Ten Coltrane Tunes to Celebrate His Birthday - OC Weekly

Saxophonist John Coltrane would have been 87 years old today, had he not passed away from liver cancer in 1967. This untimely death means the icon is preserved at the peak of his artistic powers. As both a fiery tenorman and a sensitive balladeer, Coltrane inspired hundreds of thousands of musicians, from Kenny G to Iggy Pop, to do vastly different things in his name.

That dichotomy is often ignored in tributes because few musicians can successfully bridge that breadth of emotion, and even fewer listeners are willing to entertain such variety. In honor of his birthday, here's a list of ten recordings (in chronological order) that show why Coltrane has few equals, despite the fact that his recording career that lasted less than twenty years.

"Ah Leu Cha"
Round About Midnight (1955)

Coltrane joined the Miles Davis Quintet in 1955. This partnership would lead to many classic records, culminating with Kind of Blue in 1959. Here, the young tenor saxophonist is confident on the Charlie Parker tune, bouncing a series of well-spaced phrases and biting riffs. He is a complimentary sparring partner with Davis on the melody. Coltrane was still grappling with the bop sound, trying to find his place in the scene but relative to many other musicians, it didn't take him that long.

"Tenor Madness"
Tenor Madness (1956)

This 13 minute track marks the only time Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane recorded together. The song finds the two tenors interested in sharing ideas, sussing each other out with immense respect and curiosity. This landmark recording only makes the listener wish Coltrane had stuck around the studio for a few more numbers.

"Trinkle Tinkle"
Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (1957)

Monk's off-kilter tune served as a launching pad for Coltrane's famous sheets of sound. Breath seems to be a low priority as Coltrane rages through his solo with a flight of cascading notes. Monk mostly stays out of the way and lets Coltrane do his thing. The younger saxophonist spent six months on the bandstand with Monk in 1957 and managed to soak up a decade's worth of knowledge.

"Why Was I Born?"
Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane (1958)

Coltrane didn't work with many guitarists. Kenny Burrell was an exception. Here the two men duet on the obscure Jerome Kern melody that is a master class in economy and interplay. Burrell slowly strums the changes as a bed for Coltrane to lay his measured tones upon. Coltrane got a lot of flack for his spiraling sheets. Here he proves that he had no trouble dropping the pulse.

"Countdown"
Giant Steps (1959)

Sometimes you just gotta blow. This two and half minute jaunt was the extreme end of Coltrane's experiments in cramming as many relevant notes into a measure as possible. Tunes like "Giant Steps" and "Mr. P.C." tested the limits of tempo and the brain's ability to process sound. Coltrane's own band was often left winded, absorbing many of these new concepts while in the recording studio.

"My Favorite Things"
My Favorite Things (1960)

Coltrane changed the game when it came to interpreting popular songs. The Sound of Music's "My Favorite Things" went through the Coltrane grinder before Julie Andrews even got a shot at it. The result was an almost entirely different tune, soaked in modal landscapes and bashing drums. His use of the soprano saxophone also drastically changed the role of the instrument, giving it muscle over the course of this nearly fourteen minute song.

"Spiritual"
Live at the Village Vanguard (1961) 

New York's Village Vanguard jazz club became intertwined with the Coltrane legend in the early 1960s. The box set that came out of this run is indispensible. In a live setting, Coltrane was free to explore ideas to their limits. This was his first pairing with pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones. Eric Dolphy guests on this track on bass clarinet. Together, the Coltrane quartet blazed new trails with a display of force, experimentation and productivity unrivaled at the time.

"In A Sentimental Mood"

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (1962)

In the 1960s, Duke Ellington was happily accepting his place as one of the most important composers in American music history. Here, he was paired up with Coltrane and drummer Elvin Jones. Ellington's more conservative approach to the tune, including the iconic piano introduction, meshes well with Coltrane and Jones' styles. Together, it's a once-in-a-lifetime sound.

"Lush Life"

Johnny Hartman & John Coltrane (1963)

Coltrane's quartet was paired with baritone crooner Johnny Hartman the following year. This interpretation of this standard by Ellington's composing partner Billy Strayhorn feels like the convergence of two different worlds. The straight, McCoy Tyner-accompanied melody shows no indication of the Coltrane solo to come. Jones pounds along with a pair of brushes, implying a host of rhythmic complexities as Coltrane offers a spine tingling flutter above him. Coltrane may have been deep into a spiritual and artistic journey at the time, but he never forgot his ability to swing a tune.

"Acknowldegement"

A Love Supreme (1964)

Recorded in one day in December of 1964, A Love Supreme is Coltrane's most lasting spiritual statement. Where he had been and where he was heading here collide with an unparalleled resonance, combining a wealth of bare emotion with a band that was in peak form. Those unfamiliar with the tune might recognize it as intro to the news on KCRW. Sorry. Coltrane was aiming much higher than donor sponsorships and traffic reports; he was pursuing the stratosphere. Here, he finally touched it.

Coltrane @ OC Weekly (with audio clips)

A Brief History of Five World Music Trends - OC Weekly

Nonesuch Records

"World Music" has always been a strange catch-all term for American music buyers. The category lazily pits K-Pop singer Psy against French chanteuse Carla Bruni as though there were only a dozen musical genres outside of the United States.

Every now and then one of those musical genres becomes trendy, and for a few months it appears we all might start wearing guyaberas to work. In honor of the appearance by members of the Buena Vista Social Club at the Segerstrom Center this Tuesday, here are five world music trends that momentarily boosted the tourism in their home countries.

1. Bossa Nova
Who to thank: Stan Getz

It is a little too convenient that the term "bossa nova" is Brazilian for "new trend." American jazz saxophonist Stan Getz already had a twenty year career when he teamed up with vocalist Astrud Gilberto and guitarist Joao Gilberto to record Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Girl From Ipanema" in 1964. The wispy tune instantly entered into the cocktail lounge book of standards and opened the door for countless other artists to try their hand at the craze. Surely the "tall and tan and young and lovely" roaming the beaches of Rio picked up a few choice English phrases in the mid 1960s.

2. Indian Sitar
Who to thank: George Harrison 

After George Harrison added a sitar to the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" in 1965, a lot of recording studios had to invest in the lengthy lute for future sessions. The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Mamas & the Papas and the Animals all put the Indian instrument to use on their pop hits, which really helped sitarist Ravi Shankar book some higher profile gigs. Shankar was the ambassador of Indian classical music, introducing the unique droning sounds of the sitar along with the melodic sounds of the tabla drums to a generation of stoners looking to just mellow out.

3. Gregorian Chant
Who to thank: Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos

In 1994, a 20-year-old recording of Spanish monks sold over three million copies in the United States. Was America finally ready to embrace a monastic lifestyle? Had they finally found inner peace and true purpose? No. They found something that helped make a massage more relaxing and was easier to obtain than anti-depressants. The anonymous monks never did hit the tour circuit and were probably unaware that their interpretation on a thousand year old tradition was so popular in mall gift shops. 

4. Irish Folk Music

Who to thank: The Chieftains

The Chieftains had been plugging away since the early 1960s but didn't come to define traditional Irish folk music until Stanley Kubrick hired them to record the score for Barry Lyndon in 1975. They've subsequently been solidly booked for Christmas and St. Patrick's Day through the rest of the century. Their Guiness-friendly sound mirrors a lot of American folk music and has provided many an excuse to spend four hours in a pub on a Sunday night. But, the odds are that anyone you know with a Chieftains record likely doesn't have any other Irish music in their collection. Except for maybe U2.

Buena Vista Social Club
Who to thank: Ry Cooder

When musician Ry Cooder came back with a record of Cuban old timers in 1997, he instantly provided the soundtrack for any Spanish-speaking eatery with a CD player. The acoustic boleros and guajiras were omnipresent in this sound. However you feel about Cooder receiving as much credit as he gets for "discovering" this group of musicians, he was instrumental in helping these Cuban artists secure gigs, (a lot of gigs) simply by attaching the phrase "Buena Vista Social Club" to show posters.

World Music @ OC Weekly

Tootie's Tempo review - NYC Jazz Record

Al Tootie Heath/Ben Street/Ethan Iverson
Tootie's Tempo

If there was one word to describe this album, it would
be ‘sweet’. Most musicians would probably kick a cat
or write a regrettable Facebook post in order to regain
a more muscular reputation but even the cover of
Tootie’s Tempo is undeniably sweet: pianist Ethan
Iverson and bassist Ben Street flank drummer Albert
“Tootie” Heath wearing bowties, suit jackets, campaign
buttons and stubbly smiles.

Heath established himself as major mover in the
jazz world long before Iverson and Street were born.
He, along with brothers Percy (bass) and Jimmy
(saxophone), made their collective mark on hundreds
of essential jazz recordings starting in the ‘50s while
Street and The Bad Plus’ Iverson are in the midst of
forging their own legacies. The younger duo shows a
great and well-deserved reverence for their percussive
leader in this new recording of old standards.

The band open by going way back with a tune
dating to a dozen years before Heath was born - “The
Charleston”. Heath gives it a second-line pop as
Iverson bounces the familiar chestnut with both hands.
The trio dispenses an effortless swing at various speeds
over 11 tracks, from a funereal “How Insensitive” to a
simmering “Fire Waltz”, with Heath to the fore on
most every track. Iverson gets to stretch out on an
easygoing stroll through “Stompin’ At the Savoy”,
expanding and contracting across the keyboard with a
jagged edge while Street shines on a duet with Heath
on Neil Hefti’s “Cute”, carrying the melody with a sly
briskness. Appropriately, Heath has the last word with
the title track, an economic solo rendition of Frank
Foster’s “Shiny Stockings”.

Despite the throwback aspect, cross-generational
collaborations are invaluable both to preserving and
progressing jazz and this trio has done a terrific job of
making it fun. Let’s hope there is more to come.

Tootie's Tempo @ NYC Jazz Record

Willie Jones III review - NYC Jazz Record

Willie Jones II Sextet
Plays the Max Roach Songbook

Drummer Max Roach was one of the most influential
drummers of the 20th century but his legacy of
songwriting is not nearly as widespread. He certainly
wrote and recorded some powerful statements but his
tunes are not a large part of the standard jazz repertoire.
Drummer Willie Jones III’s live tribute to his songbook
doesn’t focus strictly on his pen; in fact there are only
two tunes credited to Roach, with one of them a
collaboration. Instead, the band rips through tunes
associated with a 15-year span of Roach’s career as a
leader from the early ‘50s to the late ‘60s.

The sextet starts off with a crisp, extended version
of “Ezz-Thetic”, one of two tunes from Max Roach +4
featured on this recording. Everyone but bassist
Dezron Douglas takes ecstatic solos on the upbeat tune
before Jones trades eights with the soloists. Eventually
he takes over the stage with a thundering spotlight.
The band maintains their energy for Gary Bartz’
“Libra”, which lets saxophonist Stacy Dillard throw a
few daggers before trumpeter Jeremy Pelt explodes
over the furious rhythm section.

Leon Mitchell’s “To Lady” briefly slows the tempo
with beautiful interaction between the horns and a
lilting touch from pianist Eric Reed. The band closes
with a nod to Roach’s days with Clifford Brown,
working through the 1954 rendition of Cole Porter’s “I
Get A Kick Out of You”, Pelt leaping out of the gate,
amiably tackling the Brown role.

Although the sound of the audience has a minimal
presence on the recording, the live aspect allowed the
band to stretch out quite a bit. The first four of seven
tracks account for over 45 minutes of running time.
Everyone is in top form, Reed especially memorable
with a swinging arsenal of lightning-quick ideas. Jones
has a crisp feel and drives the band expertly, rumbling
along with barely enough room to catch his breath in a
fitting homage to the much-missed master.

Willie Jones III @ NYC Jazz Record

Slumgum review - NYC Jazz Record

Slumgum
The Sky His Own

Los Angeles-based Slumgum’s newest album cover
features a hexagonal patchwork. The mostly ivory
toned landscape is dotted with a few scattered blasts of
paisley, checkers and stripes. It’s an apt fabric-based
representation of the contents of the album. The
youthful quartet (drummer Trevor Anderies,
saxophonist Jon Armstrong, pianist Rory Cowal,
bassist David Tranchina) is joined by cornet veteran
Hugh Ragin, who contributes many of those abrupt
swatches amid the band’s groove.

The setlist is a group effort with each member
contributing at least one apiece. Tranchina gets the
first shot with “Zoyoki Gnoki”, a satisfying feature for
his rhythmically-inclined support. He bounces around
the changes alongside Cowal as an engaging backdrop
for Armstrong’s muscular solo.

Ragin’s lone compositional contribution, “Silver
Cornet News”, opens as a straightahead swinger, the
cornetist pushing things further out as the track
progresses, with Armstrong joining him on a fluttering
soprano saxophone until Cowal digs right back into
the swing pushed heartily by Anderies and Tranchina.
The extended opus provides everyone with a generous
solo spotlight.

A long swath of sleepiness travels from Tranchina’s
“Mayday” to Anderies’ “Kyo” before making way for
Armstrong’s expansive “Inherent Vibrations”, which
runs the gamut of styles over a quarter of an hour. The
tune opens with a dreamlike sway before rolling into a
solid backbeat for Ragin’s spastic horn and then
Cowal’s flirtatious rolls. None of the vibes last too long
as the quintet gradually segues from peace into a
rumbling dissonance. Cowal gets the last word with
his “Minuet”. Ragin and Armstrong briefly don their
ragged parlor wigs through the time-signature-free
interactions. The bandmembers sputter and jolt each
other to a demure close.

Through it all the band takes many sharp turns,
covering a fair amount of real estate. It is hard to tell
whether the avant garde or the straightahead moments
are more unexpected but the band tackles both with
aplomb. This is a thoroughly modern record that
successfully ties together multiple generations, genres
and sensations into a wide-reaching whole.

Slumgum @ NYC Jazz Record

Five Acts at Long Beach's Buskerfest - OC Weekly

Mary Bell

Good crowd for busking.

Buskers are few and far between on the sidewalks of Long Beach but for one day only, a handful of bands have the approval of the city and a few electrical outlets at their disposal. There seems to be an unintended theme of family bands this year, real and fake, whether that means siblings in harmony or a lingering generational legacy hovering just above the fretboard. Buskerfest is the culmination of Long Beach's stellar outdoor concert series and they are closing out 2013 with a roster loaded with some local bands. Support your neighbors. Here's a group of bands that you should be sure to catch.

Mary Bell

Brother C and Sister J

Who'd have thought the heyday of guitar/drum duos that play an unhinged Bo Diddley rumble would last so long? Brother C and Sister J took their cues from that Detroit duo that pretended to be siblings in the early '00s. Brother C even has the tight pants and vocal quaver that drives all the girls crazy. The differences come in the little things. His guitar sound digs more into a Texas blues with a funky twang that keeps things moving and Sister J is a much more capable drummer than that other disbanded group. She pummels an even tempo and does more than just let her hair blow in the wind. This set will likely have a lot more heavy riffs than the other.

Eric Stoner

Hedgehog Swing

Gypsy jazz instantly makes anything Woody Allen writes twice as madcapped. That's a cinematic fact. So perhaps when Hedgehog Swing hits the stage you'll receive a text from someone having an affair on a boat or maybe just Alan Alda. Guitarists Luca Pino and Gage Husley have clearly been studying the Reinhardt handbook. Their strum and swing is nimble and tasteful. The addition of a clarinet to that sound sometimes takes things a little too far into the Klezmer corner but that can be forgiven. This is a nice alternative to the more rocking offerings on the bill.

Carly Ritter

Carly Ritter

The newest generation of Ritter kids are mostly recognized for being the children of John (Three's Company, Problem Child) but it is often forgotten these days that John was known to many as the son of Tex. The singing cowboy had a string of hits in the 1940s and his granddaughter Carly is returning to those roots. The gentle songstress has a patient lower register and penchant for love songs with an easy going band that combine a pleasant early evening sound. Maybe she'll even cover grandad's "I Dreamed of A Hillbilly Heaven."

Martin Vielma

The Fling

These scruffy, plaid-clad rockers have a Mersey Beat-friendly vibe with a hay-flecked tinge and three members with names ending in "ustin." Their thoroughly modern rock sound features democratically dispersed lead vocal duties and spacey guitars. It is kept grounded by a steady backbeat swaddled in soothing dynamics and rich harmonies. With a new album in the can, the Fling are poised for radio domination.

He's My Brother, She's My Sister

He's My Brother, She's My Sister

This vibrato-riddled, sibling-led band has a good time vibe that should make for a nice closer. The thrift store ensemble features a greaser bass player (completely with spinning bass), slide guitarist and a percussionist who stands atop a bass drum outfitted with tap shoes. The raucous, full-throttle band lives up to that sort of instrumentation with a perpetual stomp. They seem like the kind of group that might rattle the top of your head with a pair of mallets if they thought it would get a nice, hollow sound and you'd probably smile while they did it.

Buskerfest @ OC Weekly

Brian Charette - DownBeat

Brian Charette
Borderline
*** 1/2

Few people can get away with playing solo organ. Churches and ballparks will hire someone to employ all their limbs for the congregation but it's a rare sight to get a jazz organist alone. Brian Charette, on his first solo organ album, tackles a lot of the standard repertoire but doesn't hesitate to throw a few curveballs into the mix. Many of those old chestnuts can get a little hokey, unable to slip out from the inherently loungey trappings of the instrument. Numbers like "Tico Tico" and "Girl From Ipanema" carry on with all the components of that organ grinder sound, hanging just this side of Walt Wanderley but Charette seems well aware of those songs' reputations and not particularly concerned about liberating them from their populist history. When he slows the pace and lets the instrument resonate, there is an undeniable sweetness to his sound that goes beyond any cultural context. "Georgia" and "Body and Soul" take on a smooth, bluesy hum that shows off the instrument's relaxed capabilities while a blistering ride through "I Got Rhythm" showcases Charette's quick-fingered mastery of the instrument. The unexpected numbers however have a weight far more than one might think they are deserving of. Hall and Oates' "Sara Smile" gets a soulful slide while Bond theme "You Only Live Twice" plays with the multi-tasking aspects of the hulking keyboard for a soaring mediation. But it's the title track that takes the biggest cojones. There can't be that many straightahead jazz albums named after a Madonna song, so cheers to Charette for taking it there. The performance of "Borderline" works. The bouncy interaction between the basslinea nd melody are seamless, coupling recognition and disbelief in the same measure, while seemingly opening up a largely untapped musical corner for playful improvisation.

Charette @ DownBeat

Dan Tepfer & Ben Wendel - NYC Jazz Record

Dan Tepfer/Ben Wendel
Small Constructions

From the front of Small Constructions a couple of cleancut,
barefoot dudes rest on top of a rather expensive
musical instrument surrounded by the many other
expensive musical instruments they used to create this
album. Those 20 fingers and four ears managed, in just
four days, to record a dozen tunes testifying to their
telepathic sense of understanding and mastery of the
studio. The approach employed by pianist Dan Tepfer
and saxophonist Ben Wendel is quite a sound,
generating a two-man orchestra in minutes.

Wendel and Tepfer penned four tunes apiece while
the final track, “Oblique Strategy”, is a collaborative
party trick that transcends the idea. The duo trade
instruments for a reflective ballad, an appreciated
closer for a whirlwind recording, fitting perfectly into
the scope of the album.

A pair of Monk tunes, “Pannonica” and “Ask Me
Now”, highlight their respectful interpretations with
sensitive, straightforward readings. On “Line Up” the
duo simultaneously channels Wendy Carlos Williams
and Lennie Tristano, launching into a dizzying display
of technique and production that can leave the listener
breathless, never mind the musicians. It’s a remarkable
display that warrants countless listenings and no
doubt many failed attempts at recreation in basement
practice spaces. A similar vibe penetrates Tepfer’s
“Nines” as an ominous oscillation fills every beat,
Wendel dropping cartwheels over the tension.
“Gratitude” slows the affair with a rich layer provided
by no less than six horn overdubs and a stretched
melodica resembling high strings. The duo even digs
into some Handel with “Variation 1 in D minor”.
Wendel sets up a seamless four-part harmony, his
bassoon holding down the gentle sway, as Tepfer
conjures his own slow and swinging Baroque phrases.

There is a natural apprehension to overlyproduced jazz
recordings but Wendel and Tepfer have created a winning
combination of studio magic and musical wizardry.
When they dig into a pocket symphony, every sound
is essential while they frequently focus on their two
live voices interacting. The result is rich and impressive
and thankfully still deeply rooted in spur-of-the-moment
improvisation.

Dan Tepfer/Ben Wendel @ NYC Jazz Record

Alan Ferber - NYC Jazz Record

Alan Ferber
March Sublime

The concept of a sublime march sounds a little
strenuous. Most organized walking isn’t that great but
maybe it’s a reference to the month. Whether
trombonist Alan Ferber is enlisting in the army or
awaiting the change of seasons, he has brought along a
tremendous group of musicians to join him. Ferber
composed more than half of the tunes, nearly all of
which provide ample space amid the arrangements for
the limited solo count to maximize exploration.

His take on Björk’s slow-burn “Hyper-Ballad” is
much less restrained than the Icelandic original. Horns
rise over a quivering synthesizer before drummer
Mark Ferber adds a militaristic groove. Keyboardist
David Cook is gradually left alone to build the tension
before a smattering of brass dances over aggressive
handclaps. The manic swell leads to an engaging
exchange between trumpeter Alex Norris and
trombonist Ryan Keberle. “Wildwood”, an homage to
the site of Ferber’s Northern California wedding, gets
a designated intro track, then launches into the rich
ballad. The horns move cautiously before guitarist
Anthony Wilson takes a quivering solo over the
deliberate rhythm section. The title track is regulated
by Mark Ferber’s snare drum. Trumpeter Taylor
Haskins caws with a persistent echo effect before the
band bounces in on an uptick. Alan Ferber takes a
mournful solo, sighing like stardust above Cook and
bassist Matt Pavolka’s prodding. Haskins closes the
tune with a hazy return. Ferber’s “The Compass” flies
in within a straightahead horn blast. Tenor saxophonist
John Ellis builds up to a rousing horn accompaniment
while trombonist Josh Roseman summons the
Framptone for a muted solo, which converts that
human-like trombone quality into a vocoder. It’s a
unique effect eventually abandoned for a well-spaced
rip alongside the band.

On this record, Ferber has presented a modern big
band with modest touches of the strange and electrified.
Ferber can bend and mold many voices into an
engaging whole and he seems happy to share his forms
with a talented array of instrumentalists.

Alan Ferber @ NYC Jazz Record

Ivan Lins & SWR Big Band - DownBeat

Ivan Lins & SWR Big Band
Cornucopia
** 1/2

This project is a combination of a lot of phone calls. Brazilian vocalist/composer Ivan Lins is joined by the Germand SWR big band and, briefly, a South African choir. The 13 dense tracks were recorded in five different recording studios on four continents. Those passport stamps are clearly reflected within the first 30 seconds of the album when Themba Mkhize's choir kickstarts the proceedings before a wailing saxophone joins the fray of spiraling keyboards and a sputtering horn section. Eventually Lins joins with his sleek tones and pop sensibility. This doesn't feel so much like a big band album as a Brazilian pop record with a lot of instruments. SWR moves primarily as a unit, offering bright brass throughout but with not enough emphasis on solo opportunities. Squiggly laughter and other sound effects dot the landscape, adding a playful vibe. "Todo Mundo" has an enthusiastic bounce complete with Carnival percussion while "Roada Baiana" has a stop-start hi-hat that is refreshingly disjointed and pleasantly upbeat. But a sort of sameness pervades large parts of the recording, a formula that gets a little predictable as the album moves along as though every musician should be on every track. SWR is an immaculate big band that moves seamlessly through their arrangements and Lins is a sensitive vocalist, but it reaches an over-saturation point early on and never lets up.

Ivan Lins @ DownBeat