Mal Waldron - Mal Waldron [Thanks a million, MALsan]

barabara sounds sez:

The late great Mal Waldron toured Japan quite a lot, especially from the 1980s. The 10 tracks on this album were recorded between 1995 and 1999. All feature Mal playing solo live, though you'd hardly know it until you hear the applause at the end of track 9. 

The album was put together as an homage by producer Ito Hideharu of 3361*Black Records and issued posthumously in 2003 through Tokuma Records.


There's another track Mal recorded in Japan, that comes to mind on this day (August 5). It's from the album Travellin' in Soul-Time, with Jeanne Lee and Toru Tenda... Black Rain

tracks:
Django; The Seagulls Of Kristiansund; My Foolish Heart; My One And Only Love; When Sunny Gets Blue; I Should Care; Remember; I Didn't Know What Time It Was; You Don't Know What Love Is; Left Alone

issued on 3361*Black (J) TKCK 3012

The Teddy Charles Tentet

barabara sounds sez:

I'll come clean: I don't know much (well, I didn't until I lucked on this album) about the 'legendary' Teddy Charles. But I do know good album art when I see it. And I do know that if you've got arrangements of Gil Evans and George Russell, and you've got Art Farmer and Mal Waldron in the band, it's got to be more than just good. And it is. And looking at who he played with and produced (see down below), that's enough to want to make you explore his whole back catalog. Highlights (IMHO) on this album are The Emperor and the final track, the Russell number. 

amg sez:

Most of this CD features vibraphonist Teddy Charles heading an advanced tentet in 1956, a unit including the likes of trumpeter Art Farmer, altoist Gigi Gryce, tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose, pianist Mal Waldron, and guitarist Jimmy Raney. The arrangements of George Russell ("Lydian M-1"), Gil Evans (a year before Miles Ahead), Jimmy Giuffre, Mal Waldron, and Charles are quite advanced but often leave room for some swinging spots. The final three selections on the CD are actually taken from a slightly later album. Of these, "Blue Greens" is a change of pace, a quartet outing for Charles, pianist Hall Overton, bassist Charles Mingus, and drummer Ed Shaughnessy. All in all, this CD is pretty definitive of Teddy Charles' more adventurous music of the 1950s and it grows in interest with each listening. 

atlas arts sez:

The legendary Teddy Charles, considered to be one of the great jazz vibraphonists and composers of all time, makes his Atlas debut with his tentet...The legendary performer has played with jazz icons such as Charlie Mingus, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis in addition to recording numerous albums. In 2008, after an extended hiatus in which Charles lived at sea, he returned full force to the jazz scene with performances in the US, a tour in the Netherlands and a new studio recording, Dances with Bulls.

Trivia: 

On the original album release, Art Farmer was listed under the peudonym Peter Urban.

Plenty more on Teddy Charles' current projects at
his own web site here...

Mal Waldron Trio - Spring in Prague + No More Tears for Lady Day

barabara sounds sez:  

More Mal – in fact a double-header, both featuring his trio with John Betsch and Paulo Carduso, both recorded in Germany and issued in Japan on the Alfa label.

No More Tears (recorded Nov.'88) is all mellow and introspective, like Mal is still feeling the grief all those years later. Whereas Spring in Prague (Feb.'90) is infused with much more vigor, reflecting the upheaval that had been going on in Eastern Europe in the previous year. Check out 'We demand' and 'Let us live': these are strong statements. In contrast, the title track is softer, an elegy no doubt looking back at the events in Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Apart from the allmusic review of No More Tears, there's very little out there about either of these albums – such as whether No More Tears came out first on Alfa or Timeless – so if anyone has any info, let's hear from you.

allmusic (Steve Loewy) sez:  

Not to be confused with the trio session recorded in the early '70s, Blues for Lady Day, this recording takes the same familiar trio format to revisit several tunes associated with Billie Holiday, as well as a few written in her memory by Waldron. The pianist is in a somber mood, perhaps because of the theme, though his performance is up to his usually high standards. A master of understatement, Waldron favors lingering chords that hang laconically even with the faster tempos. He rarely inserts an unneeded note, but instead concentrates on total sound. Drummer John Betsch brings out the best in each tune, pushing Waldron when appropriate. Bassist Paulo Cardoso makes little impression, particularly as a soloist, where he sometimes appears trapped by the structures of the songs. He is more successful as an accompanist. The delightful ambience of the trio results in a laid-back atmosphere that soothes and calms. A fine antidote to a stressful world and a lovely tribute to Lady Day.

Mal Waldron - My Dear Family

barabara sounds sez:

The great Mal in somber mood here on this late-period (1993) offering. Apart from the opening track – a fine take on Footprints featuring some nice work by Grover Washington Jr (yes indeed) – just about everything is slowed down and very introspective. Just perfect for an overcast rainy-season afternoon or in the wee hours with a bottle of good whiskey at your elbow...

Allmusic seems to think it's a bit of a downer, but the cd universe reviewer gets it spot on. Make your own mind up, though. Note: this is the JP version that was issued on the Alfa label, hence the different artwork – if "art" is the right word for this handsome scribble with crayons :-)

a review on cd universe sez:

Yet another exemplary set by pianist and composer Mal Waldron. The core trio (Waldron, drummer Pheeroan akLaff, bass player Reggie Workman) is occasionally augmented by trumpet player Eddie Henderson and Grover Washington Jr. The opening number – the only one to include all five players – is a bracing arrangement of Wayne Shorter's Footprints. It's followed by Waldron's own Left Alone, a composition he originally performed with Billie Holiday in the '50s. The set is a judicious mix of Waldron originals and smartly surprising covers (including Jean Pierre by Miles Davis). The production is clear and warm, with a natural ambiance and full sonic range.

allmusic (matt collar) sez:

It is a joy to hear him (Washington) stretch out a bit on this straight-ahead session. His supple tone mixes well with trumpeter Eddie Henderson and both musicians take full harmonic advantage of performing with the moody and expansive Waldron. The only disappointment here is the overall somber quality of the selections. Despite an inspired version of Footprints and an unexpected choice in the funky Jean Pierre, the album lags... Waldron could have earned more kudos with his inclusion of the Japanese traditional song "Sakura Sakura" – an interesting foray into world jazz – if he had only bookended it with some bright up-tempo numbers. Still, this is a superbly performed album by stellar, world-class musicans and should please most hardcore jazz fans.

personnel:

Mal Waldron: piano; Eddie Henderson: trumpet, flugelhorn; Pheeroan akLaff: drums; also Grover Washington, Jr.: soprano sax

track listing:

Footprints; Left Alone; Sassy; Sakura Sakura; Here's That Rainy Day; Jean-Pierre; Red Shoes;My Dear Family