Music Notes

Another Saturday evening, another discussion of the glories of music.

On Sunday, I had the tremendous honor of seeing Wadada Leo Smith at Firehouse 12 in New Haven. Smith, the great trumpeter and one of the most amazing living musicians, was a founding member of the AACM and a man who is making the best music of his career in his 70s. These guys never play a whole lot, especially outside of New York and Chicago, so I had to take advantage of this opportunity, realizing it would probably not come back. And it was pretty amazing. There were 3 parts to the show. The first was quite special. Smith played a solo quartet of Thelonious Monk pieces. Now, you might say “big deal,” you see Monk covers all the time. But here’s the thing: in his entire 5-decade career, Smith had never played a Monk piece in public. He discussed how much Monk meant to him and that he didn’t feel ready to do this until now. So that was pretty special. At least until some idiot’s cell phone went off in the middle of “Round About Midnight.”

The second part of the show was one of Smith’s chamber pieces. It was him, an electronics guy, and four violas. This was also outstanding. He said he chose the violas because no one else likes them. Among the viola players was Jason Kao Hwang, who I have heard on many recordings.

Finally, the third piece was the second half of his amazing America’s National Parks album with his Golden Quartet. Smith had played the previous night too, with different compositions and he played the first half of the national parks deal that night. This was just absolutely unbelievable. Not only are these amazingly beautiful compositions, but the band is shockingly great. I was most excited by sitting right in front of the great drummer Pheroan akLaff, who I have long admired for his work with the legendary Sonny Sharrock in the late 80s and early 90s, before the great guitarist died far too young. To see his amazing work up that close was incredible. The band also included his long-time collaborator (47 years!) Anthony Davis on piano, Ashley Walters on cello, John Lindberg on bass, and Jesse Gilbert doing the video instillation that went along with it. A great night of music and just a very special occasion.

He then concluded by keeping everyone for an extra 15 minutes talking about random things, such as how tired he is after taking care of his grandkids.

I also want to point out that in the national parks set, Smith was lined up to the side of the stage. So I could see his music stand. His scores, they look like this.

One of the many mysteries of creative music.

A few tidbits:

If you like trolling, this list of the 10 lamest Americana acts is good for it. I think I am more angry about including Wayne Hancock than Jason Isbell or Lucinda Williams. Do not say bad things about Wayne, who among other things not only wrote “Thunderstorms and Neon Signs,” one of the greatest songs of all time, but who also got me through the night after the election with a show in Providence where I really needed the power of music during a very, very bad day.

J. Geils died. Largely this is notable for that fact that I’ve never known anyone whose taste I respect who had anything to say about this band at all. It’s also worth nothing the number of terrible yet popular rock bands from Boston over the years. Please take this opportunity to discuss what a terrible person I am because I am not respecting the departed.

Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday is this week.

The University of Tennessee, from which I hold an MA, is offering a class on Dolly Parton’s America. I’d take it.

Album review time:

Houndmouth, Little Neon Limelight

I first heard Houndmouth when I saw them open for Drive-By Truckers at a show in Fort Worth in 2012, I think. They had a good sound so I bought their album. I still think they have a good sound. But the lyrics were so much about being tough and drugs and all that and honestly, their sound, which includes some great harmony, their look, and their background, all screamed being kind of poseurs on this stuff. For a bunch of white kids from suburban Louisville, they were sure claiming a lot. Still, the sound was good enough to keep me interested. This is their second album, from 2015. They usefully cut way down on the faux-toughness, although I still don’t think the writing is all that great. But boy they can harmonize well and they sing well as a collective. I am curious as to where this band goes, given that Katie Toupin, the only woman in the group, has left to pursue a solo career. They may well survive and make great music without her, but a female voice adds an awful lot to a band like this that relies so much on harmony and group singing. Anyway, still an interesting band, but still room for improvement.

B

William Parker, For Those Who Are, Still.

I am physically exhausted after listening to this 2015 release for the last 3 1/2 hours. William Parker is one of the most underrated musicians in the history of American music. His presence at the center of New York’s new music scene has been absolutely vital for nearly three decades now. His incredibly creativity and experimentation produces amazing work after amazing work. In recent years, he has returned to something a bit more like swing and funk, as well as the use of a lot more vocals. This is mostly not that. This is a 3-disc behemoth from 2015 that combines free jazz elements with Schoenberg-style modernist compositions. Each disc has completely different musicians The whole thing is great music, but each disc is different. The first begins with a 28 minute paean to Fannie Lou Hamer which describes in detail (Parker wrote the text and Leena Conquest speaks) Hamer getting beaten by Missisppi thugs, and then goes into the Schoenberg stuff, also with Conquest. As I have stated before, I am not a big fan of modern jazz vocals, in part because it doesn’t sound natural. That’s the case here too, but no one can say this isn’t interesting, at the very least. The second, a suite called Red Giraffe with Dreadlocks, brings vocalists from India, primarily Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay, into Parker’s music for the first time (I think) which incredible results. This is an amazing piece of music, anchored by Hamid Drake, Rob Brown, Klass Hekman, Mola Sylla, and Cooper-Moore. This combines Indian and African music with Parker’s jazz compositions. As he said about it, “We don’t invent sounds, we are allowed to encounter them; we don’t own them, they existed before we were born and will be here after we are gone.” Even if this doesn’t really make any sense, it fits the music very well.

Most of the third disc is made up of a suite called Ceremony For Those Who Are Still, with the NFM Symphony Orchestra and of course Parker on bass. And then it ends with a 25 minute tribute to Sonny Rollins that features Charles Gayle and Mike Reed, who also play on the previous composition. It’s tiring just writing about this. Parker is a great artist and this is one of his greatest works.

A

No one seems to have put any of this album up on YouTube, but here’s another of Parker’s many amazing compositions, this one from his tribute to Curtis Mayfield.

Plus Sized Dan with Marshall Ruffin

This 2015 EP is from this Georgia-based production team called Plus Sized Dan and the singer and guitarist Marshall Ruffin. There are almost no reviews of this and it took me awhile to figure how I heard about it (Christgau). But this is a pretty solid set of folk-rock songs. A worthy listen.

B+

Michael Kiwanuka, Love and Hate

I suppose at this point, there isn’t too much new to say in soul music. But working within an established genre can also be a completely rewarding thing. It’s no different than country music, where you probably aren’t going to see huge steps in some new creative direction, but where quality work can be deeply satisfying. That’s what I felt about Kiwanuka’s 2016 album, which reminds me a lot of something Bill Withers would have done in about 1972. I say that as a complete compliment. “Cold Little Heart” slowly builds over a 5 minute instrumental opening until Kiwaunka’s excellent voice takes over. Songs like “Love & Hate” and “Father’s Child” include excellent guitar work too. Fun album.

A-

Grimes, Art Angels

The stage name of the Canadian singer Claire Boucher, this 2015 album was real popular with the Pitchfork set. It’s electronically creative. Boucher has an interesting voice. But that voice is also incredibly annoying. At times she sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks. The best track here is the one that features Janelle Monae. There’s a reason for that. It’s interesting pop music, but I can’t get over the voice.

B-

Robert Glasper Experiment, ArtScience

I know people love Glasper because he’s all in with Kendrick Lamar and other leading pop artists. And he has a great pop sensibility. In addition, I have no investment in people trying police boundaries of genres, so I don’t care whether this is jazz or soul or funk or whatever (depends on the song). The question is whether it is good music. And I’m not always convinced. I picked up Covered awhile back and found it just kind of OK and even boring in some places. ArtScience is not boring, but I don’t think it’s overly successful either. Some songs are pretty interesting, others quite rote. “Day to Day” is really nothing but a cheesy 70s-style pop song. Yes, the musicians are good, but is this good R&B? I don’t really think it’s all that great.

B-

As always, an open thread for all things music.