Posts Tagged Free Jazz
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April 6, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor has died. The legendary pianist recently celebrated his 89th birthday. What a legend. What a legacy. He took what Art Tatum started and freed it. That’s a simple description – but it’s how I’ve always heard him. Taylor – along with Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and John Coltrane was one of the towering […]Archive
February 6, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Jazz Right In Your Face: Ten Important Jazz Albums In My Life
You know the drill by now – here’s the catch-all blurb/explanation I’ve created for these sorts of lists We all know that lists are subjective – that is the point of them. So I’ve decided to do a series of top 10 albums across genres. They’ll appear sporadically. And rather than call them “Top 10” I […]Archive
December 9, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Sunny Murray
Sunny Murray has died. He was 81. The American free-jazz drummer was born James Marcellus Arthur “Sunny” Murray. His influence on free-jazz drumming – on the very idea of liberating the rhythmic constraints, of exploring textures as a drummer/percussionist – is profound. Murray made records under his own name and with a variety of groups […]Archive
August 7, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Skjold/Højensgård Project (feat. Tyshawn Sorey): Human Maybe EP
Skjold/Højensgård Project (feat. Tyshawn Sorey) Human Maybe (ep) (Independent) Claus Højensgård (trumpet and keys) and Jeppe Skjold (saxophone) – from the extended line-up of the Danish collective, Hess Is More, breakaway here for a two-track ep featuring American free-jazz wunderkind Tyshawn Sorey.Archive
June 13, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Wayne Shorter (June 8, Wgtn)
Wayne Shorter Opera House, Wellington Wednesday, June 8 Joining the legendary saxophonist were three virtuoso talents, the incredible Brian Blade (drums), the sublime John Patitucci (bass) and the thoughtful Danilo Perez (piano). This quartet has been performing together across the last few years as Shorter leaves his reputation as a composer to the side and […]Archive
June 11, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman has died of cardiac arrest. He was 85. Only Charlie Parker and John Coltrane could have meant as much to the saxophone; Coleman set about learning all of the rules first. And then smashing them down, breaking through, tearing them apart. As a composer and improviser he was fearsome and he came to be […]Archive
November 28, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
Sam Rivers: Contrasts [Reissue]
Sam Rivers Contrasts ECM Originally released in 1979, reissued now as part of a series from ECM, Contrasts by Sam Rivers features the great saxophonist across soprano and tenor (and flute) leading a band that includes Dave Holland on bass, Thurman Barker on drums and marimba and George Lewis on Trombone. Rivers had appeared, briefly, […]Archive
October 24, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
1982: A/B
1982 A/B Hubro 1982 is a Norwegian improvisational trio – freaturing Erik Johannessen of Jaga Jazzist (which is what got me to prick my ears up) – and A/B is their forth record – the first track, what would be the side A of A/B, is one long piece of improvisation taken from the sessions […]Archive
July 11, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Charlie Haden
Man. This was sad news to wake up to. To hear that Charlie Haden has died – he seemed so vital, so urgent – prolific. And all the while he was fighting an illness. You couldn’t hear that in his playing. All I heard was warmth and strength, that which he gave too as the […]Archive
May 1, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1138
Ornette Coleman, Free Jazz (1961) This wasn’t just my introduction to Ornette Coleman – I’d heard the name but this was the first recording I’d hear – it was my introduction to a whole new world. It blew my mind the first dozen times I played it. And then on from there. I can’t actually […]Archive
March 31, 2014 by Simon Sweetman