CURRENT WEEKLY DISCOVERIES
.... from the history and world of music
ORNETTE COLEMAN
Just look at Ornette's website! It says it all. Look especially at the discography, as it is the best presented one I have seen:
Ornette received an award in 2004 that sums up what art is about: the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, said to be one of the richest prizes in the arts, and given annually to “a man or woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind’s enjoyment and understanding of life.”
That's what you should do: write the music that will make the world relax better.
BEETHOVEN: THE LATE QUARTETS
The Tokyo Quartet, Harmonia Mundi (2010)
Just as any real and informed music fan is familiar with the Duke Ellington "Blanton Webster Band," Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue (Columbia, 1959), and Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens recordings, so should they also be immersed in Beethoven's famous late string quartets. There are pre-echoes of twentieth century popular music harmony here, but additionally, there is a depth that travels beyond music.
These late quartets—said to summarize all Beethoven's musical explorations—have been recorded by the esteemed Tokyo Quartet in amazing color. The Op 135 quartet, the last of all, asks, in a variation on Beethoven's own poignant question, written in the manuscript score of this work and paraphrased here, "Must it be [that the Tokyo Quartet will record versions as fantastic as this]?. The answer is, "Yes, it must."
The Tokyo Quartet has, in an earlier guise, recorded these quartets before, and excellently. This set has been particularly praised for its sound quality, its feel, and its drama. The cello sounds like it's in the room. Speaking again of Op 135, the cello also sounds, in one area, like 17th century baroque music: a special quality of these quartets is that, in a sense, all the history of music to that date can be heard, not just Beethoven's. In communicating this, the Tokyo Quartet has outdone itself.
Some of this music is almost beyond belief. In the fourth part of Op 135, Beethoven has a section of strong riffing tonic, second and third notes swinging like late nineteenth century symphonic music, or even a jazz bassist. Elsewhere, there is simply the deepest philosophical feeling.
Shostakovich and others were still writing this music nearly 150 years later. In that sense, this music of Beethoven may still be the last word in instrumental music, period.
The Tokyo Quartet, formed in 1969, is based in New York. Though there have been some changes in its members, there has only ever been the one viola player, and just two cellists and second violinists. The Quartet has received seven Grammy nominations.
The Quartet's distinctive, upfront style has long been in evidence, for example an early '90s recording of a Beethoven middle period quartet, "The Harp" (Op 74)," though the Quartet has recently re-recorded the middle period quartets. On Beethoven: The "Late" Quartets, certain effects—or "hooks"—that the composer wrote in the first movement are clear and highlighted, not smoothly subsumed in the mass of the movement, as usually happens with more sedate quartet groups. It may be that the Tokyo Quartet has an ability to speak to those who also listen to popular music—as well as, of course, to the hardened classical fan.
Beethoven: The "Late" Quartets is highly recommended for those looking to investigate these important pieces.
Simon J Harper
CHARLIE CHRISTIAN: JAZZ GUITAR ORIGINALE
The first and last word in electric jazz guitar is Charlie Christian. His essential sound is well shown by this live version of "Stomping At The Savoy", at Minton's in Harlem, 1941.
Christian's fame began with a 45 minute public jam with Benny Goodman of this tune, "Rose Room":
At the same session (in October, 1939) as this studio recording of "Rose Room", the group also recorded the Christian classic "Flying Home"--Charlie wrote the tune, the brilliant famous riff, but Hampton and Goodman put their names in the sacred writers' brackets too.
The annual Metronome All Stars 1939 gathering obviously had to include Christian, as the great new discovery. Here is the All Stars recording of Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose"
Other musicians present were Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Count Basie, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey (Dorsey meets Christian?!), and new powerhouse drum sensation Buddy Rich.
Modern jazz developed in the hot house of Minton's, and the suitably (later) titled "Swing To Bop" is a jam that illustrates the change in this music. Christian was an essential part of the change Minton's, along with the drummer Kenny Clarke and the pianist on many jams of the time, one Thelonius Monk.
Meanwhile, in his day job with Benny Goodman, Christian was making more records. Here is a jam called "Blues In B", an example of the challenges the musicians set themselves--who plays in B?
The early '40s saw some brilliant records by the Goodman Sextet, some with Count Basie at the keys. A classic is "Airmail Special":
The music here at times seems classical or impressionist.
The septet (with the Basie rhythm section) in the studio
To SEE what (most likely) happened on Christian's fret board during these records, there are these interesting Youtube clips by a current day guitar player:
http://www.jazzdisco.org/charlie-parker/discography/session-index/
Comment on this post or any other musical area
Clips: the brilliant Youtube.com
Photographs: Wikipedia/Myspace/Mymusicdiscovery
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