Music Monday: Listening

Last week, we recognized the memorial of John Coltrane’s passing and to honor his life, I listened to some of my favorite Coltrane. In particular, I’ve been drawn to his collaboration with Eric Dolphy: Africa/Brass (1961). It has become a bit of a cliche to interpret this album as a jumping off point for the second stanza of Coltrane’s career, especially if one sees Giant Steps as the culmination of the first stanza.

I feel like this explanation is probably unnecessary for appreciating the album in its own right.  

I have to admit that I had never heard of organist Baby Face Willette until I turned on Stop and Listen (1961). Despite being contemporary with Africa/Brass, it is a very different album. Stop and Listen is a soul jazz burner made all the more incendiary by Grand Green’s guitar work. It’s a fantastic album.    

Finally, I continue to listen to some Korean jazz whenever I get the chance. Last week, I put on Alchemy(2020) a duo album by Daniel Ko on sax and Soojin Suh on drums. It’s free, improvise, and at times even relaxed. There’s an Ayleresque quality to some tracks (e.g. “찬양하라 내 영혼아”) and a more a Korean Zoh Ambaesque character to others (e.g. “Gemini”). It’s well worth a listen.  

Finally (part deux), if you’re as tired of the fawning over Kendrick Lamar as I am (one would somehow think he’s the only rapper to write socially conscious lyrics or operate within complex referential contexts), you’ll begrudgingly enjoy “Chains & Whips” from the (new!!) Clipse album: