Monday, October 26, 2009

Lee Kontiz with Dave Holland & Jack DeJohnette


One of the pleasures of having an absurdly large collection (=large enough you forget what you have) is that you forget what you have.  While listening to Dave Holland again today, I discovered that I had a recording with Dave Holland playing bass on it.  Lee Konitz, the absurdist poet of the alto sax recorded an album called Satori.  I have always been challenged and fascinated by Konitz's playing.  I first heard him on a Bill Evans album, Crosscurrents.

Satori is not the first Konitz album I would recommend to the uninitiated.  That would be Alone Together with Brad Mehldau and Charlie Haden.  But the former is solid Konitz, and it is a good chance to hear Holland as a side man.  Here is a sample:

3 comments:

  1. What a splendid coincidence. My sister asks me what she can buy me for Christmas and you mention Alone Together.

    Charlie Haden is one of my (and I guess most peoples) favourite bassists and I've only recently discovered Brad Mehldau so this seems a particularly well suited album for me. Thanks for the recommendations.

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  2. Will: Thanks so much for the comment. Christmas lists are one of the reasons for this blog!

    Alone Together is a very fine document. I think it is certainly my favorite Konitz recording.

    If you are looking into Mehldau, his Art of the Trio recordings are all superb. The first is best. As for Charlie Haden, he's great. But I haven't yet concentrated on him in my collecting. You inspire me.

    Anyway, Merry Christmas in advance

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  3. True story. I'd just finished typing my comment and was about to enter the security word when I got a text from my sister, telling me she'd sorted my son's present. I immediately told her I'd like Alone Together. A very pleasant coincidence all round.

    To be honest I'm more familiar with Haden's work as a sideman, especially with Ornette Coleman. I'm looking into getting some of his Montreal recordings at the moment. Reading your blog encouraged me to post one of Coleman's live tracks from Sound Grammar on my blog.

    Thanks for the tip with Mehldau. I've posted one of his Radiohead covers on my blog before, and another will be posted soon. Along with The Bad Plus he's one of the artists I use to get people to listen to jazz. Don't tell anyone though, it's a secret.

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