New Sounds

Use this thread to reccomend sounds that others may not have discovered yet.

I`ll make a start with some jazz.

Personally, I have a deep love for `20s/`30s guitar duo Eddie Lang and Lonnie Johnson. Lang was an Italian American, a big-city kid whose dad made a living manufacturing hand-made stringed instruments. Lang was a stage-name, his real name was Sal Massaro. His playing partner was Black southern blues man Lonnie Johnson.

Lang`s work is generally seen as less jazzy than Johnson`s, though both had been backing musicians for Bessie Smith, Texas Alexander and others. Both were former violinists, and Lang at one time was primarily a banjo player. Johnson`s work is very individual, very fluid, very innovative,and his songwriting could be quite quirky.

I`d reccomend the first earlier Lang/Johnson collaborations and any decent Johnson compilation.

Relevant reading - The Guitar Players by James Sallis.

What sounds can others suggest (new/old/obscure/popular - anything we may have missed) ?

For a good guitar jazz overview may I recommend Proper Record's (out of the UK) Hittin' On All Six.

You may indeed, it`s an excellent collection.

Another possible purchase would be the Lang/Johnson Blue Guitars Vols 1 & 2, which features Lang and Johnson together and solo as well as a few other tracks from their careers featuring famous names such as Louis Armstrong, Eddie Condon, Jack Teagarden, Texas Alexander and Hoagy Carmichael. My copy was released in the mid-90s by a UK company called BGO (Beat Goes On). The sleeve notes are by Stan Britt, author of a book called The Jazz Guitarists.

While we`re on the subject, if you like the same sort of guitar-playing (fluid jazzy playing, a lot of single-note runs, minimal use of effects) as me, there are one or two players you might have missed. One obvious one is Ernest Ranglin, who spent the `60s having two separate careers in the Jamaican jazz and reggae scenes (not as unusual as you might think). He`s now very elderly but I believe still going strong. A similar player, but less well-known, was Trinidadian Lynn Tait - his first name was actually Nearlynn. He had a band called Lynn Tait and the Comets and did a lot of session work for producer Duke Reid.

Just two more - Tony Quarrington - more of a jazz artist - Canadian, I think. And John Kpiaye - a UK-based reggae guitarist known for his work with Dennis Bovell and LKJ. Put out an unjustly overlooked solo album called Red, Green and Blues or something like that.

I'm well acquainted with Ranglin and know of Tate. You got me on the other two.
Yes, an ability to move between popular scenes characterizes alot of musicians from that time period. If you look closely at alot of the early Atlantic Records catalogue, for instance, you'll find many second tier jazzmen backing up pop groups of the day. Sometimes you just need a paying gig.

Indeed.

Apart from the money of course (very welcome, I`m sure), a lot of musicians are keen to demonstrate versatility. Only too understandable in a rather insecure line of work - and in fact, what most of us do to stay employed, even in other fields of life.

John Kpiaye`s album is called Red, Gold and Blues. It was released on a lable owned by LKJ. You might know him from his `60s band The Cats (aka The Hustlin Kind) who had a cult hit with a ska version of Swan Lake !

Thanks for reminding me about Hitting On All Six, by the way, I`ve been listening to it while working lately - great stuff !

I'm not a jazz person, but I've discovered two very decent American guitar bands already in 2008, the Sub Pop label's Band of Horses, and the rather quirky Okkervil River, whom a journalist friend put me onto.

I've got a thing for experimental or avant-garde (at least at the time) jazz. My favorite is Thelonious Monk (specifically his albums Monk's Dream, and Misterioso).

I feel that jazz is by far the most free, inspired, and creative of all musical genres. Inherent in jazz is the ability to meld/combine, construct, destruct and extrapolate from classical, blues, rock, country, and folk themes. It took me until after high school to really appreciate jazz, and I'm glad that I explored the genre. I've got many more artists to discover, I'm sure.

Can one of you jazzbos direct me to a jazz project that consisted of a group of bass players? It was probably a one off deal. I heard it on the radio but didn't get the back announcement. Not much information to go on, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

There is a live thing which Ray Brown did with some new blood, John Clayton and Christian McBride. Superbass and Superbass 2.

There is also a recording from Bass Player magazine called Bass Day '98 featuring Victor Wooten, Michael Manring, Oteil Burbridge, etc.

Many thanks!