Straight talking has a couple of meaning
and variants; it can be akin to V. S .O.
P. (a mark of purity) or it can manifest
as kidding on the square (joking around
with serious intent). Straight talking jazz
can occur at the lyrical level or at the
harmonic and chord progression level. In
either case, it doesn't take long for the
listener to realize that he/she is hearing
some straight talk.
John Pizzarelli while technically very
proficient has an honesty in his playing
that is never lost even during pyrotechnic
displays of virtuousity. In our first set
he is teamed with a hard driving big band,
courtesy of Don Sebesky.
Our second set features three songs whose
on the surface telling differs from the
true message beneath. Perhaps the most effective
way of putting one down is through sweetness
and innocence, and Louis, Dave, and GIacomo
illustrate just how that is done with a
subtle swinging style.
Jimmy Smith and Nicolas Payton deliver
some instrumental straight talk, with the
kind of tunes that you know from the downbeat
you are not going to hear any BS and stories
being told will an deliver honest impact
on your emotions. Ken Nordine also slips
in another word play where what you assume
to be the topic at hand, is in fact, something
complete different.
Joe Henderson plays a standard, fairly
straight, from an album that is not as well
known as some others from that era but which
maintains the intensity of exactly who Joe
Henderson was. Regina Carter speaks straight
from the bow and Wayne Shorter delivers
a quiet ballad that can fill the expanse
of any the room, dripping with emotional
beauty. Rounding out the hour, John gives
us one more tune, this time sans vocal,
and it's a nice simple direct execution
of swinging genius.
The jazz musician is a story teller.
Some stories are more obvious through vocal
work; others come from the sounds emanating
from the instruments. But as with much in
life, you can generally tell if you are
being told the truth, given a line, or receiving
a complete fabrication. Straight talk, while
sometimes words that we don't want
to hear, is generally what we need
to hear. In the case of music, straight
talking jazz is probably the best account
of the human condition being told.
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