Thanks for this! Have I missed it, or have you written surprisingly little about John Lewis? (I did learn the great nugget from your interview with Tootie Heath that Milt Jackson and John Lewis always road in separate limos!!)
Aren't you kind-of a neo-third-streamer, yourself? Am I wrong to think of you as somewhat from the JL lineage?
MJQ’s The Last Concert was one of the first jazz cd’s I owned. It was the first time I heard the song, Softly as in a Morning Sunrise. Ironically (given the album title), I saw them at Wolf Trap a few years later (in the early 90s) with Kronos Quartet. As I recall, the two quartets did a set together (or a song or two?). I wouldn’t have known any better, but I don’t think it was bad. It seemed pretty cool to me at the time. Later, I very much enjoyed (and still play) the Evolution albums from 99 and 2000.
So glad to have the opportunity to meet you on Substack Ethan. Love your music. I was privileged to see Miles on several occasions and saw Gil Evans twice.
Around 1980 during an intermission I complimented Roland Hanna on his recent Gift from the Magi solo record, told him I thought of him as a composer first. He seemed to agree, stated A Child of Gemini was his best record in part because it is a complete suite. I hear some Erroll Garner in Hanna's piano touch.
Sorry about the confusion. I should have positioned my reply after your May 26 comment in which you link to your on-target reviews of ten notable Third Streamish records including Hanna's Gemini. If I were to add to your list I'd cite Roger Kellaway's Cello Quartet.
Miles darting in and out of all the busy writing on Poem, somehow making it sound simple. Also, a much different beat from the bass than he was used to. I do love Milt Hinton -;)) JJs peace is beautiful
Great post as usual, Ethan- thank you! Wondering if you might say a little more about the intriguing last paragraph. Curious, for instance, if you can identify a player whose sound does not have those qualities you identify in Miles’. What would it sound like if a player’s music were somehow not “exactly that moment?” Does Wayne Shorter, for instance, give you that feeling?
Well I think Wayne can get there, thanks to playing with Miles. But most people at some level play something that is prepared. Miles has his licks, of course, but many of his phrases just waft in and out, almost as if he is not in charge of what is coming out of his horn. Lester Young can have that mysterious quality too, in fact maybe Miles learned that from Pres.
Aside from Miles’ “Live-Evil” (an ear/mind opener for my then 21-year old self) I haven’t gone deeply into his catalog.
I admire artists who are well known enough for broad exposure yet with enough courage and imagination to stretch boundaries of whichever genre they’re assigned.
Grateful for your article on Miles and this specific track.
Thank you, Ethan. [One year from today will be an indicator of nyc's cultural health, as assessed by qualitative and quantitative measures of #flourishingandwellbeing]
I like "Pharaoh," it's sort of "Copland meets jazz" but perhaps a shade underwritten. The other masterpiece on the original issue is Gunther Schuller's Symphony for Brass and Percussion, a work that single-handedly changed my mind about the value of Schuller's original work.
Beautiful description of Miles' talent for transforming everything around him. Thanks for writing this, Ethan. Well done!
Thanks for this! Have I missed it, or have you written surprisingly little about John Lewis? (I did learn the great nugget from your interview with Tootie Heath that Milt Jackson and John Lewis always road in separate limos!!)
Aren't you kind-of a neo-third-streamer, yourself? Am I wrong to think of you as somewhat from the JL lineage?
The most I’ve written about Lewis so far is here https://ethaniverson.com/surely-this-is-going-to-work-correctly-eventually/ and I am absolutely in this lineage!
MJQ’s The Last Concert was one of the first jazz cd’s I owned. It was the first time I heard the song, Softly as in a Morning Sunrise. Ironically (given the album title), I saw them at Wolf Trap a few years later (in the early 90s) with Kronos Quartet. As I recall, the two quartets did a set together (or a song or two?). I wouldn’t have known any better, but I don’t think it was bad. It seemed pretty cool to me at the time. Later, I very much enjoyed (and still play) the Evolution albums from 99 and 2000.
So glad to have the opportunity to meet you on Substack Ethan. Love your music. I was privileged to see Miles on several occasions and saw Gil Evans twice.
Around 1980 during an intermission I complimented Roland Hanna on his recent Gift from the Magi solo record, told him I thought of him as a composer first. He seemed to agree, stated A Child of Gemini was his best record in part because it is a complete suite. I hear some Erroll Garner in Hanna's piano touch.
huh very interesting, thanks!
Sorry about the confusion. I should have positioned my reply after your May 26 comment in which you link to your on-target reviews of ten notable Third Streamish records including Hanna's Gemini. If I were to add to your list I'd cite Roger Kellaway's Cello Quartet.
Miles darting in and out of all the busy writing on Poem, somehow making it sound simple. Also, a much different beat from the bass than he was used to. I do love Milt Hinton -;)) JJs peace is beautiful
Listening now. It’s brilliant, thanks for the tip!
Great post as usual, Ethan- thank you! Wondering if you might say a little more about the intriguing last paragraph. Curious, for instance, if you can identify a player whose sound does not have those qualities you identify in Miles’. What would it sound like if a player’s music were somehow not “exactly that moment?” Does Wayne Shorter, for instance, give you that feeling?
Well I think Wayne can get there, thanks to playing with Miles. But most people at some level play something that is prepared. Miles has his licks, of course, but many of his phrases just waft in and out, almost as if he is not in charge of what is coming out of his horn. Lester Young can have that mysterious quality too, in fact maybe Miles learned that from Pres.
Any thoughts about Sonny Rollins? Is he a master wafter, too?
I love Sonny Rollins but none of the greatest beboppers strike me that way, not like Pres and Miles. Rollins is in the nitty gritty of the chords.
Exactly. Rollins, in contrast to Young's laid-back legato wafting, utilized "pecking". Have you read Aidan Levy's biography of Rollins?
Aside from Miles’ “Live-Evil” (an ear/mind opener for my then 21-year old self) I haven’t gone deeply into his catalog.
I admire artists who are well known enough for broad exposure yet with enough courage and imagination to stretch boundaries of whichever genre they’re assigned.
Grateful for your article on Miles and this specific track.
Thank you, Ethan. [One year from today will be an indicator of nyc's cultural health, as assessed by qualitative and quantitative measures of #flourishingandwellbeing]
A great find - thanks! Interesting that Dmitri Mitropoulos was involved in conducting this!!
I hear how JJ was great at film scoring
Would love to hear your thoughts on the Jimmy Giuffre composition Pharaoh on the same record…
I like "Pharaoh," it's sort of "Copland meets jazz" but perhaps a shade underwritten. The other masterpiece on the original issue is Gunther Schuller's Symphony for Brass and Percussion, a work that single-handedly changed my mind about the value of Schuller's original work.