Possibly the most "American" music there is, jazz is akin to a religion for some. Like religion, it is also completely lost on others. I think, as a music lover, I fit somewhere in between. Several important jazz releases have come my way since the beginning of the year, and this is my attempt at presenting the ones most deserving your attention. My apologies to jazz afficianados everywhere.
It's funny to think that there is probably an entire generation of people who may only know trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong from his appearances in the Barbra Streisand movie version of Hello Dolly ( he sang the title song in the scene in the Harmonium Gardens ) or from the inclusion of the song "Wonderful World" in the movie ( and on the soundtrack to ) Good Morning, Vietnam. Both of those recordings were made toward the end of Armstrong's remarkable and lengthy career. The Complete Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings ( Columbia/Legacy ) collects Armstrong's seminal OKeh Records recordings ( 89 tracks in all ) made with his bands The Hot Five and The Hot Seven, respectively, and covers his prolific 1920s recording period. Keeping in mind that many of these recordings were originally issued on 78 rpm records, and 10- and 12-inch vinyl albums, the sound quality is as one might expect. However, that just increases the charm, and historical significance of the collection.
The people at Columbia/Legacy have also reissued other Louis Armstrong albums on disc, among which you will find Satch Plays Fats ( "a tribute to the immortal Fats Weller" ) which has more than doubled in length with the inclusion of several previously unavailable bonus tracks not on on the original album. Ambassador Satch is a 1956 Armstrong release that is a live album from his 1955 concert tour of Western Europe.
A few years ago, Duke Ellington's late, gay collaborator Billy Strayhorn was getting a lot of attention. A Strayhorn biography was published and GLAMA-winning pianist Fred Hersch released a disc of Strayhorn compositions called Passionflower. Strayhorn's presence can be felt strongly on The Essential Collection 1927-1962 ( Columbia/Legacy ) , a three-disc set of Duke Ellington's work, celebrating the centennial ( 1999 ) of Ellington's birth, that truly is "essential." On the various artists disc Going Home: A Tribute To Duke Ellington ( Platinum Entertainment ) , Ellington is saluted by a variety of artists currently working in the realm of contemporary jazz. Jon Hendricks ( of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross fame ) , Al Jarreau, Take 6 and Gregory Hines ( who supplies a "tap solo" ) get things "going" on the title track, which was co-written by George Duke. Duke also pays tribute to the Duke on the original song "The Duke" on which Rachelle Ferrell contributes vocals and is backed up by an all-star band of modern-day jazz all-stars. The steamy "Ellington Medley" ( "Day Dream," "I Didn't Know About You," and "Prelude To A Kiss" ) is performed by current jazz vocalists Jonathan Butler, Dianne Reeves, and Jeffrey Osborne, respectively. Another highlight is Nancy Wilson and Kenny Lattimore's duet on "Don't Get Around Much Anymore."
Ellington probably would have appreciated the piano-work and compositions of David Berkman, and his new album Communication Theory ( Palmetto ) , the follow-up to his 1998 Handmade disc. On this album of traditional jazz, Berkman is backed up by a top-notch band, including drummer Brian Blade. Speaking of Blade, I became very interested in his work following his association with Joni Mitchell. Mitchell makes an appearance on Perceptual ( Blue Note ) by the Brian Blade Fellowship. Her vocals on "Steadfast" are as beautiful and riveting as ever, adding dimension and depth to the composition.
Somewhere in between contemporary jazz and new age music lies the realm of "smooth jazz," a sort of purgatory for those unwilling to brave the improvisational meanderings of certain jazz musicians or the spaced-out sounds of crystal carrying composers. The various artists Smooth Grooves: Smooth Jazz, Volumes 1-3 ( Rhino ) collections trace their roots to the mid-1970s, in this case John Klemmer's 1975 "Touch." Even if you don't like the namby-pamby quality of some of these songs, there are a few tracks that are worth hearing, including Mike Mainieri's vibe-work on "Wanderlust" and Bob James's nostalgia inducing "Angela—Theme From Taxi" ( from Volume 1 ) , and "Water Children" by Roy Haynes ( from Volume 3 ) , to name a few.
Even though they aren't represented on the Smooth Grooves: Smooth Jazz series, saxophone player Boney James and trumpeter Rick Braun could potentially make an appearance on Volumes 4 or 5. In fact, the smooth jazz unit Fourplay ( featured on Smooth Grooves: Smooth Jazz, Volume 1 ) make an appearance on the song "Love's Like That" on Shake It Up ( Warner Brothers ) , the collaboration album by James and Braun. This album, which includes a cover of Hugh Masekela's "Grazin' In The Grass" ( in both an instrumental and vocal version ) is the sound of smooth jazz in the year 2000.
Steve Cole would also be right at home on a Smooth Grooves: Smooth Jazz disc, and that's not exactly a compliment. Between Us ( Atlantic ) finds the alto, tenor and soprano saxophone player smoothing it out over the course 10 tracks ( eight of which he either co-wrote or wrote alone ) , and two covers ( one of which was written by the album's producer Brian Culbertson ) . The other cover, TLC's "Waterfalls," is a bit soggier than the original version.
The aforementioned Ellington and Armstrong box sets and enhanced reissues are only a few examples of Sony Music's expansive jazz catalog. The jazz of the early to mid-''70s period comes in between the traditional influences of the work of Armstrong and Ellington and the sugary faux-funk of smooth jazz, and some excellent reissues brilliantly illustrate the contributions of the artists from that time.
The two-disc set The Complete Science Fiction Sessions ( Columbia/Legacy ) by violinst, saxophone and trumpet player Ornette Coleman ( featuring the late Don Cherry on pocket trumpet ) , as well as Coleman's Skies Of America ( Columbia/Legacy ) —which is available domestically on disc for the first time—are examples of the jazz legend's considerable contribution. Jazz piano genius Keith Jarrett's on Columbia album, the two LP set Expectations ( Columbia/Legacy ) is now available as a two disc set. The Mahavisnu Orchestra's Birds Of Fire and Return To Forever's Romantic Warrior ( both on Columbia/Legacy ) are jazz fusion favorites, while Jaco Pastorius's distinctive fretless bass playing ( which many people will recognize from his playing on Joni Mitchell's Hejira, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, Mingus, and Shadows And Light albums ) is the main focus of his 1976 self-titled ( Epic/ Legacy )
Other contemporary jazz releases worth exploring include the improvisational post-jazz conconction of Our Point Of Departure ( Perishable ) by HIM, the gorgeous acoustic guitar playing on Dallas Gordon's Guitar Passsion ( Doc Hollywood/Jake Records ) , the classicaly influenced Tin Hat Trio's Helium ( Angel ) , Billy Martin ( of Medeski Martin & Wood fame ) and G. Calvin Weston's 1995 album of evocative drum and percussion tracks Percussion Duets ( Amulet ) , the Either/Orchestra's More Beautiful Than Death ( Accurate ) , The Dylan Group's Ur-Klang Search ( Bubble Core ) , and Matthew Shipp Quartet's Pastoral Composure and William Parker Trio's Painter's Spring ( both on Thirsty Ear, as part of their "blue series" ) . Bass player Parker also plays on pianist Shipp's album, which features a cover of Ellington's "Prelude To A Kiss," while Parker covers Ellington's "Come Sunday" on his album, bringing us full-circle.
