KCOU JAZZ
March 9, 2025
An unapologetically cultist show, artists and pieces explore the deepest reaches of jazz composition.
Songs Included
Max Roach | Absolutions | Members, Don’t Git Weary (1968)
Absolution: a formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment.
Max Roach kicks up a storm on Absolutions. The final track on his 1968 masterpiece, Members, Don’t Git Weary, Roach doubles down on themes of grief, patience, and resilience within the African American community.
Beginning with tilted drum patterns, pulling bass, and spacey electric keyboard, Charles Tolliver and Gary Bartz’ spectral melody arrives in a swirling groove. Trumpeter Tolliver’s searching solo is inundated by Roach’s aggressive drum patterns, which Stanley Conwell adds thundering keyboard to. With the rhythm section in complete control, the brass players fight hard to state their intent on Absolutions.
Miles Davis | Deception | Birth of the Cool (1957)
Deception: the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid.
Jazz music’s Prince of Darkness spins a haunting cool-jazz melody on Deception. Recorded by Miles Davis as part of his Birth of the Cool sessions, this piece features prominent saxophone counter-melody and big drum hits. In perfecting his cool jazz techiniques, Davis’ lines wait on the back on the beat, allowing suspenseful space to emerge.
Adding Bill Barber’s tuba, JJ Johnson’s trombone, and Gerry Mulligan’s baritone saxophone, Davis recruits extra bass on this dark track.
Bobby Hutcherson | Components (1966)
Component: a part or element of a larger whole, especially a part of a machine or vehicle.The title track from vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson’s 1966 Components, this piece chugs forward with the help of Hutcherson’s entire ensemble. Drummer Joe Chambers acts as the engine in this piece, sputtering isolated solos while driving forward the piece’s melody. Trumpet extraordinaire Freddie Hubbard settles into this tune with a spirited hard-bop solo, exploring upper and lower registers with ease and dexterity.
Adding his component, saxophonist James Spaulding catapaults impressions of a unified melody into his solo, building ephemeral lyrical themes. Hutcherson continues Spaulding’s approach, and is backed by the perceptive Herbie Hancock on keys.
Charlie Parker | Ornithology (1946)
Ornithology: the study of birds
One of many cleverly-named Parker compositions, Ornithology’s title situates itself firmly on the saxophonists nickname: Bird. Not only self-referential, Ornithology seeks to study Parker’s craft in building bebop sound. The piece itself is a contrafact on “How High The Moon,” and twists academic chords and fast tempo over the traditional standard. Typical of Parker’s pieces, Ornithology tests his guest musician’s ability to hang on beats and swing together complex lines. The tune even includes a closing melodic repetition, which trumpet, saxophone, guitar, and piano parrot.
Elvin Jones | Anthropology | Dear John C. (1965)
Anthropology: the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past.A mellowed take of Charlie Parker’s composition, Elvin Jones’ Anthropology takes leisured post-bop walk through a storied classic. Jones’ sound is thematically reminiscent on this piece, featuring on the drummer’s tribute album to John Coltrane. Over the course of the tune, Jones’ percussion becomes more boisterous, falling into the traditions of the song’s bebop nature.
Thelonius Monk | Epistrophy | 1963 in Japan (1963)
Epistrophe: the repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases.Featuring repeated melodic phrases and a spirited relationship between sax and piano, Epistrophy swings up and down through Monk’s compositional genius. Originally written in 1941, this recording comes from Monk’s time in Japan with musicians Charlie Rouse on sax, Butch Warren on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums. Monk’s intrusive piano features prominently in this piece, even overlapping his own solo.
John Coltrane | Equinox | Coltrane’s Sound (1964)
Equinox: the time or date at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of approximately equal length.Measured and balanced, Coltrane’s sound rings through Equinox. Opening with establishing piano and tapping drums, the piece settles into a three-hit groove. Coltrane imposes himself with tranquility and confidence on this tune, focused on delivering coherent lyrical themes. An exhibition in the saxophonist’s deepest compositional certainty, Equinox stands tall as a piece of integrity.
Featuring McCoy Tyner on piano, this piece never distracts.
McCoy Tyner | Impressions | Trident (1975)
Impression: a mark impressed on a surface by something; or an idea, feeling, or opinion formed without conscious thought.Another Coltrane composition, McCoy Tyner’s explores the Impressions with fury and tilt eight years after Coltrane’s passing. A song frequently performed by the pair, this version has Tyner playing the central melody and plummeting left-hand piano drives. An inquiry into Coltrane’s contributions to the genre and a tribute to a frequent collaborator, Tyner’s Impressions is spirited and conscious.
Also featuring frequent Coltrane collaborator Elvin Jones on drums, this piece carries history and emotion.