The 80th Birthday Concert

Last updated

The 80th Birthday Concert
George Russell 80th Birthday Concert.jpg
Live album by
George Russell & The Living Time Orchestra
Released2005
RecordedJune 2003
Genre Jazz
Label Concept
Producer George Russell
George Russell chronology
It's About Time
(1996)		The 80th Birthday Concert
(2005)		Things New
(2007)

The 80th Birthday Concert is a two-CD live album by George Russell released on the Concept label in 2005, featuring a performance by Russell with his Living Time Orchestra recorded in 2003. [1]

Contents

Despite having been named an NEA Jazz Master, and receiving MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, Russell was unable to arrange a United States tour for his ensemble on the occasion of his 80th birthday, and instead presented his celebratory concerts in Europe. [2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [4]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
All About Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]

In a review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow wrote: "The 80th Birthday Concert... stands as one of [Russell's] finest recordings and sums up much of his career... it is the sound of the passionate ensembles, the very original writing, and the spirit of the musicians and the ageless Russell that makes this a highly recommended set". [3]

The authors of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings awarded the album 4 stars, calling it "an unashamed celebration of some of Russell's greatest works, but also a valuable introduction to one of the most important bodies of work in modern jazz composition." [4]

The Guardian's John Fordham called the album "exuberant", and noted that the music "brought a Barbican crowd to their feet." [2]

Aaron Steinberg, writing for Jazz Times, praised the "strong solos from tenor saxophonist Andy Sheppard, guitarist Mike Walker and electrified trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg" on "Electronic Sonata" and "The African Game", but stated that the two closing works are "more charming." [6]

In a review for All About Jazz, Robert R. Calder awarded the album 4 stars, and commented: "Russell has never been interested in writing music for any specific audience. He's an intellectual and has feelings about all manner of serious issues. He doesn't compartmentalise, because he understands that metaphysics, ecology, boogaloo and technical analysis move together. Imagine a dancing philosopher." [5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by George Russell except as indicated.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Listen to the Silence" 6:09
2."Announcement" 0:27
3."Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature" 28:52
4."The African Game" 40:45
5."It's About Time" 12:22
6."So What" Miles Davis 17:36

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>Aura</i> (Miles Davis album) 1989 studio album by Miles Davis

Aura is a concept album by Miles Davis, produced by Danish composer/trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg, released in 1989. All compositions and arrangements are by Mikkelborg, who created the suite in tribute when Davis received the Léonie Sonning Music Prize in December 1984, the year Decoy was released. This was Miles Davis' final album released in his lifetime.

<i>The Birthday Concert</i> 1995 live album by Jaco Pastorius

The Birthday Concert is a live album by Jaco Pastorius released posthumously in 1995. It was recorded in Florida in 1981 to celebrate Pastorius' 30th birthday. Guests included his friends, such as Michael Brecker and the Peter Graves Orchestra.

<i>Pick Yourself Up with Anita ODay</i> 1957 studio album by Anita ODay

Pick Yourself Up with Anita O'Day is an album by Anita O'Day that was released in 1957. O'Day sings with the Buddy Bregman orchestra and with Harry "Sweets" Edison.

Mike Walker (jazz guitarist) Musical artist

Mike Walker is a British jazz guitarist.

<i>The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall</i> 1959 live album by Thelonious Monk

The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall is an album by Thelonious Monk, released in 1959. The concert included Hall Overton’s arrangements on Monk’s tunes.

<i>African Waltz</i> 1961 studio album by Cannonball Adderley

African Waltz is an album by jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, released on the Riverside label and performed by Adderley with an orchestra conducted by Ernie Wilkins. The title track had been a UK hit single for Johnny Dankworth.

<i>The London Concert</i> (George Russell album) 1990 live album by George Russell & The Living Time Orchestra

The London Concert is a live album by George Russell released on the French Label Bleu label in 1990, featuring performances by Russell with his Living Time Orchestra recorded at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in 1989. The Allmusic review by awarded the album 3 stars.

<i>The Ellington Suites</i> 1976 studio album by Duke Ellington

The Ellington Suites is an album by the American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington. It collects three suites recorded in 1959, 1971, and 1972, and was released on the Pablo label in 1976. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band in 1976. Ellington and Billy Strayhorn wrote "The Queen's Suite" for Queen Elizabeth II who was presented with a single pressing of the recording, which was not commercially issued during Ellington's lifetime.

<i>New Orleans Suite</i> 1970 studio album by Duke Ellington

New Orleans Suite is a studio album by the American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington, recorded and released on the Atlantic label in 1970. The album contains the final recordings of longtime Ellington saxophonist Johnny Hodges, who died between the album's two recording sessions. The album won a Grammy Award in 1971 for Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band.

<i>88 Basie Street</i> 1983 studio album by Count Basie

88 Basie Street is a 1983 studio album by Count Basie.

<i>First Time! The Count Meets the Duke</i> 1961 album by Duke Ellington

First Time! The Count Meets the Duke is an album by American pianists, composers and bandleaders Duke Ellington and Count Basie with their combined Orchestras recorded and released on the Columbia label in 1961.

<i>Yale Concert</i> 1973 live album by Duke Ellington

Yale Concert is an album by Duke Ellington, recorded at Woolsey Hall, Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut in 1968 and released on the Fantasy label in 1973.

<i>Streams of Expression</i> 2006 studio album by Joe Lovano

Streams of Expression is the 20th studio album by American jazz musician Joe Lovano to be released on the Blue Note label. It was released in 2006 and features a five-part "Streams of Expression Suite," three-part "Birth of the Cool Suite," and three other shorter works. The "Birth of the Cool Suite" was conducted by Gunther Schuller and utilizes melodic themes inspired by Miles Davis' work from his 1948 and 1950 nonet. The album also features George Garzone, Ralph Lalama, Gary Smulyan, and Tim Hagans.

<i>Theatre</i> (album) 1984 studio album by George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band 83

Theatre is an album by Swiss pianist, composer, and arranger George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band '83 recorded in 1983 and released on the ECM label.

<i>1929–1933</i> 1990 compilation album by Henry "Red" Allen and His Orchestra

1929–1933 is a 1990 compilation album collecting material recorded by Henry "Red" Allen and his orchestra during the years 1929 to 1933. The first of five CDs released by Chronological Classics, the album is rated part of the "core collection" by the Penguin Guide to Jazz. Allen and Coleman Hawkins shared leadership of the band.

<i>Adventures in Time</i> 1962 studio album by Stan Kenton

Adventures in Time is an album by the Stan Kenton Orchestra featuring compositions by Johnny Richards recorded in 1962 and released by Capitol Records.

<i>Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra</i> 1965 album by Stan Kenton

Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra is an album by bandleader Stan Kenton recorded in 1965 by Capitol Records.

<i>In My Time</i> (Gerald Wilson album) 2005 studio album by Gerald Wilson Orchestra

In My Time is an album by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra recorded in 2005 and released on the Mack Avenue label.

<i>More Than You Know</i> (Dexter Gordon album) 1975 studio album by Dexter Gordon & Orchestra

More Than You Know is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon with an Orchestra arranged and conducted by Palle Mikkelborg recorded in 1975 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label.

Coming About is an album by composer, arranger, and conductor Maria Schneider and her orchestra that was released in 1996 by Enja Records.

References

  1. ↑ "George Russell - The 80th Birthday Concert". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Fordham, John (October 20, 2005). "George Russell Living Time Orchestra: The 80th Birthday Concert". The Guardian. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Yanow, Scott. "George Russell: The 80th Birthday Concert". AllMusic. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. p. 1250.
  5. 1 2 Calder, Robert R. (September 16, 2006). "George Russell Living Time Orchestra: The 80th Birthday Concert". All About Jazz. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  6. ↑ Steinberg, Aaron (December 1, 2005). "George Russell and the Living Time Orchestra: The 80th Birthday Concert". Jazz Times. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.