jazz from 2000 - 2020

[Lexi Darling]

I like that attitude. It wouldn't work for me, I pride myself on always being available and responsive. So I suppose I'm kind of the complete opposite of you, but I get the appeal of doing that for sure.

[Toy Revolver]

I like that attitude. It wouldn't work for me, I pride myself on always being available and responsive. So I suppose I'm kind of the complete opposite of you, but I get the appeal of doing that for sure.

too much bad news out there

[Lexi Darling]

too much bad news out there

Oh, definitely. The mister actually jury rigged a blocking system for me that blocks doomscrolling/time-wasting sites like Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram outright and also blocks all Youtube videos that contain common right wing/transphobic talking points in the title. Also my Reddit browsing is restricted to smaller niche subreddits.

We did this to give me peace of mind when browsing the internet and ease my anxiety. I can seek out news when I'm good and ready, but our system blocks me from seeing all the apocalyptic dread when I'm trying to have a fun time online.

The advantages of marrying a guy who knows computers, haha.

[Toy Revolver]

back to business

2000 - 3



World Saxophone Quartet
Requiem for Julius

As the name suggests, WSQ consists of four saxophonists, they functioned sort of like a string quartet and sort of like an avant garde barbershop quartet. Over the years the band saw several members float in and out until officially retiring the name in 2016.

Although the premise is a little gimmicky, their execution is superb and they were a mainstay of avant-garde jazz for four decades.

The Julius being memorialized by this record is one of their founding members, Julius Hemphill, who succumbed to diabetes in 95. One of the best places to start with Hemphill is with his 72 release, Dogon A.D, which is somewhat of a lost gem that belongs in the free jazz canon. In fact, if you're looking for listening guidance beyond the the 21st century that record and Anthony Braxton's New York, Fall 1974 are really the correct places to start. As for the WSQ, my go to record of theirs is Experience, a fun collection of Hendrix covers released in 2004.

RfJ is an excellent album even if I have been neglecting it so far in this write up. These are great jazz musicians doing their thing. Every musician is loyal to the process and respects their role. Egos are put aside in deference to the final product in a manner of execution similar to what was expected of musicians who played under Sun Ra's leadership in the Arkestra. This may be free jazz but it's primarily about discipline and conceptually quite different than Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation. Obviously, or maybe not so obviously if you're new to jazz, the Ornette record is more important and better. I'm just bringing it up to explain the different branches on the tree.

[Toy Revolver]

2000 - 4



Terence Blanchard – Wandering Moon

Blanchard is a mainstream jazz traditionalist. He's the type of artist I was dismissive of when I was younger because because he wins awards and I felt like it was the avant garde vs the world. But now I see him as an incredibly talented composer and musician that has been quite pioneering even in the confines of hard bop which is an extraordinarily difficult genre to build upon considering how much came before him. If you want to check out a relatively recent jazz record that isn't alienating but instead appeals to casual jazz fans as well this is a great choice. I've always been open to music from other genres that isn't agressively harsh no matter when it was released but with jazz it took me longer to put my sword back into the scabbard.

Blanchard is 61 now and still working. He played in Portland last night, in fact. Here's a Tiny Desk Concert from 2015

https://youtu.be/hNw5kna518E

He's done several film scores and has worked extensively with Spike Lee. He also played with Art Blakey in the Jazz Messengers and perhaps his most import contribution to the history of jazz can be heard on the 1984 release New York Scene. Another great place to hear him is on the 1997 album Roots by Cedar Walton.

The Wandering Moon line up includes bassist Dave Holland whose solo bass record, Emerald Tears (1977), is one of my favorite jazz records ever. It also features Branford Marsalis. The album that completely won me over with Branford is Footsteps of Our Fathers which you can read about here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footsteps_of_Our_Fathers

Wandering Moon is an undeniably good jazz record and you don't have to be a super hardcore jazz fan to dig it.

[Toy Revolver]

2000 - 5

McCoy Tyner With Stanley Clarke And Al Foster – Mc Coy Tyner With Stanley Clarke And Al Foster



So this will be my final record from the year 2000. It's dawned on me that this is quite an undertaking but one I should have the sticktoitiveness to see it through unless we get any of a handful of cunts and losers from mb over here in which case fuck this place, I'm done.

Well about this record, imo, McCoy Tyner is the greatest pianist to ever live. His most important work was with Coltrane's classic quartet and he plays piano on several of the greatest jazz records ever made. If you aren't familiar with those records correcting that deficiency should be your first order of business.

If you're hip to classic quartet stuff but want to hear more of his stuff the 1972 solo piano tribute to Coltrane, Echoes of a Friend, is my personal favorite but there are a lot great choices but if you're searching post-Coltrane it's probably best to not look past the mid seventies if you want the prime prime.

Still, you don't always have to go out for steaks. Sometimes a good burger is in order and that's what this album is. Right now my favorite three jazz pianists are Tyner, Cecil Taylor and Keith Jarrett. Jarrett's the only one still living and, unfortunately, he's unable to play due to stroke paralysis. But Tyner's work on here reminds me a lot of Keith Jarrett which is interesting and is all the more reason to check it out. As a post-bop record, that is NOT a free jazz record there's a very pleasant purity about it. And there's a comfortable feel about the musicians not in the frantic intensity of their prime.

Also, I think a lot of people are attracted to the music of bassist Stanley Clarke and he's obviously a big part of this super all-star trio. Probably, the best place to go to hear him on the best thing he ever did is to check out Chick Corea's Return to Forever s/t and debut. He also recorded with Gato Barbieri which is probably my personal favorite stuff he did, if you'll allow me to distinguish "best" from "favorite".

The drummer, Al Foster, who's 80 years old and still listed as active on wikipedia, played drums on some of the best fusion records of all time under the leadership of Miles Davis.

I know I'm providing a lot of listening recommendations beyond the albums I'm reviewing which kind of distracts from what I'm doing but hopefully it will make actually reading these reviews more worthwhile for casual jazz fans.

[Toy Revolver]

fuck this place, I'm done

congratulations on being something exactly the fucking same

[Guybrush]

Also, I think a lot of people are attracted to the music of bassist Stanley Clarke and he's obviously a big part of this super all-star trio. Probably, the best place to go to hear him on the best thing he ever did is to check out Chick Corea's Return to Forever s/t and debut.

I like those too. My favorite Return to Forever songs are the acoustic title tracks from No Mystery and Romantic Warrior 🤔 They're sublime.

I don't know Clarke from that much else, but I did enjoy the Rite of Strings album he did with Jean-Luc Ponty and Di Meola.

[jadis]

congratulations on being something exactly the fucking same

Hope you consider returning