working band yet, and thus enlisted the band led by Woody Shaw as illustrious sidemen. The chance to hear Woody Shaw stretch out in a live setting is justification alone for grabbing this set, but of course Long Tall Dexter is the centerpiece (towering pillar!) of this magnificent live document.

The band stretches out on a fine mix of originals by Shaw, pianist Ronnie Matthews, and Gordon as well as standards such as "Gingerbread Boy" and "Body and Soul," and my favorite Dexter piece, "It's You or No One." Throughout, Dexter schools the audience in regal bop with his magesterial tone and delivery, often punctuated by Shaw's ringing open horn. The combination is sublime.

Dexter truly runs the gamut from classicism to modernism throughout the well-paced program, demonstrating that he wasn't just hiding away in Europe during all those years abroad and that he was once again ready to put his stamp on the way the tenor sax is played. In this way, this set is somewhat similar to Art Pepper's Village Vanguard set in that both musicians demonstrated relatively late in their careers how they had not only created distinctive signatures on their horns but had further distilled the developments of the past decades (i.e. Coltrane) into an even more modern, yet distinctive voice.

My major quibble with this particular set on CD is the terrible digital transfer. I own this volume on vinyl as well, and although I am no vinyl weenie it is painfully obvious that this particular CD transfer suffers from greatly reduced warmth. The wood sound of the bass and resonance of Dexter's low notes were captured beautifully on the original recording, but have completely disappeared from the CD edition. The music is still great, but it's due time for a proper remastering of this timeless masterpiece.

Just as good as before.......2000-06-10

This is Dexter at his peak. Recorded when he returned to the US after more than a decade of self-imposed exile, it is just as fresh and straight-ahead now as before. George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, clubby audience at the Vanguard, it is a slice of time. I've owned the LP since its release but have less occasion now to drag out the vinyl, so I'll have to treat myself to the CD.

Average customer rating:

Real 90s Jazz

Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005GXN
Release Date: 1996-02-20

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Customer Reviews:

Real 90s Jazz.......2000-07-13

It is so unfortunate that most people associate jazz in the 1990s with that watered-down happy jazz junk. Of course, there are the throngs of young lions who are playing traditional jazz, but they aren't adding a shred of anything new and interesting to this art form. For an even smaller number of jazz afficianodos, there are some great avant-garde players that have emerged in the 90s who are expanding jazz's limits, including Charles Gayle and David S. Ware, but their music is not for everyone.

Joe Lovano, on the other hand, is one of the few musicians who is playing traditional jazz, yet adding something new and expansive to the medium. "Quartets - Live at the Village Vanguard" captures this perfectly. When you mention the Village Vanguard, you think of great albums by John Coltrane, Bill Evans and Joe Henderson, and now the torch is passed to Lovano and he keeps the flame burning bright. Lovano fills 2CDs with outstanding modern jazz, including five of his own compositions, and classic tunes by Monk, Coltrane, and Mingus among others. Of the two quartets on the CD (disc one is a pianoless quartet featuring Tom Harrell, and disc two features a traditional quartet with Mulgrew Miller on piano) I have to give the nod to the one with Tom Harrell. The music is more dynamic in this pianoless group, and when Lovano is put in challenging situations he usually comes up with very creative ideas.

Which leads me to the only downside of this release, and the reason I only give it four stars. Lovano is constantly reinvigorating his music with new album concepts and lineup changes, which give his CDs diversity and their own uniqueness. However "Quartets," particularly disc 2, covers some old ground and at times is reminiscent of earlier material like "From The Soul." This does not mean you should forgo this album by any means, its just not quite as cutting edge as newer releases "Trio Fascination" and "Friendly Fire." It is however, a great live album in the jazz tradition that should appeal to most everyone.

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

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