Don Byron: Tuskegee Experiments

Don Byron (clarinet, saxophone; b. 1958)
Tuskegee Experiments (1992)

Don Byron is an accomplished clarinetist who also plays saxophone. An ardent experimentalist in that each of his albums explores different themes. He has recorded jazz, R&B, Funk, Klezmer and semi-classical themed albums. Blurring the lines of jazz and other genres is only beginning of what Don Byron has contributed to musical culture. His influences range from John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Leonard Bernstein, Artie Shaw to Lester Young.

He began his career performing Klezmer music (which he paid tribute to on his second album A Tribute To Mickey Katz (Nonesuch)) but the album that I have always gravitated to and been fascinated with is his first album, Tuskegee Experiments (Nonesuch). Tuskegee Experiments takes on the two famous and tragic moments in African American history; the Tuskegee Airmen who were racially discriminated against by the Army although they were light years better than their White American counterparts and the Tuskegee science experiments done on African Americans who were stricken Syphilis and not treated just to so they could see what would happen.

This is a powerful and emotional album that gets you thinking about the tragedies in a new way. Tuskegee Experiments works just as well as a jazz album even if you set the themes aside.The album features excellent work from band members Bill Frisell (guitar), Reggie Workman (bass), Ralph Peterson (drums), Edsel Gomez (piano) and Lonnie Plaxico (bass); whom all contribute to an uplifting and thought-provoking session everyone should hear.

A slightly more straight-ahead jazz release from Don Byron is Ivey Divey (2002, Blue Note) that is well worth checking out if you think Tuskegee Experiments isn't for you. Tuskegee Experiments though stays my favourite and may be an intellectual record, but some times we need an album to jar us all into action.

Dave Brubeck: After "Time Out"

Dave Brubeck (piano, b. 1920)

So you finally own one of jazz histories most important albums, Dave Brubeck's Time Out (Columbia)--Now What? Well if you enjoyed this lovely piece of modern jazz from a master at the piano, might I suggest you go further, my friend. Dave Brubeck recorded a number of wonderful records following Time Out, two of which are my favourites, Live At Carnegie Hall (Columbia) and The Brubeck Quartet with Jimmy Rushing (Columbia).

Live At Carnegie Hall is a smokin' set recorded after a return from the groups 1963 European tour. There are a number of standards mixed in with the usual crowd favourites. The evening ends with pulsating renditions of "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and "Take Five". Brubeck with Jimmy Rushing is fantastic pairing of the Blues/R&B legend with the hottest jazz quartet of the day. This is a sweet, mellow and all together solid session that very few people still don't know about.

Since Dave Brubeck is still recording albums today you might want to try the recently released The Best of Brubeck 1979 - 2004 (Concord Jazz). This two disc set covers the time period after Dave left Columbia Records and features some excellent tracks that show he hasn't lost that rhythm. The Best of Brubeck does have a few newer versions of classics tracks like 'Take Five', "St. Louis Blues" and "Yesterdays" but its great to hear how these are translated years later from their original sessions. There are also some killer live versions of "Cherokee" and "Cassandra," originally on a live album entitled London Flat, London Flat (Concord Jazz). The album Time Out cast a large shadow over jazz as well as Brubeck's other recording but it is important to note that he still does some unbelieveable work that will someday sit along side that classic piece of jazz history.

If you've been wondering what to do after you've bought Time Out, I hope you take the time to give the aforementioned a spin. Worth hearing a living legend who is still reaching the summit of his elegant career. If you still don't own Time Out, what are you waiting for? Find out why we think Time Out is important.

The Intersection: Future Sounds of Jazz

The Intersection is a new feature on JazzWrap that looks at artists that blend jazz with electronica (a tradition pioneered by none other than Miles Davis on such classic recordings as On the Corner).

This week's focus is Compost Records' Future Sounds of Jazz series.

Compost Records is a German label closely associated with the electronica genre called "nu jazz" or more generically "downtempo." Most people familiar with this sophisticated 21st century style will tell you that the Future Sounds of Jazz series is the nu jazz benchmark. They'll get no argument here.

The Michael Reinboth-produced 11-part series (so far) boasts a list of label and non-label talent including Jimi Tenor, Wagon Christ, Gentle People, Nightmares on Wax, Fauna Flash, Turntable Terranova, FunkStorung, Beanfield, Rainer Truby Trio, Tosca, Alex Gopher, Jazzanova, A Forest Mighty Black, United Future Organization, Peter Kruder and many many more.

Stylistically, the sounds encompass chilled downtempo, trippy exotica, jazzy drum 'n bass, Latin-tinged house, abstract hip hop, cut 'n paste and hard-edged techno. Over the course of the series, however, the emphasis is on uptempo highly polished dancefloor nu jazz.

While most of the music in the FSOJ series demonstrates a love of jazz feeling even when jazz chops or overt improvisation are apparent.

For example, Future Sounds of Jazz Vol. 8 offers up a dozen tracks, most exclusive to Compost and available for the first time on CD. Big beats mesh with murky synth loops and Latin rhythm beds, punctuated occasionally by soulful vocals and jazzy piano fills. It's a slick mix. Kaos' "Around in Circles" is cinematic big beat jazz par excellance. Jon Kennedy's "Smith vs. Smith" is simultaneously funky and intriguing. Moonstarr's "Dust" sounds like Latin lounge sucked through a hip-hop time warp. And Butti 49's "Spiritual Rotations" is jazzy as hell without meandering into self-indulgence. All in all, very nice and not in the least bit challenging -- perfect for the cocktail hour.

Next week: Amon Tobin

Bill Charlap: The Modern Pianist

Bill Charlap (piano; b. 1966)
Writen In The Stars

Bill Charlap is wonderful and accomplished pianists in the vain of Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. He has worked with Tony Bennett, Clark Terry and Gerry Mulligan among others. There's nothing technically complicated or cerebral going on here, just a nice dose of jazz with your Sunday morning tea.

I first started listening to Charlap after seeing him at the Village Vanguard in New York many years ago. I thought he was a superb performer and his band consisting of two young veterans, Peter Washington (bass) and Kenny Washington (drums) were excellent compliments to Charlap's mastery of the standards repertoire.

Charlap has an extensive catalog crossing a couple of labels but the one album that I believe is very representative of his style and is most appealing to everyone is Written In The Stars (Blue Note). Written In The Stars features the members listed above and is absolutely perfect throughout. This album is pretty widely available so you should be able to find it fairly easily. Bill Charlap is a modern craftsman of piano and someone you might want to check out if you starting your jazz collection from scratch.