Doug Ramsey's Blog, page 5

Compatible Quotes: James Thurber

It is better to have loafed and lost, than never to have loafed at all.

It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.

One martini is all right. Two are too many, and three are not enough.

Progress was all right. Only it went on too long.

There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception.

Other Matters: The Unicorn In The Garden

Partially blind, totally brilliant, for decades James Thurber (1894-1961) entertained readers with the incisiveness and wit of his stories and drawings. His most famous story is probably "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," which was distorted into a film that Thurber detested. Almost everything he did was for print, most of it in The New Yorker. There were exceptions. He wrote the hit play The Male Animal, appeared on stage in an adaptation of his stories called A Thurber Carnival, and collaborated with the composer David Raksin on an animated version of The Unicorn in the Garden, the most famous of more than 75 fables Thurber wrote. The fables inevitably ended with punch lines that served as morals.

This is not the anniversary of Thurber's birth, his death or of any special occasion connected with him. It is simply a good day to watch The Unicorn in the Garden and listen to Raksin's lovely score.

This is a classic collection of Thurber stories.

Recent Listening: Partyka-Philipp, Blackwell-Smith, Hackett-Haggart

Flip Philipp & Ed Partyka Dectet, Hair Of The Dog (ATS). In their third album as co-leaders, Philipp and Partyka make a substantial addition to the recorded history of medium-sized jazz groups. From bands led by Fletcher Henderson through Red Norvo, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Miles Davis, [image error]Gerry Mulligan, James Moody, Shorty Rogers, Dave Brubeck, Teddy Charles, Rod Levitt, Bill Kirchner and Charles Mingus—among many others— arrangers for six to eleven pieces have achieved flexibility that the mass of a sixteen-piece band inhibits. Philipp is an Austrian vibraharpist active in jazz who for twenty years has been principal percussionist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Partyka is an American trombonist who heads the jazz department at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria. They are gifted composers and arrangers who relish referring to styles that preceded them, but are distinctively modern in harmony and voicing. In "Woman Trouble," Partyka uses sinuous wa-wa effects right out of Ellington and Philipp gives his Milt Jackson tribute "Groove Bag" a boogaloo sensibility, but they are not in the retro business.

The music has freshness, vigor, precision, daring and, often, a kind of wacky amiability. Philipp's "Minors" opens with a series of downward glissandos across the band, abruptly morphs into what could be car-chase music or something adapted from Raymond Scott, then settles into lightning solos by Philipp and pianist Oliver Kent, interspersed with tightly written ensemble punctuations. Partyka's voicings in "Hair of the Dog" give the band expansiveness that belies its medium size. They provide Jure Pukl a cushy platform for his tenor saxophone in one of several impressive solos by the young Slovenian. All of the musicians except drummer Christian Salfellner get solo time. Salfellner contributes swing and sensitivity, commodities more rare and valuable than drum solos. "Kotzen Beim Steuerberater" has an exhilarating improvised duet between Robert Bachner on euphonium and the audacious bass clarinetist Wolfgang Schiftner. Fabian Rucker's heartfelt baritone saxophone takes center stage in Partyka's richly orchestrated "Let it Go, Ro." The title, an anagram, refers to the piece's original setting as Verdi's "La donna è mobile." Kent, Philipp, and Rucker on bass clarinet, float through Philipp's "Time," arranged to languid effect by Partyka. The solos are consistent reminders of the abundant pool of jazz talent in Central Europe, but it is Partyka's and Philipp's writing that gives this album its lasting value.

Wadada Leo Smith and Ed Blackwell, The Blue Mountain's Sun Drummer (Kabell). Ed Blackwell's drumming never lets you forget that he was from New Orleans. Blackwell, who died in 1992, was a master of polyrhythmic complexity. He helped Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry pioneer free jazz. Part of him was always the little boy listening to Paul Barbarin, Monk Hazel and other drummers whose spirit he absorbed as he grew up in the Crescent City. In this newly-released 1986 encounter, he teams with trumpeter Smith in 10 duets that together have the character of a suite. Blackwell and Smith played[image error] these spontaneous pieces in a broadcast on the radio station of Brandeis University. As he interacts with Smith, intimations of the New Orleans parade beat combine with the iconoclasm that in the 1960s Blackwell brought to modern jazz drumming and Smith to the new thing of Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. "The Blue Mountain's Sun Drummer," the title tune, sets Smith's clarion calls, trills and flurries of notes against Blackwell's off-meter bass drum thuds, tom-tom bumps, glittering explosions of cymbal splashes and chattering snare patterns. Still, this music is not crowded. The two do not produce the sturm un drang that often make free jazz seem undifferentiated walls of sound. The underlying waltz feeling of "Mto: The Celestial River" is anything but intimidating.

Smith and Blackwell make use of quietness and, in some cases, silence. On flugelhorn and, briefly, flute, for "Sellassie-I," Smith establishes a hymn-like melody and Blackwell maintains an implacable beat on his hi-hat, making spare comments and punctuations on other parts of his set. The effect is hypnotic as the piece melds into "Seven Arrows in the Garden of Light" and takes on increasing intensity. Smith reflects his orderly composer's mind as he improvises with thematic development that is even more evident in "Buffalo People: A Blues Ritual." He is an inventor of melodies. For all of his ability to generate thunder, Blackwell reminds us that in a close listening and playing encounter with an equally thoughtful musician, he could be lyrical. Smith is flourishing in the new century, with a number of interesting projects. It is good to have this fresh and timeless record of his collaboration with a master of modern drumming.

Bobby Hacket, Bob Haggart: V-Disc Parties (Jazz Unlimited) The glories of Hackett's cornet and Haggart's arrangements fill 21 tracks recorded for American service men and women during and after World War Two. The first five pieces are by a recreation of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. They include two of the original members of the ODJB 26 years after the New Orleans band made the world's first jazz records. Trombonist Eddie Edwards and drummer Tony Spargo were still vital, a reminder of how rapidly jazz developed in its first three decades;[image error] bebop was in its early stages when these records were made in 1943. Clarinetist Brad Gowans and pianist Frank Signorelli fill out the ODJB revival roster. There is little evidence in the Hackett ODJB sides that bop is about to pop, or in eight others he led in 1948 that Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and other boppers were now flourishing. What is evident is that among post-Beiderbecke cornetists, Hackett occupies a unique place. The perfection of his tone, flow of lyrical ideas and swing can astonish a listener. His companions on the 1948 tracks include guitarist Eddie Condon, clarinetist Peanuts Hucko, trombonist Cutty Cutshall, baritone saxophonist Ernie Carceres and drummer Morey Feld, recorded beautifully and all playing at the tops of their games.

In the eight-piece band that Haggart leads in a 1947 V-Disc session, there are more than hints of bebop. Haggart announces it with a direct quote from Gillespie's "Oop Bop Sh'Bam" as the introduction to a novelty called "Possum Song." His ensemble writing includes boppish licks that attest to his openness to new ideas and his ability to make them serve his music. The music is swing, but some of Haggart's arrangements are akin to what young writers like Neil Hefti and George Handy were doing for Woody Herman and Boyd Raeburn at the time. The backgrounds he puts behind the soloists on "Haggart's Lady" (based on "What Is This Thing Called Love,") are echoes of Tadd Dameron's "Hot House." He transforms the chestnuts "Indian Love Call" and "Bye Bye Blues" into boppish original works. Haggart's eight-piece band features Hucko, alto saxophonist Toots Mondello, the little-known tenor saxophonist Art Drellinger, pianist Stan Freeman, Haggart on bass and Chris Griffin, an overlooked trumpet hero of the big band era. Griffin's lead and solo work here is remarkable. I don't know how much circulation these recordings got among soldiers, sailors, Marines and Coastguardsmen in the 1940s. They deserve plenty now.

The Viklický-Robinson Concert: A Video Report

At the end of the piece two exhibits below, I wrote that I would depend on Rifftides readers to tell us about the Emil Viklický-Scott Robinson concert the night before last. Even better, journalist and blogger Michael Steinman took his video camera to the Bohemian National Hall of the Czech Center in New York.

Viklický played a lovely Petrof grand piano. Robinson used only three of the instruments from his armory—soprano and tenor saxophones and euphonium. No ophicleide or slide soprano this time. Thanks to Mr. Steinman, here are two pieces from the concert of January 5, 2011. In his introduction to the first, Robinson talks about the pair's long friendship. He is at a distance from the camera's microphone; you may want to temporarily increase the volume of your speakers.

For all nine videos from the concert, go here. To explore Michael Steinman's YouTube channel, go here. You will find previous Viklický and Robinson posts in the Rifftides archives.

A Rare "Bernie's Tune"

Digital video surprises pop up on the web. Here is an ad hoc edition of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet. The valve trombonist is Mulligan's frequent collaborator Bob Brookmeyer. Ray Brown, bass, and Art Blakey, drums, may have done this with Mulligan just once. YouTube tells us when, 1981. But who knows where?

Other Matters: Comments And Noncomments

Comments provide some of the most valuable content in Rifftides. We encourage everyone to submit comments. The staff decides which ones appear. The staff is tolerant, but there are limits. We evaporate comments that would commercialize the blog by offering links to products or services, especially those of a—er—personal nature. Here is a comment allegedly in response to a post about Jelly Roll Morton. It had a link to a Las Vegas escort service. Considering some of the New Orleans parlors where Jelly played, maybe that makes a kind of sense, even if the comment itself does not.

It is very interesting for me to read this blog. Thank you for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to them. I would like to read more on that blog soon.

Some of the sneak comments don't have as much substance as that one. Here, however, is one reacting to reviews of Randy Weston and John McNeil that offers valuable information—if you own a bearded dragon.

I know the bearded dragon definitely does absorb some water via its

vent region and skin. Making them live and eat out of a container made of salt would be like having them ingest a lot of salt per day.

[image error]Can't argue with that. The link was to a site selling Playdough. Maybe someone out there in cyberspace can explain the connection.

If you would like to react to what you actually read, watch or hear on Rifftides, please use the "Comments" link found at the end of each item. We would like to hear from you. Unless you're running the Bearded Dragon Playdough Escort Service.

Robinson Meets Viklický

Rifftidesers who live in or near New York City have the opportunity this week to [image error]hear and see together two musicians who have often received favorable mention in Rifftides—and elsewhere. Here is the announcement from one of them, the multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson.

Hello everybody. 
Just wanted to let anyone who might be in New York know about the free duo concert I am doing this Wednesday with my dear friend and colleague Emil Viklický, who is making a rare stateside appearance from the Czech Republic. Emil is perhaps the most highly regarded pianist of his country and we have participated in many projects together, going back to the band we formed in college in 1977. Please come out if you can... Happy New Year to everyone!




Emil Viklický/Scott Robinson Duo

Wed., Jan. 5, 7:00 PM

Bohemian National Hall

Czech Center New York

321 E. 73 St., New York City

646-422-3399

You'll notice that Mr. Robinson mentioned "free." When is the last time you attended a free concert by two world-class musicians? For information about them and the hall, go here. To my regret, 3,000 miles of wintry distance prevent my being there. I'll depend on Rifftides readers for their accounts.

Butch Morris—Tonight

Sorry for the late notice, but I just found out about this. The adventurous radio station KBOO-FM in Portland, Oregon, is broadcasting a six-part series about the musician Butch Morris. The second part is this evening—soon. For how to tune in, go to the end of this piece. Morris is not merely a composer, arranger, bandleader or conductor. Or he is all of those things and more. Our colleague Howard Mandel, a specialist on the avant garde, says Morris's music "is not jazz." Or it is. This promotional clip for a film about Morris will give you a hint.

The KBOO program runs tonight from 8:00 to 10:00 pm PST, 11:00 pm to 1:00 am EST. To listen to it, go here and click on "Listen Now." In the Portland area, you'll find it on 90.7.

If you're interested in a full sample of how Butch Morris works, here he is at a festival in Italy last August. The players are J. Paul Bourelly (Guitar), On Ka'a Davis (Guitar), Harrison Bankhead (Acoustic Bass), Greg Ward (Sax), Evan Parker (Sax), Pasquale Innarella (Sax), Hamid Drake (Percussions), Chad Taylor (Drums -- Vibraphone), Riccardo Pittau (Trumpet), Meg Montgomery (Electro Trumpet), Alan Silva (Synthesizer), Tony Cattano (Trombone), Joe Bowie (Trombone), David Murray (Sax)—an elite of the outcats.

Happy New Year

The Rifftides staff hopes that your 2011 will be as happy as this New Year's Eve performance by Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra. The conductor is Gustavo Dudamel, music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Feliz Año Nuevo

The Reluctant Lister: A Confession

At this time of year, those who write about music, books, plays, motion pictures, sporting events, chili cookoffs, hog-calling contests and—for all I know—goldfish breeding, are expected to compile lists of the year's best. I have been complicit in this questionable activity, but I've been trying to quit.

In the case of jazz recordings, the notion is absurd that anyone can name the best. You could listen for 12 months during all of your waking hours and not hear, much less evaluate, a tenth of a year's output of albums. After a few weeks you would be babbling, taken away in a straitjacket. As I have written here, possibly to the point of annoyance, it is impossible to keep up with jazz releases in an era when digital technology enables musicians to be their own record companies, flooding what, ironically, is universally acknowledged to be a dwindling market.

Nonetheless, my resistance is no match for the irresistible force known as Francis Davis. Francis is the distinguished author and critic who compiles for The Village Voice its annual jazz critics poll. Once again, he persuaded me and 119 other critics (who knew that there are 120 jazz critics?) to submit lists. In the elegant introduction to his massive survey, Mr. Davis writes:

This poll has become my labor of love—my equivalent of social networking, and, for a couple weeks once the ballots start filling my inbox, just about my only social life. Along the way this year, in addition to a hundred or so albums I might otherwise not ever have known existed, I also got word of layoffs and cutbacks, a corneal abrasion, a nagging heel injury, the death of a mother, the birth of a daughter, and the loss of James Moody to pancreatic cancer. Thanks to this year's 120 participants for keeping me up to date.

He then goes on to name the 120, link to their previous years' entries and provide another link that takes readers to all 120 best-of lists. Even if you don't make it through all of the lists, you will find it worthwhile to read Francis's essay, which contains the list of overall winners based on an average of the critics' findings, and his own best-of list with incisive evaluations. Of course, the notion of "winners" in the arts should be anathema, but like the poor, polls and ratings we shall always have with us.

It is not giving away too much to disclose that Jason Moran's Ten came out first. For the rest of the results, go to Francis's article in The Village Voice. My list appears below. If I had compiled it a day earlier or a day later, it might have been different.

•New Releases

James Moody: 4B (IPO)

Evans, Reavis, Waits (Tarbaby): The End of Fear (Posi-tone)

Chet Baker: The Sesjun Radio Shows (T2)

Randy Weston: The Storyteller (Motéma)

Jason Moran: Ten (Blue Note)

Jessica Williams: Touch (Origin)

Irene Kral: Second Chance (Jazzed Media)

Alan Broadbent: Live At Giannelli Square, Volume 1 (Chilly Bin)

Keith Jarrett, Charlie Haden: Jasmine (ECM)

Kirk Knuffke: Amnesia Brown (Clean Feed)

•Reissues



Nat King Cole & Friends: Riffin', The Decca, JATP, Keynote and Mercury Recordings (Verve)

Miles Davis: Bitches Brew 40th Anniversary (Columbia)

The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings 1954-56 (Mosaic)

•Vocal Album

Irene Kral: Second Chance (Jazzed Media)

• Debut CD

Jeff Chang: It's Not What You Think (Chee May)



• Latin jazz CD

Gabriel Alegría: Pucusana (Saponégro)