The Jazz Combo of the Future
Sep 08 '01
The Bottom Line These players are among the best modern instrumentalists in jazz and their styles have appeal outside of their idiom, a timeless quality.
For most people, the word "jazz" connotes high-society cocktail parties, the smiling faces of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald or perhaps a concert hall setting. In its century of existence, jazz has developed a sophisticated reputation...a long way from its roots on the streets of New Orleans, where it matured in brothels and dive bars.
So, what is jazz? It is both esoteric and raunchy at turns; it crosses ground with blues, rock, classical, world and other styles of music. The key to being a good jazz musician, or a good jazz listener, is to be aware of and open minded about the various facets of the style.
The musicians presented here for your consideration are all relatively young players who have both a strong foundation in the tradition of the style and a sense of futurism and adventure.
ALTO SAXOPHONE: John Zorn turned many heads in 1989 with his CD "Naked City", mixing the free jazz of Ornette Coleman with influences of punk rock and noise music. He has also recorded music derrived from films and pieces inspired by his Jewish heritage.
TENOR SAXOPHONE: Michael Brecker has been a seasoned veteran of the jazz scene for over twenty years, touring and recording with Steely Dan, Weather Report and Joni Mitchell; starting with his self-titled debut album as a leader in 1987, he has recorded an impressive string of material as a solo artist. His rich, bluesy tone continues the legacy of John Coltrane and his compositions feature forward-looking harmonic and rhythmic concepts. His 1991 release "Now You See It" is one of his best.
GUITAR: Pat Metheny broke onto the scene in 1975 with his "Bright Size Life" trio album, mixing middle-American rock and folk music with be-bop jazz to create a unique sound. Later, he experimented with free jazz ("Song X", 1986) noise ("Zero Tolernace for Silence", 1994) and progressive/ electronic rock ("Imaginary Day", 1997). Like all musical geniuses throughout history, Metheny refuses to settle down and stop exploring new sounds.
KEYBOARDS: Born in Munich, Barbara Dennerlein specializes in the Hammond B3 organ that Jimmy Smith made famous in the 1960s. Her sound is a mix of the organ trio be-bop style, funk and blues. Her 1998 album "Junkanoo" features many tasty funk compositions such as "A Cat Strikes Back" and "Walk On Air." Her style stands out in an era when many opt for the more straight-ahead sound of piano.
BASS: The electric bass is not a fully accepted instrument in jazz, but even those who oppose it agree that Brooklyn-born John Patitucci has taken it to new extremes. His acoustic bass playing is even more widely respected. While his solo albums tend to be commercialized and too radio-friendly, his work with pianist Chick Corea (especially in the Akoustic band; also in the Elektric Band) reveal his true genius.
DRUMS: With economy of style and groove, Bill Stewart has been heard with the likes of Chick Corea and B3 organist Larry Goldings. As a drummer, Stewart holds down the groove in a way that gives the other players freedom to create energy. His sense of orchestration (how to utilize the different colors of the drums) helps influence the sounds of the groups he plays with.
So, there's a lot of good music out there. Take that Britney Spears CD out of your 150 disc changer and check out some of those players mentioned above. You'll be glad you did.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
dlockeretz
|
|
Member: David Lockeretz
Location:
Reviews written: 268
Trusted by: 27 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.