Now that we have added pianist George Colligan’s stimulating Jazztruth to the Rifftides blogroll (the blogroll is ‘way down in the right column), the staff found a way to introduce Colligan’s playing to readers who may not be familiar with his vigor and inventiveness. He and alto saxophonist … [Read more...]
Archives for September 2013
Recent Listening: Bennett/Brubeck
Tony Bennett/Dave Brubeck,The White House Sessions Live 1962 (Columbia/RPM/Legacy) Riding on the success of hit records, in August of ’62 Brubeck and Bennett had a good night in the shadow of the Washington Monument. They played in the Sylvan Theater for college students who had interned in the … [Read more...]
Recent Listening: Two Couples
Karolina Strassmayer & Drori Mondlak—Klaro, Small Moments (Lilypad) In their third album together, their second as co-leaders, the spaciousness and delicacy of Karolina Strassmayer’s alto saxophone meld with the understated power of her husband Drori Mondlak’s drumming. The results are … [Read more...]
Compatible Quotes: Couples
One's not half of two; two are halves of one. ― E.E. Cummings Couples are wholes and not wholes, what agrees disagrees, the concordant is discordant. From all things one and from one all things. —Heraclitus What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel … [Read more...]
Weekend Extra: Johnny Hodges’ Saxophone
The video below is about the horn played by the great Duke Ellington alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges (1906-1970). The voice in the commentary is that of Frank Wess, a major saxophonist of the generation following Hodges who is an active player at the age of 91. Mr. Wess explains that he owns the Vito … [Read more...]
Other Matters: Whaling
Rifftides has been more or less dormant the past few days, for good reason. You can't blog and herd whales at the same time. Well, truth be told, we weren't herding, just watching. Several Ramseys and other folks from various parts of the world watched orcas, also known as killer whales, off the … [Read more...]
Weekend Extra: Players Who Sing
A few jazz musicians who sang on the side became so popular as vocalists that their instrumental careers all but disappeared. The brilliant and influential pianist Nat Cole (pictured left) is the most prominent example. Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae began their professional lives as pianists. Diana … [Read more...]
New Recommendations
The new batch of Rifftides recommendations for listening, viewing and reading will appear immediately below until newer posts send them further down the queue. You will also find them under Doug's Picks in the right column. They cover CDs by two vibraphonists—one of whom has also published his … [Read more...]
CD: Warren Wolf
Warren Wolf, Wolfgang (Mack Avenue) In a succession of vibraphonists that began with Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo, Wolf has come into his own. His new album finds him with one rhythm section of veterans—pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash—and another of … [Read more...]
CD: David Friesen
David Friesen, Brilliant Heart (ITM Archives) In this collection of chamber music improvised on original themes, bassist Friesen commemorates an adult son who died in 2009. His “Scotty†is an unaccompanied bass solo incisively intoned and infused with a deep sense of loss. In much of the rest … [Read more...]
CD: Lester Young
Lester Young, Boston 1950 (Uptown) If it has been too long since you've listened to Lester Young, say a couple of weeks, this collection of club performances could be just what you need. The tracks are from radio broadcasts when Young’s quintet was appearing at Boston’s Hi-Hat in the spring … [Read more...]
DVD: Anita O’Day
Anita O’Day Live In Tokyo ’63 (Kayo Stereophonic) The singer equals the heights she reached in her 1958 triumph at the Newport Jazz Festival. In this television broadcast there is no audience cheering her on, as at Newport, but O’Day shows that she needs no crowd to generate energy and … [Read more...]
Book: Gary Burton
Gary Burton, Learning To Listen (Berklee Press) At the outset of his autobiography, as he turns 70 Burton makes it official again (the first time was in 1994): he’s gay. The vibraphonist then delivers an entertaining, informative and well-written account of his career, returning occasionally … [Read more...]
Finding Focus
This is getting complicated—but encouraging. Rifftides reader Mike Kaiser sent a comment regarding the Stan Getz/Eddie Sauter Focus video discussed in the previous item: A little Google-sleuthing turned up this residual copy of the now-missing YouTube video. Watch and listen here before … [Read more...]
Losing Focus
Almost two years ago I disclosed with some excitement that videotape existed of portions of a television performance of Focus, the classic collaboration between Stan Getz and the brilliant composer and arranger Eddie Sauter. The Rifftides staff tracked down the clip and posted it. I hope that you … [Read more...]
Compatible Quotes: Sonny Rollins
. . .this is my dilemma. I’m a guy who makes things up as I go along, so nothing is ever finished; there are so many layers. So when you solo, yeah, you might get into one thing, but then, hey, everything has implications! You can hear the next level. And that’s how I feel about … [Read more...]
Compatible Quotes: Gerald Wilson
I wanted to be able to write for the symphony orchestra. I wanted to write for the movies. I wanted to write for television. I wanted to be able to do it with great speed, great accuracy, and that’s what I did. Jazz, to me, has to be loose. You can’t be tight. When you get too tight … [Read more...]
Other Matters: A Followup On Journalism Ethics
Response to the recent Rifftides post about courtesy titles in news stories made it clear that readers care about ethical practices affecting the news reports they read, hear and watch. A post from 2006, in the Pleistocene era of this blog, dealt with journalism ethics at large. Here it is again, … [Read more...]
Sonny
Yes, yes, I know. Sonny Rollins is 83 today, and Rifftides is joining the celebration late. There is a reason but no excuse. We jump on the birthday bandwagon by bringing you Rollins playing an extended version of a tune his mother remembered from her girlhood in the Virgin Islands. "St. Thomas" has … [Read more...]