Don't see a whole lot on here about modern jazz in here so I figured I'd start a discussion on it.
What are your thoughts on the current state of jazz? Who are you into right now? Opinions, discussion, and recs pls
I'll start
I really like where jazz is at right now. It has really gone a lot of interesting directions, especially with blending in other genres and influences, particularly hip-hop, electronic, caribbean, african/tribal, etc...
The London jazz scene in particular is absolutely killing it. Shabaka Hutchings has been one of the key members in developing that scene with one of his groups, Sons of Kemet. I also really like his The Comet is Coming project, who just released a new album a couple weeks ago (Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery.
Binker & Moses is another of my favorite groups in the modern London scene. They have a really interesting take on free jazz and have been one of the most influential groups to me personally.
My other favorite is Makaya McCraven. He's from the Chicago Scene, but he's worked with a lot of the Londoners and I think his style is one of the most unique out there. He does improvised recordings (at least most of his records are) that are centered around a groove that they come up with. A couple of his records were even produced by chopping up his own live improvised performances and essentially remixing and rearranging them. Pic related is his newest album which came out last October I think? But it came from 4 live sessions in 4 cities featuring musicians from those cities (Chicago, London, NYC, LA).
Oh you meant jazz in CY+4, not free-jazz? Can't you help you mate.
Daniel White
I mean I could probably talk some about free jazz if you really wanted
Cameron Sanchez
London is where it's at. I really dig Alfa Mist, he's pretty chill. Antiphon is a really good album. Also listening to a lot of Yussef Dayes and kokoroko at the moment. I'm gonne have to check out Sons of Kemet
Alfa Mist is good stuff! Looking forward to hearing his upcoming album. And the Kokoroko EP was good too.
Which group have you been listening to Yussef in? I know he plays with quite a few musicians. Also looking forward to his collab album with Tom Misch.
And yeah Sons of Kemet is a must listen. Also highly suggest seeing them live if you can
Levi Brooks
can King Krule be considered modern jazz?
Hunter Nguyen
Saw Yussef Dayes live a couple of months ago and he's killing it. Also his latest album with Kamaal is pretty fucking good.
Christian Thompson
I think he defines his style as "blue wave," but in terms of real genre names, I don't think it's necessarily jazz. Definitely jazz inspired. I'm definitely a fan of his though and I think he's done a good job at pushing boundaries between genres
Jason Thomas
To my knowledge the one and only album he's done with Kamaal was the Yussef Kamaal Black Focus album. Are you talking about Kamaal's album The Return? Because that didn't have Yussef on it
Thomas Hill
Yeah, Black Focus
Liam Ortiz
Ahh yeah that is a really good album. It's probably gonna be one of the iconic jazz albums of the decade in 50 years
Parker Johnson
groups i don't know but with artists like Alfa Mist, Joe-Armon Jones, Mansur Brown and Rocco Palladino. Anything in particular I should check out?
These three guys from the danish conservatory of music are blending jazz with trip-hop and electronic among other things. Even though almost nothing makes it outside the borders of this musically stagnant country I feel like these guys could do good. Fans of Yussef Kamaal should definitely check them out, the drummer is bonkers.
That London shit never appeals to me. Alfa Mist is ok I guess, but most of the other big London guys just feel like they’re doing gimmicky shit and dumbing down their music for the sake of a wider audience. Or maybe they’re just not that great of players/composers. It’s hard to tell.
For a modern player who’s doing cutting edge shit (probably bordering on gimmicky at times) but backs it up with incredible chops and an actually unique compositional style it’s got to be David Binney. And a lot of his music ends up being very melody driven and accessible even to people who “don’t listen to much jazz” but it never really feels dumbed down in a way that a lot of the other jazz/pop/hip hop blending acts do.
I think "dumbing down" jazz can be kind of cool. Still using the extended chord type jazz harmony, but not necessarily blasting through ii - V's at an insane pace while a woodwind or trumpet player bombards the listener with never-ending bebop lines. It has its place, but it does get quite cumbersome in my opinion. A more melodically minimalist approach with the focus being on groove and syncopations sounds very modern and cool to me. I for one like the direction many artists are taking. Not to say that this can't get too repetitive either. You can never really win, can you; or maybe you can with modal jazz, who knows.
Owen Robinson
ps im gonna have to check out this David Binney dude
Logan Ortiz
>A more melodically minimalist approach with the focus being on groove and syncopations sounds very modern and cool to me. What you’re discribing actually first gained popularity in the 1980s and became known as smooth jazz. And I always find it strange the people who will sneer at Kenny G or David Sanborn but absolutely love Alfa Mist or MaKaya McCraven. Sure their are differences between those two sounds, but when it comes to the basic aspects of the music, they really do have a lot in common.
Also it’s kind of sad if you think the only alternatives to the London sound are blasting bebop licks through ii V’s or “modal jazz.” There are a lot of players doing a lot more interesting stuff compositionally that probably draws from bebop and modal jazz on some level but goes way beyond and offers a more interesting palette for improvisation than repetitive grooves. Some others I’ll recommend are Craig Taborn, Henry Threadgill, Tyshawn Sorey, Yosvany Terry, Julian Lage, Miguel Zenon, and Vijay Iyer.
Eli Barnes
Oh and Steve Coleman and Tim Berne.
Ian Turner
noted. geez that's a lot of names I haven't heard before
