Derek Bailey time... plus percussionist: 'Cyro Baptista has recorded with a wide range of artists including john zorn, wynton marsalis, herbie hancock, sting, paul simon, cassandra wilson,and trey anastasio.' (From here... scroll down...). One could juxtapose the list to get some interesting results... Derek B with Paul Simon, for example... or the appalling bore, Sting... Or Derek with Wynton... that would have been fun... An interesting fantasy... On 'Tonto,' the inimitable guitarist comes up against the bubblingly infectious rhythms and sounds of Baptista and displays how his spiky, asymmetric playing can bounce off or complement - and also drag his collaborator into areas he might not have travelled to, by the dynamic gravity of his conception. And the reverse – reacting to Baptista causes Bailey to lay back more than usual. Commencing on high pitches and rustles – tremelo guitar figures, spartan for Bailey. Lots of space here – guitar falls back to allow Baptista's small percussion through, returning on strange string noises – plectrum scrapings up and down the strings? Baptista sets up a melodic line of sorts on one of his instruments – some kind of bowed gadget? Round which Bailey weaves his sparse phrases, string noises and occasional ratcheting fast-plectrummed spasms. A very good demonstration that Bailey was more flexible than may often have appeared...
Another Andrew Hill track...
One last word on the passing of Andrew Hill... Be.Jazz has some fascinating links on his tribute to the late pianist – check out the Ethan Iverson essay and the live trio concert video. Just noticed this blog piece about the album, 'Passing Ships,' from which I have extracted the track 'Cascades.' (There is an mp3 download of 'Plantation Bag' here as well...). Recorded in 1969 but not released till 2003... The nonet deployed on this session gives an insight into Hill's writing for a larger than combo size band. The drums usher in the ensemble – a very full sound from top to bottom, anchored by tuba. One thinks of the 'Birth of the Cool' sessions – although this is different, spikier territory, the sonorities are reminiscent of Miles' band. A charging solo from Farrell (whose playing on his several wind instruments is stamped all over this album a heroic role). Hill follows, sparse phrases given plenty of space, spurred on by occasional eruptions from the front line – brassy fanfares... a reminder – and contrast – to Monk, who was an influence Hill assimilated. The similarity in oblique phrasing and unpredictable use of space... the contrast: Monk always seems to have sprung totally from within the Afro-American music tradition, whereas Hill has an edge of European classical/art music in his melodic and harmonic thinking that spices his own cultural heritage. A matter of small nuance, perhaps... these things intermingle and mix more than the purists realise – on both sides... Trumpet follows, brash and beautiful, with the young Lenny White putting the spurs to it before the band return – trumpet and sax weaving to round it off...
Booker Ervin from 1962. 'Speak Low,' track four on the album 'That's It!' A booting tenorfest... alpha male full-throated swagger. Ervin takes the first solo, running the tune ragged. Parlan next, fleet and bluesy before the Book returns to finish it off. Ira Gitler said of him: "Booker Ervin's tenor is like a giant steamroller of a brush, painting huge patterns on a canvas as wide and high as the sky." (Quoted in here...). Tough – and tender...
In the Videodrome...
Eric Dolphy doing his solo bass clarinet thing...
Jaki Byard...
Mingus in Norway...part 1
... and part 2
Derek Bailey (g) Cyro Baptista (perc)
Tonto
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Andrew Hill
Andrew Hill (p) Julian Priester (tr) Dizzy Reece, Woody Shaw (t) trumpet Joe Farrell (bcl, af, (eh) (ss) (ts) Bob Northern (fh) Howard Johnson (tb, bcl) Ron Carter (b) Lenny White (d)
Cascade
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Booker Ervin
Booker Ervin (ts) Horace Parlan (p) George Tucker (b) Al Harewood (d)
Speak Low
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