DVD Box Set of the Month"Jazz Icons Series 5" (Mosaic) 2011
Rating:
***** (musical performances)
**** (sonic quality)
The latest series of Jazz Icons, from the archives of Reelin' in the Years Productions and co-produced by them in association with Mosaic Records, features one-of-a kind performances from some of the biggest names in jazz history, captured live in France. This 6-disc box set (priced at $99.98), contains stunning, historically significant jazz performances, restored & remastered from TV broacasts, with superior video and audio quality. The set is sold exclusively through Mosaic Records on their website.
John Coltrane - Live In France 1965 features the Classic John Coltrane Quartet at the peak of their powers. Includes the only public performance of "Ascension" as a quartet piece and of "A Love Supreme" which they’d recorded eight months earlier and had become an instant and influential hit in the jazz world. Every night this band played was a major event and spiritual experience for those who witnessed it.
Thelonious Monk - Live In France 1969 is a unique find. Just Monk, a grand piano and two cameras – no audience, no sidemen, no emcee, no clock-watching stage manager, no set list, no distractions. The result was an astonishingly intimate and revealing portrait of a man and his music. The viewer can virtually see this usually impenetrable artist thinking in real time. An extraordinary document of one of the most original composers of the 20th century.
Art Bakley's Jazz Messengers - Live In France 1959 features newcomer Wayne Shorter whose sound and conception would forever change the sonic landscape of the Jazz Messengers. He, Lee Morgan and Walter Davis, Jr. are on fire throughout. This is inspired jazz with a volcanic swing.
Johnny Griffin - Live In France 1971 captures this tenor saxophone virtuoso om full flight. He possessed a magnificent,even tone through- out the range of the tenor saxophone and the ability to navigate the fastest tunes and the most sophisticated chord changes with seemingly effortless precision. Toss in his soulfulness and inventiveness and you have a recipe for genius. Art Taylor’s drumming here drive Griff and guest Dizzy Gillespie to incredible heights.
Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Live In France 1972 drives home the impact of seeing him live which was a completely different experience from listening to his music on record. It was an overwhelming and joyous event; music just poured out of him like a gusher. He was an ever-thinking force of energy who swept the audience up into his orbit. This 1972 concert with an excellent band is a perfect example.
On Freddie Hubbard - Live In France 1972, my all-time personal favorite trumpeter leads his quintet with Junior Cook and George Cables stretching out on three of his greatest compositions of his CTI heyday: the title tracks from "Straight Life" and "First Light" plus "The Intrepid Fox," from Hubbard's iconic CTI debut, "Red Clay." Hubbard and Junior Cook share a common ground and deep empathy and the rhythm section led by Cables give the hornmen all the push they crave. These performances are incendiary! Hope the videos from CTI All-Stars concerts (mostly filmed for German and Japanese TV) will come out soon, as well as other fusion gems from the Reelin' in The Years archives such as that rare session of Chick Corea's Return to Forever with Stanley Clarke, Airto and Joe Farrell.
Tracklisting and detailed infos of each DVD:
JOHN COLTRANE - LIVE IN FRANCE 1965PERSONNEL: John Coltrane, tenor sax; McCoy Tyner, piano; Jimmy Garrison, bass; Elvin Jones, drums.
Live in Antibes, France on July 27 & 28, 1965
1. Naima
2. Ascension
3. Impressions
4. A Love Supreme: Acknowledgement
5. A Love Supreme: Resolution
THELONIOUS MONK - LIVE IN FRANCE 1969Personnel: Thelonious Monk- Piano
ORTF TV Studio, Paris, France, December 1969
1. Dreamland
2. Monk's Mood (Version 1)
3. Thelonious
4. Reflections
5. Epistrophy
6. Round Midnight
7. Crepuscule With Nellie
8. Ugly Beauty
9. Monk's Mood (Version 2)
10. Don't Blame Me
11. Coming On The Hudson
12. Nice Work If You Can Get It
Bonus: Thelonious rehearsal, interview footage etc
ART BLAKEY'S JAZZ MESSENGERS - LIVE IN FRANCE 1959Personnel: Lee Morgan- Trumpet; Wayne Shorter- Tenor Saxophone; Walter Davis- Piano; Jymie Merritt- Bass; Art Blakey- Drums.
Theater des Champs Elysees, Paris, France, November 15, 1959
1. Are You Real
2. What Know (Goldie)
3. No Problem
4. Bouncing With Bud
5. Close Your Eyes
6. Along Came Betty
7. Blues March
8. A Night In Tunisia
Bonus: Interview/Nelly Bly (incomplete)
JOHNNY GRIFFIN - LIVE IN FRANCE 1971Part One: Jazz Festival de Châteauvallon August 29, 1971
Personnel: Johnny Griffin, Tenor Sax; Dizzy Gillespie, Trumpet; Vince Benedetti, Piano; Alby Cullaz, Bass; Art Taylor, Drums.
1. Blues For Harvey
2. When We Were One
3. The JAMFs Are Coming
4. Soft And Furry
5. A Night In Tunisia (w/Dizzy)
6. Hot House (w/Dizzy)
Part Two: Classiques du jazz TV Studio, Châteauvallon, France, July 7, 1971
Personnel: Johnny Griffin, Tenor Sax; René Urtreger, Piano; Alby Cullaz, Bass; Art Taylor, Drums.
7. Now's The Time
8. My Little Suede Shoes
9. Blue Monk
10. Blues For Harvey
RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK - LIVE IN FRANCE 1972Personnel: Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Tenor Sax, Manzello, Stritch, Clarinet, Castinets, Vocals, Various flutes and whistles; Ron Burton, Piano; Henry Pearson, Bass; Richie Goldberg, Drums; Joe Texidor, Percussion.
Grand Palais, Paris, France, March 8, 1972
1. Blue Train
2. Lester Leaps In
3. Satin Doll/Lover (Medley)
4. For Bechet And Ellington And Bigard and Carney And Rabbit
5. My Cherie Amour
6. One Mind Winter/Summer (Seasons)
7. Groovin High
8. Soul Eyes
9. Volunteered Slavery
10. Inflated Tear
Personnel: Freddie Hubbard, Trumpet; Junior Cook, Tenor Sax & Flute; George Cables, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Kent Brinkley, Bass; Michael Carvin, Drums.
ORTF TV Studio, Paris, France, March 25, 1973
1. Straight Life
2. Intrepid Fox
3. First Light
More details:
John Coltrane- Live In France 1965
Antibes Jazz Festival, Juan Les Pins, France
July 26-27, 1965
B&W/Mono/52 min.
The John Coltrane Quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones was formed in 1960 and was at the peak of its powers for these concerts from the Antibes Jazz Festival on July 26 & 27, 1965. What made this appearance so important was the first and only public performance of his masterpiece A Love Supreme, which had recently become an instant and influential hit in the jazz world. The DVD opens with "Naima," a searingly intense "Ascension" and "Impressions," while part one and half of part two of the A Love Supreme suite close out this historic film. Unfortunately, the footage for the rest of the suite has not survived.
Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers- Live In France 1959
Theater des Champs Elysees, Paris, France
November 15, 1959
B&W/Mono/83 min.
At the time of this November 15, 1959, Paris concert, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers were introducing two new members: Wayne Shorter, whose sound and conception would forever change the sonic landscape of the band and Walter Davis Jr., who had as much drive on the piano as Blakey had on his drums. The band featured Lee Morgan on trumpet and all are absolutely on fire throughout this 80-minute concert. Seeing rather than just hearing Blakey's soaring dynamics and irresistible rhythms reveals just how powerfully he controlled the shape of the music and drove each soloist to new heights.
Thelonious Monk- Live In France 1969
ORTF TV Studio, Paris, France
December 1969
Color/Mono/65 min.
In December 1969, Thelonious Monk entered a television studio in Paris. Just Monk, a grand piano and two cameras — no audience, no sidemen, no emcee, no clock-watching stage manager, no set list, no distractions. The result was an astonishingly intimate and revealing portrait of a man and his music. Monk sits at the piano and plays whatever occurs to him. In this case, it was nine originals and two of his favorite standards. The freedom of playing unaccompanied allows Monk to give each composition fascinating new twists and variations. The viewer can virtually see his mind at work.
Johnny Griffin- Live In France 1971
Part One
Jazz Festival de Châteauvallon
August 29, 1971
B&W/Stereo/55 min.
Johnny Griffin was a soulful, inventive tenor saxophone virtuoso with a magnificent tone and the ability to navigate the fastest tunes and the most sophisticated chord changes with seemingly effortless precision. This DVD features two 1971 French concerts with Griff's quartet featuring drummer Art Taylor and guest artist Dizzy Gillespie on "Hot House" and "A Night In Tunisia." The band is on fire through bebop classics from Tadd Dameron, Dizzy, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker as well as four of Griff's best-known originals. Taylor's unrelenting swing drives this band to incredible heights.
Freddie Hubbard- Live In France 1973
ORTF TV Studio, Paris, France
March 25, 1973
B&W/Stereo/50 min.
Freddie Hubbard possessed a big tone, a unique melodic conception and an amazing technique. In the early 1970s, Hubbard became a best-selling jazz artist with a succession of highly successful albums on Creed Taylor's CTI label. On the road, he would perform many of his CTI recordings in a more direct, straight-ahead jazz style. On this 1973 concert, he and his quintet with Junior Cook, George Cables, Kent Brinkley and Michael Carvin stretch out on three of his greatest compositions of the period: "Straight Life," "Intrepid Fox" and "First Light."
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Live In France 1972
Grand Palais, Paris, France
March 8, 1972
Color/Mono-75 min.
This 1972 concert, with the excellent support of Ron Burton, Henry Pearson, Richie Goldberg and Joe Texidor, is a perfect example Rahsaan Roland Kirk's unique genius. The 73-minute performance, featuring classics from Coltrane to Ellington, ends poignantly with two of his most celebrated and powerful compositions: "Volunteered Slavery" and "The Inflated Tear." Seeing him live was a completely different experience from listening to his music on record. Often playing two and three reed instruments simultaneously with amazing skill, he was a living encyclopedia of jazz and an ever-thinking force of energy who swept the audience up into his orbit.
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