odd-metered jazz (not fusion)

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variableD
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odd-metered jazz (not fusion)

Post by variableD » Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:19 am

Is there any jazz outside of Brubeck that has odd meters? I know there's Mahavishnu and that kind of thing (and enjoy it) but I'm looking for jazz, not fusion. I can't say I've ever noticed any odd meters even in the most "out" avant-jazz. That doesn't mean they aren't there... I just might not have noticed. I like Brubeck, but I don't find the playing all that exciting... it's pretty straight ahead other than the meters. That was a major innovation at the time, swinging odd times, but no one seemed to follow up on it. I wonder why that was... maybe because he was white? Or just not "hip" enough? I bet if Coltrane or Miles did a bunch of things in 7 there would have been a lot of players who followed and it would have endured. Instead, it seems like a one-off. Or maybe there's a lot of odd-time jazz I'm just unaware of. If that's the case, please fill me in...

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analogika
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Post by analogika » Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:44 am

Do a search on YouTube for Nukeleus.

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Post by mrpicholas » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:11 am

John Tchicai wrote in all sorts of odd meters, and was able to make them swing and sound natural. I've got a bunch of charts from when I was playing bass with him in the Archetypes.

I'm happy to pass a few on if you're interested. He's known for the outside "free jazz" side, but wrote and performed many tight, structured compositions. Sometimes they were legato melodic lines performed in unison over rhythmic ostinatos, other times there were lots of odd-meter patterns repeated. His duo album "Satisfaction" with bassist Vitold Rek is a good place to start.
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Post by dfuruta » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:54 am

plenty of it in the avant-garde world: muhal richard abrams, anthony braxton, henry threadgill...

variableD
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Post by variableD » Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:58 pm

Lots of great suggestions here, thanks!

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Gregg Juke
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Post by Gregg Juke » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:28 pm

Double-post deleted...

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Last edited by Gregg Juke on Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Gregg Juke
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Post by Gregg Juke » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:28 pm

Don Ellis. The Free Spirits (w/Jim Pepper). I think Pharaoh Sanders may have done some things in that bag. The Art Ensemble of Chicago (you could play "What's the Key?" Just as easily as you play "What's the Time Signature?" Or even "Is there a Time Signature?")...

It's also good to remember that anything outside of 4/4 time was considered "odd time." So 3/4, while a standard part of the milieu today, at one time was a bit of a radical departure, and some artists, like Max Roach, did whole albums in "waltz time."

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thunderboy
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Post by thunderboy » Wed Jun 15, 2016 5:55 am

I'm late to the party, but definitely check out Steve Lehman. I'm partial to his newer stuff (Steve Lehman Octet), but pretty much all of his music is rhythmically interesting/challenging.
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Post by cgarges » Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:25 pm

Steve Lehman is great! I was gonna suggest some of Dave Holland's stuff and then the clique of folks associated with the first Jay Leno Tonight show band-- Kevin and Robin Eubanks, Smitty Smith, etc. Some of the records those guys were making in the early 90s sound a little dated, but there's some interesting swinging stuff in odd time signatures for sure. Kenny Garrett is another fair good resource for this kind of thing.

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Brett Siler
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Post by Brett Siler » Thu Jun 30, 2016 1:46 pm

Masada, John Zorns Book Of Angles series, Electric Masada, Nels Cline Singers,
Double recommend Mahavishnu Orchestras first three albums and Steve Lehman. I'm assuming too that you aren't interested in free jazz (no time signature) but stuff with singular odd times signates (or changing signatures through the song but staying away from 4/4 for the most part)?

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Post by believe_in_steve » Fri Jul 01, 2016 11:08 am

Vijay Iyer plays in some cool time signatures. The song "Revolutions" is one that comes to mind. His trio with Marcus Gilmore is really tight.

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