Live Jazz in St Paul Musician owned and operated The Artists' Quarter408 St Peter StreetSt.Paul, MN 55102(651) 292-1359
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Give the gift of jazz!
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Friday, June 15 – Sunday, June 17, Lee Konitz (8:30 and 10:30 pm -7:30 and 9:30-Sunday,$20) |
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 Celebrating his 80 birthday this year, alto sax legend Lee Konitz is regarded as the preeminent cool jazz saxophonist. He performed and recorded with Claude Thornhill, Lennie Tristano, and with Miles Davis on The Birth of the Cool, which gave the genre its name. In the early 1950s, Konitz recorded and toured with Stan Kenton's orchestra. Known for his unique phrasing and chromaticism, Konitz is a iconoclast who was one of the few alto saxophonists of the late 1940s and 1950s who was not a Charlie Parker imitator. Always a trail-blazer, Konitz also collaborated on what is considered the first free jazz recording (Crossscurrents, 1949).
Konitz has been extremely prolific, recording scores of albums as a band leader. He has also recorded or performed with Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Elvin Jones and others. The last time Lee Konitz played the Artists Quarter, he record the live CD After Hours with Kenny Horst and Billy Peterson. In recent recordings including After Hours and those with with Brad Mehldau and Charlie Haden, Konitz continues to push toward more free and avant-garde expressions.
Lee Konitz is a unique talent and one of the all-time jazz greats whose performance should not be missed. Call 651-2921359 for Reservations for this special event!
"In Japan, where tradition is revered, and where a great potter or shakuhachi master is designated a 'National Living Treasure,' Lee Konitz would certainly be a prime candidate for such an honor. Konitz is a master of the art of jazz improvisation. The alto saxophonist on Miles Davis' historic Birth Of The Cool sessions, both sideman and leader in an extraordinarily wide range of contexts, Konitz is a musician of unshakable integrity who has continued to develop and refine his craft. he has also (for the last 40 years) been teaching jazz keeping alive a tradition that for Lee began during his own studies with the legendary pianist, saxophonist, composer, and theoretician Lennie Tristano. For Konitz, music is more than a series of tones set in time, it is nothing less than 'a life force'." -David Kastin, Downbeat Magazine
 Lee Konitz, like many veteran jazz artists, excels in a live setting. This informal session occurred after the St. Paul nightclub Artist Quarter was officially closed for the evening, with the alto saxophonist playing a bit for invited guests with bassist Billy Peterson and drummer Kenny Horst. Konitz was impressed with this after-hours set and commented that he wished it had been taped, so he was delighted to learn that the last hour was indeed recorded. Most of this set consists of standards, though there's plenty of experimentation. The trio takes "It's You or No One" into very abstract settings, while Peterson sets up "Alone Together" with an extended bass solo. Konitz's "Mr. Green," technically the only non-standard of the date, is a barely disguised reworking of Johnny Green's timeless ballad "Body and Soul." The dark yet strutting interpretation of "Stella by Starlight" is particularly refreshing. This CD is getting harder to find, so fans of Lee Konitz shouldn't delay in seeking out this rewarding live disc. - Ken Dryden, All Music Guide |
Saturday, 17 May 2008 21:37
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