Dave Douglas: In Our Lifetime (New World/Countercurrents 80471-2), Stargazer (Arabesque Jazz AJ0132) and Charms of the Night Sky (Winter and Winter 910 015-2).Dave Douglas: In Our Lifetime (New World/Countercurrents 80471-2), Stargazer stargazer, common name for any of several species of marine fishes of the family Uranoscopidae, found in southern waters, and having the mouth, nostrils, and eyes set high in the head. Stargazers lie buried in the sand, waiting for their prey of small crustaceans. (Arabesque arabesque (ărəbĕsk`) [Fr.,=Arabian], in art, term applied to any complex, linear decoration based on flowing lines. In Islamic art it was often exploited to cover entire surfaces. Jazz AJ0132) and Charms of the Night Sky (Winter and Winter 910 015-2) As a letter in this issue's Forum points out, trumpeter Dave Douglas is starting to gather quite a following; indeed, it is unusual to encounter an artist who is so widely recorded yet still has a reputation as something of an undiscovered, under-appreciated cult figure cult figure n → idole f cult figure cult n → Kultfigur f cult figure n → idolo . I know I can't keep up with the man -- no sooner had I gathered together these three fairly recent recordings to see what all the fuss was about (actually, I gathered two of them before Mr. Currence's letter arrived, then picked up the third at the library to widen my perspective a bit more). Those not sleeping through this class may have already noted, for example, that these three recordings are on three different labels. For someone "deserving wider recognition," Dave Douglas certainly seems to have no problem getting recorded. Go figure. In Our Lifetime, which was recorded in 1995, is meant as something of a tribute to Booker Little Booker Little, Jr (2 April, 1938 in Memphis, Tennessee – 5 October, 1961 in New York City, New York) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. Despite his premature death at age 23, Little made an important contribution to the jazz music. , while Stargazer, recorded in 1997, features the same band (Douglas on trumpet, Chris Speed Chris Speed (b. Seattle, Washington, 1967) is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. [1] He studied classical piano from the age of five, and began clarinet at eleven. In high school he took up the tenor saxophone and began studying jazz. on tenor sax and clarinet, Joshua Roseman on trombone trombone [Ital.,=large trumpet], brass wind musical instrument of cylindrical bore, twice bent on itself, having a sliding section that lengthens or shortens it and thus regulates the pitch. The descendant of the sackbut, it was developed in the 15th cent. , Uri Caine on piano, James Genus on bass, and Joey Baron on drums) in "music by and for Wayne Shorter." Although I tried -- I really did, I really tried -- to get to like these two recordings, I found both of them for the most part quite tedious. Both CDs had some interesting moments, but both of them sounded overly earnest and overly busy, with drummer Baron especially overplaying his part, especially on Stargazer. I think I could maybe have enjoyed that CD had a different, more subtle drummer been employed, but in the end, both these recordings simply wore out my patience. Charms of the Night Sky, released in 1998, features Douglas in a different musical setting, this time as a member of an acoustic quartet along with Guy Klucevsek on accordion, Mark Feldman on violin, and Greg Cohen cohen or kohen (Hebrew: “priest”) Jewish priest descended from Zadok (a descendant of Aaron), priest at the First Temple of Jerusalem. The biblical priesthood was hereditary and male. on bass. The music is lyrical and expressive, serene yet energetic, and very involving. A wonderful recording, and one certainly deserving wider recognition. Perhaps I will pick up those two new recordings after all and report on them in a future installment ... |
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