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DVD
Delivering the Icons
What a delight to witness heroes of
yesteryear in their digitally transmogrified,
post-celluloidal flesh. These
DVDs allow one to examine close up
Rahsaan Roland Kirk orchestrating
the polyphony of his multiple horns,
Nina Simone brow beating hapless
audiences with her ferocity of intent
and the discipline of Lionel
Hampton’s orchestra behind the
show biz front
Stretching from 1958 (Hampton in
Belgium) through to 1975 (Bill Evans
in Denmark), Reelin’ In The Years has
exhumed magic monochrome
moments from seven singular artists
in its third Jazz Icons series. Plus, the
DVDs offer the music of such superb
sidemen as the late Niels-Henning
Ørsted Pedersen (who appears with
Sonny Rollins, Kirk and Evans), tenor
saxophonist Andy McGhee (with
Hampton), Clark Terry (with Oscar
Peterson) and Yusef Lateef (with
Cannonball Adderley).
The space Adderley spares Lateef on Live In ’63
(Reelin’ In The Years 2.119009; 98:37) AAAA, reminds us
of the altoist’s inclusivity, a generosity of spirit that fueled his own
ecstatic phraseology. During the German broadcast (in an impressively
customized studio set), Adderley smiles at Lateef after playing
melismas reminiscent of the tenorist, who brought ethnic scales and
multi-instrumentalism to the sextet. Hearing Lateef squeeze a slow
blues from the oboe, however, makes one eager to return to the
crackling cornet of Nat Adderley or the leader in full bore.
Hampton’s efforts to get across on Live In ’58 (Reelin’ In The Years
2.119012; 57:23) AAAA are quixotic. He presents a “history of jazz,”
from dixieland to Hot Club to modern, with an inexplicable reference
to Thelonious Monk after “The Chase.” Initially, bandmembers
make furtive glances and seem detached from the leader’s bombast,
but by the end of show we see how efficiently coiled Hampton’s
team is, delivering a preposterously tight, ostensibly spontaneous
response to Hamp’s final drum beat on “Sticks Ahoy.” Fine solos
from forgotten heroes Leon Zachery (alto) and guitarist Billy Mackel
and a nice trumpet face-off between Art Hoyle and Eddie Williams
remind that even without marquee names like Illinois Jacquet and
Dexter Gordon, this was a killing band.
If you doubted Nina Simone was the “High Priestess of Soul,” the
concerts from Holland and England on Live In ’65 And ’68 (Reelin’ In
The Years 2.119014, 63:16) AAAAA will straighten you out.
Through heavy mood swings Simone takes us to church, the womb,
the grave, heaven and hell with fire and brimstone protest songs
one minute, a superb gutbucket “Backlash Blues” the next, then
shooting shivers down spines with Oscar Brown, Jr.’s “Brown
Baby” or her signature “Four Women.” Simone makes her reparation
agenda clear with an ominously angelic remake of Charles
Aznavour’s “Tomorrow Is My Turn.” The bonus DVD’s film from
1965, though it has poor sound, focuses on her versatile pianism.
Simone clarifies her position to a Swedish interviewer: “I am a colored
girl, it’s my fight, it’s all that matters.” In the U.K. she’s playful,
by Michael Jackson
but adopts a different persona
after a dramatic costume change.
Contemporary audiences generally
appear chastened and rigid,
but during exciting footage of
Oscar Peterson on Live In ’63, ’64
And ’65 (Reelin’ In The Years
2.119010; 83:08) AAAA 1 / 2 the
crowd claps in unison. A high
point occurs during Peterson’s
take on “Yours Is My Heart Alone”
in Finland when Ed Thigpen
attacks the drums with teenage
glee. Contrasting the joyous
Peterson is the introspection of
Evans’ trios on Live ’64–’75 (Reelin’
In The Years 2.119013; 97:10)
AAAAA, where each musician
inhabits an individual orbit,
telegraphing from some higher
force without eye contact. Evans
fans are in for a treat. This DVD
offers feature-length, era-spanning
evidence from five sessions in
venues large and small. The ’70s herald
color filmstock and an intimate Swedish club
features a probing “’Round Midnight” intercut with saturated
street scenes, window shopping blondes and vintage Volvos. The
music, throughout, is hypnotizing.
Live In ’65 And ’68 (Reelin’ In The Years 2.119011; 86:33) AAAAA
offers a glorious document of Sonny Rollins’ virile trio-play. Though
the playing is less maverick than live bootlegs from the period (perhaps
Rollins played it straighter for TV cameras), he hints at how
mercurial he could be, smacking together the tempos of “Oleo” and
“Sonnymoon For Two” and snatching at “I Can’t Get Started” as an
aside on the elusiveness of inspiration—highly ironic, as is “Three
Little Words,” given the tenorist’s relentless unspooling of ideas.
As sartorially hip as Rollins looks during this period, the sight of
Kirk festooned with a hodgepodge of plumping still amazes on Live
In ’63 And ’67 (Reelin’ In The Years 2.119008; 79:05) AAAAA. There
were precedents for his circular breathing, multiple horns and innovative
flute approach, but no one will ever put it together like Kirk, his
ambition against adversity apparently limitless. Close-ups reveal
how in mid-flight he’d dexterously pluck snuff from his pocket,
adjust his shades or mess with tiny music boxes. He even catches
his stritch as it tumbles off its stand behind him during a shocking
moment, barely missing a beat. His cadenza on “There Will Never
Be Another You” is breathtaking (or rather not), and the topicality of
his listening is evidenced with quotes from The King And I and
Wayne Shorter’s “Lester Left Town.” Hats off to George Gruntz, the
Pedersen brothers and Daniel Humair for their dime-stop support—
check Humair’s creative fours with Kirk during “Bag’s Groove.”
A minor carp: Composer credits appear at each film’s end but not
in the packaging. However, authoritative supporting literature,
image collages of concert posters and other memorabilia, plus interviews
and introductions by surviving kin such as Olga Adderley-
Chandler, Lisa “Simone” Kelly and Bill Evans’ daughter Maxine
make each of these beauties indispensable.
DB
Ordering info: jazzicons.com
66 DOWNBEAT June 2009