Joe Maneri - Dahabenzapple

[Steve Reynolds]

only for those who don't know

and certainly not for Pete

recorded May 4th, 1993 @ Jordan Hall, Boston, Massachusetts - recording by Rob Trombino & Mat Maneri - CD-master by Peter Pfister

hatART 6188

Joe Maneri - tenor, alto, clarinet & piano
Mat Maneri - violin
Cecil McBee - bass
Randy Peterson - drums


sixty-six minutes and twenty seconds of improvised bliss from the classic quartet - with the added bonus that McBee is on the bass

played when even us fanatics had no idea that a man like this even existed - Joe was 67 at the time and just atrting to make his way to what has become over the years a relative phenomenon.

most know that I regard Papa Joe in ways that can probably be described as something leaning towards idolization.

besides the last appearance in NYC of the Brotz tentet, the first witnessing of the above quartet on a friday night on Norfolk street in company with the *great* Anthony Basich and my very good friend (and unfairly much maligned) Paul Bennet - the three of us took in a performance that will resonate in ways that cannot be put to words until the day we die.

the recording can almost do the same to those with an open heart and a open spirit

maybe the hardest hitting of all the quartet recordings - but what is it?

it is jazz - although a few years back - remember the firestroms about this one and especially "Coming Down The Mountain"

I remember the only one who didn't like the latter recording and was fair was Kevin Bresnahan

this one was always easierl on the ears but still packed and packs a mighty wallop

probably way out of print - but I had to make a mention of one of the great albums ever made




Get Ready to Receive Yourself

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

this one was always easierl on the ears but still packed and packs a mighty wallop

I think of the classic Hats, 'Tenderly' is the most accessible.

[jazzfiend]

Preach, would I like this one? I enjoy Going to Church, but am still not sold on Coming Down the Mountain. Oh, and I hated The Trio concerts.




Still unsure about receiving myself but,


Always a Pleasure

IMHO, Cecil McBee really carries this date.

The Maneri family's flights of improvisational fancy are well served by having a bassist of McBee's stature to keep the proceedings grounded and together.

Kind of a reminds of how Herr Brotzmann, however moving and lyrical his solo ventures are, always benefits from having rhythm men of the stature of Han, Sven-Ake, and Hamid.

[Steve Reynolds]

send me the Trio Conerts, please

no - if you don't like the great "Coming Down The Mountain", no reason to think you would like this one

[jazzfiend]

Steve, unfortunately I already unloaded trio concerts. Assumed you had all his stuff. Got a pretty good price for it at Grooveyard in Oakland.

[Jon Abbey]

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

played when even us fanatics had no idea that a man like this even existed - Joe was 67 at the time and just starting to make his way to what has become over the years a relative phenomenon.

I love when Steve slips into his "Jazz Corner contains the whole world of jazz/improv fans" mode, in fact that was what made me initially post here years ago ("Mujician is the greatest improvising band in the world", or something along those lines).

I had 2-3 records by Maneri before this one came out, I prefer his initial one, Get Ready To Receive Yourself, this one never did much for me (back when I dug Maneri somewhat). OOP Hats sell for a lot on ebay, but if someone wants to send me $40 plus shipping, my copy of this is all theirs.

[Nate Dorward]

It's still listed as available in the Cadence catalogue by the way.

[Uli]

Originally Posted by Jon Abbey

... in fact that was what made me initially post here years ago ("Mujician is the greatest improvising band in the world", or something along those lines).

Yep, I remember that historic moment. "No, AMM is the greatest improvising band in the world."

[Brian Olewnick]

Originally Posted by Uli

Yep, I remember that historic moment. "No, AMM is the greatest improvising band in the world."

Hey, at least Jon got it right!

[Gary Sisco]

I have an extra copy of "Tenderly" I'm sitting on, having taken a page from Shrugs's book and keeping an eye out for things that are or are bound to go out of print.

My favorite is "Coming Down The Mountain."

[Enforcer]

I still have that Coming Down The Mountain CD. I think Bresnahan sent it to me and I ended up keeping it.

Am I still supposed to pass it on to someone else? It's been a long time and I can't remember.

[jazzfiend]

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

I still have that Coming Down The Mountain CD. I think Bresnahan sent it to me and I ended up keeping it.

Am I still supposed to pass it on to someone else? It's been a long time and I can't remember.

Larry, it all comes down to how much you dig the cd.

[likewise]

My first Maneri records - Get Ready to Receive Yourself & Let the Horse Go -
floored my right away. Bought Dahabenzapple right after experiencing the Maneris and Peterson live at the Tampere Jazz Happening in '97 - an astonishing, absolutely brilliant concert - but the record failed to live up to my
expectations. Can't explain why really, but Dahabenzapple still ranks pretty low among the maybe fifteen Maneris I own. Not too fond of all the ECM's either - but then again, in my book even a mediocre Maneri record ranks higher than most other stuff.

My all-time favorites (in no particular order):
Get Ready to Receive Yourself (Leo)
Let the Horse Go (Leo)
Paniots 9 (Avan) - recorded in 1963!
Three Men Walking (ECM)
Tenderly (hatOLOGY)
Coming Down the Mountain (hatOLOGY)

(Plus the latest, Angles of Repose, feels like a keeper, too.)

[Ennis Snavely]

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

I have an extra copy of "Tenderly" I'm sitting on...

Who whould want ANYTHING you sat on.

NASTY!

Originally Posted by likewise

Paniots 9 (Avan) - recorded in 1963!

Maneri fans might be interested to know that this recording is featured prominently in the film "American Splendor."

[Captain Hate]

Originally Posted by Ed the Happy Clown

Maneri fans might be interested to know that this recording is featured prominently in the film "American Splendor."

Harvey Pekar absolutely worships Joe Maneri.

[Gentle Giant]

Thanks for the "review", such as it is. Many like me who have limited experience with the bulk of the Reynolds oeuvre have read often about these titles but never heard them or anything of substance about them (other than they're *the greatest*). This at least opens me to the possibility of checking it out.

I dig that it was recorded in Jordan's Hall, although I think that was prior to the nice new air conditioning unit they installed a few years ago. Caught Don Byron's Music For 6 Musicians the summer the new a/c was in, and the performance was hot but the room was cold.

[Steve Reynolds]

check out my comments about the Ganelin Trio disc "Con Effetto"

I am not that good at describing the actual music - but here, and on most of the record review threads I started recently, there is a good bit of effort made to descibe what one might hear.

[saltwatersnow]

i have never gotten to hear this disk, but wanted the world to know i am a huge maneri fan. one of my favorite 1 or 2 saxophone players, saw the quartet live was amazing, met the man afterwards. seen mat live many times in new york. some favorite disks i have heard
tenderly
let the horse go
going to church
tales of rohnlief

Originally Posted by Captain Hate

Harvey Pekar absolutely worships Joe Maneri.

Is Pekar still doing reviews for "Signal to Noise?"

[gnhrtg]

Originally Posted by Ed the Happy Clown

Is Pekar still doing reviews for "Signal to Noise?"

No, as far as I can tell - then again, I see fewer and fewer reviews of the kind of music that he would have reviewed.

[mke]

I'm listening to it at the moment. The solo saxophone opening is simply marvelous.

[Ennis Snavely]

Listened to this through a couple of times today and yesterday.

I love it. Maneri is unlike anyone else, I think. This group has an immediatly recognizable sound. Mat's viola sound is unique, but Joe is really something else. I just want to keep listening to him to see where hr takes things. Randy Peterson works really well in this group (he reminds me of Gerry Hemmingway a little). McBee is wonderful on this, of course. But he far from "makes" this performance. The other guys seem to be able ro do fine on their own.

I'm not sure that Joe's piano playing adds much to this, but it really doesn't take up alot of the time.

All the other Joe Maneri I've heard I have liked.

The quartet with Mat and Peterson was here in DC a couple of years ago (with Michael Forminak, I think). They were wonderful. Not bad for a group led by a garden gnome.

[Ennis Snavely]

http://www.npr.org/programs/anthem/bios/comic.html

[Ennis Snavely]

Put on "Out Right Now" last night, with Mat, Joe and Joe Morris.

Strange and beautiful stuff. Joe Maneri really makes it special, though. I don't know anybody else who plays like that.

[Gary Sisco]

One of the strange things to me, now, is that "out" music no longer sounds out to me. The other sounds "in."

[Ennis Snavely]

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

One of the strange things to me, now, is that "out" music no longer sounds out to me. The other sounds "in."

ditto. Of course I'm a weirdo, so WTHDIK.