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A Thread for New Jazz

That's great you've seen him live. I doubt I'll have the chance.

I've realized that I probably need to be a bit more specific about suggestions for Parker:

Luc's Lantern and Raining on the Moon on Thirsty Ear (I like Eri Yamamoto)

Raining on the Moon (as suggested by John C), also Petit Oiseau, Sound Unity and O'Neal's Porch on AUM Fidelity

Both labels are worthy of your support. They are small labels run by enthusiasts/musicians putting out music that they are passionate about.

I'd put a word in for "I Plan to Say a Believer" on Aum , his exploration of Curtis Mayfield songs. Its- my most played William Parker record and apparently recently issued on vinyl. This might hit the spot for those enjoying the new British stuff as it has a serious groove. Uncle Joe's Spirit House gets played a lot as well where the band get into some soul jazz territory.
 
I can never find new jazz that I like, but have the opportunity to see Denys Baptiste live doing his "Late Trane" set, a reworking of the famous John Coltrane album. I'm very tempted but he has an offputting sound effect on his sax that seems like a gimmick. Still good to hear something new that sounds like the "hard bop" I am into (? no idea if this is the correct term, I'm fairly new to jazz). All that "mellow moods" and over-strained warbling stuff from people who probably like to go barefoot half the time gets right on my nerves. Johnny Griffin is my number one, the way my jazz collection is going I'll have a whole box of live albums with him on them.
 
Now this is a proper saxophone 15.30 if you can't wait.
Colin Stetson from the above Bad Bad Not Good track.

 
This will bring several tears, well worth listening to the full piece.


Colin Stetson Sorrow A Reimagining of Goreckis 3rd Symphony experimental avant-garde jazz minimalism.

 
Not sure if this has been posted before and at the risk of repeating myself, I'd rather listen to this anytime over many of the currently 'hot' UK acts:

It is great, I have many Bärtsch albums and I really like them, but this is a remarkably white middle-aged/elderly academic music. There is nothing young or vibrant about it at all and I’d argue it has far more to do with Philip Glass or Steve Reich than John Coltrane or Miles Davis. It’s bloody good though, I’m really not going to knock it!



The London jazz scene is very young, vibrant, powerful and rooted in the politics and social issues of today. I’d class much of it as a spiritual protest music, which is what the very best jazz is at its core.
 

Just to add to my earlier post; a lot of the London jazz scene is also very much club based. It grew from clubs, it gives back to clubs both live and with DJ-friendly vinyl. This aspect has obviously been shot in the head with covid 19 shutting everything down, but if you listen to the recent Kokoroko session above it is a wonderful mix of Afrobeat, jazz funk and funky modern club/dance grooves. Once the clubs reopen this band will be taking the roof off all over the land. It is just superb stuff. I really want to get to see them as if they are this good in a dead empty space with no audience reaction they will be astonishing in a full tilt club environment. This is not middle-aged middle-class ‘sit down jazz’ and it is not trying to be at all!
 

YouTube just keeps burping amazing stuff up on my ‘recommended’ feed! This is great as it is well pre-covid so shows one of Shabaka’s bands in front of a proper audience and highlights that this is a young music movement. When was the last time any of us stood up at a jazz gig, let alone danced around?

This is an interesting band as it is a fusion of London and South African players. As with most of Shabaka Hutchings’s output it is unquestionably protest music, and all the better for it.

PS This is really cool too:

 
Search function didn't turn up any hits, so I'll add ECM artists Bobo Stenson Trio to the mix. I have two albums; my favorite so far is Cantando. I also have Serenity, which is proving a bit more challenging, but in a good way.

Edit: Nice description of Cantando here.
 
Agreed. A superb album that grows on me with every play, I’m very much enjoying my yellow vinyl copy which is flat, quiet and sounds great. Can’t imagine this one not making everyone’s best of year lists.

PS Amazon still have the black vinyl and there is also a clear edition in some indies.
 
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