#83

Have you heard the ‘Portico’ album from last year? Really love their first 3 albums (also Live/Remix is great), but was put off by the supposed new sound and presence of yer man alt-J.

#84

yeah same, not really given it much of an ear and when I have it struck me as a bit characterless. But I thought the way the brought in the electronics in the self titled was great and I also loved the one from that album with vocals, Steepless, so have been meaning to give their new stuff another go. I’ll report back.

#85

been listening to Brilliant Corners this morning. man…what an album! love me some Monk!

again - what a line up:

Clark Terry (trumpet) Sonny Rollins (tenor sax) Thelonious Monk (piano) Paul Chambers (bass) Max Roach (drums)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zBhOrOQeFU

3 Likes
#86

Love a bit of Monk.

2 Likes
#87

REPORT - Portico no longer Quartet have morphed into a modern downbeat pop backing group which serve up backing tracks for sensitive men. Occasionally there’s an interesting thing going on with the electronics which reminds of their old work but it’s all in service of the sensitive men so it soon retreats into the background. Nary a saxophone to be heard.

Verdict: Not jazz/10

#88

Latin jazz anyone? Absolutely phenomenal percussionist bringing the groove right here.

1 Like
#89

Quite literally :arrow_up_small:this/10

#90

Thanks man. Taking one for the team in the name of jazz. Disappointed to hear that, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Saw them live just after Isla came out… awesome stuff. Alas, no more.

#91

Ah man that “Coltrane, Coltrane!” bit is brilliant

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#92

Btw if you want to try before you buy, it’s on Spotify. I’d feel terrible if you bought it on my recommendation and you hated it :flushed: X

#93

Post-Giant Steps Coltrane is beyond music. From My Favourite Things until his untimely death Coltrane redefined music for me. Cosmic doesn’t even begin to encapsulate its genius. My favourite? Live At Birdland. I think my absolute favourite album of all time. Believe me, I’ve thought about this a lot. Coltrane. Nobody comes close X

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#94

Been listening to quite a bit of Shabaka Hutchings stuff at the moment. Definitely my favourite saxophonist of recent times. The range of stuff he has been involved with is amazing (Melt Yourself Down, Comet is Coming, Sons of Kemet, . About to release an album with some South African musicians which is shaping up to be quite something

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#95

Hello jazz cats, been listening to that Kamasi Washington album the last couple of days and I feel like I need to listen to something a bit easier to build up to it maybe, thoughts?

#96

I guess John Coltrane is an obvious influence. Something like Lush Life is super easy going, Ballads too. Blue Train is a bit more up-tempo, but totally accessible (and great).

Also, I reckon disc 3 of The Epic is the most mellow, so maybe listen backwards!

#97

Yeah, been enjoying disc 3 the most for sure (and the third track on the first disc). Thanks, man.

#98

So much love for Pharaoh Sanders. Him and Coltrane as a double team was quite possibly the best combo in music history. He just has so much guttural intensity to his sound, which works so well with Coltrane’s tone. I particularly love Naima on Live at the Village Vanguard Again (I know it got panned by the critics again, but I just love it)

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#99

Yeah all his work with John is amazing. He was such a vital part of his latter period sound, particularly his approach to solos. Sanders’s playing on Alice Coltrane’s albums is outstanding too.

One of my favourite albums with Sanders as a side man is Sonny Sharrock’s Ask the Ages with another Coltrane alumni Elvin Jones on drums. Kind of incredible these guys were still making music this good in 1990.

2 Likes
#100

Anything with Elvin Jones on it is good by me. Will have a listen later!

1 Like
#101

listening to this now, sounding great so far, a flavour of the Lloyd Miller/ Heliocentrics album to it.

I’ve seen him play 30-40 times in all sorts of different bands and combinations - he’s been involved in some amazing ad-hoc and improvised one-offs. Top stuff.

#102

I adore Coltrane, but for me it’s the albums he made after My Favourite Things until his all-too-soon death that redefined music. My personal favourite is Live at Birdland. It’s the perfect liminal album, capturing as it does the Quartet at the moment they were transitioning from post-bop to truly cosmic music. The track Your Lady is one of my all time favourite tunes by anyone. And I love his use of soprano sax, which until then had been seen as a bit of a joke instrument X