Remembering composer/arranger Gil Evans on his birthday

Remembering Toronto-born composer/arranger Gil Evans on his birthday with a documentary and a few recordings.

Drummer Billy Hart releases live quartet recording "Multidirectional"

It's legendary drummer Billy Hart's 85th birthday today and we're celebrating the news of his latest release, Multidirectional recorded live – out now!

Here's the scoop...

Jazz drumming legend and NEA Jazz Master Billy Hart discusses his long-running quartet's first live album, Multidirectional (Smoke Sessions Recordings). This video includes live performances by the quartet, which features Mark Turner, Ethan Iverson, and Ben Street. Selections include "Sonnet for Stevie" (Turner), "Song for Balkis" (Hart), "Amethyst" (Hart), "Giant Steps" (Coltrane), and "Showdown" (Iverson). 

Legendary drummer Billy Hart credits the great Rashied Ali for introducing him to the term “multidirectional” – a descriptor for the elusive, daring approach to the kit that Hart and others of his generation had developed intuitively in response to the increasing freedom and exploration of the era’s jazz experimentation.

“Rashied Ali told me that ‘multidirectional’ was what John Coltrane called this freeform feel, where conventional structure was abandoned and the rhythms could cut in any direction,” he writes in OCEANS OF TIME: THE MUSICAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BILLY HART, his captivating new memoir. Hart had begun to explore that style under the influence of Coltrane’s pioneering work, first venturing into the terrain while playing with Pharoah Sanders at the famed East Village club Slugs’.

More than half a century later, Hart has refined and evolved the approach into a singular percussive voice of unparalleled elegance, finesse and intricacy – as exemplified on MULTIDIRECTIONAL, the first live recording by his longstanding quartet featuring tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Ethan Iverson, and bassist Ben Street.

The album’s release arrives just in time for Hart’s 85th birthday, and vividly reveals that the beloved drummer still has surprises to reveal. No less an authority than Iverson, not just a collaborator for more than 25 years but a respected scholar of the music’s history, marvels at hearing Hart veer into this audacious direction.

“A year or two into playing with Billy and his quartet,” Iverson recalls to writer Nate Chinen in his liner notes, “I went over to rehearse, and he sat down at his drums and said: ‘I want some music in this band that’s like John Coltrane with Rashied Ali.’ Then he started playing in the style, which I don’t think I’ve heard Billy ever play in another setting. He was always swinging so hard, doing what he does at the highest level every time—but I didn’t catch a situation with Quest, or any other group live where I would have heard a taste of that.”

Not that Hart is a stranger to adapting his distinctive voice to multifarious approaches. Iverson mentions Quest, the post-bop quartet in which he joined Dave Liebman and Richie Beirach; add to that another venerated collective, the hard bop all-star group The Cookers, not to mention Herbie Hancock’s pioneering Mwandishi sextet – the context in which Hart earned his sobriquet Jabali, Swahili for “rock.”

Then there’s the long history of work with many of jazz’s greatest artists, a list that ranges from Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner and Jimmy Smith to Bill Frisell, Charles Lloyd, Branford Marsalis and Joe Lovano, among countless others. In 2022 he took his well-deserved place among the ranks of NEA Jazz Masters.

For more than 20 years now, Hart’s stellar quartet has added inestimably to that legacy. Their studio albums have documented the development of the band’s scintillating chemistry and an intense yet spacious group sound. But something further bursts forth when they take the stage together, a kaleidoscopic searching and bristling energy that has finally been captured, like lightning in a bottle, in this exhilarating live recording from the stage of Smoke Jazz Club.

As Hart describes, “Everybody in the band has had a direction in mind since I met them, and there were times when we got to certain points but never got a chance to record it. We did make records, but we weren’t playing in front of an audience.”

The album is an ideal showcase for Hart’s quartet, the members of which are a generation younger than the drummer/bandleader but all acclaimed veterans in their own right. “I know I’ve changed a lot as a result of playing with Billy in this band,” Turner says. “In terms of our experience level, we’ve come closer to Billy, if that’s not too egotistical to say. We’re 20 years older. We’ve all improved. We’ve gotten better as musicians, more comfortable in our own skin.”

Hart inaugurates the set on mallets, establishing an almost reverent tone on “Song for Balkis,” a tribute to his daughter that also opened the quartet’s 2012 ECM release ALL OUR REASONS. The song turns tumultuous – and, yes, multidirectional – as Turner unfurls a probing solo. Trane’s influence becomes explicit on an unusually restrained version of “Giant Steps,” which gains intensity and velocity as the familiar tune progresses from Iverson’s tentative, agitated solo intro.

Turner’s “Sonnet for Stevie” is propelled by Hart’s broad, unhurried swing foundation, Iverson’s solo seeming to hang suspended from Street’s sturdy basslines. Hart reaches back to the title track of a 1993 album for “Amethyst,” offering perhaps the date’s most striking example of the band’s fluid multidirectionality – never quite settling into a recognizable tempo or rhythm, yet maintaining a determined momentum and cohesiveness throughout. They conclude with Iverson’s “Showdown,” an introspective ballad that opened the quartet’s most recent studio outing, Just, highlighted by Turner’s eloquent melodicism over the leader’s sensitive, nuanced touch.

Deep into a storied career, Billy Hart remarkably continues to discover new paths to traverse. MULTIDIRECTIONAL refers to the rhythmic unpredictability displayed on this essential album, of course, but there’s a philosophy suggested by the word that defines Jabali’s restless curiosity – striking out along varied and divergent currents, unpredictable but always possessed by a resolute sense of direction. 

Get a copy of the Billy Hart Quartet's new album Multidirectional via Bandcamp right here. Note: the 180 gram vinyl pressing is limited to 500 copies. Check out the release trailer video and an interview following the credits below. 

Credits: 

Recorded Live at SMOKE Jazz Club, NYC December 7–10, 2023.

Produced by Paul Stache; Production Assisted by Damon Smith; Recorded by Paul Stache & Richard Bernard; Mixed by Chris Allen; Mastered by Chris Allen & Tyler McDiarmid; Photography by Jimmy & Dena Katz and Dave Kaufman; Liner Notes by Nate Chinen. 

Happy Birthday Airto!

Raising a glass to Brazilian jazz legend Airto Moreira with a few stellar performances and a couple of his timeless recordings. 

Happy Birthday Harvey Brooks!

Cheers to Electric Flag bassist Harvey Brooks who played on Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" and "Bitches Brew" by Miles Davis. 

Calibro 35 salute their jazz inspirations with new Jazzploitation EP

Italy's brilliant Calibro 35 update soundtrack classics by Miles Davis and Piero Umiliani  for their great new jazz-inspired EP out October 18. 

Here's the scoop...

Cinematic funk heroes Calibro 35 present their new EP ‘Jazzploitation’: a journey in the world of jazz and rare groove. Listen to the first single ‘Lunedì Cinema’, out today on digital platforms via Record Kicks.

Italian cinematic funk legends Calibro 35 are always in search of new territories to venture into. Their new journey is called ‘Jazzploitation’: a new EP paying tribute to jazz-funk, rare groove and psychedelic cinematic-jazz, to be released October 18th on digital platforms via Record Kicks and now available for pre-order right here: https://recordkicks.lnk.to/jazzploitation. 

None of the members of Calibro 35 consider themselves jazz musicians, but over the years jazz has often and significantly inspired them. ‘Jazzploitation’ is not a “jazz record” but an “inspired by jazz” EP in which Calibro 35 pay homage to some of their favuorite musicians; from Bob James to Lalo Schifrin, to Miles Davis and Idris Muhammad.

The first single taken from the EP is a cover of RAI TV’s legendary ‘Lunedì Cinema (Monday Movie)’ theme, a jazzy disco-funk mover composed by Italian renowned singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla, which features the scat singing of Sicilian artist Marco Castello (Nu Genea, Erlend Oye). The new single ‘Lunedì Cinema’ is out today on all digital platforms and on November 17th also on ltd edition clear 7” vinyl with a snazzy CTI-inspired label design. Pre-orders for the 7” are now available via Bandcamp right here.

The EP also includes ‘Chaser’, a groovy jazz-funk stormer composed by Piero Umiliani, who originally recorded it for the soundtrack of 1975’s erotic-noir movie ‘The Body’ directed by Luigi Scattini, as well as ‘Nautilus’ by the jazz keyboardist Bob James and ‘Ascenseur pour l’échafaud (Generique)’ by Miles Davis taken from Lous Malle’s film. Four jazz-funk numbers which further attest to the impressive musicianship that Calibro 35 has demonstrated over the past decade. Listen to "Lunedi Cinema" below. 

R.I.P. Michael Cuscuna of Blue Note & Mosaic Records, 1948-2024

Sadly, jazz historian Michael Cuscuna – who documented, restored and preserved much of the jazz we enjoy today – has passed away. He'll be greatly missed. 

Happy Birthday Barney Wilen!

Remembering saxophonist/composer Barney Wilen on his birthday with a short documentary and a few stellar performances. 

R.I.P. saxophonist Wayne Shorter, 1933-2023

Sadly, saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter has passed away. We're remembering Wayne with a Joe Lovano interview and more.

That time Miles Davis went 'out' in London in 1969

Miles' get down with Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea & Jack Dejohnette at Ronnie Scott's on Nov 2, 1969 just appeared on vinyl. 

Happy Birthday Carlos Garnett!

Celebrating the 83rd birthday of saxophone great Carlos Garnett with a couple of his spiritual jazz gems. 

Monty Alexander recalls hanging with Frank, Jilly & Miles

Pianist Monty Alexander's chance encounter with Frank Sinatra in Miami led to a career-changing stint at Jilly's night club in NYC.

Writes Monty Alexander...

My family moved to Miami, Florida in 1961. The following year when I was playing at Le Bi', a Miami Beach nightclub, Frank Sinatra stopped by with his good friend Ermenigildo "Jilly" Rizzo. Rizzo owned his own club #Jilly's at 256 W. 52nd Street in NYC. It was Sinatra's primary hangout in Manhattan. Sinatra and friends were impressed and there was talk of bringing me to New York to play at Jilly's but nothing came off of that first interlude.

However, six months later in Reno, Nevada, lightning struck twice as the same chance encounter with Jilly and Frank Sinatra took place when I was playing at the Thunderbird Hotel, but this time, just a few days later, Jilly bought me an airline ticket and the next night I was a regular piano player, playing for a who's who of entertainers and musicians. 

I was nervous, but I had a great bass player, Bob Cranshaw. I don’t read music so I have to use my ears. I knew the songs of Sinatra such as "I’ve Got You Under My Skin" and "I Get a Kick Out of You", but Bob was leaning over and saying: ‘G, D, B flat’, and I pulled it off because I’m instinctive. All I know is Sinatra turned around with a big smile. That was it. He was one of those people who inspire you, he would come over and say things like: ‘Keep swinging kid’ or ‘You’re swinging’ or ‘ You’re grooving’.

I met Miles Davis at Jilly’s. Miles dug my playing and he had me come over to his place and hang out. It taught me confidence because half of the stuff is being confident so that when you play ‘that’ note on the piano or trumpet, it’s the right note, not another note, but ‘that’ note, which comes only from a sense of security, and it really helps when your heroes tell you to ‘keep going’."

At that time I thought life would end, because it couldn’t get better than this. I realized I was in very fast company. Not just in jazz, but in all the top entertainers in show business. Judy Garland is sitting at the piano bar. I look around and Sammy Davis Jr  is walking in. I played at private events at Frank Sinatra's apartment. He was a good friend. That crowd, they wanted to hang out until 6 a.m. I would keep it going until then. Miles Davis would come in. Count Basie was sitting there with Frank. That's where I met Milt Jackson. I was learning so much at this time. I was also performing at the Playboy Club. 

At Jilly’s, for the next four years, my trio with a rotating stellar cast of bassist and drummers (Ron Carter, Roy Haynes, Tony Williams, Al Harewood, Bob Cranshaw, Mickey Rocker, Sonny Payne, Tommy Williams, George Tucker) swung until the wee hours of the morning for Sinatra, a mix of celebrity entertainers, tough guys, thrill seekers, and more!

Check out the video clip below and Monty's trio with John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton right here. 

Happy Birthday Miles Davis!

Remembering Miles Davis on his 95th birthday with a 1973 show in Stockholm feat. Al Foster, Pete Cosey and Reggie Lucas. 

Keyboard Face Classics: Keith Jarrett with Miles Davis in 1971

Watch this impressive sequence from Keith Jarrett with Miles Davis at Berliner Jazztage in 1971.

 

R.I.P. Jimmy Cobb, 1929-2020

Sadly jazz drummer extraordinaire Jimmy Cobb passed away yesterday at the age of 91. He'll be greatly missed. 

Happy Birthday Dave Liebman!

Celebrating Dave Liebman's 73rd birthday with a couple of memorable 1973 performances alongside Miles Davis, Pete Cosey and Reggie Lucas.

That time Miles Davis challenged Hermeto Pascoal to a boxing match

Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal recounts a memorable exchange with Miles Davis at his home.  

R.I.P. Reggie Lucas, 1953-2018

Stylish guitar slinger Reggie Lucas added fire to Miles Davis performances in the 70s. 

Long lost Miles Davis LP on Prestige found?

Happy Birthday Miles Davis

Miles Davis live @ Montreux - July 8, 1973

Miles Davis (tp, org)
Dave Liebman (ss, ts, fl)
Reggie Lucas (el-g)
Pete Cosey (el-g, per)
Michael Henderson (el-b)
Al Foster (d)
Mtume (per)