My Jazz Now

A Blog Supreme is running a series called Jazz Now, in which the ABS team and friends recommend five albums each from the past ten years to nascent jazz listeners. For a complete explanation of the project, go here. Patrick Jarenwattananon kicked things off with his five today, and asked for audience participation as well. So below are the five albums I would recommend to somebody looking to get into current jazz, in order of date released.


1. Dave Holland Quintet: Prime Directive (2000). Holland is the Art Blakey of the modern postbop scene, assembling an array of talented younger players to augment his bands, which have become a kind of graduate school in jazz performance.

2. Jason Moran: Modernistic (2002). Moran's reimagining of the James P. Johnson classic "You've Got to Be Modernistic" is worth the price of the disc alone. Moran has an uncanny ability of packing the entire history of jazz piano into his style while keeping it fresh and surprising the listener at every turn.

3. Happy Apple: Youth Oriented (2003). As I wrote in this space last year, Happy Apple expands the boundaries of jazz, incorporating rock and avant-garde influences while allowing plenty of room for individual and group improvisation. Their work is often exhilarating, and very rewarding to those who can stomach a little chaos.

4. The Bad Plus: Prog (2007). The Bad Plus appear to be a popular group for these lists. These Are The Vistas is my favorite album of theirs, but that one has been chosen by a few people already, so I will go with Prog instead, which features some choice covers and great originals.

5. Robert Glasper: Double Booked (2009). I'll be posting a review of this album later in the week, but suffice it to say that I've already recommended this album to a few friends who don't really listen to much jazz.

Honorable Mentions
The Bad Plus: These Are The Vistas
Paul Motian: Time and Time Again
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: Infernal Machines
Medeski Martin & Wood: Tonic
Chris Potter: Follow the Red Line
Wayne Shorter: Footprints Live


You can read the entire Jazz Now series at A Blog Supreme (image via NPR).

Under the Radar: Happy Apple

Happy Apple

Youth Oriented

Where to begin?

If pressed to describe them in two sentences or less to someone who had never heard of them, I would call Happy Apple a band that fuses the avant-garde style of Air with a punk sensibility. But, like most abbreviated descriptions, this does not do the group justice. Comprised of saxophonist Michael Lewis, bassist Eric Fratzke, and drummer David King (of The Bad Plus), Happy Apple is an exciting band that does not deserve the unfortunate "side project" designation.

On Youth Oriented, the trio's fifth album (and first on a major label), the group presents ten originals which expand the boundaries of jazz while allowing plenty of room for individual and group improvisation. Typical of their approach is Lewis' "Green Grass Stains on Wrangler Jeans," a 5/4 tune with a subdued melody. After dispensing with the head, Lewis begins soloing, but, as Fratzke puts it,

We're not just the drummer and the bassist backing the big bad-ass soloist. We strive as a group to communicate as a single entity, not just laying back until it's time to solo.

King pushes and pulls on the beat with his frenetic drumming under Lewis, while Fratzke holds everything together.

Green Grass Stains On Wrangler Jeans

Whereas Happy Apple kept things light and subtle on "Grass Stains," the boys lay it on thick on "Salmon Jump Suite." Lewis gives the opening salvo forcefully, and Fratzke and King join him in a rollicking melody, mixing atonal phrases with bluesy Ayleresque blues riffs. The effect is jarring, it is as if the Stooges played jazz. Fratzke weilds his bass like Les Claypool, hammering on an electric bass with a guitar pick for extra emphasis. Underlying this is King, who stays just ahead of the beat despite pounding on the kit. The song is over in an exhilarating three minutes and thirty-seven seconds.

Salmon Jump Suite

Lewis, Fratzke, and King are kindred spirits; exploring rhythms and sounds of multiple genres while pushing the outer regions of tonality in a captivating manner. They keep things fresh and exciting on "Youth Oriented," and are, in the words of Ellington, beyond category.

Track listing: Youth Oriented; Green Grass Stains on Wrangler Jeans; The Landfill Planetarium; Salmon Jump Suit; Drama Section; The Treetops of a Bad Neighborhood; It Will Be; Creme de Menthe Quasar; Youth Oriented
Personnel: Michael Lewis, saxophone; Erik Fratzke, bass, guitar; Dave King, drums

Coming Attractions

While not watching the stock market implode this week, I've been working on a post on Happy Apple. It will be up sometime this weekend. In the meantime, check out a video of the group.

Here are a few links that have been piquing my interest as of late:

• Destination: OUT has been posting an impressive amount of Anthony Braxton material this month.
• Over at jazz.com, Walter Kolosky reviews a selection from his imaginary CD collection.
• On FindingDulcinea, Rachel Balik lists her top 5 essential trumpet solos, which may be a topic I'd like to explore in the future.
• All About Jazz interviews Dave Holland.

Today is Thelonious Monk's birthday. Here is a video:

And, apropos of nothing, here is the Giant Steps robot: