Search Chicago Jazz
Jazz Calendar
Christy Bennett
Dolce Casa Cafe
May 17th 2012
4947 North Damen Avenue
Chicago, Ill 60625
Cost: $Free
Get More Info
A Night in Tunisia
A Night in Tunisia
Date Posted: May 21 2010
Written By: kelly sill
|
 Bookmark it!
|
“A Night in Tunisia”
Art Blakey and
The Jazz Messengers
A Night at Birdland (1954) -
Blue Note Records
Personnel: Clifford Brown, trumpet; Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone; Horace Silver, piano; Curly Russell, bass; Art Blakey, drums
0:03 Blakey comes in like a
hurricane.
0:05 Curly joins him with
the classic line.
0:10 And Horace comes in––
it feels very bouncy.
0:15 And the Clifford is in. He is
really low in the mix.
0:32 Lou sounds more present.
0:41 This has really great energy…
0:52 …and Blakey really tearing
it up.
0:56 Curly sounds a little slow there.
1:06 A great break by Lou!
1:14 His sound fits the band
really well.
1:41 Dig Horace’s comping––
it’s really unorthodox.
1:48 Blakey doing a triplet
cross-sticking thing.
1:55 They’re really playing full-out
from the very beginning.
2:05 It’s a very organic band.
2:30 Yeah, the whole tone thing––they’re definitely paying attention.
2:55 For straight-ahead Horace is really doing something different.
3:07 And Blakey rolls Lou out.
3:16 Clifford starts pretty subtly.
3:28 He makes a stronger statement at the bridge, although the subtlety had an equal strength.
3:40 Wow, the rhythm section is really sitting level and letting Clifford play.
3:49 Curly doing an anticipated thing. They all caught it.
4:00 Now flat out again.
4:08 Nice, Horace!
4:22 Yeah, they keep plugging along.
4:29 Clifford showing some chops.
4:45 He sounds comfortable.
4:56 Curly and Blakey keep plugging along.
5:09 Nice phrasing out.
5:14 Horace starting with the whole tone scale.
5:26 He doesn’t have a lot of chops per se, but he plays like a composer––it always makes sense in a really nice way.
5:47 Like right there.
5:53 His swung eighth notes are also very even.
6:14 More whole tone.
6:28 He’s taking his time.
6:52 Nicely constructed.
7:00 More composition.
7:08 And now Blakey plays.
7:16 He grunts his own accompaniment.
7:27 A really nice solo, effectively breaking up the rhythms.
7:42 That solo was almost completely on the drums––
playing cymbals only at the end to set up the out-head.
7:54 And Curly again, with cowbell.
8:01 The out-head, just as strong as ever.
8:07 Clifford is hard to hear.
8:29 Blakey played the bridge.
8:43 Classic whole-tone hold.
8:56 Waiting––Blakey famously says, “Blow your horn” to Clifford.
9:09 And Blakey goes, bam!
9:19 Another great cut!
Bassist Kelly Sill once gave an explanation of what he calls the “god-essence” moments in jazz—those moments that transcend the music itself and form a spiritual connection between the artist and the listener. As a particular example of this, Sill notes that on a live recording of “Stella By Starlight” an audience member squeals with joy when Miles Davis plays two simple notes—zwee dot!—on his trumpet. The name “Zwee dot!” stuck, and is now the name of his column. Sill uses classic jazz cuts to share his “listening” with us.
Don't miss anymore Chicago Jazz Information.
Subscribe to Chicago Jazz magazine / Get A Free CD.
Subscribe to our Chicago Jazz weekly newsletter.
