Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane
| Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane | ||||
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| Studio album by Dave Liebman & Joe Lovano | ||||
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Publication |
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| Label (s) | Resonance Records | |||
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Format (s) |
CD |
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Title (number) |
6th |
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running time |
54:32 |
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Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano |
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Studio (s) |
Clinton Recording Studio NYC |
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Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane is a jazz album by Dave Liebman & Joe Lovano that was recorded on June 22, 2007 at Clinton Recording Studio in New York City and released on June 16, 2017 on Resonance Records .
background
As early as 1987, the saxophonist Dave Liebman had submitted an homage to John Coltrane on Owl Records; in 2007, BBC commissioned Radio 3 for Somethin 'Else! saxophonist Dave Liebman with the recording of a pure Coltrane program on the 40th anniversary of the death of legendary saxophonist and composer John Coltrane. When asked to bring the formation Saxophone Summit - the band that was first organized by Liebman in 1998 and led by Liebman, along with fellow saxophonists Joe Lovano and Ravi Coltrane - Liebman managed to bring in regular members like Lovano, pianist Phil Markowitz and the drummer Billy Hart along with bassist Ron McClure (replacing the unavailable Cecil McBee ). Ten years later, the recording session commemorating the 50th anniversary of Coltrane's death on July 17, 1967 was published.
Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane begins with “Locomotion”, a distinctive take on the blues from the Blue Train album (Blue Note, 1958). The melody contains the seeds of much of Coltrane's later works and makes a great place to start, wrote Mark Sullivan. "The classic two-tenor line-up duels and nudges each other." As Lovano notes in the liner notes , many of the intervals that can be heard on "Locomotion" can be found in later Coltrane works. The main theme of A Love Supreme is just one example. A ballad medley presents the two woodwind individually - Lovano on tenor in "Central Park West" (from Coltrane's Sound (Atlantic, 1964; incorporated 1960)), Liebman on soprano in "Dear Lord" (from Transition ( ! Impulses , 1970), but recorded in 1965). This seemingly spiritual ballad had a special place with Liebman for a long time and is the only composition that was repeated from his early tribute album.
“Olé” from the album Olé Coltrane (Atlantic, 1961) represents Coltrane's long-term interest in world music , which later manifested itself in titles such as “India”, “Dakar” and “Brazilia”. After an introduction with recorder and flute, the Spanish-inspired melody is introduced by tenor and soprano saxophones. "Reverend King", named after Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. , from the 1966 album Cosmic Music (Impulse !, 1968) shows Liebman on the flute, accompanied by Lovano's alto clarinet: a lovely combination that is unique for this track, so Mark Sullivan. "Equinox" (also from Coltrane's Sound ) is another blues that is returning to the tenor / soprano saxophone combo. The album ends with “Compassion” by Meditations (Impulse !, 1966) and delves into Coltrane's late phase.
The liner notes of the album are from Ashley Kahn , David Liebman, Zev Feldman , supplemented by interviews with Joe Lovano, Billy Hart and Zev Feldman.
Track list
- Dave Liebman / Joe Lovano: Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane (Resonance Records - HCD-2030)
- Locomotion , 6:11
- Central Park West / Dear Lord , 8:09 am
- Olé , 8:46
- Reverend King , 5:20
- Equinox , 6:39
- Compassion , 17:27
- All compositions are by John Coltrane.
reception
The album received consistently positive reviews; Chris Pearson awarded Compassion four (out of five) stars in the London Times and praised: "This great musical dialogue is a worthy homage to the great man of jazz on the 50th anniversary of his death." It was "a passionate and convincing memory" (if necessary ) of Trane's persistence in jazz. John Fordham gave the album four (out of five) stars in the British Guardian and said, "For the 40th anniversary of the death of the inspiring saxophonist John Coltrane, Liebman had to put together a hastily modified version of his Saxophone Summit Band"; “But the collective passion is palpable, as is the uninhibited jam session. Liebman and Lovano tear Coltrane's bizarre 'Locomotion' as a two-tenor contest; Lovano's robust tenor and Liebman's ethereal soprano contrast sharply with each other in 'Central Park West', transitioning into the stormy 'Dear Lord'. Coltrane's world music ability is evoked by the Spanish theme Olé. Reverend King 'exudes an Amazing Grace from master tuning and FreeForm -Titeltrack is a prayer-like ecstasy. The entire legacy of the short-lived Coltrane is seldom celebrated so decisively and completely. "
Mark Sullivan wrote in All About Jazz , “There is a solo showcase for Billy Hart before he starts free group improvisation with an unsteady pulse or set harmonic progressions, which are typical of the late Coltrane. The band is so familiar with this approach that they play it very similarly to the earlier material: a bit outside, but there is no sharp dividing line. ”Mark Sullivan sums up:“ John Coltrane's career was so compressed that the one recorded here between 1958 and 1966 Compositions represented six different style phases. The more or less chronological presentation shows how far he has progressed in such a short time and how he has retained his own voice. Coltrane's music doesn't need defense, but these players are a great case for it. "
Julian Nicholas wrote in Jazz Views , “This is a delightful warm conversation from an album - like one of those dinners at a table with friends who all have a common ground to talk vigorously into, over half a case of a special one Vintage wine. The year that fuels the love and passion for conversation is the music of the invaluable John Coltrane. ”The two musicians had already developed the band around the material and a shared passion for Coltrane, and so this recording exudes a relaxed and friendly warmth a jam session .
As the guided interviews and essay by Ashley Kahn made clear, the background of the music led the group to the point of musically engaging with the various periods in John Coltrane's development, to the point of acknowledging the contributions of Eric Dolphy and Pharoah Sanders . "Indeed, Lovano's talkative and rhapsodic style seems at times more reminiscent of Charles Lloyd , which begs a question: How do we pay tribute to one of the great artistic forces of music of any genre from any era?"
Furthermore, the author goes into the individual pieces of the album; “Locomotion” is a wild roar reminiscent of the days of the Saxophone Summit - Liebman and Lovano played out of their skin, with more than a fleeting reference to the missing third, the late and great Michael Brecker , perhaps the most influential post-Coltrane -Saxophonist and unfortunately not with us today, says Julian Nicholas. Phil Markowitz impressively sets up his testimony as a McCoy Tyner student, with Billy Hart throwing the accents around every corner of the phrase so energetically and refreshingly, with each explosion representing a connection for his love for Elvin Jones .
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“Central Park West” is a “somewhat spooky and reflective exploration”: Lovano tells us that it doesn't really have to sound like Coltrane, but rather evokes memories of Coleman Hawkins , Ben Webster and Charles Lloyd. And with “Dear Lord” he continues to show us his human frailty and not the somewhat monolithic, god-like overstatement of many tried Coltrane “tribute tolls”. The following "Ole" is a really playful performance, reminiscent of the days of Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane, with other contemporary influences in Markowitz 'consistently creative contributions. Since the conclusion of the Coltrane approach in this context is perhaps drastic and overshadows Lovano's approach here, Liebman equips himself with a series of soprano strategies in the sheets of sound style that reinforce his role as one of the great post-Coltrane disciples or fully reaffirm imitators. Eri Dolphy received more than a passing nod on "Reverend King" - with Joe Lovano on alto clarinet . “Equinox” is a business-like and faithful piece, as it corresponds to the ostinato and rhythmic foundation of this palatable and nutritious blues.
“Compassion”, the title song of the album, is “the vastly extended journey into the righteous ability of the group to indulge - with Billy Hart's inspiring and motivating drumming and Liebman's strongly derived tenor excursions, which shows that atmosphere is possible in a studio situation, “Sums up the author; passionate exchange is what we find here.
Will Layman said in Pop Matters , although it appears the idea of another Coltrane tribute recording to be exaggerated, it was in truth so that there would always be Coltrane tribute - and should. His legacy was as great (and can withstand so many reinterpretations) as in American music. More importantly, Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane features two brilliant - and distinct - saxophonists whose knowledge of Trane is excellent. Finally, this is one of the most thoughtful and interesting recaps of Coltrane in a long time, as it includes seven lesser-heard pieces that span Coltrane's entire career. No “ Giant Steps ” or “Impressions” or “ A Love Supreme ”. “This opens your ears. This is as new as a retrospective session, ”says Layman.
"Lovano and Liebman work well face-to-face," says Layman; the contrast between these two different voices is simple and pleasant. “It's something magical when you hear such different tones and approaches.” In the opening track Locomotion , a blues track with a bridge, you hear Liebman “with his bright and muscular approach” from the start, but Lovano's solos contain a “ rather questionable approach and the slightly breathy tone ”; Lovano brings the band into calmer waters. The Liebman / Lovano contrast is also well represented in the ballad medley Central Park West and Dear Lord ; it is Lovanos Spil, although it has "more Rollins than Trane" "quality," which makes this ballad work so well. We hear him express every lick and every idea with a Sonny Rollins-like feel for motivational development, nonetheless we are still reminded of Coltrane. Markowitz connects the two ballads, and Liebman's soprano saxophone is tender and perfectly tuned to 'Dear Lord.' His care in playing the melody includes restraint and moderation, but then he colors his playing with a subtle tonal change . We feel it so much more. He and Markowitz are beaming. "
Layman expresses concerns about pianist Phil Markovitz; he was "perhaps the least known member of the quintet". However, its role is critical. The musical spectrum covered here has historically been formed with three different pianists articulating in different styles and Markowitz must be adaptable and wise. His approach to “Locomotion” is fundamentally different from the way he attacks “Compassion,” part of Coltrane's “Meditation Suite,” from the year before his death. "Markowitz, along with his better-known colleagues in the rhythm section, rolls over styles such as general purpose musicians ." The most intriguing piece on Compassion, according to Layman Revered King , a tune released on Cosmic Music after Coltrane's death and attributed to John and Alice Coltrane . Liebman plays the flute and Lovano alto clarinet here, “and they harmonize in pastel tones, while Billy Hart works majestically on his toms and shimmers in the upper area with Markowitz's right hand. The melodic line is long but extraordinarily diatonic , which gives the performance a meditative quality. The piano “wanders out” harmoniously while the two horns play an amiable collective solo. In terms of sound, this is reminiscent of the more pastoral tracks on Dave Holland's Conference of the Birds from the 1970s. And it's masterful. ”Regarding Olé, Layman notes that Lovano and Liebman often played most effectively when they loosely connect and rub against each other with those different tones. The soprano solo by Liebman is the climax as it smudges its tone and pulls through a number of adventurous harmonic variations. Equinox also uses the soprano / tenor combination and is the craziest piece in this set.
The long title track, which begins with a four-minute drum feature for Billy Hart, is the most ecstatic on the album. “The two winds move like shadows from each other this time, slightly out of phase, as they play the theme. Liebmann's solos first on tenor, this time more direct to Coltrane, then Lovano breaks out with his strange aulochrome , an instrument made of two saxophones that allows him to play two lines in an eerie way. ”This polyphonic game creates slight dissonances and odd harmonies. For critic Will Wayman, “This is the coolest game Lovano has played on the instrument. After a strong piano solo, the winds switch back to their soprano-tenor pairing and work with the material again, this time in a more intensive conversation with each other and with Markowitz. "
The only disappointment, according to Layman, is that the musicians feel compelled to return to the theme of "Compassion" in a "traditional" style. "Maybe I've heard so much New Jazz that this kind of Haed Solo Head form seems redundant, no doubt Trane came up with the subject, but in the new century - with the freedom these two masters bring to something, which is clearly more than a replica - I would have been just as happy if it had been them who had taken more liberties, that was part of what Coltrane's music seemed to convey, after all. ”Still, Compassion was the best tribute to John Coltrane for the past ten or twenty years, the author sums up; "Time to get back to the original - and keep listening to Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano."
As Senior Producer Zev Feldman said, "I can't think of any closer and more devoted followers of Coltrane's music and legacy than Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano and this band." Feldman adds that there is an abundance of every musician within the book Knowledge can find when they shed light on the music, the influence Trane had on them and how his music still has such an influence fifty years after his death.
Web links
- Discographic information, audio sample and video at Resonance Records
- Listing of the album Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane by Scott Yanow on Allmusic . Retrieved March 29, 2019.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Mark Sullivan: Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane. All About Jazz, February 15, 2017. Retrieved on March 29, 2019 (English).
- ↑ Discographic information at Discogs
- ↑ Chris Pearson: Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane. The Times, June 21, 2017, accessed March 21, 2019 .
- ^ John Fordham: Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane - a powerful tribute. The Guardian, June 15, 2017, accessed March 21, 2019 .
- ^ Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane. June 1, 2017, accessed March 29, 2019 .
- ^ A b c Will Wayman: Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano: Compassion - The Music of John Coltrane. Pop Matters, August 15, 2017, accessed March 29, 2019 .
- ↑ Zev Felmdna: Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane. Resonance Records, June 1, 2017, accessed March 29, 2019 .