Jazz

143: Christian McBride, ‘Killer Joe’ (Red Sea Jazz Festival, 2012)

Jazz isn’t all atonal and brainy and inaccessible. It is more often fun and intelligent and wise and witty and playful and passionate, and open to anyone who is willing to expose himself. It’s that wonderful place which presents you with the present of the present. Christian McBride at The Red Sea Jazz Festival last week: “Rarely do you see this anywhere else in the world, but we saw teenagers dancing to jazz, moving, screaming, running up to the stage. You guys made me feel like Paul McCartney last night. We love your enthusiasm.” Yet jazz is also a place where young people learn respect for The Tradition.

Continue reading...

134: Lee Konitz, ‘Duende’

“Duende” in Spanish denotes both an evil little goblin and ‘a certain diabolical magic’which Lorca called “a sort of corkscrew that can get art into the sensibility of an audience.” The Lee Konitz ‘Duende’ (written for him by Chick Corea) has remained an obscure bluenote in a legendary career. But it wrenched my heart the first time I heard it, and has done so every time since.

Continue reading...

101: Kurt Elling, “Li’l Darlin'”

I think 43-year old Kurt Elling is the finest male jazz singer ever. So you can imagine my pleasure at having the opportunity recently to take him and his band up to Jerusalem to visit some incredible sites in the Old City. Along the way we had an in-depth discussion about jazz singing and jazz singers, then in the evening I saw a bang-up show. Here’s a long article describing that exceptional day.
https://jmeshel.com//?p=2169
In Song of The Week, I compare Kurt’s version of Count Basie’s “Li’l Darlin'” with that of his musical mentor Mark Murphy, explaining why I think this young man is the best. Ever.

Continue reading...