by Lara Pellegrinelli
Peggy Lee: "what Lara said." (Getty Images)
We're proud to introduce Lara Pellegrinelli to the roster of A Blog Supreme contributors. As a freelance journalist, Lara has been thinking about and reporting on jazz for some time: she earned her Ph.D. in ethnomusicology, with a concentration on jazz singing, and she's been a steady contributor to NPR. (A damn fine one, too.) From time to time, she'll be looking for inspiration in the New York jazz scene ... well, we'll let her explain in this introductory column. --Ed.
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I'm a New Yorker. And I've probably become a pretty snotty New Yorker at that. I mean, we're supposed to have everything here: the best restaurants, the leading trends in fashion, the tallest buildings. (And the highest rents.)
Don't forget the best jazz scene. No, that honor doesn't go to New Orleans, even though that city gave birth to the music. Then again, if you're reading this blog, I bet you already knew that.
Unfortunately, none of those things are really true about New York, though I'm glad it's at least possible to rent on the cheap in the way-outer boroughs. Well, sort of. As for the jazz scene, I find it far less troubling to think that New York might not have the greatest one on earth than the prospect that we do. And that this is it.
In the words of the immortal Peggy Lee, I keep asking myself: "Is that all there is?"
Continue reading "True Confessions Of An Ex-Jazz Lover" »
1:39 PM ET
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02- 4-2010
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by Patrick Jarenwattananon
The Bad Plus Dave King. (John Christenson)
He plays both piano and drums on Indelicate, out now, and bandmate Ethan Iverson is mock-outraged: "I AM THE PIANO PLAYER IN THE BAD PLUS NOT DAVE," he protests. Iverson also does a track-by-track recap at Do The Math. As for us, check out "Arts High Boogie," streaming below. In my listening to the whole record, it's clear that dude doesn't conform to any "stupid drummer" stereotypes. (You know, "What do you call a guy who hangs around musicians?" "A drummer!" etc.) Any Bad Plus fans who might have thought Ethan and Reid Anderson were the real writers of the group, and Dave just the ridiculous banger of percussive objects, will be pleasantly surprised. His compositional sense is jagged and unconventional, but you can hear a certain logic behind it -- kind of like The Bad Plus itself, really. Also, Dave plays in like three other bands: here's his Web site, and here's something tasty he's doing in his hometown. [Do The Math: Indelicate]
"Arts High Boogie," from Dave King, Indelicate (Sunnyside). Dave King, drums/piano. Minneapolis, Minn.: released Feb. 2010.
Purchase: Amazon.com / Amazon MP3 / iTunes
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Related At NPR Music: The Bad Plus, recorded live at the Village Vanguard on New Year's Eve. The Bad Plus, recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival 2009.
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02- 4-2010
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