Some New Stuff

Some New Stuff

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Offhand in title and inspiration, Lee Konitz's Some New Stuff is splendid evidence of the alto saxophone veteran's versatility. Konitz describes the session as the result of John Zorn's urging him to set up and play with the redoubtable team bassist Greg Cohen and drummer Joey Baron. The results are buoyant with an underlying crisp shove that recalls Konitz's fantastic Motion sessions. The tunes are, of course, every bit Konitz's. His viscous alto rises on Cohen's elastic bass and Baron's taut, chugging drums, but Konitz also finds all manner of small spaces to drop in notes and drop out altogether. The latter detail speaks to the altoist's lengthy career, all of which has prepared Konitz to make an ad hoc working band out of almost any set of musicians. Indeed, much here is in tribute to Konitz's cohort. "Lennie's" clearly invokes Tristano, and "For Atilla" nods to the late guitarist Atilla Zoller. Then there's "Debussy," which of course conjures one of Konitz's chief classical inspirations--and urges another listen to the great French Impressionist Music. Cohen and Baron sound perfectly at home here, as if they'd been jamming with Konitz for weeks on the road in preparation for Some New Stuff. --Andrew Bartlett

Some New Stuff,Lee Konitz,Greg Cohen,Joey Baron,Diw Records,Jazz,Jazz Music,Modern Creative,Pop,Post-Bop

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