RIP George Russell
Submitted by Secret Society
It’s hard to think of anything else in music that gave me as much of a thrill on first discovery as George Russell’s “All About Rosie.” But that thrill was magnified tenfold (I am not exaggerating) when I heard the later recording by the Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band, with Mel Lewis on drums — the original 1957 Brandeis Festival version (collected on “Birth of the Third Stream“) does not really do justice to the immense power of this piece (the famous Bill Evans solo piano break notwithstanding).
“All About Rosie” is one of the most kinetic and propulsive compositions I’ve ever heard. On the surface it’s crazy busy, almost wildly discursive, full of intersecting lines constantly snaking in and out and around each other, all of them vying for your full attention. But underneath the roiling surface, the music is just incredibly tightly controlled. Everything comes straight out of the Alabama children’s song-game “Rosie, Little Rosie,” and it’s the obsessive development of this theme that generates all that crazy momentum. It’s brilliant and earthy and thrilling and in 1957, there was nothing remotely like it in jazz.
Here’s Part 1 of “All About Rosie” - still a two-minute adrenaline rush like no other:
MP3: - “All About Rosie (Part 1)” (comp/arr George Russell, performed by the Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band)
The complete version available on this (highly recommended) Gerry Mulligan CJB iTunes compilation. (Ignore the “album review” on that page, which is for a different recording entirely.)
I was fortunate enough to take George’s Lydian Chromatic class and play keyboards in his ensemble at New England Conservatory in the early 2000’s.
More soon.
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Whose your favorite star? Hear a great piece recently? Register on Jazz Music Blog now and get published within minutes. Before posting, it is recommended that you review our posting guidelines.
