Welcome to Jazz.com

Topic: General Forum Topics / Forum Policy: Let's All Get Along!

Three Italian sax players that I enjoy:

Gianni Bardaro
Gianni Mimmo
Max Pizio

Check them out!

Regards,
Ron
IMC
Improvised Music Collective

Topic: The Dozens / THE DOZENS: GREAT VIBES

It’s nice to see the little known Steve Nelson album cited – I enjoy it very much! Thanks for reminding me about it. I think I’ll dig it out right now!

I was disappointed to not see anything by Walt Dickerson chosen. I think he was one of the most innovative players of that instrument.

Keep up the great work!

Topic: Jazz On The Radio / The Music of Dennis Gonzalez on NOW'S THE TIME!

NOW’S THE TIME is a weekly 90 minute jazz / improvised music radio program that airs Thursday nights on CKCU-FM 93.1 in the Ottawa, Canada region and at http://www.ckcufm.com everywhere else. The show is hosted by the Improvised Music Collective – five jazz/improv geeks who alternate in the host seat each week.

My name is Ron and I am an IMC member. I’m in the midst of presenting a six-part series on the music of Dallas trumpeter / composer Dennis Gonzalez.

We archive selected shows for download. Here are links for the first two episodes of the NTT Dennis Gonzalez series:

Edition 1: http://www.divshare.com/download/4568682-09b

Edition 2: http://www.divshare.com/download/4868947-0ef

Please go to our Myspace site – at http://www.myspace.com/improvmusiccollective – to find links for more archived shows as well a wealth of information about the artists we play, upcoming events and the show itself.

Ron,

Topic: Jazz Polls & Lists / Buy CD or Download?

It all depends on the situation. My go-to format is CD but there have been times when I’ve tried to get a CD of a specific recording only to find out it is “no longer available”. I’ve checked emusic and found it there…

Topic: Audio & Video / Jazz Release from Canada- Geoff Lapp Trio* Stained Glass

I’ll give a testimonial to how good the album is. Geoff’s a very good pianist and the trio (Geoff on piano, Paul Johnston on bass and Dave Laing on drums) is extremely tight. A fine album from beginning to end!

Topic: General Non-Jazz Music Discussion / Other musicians of interest

I really enjoy:
Kelly Joe Phelps
Beth Orton
Gillian Welch
Pierre Bensusan
Baka Beyond
Eleni Karaindrou (her movie music)
Stomu Yamash’ta (his early stuff)

Topic: Reviews & Recommendations / Kelly Lee Evans - Hot new artist

I definitely agree. Ms. Evans is a major vocal talent! We had her on our show last year to chat and pick her favorite music for the show. Such a positive, dynamic person with tons of charisma. It’s not a matter of if she becomes a star, but when…

Topic: Reviews & Recommendations / Definitive Performances

In my opinion:

Zoot Sims did the definitive instrumental version of The Man I Love.

Stan Getz did the definitive instrumental version of Blood Count.

Charlie Parker did the definitive instrumental version of Lover Man.

Joanne Brackeen did the definitive instrumental version of Manha de Carnival.

Bill Evans did the definitive instrumental version of The Peacocks.

And, while it may not be the definitive vocal version, Cassandra Wilson’s version of You Don’t Know What Love Is is easily my favorite.

Topic: Jazz On The Radio / The Music of Dennis Gonzalez - part one

I co-host a weekly jazz / improvised music radio program called “Now’s The Time” on Thursday evenings in a rotation with four other people. The show airs at 8:30 to 10:00 pm eastern time (GMT -5). This past Thursday night I began a six – part series on Dallas trumpetplayer / bandleader / composer Dennis Gonzalez. The show was an introduction to his music and a blueprint for what will come in the series in the future.

You can get the first Dennis Gonzalez show here: http://www.divshare.com/download/4568682-09b

You can listen to NTT live at CKCU-FM 93.1 in the Ottawa region or at http://www.ckcufm.com on the net.

Thanks for listening!

Topic: Live Music Reviews / Don Scott Quartet CD Release Show at Avant-Garde Bar, Ottawa

Friday night my buddy Jim and I caught the Don Scott Quartet at the Avant-Garde Bar in Ottawa. The quartet was doing a three-city (Toronto, Ottawa and Monteal) mini-tour to celebrate the release of their new CD, “Out of Line”. The quartet is made up of Don Scott on guitar (as well as the composer of all the tunes); Quinsin Nachoff on tenor sax and clarinet; Michael Herring on bass and Nick Fraser on drums. All are leaders in their own right, fronting bands of their own. Show was excellent! They were all in fine form and looked like they were having a lot oof fun! I was quite familiar with their CD and was very impressed by how loose they were and the extent to which they worked to take each piece to very different places than they had on the record.

I would go out of my way to see these guys again in a heartbeat.

My buddy Jim was not familiar with their music at all but came away feeling as I did: man, what a treat to see such a killer band in top form in a tiny little club.

These guys need a wider audience, indeed!

Ron

Topic: Players & Bands / Ralph Towner & Pat Metheny

I’d have to agree on the opinion that Towner’s compositions are stronger than Metheny’s, in my opinion. Also, I’d have a problem with the both of them recording on acoustic guitars. What makes Towner’s duets with Abercrombie so vibrant is the distinct difference between Towner’s acoustic guitar and Abercrombie’s electric guitar. Sure, they play a couple of acoustic duets on SARGASSO SEA but for the most part, the recording is acoustic/electric and that works just fine for me. In fact, while I appreciate and admire both Towner and Metheny immensely, I’m not so sure that a collaboration between Towner and Metheny could top that duo album.

One man’s humble opinion…

Topic: Jazz Polls & Lists / Favorite Ballads of All Time

The Peacocks, for sure (especially Bill Evans’ version on You Must Believe in Spring)

and

Bloodcount (especially Stan Getz’s version on Pure Getz – in my opion, possibly the most concise, heart-breakingly beautiful tenor performance I’ve ever heard. Bar none.)

Topic: Books & Magazines About Jazz / Best and Worst Jazz Books of 2007

My Favourite non-fiction book about jazz from 2007 is: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE SPOT: ORNETTE COLEMAN AND THE NEW YORK JAZZ FIELD by David Lee (Mercury Press). Lee documents and explores Ornette Coleman’s gig at the Five Spot in November 1959 and successfully establishes just how important that gig was in the history of jazz.

My favourite fiction book about jazz from 2007 is: NOW’S THE TIME by Jim Reil (Bunkhouse Press). Reil’s book portrays the highs and lows of being a jazz musician in the fifties and sixties. It is populated with full drawn characters who the reader cares about.

Topic: Jazz Polls & Lists / TOP 2007 CDS

Ron Steeds
IMC

1. On The Shore – Mark O’Leary (Clean Feed, 2007)

2. 3ology – 3ology (no label, 2007)

3. La Gatta Nel Sacco – Test Quintet (no label, 2007)

4. Helicopter 111 – Helicopter 111 (no label, 2007)

5. Out of Line – Don Scott (Feast Your Ears, 2007)

6. Colour Fields – Frank Lozano Group (Effendi, 2007)

7. Spark! – Marty Ehrlich & Myra Melford (Palmetto, 2007)

8. Dance of the Soothsayer’s Tongue: At Tonic – Dennis Gonzalez NY Quartet (Clean Feed, 2007)

9. A Measure of Vision – Alvin Fielder Trio (Clean Feed, 2007)

10. The Furniture Moves Underneath – Inhabitants (Drip Audio, 2007)

Topic: The Dozens / THE DOZENS: ECM - THE FIRST DECADE

I’d be hard pressed not to include the following selections:

1. Bill Connors – Melting (Of Mist and Melting, Dec.’77)
2. Jack DeJohnette – Bayou Fever (New Directions, June ‘78)
3. Eberhard Weber – Silent Feet (Silent Feet, Nov.’77)
4. Barre Phillips – A-i-a (Three Day Moon, March ‘78)
5. Paul Motian – Lullaby (Dance, Sept.’77)
6. Kenny Wheeler – Deer Wan (Deer Wan, July’77)
7. Mick Goodrick – Summer Band Camp (In Pas(s)ing, Nov.’78)

This not to suggest that I would disagree with the list above… There was such a wealth of music created on the ECM label during that decade that it is inevitable there could be an infinite number of incredible “dozens” lists. These are merely seven examples off the top of my head that I would include on my own personal list. For what it’s worth…

Topic: Players & Bands / Young Players of Note

I’ve been listening to an amazing band from Austria called Helicopter 111 led by a young drummer named Kukas Konig.

I’ve been following the career of a young Vancouver guitarist, Gordon Grdina. He recently recorded a CD with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian on the Songlines label.