Parallel Realities Review

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(More customer reviews)Having written or co-written more than half of the tracks on this album, it was exceedingly modest and generous of Pat Metheny not to insist that this be called a DeJohnette-Metheny album. Pat's compositions are up to his usual standard, but with the title track, 'Parallel Realities', he contributed a real corker. All Metheny Group fans have to have this CD for that track alone. The central part is great driving music, where all three musicians gets to improvise over a rhythm reminiscent of Pink Floyd's 'On The Run' from 'Dark Side of the Moon'.
My question about this CD is: how late did Herbie Hancock come to the project? Both DeJohnette and Metheny play keyboards on most of the tracks -- they even alternate on keyboard bass -- with Hancock only providing acoustic piano, except on the last track. The impression is of a well-structured two-man project, to which a pianist has been added at almost the last minute. Hancock is welcome, and his colourations add much to the tone of the whole album. But it would have been great if he had written a piece.
I saw the band when they went on tour to promote this and, strangely, Metheny's 'Question and Answer' album together. Rather than use keyboard bass, they employed acoustic maestro Dave Holland. It was a great UK concert and my only frustration was that the audience didn't demand an encore, to enable the band to play 'Parallel Realities'.
This was Metheny's first album of the 1990s, and in retrospect, he didn't quite have the stellar decade we had hoped. I sincerely believe that Metheny is the most important popular music composer of the last quarter of the 20th century. In the 80s he fulfilled so much of the promise that he had showed in the second half of the 70s. But in the 90s, rather than giving us something akin to say, the late quartets that Beethoven produced, Metheny has spent much of his time playing with the surviving jazz greats and producing the odd film soundtrack.
This album was another of Metheny's expeditions with the roster of jazz greats, and is enjoyable, if not profound, fusion music.

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1+1 Review

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(More customer reviews)This a return of sorts for both artists...but a return to what? What we here is not the HH of Maiden Voyage, or the WS of the Miles Davis Quintet that produced such masterpieces as Nefertiti...this is music that escapes categorisation, and by that I do not mean that is 'fusion' or 'crossover.' With no support from drums or bass, the two musicians have to plumb the depth of their artisry to find compelling ways to paint beautiful pictures on blank, hostile canvases. If you've only previously experienced HH on something like 'Future Shock', or Shorter on a Weather Report album, you'll be in for quite a shock. This is music of illusion, dreams, and serenity. Familiar sounds poke there heads through the mist, then dissappear again just before you can identify them. At times, it doesn't work, but at others, notably 'Memory of enchantment', it's perfect. Is it classical...jazz...who cares. It's sublime.

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Downright Upright Review

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(More customer reviews). . . is real.
And, although it is being broken down of late, with discs such as Findings by Benny Reid, Departure by Dan Siegel, With All My Heart by Harvey Mason, and Straight Up and Take It From the Top by Bob James (from the jazz lite side), and Blue Horizon by Vic Juris and Department of Good and Evil (as well as similar discs by Rachael Z) from the jazz side, the divide remains, even though it might be lessening with works such as these.
Several factors tend to separate real jazz and jazz lite. The former generally features genuinely creative improvisation, while the latter seldom does. The former seeks to operate within a tradition stretching back to the beginning of the 20th century even as it expands those frontiers, while the latter seems to be an offshoot of late-20th century (instrumental) pop music. The former appeals to a somewhat elite audience generally steeped in its history and developments, while the latter tends to attract a younger audience looking for romantically inclined, easily accessible instrumental music.
The truth is that a quite different (and, one might even say, mutually alien) aesthetic generally operates in the two genres. How and why the two are coming together in the nascent 21st century, I simple don't know. But they are. And, I think, that's generally a good thing. So what if the diehard jazzheads don't like it: I say, deal with it! So what if the jazz lite freaks inch their way into Real Jazz: Again, deal with it!
Coming mainly from the Real Jazz position (although my introduction to creative improvised music was through the door of jazz lite), I sometimes weary of the plodding, clichéd approach of the Jazz Liters, but I'm more and more coming to appreciate the authentic and even hard-won aesthetic that the very best of them have achieved.
Still . . .
I believe the absolute best music on this disc derives from the authentic jazz side, that is, the standards, "Cantaloupe Island" and "Chameleon" by the inimitable Herbie Hancock, and "Mercy Mercy Mercy" by Joe Zawinal and "Cold Duck Time" by Les McCann: That's probably why the disc starts out with three of these standards. The tunes by Bromberg just don't have the requisite res, at least to my ears. Thus, things seem to sag slightly after the three standards, the disc tending to devolve into fairly standard smooth jazz precincts.
Of the three saxophone players--Kirk Whalum, Boney James, and Gary Meek--I prefer the latter. He plays on half the numbers, and he really lights things up whenever he solos. I particularly like his very sly quote of "Naima"--so stealthy as to slip by all but the most careful listener--on "Chameleon." Fusion stalwarts George Duke and Jeff Lorber man the piano chair (no cheesy keyboards here) with casual grace, and even some pretty killer chops (check out Lorber's solo on "Leisure Suit"). But it's when Bromberg solos on piccolo bass that things really catch fire. He seems to have figured out how to get the absolute most from that somewhat awkward instrument, and, thankfully (at least to these ears), he limits his acoustic bass solos to a minimum (although he manages a quite lovely one on "Slow Burn"). It's not that he lacks chops on this balky instrument; it's just that his solo concept on it seems rather too virtuoso for it to properly be in conversation with the rest of the band. Vinnie Colaiuta in the drum chair is a marvel of drive, taste, and coloration.
All in all, a very enjoyable disc which is growing on me.
****1/2.

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On Downright Upright, acclaimed bassist BRIAN BROMBERG leadsan all-star line-up to create a musical tour de force!Playing both acoustic and piccolo bass, Downright Upright is a completeturnaround from 2006's Wood II.Instead of a traditional trio, thisrelease shines with many new collaborative touches, including those frompianists GEORGE DUKE and JEFF LORBER, saxophonists GARY MEEK, BONEY JAMES,and KIRK WHALUM, drummer VINNIE COLAIUTA, trumpeter RICK BRAUN, andguitarists GANNIN ARNOLD and LEE RITENOUR.

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Five Peace Band Live (Bril) Review

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(More customer reviews)Any list of the top jazz releases for this year must include this live set taken from the critically-acclaimed Fall 2008 European tour of the "super-group" that was named by John McLaughlin.
The draw may be the two iconic fusion artists - Chick Corea and McLaughlin - but saxophonist Kenny Garrett has a number of outstanding solos, his work on Hymn to Andromeda is an incredible salute to "Trane," and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta emerges out of the mix with a solid style that must be heard to be fully appreciated.
Corea's introduction to Dr. Jackle is blues personified and leads to the band taking full flight with ample space to push one another to sweet solos. McLaughlin keeps his electric guitar is sizzling on Raju, The Disguise and Senor C.S., but his subtle interplay with Corea on Someday My Prince Will Come is the true gem.
Bassist Christian McBride has several very expressive acoustic solos that are grand examples of his artistry. Herbie Hancock guests on piano for In a Silent Way/It's About That Time.
The band is currently on the North American leg of its world tour, with the 2-CD release only available at the shows. This is fusion that is steeped in the history that began with Miles Davis and remains vibrant through those who helped pave the trail continuing to stride in a new direction some 40 years later.

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From intimate duets to intricate acoustic jazz to burning jazz/rock/funk...this is one of the most important collaborations for jazz in our times!This special 2-CD set features the two musical legends in performance together; each displaying their unparalleled artistic integrity.Five Peace Band Live was recorded from the band's 2008 European Tour and features the amazing performances of the stellar musicians Christian McBride, Kenny Garrett, and Vinnie Colaiuta, along with special guest Herbie Hancock!

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Winter in Europe 1967 Review

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(More customer reviews)75 minutes in length approximately. The sound is very good-especially considering the year (1967) it was recorded. There's a very slight flat, distant sound overall, but nothing to worry about unless you're a true audiophile. There's also a couple of sonic "glitches", but they're of short duration. The booklet has a nice atmospheric color photo on the front and back, and a great two page spread photo of Davis playing his horn inside the booklet. There are two pages of quotes by Davis from "The Autobiography", and two pages of notes by Mike Potts concerning the band and the '67 European tour. Personnel are listed on the back, along with concert dates, song titles, lengths, and composer (s).
This wonderful group (perhaps Davis' second greatest), consisting of: Davis-trumpet. Wayne Shorter-tenor sax, Herbie Hancock-piano, Ron Carter-bass, and Tony Williams-drums, is the same group that Davis used on the albums "E.S.P.", "Miles Smiles", "Sorcerer", "Nefertiti", "Miles In The Sky", and "Filles de Kilimanjaro". All these albums were recorded in the years 1965-68-obviously a fertile period for some great music.
This period in Davis' career shows him turning from strictly acoustic jazz, into a harder based sound. The combination of newly arranged tracks and older standards was a sure sign that Davis was changing and assimilating new ideas into his music. Davis was beginning to tire of playing the same old tunes and wanted to play tunes that never seemed to make it to the concert stage. While the bands music was changing and growing on albums, audiences wanted only to hear the familiar tunes from the past.
The first concert takes place in Stockholm, Sweden. The compositions are-"Agitation" (Davis), "Footprints" (Shorter), "Around Midnight" (Monk), and "Gingerbread Boy/The Theme" (Jimmy Heath/Davis). These are all very fine tracks, the excitement from the band is palpable-they were excited to play this (then) newer style of jazz, nor just the same old standards they had been playing. It's difficult to pick out any one track above the others. The bands playing, individually, and as a group is simply great. Perhaps Heath's composition, not being as well known as the other tracks, might be the standout-but only by a slim margin. All the tracks from this concert are fairly long, giving individual band members a chance to solo as well as interact with the group.
The second concert, from Karlsruhe, Germany, one week later is the equal to what came before. The compositions are-"Agitation", "Footprints", "I Fall in Love too Easily" (Cahn-Styne), "Walkin'" (Carpenter), "Gingerbread Boy", and "The Theme". In a nutshell, this concert is every bit as good as the previous one. The band, both individually, and together play jazz on such a high level that its difficult to remember they were playing almost every night as part of the "Newport Jazz Festival in Europe". The group's creativity remained on a high level throughout this series of concerts, and I only wish I could have been sitting in the audience, listening to jazz played by a group of master musicians (especially Shorter and Williams) at the top of their game. This release will give you a good indication of just what went down on two nights in Europe, all those years ago.


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The group present on these two outstanding concerts (Sweden and Germany, 1967) marked the turning point between acoustic and electric Miles.At the time of this '67 European tour, the formation as a whole had been together for just one year and, although a new trend is evident and some tunes prelude a more advanced phase, they coexist with old standards like 'I Fall In Love Too Easily' and 'Around Midnight' as well as some of Miles' all-time favorites like 'Walkin''. 12 tracks total. Gambit.

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The Imagine Project Review

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(More customer reviews)It's not always projects studded with superstars are artistically frugal and satisfying. But here Herbie Hancock and producer/bassist Larry Klein have collected a host of renowned singers and musicians for a truly creative and impressive album. And a CD with an uplifting message of love, peace and understanding. In many ways refelecting Hancock's years long immersion in Buddhism.
In the vein of Joe Zawinul or Santana this is really a melting pot of world music influences, putting an African spin on the title track, while Dylan's "The Times They Are A changing" is presented as a fascinating mix of Irish - vocalist Lisa Hannigan and The Chieftains - with a surprise African finish by the intricate guitarist Lionel Loueke.
There is pure Brazilian jazz-pop with Céu, a surprisingly psychedelic "Tommorow Never Knows" with Dave Matthews. A grooving take on the old Joe Cocker hit "Space Captain" with Susan Tedeschi and her husband guitar star Derek Trucks . While the closing track "The Song Goes On", recorded in Mumbai, is in a beautiful Indian space, Hancock and old friend Wayne Shorter teaming up with sitar goddess Anoushka Shankar while Chaka Khan and K. S. Chitra shares the vocals.
Pink, Seal, Jeff Beck, Alex Acunã, India.Arie, Marcus Miller, Los Lobos and a host of others contribute to the fun. And lots of praise for Klein's once again superb production: multi layered and crystal clear and yet with a certain warmth and 'live feeling'. And ofc over and around it all the impressive piano and keyboard work of the man himself.

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Herbie Hancock's Imagine Project is an unprecedented international recording and film project featuring collaborations between music legend Herbie Hancock and a dozen superstars from every region of the planet. It utilizes the universal language of music to express its central themes of peace and global responsibility. The album combines Herbie s genre defying musical vision with the local musical identities of cultures from around the world.Herbie's last two efforts, 2008's Grammy Album of the Year River: The Joni Letters sold over 750,000 units worldwide and 2005's Possibilities sold over one million units INTERNATIONALLY.

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Live 2006: 3rd Annual Concert Tour Review

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(More customer reviews)The third edition of the SF Jazz Collective plays the songs of Herbie Hancock (and one original per member) and trades Isaac Smith for Andre Hayward on trombone. If you've heard the first two SF Jazz discs, you can predict what you're getting on the third. There's the arrangements of a jazz great, and straightforwardly great jazz playing. All of the songs are tasteful, and don't ruffle too many feathers.
Disc one starts with "Parallelogram", which takes some time to build up steam, then turns into a satisfyingly slanted song. The first thing I noticed was that these CD's will play more quietly than most, you'll want to turn the volume up on your stereo. "And What If I Don't" is, like all of the Hancock songs, a very good arrangement with melody intact and very good soloing. "Sudoko" is, like the title predicts, a tricky-sounding Payton composition. "Serene Intentions", by Hayward, has a descending melody. "Actual Proof" is the sole representative of Hancock's funky side, and the Collective keeps it fun.
Disc two opens with "Collective Overture", which has "simple melody" and "complex melody" parts sandwiched around the solos. "Maiden Voyage" has a long Hutcherson feature. "Mirror Images" has an nice evocative melody. "Imminent Treasures" is a nicely evolving Hutcherson-penned song. "Triumph" sounds at first like a fanfare, but by the third note is really quite soft. It's mostly one of the quieter songs, though there's a long section towards the end where vibes and piano play a repeating figure under a thunderous drum solo.
The two disc version is very good, I'm sure the more readily available one disc version will pare off some of the weaker songs, but you can't halve the length without removing some very good songs.


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