Category Archives: MTH-V

annotated video series

MTH-V: Herbie’s “Actual Proof”

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The weekly video series/curation is back again after a lengthy hiatus. And back with a bang.

This is the first time I’ve explicitly featured Herbie Hancock in this series, though he’s come up on occasion (you can see him with Michael Brecker here). Below is one of my favorite songs of his, “Actual Proof,” which was originally released on 1974’s Thrust. (It’s my favorite of the Headhunters albums.) Herbie has long been one of my all-time favorite musicians. Even though he’ll be 73 next month, he remains one of the most forward-thinking figures in music of any genre, and he’s always progressing and experimenting. Attempting a brief career overview here is silly, but suffice it to say he’s just about done it all. From his groundbreaking early work with Miles (both acoustic and electric), to his various funk explorations, to crossover success with “Rockit” and later a Grammy for Album of the Year for a wonderfully original Joni Mitchell tribute, to his exploring the ends of both jazz and pop music, he’s a force to be reckoned with. (And to top it off, he seems to be a sweetheart by all accounts.) I have about twenty of his solo albums – which barely scratches the surface! – as well as just about everything he did with Miles. It’s such an eclectic collection, as just about everything he does is great. I’ve seen him in concert four times (five if you count an interview in which he played a couple tunes), and he blew me away each time in a different capacity. (One performance included a 55-minute “Dauphin Dance” that was from another planet…)

The band in the below video is a slightly amended version of his Headhunter’s ’05 band that was assembled for his featured set at Bonnaroo 2005. (I attended Bonnaroo ’05, and the Headhunters set remains one of the best shows I’ve ever seen of any style.) This particular lineup played later that year, with this performance taking place in Tokyo. The personnel features many powerhouses – most of which are well-known bandleaders in their own right:

Herbie Hancock – piano
Terri Lyne Carrington – drums
Roy Hargrove – trumpet
Munyungo Jackson – percussion
Lionel Loueke – guitar
Marcus Miller – bass
Wah Wah Watson – guitar

(Simply trade John Mayer for Watson and add Kenny Garrett and you have the lineup I saw at Bonnaroo…)

This is a great rendition of Herbie classic. Hancock, Hargrove, and Loueke all get some solo space, and the unparalleled rhythm section of Carrington/Miller/Jackson/Watson holds the groove down while weaving in and out of various feels. Just ignore Hargrove’s early entrance on the head. 🙂

MTH-V: Billy Joel

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Well, hello there. I mention that this weekly series has been going on for a year in my last post, then I drop off for a month. Oh well. October proved to be far busier than I could’ve anticipated for a variety of reasons. Working and playing kept me quite busy, but most of my time and resources have been focused on purchasing a house with my wife. Hence today’s selections from Billy Joel.

I should say right off the bat that in the ongoing Billy Joel vs. Elton John debate, I fully side with my man Reggie. I’ve seen both and listen to both, but Joel doesn’t hold a candle to John — that’s a whole separate discussion/entry. In short, Billy Joel had a few good albums and has largely been retired from songwriting for two decades, whereas Elton’s had a few good decades and continues to release new material. (Read my praise of 2010’s The Union here.)

Nonetheless, 1977’s The Stranger is an essential part of my album collection. I bought it blindly about four years ago, thinking I should give one of Joel’s studio albums a shot. And boy do I remain thankful – it was on repeat for the first few months and continues to be in regular rotation. (I have yet to find another Joel album as enjoyable.) The Stranger proved pivotal for a mid-20s me transitioning to a new stage in life, and I find myself returning to it (more than usual) now that my wife and I are preparing to move into our house.

First up is a 1978 performance of the album’s opening track “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).” It’s from BBC2’s The Old Grey Whistle Test.

 

And here’s a rocking 1982 performance of “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant” from Nassau Coliseum. (And watch Mark Rivera get smooth.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxBjKa8KcW0

 

MTH-V: Manu Katché Sneak Peek

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Okay, so it’s been almost one year exactly since the maiden “MTH-V” voyage, debuting with this entry about the ever-infectious Manu Katché. (Unfortunately that video has since been removed…would love to find it again.) Furthermore, Katché’s Third Round was the first focus of the “New Listen” series. (It was my instant love of that album – of course an ECM release – that inspired me to attempt a sort of review.) Needless to say, I’m a fan.

This series has mostly centered around live performance. This week, however, I’d like to feature the preview for Katché’s upcoming fourth album Manu Katché, to be released October 30th in the US. Once again, he’s teaming up with the master: Manfred Eicher. It appears that this album picks up where 2010’s Third Round – my favorite of his albums – left off. Assuming “Slowing The Tides” is an indication of what the rest of the album may be like, I think it’s time to place my pre-order…

Katché is once again joined by saxophonist Tore Brunborg (THANK YOU!), and rounding out the band are trumpeter Nils Petter Molvær and keyboardist Jim Watson.

Can’t…wait…

 

MTH-V: Marcus Miller’s “Detroit”

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It’s almost been a year since I started this series, the second entrant for which was my beloved Marcus Miller. This week, it’s time for another dose. I have a couple reasons:

1. It’s Marcus.
2. A few weeks ago, I saw his solo band live (finally!) at Detroit’s Jazz Cafe at Music Hall.

Outside of the coasts, he rarely tours the US, so it was nice to see him visit the mitten. This year he has been touring with his new (younger) band – occasionally with a different keyboardist and/or trumpeter – instead of the usual crew of Poogie, Patches, et al., the members of which are featured on this summer’s Renaissance. It was so great to see him and his group in such an intimate venue. The video below doesn’t even begin to capture the energy that was present.

Here’s footage of a performance of “Detroit” (from the new album) in Marciac, France. As with everything Marcus touches, this is FUNKY:

The band above is:
Adam Agati – Guitar
Kris Bowers – Keys
Louis Cato – Drums
Alex Han – Sax
Sean Jones – Trumpet

And here’s a little clip from the Detroit show featuring Miller’s Detroiter protégé Brandon Ross:

MTH-V: Lisa Hannigan Live

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In my MTH-V entry on Damien Rice, I mentioned that Lisa Hannigan, his secret weapon, was arguably my favorite part of his output. After parting ways with Rice in 2007, Ms. Hannigan soon led her own ensemble. Without being hyperbolic, I can safely say that hers is one of my absolute favorite female voices, and has been for years. I’ll reiterate: “equal parts smoky jazz singer and Greek siren.” But her voice isn’t the only thing that shines in her solo work – she’s also a first-rate songwriter and a good instrumentalist.

Her debut album was released via ATO Records. Both Sea Sew (2008) and the more sonically robust  Passenger (2011) are consistently solid. Both of them are albums I can easily put on repeat, neither skipping songs nor growing tired of the material. Whereas Rice’s material is largely glum, Hannigan is often sunny and playful – but not overly so – even with more solemn topics (see “Pistachio”). Similar to Bon Iver, her instrumentation features much variety given the number of musicians. I’m amazed she’s not more well known. Her voice has incredible depth and maturity, and yet her songs are youthful and catchy.

I’ve included live performances of two songs from each of her albums: Sea Sew and Passenger, respectively. All are from different dates and locations – both formal and informal – so I’ll embed them in “album order.” (Fans of Damien Rice may recognize bassist Shane Fitzsimons. If you listen to the studio albums, you’ll also recognize cellist Vyvienne Long.) Unlike a few previous MTH-V entries, I opted to not use a Later…with Jools Holland performance. I dare you to not watch/listen to these more than once…

 

“An Ocean And A Rock”

 

“Pistachio”

 

“Paper House”

 

“Passenger” (A charming little street performance in Toronto. Imagine walking past this on your way to work!)