It’s been quite some times since our last Saturday Night Jazz. I think tonight, for some reason I can’t quite put a finger on, calls for Joe McPhee’s “Shakey Jake,” from his amazing 1971 album, Nation Time. If you don’t know, Joe McPhee is a monster: his early stuff, like Nation Time, is completely unafraid of imitation (remembrances of Coltrane are in nearly every note) and repetition; his later stuff runs headlong for the breaking point, blazing adventurous paths that sometimes work, sometimes don’t. I like “Shakey Jake” so much because it represents for me a sound of jazz not quite taken up–not even really by McPhee. AllMusic’s description of the track is nice enough to quote: “With the quintet expanded by an alto sax, organist, and electric guitarist, McPhee gets busy marrying free jazz to James Brown funk or maybe creating a vision of what would have happened if early-’60s Coltrane had revisited his R&B youth.”
Dig it.
Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 10:15 am
Mother fuckers have blocked it.
Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 10:27 am
Listening on Spotify. Fucking good.
Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 7:21 pm
“Shakey Jake” is one of my favorites. Bring it. I agree about the path not taken.
Incidentally, McPhee is still out there playing and recording. He’s very much worth checking out live if you can.
Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 8:34 pm
He is indeed still playing, and not shy at all about breaking out his vuvuzela–as he did at last year’s Konfrontationen festival in Austria.
Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 11:26 pm
Ladies and gentlemen, Joe McPhee. (Also The Thing and the Cato Salsa Experience.)
Monday, January 31, 2011 at 12:18 am
Ben, that is most excellent. This is new to me. Big fan of The Thing, though. One of the best live shows you can see.
Monday, January 31, 2011 at 12:50 pm
For those who liked Ben’s contribution, might I then add this.