Kurt Rosenwinkel Live @ Blues Alley

Last Tuesday I was fortunate enough to attend jazz guitar god Kurt Rosenwinkel's show at Blues Alley in Washington, DC. Kurt Rosenwinkel is a modern guitarist who has captivated many younger jazz guitarists' attention over the past decade. He, as does any jazz genius, has transformed the way jazz is played--especially jazz guitar. As do many modern guitarists, he often implements the use of a large array of effects in his playing. More interestingly, though, he often uses alternate tunings to create melody lines that have never been played by jazz guitarists before. His music often strays from the classic, swinging jazz sound, choosing instead a more eclectic and non-categorical sound.

However, Tuesday night witnessed his grounding in traditional jazz roots, as he played a night of standards. In fact, his current project is a trio that only plays standards (most similar to his playing on the album "Intuit"). Although one may think that such a shift in the music would also mark a shift in Rosenwinkel's playing, throughout he retained that uniquely Rosenwinkel sound. Albeit the lower number of effects, Rosenwinkel was still able to blow everybody's mind with his adventurous and high-intensity playing. The melodies usually started out in a standard way, but quickly shifted to the soloing, which was where Kurt Rosenwinkel shined. He tore into the songs, shredding on his guitar technically as well as any metal guitarist, but much more harmoniously. I'd liken his guitar playing to John Coltrane's playing; he soloed in the sheet style, meaning the solo sounded like a sheet of sound (notes constantly being played up and down pitch-wise). This guy knew how to sweep. However, the soloing was more free than much of Coltrane's blowing, departing from the pattern-based lines of Coltrane, substituting instead a more varied array of notes, in effect painting a picture through his solo. As great as the rest of the band sounded (and Eric Revis on bass and Rodney Green on drums were certainly a force to be reckoned with), Rosenwinkel was clearly the center of attention, easily taking over the show with his thrilling solos. Admittedly, Rodney Green had his moments where he would burst out of his calm and attentive support of the group and lay down something mind-blowing, but overall, at least from a guitarist's perspective, my attention was focused on Kurt.

Kurt Rosenwinkel is different from most of the music I've covered on this blog so far, so I recommend strongly that you all give him a listen. If you like to hear impressive guitar, just youtube him and watch "The Next Step: Part 1," or just grooveshark him.

Until next time, which hopefully won't be, but probably will be a few weeks, enjoy the jazz!

Pat Metheny: "Trio Live," "Trio 99/00," "80/81"

Good Morrow! A lot has happened since I last posted, all in the form of acquiring new music and listening to it. One artist I got really hip to is Pat Metheny (meaning a higher level of appreciation; I've been listening to him for a while) . Now, I should hope that most of you recognize this name, as he is one of the biggest names in modern jazz. But if you don't, learn it. He is a phenomenal guitarist, who's been around on the music scene since the mid 70s. Although he is classified as jazz, and he does play jazz, he should appeal to anybody with any music tastes. He is truly a master and pioneer of the guitar and should be appreciated for it (although he doesn't get the attention he deserves, as very few jazz musicians do these days). Whether you are into mind blowing guitar soloing, peaceful and intricate melodies, or anything else, Pat Metheny has something that will appeal to you.

Pat Metheny's music blends the jazz tradition with rock and folk traditions, synthesizing a style that is uniquely his. Unlike many older jazz musicians, he pioneered his music, breaking in many ways from older, "jazzier" traditions. The melodies of his music borrow heavily from Rock, American Folk, and Popular music. His rhythms also borrow from these styles, often progressing beyond the hard swinging sensation of the earlier artists for straighter, and often, more eclectic beats (borrowing mainly, again, from rock, pop, and folk). Of course, this does not mean he abandoned the traditional jazz feel; he often times does play with a swing feel and traditional "jazzy" melodies. Only, he puts a more modern face on it, and sometimes gets very experimental. Much of this is conveyed through the new sounds he utilizes. His sound is often very electric. He often utilizes electric bass over acoustic, and almost always adds effects to his electric guitar. His keyboardist usually plays an electric keyboard as well. Thus, whether the music is new or old, it makes its way through with the unique Metheny stamp on it.

If you want to hear what I just described (and you should!), then listen to "Trio Live," "Trio 99/00," and "80/81." All three of these albums reflect most of the characteristics mentioned above, covering a wide spectrum of styles. The first two are live albums released in 2000 with the personnel of Bill Stewart on drums and Larry Grenadier on Bass. Both feature mostly progressive, modern jazz tunes as described above, with a lot of hard blowing, especially by Metheny. 80/81 is an album released in 1980, featuring Dewey Redman and Mike Brecker on saxophones, Charlie Haden on Bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. It is a jazz album with heavy rock and folk influence, and of course, with the consistently amazing soloing from the group. Throughout these albums Metheny makes great usage of his guitar synth effect, which often adds a power to Metheny's soloing that would otherwise be inaccessible--just another one of Metheny's additions to the jazz genre. I would especially recommend listening closely to the 19 minute jazz waltz "Question and Answer" on "Trio Live." It catches the group at its most untamed and energetic, with Pat Metheny taking two monstrous solos: one with an electric guitar, and a second humbling (to you) solo with the guitar synth added. Again, no matter what type of music you listen to, you should not miss out on any of these albums. I guarantee you that you will find something you like.

As always, check out youtube and grooveshark to listen to this music.

Chris Potter Underground

Greetings readers. As usual, it has been a long time since I last posted. But as always, I have a reasonable excuse. For the past month I have been traveling. However, this past time has not been wasted for you, the readers; my travels have allowed me to see live, for the second time, the amazing Chris Potter (I, fortunately, got to meet him!). However, this time he was playing at the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London with his group "Undeground." This group is more groove-based than his previous show with the Paul Motian Trio. It features Adam Rogers on guitar, Craig Taborn on keyboards (Fender Rhodes), and Nate Smith on drums.

The show was a prime example of Underground's mind-blowing music. The whole group seemed to be possessed--they got crazy, but the crazier they got, the better it got. For those of you who may not be so familiar with this group, the way their music works (as elucidated by Chris Potter himself) is the group works its way into a melody (sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly). After this, they take the song anywhere they feel like and begin to blow (and they can do this because they all know each other's playing so well), always keeping the melody in mind. Sometimes it is more structured, with written chord structures to follow. But often times it is very free. In coordination with the freedom of the music is a firm base in grooves, often leaning toward the more energetic and funkier ones.

In this particular show, the group played in accordance with the above general guidelines, but took the music to unexpected levels. Every member was on--even the unreliable Adam Rogers. They played a lot of music from their new album "Ultrahang." As expected Chris Potter left me in a daze after every one of his solos. But Adam Rogers and Craig Taborn were the big surprises. Adam Rogers is usually a let down when listening to this group; his solos often fail at achieving the same energy level and groove of the other members (especially Chris Potter). But this night his playing was unrestrained--he was blurting out bone-chilling (in a good way) and disgustingly good lines amidst a solid set of other lines that grooved like I've never heard from him before. And Craig Taborn simply flicked off all music theory conventions and literally began banging his keyboard with his fists and arms, emitting yelps, shrieks, and roars from the instrument--it was savage. Nate Smith didn't solo much, but he played right along with the rest of them. His performance was equally impressive as he followed the rest of the band most of the time, changing energy levels and grooves along with them. He was as much a part of Adam Rogers grooving and Craig Taborn's savagery as they were. After listening to the group many times on disk, I was not disappointed in any way while seeing them in person.

For a good example of Undergound, listen to their live album "Follow the Red Line."

As always, check out grooveshark to listen to some of their stuff. Here is a link to an example of their music. Make sure to check out the second part as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eNgBt76qZY

The Meaning of Jazz

Readers: You all tune in weekly to read and learn about jazz. But I'm going to ask you a question: do you really know what jazz is? There are so many misconceptions of what jazz really is. Too often it is characterized as that nice, soothing music you hear in an elevator or in the background of an elegant party. First of all, what you are hearing is NOT ALWAYS JAZZ. There is this little genre called smooth jazz whose name disgustingly misrepresents itself. SMOOTH JAZZ IS NOTHING BUT "JAZZY" POP MUSIC! Kenny G is not a jazz musician, he just adds a little soul to his notes. The problem is that smooth jazz lacks the very thing that makes jazz so unique--improvisation. So, if any of you think of jazz and Kenny G together in the same thought as of now, change it now!(unless you are thinking about what a despicable, hideous, odious, revolting, vile fraud Kenny G is and how much he is NOT A JAZZ MUSICIAN).

That being said, there is another, perhaps more subtle misconception of jazz out there. Sometimes the music you here in elevators or at the party really is jazz. The problem is that people think of jazz as just that: a nice, soothing type of music. The following letter I wrote (via facebook) to a friend of mine who "listened to Jazz [Charlie Parker in specific] cuz it's relaxing" on an airplane ride. The letter should clarify what jazz is, what it isn't, the problems facing jazz, and what you can all do about it.

"Charlie Parker's the best. No one plays like him. I'm glad you listened to that stuff and enjoyed it. My only problem is with the way you view jazz. Albeit some jazz is relaxing, a lot of it really isn't, if you really listen to it. Charlie Parker spearheaded the bebop revolution. Bebop is a style of jazz which showcases dissonance and wildness. It is often not relaxing. You have highlighted a problem that jazz struggles with. On the outer layer, it is relaxing--at least compared to other modern styles--which is deceiving. Jazz is not always meant to be a relaxing music. Jazz is intended to be a music ACTIVELY listened to. Jazz, unlike other genres, is really a high art form. It should be analyzed carefully and precisely. Admittedly, this requires more energy. as a matter of fact, this is probably the reason that jazz is so under appreciated--not enough people have the energy to realize how exciting jazz can be. People only hear the relaxing outer layer that may be soothing, but not enticing. It is fine to listen to jazz to relax yourself, only understand that there is much more to jazz than that. It is perhaps the most complex, exciting, and interesting genre of music around, at least at its core. And furthermore, understand that jazz is an underground music form. The stuff you hear is probably only the most commercialized songs, and not truly representative of jazz. There is SO MUCH to jazz. There are so many different styles. So if you don't catch on to one, there should be another one for you. If you want to get into jazz, which I highly encourage, make sure to REALLY listen to it--don't just let it wash over you while you are doing something else. If you do this, you will never fully appreciate jazz. Anyway, I'm glad that you have at least started being exposed to jazz and I hope that you will dig deeper in the future."

Joey DeFrancesco Trio Live at Blues Alley

A week ago I had the pleasure of attending a fantastic concert at Blues Alley in D.C by the king of the Hammond B-3 organ, Joey DeFrancesco, and his trio, consisting of Pat Bianchi on electric organ and Byron Landham on drums. Vocalist Colleen McNabb also made a guest appearance on two of the songs.

I'll start by saying that the group grooved their asses off, from funk to swing. Like any great group, they knew how to play with each other. Byron Landham and Joey D have been playing together for a few decades now, so this is to be expected. But the upcoming organist Pat Bianchi certainly knew how to compliment the group well. Although his presence may have been a little bit extraneous, as the two organists can conflict with each other (since their functions are very similar), he managed to find his niche in the group and do his thing while attempting not to get in Joey D's way.

Despite Bianchi's impressive performance, there is no doubt that he was overshadowed by the king of the jazz organ. Joey DeFrancesco took the music to another level. His sheer technical proficiency was enough to make you cringe. But it was more than that; he was tasteful with what he played. His use, and for that matter, the entire group's use of dynamics, was striking. This was most evident in the solos. Joey D and Byron Landham especially knew how to compose and improvise an interesting solo. The two operated so closely knit that it was hard to separate the soloist from the comper; as the "Jazz Police" writes, the two "almost function as a single unit in performance." The way that they played off of each other was probably what made the show most intriguing. The two showcased an excellent use of dynamics. Often times the two would transition from an airy, open feel, to a solid groove where the dynamics smoothly spiked in intensity. These transitions often resulted in wild blowing on Joey D's part, in which his technical proficiency, meshed with the intensity, produced extremely exciting and ecstatic moments for the audience.

One criticism I would offer, though, concerns the vocalist Colleen McNabb. I thought that her presence detracted from the energy of the show. During those two songs she sung, there was such a drop in the energy that I stopped paying attention and concentrated on paying my bill. I could understand that Joey D wanted to play a mellower section of the concert, but that didn't have to mean such a drop in energy.

Joey D ended strong, however. He only played one song after McNabb left the stage; he introduced it by asking the audience, "Do you all want to get funky?" The group immediately started a FUNKY beat. It was a blues melody, probably improvised on the spot by Joey D. But the spontaneity of it didn't detract from the song at all. I can't speak for everybody there, but I know I wanted to get up and dance. And if it wasn't so cramped in there the crowd probably would have. But the blowing on this song was what got me most. I had noticed that Joey D had been singing all of his solos (no easy feat, considering they were improvised and COMPLEX). But on this song he put the microphone to his mouth and scatted his solo along with playing it. He even immediately those wild, gut-wrenching organ growls. Believe me, that song was an experience you did not want to miss. Afterwards no one wanted to leave and everybody called for an encore. Unfortunately Joey D didn't comply, but that is to be expected at Blues Alley, as they don't like to give their audience a cent more than they paid for. I don't think I comprehended the magnitude of this event at the time, but now I realize that I was able to experience and hear one of the greatest living jazz masters first hand at his best.

Check out Joey D on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPFy4NozwWw (He plays with the same group in this one)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8QhtLO5w1I&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2RRUVAD9Mc

Ari Melinger-Cohen Quartet Sweeping the Nation (or at least the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School)

It's been a LONG time since I've posted, and believe me, soon things will be back in full swing. I've got a review of Joey Defrancesco and his trio coming up!

Anyway, I thought that today I would share with you the exciting new recording by this young guitarist sweeping the DC scene, whom some of you may have heard of. Yes, that guitarist is me, and no, I haven't swept the DC scene, yet. But I'm planning on it. Anyway, I'm providing you all with a link to my myspace profile here. I have posted the songs there and soon will post them on my facebook musician's page. I suggest that you all check them out. I'm playing with the talented Andrew Yanovski (piano), Gabe Wilk (bass), and Max Levine (drums). Enjoy!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=467871601

Bill Frisell

Wow, it's been a while! I've been swamped with work the last few weeks so my blogging has been somewhat hampered. And I'm sorry to say that for the next few weeks it may be the same. I apologize in advance, but I still encourage you all to check the blog somewhat frequently--you never know when a new post will appear.

Anyway, I was in Chicago this week and attended a fantastic concert at the Old Town School of Folk Music (although it was a jazz concert). I saw the legendary guitarist Bill Frisell playing with his trio! (Tony Scherr on bass and Rudy Royston on drums) For those of you who are not already familiar with Bill Frisell allow me to introduce you to him. Bill Frisell is a "jazz" guitarist. I quote jazz because he is not really a jazz guitarist; Bill Frisell plays in the genre of "Bill Frisell." There is certainly a heavy amount of jazz influence in his playing, but at the same time, he does not usually adhere to the jazz format of playing and often departs from the jazz sound, sometimes to a fusion-like sound, but at other times to a full fledged bluegrass sound, or perhaps a classical sound. It is a very rare occasion that Frisell plays something entirely as straight jazz. This being said, he is generally known for his mellow sound and tasteful playing and use of effects. Ever since the eighties he has been one of the most prominent guitarists on the jazz scene and has played with many greats including Charlie Haden, Joe Lovano, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, Dave Holland, John Zorn, and Paul Motian.

This particular show was pretty straight-forward--for Frisell. He even played a jazz standard, "What is this Thing Called Love" in a pretty standard format. But overall the set of six or so songs was reminiscent of "West" in Bill Frisell's live album "East/West." For the most part the group did away with the jazz format of melody in, solos over the form, and melody out. Beneath an colorful and full outer layer of sound there was a smaller-sounding melody. But, after this was played the group seemed to follow the soloist rather than the melody. The soloist (most of the soloing was done by Frisell) lead the group through the song, often abandoning the form and taking the group to new places. It kept me entranced with the show because the songs would start one way and slowly build up energy while gravitating from place to place. And Frisell did not fail to impress anyone with his individual playing. His tasteful and dynamic playing kept the audience leaning in. Although much of the show was a group effort, each member managed to shine individually. Tony Scherr, the bassist, took a few outstanding solos and the drummer Rudy Royston played with great fluidity and taste throughout. His one solo was one of the high points of the night, showcasing dynamic, fluid, and intricate rhythms.

This show was one of the best concerts I have ever attended. It was not boring; the group did what it always has done. It challenged the norm in music. It did not play according to the standard jazz format. It utilized fantastic dynamic shifts. The focus was not on playing everything correct. Rather, the focus was on doing something interesting. And you know that when a group does this, especially Frisell, that it is going to be good.

To hear a good example of Frisell check out the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GzMlxjaSmQ&feature=PlayList&p=CC82DAAB27D35A77&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=51