Jeanne Lee, vocals
Billy Bang, violin
Peter Kowald, double bass, vocals
Andrew Cyrille, drums
1. Subway Couple (JL) 7:20 + Peace Choral (Jay Clayton) / Free Space (S. Freeman) 11:30 + Dance In Congo (BB) 10:30 + Gate Gate Paragate (PK) 9:30 (38:50)
2. No. 11 (AC) (22:11)
Recorded at the Jazznacht in Unna, Germany on September 26, 1992
(pre-fm)
All that i recorded of the Hampel/Lee Duo that far summer :
probably not the complete concerts.
Rec. live at "Teatro Tenda", Florence, on July 6 and at "Piazza
dei Cavalieri", Pisa, on July 10, 1978 (mics recording)
Gunter Hampel,vibraphone,bass clarinet,flute
Jeanne Lee,vocal
1. Florence #1 (12:24)
2. Florence #2 (09:34)
3. Florence #3 (11:42)
4. Florence #4 (11:05)
5. Pisa #1 (13:25)
6. Pisa #2 (11:24)
7. Pisa #3 (08:46)
Total Time 1:19:23
cd rip, 320 mp3, Columbia (France)
Number 2 from I Forgot Clifford. Who would have guessed that Ran would out pace Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley, Don Pullen ? A traditionalist with avant roots, he continues to present solo records with harmonic deconstructions of standards and older tunes. His discs with Braxton, Jeanne Lee and on Hatology brought him into the free zone. Many loved the Newest Sound
Around disc with this pairing. I think the reason there were so many downloads on this one was because for many bloggers this was a new discovery. I found it in France.... Enjoy and predict the next in the top ten.
Ran Blake - piano
Jeanne Lee - vocals
Ticket to Ride
Kind a sweet
Corocovado
Let's go
Ja-da
Bombastica
Lydiana
Crystal Trip
A Taste of Honey
Night and Day
I Can Tell
Take the A train
Living up to life
A Hard Day's Night
The Girl from Ipanema
Vanguard
Glaziation
You Stepped out of a dream
I can tell more
Desafinado
One note samba
Stars fell on Alabama
Just Friends
Free Standards
I'll remember April
Honeysuckle Rose
Stockholm 1966
I've been plainly delighted to see so many Jeanne Lee postings on this blog lately, so what else to do but to top it with yet another Jeanne Lee performance? This concert is nothing less than marvellous imho and here she is joined by a stellar crew as follows:
Jeanne Lee: voice
Milène Bey voice (tracks 3-5-6-7)
Mark Whitecage: as, fl, sound sculptures
Gunter Hampel: bar-sax, vibes, fl
Reggie Workman: b
Andrew Cyrille: dr
The tunes:
1. The Subway Couple [Lee] 06:52
2. Untitled ("Bruckner Boulevard") [Lee] 06:19
3. News Watch [aka "Dandelion Wine") [Robinson/Lee] 10:31
4. I like your style (voc/b/d only) [Bues/Lee] 04:31
5. untitled? ("No matter where you go...") [Bey] 04:56
6. Serenade for Marion Brown [Hampel/Lee] 17:28
7. Sun Dance [Lee] 10:14
Most of these tunes are what Jeanne Lee call "tone poems", at times mundane stories and events, even news items, set to jazz rhythms. Roped in here is the exquisite rhythm section of Reggie Workmnan and Andrew Cyrille who deliver a strong groove behind Jeanne's vocal improvisations. An added bonus of great significance is Milène Bey (see pic above), French of Martinique extraction, who followed a career in dance and music in NY in the 80s until she returned to her native Martinique in the mid-90s. She penned the fifth tune, performed in French, quite a tricky one, which Jeanne Lee doesn't quite get the hang of. Probably, with the benefit of hindsight, it would have been better to let Bey take the lead, but never mind.
My particular favourite is the 10-minute "News Watch" where Bey is joined by Bey providing a fine vocal counterpoint and with Workman right behind with some very expressive bass work and Cyrille plying the sticks lightly and elegantly. But all tunes are fine and on the final one, Bey gets to let loose on some daring vocalisations.
Jeanne Lee died in 2000 from cancer which would have been treated had she been able to afford medical insurance which she could not. Money makes the world go around, doesn't it? She would have been seventy on 29 January 2009 (so a belated 70th anniversary commemoration to her). History would have it that Milène Bey were to succumb to cancer in 2006 on Martinique.
Upped by ........... so a tip of the hat for that. This one goes out both in flac and mp3. I would advise downloaders to get the flacs, even if it may take a bit longer. Superb sound throughout. Pic of Jeanne Lee courtesy of Amir Bey who also happened to be Milène Bey's husband until their separation and her return to Martinique. Check out the fine web site at http://thenewtimesholler.com/index.html.
1989-April-14
Zürich, Rote Fabrik, 1989
Jeanne Lee,voc Jack Gregg,b Steve McCall,dr
1 Announcement Speaker 1:45
2 Bruckner Boulevard 6:17
3 Announcement JL / Subway Couple 9:15
4 I Like Your Style 5:10
5 Journey 9:18
6 Announcement JL / New's Watch (PerryRobinson,comp,JL,voc-solo) 8:04
Total Time: 39:54
Jeanne Lee - Solo
1990-May-11
Bremen, 1990
Jeanne Lee,voc
7 Title 5:35
8 Title / Announcement JL 3:00
9 Title 6:08
10 Title 5:01
11 Title 9:31
Total Time: 29:15
Another contribution from an Anonymous friend, i havent been able to find a cover image of this one, which seems to be one of the few earlier Birth albums that has not been reissued...although there is evidence that one online seller on Ebay has cdr's for sale.
A search here confirms it's unavailability
http://www.gunterhampelmusic.de/birth_records/birth037.html
Perhaps Hampel has chosen not to reissue this on the grounds that the original recording is so flat and one dimensional.
none the less the music is quite exceptional, a largely free improvised set ..its all more or less one free floating piece.
Great to hear Anthony Braxton on contra bass clarinet especially this vintage and setting... spine chilling stuff.
There is an ethereal quality to this wonderfully spacious set ..that could perhaps (heresy of heresie's) have used the slightly reverby ,crisp production values of a Manfred Eicher.
THANKS again anonymous for the opportunity to hear this unique combination of individuals in such a free wheeling setting.
ripped from vinyl at 320kbs
anon says...
ANTHONY BRAXTON / GUNTER HAMPEL / JEANNE LEE - FAMILIE
Concert In Paris, Theatre du Moffetard, April 1st, 1972
Birth LP, 008
GH - b cl, fl, vib, ss
JL - voc
AB - as, fl, cl, cb cl, ss
(ripped direct from LP - the muffled sound quality is unfortunately due to the lo-fi sound of the original recording)
