Burning Dervish

Drummer Matt Wilson must surely be in the running for the title of hardest-working man in jazz. Wilson is a composer, bandleader, producer and teacher. As a leader, his projects include the Matt Wilson Quartet, Arts & Crafts, Christmas Tree-O and the Carl Sandburg Project. He has been in bands with luminaries such as Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Ted Nash and many, many others. As for legends, he's played with Herbie Hancock, Dewey Redman, Andrew Hill, Bobby Hutcherson, Elvis Costello, Cedar Walton, Kenny Barron, John Zorn, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell and Hank Jones. With appearances on over 250 albums as a leader, co-leader or sideman, this list barely scratches the surface. While all of these credits illustrate what life can be like for a working jazz musician in the 21st Century, a striking aspect of Wilson's resume is his ability to move between scenes. He is comfortable (and, more importantly, welcome) with cats like Wynton... - Burning Dervish

This is an important show in the world of John Coltrane, consisting of what may have been his ultimate early-60s line-up. In addition to Coltrane on tenor and soprano saxes we have Eric Dolphy on alto sax, bass clarinet and flute, pianist McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on the drums. These recordings exist in a variety of combinations across multiple releases. The three songs performed are listed in a different order in pretty much every instance. The dates are often funky, too, as the show was billed as a February 9 date but the set was performed (or broadcast on the radio, the source for the releases mentioned above) after midnight, on the tenth. No matter. These are powerful performances. The rendition of "My Favorite Things" is frequently cited by online commentators as one of the best. This is a difficult designation to bestow or concur with given the sheer number of times Coltrane performed the piece. This is a great take with forceful soloing. Is it also... - Burning Dervish

Playlist and notes for the BurningDervish.com Podcast episode "Tales from the Concert Crypt" Episode Options: Download (right click and save) | Stream Subscribe to all episodes | Subscribe in iTunes January 2012 was a good month for jazz shows in New York City, with more shows than I could sneak out for. Of the four I did catch, I was lucky to score recordings of each. The sound quality might not be up to the standard you're used to here, but the performances are well worth it. The first track is from pianist Joan Stiles, who appeared at the Jazz Gallery with saxophonist Joel Frahm and drummer Matt Wilson. They take on Thelonius Monk's "Nutty". Read more about that show here. Dr. Lonnie Smith's Trio got freaky at the Jazz Standard on "Beehive". Details on that set here. It was back to the Standard for soul jazz pioneer Lou Donaldson, with his Quartet on "Gravy Train". Set list and more here. Closing the set is the McCoy Tyner Trio with special guest Gary Bartz at the Blue Note, with... - Burning Dervish

The John Coltrane Quintet Featuring Eric Dolphy played two shows at the Konserthuset in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 23, 1961. There are many complete recordings of the early show in circulation and, seemingly, some confusion around recordings from the late show. Various bootlegs and unofficial releases are cited as containing part or all of the second performance but it is not clear how accurate this information is. For the purposes here, let's look at the positively-identified first performance. A rollicking "My Favorite Things" kicks off the set. It is some combination of sloppy, disjointed, devilish, exuberant and downright comical. Coltrane comes out of the gate with some off-key saxophone squawks, but as if to prove that there are no mistakes in music, he incorporates the honking into a longer melody line to the point where all the listener can do is shake his head and laugh. It's so outrageously out front, unusual and playful...Coltrane's initial run gives way to a McCoy... - Burning Dervish

Lou Donaldson Quartet at the Jazz Standard, New York, NY, January 19, 2012, early set. Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone Randy Johnston – guitar Akiko Tsuruga – Hammond B-3 organ McClenty Hunter – drums I pulled a nice recording. More here when I have a chance to listen. - Burning Dervish

Playlist and notes for the BurningDervish.com Podcast episode "The Majesty of King Tubby" Episode Options: Download (right click and save) | Stream Subscribe to all episodes | Subscribe in iTunes If King Tubby did not invent dub, it hardly matters who did. With hundreds, or even thousands, of sides standing witness to his wizardry, he elevated the form to an exalted level. Jamaican dub of the roots reggae era is the direct antecedent of modern remix culture, which spans music, the visual arts, and even high technology. For the purposes here, it is dub's immediate effect on the brain that is most impressive...Gorgon Version by Cornell Campbell & The Aggravators from King Tubby's in Fine Style Shooter Dub by King Tubby from Down Santic Way: Santic's Jamaican Productions 1973-1975 Corner Crew Dub by Augustus Pablo from King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown King Tubby's Borderline Dub by King Tubby & Augustus Pablo from Dub Chill Out Shaolin Temple Dub by Barrington Levy from In Dub: The Lost... - Burning Dervish

"Though two tracks from October 1960 were previously issued under McCoy Tyner's name, they were outtakes from John Coltrane dates where the saxophonist sat out. Inception marks the pianist's first proper release as bandleader, with the sessions for Impulse! taking place at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on January 10 and 11, 1962. Of the set's six tracks, four are Tyner compositions, with "Effendi" becoming something of a modern jazz standard and embraced, most notably, by pianist Ahmad Jamal..." Read my full review at All About Jazz - Burning Dervish

McCoy Tyner Trio with Gary Bartz, Blue Note, New York, NY, January 11, 2012, second show. McCoy played two nights and this was the second set of the second night. I pulled a nice recording and will update this after I have a chance to give it a devoted listen. McCoy Tyner: piano; Gerald Cannon: bass; Francisco Mela: drums; Gary Bartz: saxophone. - Burning Dervish

Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio, Jazz Standard, New York, NY, January 11, 2012, Early Show. The trio: Dr. Lonnie Smith – Hammond B–3 organ Jonathan Kreisberg – guitar Jamire Williams – drums Pulled a nice recording of this set. Will have more info here when I can go back and give it a good listen... - Burning Dervish

Playlist and notes for the BurningDervish.com Podcast episode "McCoy Tyner - 1961" Episode Options: Download (right click and save) | Stream Subscribe to all episodes | Subscribe in iTunes Welcome to another Burning Dervish podcast episode devoted to the music of McCoy Tyner. This music was recorded over a six month span in 1961 and illustrates the breakneck speed with which jazz was transforming. In late May and early June 1961, Tyner was part of the John Coltrane group that recorded the ground-breaking Impulse! album Africa/Brass. By early November, the month that record was released, the core group of Coltrane, Tyner, Elvin Jones, Reggie Workman and notably, Eric Dolphy, were turning the jazz world upside down with the aggressive music they made across four nights at New York's Village Vanguard. Track the evolution here. The links below lead to reviews and comments for the albums and concerts these songs were pulled from. The Damned Don't Cry by John Coltrane Quartet from The... - Burning Dervish

Kulttuuritalo in Helsinki was designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. Itself a work of art, the 1958 building has hosted all manner of classical, jazz, pop and rock events over the years. On this night, Kulttuuritalo staged the seventh set in five days of John Coltrane's 1961 European tour with Eric Dolphy. There is a private tape that circulates of this show, often labeled as "second" or "9:15" show, though there are no documents mentioning an early show. Regardless, numerous sources cite this recording as having been made by Yles Radio in Finland. The show has never seen official release. "Blue Train" and "I Want To Talk About You", which open the set, are two of the lesser-played songs on this tour. In fact, it is not clear that "I Want To Talk About You" was performed again on the run. Coltrane's performances of the song did not include Dolphy and given how crucial he was to the music they were making in Europe, it is not surprising to find the song dropped from the repertoire.... - Burning Dervish

Joan Stiles, Jazz Gallery, New York, NY, January 5, 2012, Second Show There were two shows at the Jazz Gallery this night for the release of the Joan Stiles CD, Three Musicians. The three musicians are: Joan Stiles - piano, arrangements Joel Frahm - tenor and soprano saxophone Matt Wilson - drums O.W. Everything's Coming Up Roses In the Sunshine of My Funny Valentine’s Love Introspection Nutty You Don't Know What Love Is Lucky To Be Me Knowledge West End Boogie Pulled a nice recording of this one... - Burning Dervish

Playlist and notes for the BurningDervish.com Podcast episode "2011 - A Year in Music" Episode Options: Download (right click and save) | Stream Subscribe to all episodes | Subscribe in iTunes I am not a big fan of the "year end best of", top ten lists or other methods of ranking and scoring music. Mainly because I do not really care what anyone else thinks the "best" music out there is, but more importantly to me, music is not a competitive sport. Music is art, at once communal and also deeply personal. In that spirit I want to share a bunch of songs that I enjoyed discovering throughout 2011, all from records released during the calendar year. I have no idea if this was the "best" music issued or even what that means but I hope your ears are tickled and your curiosity is piqued enough to dig in further. Below please find a complete list of the tracks featured here as well as links to my original reviews of each of the albums these were pulled from, or in one case, a link to an... - Burning Dervish

Guitarist Rez Abbasi is part of a generation of jazz musicians who came of age after the conservative backlash of the 1980s. He and his peers are making their mark on America's art form by contributing their rich and varied cultural backgrounds and with an embrace of popular culture that was heresy in some quarters for far too long. Rez Abbasi personifies several of the attributes on display in his music. He puts forth a quiet confidence, with a clear point of view on a variety of topics. He is capable of and open to ideas, surprises, and wonder. Though he has a singular vision for his various musical projects and approaches his art with a sense of purpose and seriousness, he is quick to laugh and clearly comfortable in his own skin. In the most striking parallel between the music and the man, conversation with him visits many themes while veering off for varied explorations. Rez Abbasi is living, breathing proof that jazz music can be as vital and boundary-pushing as ever. Read my... - Burning Dervish

"Nheap is the nom de guerre of Italian drummer/composer Massimo Discepoli. The projects he puts out as Nheap are ethereal, mostly mellow electronic excursions accompanied by his own live acoustic drum work. Clouds Under The Table marks his third collection as Nheap. "Ambient" might begin to describe this music, but the presence of Discepoli's relatively straightforward drumming gives the compositions more of a rootedness and energy than that to which most typical electronic ambient music lays claim. Certainly "atmospheric" goes a long way as a descriptor. This does not fall into the dance music realm, either. Though slightly beefier, most cuts from this album would not be out of place on a Windham Hill sampler..." Read my full review on All About Jazz. - Burning Dervish

Alejandro Florez's Tibagui exists to explore and expand upon the Andean music of the guitarist's native Columbia. Neither cumbia nor chichi, Florez's quartet use traditional folk melodies as starting points for very modern, sophisticated and engaging improvisations. The musical tradition Tibagui springs from is primarily string-based, typically a trio including the Latin bandola and tiple, as well as guitar. Here, Florez has expanded the instrumentation to include wind instruments and percussion, each of which has long had its own place in Andean music and is, therefore, not at all out of context here. Read my full review at All About Jazz. - Burning Dervish

Playlist and notes for the BurningDervish.com Podcast episode "R&B Lost and Found" Episode Options: Download (right click and save) | Stream Subscribe to all episodes | Subscribe in iTunes Not all of the 15 tracks here are totally obscure but I don't think many of them get spun on your local oldies station, either. Each of these have a backstory worth digging into. To that end, I have included links to information about most of them below. If you like your soul music with a little bit of funk and a psychedelic edge, you'll get that here, especially if you make it through to the tracks at the end...Enjoy. And let me know what you think.Knockin' At The Wrong Door by The Rollers Too Far Gone (Alt. Take) by The Four Mints I'll Take Her by Eddie Floyd She's A Burgler by Howard Tate Just Enough To Hurt Me by Astors After Laughter by Wendy Rene Rain, Rain, Go Away by Bob Azzam & His Orchestra When The Lights Are Low by The Paragons Don't Be Surprised by Lynn Williams See And Don't See by... - Burning Dervish

"One of the more intriguing albums issued in the first half of 2011, Animation's Asiento (RareNoise, 2011), has now begotten one of the best sets of the latter part of the year.Asiento was a live reimagining of trumpeter Miles Davis' seminal Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1970), recorded live in December 2006 as part of the Reissue: Classic Recordings Live series, at Merkin Hall in Manhattan.Agemo is itself a reimaging. This two-CD set is made up of the same six tracks that appeared on its predecessor, but only as a jumping off point..."Check out my full review on All About Jazz. - Burning Dervish

Impress your friends! Show off your musical knowledge! While most year-end lists covering rock and pop read more like litanies of the least worst, people cannot help themselves. Whether it is the need to oversimplify, the 21st Century tendency to "share" or old-fashioned self-importance (you know, the belief that one actually has some insight and meaning to offer the world), amateur and professional "Best of" lists are more popular than ever. You may not know much about anything else, but musical taste is subjective, so you must know what you're talking about when it comes to music! Some argue that in an age where music has become "content" and content is everywhere in abundant volume, we need trusted curators to help lead the way. This is the kind of thinking that has spawned the phenomenon of "social music". Next time you are on Facebook, have a look at the little feed in the upper right corner. That scrolling list announcing to you what your "friends" are listening to on one music... - Burning Dervish

There were two shows, 6:30 and 10:30, for the opening night of John Coltrane's Fall 1961 tour of Europe. The band was: John Coltrane - tenor and soprano saxophone Eric Dolphy - alto saxophone, bass clarinet and flute McCoy Tyner - piano Reggie Workman - bass Elvin Jones - drums The 6:30 set was: 1. Impressions 2. I Want to Talk About You 3. Blue Train 4. My Favorite Things And 10:30 1. I Want To Talk About You 2. Blue Train 3. My Favorite Things There are many enthusiastic reviews of these sets to be found but things don't really take off in the early show until "Blue Train", which features some tremendous Coltrane and Dolphy soloing. The version of "My Favorite Things" that closes the set is pretty uptempo, tight and intense. Coltrane's initial turn, on soprano, rips - and is capped with an enthusiastic outburst from the audience - before giving way to McCoy Tyner at about the 3:30 mark. This Tyner solo is easily the highlight of the show so far. Bluesy, lyrical and brushing against... - Burning Dervish

"This music was recorded over a six month span but illustrates the breakneck speed with which the bleeding edge of jazz was transforming. In late May and early June 1961, McCoy Tyner was part of the John Coltrane group that recorded the ground-breaking Impulse! album Africa/Brass. By early November, the month that record was released, the core group of Coltrane, Tyner, Elvin Jones, Reggie Workman and notably, Eric Dolphy, were turning the jazz world upside down with the aggressive music they made across four nights at New York's Village Vanguard. Track the evolution here." Get the playlist at All About Jazz. - Burning Dervish

Playlist and notes for the BurningDervish.com Podcast episode "Back Door Slam" Episode Options: Download (right click and save) | Stream Subscribe to all episodes | Subscribe in iTunes Every few years a pop artist or group comes along that conjures up the sounds of one "golden age" or another. For about 15 minutes 20 years it ago it was Lenny Kravitz. More recently, we had Amy Winehouse and just this year, Adele. Many of these artists fashion superstar careers mining this retro gold. Others register barely a blip. For this episode of the Burning Dervish Podcast, we are going to focus on one of those lesser-known artists who hit the scene, made some noise and went their separate ways. Back Door Slam was formed in 2003 on the Isle of Man. Focused around the work of blues guitar prodigy Davy Knowles, Back Door Slam was cut from the same mold as Cream, Rory Gallagher, ZZ Top and Warren Haynes vehicle Gov't Mule. The band gained momentum relatively quickly, playing hundreds of gigs across... - Burning Dervish