Nick Sieger: music

Ornette still original as ever

Wed, 27 Apr 2005 03:42:58 GMT

Saw Ornette Coleman last Friday night for the second time in my life. The first time was about ten years ago (I think) around the time of the Tone Dialing album, with a more electric group.

This time, with Denardo Coleman (as usual) and Tony Falanga and Greg Cohen on basses, it was pure unadulterated Ornette, as original as ever, his sound wailing just as fresh as it did 40 years ago on modern classics like The Shape of Jazz to Come.

It struck me this time around that Ornette is really an artist for the ages, as important to the "jazz canon" as any top artist in any medium throughout history. The most amazing aspect of Ornette is his unquestionable originality. If you've heard enough jazz after a while you can start to pick out predecessor influences in jazz instrumentalists; it's just part of the copy and imitate philosophy of jazz improvisation (and popular as well as internet culture btw, but that topic for another time). But with Ornette, there are none. You have to accept him for who he is.

Ornette's life and music really are a role model for all, demonstrating uncompromising ideals and how to stay true to yourself. If only we all had a little more Ornette in us.

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 13:40:29 GMT

Herbie Hancock - Takin' Off. Probably should have owned this one a long time ago. Can't get enough classic Blue Notes.
Dave Holland Quintet - Points of View. Saw the quintet live a little while back at one of the recent stops through town at the Dakota, as well as a stint at the Ted Mann. The most solid, slammin' contemporary jazz group.
DJ Spooky. Picked up two of his albums in iTunes, one (Optometry) with Matthew Shipp, William Parker et. al. Should be some great noises.

Playlist from Chatterbox Wed. Night

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 04:40:48 GMT

Name	Artist	Album	Genre
Iron Man	The Bad Plus	Give	Jazz
Yuri's Choice	Erik Truffaz	The Dawn	Jazz
Beware of the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke)	Panjabi MC	Beware	Hip Hop/Rap
The National Anthem	Radiohead	Kid A	Alternative & Punk
Naima's Love Song (DJ Spinna Remix)	Betty Carter	Verve Remixed 2	Electronica/Dance
Oriental Folk Song (La FunkMob)	Wayne Shorter	Blue Note Revisited	Electronica/Dance
The Seal (Elekoto For Agayu)	Steve Coleman And The Mystic Rhythm Society	The Sign And The Seal	Jazz
East St. Louis Toodle-Oo	Steely Dan	A Decade of Steely Dan	Rock
Kid Charlemagne	Steely Dan	A Decade of Steely Dan	Rock

Klacto-what?

Sat, 16 Oct 2004 02:40:45 GMT

So what the hell is Klactoveesedstene? Actually, I wish I knew (note to self: point of research). It's the name of a Charlie Parker bebop tune, and when trying to come up with a catchy, unique name for this blog, my eyes drifted over the Complete Savoy And Dial Studio Recordings sitting on my desk that I've been meaning to import into my iPod, and it immediately stuck out. That's all.