SAM RIVERS - PARAGON

JANUARY 2013 IS THE 2ND ANNUAL INTERPLANETARY SAM RIVERS MONTH

PARAGON

Bass, Cello – Dave Holland

Drums, Percussion – Barry Altschul

Engineer – Claude Ermelin

Producer – Alain Wolfson, Christian Besnier

1977 FLUID RECORDS

2013 INTERPLANETARY SAM RIVERS MONTH: SAM RIVERS - FIRESTORM

I was fortunate enough to catch the Sam Rivers Trio when they were on tour in support of this album.  I caught the gig in downtown Portland Oregon, in a magnificent, gigantic, historic church.  And when the band played, church was definitely in session.  

While we were waiting outside before the show, Mr. Rivers came out to smoke a cigarette.  Meeting him and chatting with him about jazz was one of the most exciting conversations I've ever had.  Sam Rivers was a really, really, honest to God, an awesome dude.  

The show was hot.  I mean like smokin' hot.  Now I know that saying stuff like that on a jazz blog is super cheesy, but those adjectives are really best used here in this context.  Anyway, speaking of said adjectives, I refer to the the title of this album:  Firestorm.  The swirling ferocity of this trio literally felt like the sounds the three of them were making were on fire.  Sam switched between reeds and piano.  Doug Mathews, after slaying it on the upright bass, moved to bass clarinet and electric bass.  Anthony Cole's spectacular drumming literally sent me into a trance (he played piano on a few tunes that night as well).

Sam Rivers played with Charlie Parker and Miles Davis when he was very young.  He played or recorded with nearly every cornerstone musician in jazz, from the great masters of the past to the hottest new talent, consistently putting out perfect music all the way through his 70+ year career.  Towards the end of his life he still blew that sax with the aggressiveness of someone 30 years his younger, still creating compositions with a creative spirit that was unparalleled in the genre; a creativity so rare, he lived in a class of musicians that people like Mozart lived in.  

At the end of the show, after the 2nd or 3rd encore, he leaned towards the mic, and said:  "You just witnessed the history of jazz."

He made that statement, a statement that some could take as egotistical, with utmost humility.  He wasn't bragging; he was simply just letting us know what had just happened.  

2ND ANNUAL INTERPLANETARY SAM RIVERS MONTH CONTINUES: "AURORA" FROM 2007

A year has passed since Sam Rivers left planet Earth.  The Changing Same is a little late at getting to the annual celebration Interplanetary Sam Rivers Month, but to make up for lost time we are starting of with a bang.  Here we have a release from 2007, which is yet another one of Rivers' big band masterpieces.  Utterly staggering large ensemble compositions, blazing improvisations, with smashing precision.  

Preview the track "Filaments:"




Click the pic for the link :) 

More to come!

Billy Bang / Dennis Charles -Bangception (1983)

Check out this gem over at A Closet of Curiosities.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS OF ALL TIME: Music is the Healing Force of the Universe by Albert Ayler

Wes Montgomery - Echoes of Indiana Avenue

Ferocious playing by a young Wes Montgomery. 

 Pat Metheny called Wes "One of the most inspired and consistent improvisers of all time and one of the most transcendent inventors of melody ever." 

This is the first full album of previously unheard Wes Montgomery music in over 25 years, and it is comprised of studio and live performances recorded in Indianapolis in 1957 and 1958. 

Wes is young and on fire in this music.  It is totally badass.  Check out "After Hours Blues." Whoa.

Cory Pesaturo and Yasmine Azaiez - Meron

SUN RA - MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE

Here it is, in its entirety.  I remember back in the day when I was in my late teens:  The only way to see this was to rent the VHS copy from the snooty jazz record shop called "The Cat's Meow" in Eugene, Oregon.  The dorks that worked there always liked to remind me they thought Sun Ra was "gay" and that I should be listening to Bill Evans instead, because his music was more "lyrical."  I always thought it was strange that they couldn't tell that Sun Ra  and Bill Evans actually shared similarities other than the fact they both played piano.  

This is Sun Ra.  If you're not familiar with him or his music and art, I suggest you get acquainted.  This video is great way to do this.  

ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS OF ALL TIME: SONNY SHARROCK - BLACK WOMAN

This is one of my favorite songs of all time.  The lineup is staggering:  my favorite drummer (tied with Muhammad Ali) of all time, Milford Graves; Sonny Sharrock is one of the most underrated and creative guitar players jazz has ever seen; Linda Sharrock, who was married to Sonny when this album was recorded, lays down a vocal track that is unlike anything I've ever heard:  There's the touch from Ayler in her sound, and her vocal expression is shocking.  The legendary Dave Burrell is on piano, and on bass, none other than Norris Jones (Sirone) from the Revolutionary Ensemble and countless other cornerstone jazz sessions.  This is the title track to the album of the same name, released in 1969, and the album was produced by Herbie Mann.

Anyway, this is what I am talking about:  this is where we left off in 1969.  Music, in my opinion, at least from the Western world, has only back-tracked, or at best, treaded water from this point.  Imagine the possibilities if musicians had continued the voracious exploration of the 60's until now?  Instead, these days, its all regular rock and hipster crap.

...And since you just made fresh pita, you may want some SHAKSHUKA...

Maybe you've tried the shakshuka at Tasty n' Sons here in Portland (which is delicious, BTW).  Anyway, mine is different.

Shakshuka

(Eggs in Purgatory, Tunisian Style)

Two  28-oz. cans good-quality diced tomatoes (e.g., Muir Glen brand)*    

9 ripe Roma tomatoes *                                 

16 large cloves garlic (or to taste)**

1/2 cup olive oil            

2 1/4 teaspoons salt 

Red pepper flakes** to taste; ideally, Aleppo red pepper flakes***, if available

12 eggs

1. Drain canned tomatoes well, but keep the juice; then chop into 1/3-inch pieces. Core Romas; chop into 1/2-3/4-inch cubes. Peel garlic and trim off root nubs; mince finely or put through a garlic press.

2. In a heavy, wide skillet, heat olive oil on high heat, then add all tomatoes—canned and fresh—with the retained tomato juice. Cook until mixture is bubbling hot and raw tomatoes are limp and cooked through, stirring often. Add garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes; cook on medium-low just until flavors blend and garlic is cooked—5-10 minutes. Taste and correct seasonings during this time, adding red pepper flakes gradually and tasting as heat develops.

3. Make small depressions in the tomato stew and drop a raw egg into each. Cover skillet and cook until egg whites are set—about 5 minutes. Serves best in a shallow soup/pasta bowl. Accompany with warmed pita or sturdy, European-style bread for scooping up sauce.

Serves 6

*In season, use all fresh tomatoes, no canned, for authentic shakshuka. 6 lbs. ripe Romas, (about 35 medium-large) should do the trick. The above recipe is adapted to the long off-season, when fresh tomatoes are less flavorful than good-quality canned. A few fresh Romas are added for texture. Use canned tomatoes only, no fresh ones, if time is short or fresh tomatoes are awful.

** Garlic and red pepper are typical of Tunisian shakshuka. Decreasing or eliminating both from part of a batch to suit children’s tastes is still tasty, like Italian Eggs in Purgatory.

***Aleppo red pepper flakes are available in most Middle Eastern markets, including the Middle Eastern aisle at Plaza Latina market on 7^th Avenue in Eugene. Better quality Aleppo flakes are available by mail order from Kalustyan’s, 123 Lexington Avenue, New York 10016; Tel:212-685-3451; e-mail:sales@kalustyans.com. Using Aleppo flakes—less hot than regular chili flakes and  roasted for some sweetness—an average quantity is 2 1/2-3 tablespoons.