Live At Yoshi's, Vol. 1 [Live]

Amazon.com
On his fine 2002 release, The Sequel, pianist Mulgrew Miller mostly led a sextet (a new incarnation of his late-'80s band Wingspan, hence the title) and showed off his flair as a writer. Live at Yoshi's, Vol. 1, featuring the pianist's trio of several seasons, is dominated by standards and tunes by his contemporaries. Together, these two MaxJazz releases go a long way toward re-establishing Miller as a creative force. As prolific as he has been in the employ of others, he hadn't made much of a splash on his own in many years. Here, teaming with bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Karriem Riggins at the well-known Oakland nightclub, he uses the three-man format as a kind of flying wedge to open up and expansively propel tunes ranging from an 11-minute-plus reading of the Guys and Dolls classic "If I Were a Bell" to late trumpeter Woody Shaw's "The Organ Grinder." Though the McCoy Tyner influence will forever shadow his playing, Miller has mastered a lighter intensity, making understated use of the dark notes while luxuriating in breezy single-note passages up top. His version of Horace Silver's "Peace" stands out for its emphasis of lucidity over sentimentality. On "Waltz for Monk," by his generational running mate Donald Brown, he plays a clever game of hide and seek with his own Thelonian debt. --Lloyd Sachs

Product Description
Miller takes it to the next level now by recording his first live album. Recorded July 22-23, 2003, at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square – one of the world’s premiere jazz clubs - Live At Yoshi’s (Volume One) is Miller’s second release on MAXJAZZ. Unlike The Sequel, where he presented eight original tunes, on Live At Yoshi’s, Miller puts his stamp on ageless standards in an intimate trio format. Miller’s trio is comprised of Derrick Hodge on bass and Karriem Riggins, who played on The Sequel, on drums.

The recording presents over 70 minutes of fresh repertoire the trio performed at Yoshi’s. Miller’s crisp, upbeat take on "If I Were A Bell" by Frank Loesser opens the CD with great energy. Donald Brown’s beautiful composition "Waltz For Monk" follows, leading into Miller’s fluttering, graceful opener of "O Grande Amor" by Antonio Carlos Jobim. The trio folds in effortlessly and then moves together at a faster pace for "The Organ Grinder" by Woody Shaw. Miller draws us in with another slow, intimate opening solo, this time to begin "Peace" by Horace Silver. On "Don’t You Know I Care," by Duke Ellington and Mack David, the trio is seamless and fluid, allowing Miller to float on top ofthe rhythm. Miller adds a slight swagger to the classic tune, "What A Difference A Day Makes," by Maria Griver and Stanley Adams. He closes at a rapid pace with his one original composition on the recording, "Pressing The Issue."

Live At Yoshi's, Vol. 1 [Live]

Tracks:

I'm Confessin' That I Love You
Say It Over And Over Again
You Say You Care
Tutu's Promise
Heather
Alone Together
Poem In G Minor
I Want To Talk About You
Mysterioso

Album Description

Williams opens the CD with an entrancing solo on "I'm Confessin' That I Love You." She sways gently on "Say It Over and Over Again" by Frank Loesser and Jimmy McHugh and then picks up the pace on "You Say You Care" by Jules Styne and Leo Robin. Both Williams and Drummond pluck their instrument's strings to create a slinky, funk effect on Williams' original, "Tutu's Promise." Then Williams draws out the emotion of Billy Cobham's "Heather" beautifully before reconstructing the standard, "Alone Together." Her thoughtful, expressive "Poem in G Minor" follows. On "I Want To Talk About You" by Billy Eckstine and Anne-Rachel, Williams makes the listener feel like the song is being sung to him. Williams closes with "Mysterioso" by one of her favorite composers and strongest influences, Thelonious Monk.

Customer Reviews:

Great Music By an Underrated Musician.......2007-06-18

Jessica Williams is a very gifted pianist who combines great technical proficiency with profound musicality. By turns dramatic, lyrical, and meditative, her playing contains echoes of such predecessors as Waller, Garner, Garland, Monk, and Evans (to name just a few), yet her sound is distinctively her own and decidedly fresh and modern. As an improviser she is boundlessly creative and never seems less than fully engaged and "in the moment"; not only does she seem to be able to play anything that occurs to her, but what occurs to her is always interesting and often arrestingly beautiful. The two volumes of "Live at Yoshi's" present her at her best, and in the company of two skillful collaborators whose style complements hers quite effectively. The song selection strikes a nice balance, with a good mix of standards, works by other jazz musicians, and Williams's own lovely and inventive compositions. The sound is also exceptionally good; while the piano is perhaps a shade brighter than would be ideal, the recording captures the subtleties of the performances with impressive clarity and detail. Either volume would be a fine introduction to a musician who deserves to be much better known than she is.

Enchanted Evening.......2005-07-29

I was not in the audience on the night this recording was made at Yoshi's in Oakland, California, but I wish I had been, as it must have been one enchanted evening. Williams is at her best with Ray Drummond and Victor Lewis; the three of them play as one. Williams is the shining star, playing with a purity rarely heard on such live recordings. She has an amazing gift, and in front of a live audience she plays the piano as if she is offering the music rather than showing it off as so many performers do. The sound quality and engineering is superior compared to most live recordings, with no obstrusive background noise, just the enthusiastic applause at the end of each cut from an audience who knew they were hearing something special.

As with all of Williams' recordings, you will find something new here each time you listen, and you will go to places you never imagined music could take you.

Another gem.......2004-09-08

The second recording for Jessica Williams with the
amazing team of Ray Drummond and Victor Lewis for MazJazz,
this one live in Oakland, CA. The interplay between these
three is tightly knit and the emotions that she puts into
her compositions and performance of them just are so equally
shared by the rest of the band. Listen to "Poem in G Minor",
the way she works on a theme or styling, then expands on it,
then comes back to it, so beautifully. Truly one of the
modern masters of jazz piano.

Average customer rating:

Easy Listening At Its Best
Thank you Mulgrew
Miller's volcanic virtuosity is stunning
actually i did not hear the cd..
I don't know...

Live At Yoshi's, Vol. 1
Mulgrew Miller
Manufacturer: Max Jazz Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Live at Yoshi's, Vol. 2
Live at the Kennedy Center
The Sequel
Live at Bradley's
Live at Bradley's II: The Perfect Set

ASIN: B00023GFXG
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Tracks:

If I Were A Bell
Waltz For Monk
O Grande Amor
The Organ Grinder
Peace
Don't You Know I Care
What A Difference A Day Makes
Pressing The Issue

Amazon.com

On his fine 2002 release, The Sequel, pianist Mulgrew Miller mostly led a sextet (a new incarnation of his late-'80s band Wingspan, hence the title) and showed off his flair as a writer. Live at Yoshi's, Vol. 1, featuring the pianist's trio of several seasons, is dominated by standards and tunes by his contemporaries. Together, these two MaxJazz releases go a long way toward re-establishing Miller as a creative force. As prolific as he has been in the employ of others, he hadn't made much of a splash on his own in many years. Here, teaming with bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Karriem Riggins at the well-known Oakland nightclub, he uses the three-man format as a kind of flying wedge to open up and expansively propel tunes ranging from an 11-minute-plus reading of the Guys and Dolls classic "If I Were a Bell" to late trumpeter Woody Shaw's "The Organ Grinder." Though the McCoy Tyner influence will forever shadow his playing, Miller has mastered a lighter intensity, making understated use of the dark notes while luxuriating in breezy single-note passages up top. His version of Horace Silver's "Peace" stands out for its emphasis of lucidity over sentimentality. On "Waltz for Monk," by his generational running mate Donald Brown, he plays a clever game of hide and seek with his own Thelonian debt. --Lloyd Sachs

Album Description

Miller takes it to the next level now by recording his first live album. Recorded July 22-23, 2003, at Yoshi's at Jack London Square - one of the world's premiere jazz clubs - Live At Yoshi's (Volume One) is Miller's second release on MAXJAZZ. Unlike The Sequel, where he presented eight original tunes, on Live At Yoshi's, Miller puts his stamp on ageless standards in an intimate trio format. Miller's trio is comprised of Derrick Hodge on bass and Karriem Riggins, who played on The Sequel, on drums.

The recording presents over 70 minutes of fresh repertoire the trio performed at Yoshi's. Miller's crisp, upbeat take on "If I Were A Bell" by Frank Loesser opens the CD with great energy. Donald Brown's beautiful composition "Waltz For Monk" follows, leading into Miller's fluttering, graceful opener of "O Grande Amor" by Antonio Carlos Jobim. The trio folds in effortlessly and then moves together at a faster pace for "The Organ Grinder" by Woody Shaw. Miller draws us in with another slow, intimate opening solo, this time to begin "Peace" by Horace Silver. On "Don't You Know I Care," by Duke Ellington and Mack David, the trio is seamless and fluid, allowing Miller to float on top ofthe rhythm. Miller adds a slight swagger to the classic tune, "What A Difference A Day Makes," by Maria Griver and Stanley Adams. He closes at a rapid pace with his one original composition on the recording, "Pressing The Issue."

Customer Reviews:

Easy Listening At Its Best.......2005-02-27

I've listend to Mulgrew Miller since before his first recordings under his own leadership, from the period he held the piano chair in Woody Shaw's band. He is consistent. His playing feels like that awe inspiring player playing at the piano in your living room. He'll have you in a serious grove without you knowing how it happened. His playing doesn't have the driving charge that some player can have - Take McCoy Tyner (percussive), John Hicks (hard swinging), or James Williams as an example. Millers playing conveys an ease of style like that of Thelonious Monk. Though he sounds nothing like Monk. However I realize his playing is powerful as it is subtle.

He has the range of McCoy Tyner and the other pianist, however he creates magic differently than they. On this recording his imaginative and fluid style is commanding and pleasant. He is good at playing ballads as he is at swinging. I appreciate each of the tunes especially 'Waltz For Monk', 'The Organ Grinder', and 'Pressing The Issue'.

Both Derrik Hodge (bass) and Karriem Riggins (drums) are new to me, yet they play with years of wisdom. Karriem is outstanding, his timing is like that of Max Roach, perfect; his touch is beautiful like that of Billy Higgins and Victor Lewis. Check him on 'The Organ Grinder' and 'O Grande Amor'.

Derrik Hodge's sound is very rich, it's deep and pleasant. He reminds me of Curtis Lundy with a tone for ballads that brings tears to the eyes. Derrik makes me wish there were more ballads on this recording just to showcase his sound which is resonant.

I wish there were twice the music on this disc. Bring on volume 2!

Thank you Mulgrew.......2004-07-17

Mulgrew Miller is one of the greatest & most authentic younger jazz pianists in our era. I adore jazz in 50-60s and I feel like a part of me die every time each of great jazz musicians from the era passes away. Someone like Mulgrew Miller, who has the tremendous swing and real substance in his touch, tone and improvised melodies that he creates, deserves much more attention. I love his "The Sequel", a perfect studio recording. This CD is a great live recording; you can enjoy his TRUE improvisation and a sense of REAL JAZZ in a live setting. I appreciate both Derrick Hodge and Karriem Riggins who provided a great support to Mulgrew. Especially Karriem Riggins, he did a tremendous job in "The Sequel" and in this one, too. Thank you MAXJAZZ, please keep recording Mulgrew Miller's historical great playing to our later generation.

Miller's volcanic virtuosity is stunning.......2004-07-10

Everything falls into place very nicely on this initial volume from Mulgrew Miller's two-day gig at Yoshi's in the summer of 2003. With the strong support of bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Karriem Riggins, Miller's volcanic virtuosity on the piano is simply stunning. Taking no prisoners with his hard bop dash through the standard "If I Were a Bell," Miller immediately afterward soothes the crowd with Donald Brown's lovely, but only occasionally dissonant, tribute "Waltz for Monk," which might sound to many listeners like more of a salute to Oscar Peterson. The pianist's sensitive side is displayed during his powerful solo introduction to Antonio Carlos Jobim's "O Grande Amor," though the bossa nova rhythm does not enter the picture until the rhythm section joins him. Woody Shaw's "The Organ Grinder" is an overlooked gem, which alternates between a romping theme and a dark vamp. But the leader really pulls all stomps with his extended exploration of what was a once neglected ballad by Duke Ellington, "Don't You Know I Care," and one could easily imagine a singer walking on to join him for his lush arrangement. The pianist's furious post-bop original "Pressing the Issue" provides a surprise ending to this outstanding live set, which benefits from outstanding engineering throughout the CD.

actually i did not hear the cd.........2004-07-05

...but I was at yoshi's during one of the recording night, and mulgrew was fantastic. Hope 'you and the night and the music' will be on vol. 2. kareem riggins on drums was quite impressive. I have been waiting impatiently for this cd to be released, so I went straight here when I heard 'if i were a bell' one the radio (it's the first track): he had me wondering "mmm, that's pretty cool, who's playing this?". Excellent version if very standard.

I don't know..........2004-05-26

This is not Mulgrew at his best. His previous release on the MaxJazz label was better. Maybe because of the tune selection. Concerning the Live at Yoshi Cd the arrangements were so so and that Bass player was rubbish. The format was the same for all the tracks. No solo mulgrew just solo intro. then bass and drums. Mulgrew is still the one though. I would like to hear an all solo mulgrew album.

Pop Music:

Pop Music