John Coltrane: Live

John Coltrane (sax)

Live At The Jazz Gallery 1960 (RLR; 2011)

McCoy Tyner (piano)

Pete LaRoca (drums)

Steve Davis (bass)

In a similar vein to the Miles Davis Live Europe release, John Coltrane Live At The Jazz Gallery 1960 is a bit of a rare breed. First, there are few live albums from this year. You would normally find dates from '62 onward. Particularly dates when Eric Dolphy was featured in his group. Secondly, Live At The Jazz Gallery was recorded just a few months after Coltrane left the Miles Davis group (shortly after Kind Of Blue).

The quartet is also slightly rare as it was originally a lineup that featured Steve Kuhn (piano) but he left very early on. It would have been interesting to see what the group would have done in the studio had he stayed. In place of Kuhn came what would becoma a long standing relationship with McCoy Tyner.


Jazz Gallery was recorded in June of 1960 and its a weird time period as Coltrane was between albums, having just finished Giant Steps in December of '59 and looking forward into Coltrane's Sound in '60. Working on new material and working with new members.

He was playing live gigs left and right with the Jazz Gallery kind of a standing "extended" run according to all discography information I have looked at. This group featured the brief partnership with Steve Davis and Pete LaRoca. Davis would go on with 'Trane to record Coltrane's Sound and My Favourite Things. LeRoca was replaced by Elvin Jones.

So here we have a document of an extreme moment in time, and recorded actually not too badly. It's not the best sound quality but its better than some of the worst bootlegs you'll hear. 


Coltrane and Tyner quickly seem to meld together and have a unique unity that you could tell would be the foundation for the future. The harmony on "Every Time We Say Goodbye" is something truly beautiful.  "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" (one of my favourite Trane numbers ever) feel powerful and burst with emotion (even if the sound isn't great). "Body And Soul" has sounded better but you get a nice direction in the styling of both Tyner, Davis and LaRoca who handle the material with a steady calm which is different than some of the other live versions you may have heard.

The highlight as many other who have this disc will tell you is the 30 minute "Liberia". This is a track from Coltrane's Sound which wasn't released until October of 1960, so we get and early incarnation of the this midtempo number. Its a piece in progress and you can feel the group moving in out changes finding where each member works best within the piece. 

As a historical document, Live At The Jazz Gallery is a very important piece in a transitional year for one of thee LEGENDS of jazz. This might only be for the collector but I think even if you are a moderate jazz fan is probably worth owning, just to impress you're friends. For me, this could be my top reissue of the year. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MILES DAVIS

Miles Davis (trumpet)
May 26, 1926 - September 28, 1991

May 26th is Miles Davis' birthday. Now I'm not going to go into a big long story about how great he is and the history. I believe you can get that from any site today.

I thought it would be good to give a short list of past pieces we've done on Miles Davis over the last few years.


It's not an all encompassing list but I think it covers some essential albums and collections that would be great for the uninitiated or even the collector in this age of digital music storage.

So as you spend the next couple of days reading articles about Miles here's what you might want to consider the next time you go to the record store.


L'Ascenseur pour l'echafaud
Kind Of Blue
Live In Stockholm
Bitches Brew Live
The Columbia Years
Decoy
Doo Bop


And check out the videos we found as a bit of prove on why Miles Davis is so important.

Mitch Kessler: Der Erlkonig

Mitch Kessler (sax, flute)

Der Erlkonig (Sun Jump Records)

John Esposito (piano)

Peter O'Brien (drums)
Ira Coleman (bass)

Working with longtime friends and fellow upstate NY musicians The John Esposito Trio, Mitch Kessler has produced a marvelous second album, Der Erlkonig (The ElfKing) (Sun Jump Records) which somehow surpasses his debut Erratica (Sun Jump Records; 2009). This is a spiritual/free jazz outing in the vein and quality of Pharoah Sanders, Eric Dolphy and Alice Coltrane; or even the soulful elements of Detroit's Tribe which featured Phil Ranelin, Marcus Belgrave and others.

Der Erlkonig, a poem written by Johann Wolfgan Von Goethe tells the story of young boy who is killed by a mysterious being while riding home with his father on horseback. It's is dark and unsettling story that leaves a lot to the imagination. Here Kessler has made the piece more haunting by delivering the poem in its traditional German. The performances "Der Erlkonig" are spectacular. The opening bassline from Coleman suggests a beat generation like journey over the next 70 minutes. And it delivers. The quartet are smokin' and make the haunting tale seem more like a journey of a higher order.

"Indo Eurasian Folksong" has all the elements of A Love Supreme-Acknowledgement with an added level of urgency. The timing and interaction between the quartet tells you that while they've only recorded a small amount of material together they are still tight and rhythmically adventurous. The floating hypnotic nature of Kessler's flute combined with Coleman's addictive bassline just underneath is sublime.

"Non Sequitur" bursts through with some wonderful improvisational exchanges between Kessler and Esposito. Coleman and O'Brien are not to be outdone as they emerge midway with an excellent yet delicate exchange that leads to a lovely closing.

"Vietnamese Waltz" closes out this session and it's a blisteringly beautiful track with excellent solo work from each musician. Kessler's playing is far-reaching, exploratory and touching all in a matter of nine minutes. This is great stuff, people.

For me, Kessler's compositions are an interesting and intricate balance of the latter works of both Coltrane's (John and Alice) and Monk. With only his second release, Der Erlkonig, Mitch Kessler has estabished himself as a soon to be dominate talent on the scene if he continues with this type of consistently strong and creative output. Mitch Kessler is an undiscovered treasure and more than worth the purchase (You can find it at Downtown Music Gallery). Enjoy.

Jazz On Sunday: Miles Davis

Miles Davis (trumpet; b. 1926 - d. 1991)
The Columbia Years 1955-1985 (Columbia/Legacy)

So this is a short entry today. I had been thinking as we head into the holiday season and people start thinking about gifts to give others---why not think about what you want. You deserve it. Right? RIGHT!

An album I've been listening to a lot lately is Miles Davis: The Columbia Years 1955 - 1985. This four disc boxed set usually gets lost in the discussion of Miles' boxed sets and other multitudes of Miles Davis collections. The reason being, because all of the most recent boxed sets have been extremely focused on particular periods or styles of the great legend's music (e.g. Bitches Brew, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, Silent Way, etc.).

There has also been a very nicely curated The Essential Miles Davis (Legacy Recordings), a 2 disc set, that covers the most significant moments spanning his entire career with the labels OJC, Prestige, Fontana, Columbia and Warner Bros. While this is a perfect gift for any Miles newcomer or all around jazz newcomer, I think The Columbia Years still deserves a place on someone's shelves this year. If not as a gift, be stingy and get it for yourself.

The Columbia Years represents the best of Miles material and is pretty comprehensive in what was chosen for the set. You get one of the earliest tracks, "Generique" from a little known label Jazz Track (which also served as the soundtrack for French film Elevator To The Scaffold). The iconic "So What" from the best jazz album in history Kind Of Blue to "Flies Of Kilimanjaro," "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down," to "What It Is" from one of the later albums Decoy.

This definitely is a set covering an extensive amount of Miles material during his most prolific period and may be too much for some newcomers, but I think you may also be able to find this boxed set pretty cheaply now due to the aforementioned boxes being available now.

The Columbia Years boxed set is divided into five sections over four discs: 1) Blues based material. 2) Standards. 3) Miles' original material. 4) Mood or atmospherics and lastly 5) Electric Fusion.

The other significance of The Columbia Years was that this was the very first ever boxed set of Miles Davis material. It was released on vinyl, cassette (yes cassette) and CD. At this point in 1988 there were absolutely no boxed sets out for jazz artists so this was a big deal.

I, for some nostalgic reason, always gravitate to this box when I have company over or when I just want a nice long dose of Miles for a Sunday afternoon. So if you are thinking of being a greedy little pig this holiday season let me recommend Miles Davis: The Columbia Years 1955-1985 as something well worth your schilling. Enjoy...

Celebrating Marion Brown

Marion Brown (sax; b. Sep. 8, 1935 - October 25, 2010)
Three For Shepp (Impulse)

Today we celebrate the highly under appreciated saxophonist, Marion Brown who passed away on Monday. This is an entry I did a few weeks ago but I wanted to share it again for those you may not have had a chance to explore the music of Marion Brown.

Marion Brown embodied a lovely, soft tone on alto sax. Many jazz fans will know his work on John Coltrane's Ascension but Brown's own work much more understated. He didn't necessarily fit into the free jazz realm as much as his contemporaries.

Born in Atlanta, he moved to New York in the late 60s when later he would join Coltrane on the aforementioned Ascension. Brown would develop an extensive body of work from '65 - '71 that was both conservative and free form. While his work on Ascension and some later albums for both ESP and Fontana were high intensity and bold statements of intent, his overall tone was more empathic. Over the course of his career Marion Brown has worked with Mal Waldron, Anthony Braxton, Andrew Cyrille and even Jon Hassell.

My personal favourite and probably the one most critics would pick as the best representation of his work is Three For Shepp (Impulse; 1966). Three For Shepp is a tribute to his friend and musical partnership with saxophonist, Archie Shepp--who in addition to Ornette Coleman was a major influence on Brown. They had both played on Ascension and also worked on each others albums while both were signed for Impulse Records. The albums six tracks are divided into three Shepp compositions and three written by Brown. Three For Shepp is a classic document of the free jazz period with a bright mixture of tones and structure that runs the gamut of blues, Latin and swing wrapped in a swirling African motifs.

Brown's own "Fortunato" and Shepp's "Spooks" are powerful statements of his talent and distinct vision that make Three For Shepp an adventurous and frenzy outing. While there are other free jazz albums from this period that made a significant and longstanding statement of jazz history, Three For Shepp is one of the unheralded masterpieces that needs to be re-examined and rediscovered by a new generation.

For the last few decades Marion Brown has been a teacher of jazz and very very rarely performing as a session member. He has had several illnesses in recent years but he is still moving along. Today is his birthday and you should do yourself a favour in the next few hours, days and weeks and seek out one of his records. Take a listen for yourself. You won't be disappointed by Marion Brown.

John Coltrane: Live In France

John Coltrane (sax)
Live In France: July 27/28 1965 (Gambit Records)
McCoy Tyner (piano)
Jimmy Garrison (bass)
Elvin Jones (drums)

1965 was a furious time for John Coltrane. He had just come off the recording of the future landmark, A Love Supreme a year earlier and now was in mist of a series of quartet and ensemble sessions. By June of '65 Coltrane had recorded The Quartet Plays, OM, Kulu Se Mama, Selflessness and another landmark recording to rival A Love Supreme--Ascension.

Ascension was a massive work that feature a who's who of future jazz legends (Freddie Hubbard, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, Art Davis, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones, Marion Brown, Dewey Johnson and McCoy Tyner). It is another spiritual masterpiece that is difficult for the average Coltrane fan to get their head and ears around. It is a cavalcade of sound and emotion that is similar in scope to OM. Shortly after its release Coltrane set out on a European tour with his current quartet. This formed the basis for the Live In France release.

A some people may know the French tour dates started on July 26 with a rare live performance of the complete A Love Supreme. This is now available on the deluxe version of the album that you can find a most record stores. The following two nights had been previously unavailable and they are well worth checking out. The main reason for this is the performance of "Ascension," which Coltrane at this point is not known to have been performed live outside of this occasion (please feel free to correct us if we are wrong).

The additional interesting part here is that the two performances of "Ascension" are done as a quartet. The original studio recording was done as a tentet. It is historic and amazing to hear this masterpiece in a much smaller setting and stripped of the larger free form aesthetics. The piece still keeps its rich, bold and illustrious beauty but it now encompasses a more intimate feeling that allows the listener a bit more time to concentrate and develop their own meaning. When you put these versions along side the original you do get two distinct versions which is truly the mark of greatness.

Live In France also includes stellar versions of "Afro Blue," "Impressions," "Naima" and "My Favourite Things"--all of which are have a dynamic element within themselves. The drum work from Jones on "Afro Blue" is incredible. McCoy Tyner delivers in magnificent fashion both nights on "Impressions." Coltrane is in blistering form on both nights and the sound quality is superb (I believe taken from a French radio program).

Live In France is probably only for the completest but it is an excellent document to go along side the A Love Supreme deluxe edition if you have it. A real treat for a Sunday afternoon listening session.

Curtis Fuller: I Will Tell Her

Curtis Fuller (trombone; b. 1934)
I Will Tell Her (Capri Records)

Keith Oxman (sax)
Al Hood (trumpet)
Chip Stephens (piano)
Ken Walker (bass)
Todd Reid (drums)

As some may know I am a huge fan of Curtis Fuller and I try to recommend his music to anyone who asks me about jazz. Probably the most definitive document of Fuller's ability is still his debut, The Opener (Blue Note) he continues to record stellar albums without really missing a beat.

Curtis Fuller continues an illustrious career with his new release I Will Tell Her (Capri Records). It's an impressive and expressive double album filled with a nice mixture of mainly Fuller originals and only three standards. The Detroit native has a style built out of the J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding framework. He has worked with host of legends including John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Kenny Burrell and Benny Golson to name just a few.

I Will Tell Her a killer set featuring a fairly new sextet for Fuller (they had recorded one album previously under saxophonist, Oxman's name). The album is split between one studio recording and one live recording. Both sets move at breakneck speed with the classic Kenny Dorham piece "Minor's Holiday" and Sonny Rollins' "Tenor Madness" as points of upward flight. The title track, "I Will Tell Her" (and the album itself) is a loving tribute to Fuller's wife, Cathy and showcases the distinct beauty and agility Curtis Fuller has built on the trombone.

The live date was recorded at the Denver jazz club, Dazzle. Four of the six songs on the second disc are included on the studio side but these versions are drastically different due to the live setting and the pacing in fierce. On the Fuller original "The Court" Keith Oxman really shines during his solos. I had really heard Keith Oxman before but now that I have he seems to be someone worth keeping an eye on. The live version of "I Will Tell Her" is just as moving if not more. There is more emotion pour into this version (mainly because of the live setting and the inspiration of the audience) that really makes it an extremely memorable moment of the recording.

On "Maze", Oxman again lays down some heavy movements that feel almost like Coltrane. Al Hood also displays some great chops here as well. The band has only been together a short time (since 2005) but it sounds like they have been at for decades. The always romantic piece "I Want To Talk About You" starts to bring the live proceedings to close in comfortable fashion. And the whole disc closes as hot as it began with "Minor's Holiday", this time with some emphatic playing from Chip Stephens and guided by Oxman and Fuller's incredible interplay.

I Will Tell Her is a pristine document of two killer sessions and a loving overture to his beloved wife. I would now say anyone who doesn't own a Curtis Fuller record, you can't go wrong with either The Opener or I Will Tell Her. This is vintage hard bop at its best.

John Coltrane: Coltrane's Sound

John Coltrane (sax)

Coltrane's Sound (Warner Brothers; 1964)

Steve Davis (bass)
McCoy Tyner (piano)
Elvin Jones (drums)

In the winter of 1960, John Coltrane record a quick succession of material that would eventually span over three albums (My Favourite Things, Coltrane Plays The Blues and one of my personal favourites Coltrane's Sound). Coltrane's Sound (released in 1964) I feel is a highly overshadowed album compared to his other Warner Brothers albums (e.g Giant Steps, Avant Garde and My Favourite Things) but it is a fantastic and deeply moving album that really stands apart in Warner Brothers years.

Coltrane's Sound is a fully matured and confident John Coltrane in complete command of his new quartet. Coltrane's playing very bold and vibrant. Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner and Steve Davis all demonstrate a solidarity that is effortless throughout this particular session. Coltrane's writing is in superior form at this time. Only two of the original six tracks are covers (The Night Has A Thousand Eyes and Body & Soul).

John Coltrane really sets forth with the blistering opener, "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" and carries that through to the now Coltrane standard "Central Park West". which has some lovely interplay between Tyner and 'Trane. "Liberia" and "Body and Soul" but jump and flow with the steady timing of the always emphatic Jones challenge Trane on the pace. The dark, densely paced blues of "Equinox" is intense and almost spiritual. "Equinox" too would become a standard Coltrane piece for generations to come.

Coltrane's Sound is a masterpiece from start to finish and includes a richly textured path of ideas and themes that would eventually get fleshed out further on his Impulse releases. This one of those Coltrane albums you really need to add into your collection. It's beautiful, inventive and reflective. Coltrane's Sound is the perfect album for anyone new to Coltrane and those who are Coltrane fans who don't own it--what's wrong with you!

Eric Dolphy In Transition

Eric Dolphy (sax, clarinet, flute; b. 1928 d. 1964)

Out There (Prestige, 1960)

The L.A. native, Eric Dolphy, made a number of appearances as sideman before recording his debut Outward Bound (Prestige. 1960), brilliant slice of hard bop with exceptional promise. He had become a multi-instrumentalist, particularly through his improvisational work on the bass clarinet. He worked with both Charles Mingus and John Coltrane whom along with Charlie Parker were huge influences on his compositional work.

Many people, myself included, will site that the ultimate Eric Dolphy album to own is Out To Lunch (Blue Note; 1964) but I also believe that there is an album that marks the origins of what Dolphy would continue to explore for the rest of his career. That album is Out There (Prestige; 1960). Eric Dolphy employed a quartet that was minus a piano player. Instead he chose the legendary Ron Carter (cello), which would result in some of the most memorable interchanges you will ever hear. The quartet also included George Duviveier (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums) whom both add tremendous dimension to the proceedings.

The opening "Out There" is wonderful piece of free jazz in which Dolphy expresses the angular emotion that made his recorded output so unique that he former employer Coltrane would later take note and say that mention that many people missed the beauty in Eric Dolphy's music. A large majority of sessions features Dolphy on clarinet but it is an excellent opportunity for the listener to hear why he was considered one the few musicians to turn the clarinet into an unbelievable improvisational instrument.

On the Charles Mingus penned "Eclipse" Dolphy and Carter connect in one of most hauntingly beautiful ways. The ballad "Sketch Of Melba" illustrates the more melodic bluesier side which Dolphy could turn with ease. The session closes with a drifting and scale jumping "Feathers" in which Carter and Dolphy connect again with an uncanny beauty that would be reminiscent of Monk and Rouse.

Out There is a transitional album--bridging the more standard bop of its predecessor, Outward Bound with the future exploration of free jazz that would later result in the masterpiece of Out To Lunch. The Dali-esque album cover is slightly misleading to the accesible nature of the entire recording. But make no mistake, Out There is an album that stands on its own and should be a must in your music collection. A brilliant album by an artist would be gone all to soon.

Jimmy Giuffre

Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet, sax; b. 1921 - d. 2008)

The Texas born, Jimmy Giuffre is sometimes a mythical figure even amongst jazz fans. He was classically trianed on clarinet--learned and perfected counterpoint (harmonic structure of two different musical lines which function together) which would be make his work standout high and above many of his contemporaries.

With well over 30 albums to his credit, he is widely known for his pianoless/drumless trios from the 50s/60s. These groups were unprecedented and highly inventive (saxophonist Gerry Mulligan also had a pianoless quartet) are recorded a series influential albums over the span of 10 years. The trio feature Jim Hall (guitar) and Ralph Pena (bass) and later a second trio with Hall and Bobby Brookmyer (trombone). The two trios performed some absolutely beautiful folksy and blues influenced jazz sessions during the mid to later 50s.

The bulk of these are extremely hard to find individually but Jim Hall/Ralph Pena sessions can be found on a great import collection entitled, The Origial Studio Recordings (Gambit). This contains some stellar material including the wonderful "Train and The River". The Brookmyer sessions can be found on a very expensive boxed set, The Complete Capitol & Atlantic Recordings (Mosaic Records). This also includes some killer performances of "Blue Monk" and "Pickin' em Up and Layin' em Down". A later Giuffre trio featuring would create another influential trio with Paul Bley (piano) and Steve Swallow (bass) which would record series of even more influential records.

The most famous sets were 1961 (ECM) (aka the two albums Fusion and Thesis) and Free Form (Columbia). These were part of what Giuffre were early experiments in Free Jazz. Unlike what some would associate with Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy or even John Coltrane, these sessions were introspective yet adventurous for their use of space. It is a melodic session were Bley, Swallow and Giuffre each explore different aspects emotionally. This is a landmark recording in jazz history and well worth seeking out.

Giuffre would record and teach throughout the 70s and 80s but made a return to recording during the late 80s and 90s and even recorded two more sessions with Bley and Swallow which saw the three still in top form after a twenty year hiatus. Jimmy Giuffre's lineups may sound complete out of left-field for the uninitiated but when you hear them (jazz fan or not) you will be spellbound at how powerful and creative the groups could be.

Cedar Walton: Living Legend

Cedar Walton (piano; b. 1934)

Cedar Walton has quietly become one of the most influential and revered musicians in jazz. In my opinion, Cedar Walton along with Wynton Kelly are one of a handful of hard bop pianists who don't get the recognition they so greatly deserve. He was a session player for many years during the '50s and early '60s. Cedar Walton has worked with a wide array of artists including a Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan among others. He is widely known as the first piano player for John Coltrane's Giant Steps sessions. But his true shinning moments are his own recordings of which there are many.
 
Walton's style is sophisticated, beautiful and intricate in the similar vein of Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. His choice of band members is always a sign of the intensity of recording session (especially live). Any album featuring legendary drummer, Billy Higgins is worth buying on the spot. The combination of Walton and Higgins is like Jagger and Richards, Lennon and McCartney or Monk and Rouse--you almost can't see one without the other. Walton's live performances of a thing of beauty. I have seen him countless times and I haven't experience one low-par show ever.
 

While all of his records I could easily recommend there is a highly strong and critically acclaimed period that saw Walton in his most inventive and prolific period. This was from 1975 - 1978 when he formed a band called Eastern Rebellion (named after the Irish rebel movement called Easter Rebellion). The band would also work off and on throughout the 80s and 90s but the majority of the material was during this three year stretch. The band consisted of mainstay Billy Higgins (drums), David Williams, Sam Jones (bass) and rotation of sax players including George Coleman, Bob Berg and Ralph Moore. The band originated out of a European tour that Cedar was headlining and he wanted to give his band an actual name and that's how Eastern Rebellion came about.

 

The albums are mixture of standards and Walton staples ("Bolivia", "Ojos de Rojo" and "The Maestro") with performances of the highest order. Most of the Eastern Rebellion albums were live so its the perfect way to hear Cedar Walton. There is a fantastic three disc set simply titled First Set, Second Set and Third Set (SteepleChase) which are probably the ones to start with. Bizarrely they are listed as The Cedar Walton Quartet records not Eastern Rebellion but that's nit-picky. The albums are a little hard to find but not out of print so they shouldn't cost that much. I have found them online and for download if you chose that route.

 
For those looking for some of Walton's newer material you should check The Promise Land (High Note) which features a host incredibly strong selections that anyone interested in jazz would love. The title track along with "Bermond's Blues" and "Thirty Degrees To The Wind" highlight an album of mostly Walton originals and is a real pleasure to listen to. A pianist with great skill and beauty--if you haven't experienced Cedar Walton you really should.
 
If you have a chance to see him live I highly recommend you buy ticket and see one of the few jazz legends still around and performing regularly. The perfomance below was recorded during one of Eastern Rebellion's European tours in '76.

Kenny Garrett: Bebop Into The Future

Kenny Garrett (sax; b. 1960)

Detroit born Kenny Garrett learned a lot as one of Miles Davis' session and touring band members during Miles' final years (1987 - 1991). He has also played with Woody Shaw (a major influence), Freddie Hubbard, Geri Allen and Art Blakey to name a few. His style has always been compared to Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt and definitely John Coltrane. But while the influences are there, Kenny Garrett has managed to create his own path and voice over the course of 15 albums. Garrett has shown himself to not only be a solid performer but a versatile one as well. He incorporates raw soulful grooves into his repertoire regularly, which makes many of his albums quite adventurous as well as refreshing.

There is a very solid block ('92 - '96) in which Garrett was prolific, thought-provoking and in clear grasp of his what he wanted to deliver to the public. For anyone, the albums Black Hope, Threshold, Triology and Pursuance (all on Warner Brothers) are all worth seeking out. For me these are 4 star albums of the highest order.

My personal favourite, Triology (Warner Brothers, 1995) is a fantastic record performed by a young artist that showed a myriad of ideas. The strength of his performance as well as his trio featuring Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Charnett Moffett (bass), & Brian Blade (drums) made Triology a worn out CD in my house for almost two years. The album included a nice mixture of standards and originals, all played with fresh verve and distinctive virtuosity. Standards like "Night And Day" & "Giant Steps" glide well against Garrett's own "Wayne's Thang" and "Oriental Towaway Zone" with true honour and respect to the foundations of jazz. The main thing for me has always been that some of the standards are very challenging to perform as a trio (without piano or trumpet) especially Coltrane's "Giant Steps," and towards the end of the album Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way," but Garrett's trio pull this off with great ease and beauty.

Triology, among the aforementioned albums, is perfect for any music lover (jazz fan or not). Hope you dig them.

CLASSIC ALBUMS: SONNY'S CRIB

Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark (piano; b. 1931 - d. 1963)

Sonny's Crib (Blue Note; 1957)

Donald Byrd (trumpet)

John Coltrane (sax)

Curtis Fuller (trombone)

Paul Chambers (bass)

Art Taylor (drums)

If the names above don't impress you enough to buy this---What's wrong with you!?! Well, once you've picked up those essential albums everyone must have when starting a jazz collection, what do you do next? I hope that everyone decides to dig deep and look for some really amazing records from artists they may not have heard of or may notice a couple of musicians playing on the album that are familiar.

Jazz, unlike some other forms of music, is where you can take an educated chance and 90% of time end up pleasantly surprised. One such venture should be Sonny Clark's Sonny's Crib (Blue Note; 1957). Sonny's Crib was the second session Clark would do for Blue Note (the first being Dial "S" for Sonny). Sonny was a huge admirer of John Coltrane and was very excited to be working with him on this, his second date as leader (Coltrane had just finished recording Blue Train (Blue Note; 1957) a month earlier). This date, while slightly subdued because of the material (3 covers and 2 originals), is still a fantastic piece of work from all the musicians involved.

Sonny's Crib features a group that is equal in command while also giveing the ability to solo their direction without dominating the proceedings. Each of the musicians for this session were on their way to becoming legends, but you don't get that sense from this date. From the opening upbeat "Without A Song" that features some killer interchanges between Coltrane and Byrd, to astounding precision of Coltrane, Byrd and Fuller on the Clark penned title track you get the feeling this was not only an amazing session to sit in on but a wonderfully powerful group of artists with whom to record.

The two original compositions "Sonny Crib" and "News For Lulu" would eventually become semi-standards by today's current generation of artists (John Zorn recently covered News For Lulu on two ultra-rare discs with George Lewis (trombone) and Bill Frisell (guitar)).

Sonny's Crib is definitely indicative of the Blue Note sound but it also demonstrates the beauty of each of the performers at an early stage in their careers. Sonny Clark would go on to record two more outstanding Blue Note albums, Sonny Clark Trio and Cool Struttin' in the following months.

John Coltrane would record Soultrane (OJC) a few months into 1958 with Art Taylor and Paul Chambers. Sonny Clark had an unfortunately short career (heart attack in '63) but he left behind a body of work that is solid through and through. If you find any of his albums I would definitely pick them up. Sonny's Crib is an album anyone can enjoy. There are a couple of "Best Of" compilations which actually do the job quite well if you don't want to hunt down the individual albums, but I hope you do.

If you're interested, take a listen on Amazon to Sonny's Crib. It's available both as download and a physical CD.

Below is the titled track from Cool Struttin'.

Mark Turner: Purssuance

Mark Turner (sax, b. 1965)

Mark Tuner has garned praise from contemporaries as well as his elders. He has laid down the guantlet to his generation to push beyond what you see around you. Mark Turner's style is unlike many of his contemporaries. He is a wealth of ideas and his writing can be highly cerebral. A song can start off in a traditional fashion but then go in a completely different direction before you realize it. Mark Turner creates a magical atmosphere with each of his recordings. Raised in California and then moving to New York where really gained his chops, Mark Turner has always been compared to the great Wayne Marsh due the same originality and lush tone of their recordings. There is also the obvious comparisons to John Coltrane but I think that's only upon first listen. But like Coltrane, Mark Turner has developed a voice all his own.

Mark Turner's albums are a study in technique and structure. I have been a fan since I first heard his debut, Yam Yam (Criss Cross Jazz; 1995). Yam Yam is a serious record, rich in detail and captures a talented artist far beyond his years. Mark has recorded six albums as leader since but is also session member with fellow collaborators Larry Grenadier (bass), Brad Mehldau (piano), Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar) and Jeff Ballard (drums) on their albums.

Mark recently suffered what appeared to be a serious and career-ending injury to two of his fingers that kept him from playing for almost a year. Through persistent rehab and a strong will, Mark overcame the injury and has been back on the touring circuit with Grenadier and Ballard as the trio Fly. Fly has released two highly acclaimed albums, Fly (Savoy; 2004) and Sky & Country (ECM; 2009). Both albums are phenomenal and worth the purchase. The same creativity that encompasses Mark's solo recordings can be found within the Fly trio. He is also a member of the revolving collective SF Jazz Collective working out of San Francisco (think of it as the East coast version of Jazz At Lincoln Center).

Mark Turner's own material is becoming increasingly harder to find (even at the coolest of record stores). But luckily one of my favourite Mark Turner albums, Dharma Days (Warner Brothers; 2001) is the easiest to find. Dharma Days is the perfect example of Turner's intricate melodies and rhythmic beauty that sets him apart from other saxophonists. The simpatico he shares with his longtime bandmates, Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar), Reid Anderson (bass), and Nasheet Waits (drums) appears in full on this album. Dharma Days is a record that will leave you in awe that someone this young can turn out an album of such maturity and creativity that you will have to seek out the rest of his catalog.

I have seen most of Mark Turner's albums available for download if you choose to go that route. Mark Turner is undeniably the most important saxophonist of his generation. He continues to explore new themes and ideas on record and in concert that others have yet or can even try. The trio Fly are touring and its probably the best way to experience Mark's music if you have the chance.

Giant Steps: Why It's Important

John Coltrane (sax; b. 1926 - d. 1967)

Giant Steps (Atlantic; 1960)

This month celebrates the 50th anniversary of John Coltrane's Giant Steps (Atlantic) album. Giant Steps was recorded only a few weeks after Coltrane had recorded Kind Of Blue with Miles Davis. Coltrane once mentioned in an interview that he wanted to play "a more lyrical and beautiful sound" and while he obviously and modestly didn't acknowledge it at the time, Giant Steps was the album where he found the lyrical voice for which he was searching.

The album features unbelievable quartet works with Tommy Flanagan, Wynton Kelly, Cedar Walton (piano), Jimmy Cobb, Lex Humphries, Art Taylor (Drums) and Paul Chambers (bass) running through seven numbers that would all become classics and benchmarks for future jazz generations to come. The sessions are also historic for the inclusion of the same line up that recorded Miles' Kind Of Blue (Kelly, Cobb and Chambers) on the lovely "Naima". The title track is a fast paced firecracker of a number that sets the tone for the whole affair. The album is a bold statement of intent that Coltrane had indeed arrived.

While his material for Prestige and Blue Note, Soultrane and Blue Train, respectfully are definite markers of his early dominance and potential, Giant Steps to me is the signpost that solidifies his status as the most important saxophone player of his generation. On the potent journey that is Giant Steps, Coltrane rips through harmonic scales at a dazzling pace as heard throughout the short but surefire "Countdown", and then moves lovingly into the wonderful piece "Spiral." Nearing the end of Giant Steps, Coltrane finally brings the proceedings to a calmer tone with the absolutely beautiful "Niama," named after his first wife, and is highlighted by the magnificent playing of the truly underrated Wynton Kelly on piano. The closing number, "Mr. P.C." is named after the only constant in the two quartet set up, bassist, Paul Chambers. It is a hard hitting and perfectly fitting way to end the session.

Giant Steps was the album that saw John Coltrane finally let loose and express the emotion, structure and complexity he had developed over the previous 15 years in his associations with Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and Red Garland. Of all the John Coltrane albums, Giant Steps arguably might be the one that universally says everything you need to know about the legendary musician. Along with Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue, Charles Mingus' Ah Um, Dave Brubecks' Time Out, Thelonious Monks' Brilliant Corners, John Coltane's Giant Steps is a must-have for any music fan. It is the document of a legend as well as a great jazz history lesson.

Below is a stellar version of "Naima" with one of Coltrane's later quartets featuring McCoy Tyner (piano), Gimmy Garrison (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums).

Empirical: The New UK Hard Bop

Empirical (group; 2007)

Empirical are the latest in what is becoming an endless list of very solid groups coming from the U.K. at the moment. This London based quartet are steep in the John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman tradition of eclectic hard bop. Empirical utilize their influences with great skill and technical ease making their two albums, 2007's self titled debut and 2009's sophomore effort, Out'n'In immensely enjoyable.

Out'n'In (Naim Jazz) is a tribute to the legendary saxophonist, Eric Dolphy and his landmark Out To Lunch album. The music is definitely as challenging as Eric Dolphy, but delivers it in an incredible accessible manner that will find even the non-jazz listener stand up and appreciate the band's fast-growing popularity. This is an album that flows effortlessly, beginning with "Out But In" and features two covers of Dolphy tunes while closing out with the lovely "Bowden Out".

Empirical, in addition to Acoustic Ladyland and Polar Bear, may be the three bands to watch in 2010. The UK jazz scene hasn't been this hot in years. Empirical can be one of the leaders of the pack that could very well break out on this side of the Atlantic...I hope. For everyone who wants to check them out, go to their webisite and download the FREE 4 track Empirical Live At Ronnie Scotts Ep. (You might want to download the tracks individually instead of all at once. I had a little trouble. You can listen to it on your iPod or other MP3 player.) And did I mention it's FREE.