TT 356: "How my heart is singing, while the band is swinging"
Conversation with Chinen, part one
I’ve known Nate Chinen for decades, and frankly have been blessed with his support as a critic. He covered The Bad Plus when working at the Village Voice and the New York Times; we were also included in his important book Playing Changes: Jazz for the New Century. While at NPR, Nate paved the way for my obit of Stanley Crouch. These days, Nate keeps doing the lord’s work at WRTI.
Just out now: WRTI podcast The Late Set celebrates Max Roach. This must-listen episode includes incredible commentary from the great Nasheet Waits as well as from podcast hosts Greg Bryant and Nate Chinen.
Nate is also on Substack with his must-read The Gig. and I’m thrilled that Nate took the time to do a deep dive on my new record. Part one is up today, which is about Technically Acceptable. Part two will land later, about the sinking ship of records/discourse/journalism. (Or is it sinking, though?)
Please read:
Tonight we open at the club. Be there or be square!
Hooray for score videos! Measures 30-38 of the Allegro are James P. Johnson meets Miles Okazaki, a combination I never knew I needed. "That sounds like 4-tuplets against 3, oh wait, that's actually the beat" showed up in "It's Fine to Decline" as well, a fun through-line connecting disparate parts of the record.