Larry Young - The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Larry Young disc 1-2 (includes Grant Green - Talkin’ About, Larry Young - Into Somethin’, Grant Green - Street of Dreams)
I’m giving this old Mosaic set a once through as, except for a couple of later records, almost all of this set exists released by Blue Note elsewhere, even if for some of these the issues are getting a bit aged. Larry Young is one of those musicians who graces everything he’s been a part of, truly the John Coltrane of the organ as he’s often credited to be. What’s instantly impressive is how good the three early records are, which are basically the first three albums he recorded with Grant Green and Elvin Jones, adding Sam Rivers for Into Somethin’ and Bobby Hutcherson on Green’s Street of Dreams. Young and Green cross the river separating hard bop from the spiritual jazz to come and do so jamming long pieces that homage Coltrane successfully due to the absolutely brilliant interplay of the main trio. Even Rivers and, later, Hutcherson, seem somewhat overwhelmed by the fire Grant and Young bring to the recordings. Green’s tone is always fine, but here there’s a slightly biting edge that takes over at times that makes everything so aggressive. All three of these records really push the 11 envelope for me, with Talkin About’ striking me like it’s Young’s version of Coltrane’s s/t Impulse album. I guess it’s because I’ve been spinning them all separately, but they just getter with every listen. And Young’s best was still to come…
Moby Grape - ‘69
Been a long time since I played this album, so long, in fact, that I’d even forgotten I’d ever heard it. Back when I did a high school radio show, it was this sort of thing I’d play, all the late 60s psychedelic rock and at least 2 or 3 Grape albums were always at hand for a play. I’d actually forgotten that by this point they were doing some rather folky music, it’s almost like everyone in the bay area by the end of the year was getting the Americana bug. While it’s not Grape’s best by any stretch (both the first and Wow are much more interesting), at least it portrays a bit of a different take on the folky thing, in fact this is probably as close to Quicksilver as the band got.
Jaga Jazzist - The Stix
May just be me, but this modern jazz/fusion/groove sound that takes drum n bass or techno rhythms and then layers the vocabulary of jazz over the beat, doesn’t really do all that much for me, as part of why jazz works in almost any form is due to the swing, even if it’s not overt in the music. Before I start sounding like a representative of Wynton Marsalis, I’m just stating this as a reason why this type of thing doesn’t quite to do it for me, rather than dissing the idea of combining two different styles, which Jazzist do quite well (in fact they could be one of its formative exponents). Certainly there’s a great deal of melodic work here of note and all the playing is … well, I guess it’s that this sort of thing makes me feel like I’m trapped in a club listening to a DJ and there seems to be an entire intuitive level that’s either missing or too sublimate for a first listen. It’s definitely a modern kosmigroov outfit, I’m reminded of similar work by As One, Cinematic Orchestra or Erik Truffaz, all of which I might make similar comments upon.