28 Feb 08
2 edits
I'll start with three that I've been listening to by pianists that should be better known. I highly recommend all of them.
Ran Blake "All That is Tied"
A full track MP3 is available below as well as some very good prices on some very good albums.
http://www.ranblake.com/discography.html
Paul Bley "Homage to Carla"
A master of everything from Bebop to the Avant-garde. Bley has a very distinctive sound whose influence can be heard in pianists such as Keith Jarrett. Jarrett is more popular only because Bley is less compromising.
Jean-Michel Pilc "Follow Me"
Saw him in concert a couple of years ago. Remarkably inventive young pianist.
01 Mar 08
2 edits
Originally posted by SteinbergYes, it has a fragile quality that is quite beautiful. I've just been listening to it. Thanks for reminding me.
Keith Jarrett, The Melody, at Night, With you
recorded after he had CFS for several years. Absolutely beautiful I think.
Do you have other favorites?
01 Mar 08
1 edit
Originally posted by ThinkOfOneI love Bley's work. Don't be too readily inclined to believe anybody who says that they have all his records because he has recorded an unbelievable number with all sorts of people. I Have a mere 19 of his CDs here. I've heard or borrowed another dozen or so over the years. However, I sometimes wonder about the alleged "influence" he has had on Keith Jarrett. I have read in several places that Jarrett didn't listen to much Bley back when it might have shaped Jarrett's approach and style. Bley sounds really different to me. Brilliant but different. The Keith Jarrett Trio, in my estimation, now surpasses the Bill Evans Trio in terms of sheer brilliance, quantity, inventiveness and cohesiveness. I think what they have achieved is truly important in terms of the trio format and they continue to be some distance removed from the 'mainstream' (they probably only sell about 10% as many CDs as Bob James, for example) which is testimony to Jarrett's refusal to compromise. As much as I love Paul Bley, I don't think he could pull off what Jarrett's trio do. And much to my dismay, Bley's recent live solo performance (released by ECM) called "Solo in Mondsee" was surprisingly underwhelming.
Bley has a very distinctive sound whose influence can be heard in pianists such as Keith Jarrett. Jarrett is more popular only because Bley is less compromising.
01 Mar 08
Originally posted by FMFThis is interesting. I'd be surprised if Bley was incapable of "pulling off" what Jarrett does with his trio. If anything, I tend to think of Jarrett as being the more limited artist.
I love Bley's work. Don't be too readily inclined to believe anybody who says that they have all his records because he has recorded an unbelievable number with all sorts of people. I Have a mere 19 of his CDs here. I've heard or borrowed another dozen or so over the years. However, I sometimes wonder about the alleged "influence" he has had on Keith Jarrett. I ...[text shortened]... rmance (released by ECM) called "Solo in Mondsee" was surprisingly underwhelming.
I tend to think of Jarrett's music as having more emotional appeal and Bley's as having more cerebral appeal. Jarrett's habit of piling on climax after climax cuts two ways. It can be perceived as exciting or excessive depending on the disposition of the listener, but it no doubt adds to his popularity.
As to your Bob James example, well, there's compromise and then there's COMPROMISE 🙂
As far as what can be done in a trio format, I tend to look at groupings such as Graewe/Reijseger/Hemingway, Crispell/Guy/Lytton, Fujii/Dresser/Black, etc.
01 Mar 08
Originally posted by FMFI'm sorry to hear that about Solo in Mondsee since I ordered it this week. I'll have to wait and hear.
I love Bley's work. Don't be too readily inclined to believe anybody who says that they have all his records because he has recorded an unbelievable number with all sorts of people. I Have a mere 19 of his CDs here. I've heard or borrowed another dozen or so over the years. However, I sometimes wonder about the alleged "influence" he has had on Keith Jarrett. I ...[text shortened]... rmance (released by ECM) called "Solo in Mondsee" was surprisingly underwhelming.
01 Mar 08
1 edit
Originally posted by ThinkOfOnewow! and not one mention of the oscar peterson trio, they shaped the trio format, in the 60's no one could better them
This is interesting. I'd be surprised if Bley was incapable of "pulling off" what Jarrett does with his trio. If anything, I tend to think of Jarrett as being the more limited artist.
I tend to think of Jarrett's music as having more emotional appeal and Bley's as having more cerebral appeal. Jarrett's habit of piling on climax after climax cuts tw pings such as Graewe/Reijseger/Hemingway, Crispell/Guy/Lytton, Fujii/Dresser/Black, etc.
01 Mar 08
Originally posted by ThinkOfOnethe solo jazz album by monty alexander is very good
This is interesting. I'd be surprised if Bley was incapable of "pulling off" what Jarrett does with his trio. If anything, I tend to think of Jarrett as being the more limited artist.
I tend to think of Jarrett's music as having more emotional appeal and Bley's as having more cerebral appeal. Jarrett's habit of piling on climax after climax cuts tw ...[text shortened]... pings such as Graewe/Reijseger/Hemingway, Crispell/Guy/Lytton, Fujii/Dresser/Black, etc.
01 Mar 08
Originally posted by ThinkOfOneLOL. I enjoyed your elaborately subtle put down!
I tend to think of Jarrett as being the more limited artist.
I tend to think of Jarrett's music as having more emotional appeal and Bley's as having more cerebral appeal. Jarrett's habit of piling on climax after climax cuts two ways. It can be perceived as exciting or excessive depending on the disposition of the listener, but it no doubt adds to his popularity.
Personally, the more jazz I listen to (and it's been half my life now), the less of a jazz snob I have become. At least I hope so. You imply that Bley's prowess would mean he could forego the need to spend 27 years building a startling trio empathy as Jarrett has done with Gary Peakock and Jack DeJohnette. Maybe you are right. Or maybe you mean he would have "pulled it off" in less time. In, say, 17 years. Whatever. In music, does 'cerebral' trump 'emotional' then? Always? Too much of the later means that the art is 'limited'? If there is not enough of the former does it mean that there is a 'danger' that the art might become popular?
01 Mar 08
Originally posted by FMFI feel the same way about the jazz snob comment. I'll listen to and enjoy Kenny Garrett, Norah Jones, Diana Krall and so forth.
LOL. I enjoyed your elaborately subtle put down!
Personally, the more jazz I listen to (and it's been half my life now), the less of a jazz snob I have become. At least I hope so. You imply that Bley's prowess would mean he could forego the need to spend 27 years building a startling trio empathy as Jarrett has done with Gary Peakock and Jack DeJohnette. Mayb ...[text shortened]... the former does it mean that there is a 'danger' that the art might become popular?
Look how Miles changed over the years. I guess a jazz snob would dismiss his later year's work but it has some of his finest horn playing, albeit doing Toto and Michael Jackson numbers.
01 Mar 08
Originally posted by FMFYou really read too much into things. My initial comments were in response to your saying "I don't think he could pull off what Jarrett's trio do". I think he could. It also occurred to me that if I had to say one way or the other, it seems to me that Jarrett would have more trouble "pulling off" what Bley has done. I notice you cut the "If anything..." when you quoted my post. What's up with that? Also I don't know where you pulled these "time", "cerebral trump[s] emotional" and "danger that the art might become popular" things from.
LOL. I enjoyed your elaborately subtle put down!
Personally, the more jazz I listen to (and it's been half my life now), the less of a jazz snob I have become. At least I hope so. You imply that Bley's prowess would mean he could forego the need to spend 27 years building a startling trio empathy as Jarrett has done with Gary Peakock and Jack DeJohnette. Mayb ...[text shortened]... the former does it mean that there is a 'danger' that the art might become popular?