Once again, here we are in the perpetually listening to every record in my collection alphabetically and blogging unscholarly thoughts project. This installment is going to take a minute. I have a lot of Lee Konitz records.
Lee Konitz
Ezz-thetic! – I searched for this record for a really long time. Having studied at New England Conservatory of Music in the 1990s, I got to study with George Russell; Mr. Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization himself. I loved studying with George, even though I don’t remember much about the concept. For me, the larger issues were learning about survival and being able to reach out and touch jazz history. It’s not that this experience “touching jazz history” was a cult of personality issue. It’s that I come from a place where something like jazz history is virtually non-existent, and in some ways, even vilified. So to know that George was friends with Miles, and that modal music came out of (in some way at the very least) of his work, well, I was pretty psyched.
I went back to NEC to study in the 2000s and was lucky enough to study with Steve Lacy. Somehow, his way of embracing the Third Stream realm, being in it but not of it, was really appealing to me. And Konitz is like that.
At the time of this writing, I have a Tristano project record ready to be released, so it’s sort of fitting that I would be listening to tons of Konitz right now. The record is a live concert celebrating Tristano’s 100th birthday, and was recorded at Berklee with Dave Frank and Jimmy Halperin, two of Tristano’s students. I was lucky enough to be a part of it because Konitz couldn’t make it, interestingly enough.
Anyway, Ezz-thetic was a big time gold mine search for me because it has one of my all time musical idols, Miles Davis, along with Konitz, whose playing I love, playing a famous composition of George Russell’s, my former teacher, plus one more of his compositions, “Odjenar”. You dig? Big time for me.
This record has Sal Mosca, Billy Bauer, Arnold Fishkin and Max Roach. So, it’s a Tristano school record with Max and Miles. Seriously. Awesome. An incredible moment in time, as Tristano’s ideas were permeating the worlds of his students, and moving out beyond that realm into the collective consciousness.
I remember listening to this for the first time, mind blown. I assumed, and still do, that there are mysteries here that I will never understand.
Motion – A killer trio set with Sonny Dallas and Elvin Jones. Sonny Dallas is the stoic image of Atlas providing all the foundation that the world needs; an incredible source of stability even through such tumultuous music. Elvin is, obviously, amazing. And Lee sounds like he is up to the challenge of being pushed by Elvin, which is wonderful to hear. I also love the Elvin/Lee combination on Lee Konitz’ album Live at the Half Note, which I have on CD so I won’t be showcasing here. I think this is essential for all horn players, bassists and drummers. Absolutely killer. And I found out about this from Jeremy Udden, the wonderful saxophone player on my Trio record, Study of Light.
The Lee Konitz Duets – SUCH an interesting album! Track one, “Struttin’ with some Barbecue” makes me wonder if Konitz worked on this tune with Tristano. Marshall Brown, the trombone player on this track, and Lee play the Louis Armstrong solo beautifully, and some of the backgrounds, and given that Tristano required that his students learn Armstrong solos, well, here you go. This record is also interesting because of Konitz’ use of “amplified saxophone” and the presence of Karl Berger. Another thing I appreciate about this record is Konitz use of free playing. Given the fact that this was released in 1967, free playing had taken a completely different turn, thanks in large part to Miles Davis and the whole fusion situation. Konitz was on one of – if not the – first free recording, when he recorded with Tristano in 1949. So, to hear him still using this approach to improvisation, and with great musicians like Jim Hall, is awesome.
The Lee Konitz Quintet – This session, aka Affinity, is with Bob Mover, Michael Moore, Ben Aranov and Jim Madison. They all play great, but Konitz is on fire on this record. I remember hearing “All The Things You Are” from this session the first time and feeling like my head exploded. It is one of the first recordings where the Tristano-ness of the music managed to capture my attention. When you consider that many of the earlier recordings are fairly subdued, as far as energy is concerned, to have something that is more burning….it really caught my attention. I love “Hi Beck” on this record, too. The sax duo version of “Solar” reminds me of a bootleg of Konitz and Steve Lacy that I somewhere. It’s fascinating to hear the top-line only, absent all other context. This is also on Chiaroscuro Records, which is a label that I have liked for a really long time. Great records on that label!
Spirits – A romp through some Tristano tunes with Sal Mosca, Ron Carter and Mousie Alexander. I’m not sure how Mr. Carter got called for this gig since he’s not someone that I associate with the Tristanoverse, but I love the way he plays on this session. I love his sound on straight ahead records during this era. And Lee is killing it.
The Lee Konitz Nonet – I grew up listening to big bands because my dad loved them. I have spent the past 20+ years in the Either/Orchestra, a 10 piece band. I teach in the Harmony and Jazz Composition Department at Berklee, alongside people like Greg Hopkins, Ayn Inserto and Nicolas Urie, who are some of the most talented composers I have known. I love this sound; the larger-than-a-small-group but smaller-than-a-big-band sound. Like Libertation Music Orchestra, for example, or Birth of the Cool. Killer musicians on this record: Rufus Reid, Andy Laverne (sounds great!), Billy Hart, Jimmy Knepper… a great record.
I Concentrate on You – This is a duo record with Red Mitchell. Honestly, Red is a pretty big model for me, even though I don’t play that much like him. But if you consider: powerhouse in the duo setting, incredible foundational bassist who also plays counterpoint and chords, plays piano, knows everything…it’s an inspiring model to build upon. I first noticed him on “Blues Walk” from The Paul Bley Group at Sweet Basil, which is an amazing record. I LOVE Barry Altshul on that record too. Anyway, on “Blues Walk”, which is in three, he starts his solo by playing quartuplets and then solos in four, and when he’s done, brings it back to three. The effect of that was inspiring, and the impact on my playing remains in place. Since hearing that, the Miles Quintet with Mr. Carter and the metric modulations that Mingus uses have become other points of deep inspiration, as far as the use of rhythm in its many varieties, in accompaniment. About this record: it’s so cool. I like duo records anyway, and am working on a few of my own…
Satori – That word, “satori”, has been in my consciousness since my bookstore-owning-aunt gave me a copy of Kerouac’s “Satori in Paris”. That book, and more so, “Dharma Bums” became a pretty significant source of wonder for me. The term, meaning something like sudden enlightenment is fitting, given the amount of free music on this record. Even the changes have feeling of spontaneity, as if literally anything could happen right NOW. Martial Solal, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, and on one track, Dick Katz. It’s a fascinating record. Not my favorite one, musically, but in spirit, a very interesting record.
Timespan – A recording of Konitz solos released on Peter Ind’s label, Wave. It’s super cool; like recordings of Bird that are edited down to just the solos. The Tristano cast is present on this: Sonny Dallas, Peter Ind, Billy Bauer, Sal Mosca, et al.
Lee Konitz Meets Warne Marsh Again – Live from Ronnie Scott’s in 1976 with Peter Ind and Al Levit. I don’t love Ind’s sound, and even wonder aloud about which instrument he is playing, and I don’t love the typically flat and dry production of this recording, but…man the playing is ferocious. Lee and Warne sounded so GREAT together! Even though their relationship was fairly contentious, I think especially around this time, they just played so wonderfully together, as if they could complete one another’s sentences.
Tenor-Lee – This drummer-less trio date is really great. Jimmy Rowles is such an interesting pianist, and Michael Moore is obviously an incredible bassist, and the three of them already had a great vibe – probably – but they recorded right after a mutual friend (Richie Kamuca) died from cancer. Quiet, thoughtful, introspective. Oh, and Konitz plays tenor on this, so that’s pretty cool too.
The Lee Konitz Nonet – Very tight arranging, swinging band, and Knobby Totah on bass! This one is a fun record to listen to because it’s such a fine performance overall. The arranging does all the right stuff, the band is killing, and the soloists are fantastic. Jimmy Knepper, Konitz, Ronnie Cuber all sound great, and Kenny Washington on drums…magic. Plus, a fun version of “Giant Steps”, complete with quotes of a couple choruses of Coltrane’s solo. Same deal with “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue” as the Duets record, where here the entire band plays the Armstrong shout chorus.
Windows – This is a duo record with Hal Galper, so obviously it’s ferocious. The version of Corea’s “Windows” is super interesting because Konitz plays on changes like those so infrequently.
Duo: Lee Konitz & Martial Solal, Live at the Berlin Jazz Days 1980 – This live recording was a Lennie Tristano memorial concert; Tristano died in 1978. In contrast to Windows, which was a much more hard bop sort of affair, this record is right on the edge of free music pretty much the whole time, even on forms. Makes sense. Martial Solal’s style is unapologetically searching and exploring, often as far away as the tonal center can hear. But there is a certain magic to his ability to keep things coming back home. My personal preference is for more of the Hal Galper approach – killing, swinging, curious and exploring but without completely leaving the framework – but the spontaneity that Kontiz and Solal achieve on this record is definitely worth a listen. And, towards the end of side one, there’s a solo saxophone moment where it is clear that Konitz is playing on “All the Things You Are”, then Solal comes in at the top of the second chorus, but this ends up being titled “Improvisation No. 53”. Makes me wonder if this is the beginning of the longer-standing Konitz approach to set lists: Musician A starts soloing on some changes by themselves and as soon as the band figures out what tune it is and in which key, they come in.
Toot Sweet – Another duo record with a pianist, this time Michel Petrucciani. What a great pianist! I have another couple of records with him on it, and he just blows my mind. Inventive yet romantic, amazing touch, beautiful ideas, swinging. Great record, although of the duo records with a pianist, somehow this one is the least Tristano-y.
Dovetail – This is by the Lee Konitz Terzet, featuring Jay Leonhart and Harold Danko. It’s a refreshing change from duo records and swings way harder than the others I have just heard, and the free stuff is way more out, too. Harold Danko sounds great, masterful, and Jay Leonhart is a world of swinging awesome bass playing. My only complaint is the fade out at the end of track one on side two – why the heck would you fade out during a bass solo? I mean, what? C’mon! He was killing it too.
Ideal Scene – The title comes from a completely pragmatic place: after 11 days on the road with the band, they recorded this album. It’s “ideal” to play a bunch of concerts and then record an album. Seriously, I agree. It seems a little backwards because of the longstanding tradition of touring to support your album, but musically speaking there is nothing like a rehearsal or two, then a ton of concerts, and then a record. This record has Harold Danko, Rufus Reid and Al Harewood, and they all sound great. Love Rufus. Interesting, from my own personal autobiographical point of view, while he was recording this, I was starting work on my bass playing out of his book, The Evolving Bassist. Also, I wish I had known about this record when I was studying with George Russell – I’d love to know his thoughts on this performance, and the reharm on the A section.