Customer Reviews

Third Plane

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Herbie Hancock-piano
Ron Carter-bass
Tony Williams-drums

The all-star rhythm section for the former Miles Davis Quintet is represented here in a trio format.These guys came to play,and they pull out all the 'stops' for this session.Herbie presents some original tunes,and a great intepretation of 'Stella by Starlight'.The soloing is over the top.These three always play well together,and it is a real treat to here them in a trio setting.This comes very highly reccomended.Enjoy.Health and happiness.

I've only been listening to this side for a week or two now but man, this is happenin'! Of course its tony williams, ron carter, and herbie hancock. Actually I have spent more time listening to the last three tracks so far. I bought this cd because of the personel and because I was learning "Stella". United blues is super cool but way too short. (I had to replay it like a gizzilion times because it was so much fun) This version of Dolphin Dance is great!

I wish i could give this album 10 stars this album is classic Ron Carter and a allstar cast Ron Carter has played with MIles and on Tribe Called Quest Classic Low End Theory If like this you also must have Bass And I

I'm definitely with the "five-star" camp on this one! This is perhaps the most renowned jazz rhythm section of all time, anchoring Miles Davis' classic 1960s quintet, as well as many other desert-island-caliber classics like Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" and "Empyrean Isles". It blows my mind that any Amazon reviewer would feel even remotely qualified to put down Ron Carter's playing on this or any other date. It's like a high school student giving Shakespeare the thumbs down because he didn't enjoy reading Hamlet.

Simply put, this is a reunion of three geniuses. If you don't like it, fine, but don't presume to be in a position to pass judgment on it unless you are a jazz legend of similar stature to these musicians.

This album is not so good. The playing is decent, especially Hancock's-- he seems to be trying to breathe some life into these proceedings, and you just feel bad that he seems trapped within the confines of this group and these songs. But the three guys never really gel and get the magic going. They don't sound like they are playing together. Instead it sounds more like they are each doing their own thing.

Ron Carter is especially troublesome on this date. First of all he has that sound I call "70's bass." For some reason, a lot of the bass players in the 70's played with a very twangy, un-acoustic tone- they sounded as if they were playing an electric instrument, in fact. A lot of the plucking sounds like "boi-oi-oinng!" -- like a large metal spring getting sprung! To my ear, it is a horrible sound for the instrument, and makes a lot of jazz from the period difficult to like.

Secondly, Carter's playing is very overactive. The lingering influence of Scott LaFaro is overwhelming-- Carter does not so much as keep time, as he "comps" along, adding all kinds of noodling and superfluous extra notes. LaFaro was a genius at this style, but Carter is just not as subtle-- he's intrusive and, again, overactive. Furthermore, his solos are also just overflowing with all kinds of extra stuff- just way too many ideas and meandering all over the place.

Another problem with Third Plane is the tunes on this date. The guys do a nice job with Stella By Starlight-- perhaps the standard keeps them grounded and discourages the "noodling" I referred to earlier. But the other songs are just not enough to work with, and serve as mere jumping off points. This would be great if they jumped off in an exciting direction, but, again, most of the tracks just sound like meandering and noodling around, very little interplay, very little coherence to the group sound.

I really can't recommend this record at all. Maybe you want to download the Stella track and skip the rest.

Third Plane is one of my favorite jazz CD's. There might only be one or two that I've listened to more. It has an almost driving quality while still being laid back. I bought it years ago and I'll still put it in the CD player in my car and not take it out for over a month. I can't get sick of this album.

Ron Carter / Third Plane
Label: Milestone
Year: 1977
Track Title Downloads Available
1. Third Plane
2. Quiet Times
3. Lawra
4. Stella By Starlight
5. United Blues
6. Dolphin Dance