RIFFS: Jazz icons get the DVD treatment

Naxos of America has been among the nation’s finest classical labels for the last 31 years. But since 1986 they’ve also teamed with Reelin’ In the Years Productions LLC, the world’s largest music footage library, on a set of DVDs titled Jazz Icons.

This line has provided fans with superbly engineered presentations and consistently excellent performances of epic musicians.

The third set of Jazz Icons, which were released yesterday, not only continue that tradition, but might even slightly exceed it due to the presence of both unseen concerts and also some musicians who haven’t exactly been overexposed in prior CD or DVD sets.

The opening set contains a pair of brilliant Sonny Rollins concerts from the mid-‘60s, each one offering 87 minutes.

Unlike some recent Rollins’ sets where the full band wasn’t always his musical equal, this time his playing mates included pianist Kenny Drew and bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen. Rollins was swinging, creating and playing with both fury and precision, while Drew not only crafted surprising and sometimes humorous accompanying sections, but also added his own nimble explorations and solos.

Both shows were wonderful, though the 1965 in my view proves just a bit more musically combative and challenging. But both mark a period in Sonny Rollins’ peak years, the time when his robust solos and fiery performances inspired not only numerous fans, but plenty of musicians as well.

Cannonball Adderley was finding a profitable middle ground during this same time between soulful pieces and ambitious ones, and his early ‘60s sextet that included his brother Nat on cornet and Yusef Lateef on tenor (and several other instruments) was perhaps his finest band. Cannonball Adderley depicts two concerts recorded two days apart in Switzerland and Germany in 1963.

These numbers are among the hardest and most furious bop and blues ones Lateef ever made, and things were sparked even more by the spry and funky piano contributions of Joe Zawinul. They also show how underrated Nat Adderely was as both a frontline contributor and individual player.

Nina Simone catches the legendary and fiery performer during two ‘60s concerts that thankfully weren’t marred by any technical glitches, audience misbehavior or any of the other things that occasionally could cause Simone to become just a bit hostile.

It does include stirring renditions of everything from rock to blues, Broadway to jazz, and also presents Simone doing a wonderful rendition of “The Ballad of Hollis Brown,” a Dylan cover that hasn’t received nearly as much acclaim as some other rock and folk covers she’s done.

This edition is magical.

Oscar Peterson’s speed, facility and flair could be scary, especially for anyone who’s ever dabbled on piano. Yet Peterson’s bombastic personality and incredible technical prowess sometimes generated as much disdain as praise, with some critics claiming he lacked swing and substituted flash for soul.

That was never something that seemed accurate to my ears, and there’s no shortage of energy, imagination or authority on Oscar Peterson, a DVD that links three Peterson shows from 63-65.

A special treat comes in watching his great trio that also included bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen. Whether this was the greatest trio of all time will always be debated, but there certainly weren’t many in their class.

A pair of trumpet giants, Roy Eldridge and Clark Terry, also participate on some cuts, though it’s Oscar Peterson’s mastery on the piano that’s the shining light here.

Another pianist with a dramatically different approach was Bill Evans. While Evans certainly possessed as much technical brilliance, it was his shimmering ballads and melodic might that made him so influential.

This set has five Evans performances done over a 10-year stretch from 1965-1975. Over that time there were occasional variations in mood, selections and pace, but never any letdown in Evans’ interpretative qualities or style. Among the numerous players whose work greatly reflects Evans’ impact, you can clearly hear lots of Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock in different sections of the cuts on Bill Evans.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk was not only a terrific player, he was a wonderful showman and insightful, funny individual. His shows mixed powerhouse musical pieces with biting commentaries on multiple subjects. The personality aspect isn’t quite as evident as the multi-instrumentalist side on Rahsaan Roland Kirk, but the music more than balances things out.

There are many examples of his cycle breathing technique (holding notes for impossibly long stretches) and his ability to play three or more horns at once, sometimes executing different things on them at the same time. While he was unquestionably a great tenor soloist and an inventive type who created many unusual instruments, this DVD also shows what a wonderful clarinet player Kirk could be when he chose to play that instrument.

Finally, there’s a good Lionel Hampton set from 1958, which suffers only by comparison to some of these other dates. Hampton was as enthusiastic and personable as ever, and also displays his skill on drums and piano as well as vibes. His band’s also a good unit, and the Belgian audience clearly enjoyed it. But having seen Hampton on many other occasions, this set isn’t one of his greatest, though it’s still quite good.

This series also has a bonus DVD that has different (but no less valuable) performances from Rollins, Kirk and Simone, though in shorter, less concentrated fashion. Each set also includes glorious photos, memorabilia and extensive notes from various critics, historians and jazz scholars.

More jazz classics

Another excellent and ongoing series has been the line of reissue comprising the Orrin Keepnews Collection. These releases come from the esteemed producer and journalist who have supervised many of modern jazz’s most important releases.

However their latest set makes a bow to current marketplace situations, with only two titles issues on both CD and digital formats, and the others strictly as digital-only releases.

Thelonious Himself was among the earliest and best works documenting Monk in a solo setting. It’s also interesting that Monk chose a host of pre-rock pop pieces to interpret. Of course that didn’t stop him from taking his own approach to melody and harmony on “I’m Gettin' Sentimental Over You” or “(I Don’t Stand) A Ghost of a Chance (With You).”

Still, I’d rather hear him doing his own pieces like “Monk’s Mood” (even with a false start version included) or “Round Midnight” because on these you hear the harmonic variations, unusual moves and odd pauses and notes that are part and parcel of the Monk sound. John Coltrane makes one memorable appearance on “Monk’s Mood” along with Wilbur Ware, but otherwise this is Monk operating alone.

Bill Evans Trio – Sunday At The Village Vanguard (both Riverside/Concord) has the lineup that was Evans’ best in this format. Scott LaFaro could supply the standard bass accompaniment when necessary, but it was his ability to stretch and extend the sound and role of the bass that was so extraordinary.

Paul Motian provided the ideal balance as drummer, always delivering the right combination of rhythmic support and challenge, sometimes teaming with LaFaro and other times taking just enough of his own approach to offer yet another option for Evans’ playing to either follow or contrast.

Both sets also have alternate cuts and bonus takes, though the appeal to each comes in hearing the basic cuts once again. Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans remain among jazz’s greatest figures, and these sets are prominent examples of their charm and greatness.