SiNK OR SWiM JAZZ.MiX # 33 jazz tracks on the the JAZZ_line 2000-1989 (3h 46m)# The Coryells, Jan Akkerman, Bireli Lagrene, Joe Zawinul, Allan Holdsworth, Anders Johansson, Jens Johansson, David Torn, Flora Purim, Chick Corea, John Abercrombie feat: Peter Erskine / Marc Johnson / John Surman, Miles Davis, John Surman, The Lounge Lizards
J A Z Z M U S I C (3h 46m)
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.JAZZ_line on deezer
2000-1989
As one of the pioneers of jazz-rock -- perhaps the pioneer in the ears of some -- Larry Coryell deserves a special place in the history books. He brought what amounted to a nearly alien sensibility to jazz electric guitar playing in the 1960s, a hard-edged, cutting tone, and phrasing and note-bending that owed as much to blues, rock, and even country as it did to earlier, smoother bop influences. Yet as a true eclectic, armed with a brilliant technique, he remained comfortable in almost every style, covering almost every base from the most decibel-heavy, distortion-laden electric work to the most delicate, soothing, intricate lines on acoustic guitar.
Murali Coryell (born October 27, 1969) is an American blues guitarist and singer. Best known for performing live in small venues in New York State, Coryell has also opened for George Thorogood, Gregg Allman, B.B. King and Wilson Pickett. While touring the United States, he uses local session musicians for his performances rather than traveling with a regular backing band.
Julian Coryell (born 1973) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer.
Sink or Swim (Julian Coryell) 3:53
Trouble No More (Muddy Waters) 3:14
from The Coryells 2000
Like father, like sons, acoustic guitarist Larry Coryell and sons Julian and Murali get together for their first recorded project, and it sounds fine. Larry tends to dominate improv space, but doesn't get in the way of his kids, who are adept in their own bluesy ways. Bassist Brain Torff and percussionist Alphonse Mouzon (no drum kit, only hand drums and tambourine) join on several selections... Though some speedy lines crop up here and there, this is a more musical than pyrotechnical display that proves quite enjoyable throughout. A very good first step for the Coryell family's musical bonding recorded for public display, this is definitely recommended.
A musician of abundant prowess, former Focus guitarist Jan Akkerman once eclipsed Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck in England's reader polls as the world's best rock guitarist. Akkerman is fluent in most guitar languages and plays several instruments. He is adept at rock, jazz, funk, blues and classical music. He keeps up with technology and isn't afraid to appear on stage with dance music DJs in the 21st century...
Mercy Mercy Mercy (Joe Zawinul) 7:48
My Pleasure 16:54
An adept French guitarist, Biréli Lagrène has drawn praise for his fertile blend of swinging continental jazz, post-bop, and fusion. Emerging with Routes to Django: Live in 1980, the then 13-year-old guitarist was quickly praised as an heir to the legendary Django Reinhardt. Over time, however, he broadened his approach, exploring artists like Wes Montgomery, Larry Coryell, and Jimi Hendrix...
A Foggy Day (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) 3:34
It's All Right with Me
Cole Porter) 4:15
from Blue Eyes 1998
Throughout his career, Bireli Lagrene has often confounded expectations. He started out as a brilliant young Django Reinhardt impressionist; a few years later, he switched to rock-oriented fusion, and then returned to straight-ahead jazz with a more original (if blander) voice than he had displayed in his Django days. On this 1997 set Blue Eyes, a tribute to Frank Sinatra, Lagrene not only plays with swing and subtlety in a conventional quartet (with pianist Maurice Vander, bassist Chris Minh Doky, and drummer André Ceccarelli), but sings a few numbers quite effectively...
Joe Zawinul belonged in a category unto himself -- a European from the heartland of the classical music tradition (Vienna) who learned to swing as freely as any American jazzer, and whose appetite for growth and change remained insatiable. Zawinul's curiosity and openness to all kinds of sounds made him one of the driving forces behind the electronic jazz-rock revolution of the late '60s and '70s -- and later, he would be almost alone in exploring fusions between jazz-rock and ethnic music from all over the globe...
Patriots (Joe Zawinul) 10:59
Indiscretions (Joe Zawinul) 12:09
Two Lines (Joe Zawinul) 7:19
from World Tour 1997
This version of the Zawinul Syndicate could swing harder than any Zawinul-led unit since the heyday of Weather Report, as this two-CD set -- taken from three concerts in Berlin and Trier, Germany -- triumphantly illustrates. Small wonder, for the lineup of the Syndicate looks almost like a Weather Report alumni gathering, with Zawinul, the brilliant percussionist Manolo Badrena from the 1977 Heavy Weather band, and bassist Victor Bailey, from the great '80s global-funk edition forming a quorum, with Paco Sery on drums and Gary Poulson on guitar filling out the ranks. Zawinul remains a marvel at 65, always in touch with the idea and feel of the groove, weaving spare, enigmatic electronic comments and spangled layers of synthesizers into the mix... For a souvenir of the state of Zawinul's art in the 1990s, this is the album to get.
Joint Ventures (Anders Johansson / Jens Johansson) 5:48
On the Frozen Lake (Anders Johansson / Jens Johansson) 4:52
Good Morning Mr. Coffee (Anders Johansson / Jens Johansson) 7:25
from Heavy Machinery 1996
Remember Jan Hammer and Jeff Beck jamming together with lead tradeoffs ad libitum forever amen? You will hear many similarities in guitar legend Holdsworth and keysman Jens Johansson springboarding off each other. A big difference soon unfolds -- this duo just plain smokes, cutting early into the fast lane and getting right down to business. Things overall are compositionally interesting, noticeably precise, big and phat, just more intriguing than those Hammer/Beck excursions. It immensely helps havin' monster-everywhere drumming, a veritable demon-wind blowin' at their backs like Anders Johansson kept rock steady.
It was refreshing to hear Holdsworth get funked up and get in a rockin' groove thang for a change on many cuts. His guitar tone seemed bigger -- perhaps augmented in places with some background triggered synth-echo delays and textures. Jens Johansson was outstanding in his mosaic of keyboard styles and voicings. He nearly duplicates that signature Holdsworthian lead phrasing. An expertly interwoven synthesis of sound and rhythm is present. Great jazz-rock fusion happens here.
An intensity propels this musical meeting... Invite guitar genius and innovator Allan Holdsworth over to jam and you spark unforgettable fireworks of furious fusion. Holdsworth fans, this is a must. Rockers and jazz-rock fusionists alike will delight in this recording.
David Torn is a self-described "textural guitarist" as well as a producer, film composer, recording artist, and sideman. He is well-known for his sophisticated, innovative playing style, which employs a self-developed digital looping system that has become pervasive in the 21st century. His urgent, atmospheric, effects-drenched sound blurs the lines between rock, jazz, and avant music...
Pasha (David Torn) 9:41
Trip Over God (David Torn) 6:46
Rollin' and Tumblin' (Muddy Waters) 6:39
from Tripping Over God 1995
On this 1995 outing, futuristic guitarist David Torn plants some of the seeds for his soon-to-be-well-known mastery of EFX and studio processing techniques. With this effort, the artist multi-tracks guitar parts, loops, voice, percussion, bass, and all programming, as many of these pieces feature Torn's subdued vocal mantras atop disfigured chord voicings and East Indian modalities. Here, Torn melds worldbeat-style motifs into a palate consisting of atmospheric treatments, blitzing electric lead soloing, ostinato percussion grooves, and Hendrix-like wah-wah guitar lines. The guitarist frequently soars into the stratosphere via bent notes and variegated effects, while also utilizing an acoustic guitar in spots. Nonetheless, this production actuates a fascinating glimpse into Torn's distinct artistry and should be deemed essential listening for those who share his forward-thinking sentiments.
Influenced by both traditional Brazilian singers and the improvisations of American jazz divas like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, Flora Purim was one of the most adventurous singers of the 1970s. After meeting and marrying her husband, percussionist Airto Moreira, in their native Brazil, Purim moved with him to the U.S. in the late '60s. Though she worked with Stan Getz and pianist Duke Pearson before the decade ended, it wasn't until joining Chick Corea, Joe Farrell, Stanley Clarke, and Moreira in the original Return to Forever in 1972 that she became well known in the States...
Wings (Asas) 3:12
Portal da Cor (Milton Nascimento / Ricardo Silveira) 4:40
The Goddess of Thunder 3:17
Light as My Flo' (Kushna Booker) 5:41
from Speed of Light 1994
A brilliant cross between Flora Purim's '70s work with Chick Corea & Return to Forever (some of the only fusion albums that don't sound terribly dated decades later) and mid-'90s chill-out music, 1995's Speed of Light is one of the Brazilian-born singer's finest albums. Opening with the meditative instrumental "A Secret From the Sea," Speed of Light is a seamless blend of 12 smoothly danceable tracks combining Brazilian jazz; spacious, fusion-based arrangements heavy on the percussion and synthesizers; and cool, contemporary beats and loops. The combination works effortlessly, since so much acid jazz and ambient house music already cribs from '60s bossa nova and '70s fusion. Throughout it all, Purim's still-astonishing voice remains at center stage, whether murmuring softly on the slinky "Portal da Cor" or trilling wordlessly on the hypnotic "The Goddess of Thunder." Diana Moreira (daughter of Purim and percussionist Airto Moreira, her regular producer and collaborator) takes on an expanded writing and performing role, performing and arranging the complex overdubbed backing vocals that give the largely electronic songs a more intimate, human feel. Speed of Light is essential listening for both Brazilian jazz and chill-out fans.
A masterful and creatively wide-ranging jazz pianist, Chick Corea was a celebrated performer whose influential albums found him exploring harmonically adventurous post-bop, electric fusion, Latin traditions, and classical. Initially emerging in the 1960s, Corea gained early notice for his solo albums, including 1968's Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, and sideman work with Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, and Stan Getz. He joined Miles Davis' first electric ensemble and appeared on the landmark 1969 album Bitches Brew...
Straight Up and Down (Chick Corea) 6:38
Matrix (Chick Corea) 6:29
Toy Room (Dave Holland) 5:53
from The Best Of Chick Corea 1993
When Chick Corea was an up-and-coming modern acoustic jazz pianist, he recorded for the Atlantic, Blue Note, and Solid State labels, producing Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, Song of Singing, and Inner Space. These three sessions, mostly trio dates with drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Miroslav Vitous, signified Corea as a strong melodicist, inventive composer, and deft player. For those who wish to discover Corea before he turned on the electricity, this is an excellent place to start. Originals such as "Straight Up and Down," "Tones for Joan's Bones," "Matrix," "Windows," and "Toy Room" show a challenging side of Corea that made him noticeable and unique... It's highly recommended music from a burgeoning master.
John Abercrombie's tying together of jazz's many threads made him one of the most influential acoustic and electric guitarists of the 1970s and early '80s; his recordings for ECM helped define that label's progressive chamber jazz reputation. Abercrombie's style drew upon all manner of contemporary improvised music; his style was essentially jazz-based, but also displayed a more than passing familiarity with forms that ranged from folk and rock to Eastern and Western art musics...
feat: Peter Erskine / Marc Johnson / John Surman
The Cat's Back (John Abercrombie / Peter Erskine / Marc Johnson / John Surman) 6:24
November (John Abercrombie / Peter Erskine / Marc Johnson) 8:29
Rise and Fall (Peter Erskine) 5:18
from November 1992
This 1993 recording of John Abercrombie's trio with a guest appearance by British saxophone giant and composer John Surman is, without question, a trademark ECM session. There's the spacious, pristine, icy production by label boss Manfred Eicher from his studio in Oslo. Next, all the players are ECM staples with the exception of Erskine, who plays everything from pop jazz to classical music. But there are many things that distinguish it as well. For one, Surman is playing here with a fire not heard since the early '70s. Whether he is blowing a baritone or soprano saxophone or his bass clarinet, he's cutting loose. There are long, looping lines that quote everyone from John Carter to Jim Pepper to Eric Dolphy and Ben Webster. His willingness to seek out the heart of dissonance inspires his bandmates, particularly on "The Cat's Back." From a nuanced, eerie wail to a Native American folk melody to smoky phraseology taken from "Chelsea Bridge," Surman pulls out all the stops and then puts them back in to make the tune whisper. Abercrombie doesn't exactly take a back seat on this date, but he does showcase his expansive knowledge of Tal Farlow's harmonic palette by playing extended chords either inside the melody or as a dissonant counterpoint to Surman... It's a solid session from beginning to end, but one still wishes Eicher would take his hands off the sound controls a bit, allowing some of the rawness that each of these players shows in live settings to enter the studio.
A monumental innovator, icon, and maverick, trumpeter Miles Davis helped define the course of jazz as well as popular culture in the 20th century, bridging the gap between bebop, modal music, funk, and fusion. Throughout most of his 50-year career, Davis played the trumpet in a lyrical, introspective style, often employing a stemless Harmon mute to make his sound more personal and intimate. It was a style that, along with his brooding stage persona, earned him the nickname "Prince of Darkness."...
Hannibal (Marcus Miller) 15:58
Jailbait (Prince) 5:55
from Merci Miles! Live at Vienne Rec- 1991 (2021)
On July 1, 1991 Miles Davis played the opening night of the annual Jazz à Vienne Festival in southeastern France. His lineup included saxophonist Kenny Garrett, keyboardist Deron Johnson, drummer Ricky Wellman, bassist Richard Patterson, and "lead bassist" Foley (Joseph McCreary, Jr.). The latter was so designated because the former Mint Condition bassist tuned his custom-made instrument an octave higher, allowing him to emulate a lead guitarist. While Davis' final recordings for Warner Bros. have been subject to debate, this previously unissued performance places his final musical thinking in proper context. Performed less than 90 days before his death, the concert showcases a seasoned band playing an expertly hybridized meld of jazz, funk, and R&B... Even in failing health, Davis leads this band with imagination, good humor, and focus. Though this date occurred less than three months before his death, his playing throughout is surprisingly muscular. Unlike many of his other official posthumous documents, Merci Miles! Live at Vienne actually adds to Davis' musical legacy and warrants repeated listening.
John Surman was one of the very few saxmen in England to find a significant rock audience during the late '60s, playing gigs regularly at venues like the Marquee Club in London. Also a clarinetist of some renown, and no slouch on keyboards either, the atmospheric sounds that Surman creates on his horns have been a major asset to the ECM label ever since the late '70s...One of England's top jazz players across many decades, Surman is particularly strong on the baritone. Surman played in jazz workshops while still in high school...
Polperro (John Surman) 2:08
Mevagissey (John Surman) 5:53
Bedruthan Steps (John Surman) 7:30
from Road to Saint Ives 1990
During a period of his career that would feature some notable collaborations with luminaries such as Paul Bley, Bill Frisell, Elvin Jones, and Barre Phillips, John Surman also produced Road to Saint Ives, a gentle, introspective, yet adventurous solo work. The entire album is a one-man effort, from the composition to all of the instrumentation, with Surman building strata of sound over keyboard and percussion structures using bass clarinet and the soprano and bass saxophones he is known for. The resulting work communicates a unique vision and mood, unsullied by the conflicting interpretations of other performers.
The album centers around a portrait of the landscape and spirit of Cornwall, taking more than a few bits of inspiration from British folk music, but remaining firmly perched in the jazz tradition. The individual pieces, while they have place names, are not intended to evoke specific geographic locations -- rather they act as facets of the whole experience. Surman's work on the soprano sax is the most impressive of all of his instrumentation on the recording -- most noticable because it has the brightest sound, but also because he takes the instrument further texturally than most, allowing it to quiver, sing, squeak, and slide. The result is ethereal without being saccharine, adventurous while still highly listenable...
Initially conceived as entertainment for a downtown New York art community (which, at the time, was knee-deep in no wave), the Lounge Lizards spent more than a decade with various lineups playing so-called fake jazz with pop and avant-garde rock tendencies. The band's initial incarnation was led by saxophonist John Lurie, with brother Evan on piano, Arto Lindsay on guitar, Steve Piccolo on bass, and ex-Feelie Anton Fier on drums; this lineup appeared only on the band's acclaimed, all-instrumental, self-titled 1981 debut... The following year's Voice of Chunk was initially sold only through the mail. John Lurie has also done scoring work for several Jim Jarmusch films, including Stranger Than Paradise (1986), Down By Law (1988), and Mystery Train (1989).
One Big Yes (John Lurie) 6:23
Tarantella (The Lounge Lizards / Evan Lurie) 4:06
Voice of Chunk (John Lurie / Erik Sanko) 5:25
from Voice of Chunk 1989
The Lizards, led by neo-saxman John Lurie, were best known for their outsider approach to bop. This is perhaps their best work, filled with humor and a solid melodic sensibility. Marc Ribot's angular guitar and the complement of Evan Lurie's piano make the disc a particular delight. Madhouse jazz for the unhinged.
