Thu, 26 February 2009  Here’s a Podcast of music from, about and by musicians (Davis and Berliner in particular) who were part of the great experiment that became Astral Weeks. Click here to listen to: Van Morrison – “Astral Weeks/I Believe I've Been Transcended” from Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl. In which a song that originally acoustically pointed the way into a mystical land becomes a jazz tune complete with scatting and improvising vocals, Steve Evans – “The Way Young Lovers Do” from 2 Sets. I've got two versions of the most accessible (and shortest) tunes from the album The first version captures the spirit that Jeff Buckley brought to Van's material (check out Live at Sin-E to hear amazing versions of this song and "Sweet Thing"). I asked Evans about trying to record a song so closely associated with a legend: I find the a lot of the music of Van Morrison, especially that off of Astral Weeks, very easily transferred to a jazz setting. Van seems to be steeped in the blues, and the blues are of course the perfect jumping off point for Jazz. He and I both sing up in the tenor range, so a lot of the keys are same, helping to capture the original intention of the song. Add a bit of re-harmonization and you're off and running. Van also happens to write a lot of material in 3/4, which is one of my favorite time signatures to sing in. Viktoria Tolstoy – “The Way Young Lovers Do” from Pictures of Me. While Mr. Evans treats the song with reverence and gently presents his version of the song, Ms. Tolstoy belts it out. She wrote: The original version of this song is completely hysterical...,it sounds as if all the players were high on drugs. Van Morrison yells his way through the song. It was a challenge to make a tune out of it again. Oh well, I guess our version is still hysterical enough. Ms. Tolstoy is on vocals, with Jacob Karlzon on piano and keyboards, Hans Andersson on acoustic bass, Peter Danemo on drums and percussion, Xavier Desandre Navarre on percussion, Tore Brunborg on saxophone and fluteand Lars Danielsson on cello. Eric Dolphy – “The Prophet” from Live at the Five Spot. Richard Davis was the anchor of the Astral Weeks band, and here he is anchoring the group on one of Eric Dolphy's greatest live recordings. Dolphy is on clarinet, with Booker Little on trumpet, Mal Waldron on piano, the Davis on bass, with Ed Blackwell on drums. Basically a blues number, in the hands of these forward thinking players, its nothing short of a revelation. Check out Davis' playing near the end of the song, just before Dolphy and Little jump in to bring it home. Charles Mingus - Charles Mingus - "Mode D - Trio And Group Dancers/Mode E - Single Solos And Groupe Dance/ Mode F - Group And Solo Dance" from The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. Mingus' favorite players are here - in particular, Danny Richmond on drums and Jaki Byard on piano. Jay Berliner's Spanish Guitar is a major foil for the heavier sound of tubas and trombones that Mingus brings in and out of this piece. Hearing how he weaves his magic here shows why Davis was right to make his playing a centerpiece of Astral Weeks. Direct download: Podcast_138_-_I_Believe_Ive_Been_Transcended.mp3 Category: podcasts -- posted at: 2:53 PM Comments[3] |
Mon, 23 February 2009 Defined in Wikipedia: The terms "Mardi Gras" (mär`dē grä) and Mardi Gras season in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, ending on the day before Ash Wednesday. From the French term "Mardi Gras" (literally "Fat Tuesday"), the term has come to mean the whole period of activity related to those events, beyond just the single day, often called Mardi Gras Day or Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday. Or for those who love New Orleans, parades, food and music, the ultimate party. The great variety of music one can hear in any given day in "The Big Easy" leads to Podcast 137, beginning with three of New Orleans' greatest early pionners and ending with a gospel tinged medley by Mac Rebennack, aka Dr. John. Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez! Jelly Roll Morton - "Buddy Bolden's Blues" Johnny Dodds - "Wild Man Blues" Louis Armstrong & His Hot Sevens - "Potato Head Blues" from Portrait Of the Artist as a Young Man. Bix Beiderbecke - "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" from Jazz Me Blues. Wynton Marsalis - "New Orleans Bump" from Unforgiveable Blackness. Scarlett Johansson - "I Wish I Was in New Orleans" from Anywhere I Lay My Head. John Carlini - "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" from Further Adventures The Godfathers of Groove - "Long Live New Orleans" from The Godfathers of Groove Idris Muhammad - "New Orleans" from Make It Count. Dr. John - "Medley: Down By the Riverside/My Indian Red/Mardi Gras Day/I Shall Not Be Moved" from Trippin' Live. Comments[2] |
Wed, 18 February 2009 A tribute to the arranger extraordinaire Claus Ogerman, with songs by Michael Brecker, Diana Krall, Joao and Astrud Gilberto, Danilo Perez and others. Comments[2] |
Sun, 1 February 2009 Jazz does Motown to celebrate its 50th birthday - Houston Person, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Walter Beasley, David Matthews, and more! Comments[2] |
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Straight No Chaser - A Jazz Show A blog with interviews, reviews, features and podcasts on jazz of the past, present and future.
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