| Jazz gives me the blues | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 6 2011, 12:38 PM (380 Views) | |
| rumbaba | Jul 6 2011, 12:38 PM Post #1 |
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Chris May's review raises quite interesting questions about jazz click here. |
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| becky sharp | Jul 7 2011, 07:04 PM Post #2 |
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For Jenkins, there is no doubt about the answer. Instead of technical facility and conservatoire-conservatism, he says, "we need passion. The educators have removed that from jazz—supposedly the one true art form for creativity and expression. We need creators—not curators."Jenkins is determined to keep his own music rooted in passion, Have to say,Rum, I totally agree with Mr Jenkins on that.... but then what do I know?.... Do you have the album? |
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| rumbaba | Jul 7 2011, 08:07 PM Post #3 |
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It's available for download but I haven't actually got around to it yet Becky (I will do it tonight, you have prompted me!). There is some free stuff on Billy's website available here . He is a brilliant live act. I have a lot of his stuff. It is mainly blues these days but he has a remarkable back catalogue of everything from solo acoustic to big band, from avant garde to mad punk. However, as a, not very good, guitar player, I can vouch for the fact that he is a phenomenal, if unorthodox, player and great fun live. July 5 2011. Billy Jenkins turns 55. What could be more appropriate than a retro 'Fifties late night jazz album. Taking tunes from, amongst others, the Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday & Nat King Cole songbooks - it's a celebration of that thing called jazz - another cliché in the land we call jazz. NO! STOP! We don't want no more of that groovy dinner jazzy lounge piano soft-focus wide screen smooth talking tasteful jazz thang. Man, jazz gives me the blues! Jazz is the blues. Blues is the new jazz...... Whatever, here we have a Billy Jenkins album of standards (OK, so that's like a Lady Gaga guide to comfy cardigans but there we go). Just to contextualise, the album kicks off with a homage to the ultimate in 50s hipness - the Hammond organ trio - yes, in the Jimmy Smith corner Mr Jimmy Watson (not playing Hammond) and in the Grant Green corner the heavy weight guitar string champion of the world, let's hear it for Mr B Jenkins Esq.! Mike Pickering's in the drum seat (he makes up the last third of the Trio Blues Suburbia) and guest soloist and Jenkins novice, lauded and award winning altoist and flautist Finn Peters rocks in with a bluesy chorus or two and some kissing noises. Billy takes these old jazz standards and does unmentionable things to them, lyrically and musically metamorphosing them into something new and strange - reinterpreting the hackneyed old images, injecting anger where anger never was, blueing the jazz. The guitar, that guitar, still strikes like lightning, illuminating as it incinerates, but the emphasis here is on mood - a fifties late night mood for a fifty-somethin' guitarist. Edited by rumbaba, Jul 7 2011, 08:15 PM.
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| rumbaba | Jul 10 2011, 01:08 PM Post #4 |
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I really like this album (Jazz gives me the blues) but that's no surprise. It's actually pretty accessible, even to non jazz fans. Billy plays around with the lyrics of classic covers e.g. on 'I'm just a lucky so and so' (a song taught to him by a young Diana Krall - whatever happened to her?) he sings about going to Catterick and other race tracks. 'Black Coffee' is a long way from Peggy Lee . This was recorded in one take, like a concert, and his guitar playing just has to be heard to be believed. The guys playing with him are top drawer (including Katie Meluha's keyboard player )
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| Mobson | Jul 11 2011, 01:59 PM Post #5 |
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"Jazz gives me the blues" ....well not really for me, because I try not to listen to it (why post here then) But there are occasions when I do listen, when it suits my mood or if the reason is sound! Ha ha, get it! Examples of my listening to jazz can be counted on one hand and they have to be vocalised, I really do not like the free flowing, make it up as you go along kind. I used to go see Elkie Brooks when she was in concert at the Barbican with a likeminded friend where we would both shed buckets at her finale rendition of Lilac Wine! Nearing the end of her performing career, got to see Nina Simone at Ronnie Scott's club in Soho...she turned up late, eventually coming to the podium, where her piano was waiting. She was wearing a plain cotton kaftan and matching head wrap & carrying 2 local supermarket bags which she leant against the piano's legs. After plonking herself down on the stool, she immediately rushed into her set, keeping her head down, mumbling her way through songs we had cherished and were hoping she would sing, all the time having no interaction with us, her adoring audience! It was a very sombre and disappointing gig, to say the least! But at least we got to see her before she passed, and will always have her incredible voice to listen to on record, which is really something! The only live jazz I've heard in recent years, was at the Pizza Express Jazz club in Dean Street, Soho, to see a vocalist/pianist called Peter something (who was hot in the US apparently). I'd just flown in from the S of F, tanned and a little tipsy from wine on the flight, and met up with about a dozen friends...ending up drinking tequila shots with one friend who had also just flown in from Thailand, so we didn't hear much of that poor guy's set. I think there were glares from other guests, but it was so dark and hazy I can't be sure. I felt pretty ashamed & much the worse for wear the next day and gave up drinking and jazz at the same time! Going on short break to lovely spots in the UK a couple of times a year with a couple from Highgate who adored pure jazz, I had to resort to long walks with an imaginary dog when they put their music on. They have stopped travelling now so no more torture. But, listening to some jazz music on the radio one day in 2006, I heard something I really liked...discovered it was an album called 'Neighbourhood' ECM records GmbH 2005, with wonderful tracks called November 99, Number One, Lullaby, Good Influence, February Sun, No Rush, Lovely Walk, Take off and Land, Miles Away, and Rose. Music by Manu Katche on drums Tomasz Stanko on trumpet Jan Garbarek on tenor saxophone Marcin Wasilewski on piano Slawomir Kkurkiewicz on double base I rushed off to buy it at Ray's Jazz at Foyles in Charing Cross Road after making sure they had a copy...it set me back £15! It was worth it. ok |
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| rumbaba | Jul 11 2011, 07:35 PM Post #6 |
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Here's Billy doing, ain't goin' yet - . He was actually the captain of his local bowls club - a man of many talents ![]() I think this features Dylan Bates on violin (note for jazzers: Django Bates' brother) And here is BJ live, playing the blues Live in Leeds Edited by rumbaba, Jul 11 2011, 09:14 PM.
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. This was recorded in one take, like a concert, and his guitar playing just has to be heard to be believed. The guys playing with him are top drawer (including Katie Meluha's keyboard player
8:51 AM Jul 11