Comments on: THE BEST JAZZ OF THE 1990s, Part Three http://destination-out.com/?p=112 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:25:19 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: naturalsax http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-52752 naturalsax Sat, 27 Oct 2007 15:34:15 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-52752 I think more seminal downtown recordings should have been included. I don't get why people are putting Sonny Rollins and Sun Ra albums as the best albums of the nineties. Maybe Seventies? I don't know, but I would have included New & Used's Souvenir (at least in lieu of Douglas' In Our Lifetime or Charms of The Night Sky, his quartet shit is a lot more interesting anyways, no Magic Triangle, WTF?). I would also have included the Jazz Passengers' Implement Yourself, and I would have had a Human Feel record. Too Much Sugar for a Dime is definetely the shit though and the Quintessential 90's album (If it were up to me I would just have a list of Threadgill's 90's albums, Make A Move, Spirit Of Nuff Nuff, enough said) I was also suprised only one person mentioned High Life. I also would have liked to have seen the inclusion of Genesis and The Opening of the Way. In This World is a good record but in my opinion not nearly as influential as The Enemies Of Energy which has more or less the same personnel. I also can't believe no one put Dave Holland's Prime Directive or Extensions. Anyways at least someone is addressing the Jazz of the nineties and that is a beautiful thing. I think more seminal downtown recordings should have been included. I don’t get why people are putting Sonny Rollins and Sun Ra albums as the best albums of the nineties. Maybe Seventies? I don’t know, but I would have included New & Used’s Souvenir (at least in lieu of Douglas’ In Our Lifetime or Charms of The Night Sky, his quartet shit is a lot more interesting anyways, no Magic Triangle, WTF?). I would also have included the Jazz Passengers’ Implement Yourself, and I would have had a Human Feel record. Too Much Sugar for a Dime is definetely the shit though and the Quintessential 90′s album (If it were up to me I would just have a list of Threadgill’s 90′s albums, Make A Move, Spirit Of Nuff Nuff, enough said) I was also suprised only one person mentioned High Life. I also would have liked to have seen the inclusion of Genesis and The Opening of the Way. In This World is a good record but in my opinion not nearly as influential as The Enemies Of Energy which has more or less the same personnel. I also can’t believe no one put Dave Holland’s Prime Directive or Extensions. Anyways at least someone is addressing the Jazz of the nineties and that is a beautiful thing.

]]> By: Derbyseville http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-30096 Derbyseville Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:11:19 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-30096 Thanks for posting this...I already own this album, bu this post will get me to dig it up and give it another listen. It's a truly, strange and brilliant recording. The first track, Pocket Size Demons really gets me, the way he combines a Neil Peart-esque groove with that melody which sounds like it could be Bartok. Henry's Alto playing is also exceptional throughout. To Matt: I hate to nitpick on a small point that you made in passing, but i have to say that Paul Motian has certainly made better recordings in this decade than last. Have you heard Garden Of Eden? The larger ensemble works much better with Paul's aesthetic than it did on Electric Bebop Band, this album was a great accomplishment, i hope he'll continue to use that ensemble. I Have the Room Above Her, with the Trio is also priceless. The most recent trio album, Time and Time Again was a little disapointing, though. Thanks for posting this…I already own this album, bu this post will get me to dig it up and give it another listen. It’s a truly, strange and brilliant recording. The first track, Pocket Size Demons really gets me, the way he combines a Neil Peart-esque groove with that melody which sounds like it could be Bartok. Henry’s Alto playing is also exceptional throughout.

To Matt: I hate to nitpick on a small point that you made in passing, but i have to say that Paul Motian has certainly made better recordings in this decade than last. Have you heard Garden Of Eden? The larger ensemble works much better with Paul’s aesthetic than it did on Electric Bebop Band, this album was a great accomplishment, i hope he’ll continue to use that ensemble. I Have the Room Above Her, with the Trio is also priceless. The most recent trio album, Time and Time Again was a little disapointing, though.

]]> By: DJA http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-29621 DJA Thu, 31 May 2007 00:06:28 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-29621 That Threadgill track is outstanding. Big ups to the three tuba players. That Threadgill track is outstanding. Big ups to the three tuba players.

]]> By: jab http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28623 jab Fri, 25 May 2007 17:22:04 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28623 sayydah - I play a paint brush. not a musician, just a listener - but an obsessed one - and a concert goer. the last two trips Garrett made to Yoshis by the way were incredible sets of music. sayydah – I play a paint brush. not a musician, just a listener – but an obsessed one – and a concert goer. the last two trips Garrett made to Yoshis by the way were incredible sets of music.

]]> By: matt http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28529 matt Fri, 25 May 2007 05:04:41 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28529 back to Half -- no worries! I didn't know where you were coming from, obviously. cheers to all back to Half — no worries! I didn’t know where you were coming from, obviously.

cheers to all

]]> By: Sayydah Garrett http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28521 Sayydah Garrett Fri, 25 May 2007 01:36:39 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28521 Hi Jab.....thanks....let us know when your cd comes out so that we can get you on the "Best of Jazz" lists. What do you play? Take care! Hi Jab…..thanks….let us know when your cd comes out so that we can get you on the “Best of Jazz” lists. What do you play? Take care!

]]> By: jab http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28428 jab Thu, 24 May 2007 19:27:19 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28428 in response to Sayydah Garrett - yup, he's made some really great ones. was just listening to Triology this morning, and that would certainly make my list (though Standard Of Language I like better, but that was 2000 something). Kenny and Blade on the first tune are just astounding. in response to Sayydah Garrett – yup, he’s made some really great ones. was just listening to Triology this morning, and that would certainly make my list (though Standard Of Language I like better, but that was 2000 something). Kenny and Blade on the first tune are just astounding.

]]> By: Sayydah Garrett http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28408 Sayydah Garrett Thu, 24 May 2007 17:01:19 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28408 my (love) list: EVERY SINGLE KENNY GARRETT ALBUM EVER RECORDED! love, sayydah garrett (yup! the wife.) ps: THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING JAZZ! my (love) list:

EVERY SINGLE KENNY GARRETT ALBUM EVER RECORDED!

love,

sayydah garrett (yup! the wife.)

ps: THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING JAZZ!

]]> By: Half http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28349 Half Thu, 24 May 2007 12:02:20 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28349 Sorry. I realized after the fact that I had unleashed the dreaded old school jazz position which I usually rail against. Jazz to me is music that favours improvisation over set arrangements. As much as I enjoyed the record, Weird Nightmare always struck me as being a little too arranged. I would say the same about "modern" bebop or ersatz Dixieland. I agree Matt that jazz has to grow. I am happy to follow jazz to Europe or Africa or Brooklyn or anywhere else it still has life. I saw jazz come back to life in the nineties in live shows. Maybe it's just my personal bias against jazz guitar, but I don't see that life reflected in the record I see here. Sorry again if you think I was trolling. Sorry. I realized after the fact that I had unleashed the dreaded old school jazz position which I usually rail against. Jazz to me is music that favours improvisation over set arrangements. As much as I enjoyed the record, Weird Nightmare always struck me as being a little too arranged. I would say the same about “modern” bebop or ersatz Dixieland. I agree Matt that jazz has to grow. I am happy to follow jazz to Europe or Africa or Brooklyn or anywhere else it still has life.

I saw jazz come back to life in the nineties in live shows. Maybe it’s just my personal bias against jazz guitar, but I don’t see that life reflected in the record I see here. Sorry again if you think I was trolling.

]]> By: matt http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28293 matt Thu, 24 May 2007 05:25:37 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28293 I side w/ Pat in the above. Moreover, I feel compelled to comment on the "Wilner's Mingus project is <strong>not</strong> jazz" taunt (well, that's what it feels like to me, even if Half believes its a simple statement of fact). By that criteria, half (no pun) of my list isn't jazz. Some selections . . . not even close. And while i don't want to get into a whole "<a href="http://djdurutti.blogspot.com/2006/04/what-is-jazz.html" rel="nofollow">what is jazz</a>?" debate or discussion about the utility/futility of the "jazz" label, I argue for an expansive and inclusive definition of the term (which i don't think should be abandoned). As noted on my companion blog post, I'm most interested in amalgamations and cross-pollinations of jazz and other musics, especially hip hop, Latin, klezmer, Eastern European, and gospel music. Much of the music I find most exciting / rewarding / important is that which either includes experimental fusions of diverse musics or jazz that borrows heavily from other forms, especially hip hop. I guess that's a particular perspective i bring to this great We Love the '90s festival. And on that note, I <em>knew</em> I'd forgotten something and Pat's list made me realize what it was: Wilner's Mingus homage: <em>Weird Nightmare</em>. That absolutely belongs in my top 20. And jazz or not, Chuck D absolutely <em>kills it</em> on "Gunslinging Bird . . . dead copycats." copy that. I side w/ Pat in the above.

Moreover, I feel compelled to comment on the “Wilner’s Mingus project is not jazz” taunt (well, that’s what it feels like to me, even if Half believes its a simple statement of fact). By that criteria, half (no pun) of my list isn’t jazz. Some selections . . . not even close. And while i don’t want to get into a whole “what is jazz?” debate or discussion about the utility/futility of the “jazz” label, I argue for an expansive and inclusive definition of the term (which i don’t think should be abandoned). As noted on my companion blog post, I’m most interested in amalgamations and cross-pollinations of jazz and other musics, especially hip hop, Latin, klezmer, Eastern European, and gospel music. Much of the music I find most exciting / rewarding / important is that which either includes experimental fusions of diverse musics or jazz that borrows heavily from other forms, especially hip hop. I guess that’s a particular perspective i bring to this great We Love the ’90s festival.

And on that note, I knew I’d forgotten something and Pat’s list made me realize what it was: Wilner’s Mingus homage: Weird Nightmare. That absolutely belongs in my top 20. And jazz or not, Chuck D absolutely kills it on “Gunslinging Bird . . . dead copycats.” copy that.

]]> By: Pat http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28251 Pat Thu, 24 May 2007 02:05:16 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28251 Half, I really beg to differ. You really think Steve Coleman has made a better record in the oughts than "Tao of Mad Phat" or "Sonic Language of Myth"? That Frisell has really made a better record than "This Land"? (And I really like Blues Dream and Unspeakable, don't get me wrong) Charlie Haden? Motian? Kenny Garrett? Sco? Threadgill? (I'll take any of the Columbia discs, never mind "too much sugar", over the Pi stuff, good as it is.) It's easy to throw the '90s under the bus, as easy as it is to cast it in the wispy glow of nostalgia, and obviously there's great music happening now, but seeing these lists made me realize again how much good stuff was happening, even if it didn't feel like the best of times then. Half,

I really beg to differ. You really think Steve Coleman has made a better record in the oughts than “Tao of Mad Phat” or “Sonic Language of Myth”? That Frisell has really made a better record than “This Land”? (And I really like Blues Dream and Unspeakable, don’t get me wrong) Charlie Haden? Motian? Kenny Garrett? Sco? Threadgill? (I’ll take any of the Columbia discs, never mind “too much sugar”, over the Pi stuff, good as it is.) It’s easy to throw the ’90s under the bus, as easy as it is to cast it in the wispy glow of nostalgia, and obviously there’s great music happening now, but seeing these lists made me realize again how much good stuff was happening, even if it didn’t feel like the best of times then.

]]> By: Half http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28239 Half Thu, 24 May 2007 01:09:05 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28239 With a few exceptions, these lists make it feel like a pretty fallow period for jazz. Happily, the down time seems to have energized all involved. I would say that almost everyone listed has made better records since 2000. Well okay, since my anti-spam word is decubitus, I will exclude Mingus. But then, it's hard to put him on a 90s list to begin with. Maybe Hal Wilner could still make it if that had actually been a jazz record. With a few exceptions, these lists make it feel like a pretty fallow period for jazz. Happily, the down time seems to have energized all involved. I would say that almost everyone listed has made better records since 2000. Well okay, since my anti-spam word is decubitus, I will exclude Mingus. But then, it’s hard to put him on a 90s list to begin with. Maybe Hal Wilner could still make it if that had actually been a jazz record.

]]> By: Ethan Iverson http://destination-out.com/?p=112&cpage=1#comment-28230 Ethan Iverson Wed, 23 May 2007 23:36:57 +0000 http://destination-out.com/?p=112#comment-28230 Major props to D:O! for those two photos on the top of this post! The human race is really amazing. (Of course, I am also enjoying all these great lists.) Major props to D:O! for those two photos on the top of this post! The human race is really amazing.

(Of course, I am also enjoying all these great lists.)

]]>