Ran Blake: The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note [7CD]

Avant Jazz /Pianistyka Jazzowa
premiera polska: 07.03.2022
kontynent: Ameryka Północna
kraj: USA
opakowanie: Cardboardowe etui
opis:
Black Saint/Soul Note - kolekcjonerskie wznowienia nagrań z katalogu wytwórni, które przez 20 lat wyznaczały kierunki rozwoju muzyki free jazzowej i awangardowej!


multikulti.com:
Ran Blake to legendarny już amerykański pianista, kompozytor i pedagog. Urodził się w roku 1935 w Springfield, Massachusetts, ale dorastał w Suffield, w Connecticut. Naukę gry na fortepianie rozpoczął jeszcze będąc dzieckiem i kontynuował w Bard College w Nowym Jorku, który to ukończył w roku 1960. Z tamtych lat datuje się znajomość z Jeanne Lee, z którą przez wiele kolejny lat występował na scenie. Równocześnie uczył się także w School of Jazz w Lenox (Massachusetts), gdzie poznał m.in.. Johna Lewisa, Oscara Petersona i Gunthera Schullera. I to właśnie na zaproszenie tego ostatniego rozpoczął koncertową i nagraniową działalność oraz wkroczył w świat wielkich sław muzyki jazzowej.

Blake znany jest ze swojego unikalnego stylu, który łączącego bluesa, gospel, muzykę klasyczną oraz ciemne brzmieniem jazzu. Od późnych lat sześćdziesiątych, dzięki poparciu Guntera Schullera, jest profesorej w New England Conservatory gdzie stworzył autorską katedrę Department of Third Stream, przemianowaną później na Department of Contemporary Improvisation. Jego wychowankami są m.in.. Don Byron, Matthew Shipp, John Medeski, Grayson Hugh oraz Yitzhak Yedid. Jest laureatem nagród Guggenheima (1982) oraz fundacji MacArthura (1988).

Zebrane w boksie, zarejestrowane dla włoskiej wytwórni Soul Note nagrania powstały w przeciągu 25 lat - pomiędzy 1980, a 2005 rokiem. Nie są to oczywiście wszystkie płyty jakie Blake zrealizował w tym okresie, ale te bardzo cenione i zróżnicowane nagrania mogą być świetnym (i bardzo pięknym) wstępem do przebogatej twórczości tego wybitnego muzyka i improwizatora.
Editor's info:
THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE is a monographic box-set collection aimed at recounting the most beautiful chapters that revolutionised the history of jazz. This new series was launched in March 2010 with the simultaneous release of four box-sets, including albums by some of the artists who participated in the success of the outstanding labels. A philological work, beginning with the original recordings on multi-track master tapes, patiently integrally remastered paying strict attention to the sound quality.

Pianist Ran Blake first came into prominence in the 60s – as one of the most striking, most inventive modern players of his generation – but unfortunately, his time on record wasn't always as great as his talents – until the Black Saint/Soul Note label corrected that with this great run of records from the 80s and 90s! This box brings together all of Blake's work for the label – a total of seven albums, each presented here in their original album cover art., as tiny record sleeves in a larger box that includes the albums Improvisations, Duke Dreams, Suffield Gothic, Shoft Life Of Barbara Monk, Epistrophy, Umarked Van, and Indian Winter. Duke Dreams and Epistrophy are solo albums – with Blake extrapolating on ideas from Ellington and Monk, respectively. Improvisations features beautiful spontaneous creations with pianist Jaki Byard – and Suffield Gothic is another striking duet album, with especially creative work from tenorist Houston Person. Short Life Of Barbara Monk features a quartet with Ricky Ford on tenor – and the set's completed by two more duet albums – Unmarked Van with Tiziano Tononi, and Indian Winter with David Knife Fabris.

"Improvisations"
"This very interesting release matches together Ran Blake and Jaki Byard in a set of piano duets. Because Byard (who can play credibly in virtually every jazz style) is highly flexible, he was able to meet Blake on his own terms and inspire him to play more extrovertedly than usual. Their seven collaborations (a pair of standards, one recent obscurity, Blake's "Wende" and three songs co-written by the pianists) have their playful moments, are quite exploratory, and always hold one's interest. In other words, this matchup works." (source: AllMusic.com, S. Yanow)

"Duke Dreams"
"Although Ran Blake plays nine Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn songs on this set (plus his own "Duke Dreams," Dave Brubeck's "The Duke," and the ancient and rather delightful "Animal Crackers," which Ellington recorded in 1926), he does not try to emulate the masters; instead, Blake interprets their music on his own terms, making each note count and each performance into a dramatic solo recital. While hinting at Duke's piano style, Ran Blake often reharmonizes and greatly reinvents his music, including such pieces as "Drop Me Off in Harlem," "It Don't Mean a Thing," and "Take the 'A' Train." Highly recommended."
(source: AllMusic.com, S. Yanow)

"Suffield Gothic"
"On four of the nine selections of this otherwise solo piano set, Ran Blake duets with the warm and soulful tenor of Houston Person. Rather than playing some blues or standards (all of the solo pieces are well-known), Person and Blake surprisingly explore four of the pianist's quirky originals, and the unusual matchup turns out quite well. Other highlights include Blake's transformations of "Pete Kelly's Blues," "Old Man River" and "Stars and Stripes Forever," plus a medley of tunes played in tribute to Mahalia Jackson. No Ran Blake record is ever dull."
(source: AllMusic.com, S. Yanow)

"Short Life Of Barbara Monk"
"Ran Blake has recorded fairly often during his career, but this was his first full set with a standard quartet. Tenor saxophonist Ricky Ford works surprisingly well with Blake, whose phrasing and use of space are unusual, while his interpretations are sometimes based on the feeling he gets from song titles rather than the chord changes. Bassist Ed Felson and drummer Jon Hazilla (former students) were very familiar with Blake's music. The repertoire is as unusual as usual for a Ran Blake date, including "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Artistry in Rhythm," obscurities, and originals including the emotional "Short Life of Barbara Monk." Another intriguing Ran Blake set."
(source: AllMusic.com, S. Yanow)

"Epistrophy"
"Ran Blake's re-interpretations of 12 Thelonious Monk songs and four standards that Monk enjoyed playing are quite different than everyone else's. He states the basic melody but, rather than improvising off the chord changes, Blake's flights on these solo piano performances stay close to the mood of the melodies, alternating silence with unexpected emotional flurries."
(source: AllMusic.com, S. Yanow)

"Unmarked Van (A Tribute To Sarah Vaughan)"
This is certainly an off-the-wall tribute. Ran Blake, a very individual pianist who often emphasizes the melodies and emotions of standards while stripping the songs of their chord sequences, pays homage to Sarah Vaughan. While Ran Blake is an introverted improviser prone to surprise explosions at the piano, Sassy was extroverted and never shy about show off her incomparable technique. Blake simply plays in his own distinctive style…; drummer Tiziano Tononi, although listed as only being on one song, actually helps out on several tracks (#7-10-18-19). This moody and melancholy yet strangely celebratory set will stay in one's memory long after the CD has been played.
(source: All Music Guide - S. Yanow)

"Indian Winter"
"The relationship that Blake imagines-- between songs, films, events in his life, and other experiences-- and makes into music are never explained. But inferred and implicit suggestions-- echoes of a distant waltz, a soft footstep on the stairs, a furtive glance across the room, a warm breeze ruffling curtains in front of an open window-- are infinitely more evocative and engaging than stated facts. He never develops or embellishes his material in the conventional way; typically, understatement and labyrinth or elliptical phrasing are his means at hand, and when he lingers a while longer, it is an act of deep contemplation. What gives his music its formal coherence and dramatic power is, like that of any great film director or, for that matter, historian, is his vision".
(source: from the CD's liner notes by Art. Lange)

muzycy:
CD1: IMPROVISATIONS:
JAKI BYARD, piano
RAN BLAKE, piano
Milan, Italy, May 25 & 26, 1981

CD2: DUKE DREAMS
RAN BLAKE, solo piano
Milan, Italy, May 27 & June 2, 1981

CD3: SUFFIELD GOTHIC
HOUSTON PERSONM tenor sax
RAN BLAKE, piano
New York, September 28 & 29, 1983

CD4: SHORT LIFE OF BARBARA MONK
RAN BLAKE, piano
RICKY FORD, tenor sax
JON HAZILLA, drums
ED FELSON, bass
Carlisle, MA, August 26, 1986

CD5: EPISTROPHY
RAN BLAKE, solo piano
Milan, Italy, April 19 & 20, 1991

CD6: UNMARKED VAN ( A TRIBUTE TO SARAH VAUGHAN)
RAN BAKE, piano
TIZIANO TONONI, drums
Milan, Italy, December 14, 15 & 17, 1994

CD7: INDIAN WINTER
DAVID FABRIS, electric guitar
DAN BLAKE, piano
Milan, Italy, November 29 & 30, 1999

utwory:
CD 1: Jaki Byard / Ran Blake "Improvisations"
1. On Green Dolphin...
2. Prelude
3. Chromatics
4. Wende
5. Tea For Two
6. Victoria
7. Sonata For Two...

Jaki Byard, piano
Ran Blake, piano

CD 2: Ran Blake "Duke Dreams"
1. Duke Dreams
2. Something To Live...
3. Me And You [take 1]
4. Drop Me Off In...
5. The Duke
6. Blue Rose
7. It Don't Mean A...
8. Black And Tan Fantasy
9. Animal Crackers
10. Me And You [take 2]
11. Sophisticated Lady
12. Take The A Train.

Ran Blake, solo piano

CD 3: Ran Blake / Houston Person "Suffield Gothic"

1. Curtis
2. Pete Kelly's Blues
3. There's Been A Change in My Life
4. Vanguard
5. Old Man River
6. Tribute To Mahalia.
7. Indian Winter
8. Stars And Stripes Forever
9. Midnight Local to Tate County

Houston Person tenor sax
Ran Blake, piano

CD 4: Ran Blake Quartet "Short Life Of Barbara Monk"
1. I've Got You Under My Skin
2. Una Matica De Ruda 1
3. Artistry In Rhythm
4. Una Matica De Ruda 2
5. In Between
6. Short Life Of Barbara Monk
7. Impresario Of Death
8. 23 Degrees North, 82 Degrees West
9. Dark
10. Vradiazi
11. Pourquoi, Laurent?

Ran Blake, piano
Ricky Ford, tenor sax
Jon Hazilla, drums
Ed Felson, bass

CD 5: Ran Blake "Epistrophy"
1. Epistrophy
2. Thelonious
3. April In Paris
4. Off Minor
5. Criss-Cross
6. Reflections
7. Epistrophy
8. Round About Midnight
9. Hornin' In
10. Just A Gigolo
11. Nice Work If You Can Get It
12. Ruby My Dear
13. Monk's Mood
14. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
15. Eronel
16. Misterioso
17. Epistrophy

Ran Blake, solo piano

CD 6: Ran Blake / Tiziano Tononi "Unmarked Van (A Tribute To Sarah Vaughan)"
1. Sarah
2. My Reverie
3. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child)
4. Tenderly (take 1)
5. Make Yourself Comfortable.
6. Tenderly (take 2)
7. Solitary Sunday
8. My Man's Gone Now.
9. Old Devil Moon
10. Portrait Of Roy Haynes
11. Whatever Lola Wants
12. Wallflower Waltz
13. Tenderly (take 3)
14. April (take 1)
15. April ([take 2)
16. Call Me
17. Moonlight On The Ganges
18. The Girl From Ipanema
19. Stompin' At The Savoy
20. A Little Tear
21. Setembro
22. The Unmarked Van.
23. Tenderly (take 4)

Ran Bake, piano
Tiziano Tononi, drums


CD 7: Ran Blake / David Fabris "Indian Winter"
1. Spiral Staircase.
2. You've Changed
3. Duality
4. Streetcar Named Desire
5. You And I
6. Merci Bon Dieu
7. Homage To Alfred Hitchcock
8. Georgia
9. When Marlon Meets Bird
10. Incident At Atocha (blue potato)
11. Madrid
12. Certi Angoli Segreti
13. Indian Winter
14. I Say A Little Prayer For You
15. Speak Low
16. Sadness
17. Baby Be Mine
18. Marqueson's Chicken
19. You've Changed
20. Mood Indigo
21. All Or Nothing at All
22. Hallelujah, I Love Her So
23. Brazil

David Fabris, electric guitar
Ran Blake, piano

total time - 5h 19min 17s
wydano: 2015
more info: www.CamJazz.com