Before Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis (trumpet, b. 1926 - d. 1991)

L'Ascenseur pour l'echafaud. So the only Miles Davis record you have is Kind Of Blue and you ask yourself "What Miles album should I get next?" Well I would suggest looking at what Miles was thinking before he recorded Kind Of Blue. Most critics and jazz fans would suggest Milestones (Columbia, 1958).

While that is the conventional wisdom, I would like to take a look at the record that came just a few months before Milestones entitled L'Ascenseur pour L'echafaud (Lift To The Scaffold) (Verve Records, 1957). This was a soundtrack Miles recorded while in Europe but did not consist of his then current band which would record Milestones. Lift To The Scaffold was a very challenging record for Miles in that he had to write and record material to accompany a film (something he hadn't done to this point). This challenge helped Miles focus on his lyrical style and his direction for his musicians in the studio.

The manner in which this richly crafted album flows would again be recreated on Kind Of Blue. You can hear similarities in the atmosphere of the both recordings on tracks like "Nuit Sur Les Champs-Elysees" and "Generique" with Kind Of Blue's "So What" and "Flamenco Sketches".

The film has been re-released on DVD and is fantastic with the combination of Miles' music. A compelling, dense and transcendent album, L'Ascenseur pour L'echafaud sounds more like a jazz album than a soundtrack which makes it a brilliant and timeless recording 52 years later. Highly recommended.

E.S.T.: The European Standard

E.S.T. (group; '93 - '09)
Esbjorn Svensson Trio
Retrospective
Esbjorn Svensson (piano, electronics)
Dan Berglund (double bass, electronics)
Magnus Ostrom (drums, electronics)

Hailing from Sweden, E.S.T. have been the benchmark for European jazz groups since their appearance on the scene with their 1993 debut album When Everyone's Gone (Dragon Records). The group experienced the unexpected tragedy of their founding member Esbjorn Svensson earlier this year.

The remaining members of the band are still deciding what to do. In the meantime, their current label Act Music have released a compilation simply titled, Retrospective. I believe this is probably the perfect way for you to experience one of the best groups of the 21 century.

I have to admit I really didn't get into them until a few years later when I heard an American compilation, Somewhere Else Before (Columbia). While the compilation pulled together a number tracks from their previous six albums, it was slightly contrived. It focused more on alternative crossover capability than their more balanced improvisation and love of Thelonious Monk.

I decided to go back to discover those albums and was significantly blown away by the ingenuity of their pieces and how each album improves in quality. They would go on to record 11 studio albums and 3 live albums.

In Europe they are held as the torch bearers for jazz. A lofty goal, but they were truly worth it. This year E.S.T. released their 11th album, Leucocyte (ACT Music) which was a departure from recent release with a real clear direction of improvisation and high experimentation that they only hinted on in previous efforts (one song here, one song there). Leucocyte showed again that E.S.T. were again ready to move Europe forward. E.S.T. won numerous awards in Europe and the US (including the famous Downbeat critics poll).

Fans and critics still talk about E.S.T. and their influence on European and North American jazz(mainly on the trio format) and it is all justified. I think everyone who doesn't know about them--should. Find out about them now.

Indo-Jazz Anyone?

Kadri Gopalnath (saxophone)
Knowing my deep love for the Indian, Pakistan and the Asian subcontinent, a friend of mine turned me on to Kadri Gopalnath, an Indian saxophone player. He does an unbelievable job of melding Eastern culture into a Western instrument and making it still feel very Indian.

I have to admit I don't own allot of his music but I have delved into enough that I can say if you are looking to spread your wings and listen to something really new and different, than Gopalnath is a wonderful musician to check out. Kadri discovered the saxophone while on a trip to England. Upon returning to India he modified the instrument in order to accompany his Carnatic music style (spiritual vocal music of India). The results are quite interesting. It is quite jarring to hear a saxophone in Indian music but after just a few minutes you realize how amazing the combination is to your ears and how spiritual it can be. As with the voice of Pakistani artist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the saxophone of Kadri Gopalnath can be very intoxicating.

There are at least 60 albums available and no I don't own all of them but I can recommend a few that are cheap and worth downloading.

Saxophone Vol. I - III (Vani Recordings, 1999)
Gem Tones (Ace Records, 2000)
Saxophone (Geethanjali, 2006)

A very loose connection could be made with John Coltrane's latter work which was very influenced by Indian tradition. So if you are familiar with the Coltrane albums Ascension, Interstellar Space and Sun Ship etc., then I would suggest you check out Kadri Gopalnath. And to everyone else--take a few minutes and open your mind to whole new experience. You won't be disappointed.

Melody Gardot: The Next Big Thing?

Melody Gardot (vocal)

I have to admit when I first heard about Melody Gardot I was really excited. Finally, a vocalist that could compete with Norah Jones--excellent. The first album, Worrisome Heart (Verve Records) while enticing for its freshness compared to everything else at the time--felt a little underwhelming. I guess my expectations were too high. This year brought the follow up My One And Only Thrill (Verve Records). It took a few listens but now it's finally won me over.

My One And Only Thrill is a jazz record, unlike Norah Jones which to me, is really a pop record dressed up as a jazz record. Melody Gardot will never convince the jazz stalwarts of her credentials but My One And Only Thrill is a steady and stronger statement than its predecessor. The songs are well written (most by Gardot herself) and she is backed on most of the numbers by a big band which does compliment her rich sultry voice. Tracks like "Baby I'm A Fool" and the title track bring the term "late night cocktail" to mind. But I would say, after you dig deeper into this album you will definitely be listening to this record day and night, weekend after weekend.

Melody Gardot has been compared to Joni Mitchell at times which I would agree. Her lyrics and vocal styling while introspective also utilize jazz as the launching pad. Melody Gardot may not reach the same notoriety as Norah Jones but I do think she is someone you should give a chance and look out--the third album may be the charm.