Live at Birdland (Lee Konitz album)

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Live at Birdland
Live at Birdland (album cover).jpg
Live album by Lee Konitz
Released June 7, 2011
Recorded December 9–10, 2009
Genre Jazz
Label ECM

Live at Birdland is an album by saxophonist Lee Konitz, with pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Paul Motian.

Lee Konitz American jazz musician and composer

Lee Konitz is an American composer and alto saxophonist.

Brad Mehldau American musician

Bradford Alexander "Brad" Mehldau is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.

Charlie Haden American bassist

Charles Edward Haden was an American jazz double bass player, bandleader, composer and educator whose career spanned more than fifty years. In the late 1950s, Haden was an original member of the ground-breaking Ornette Coleman Quartet.

Contents

Background

Three of the four musicians on this album – Konitz, Mehldau, and Haden – had recorded together in 1996 and 1997. [1]

Music and recording

All six tracks are standards. [2] The album was recorded at New York's Birdland club on December 9 and 10, 2009. [3] No set list was used; instead, "Konitz or Mehldau would back his way into a classic of his choosing, and the others would join in". [4]

Birdland (New York jazz club) jazz club

Birdland is a jazz club started in New York City on December 15, 1949. The original Birdland, which was located at 1678 Broadway, just north of West 52nd Street in Manhattan, was closed in 1965 due to increased rents, but it re-opened for one night in 1979. A revival began in 1986 with the opening of the second nightclub by the same name that is now located in Manhattan's Theater District, not far from the original nightclub's location. The current location is in the same building as the previous New York Observer headquarters.

Critical reception

Reviews of the album were mixed. The Daily Telegraph suggested that "Konitz's solos are masterly in their economy, but one senses the other players lowering their voices in respect." [5] John Fordham was enthusiastic, and described it as a "captivating live set". [6]

<i>The Daily Telegraph</i> British daily broadsheet newspaper

The Daily Telegraph, commonly referred to simply as The Telegraph, is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was founded by Arthur B. Sleigh in 1855 as Daily Telegraph & Courier.

John Fordham is a British jazz critic and writer. As well as being the main jazz critic for The Guardian, he publishes a monthly column for the newspaper. He is the author of several books on jazz, and has reported on it for publications including Time Out, City Limits, Sounds, Jazz UK and The Wire. He is a former editor of Time Out, City Limits and Jazz UK. He has contributed to documentaries for radio and television, as well as regularly to BBC Radio 3's programme Jazz on 3.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Daily Telegraph Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [6]

Track listing

  1. "Lover Man" – 12:05
  2. "Lullaby Of Birdland" – 12:05
  3. "Solar" – 11:39
  4. "I Fall in Love Too Easily" – 10:17
  5. "You Stepped out of a Dream" – 11:49
  6. "Oleo" – 15:19

Personnel

Paul Motian American musician

Stephen Paul Motian was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer. Motian played an important role in freeing jazz drummers from strict time-keeping duties.

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Solar (composition)

"Solar" is a musical composition attributed to Miles Davis from the studio album Walkin' (1954) and is considered a modern jazz standard. The tune has been played and recorded by many musicians, including his former bandmates Bill Evans, Dave Holland, Keith Jarrett, Lee Konitz, and Jack DeJohnette.

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References

  1. ↑ Dryden, Ken "Lee Konitz – Another Shade of Blue". AllMusic. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Freeman, Phil "Lee Konitz / Brad Mehldau / Charlie Haden / Paul Motian Live at Birdland". AllMusic. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Live at Birdland – Project" (December 5, 2016). ECM Records.
  4. ↑ Beuttler, Bill (May 17, 2011) "Lee Konitz/Brad Mehldau/Charlie Haden/Paul Motian – Live at Birdland". JazzTimes.
  5. 1 2 Hewett, Ivan (June 9, 2011) "Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian: Live at Birdland, CD Review". The Daily Telegraph.
  6. 1 2 Fordham, John (May 12, 2016) "Lee Konitz/Brad Mehldau: Live at Birdland – Review". The Guardian.
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