THROUGHOUT
August 10, 2013 2:53 PM Subscribe
Some jazz sessions are incredible magic. And within those sessions one will occasionally hear a brilliant, cosmic rendition of a gorgeous composition - in this case it's Bill Frisell's gorgeous composition named "Throughout" played by Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra with Carla Bley, in 2004, at the annual Jazz in Marciac Festival in Marciac, France.
From beginning to end, starting with the way that Carla Bley sets up her cool arrangement of this tune, to Charlie Haden's bringing forward the melodic theme, to Chris Cheek's solo, and finishing with Tony Malaby's unspeakably great finishing solo - this is great jazz, and great music - and, another indication that human beings are capable of incredibly beautiful things.
btw, I don't know how long this video will be up. I went on a search for it for almost a year, because it was pulled from youtube. Tragically, this performance had never been commercially released in a way that let it stick around. Even the filmmaker (who I contacted) seemed to have lost the masters - so this performance is rare - truly rare. Yet, lo and behold, after a long hiatus, here it is again, on youtube. Yay!
Here are a few more versions of "Throughout", with Frissell. It's a seemingly simple loop, but haunting and compelling all at once.
A neat voice transcription
Bill Frisell, et. al.
Bill Frisell with Ron Carter
Jim Hall and Bill Frisell
Here's a link to the Marciac Jazz Festival - a really cool annual event.
Here is more of Haden's group.
From beginning to end, starting with the way that Carla Bley sets up her cool arrangement of this tune, to Charlie Haden's bringing forward the melodic theme, to Chris Cheek's solo, and finishing with Tony Malaby's unspeakably great finishing solo - this is great jazz, and great music - and, another indication that human beings are capable of incredibly beautiful things.
btw, I don't know how long this video will be up. I went on a search for it for almost a year, because it was pulled from youtube. Tragically, this performance had never been commercially released in a way that let it stick around. Even the filmmaker (who I contacted) seemed to have lost the masters - so this performance is rare - truly rare. Yet, lo and behold, after a long hiatus, here it is again, on youtube. Yay!
Here are a few more versions of "Throughout", with Frissell. It's a seemingly simple loop, but haunting and compelling all at once.
A neat voice transcription
Bill Frisell, et. al.
Bill Frisell with Ron Carter
Jim Hall and Bill Frisell
Here's a link to the Marciac Jazz Festival - a really cool annual event.
Here is more of Haden's group.
I am straight, but I would sleep with Bill Frisell if he played me a private set first.
Yes, he is on my list.
posted by cjorgensen at 4:37 PM on August 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yes, he is on my list.
posted by cjorgensen at 4:37 PM on August 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
For convenience (should have included, up top) - for those who want to "cut to the chase" and get right to the two phenomenal solos in the Marciac video, here's Chris Cheek's technically and melodically elegant solo, followed by Tony Malaby's tour de force of improvisation that builds like a latticework of unreal Escher-like structure, real melody, and in-your-face chops that one rarely gets to hear/see, ever. (btw, Charlie Haden's early solo/set-up is also - as usual - brilliant)
posted by Vibrissae at 4:42 PM on August 10, 2013
posted by Vibrissae at 4:42 PM on August 10, 2013
Frisell plays a Telecaster? That is smashing my Telecaster stereotypes.
posted by thelonius at 4:51 PM on August 10, 2013
posted by thelonius at 4:51 PM on August 10, 2013
The Bill Frisell w/Ron Carter - actually Frisell solo - is just fantastic - lovely, meditative version.
posted by leslies at 4:58 PM on August 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by leslies at 4:58 PM on August 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm reminded a little bit of a story Branford Marsalis related, from which he got the name for his album Crazy People Music. One Sunday morning, at home, he was playing a recording of some fairly dissonant free jazz (maybe Ornette Coleman?), and his girl friend of the time got tired of it, and said "Baby, turn that off. That's crazy people music."
Music that remains dissonant for a long time is not my cup of tea, either, no matter the artistry with which it is conceived or performed, even though I can appreciate it on technical merits. But then the frenetic energy of early '50s bebop, which I like a lot, is just a wall of noise to many people. So, to each their own, I suppose, but on first hearing this, I thought "Boy, that's intonation that is just close enough for jazz."
posted by paulsc at 5:46 PM on August 10, 2013
Music that remains dissonant for a long time is not my cup of tea, either, no matter the artistry with which it is conceived or performed, even though I can appreciate it on technical merits. But then the frenetic energy of early '50s bebop, which I like a lot, is just a wall of noise to many people. So, to each their own, I suppose, but on first hearing this, I thought "Boy, that's intonation that is just close enough for jazz."
posted by paulsc at 5:46 PM on August 10, 2013
This is of interest to me.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 6:30 PM on August 10, 2013
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 6:30 PM on August 10, 2013
Powerful stuff!
For more Frisell goodness: a few solo Beatles interpretations at the NPR Tiny Desk
For more Jazz in Marciac goodness (a personal favorite): John Zorn and company doing some Masada/Dreamers tunes
posted by jumpercake at 10:58 PM on August 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
For more Frisell goodness: a few solo Beatles interpretations at the NPR Tiny Desk
For more Jazz in Marciac goodness (a personal favorite): John Zorn and company doing some Masada/Dreamers tunes
posted by jumpercake at 10:58 PM on August 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
...and even more Frisell goodness: a fantastic three-night run in Cambridge, MA, with Viktor Krauss on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums. If you listen to only six hours of live Frisell in your life, fill your head with these sets:
November 18, 2004 - Regattabar - Cambridge, MA
November 19, 2004 - Regattabar - Cambridge, MA
November 20, 2004 - Regattabar - Cambridge, MA
posted by prinado at 12:55 AM on August 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
November 18, 2004 - Regattabar - Cambridge, MA
November 19, 2004 - Regattabar - Cambridge, MA
November 20, 2004 - Regattabar - Cambridge, MA
posted by prinado at 12:55 AM on August 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's actually a little odd to be complaining that a live jazz performance is ephemeral, if you think about it!
Thanks for the beautiful music. All of this is wonderful. Carla Bley is wonderful (she has good taste in bass players too!)
posted by thelonius at 1:49 AM on August 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the beautiful music. All of this is wonderful. Carla Bley is wonderful (she has good taste in bass players too!)
posted by thelonius at 1:49 AM on August 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
Carla Bley certainly is wonderful, and here is a soul wrenching
tenor sax solo by Gato Barbeiri on her album Escalator Over The Hill.
...long live the sax
posted by quazichimp at 2:16 AM on August 11, 2013
tenor sax solo by Gato Barbeiri on her album Escalator Over The Hill.
...long live the sax
posted by quazichimp at 2:16 AM on August 11, 2013
It's actually a little odd to be complaining that a live jazz performance is ephemeral, if you think about it!
As Eric Dolphy memorably put it: "It's in the air, then it's gone."
Still true for 99% of improvised music. A few famous people bypass this quote's truth through the Magic of Technology, of course.
posted by kozad at 1:59 PM on August 11, 2013
As Eric Dolphy memorably put it: "It's in the air, then it's gone."
Still true for 99% of improvised music. A few famous people bypass this quote's truth through the Magic of Technology, of course.
posted by kozad at 1:59 PM on August 11, 2013
That Billl Frisell solo piece is perfect. Thanks for a great post!
posted by ruelle at 2:16 PM on August 11, 2013
posted by ruelle at 2:16 PM on August 11, 2013
I am straight, but I would sleep with Bill Frisell if he played me a private set first.
Dude just come to Seattle, he plays some shows that are quite small.
posted by victory_laser at 5:10 PM on August 11, 2013
Dude just come to Seattle, he plays some shows that are quite small.
posted by victory_laser at 5:10 PM on August 11, 2013
Tiny side note: it would be great if we had a separate "Jazz" and "Marciac" tag on this post, so that this would pop up when those terms would be searched. (once again - great post!)
posted by ruelle at 1:51 AM on August 12, 2013
posted by ruelle at 1:51 AM on August 12, 2013
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posted by Ber at 4:26 PM on August 10, 2013