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"HiGH ▀ iNTELLiGeNCE tRoLLS"
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a r t i s t : Steve Swallow Ohad Talmor Sextett
t i t l e : L'Histoire du Clochard
d a t e : 2004
l a b e l : Palmetto Records PM-2103
g e n r e : Jazz
r l s. d a t e : Sep/2004
t r a c k s : 07
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 80,2 MB
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Steve Swallow and Ohad Talmor
a very fresh and expansive exploration, that exists in its own
context, on its own terms, which is as it should be, when an
enigma meets a cipher on the outer edge of imagination.
- Matt Balitsaris, Palmetto Records
Steve Swallow and Ohad Talmor met in 1995 when they played
together in a band of a Swiss trumpeter. They immediately felt
an affinity for each other's musical approach and sounds and
kept in touch. A while later, they found themselves playing
together again in a band of a different Swiss trumpeter and
finally talked about working together in a unique way.
L'Histoire Du Clochard (The Bum's Tale) is the entrancing
result. The recording came about when Talmor proposed that he
rearrange SwallowÆs compositions. Swallow recalls:
Ohad warned me when he proposed L'Histoire that he didn't
intend to treat my pieces nicely. As IÆd developed a high
regard for his musicality, I told him to have his way. And so
he has. HeÆs found startling means to move these pieces
forward, to send the music in directions I hadn't imagined.
Think how exciting it would be to find your work radically
transformed. You should call him up, ask him to do the same for
you.
Combining Talmor's training in the classical world and
Swallow's lyricism, L'Histoire feels like a full-scale symphony
in motion. In fact, Talmor bases his arrangements on the
foundation of StravinskyÆs ôSoldierÆs Tale,ö using the same
orchestration but without percussion. Instead of bassoon,
Talmor û a versatile saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and
arranger û plays tenor saxophone. Ultimately the project
reveals a side of SwallowÆs composing thatÆs rarely heard.
Talmor comments:
How do you arrange what came out fully realized? Each one of
Steve's pieces is a perfect and organic musical world in
itself. Along with the music of other jazz greats such as Monk,
Ellington or Wayne Shorter who all created their own
vocabulary, Steve's universe is one of depth, sophistication
and as I feel it, innocence. It draws from the whole jazz
tradition yet clearly is its own creation. So in a sense, there
is so much already there that one has just to open the door and
feast, and that I did.ö
ABOUT STEVE SWALLOW
Steve Swallow may be the greatest electric bassist in jazz.
Certainly music critics seem to think so as he has placed first
in the electric bass category in DownbeatÆs annual criticsÆ
poll every year since 1983 and in the Downbeat readersÆ poll
every year since 1985. HeÆs also been voted best in the
JazzTimes poll for electric bassist. No other musician has
experienced such devotion in any category in either poll. That
devoted following extends even to hip hop as A Tribe Called
Quest has sampled SwallowÆs work. His pure musicianship and
lack of pretense may be part of his success. Mostly itÆs due to
the fact that he has taken the instrument in new directions and
has stubbornly persisted in incorporating the electric bass in
jazz.
An up-and-coming acoustic bassist in the 1960s from New York
City, SwallowÆs career path after Yale University led him to
work with Bob Brookmeyer, Gary Burton, Al Cohn, Chick Corea,
Art Farmer, Stan Getz, Jimmy Giuffre, Benny Goodman, Chico
Hamilton, Sheila Jordan, Marian McPartland, Zoot Sims and Clark
Terry. In the late 1960s, Swallow became interested in the
possibilities of the electric bass and eventually made his
decision to play it exclusively. That choice both closed and
opened doors. When he received invitations to work with Sarah
Vaughan, Keith Jarrett and Thelonious Monk, Swallow accepted on
the condition that he play electric bass exclusively. All three
withdrew their offers. While frustrating, this did not sway his
commitment. Instead he forged a path that lead him to perform
with George Benson, Paul Bley, Michael Brecker, Joao Gilberto,
Pat Metheny, Allen Ginsberg, Herbie Hancock, Dr. John, Steve
Lacy, John Scofield, James Taylor, Henri Texier and Ernie Watts
among others. Swallow works most often now with Lee Konitz,
Paul Bley, his own groups (which have included Chris Potter and
Adam Nussbaum), Scofield and Carla Bley, his partner in music
and life. Swallow has recorded almost 20 albums as a leader or
featured player.
ABOUT OHAD TALMOR
From Israel, Ohad Talmor started studying piano at age five in
Switzerland. Upon moving to Florida as an exchange student, he
took up the saxophone after falling in love with jazz. When he
returned to Europe, Talmor immersed himself in the European
jazz scene and began composing and arranging, work which
eventually led him to accept a full scholarship to the
Manhattan School of Music. Upon moving to New York in 1995, he
assembled five different groups for which he has written
distinctive repertoire: 1) The Other Quartet (co-led by
trumpeter Russ Johnson); The MOB Trio (featuring fellow
Palmetto recording artist, Matt Wilson); The Ohad Talmor 7tet;
The Ohad Talmor 4tet; and Scent of the Morning Dew. Talmor has
performed and/or recorded with Steve Swallow, Jason Moran, Dave
Douglas, Chris Potter, Billy Hart, Carla Bley Big Band, Ray
Anderson, Curtis Fowlkes, Jim Black, Bob Dorough, Joachim Khun
and Matthieu Michel among others. He plays regularly with many
artists in Europe including Stephan Belmondo and with groups
including the Christophe Schweizer Organ Quartet. As an
arranger/composer, TalmorÆs work easily flows between classical
and jazz. His pieces have been performed by The Brecker
Brothers, Lee Konitz, Steve Swallow and by leading classical
musicians Martha Argerich, the Spring String Quartet in Austria
and the Axis String Quartet in New York. Talmor is actively
involved in writing for new media, including music for NPR, the
SciFi Channel, and Random House and Penguin Putnam audio book
series. He recently was awarded the EBU (European Broadcasting
Union) as composer of the year for 2004.
MUSICIANS:
Steve Swallow - bass
Ohad Talmor - tenor sax
Russ Johnson - trumpet, flugelhorn
Greg Tardy - clarinet
Jacob Garchick - trombone
Meg Okura - violin
all songs composed by Steve Swallow arranged by Ohad Talmor
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01-Making Ends Meet [04:29]
02-Sweeping Up [08:02]
03-Chelsea Bells [06:36]
04-Some Echoes [08:03]
05-Ladies In Mercedes [06:46]
06-Hullo Bolinas [07:24]
07-IÆm Your Pal [07:21]
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48:41 min
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