Customer Reviews

What's New In The Tradition

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WHAT'S NEW IN THE TRADITION was recorded in May 1974, which places it in between CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS (recorded in November 1972), and FIVE PIECES 1975 (recorded July 1975). CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS and FIVE PIECES 1975 have artists, Sam Rivers (only on CONFERENCE), Dave Holland, and Barry Altschul, and Kenny Wheeler (only on FIVE PIECES)(FIVE PIECES 1975 is one of my very favorite albums, and in need of reissue in CD format.)

Hence, one might as this question, "Does WHAT'S NEW IN THE TRADITION resemble either of the other two albums?" The short answer is "no." WHAT'S NEW IN THE TRADITION is suitable for almost all kids, teenagers, and adults. While it might be suggested that CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS and FIVE PIECES 1975 are albums that are not for everyone, WHAT'S NEW IN THE TRADITION has the potential for a much broader audience.

WHAT'S NEW IN THE TRADITION has two discs, Disc 1 being 47 minutes long, and Disc 2 being 49 minutes long. The quality of the sound is first-rate. The sound is bright and not muddy. This is in contrast to Anthony Braxton's poorly engineered compact disc album, NEWS FROM THE 70s, which was created using a phonograph record, and a record player, and then transferring the analog sound from the record player to digital (you can hear the needle making its way along the groove).

WHAT'S NEW IN THE TRADITION contains a mixture of hard-bop and slower "dinner jazz," with a few novelties to spice things up. The cuts are outlined below. There are three instruments. Tete Montoliu is distinguished by a long career, and by having recorded with such artists as Johnny Griffin, Lionel Hampton, Roland Kirk, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Dexter Gordon, Bobby Hutcherson, Billie Higgins, Ben Webster, Albert Heath, and with many Spanish musicians who are likely to be household words only in Spain. On WHAT'S IN THE TRADITION, there are two versions of MARSHMALLOW, one being 7 minutes and 50 seconds, and the other, 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

MARSHMALLOW. This is a fast-paced hard-bop piece.

GOODBYE PORK PIE HAT. This has a bowed stringed bass and bass clarinet playing growls and squawks.

JUST FRIENDS. This is moderate-paced jazz.

ORNITHOLOGY. This is the classic standard from the jazz literature, played in a traditional be-bop style, but with a point of novelty, namely use of a bass clarinet. If you were ever wondering what ORNITHOLOGY might sound like if it was played using a tuned motorcycle, then this version will provide a perfect answer. Actually, the piece is somewhat amusing, and it invites repeated listenings. This version of ORNITHOLOGY is a novelty number. But then, one might also consider all of Toots Thielman's jazz recordings to be jazz novelty numbers.

LUSH LIFE. Slow dinner jazz.

TRANE'S BLUES. This is a happy sounding blues number.

WHAT'S NEW. Moderate paced jazz.

DUET. This has high pitches squeaks and bowed stringed bass.

BODY AND SOUL. Dinner jazz.

MARSHMALLOW. Fast-paced hard-bop.

DONNA LEE. Fast-paced jazz with a twist, namely, a bass clarinet.

MY FUNNY VALENTINE. Slow dinner jazz.

HALF NELSON. This is a quiet bepop piece.

To summarize, this is a beautiful 2-disc compilation. Only two of the tunes might prompt a warning, namely GOODBYE PORK PIE HAT and DUET. The warning is that most people would not consider the growling and squeaking to be particularly interesting or listenable. But let us be reminded of a famous quotation from Charles Ives, "Stand up and use your ears like a man!" With this quotation in mind, one might consider giving GOODBYE PORK PIE HAT and DUET a fair listening. At any rate, this 2-disc album provides an abundant quantity of bebop music. The piano-plaing is fat (adipose) and torrid, and Mr. Montoliu's approach reminds me of that of McCoy Tyner, for example, as found in McCoy Tyner's album, ECHOS OF A FRIEND.