Herbie Nichols

MRS · June-20th-2003, 07:41 PM

Homes needs a thread of his own. . .just got together with the trio and turned out a decidedly tenebrous 'Portrait of Ucho.'

I can genuinely say that I probably am closer to this gentleman's music than any other.

Discuss!

Lois Gilbert · June-22nd-2003, 12:04 AM

Michael. he was discussed alot I recall on the old board. You should do a search - also I changed the name just because I think people might just react different;y rather than seeing his whole name. I started my appreciate for him with Ben Allison's project of his music and then with the Mosiac set

Very over-looked and under the radar

Peace Lois

Captain Hate · June-22nd-2003, 09:16 PM

Well I certainly knew whom he was talking about!!

I think the reason that he's under so many peoples' radars is the small number of releases before his early demise. If he would have continued to produce music of the same quality there's no doubt in my mind that he'd be regarded as highly as Monk; I'm obviously talking about how he's regarded by the general public and sub-hobbyists like Ken Burns, not by posters here.

I first became aware of him with those Blue Note twofers that came out in the late 70's with those crummy brown album covers. A friend of mine in a record store demanded that I get it; I thought "Yeah, yeah" and then took it home for a casual listen. I was intrigued by the Blakey lp but the Max sessions took the roof off for me.

As I remarked somewhere in the archives, somebody at Blue Note ought to be drawn and quartered for the poor job done on the cd release, both in the el cheapo packaging and the poor transfer to cd.

MRS · June-22nd-2003, 10:05 PM

I agree with your thoughts of Roach really vivifying the music.

Pete C · September-8th-2003, 11:01 PM

I never really thought about a stylistic connection, but I'm listening to Money Jungle, and Ellington's playing (and the line) on Wig Wise is to me very reminiscent of Herbie Nichols' playing & composition (or perhaps reminiscent of Nichols being more reminiscent of Ellington than I'd been aware).

MRS · September-8th-2003, 11:16 PM

Listen to Riff Primitif and tell me there's no connection. I agree wholeheartedly.

hearsay · September-9th-2003, 10:55 AM

In "Four Lives In The Bebop Business" Herbie Nichols talks about how is greatest idol was Prokofiev, but later when he realized that there were no opportunities for black classical composers his idol became Ellington. He really wanted to write for a larger ensemble, which would've been brilliant.

clinthopson · September-9th-2003, 11:19 AM

Pete, thanks for the thought. I'll have to get out my Herbie and listen carefully.

Frank Kimbrough · September-9th-2003, 01:10 PM

"Step Tempest" was inspired by Duke's saxophone section - check out the rising diminished chords under the melody line...........

steve(thelil) · September-9th-2003, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael Schaumann
Riff Primitif

My favorite title ever.

MRS · September-11th-2003, 03:15 PM

You could start a thread on Herbie's titles, Steve. . ."Cro-Magnon Nights" is top shelf. Though I'd have to go with "House Party Starting," merely due to the actual music. The pianist noted the title and motivation for the haunting tune stems from the anxiety he had walking into a party.

shrugs · December-7th-2006, 08:34 PM

Love, Gloom, Cash, Love

stonemonkts · December-7th-2006, 08:50 PM

He was one of my first loves in jazz. I had just had my epiphany with Brilliant Corners (probably the 3rd or 4th jazz album I purchased), and did a search for artists like Monk. Nichols popped up, so I bought the 3 cd complete blue note box. I recorded them all to cassette and listened to those tracks endlessly for weeks on a walkman, almost daily on my jogs, in the car, and of course at home on the stereo.

Gerardo A · December-7th-2006, 08:59 PM

Love Nichols like a madman. Also love this tribute:

Clay Fink · December-7th-2006, 11:29 PM

My first exposure to his music was on the "Regeneration" album that came out in '82 or '83 on Soul Note. I was familiar with Monk, whos music took up side one of the LP, but Nichols was new to me. Rudd and Lacy were known to me too, but this record was also my first exposure to Mengleburg and Bennik. All that said, Nichols' music was as strange and exciting as Monk's was. It took a while, but I finally found a Japanese reissue of two of his Blue Note 10"s - the sides with Blakey and McKibbon - and played the hell out of that for a while, until the Mosiac Box finally came out.

He's caught on over the years and I can count at least four covers of "The Gig" I've come across. Other covers have popped up here and there over the years. Too bad he never got a real chance to realize more of his music. It would have been interesting to have seen what he might have come up with leading and writing for larger groups.

The Buell Neidlinger CD, "Blue Chopsticks", is a great dedication to his music, Gerardo. Grab it if you can find a copy.

Gerardo A · December-8th-2006, 12:02 PM

Very cool, Clay, haven't heard it! I'll look around.

MRS · December-29th-2006, 12:29 PM

Is The Complete Studio Master Takes worth the dough if one already has anything? I recognize two unfamiliar tracks not found on the BNs or the Bethlehem: "Dance Line" and "Nichols and Dimes".

Alino · December-31st-2006, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo Alejos

Very cool, Clay, haven't heard it! I'll look around.

Along with the mentioned albums (I particoulary love the two Lacy's and Neidlinger's Blue Chopsticks), I'd like to reccomend you this skillful guitarist, Eric T.Johnson, whose pianoless quintet plays with great drive and respect Nichol's music in this "Herbie Nichols Vol.1" (2003).
I tried to ask Summit Records for eventual Vol.2, but even if rightly in their programs Eric seems to be too busy at something else.

Set apart the great Ben Allison/Frank Kimbrough combo Herbie Nichols Project and their very good three cds, another original Nichols hommage has been produced by John Zorn and his Tzadik, back in 1996. A solo-guitar tribute by virtuoso country-folk guitarist Duck Baker (Spinning Song - Duck Baker plays the music of Herbie Nichols).

me wag · December-31st-2006, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRS

Is The Complete Studio Master Takes worth the dough if one already has anything? I recognize two unfamiliar tracks not found on the BNs or the Bethlehem: "Dance Line" and "Nichols and Dimes".

Who's Blues?, 'S Wonderful, & Nichols and Dimes are from the session that was released on Savoy records which used to be widely available although I am sure it has been out of print for quite some time now. Is it worth it for those 3 tracks? Well, I'm not sure. If it were my only option, I probably would have forked over the money since I am such a huge fan, but I think it is slightly below the Bethlehems and certainly the great Blue Notes. Of course, there is so little of it, that it's hard to really say.

If you can find the old CD/LP issue of the Savoy sessions at a used store or ebay, I would not hesitate for a second since it came grouped together with an essential Monk session with Gigi Gryce which is top notch with some rarely played Monk tunes (Brake's Sake, Gallop's Gallop, Shuffle Boil).

Btw, Dance Line is on the Blue Note set.