If you need to smash an addiction, maybe it’s a good idea swap it for another one. Six weeks ago, I cut the ethernet wire to concentrate on September tests. And, of course, jazz was there to help me to forget all the world around.
What did I hear? That’s my playlist in my mp3 player:
- Bill Evans “Alone” (1968): since those bitter June days that’s my leitmotiv. That’s one of the albums that marked me in my life.
- Charles Mingus with Eric Dolphy “Cornell 1964″(2007): A great missing surprise. An orgy of jazz in Dolphy’s latest year.
- Marlango “Marlango” (2004)and “Marlango Automatic Imperfection”(2005): Nice fussion of jazz, pop and rock. You can think it’s only an actress who tries to sing, but Marlango is more than this. The soft, sensual voice of Leonor Watling, the impressionist piano by Alejandro Pelayo, and the urban touch with Oscar Ybarra’s trumpet, make me to lose in the city. You can see a sunset at a desert beach hearing “Every”, then you drop a tear
- Sumrra, several tracks (2001-06): I discovered this acoustic trio last summer. I still didn’t bought any of their CD because I still have not chance, but the tracks in their web page show a great group to discover. I feel an Atlantic style like Abe Rábade’s. First time I heard “Lisboa 5 p.m.” I knew they are great!
- Jon Mayer Trio “Full Circle”(2001), “My Romance”(2005): Bille and me bought these albums after the great live in Ferrol. Jon Mayer (formerly known as John Maher) is a great pianist who played with John Coltrane, Freddy Hubbard, Ron Carter… His personal problems moved away the music along decades, but now he rised stronger than ever. About “Full Circle” I suggest change the order of the tracks: 9-7-8-6-5-10-4-3-2-1. I usually respect the order in the albums, but I accidentally discovered this kind of hearing this CD and I think it’s better
- Thelonious Monk “Underground”(1968): One of the most complete albums by Monk at Columbia Records. Impressive work by tenor sax Charlie Rouse
- John Coltrane “Like Sonny”(1960): This Coltrane’s forgotten album features Jon Mayer. The first track, “One and Four”, will keep in my memory associated to the morning I backed to the Campus walking on foot after a binge, and I took the head photo in this blog
- Charlie Haden “Nocturne” (2001): This album moves among jazz, latin jazz and bolero. I was in the concert at La Coruña when Charlie Haden launched this album and Air France lost his bass. Even with this hitch, Haden was in a good mood, and even he joked with a baby who cryed in the audience during a solo: “Oh, I have a very young fan!”
- V.S.O.P. “The Quintet”(1977): Two sessions recorded at California by Miles Davis’ quintet in the 60′s: Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Wayne Shorter on sax, Tony Williams on drums, and Freddy Hubbard replacing Miles. Do you need know any thing more?
- Abe Rábade Trío “Playing on Light” (2006): I wrote about this album a year ago and I can’t stop hearing it
- John Coltrane “Live at Birdland” (1963): One of my recent purchases. John Coltrane with his great quartet, the year before A Love Supreme. The fourth track, “Alabama”, make me goose pimples
- John Coltrane “A Love Supreme” (1964): Some years ago I downloaded the mp3, then I bought the CD, this summer a friend gave me in a vynil, and two weeks ago I bought it again in 180 gr. vynil, a recent special edition. Let’s call… obsession
