OK, let's check out Night Dreamer...
Balboa wrote:So I’ll kick off here with ‘Night Dreamer’. I didn’t pick this one up for a while, and when I did, I left it unplayed for months - sometimes you just get so many albums that the thought of listening to another Wayne Shorter album seemed unneccesary. Not for the first time, I was wrong. The band is great, the writing is varied and interesting, and the whole things hangs together really well.
The album kicks off with the title track - actually with McCoy Tyner tinkling at the piano - then the band kicks in with that ¾ groove. Shorter calls the sound ‘floating’ in the liner notes and also likens it to the evening or night, as per the album title - I agree. The whole thing dances along on Tyner’s piano and Elvin Jones’ skittering drum track. Shorter’s solos are restrained (he threatens to bust out with his second solo, but keeps it all clean!), Lee Morgan’s similar - both players playing in the groove - Tyner comps himself whilst soloing, and keeps the whole mood of the piece together. As an aside, I love the way Tyner comps on the piano - he varies the phrases all the times, playing different measures of different things. The whole track is built on a simple 4 chord loop (it lilts between maj and minor chords, and descends downwards), but Tyner keeps it sounding fresh right the way through.
A great smoky, late-night groover ain’t it. Starts off so languid and cool bluesy, but I love the way it picks up a new energy after Tyner’s finished and Shorter starts his second solo – he starts honking and squeaking and tearing at the edges of the notes, with that fractured, almost alto tone he often gets when he’s letting loose, and the rhythm section are with him all the way. Man, that Elvin was a sticks genius. The energy continues as Morgan comes back in to harmonise on the head again, and then Shorter and Jones especially break free and sail off into the outro.
Balboa wrote:Next up we have ‘Oriental Folk Song’ which is one of my favourite things on the album. Its something Shorter has rearranged, and I am not familiar with the original piece of music. Morgan plays a really nice solo on this one - full of pushing and pulling. And the whole thing seems to exist on a couple of chords (outside of the head). Well, I like it!
Yes, I like this one too. It’s the kinda track you can just feel Shorter was desperate to try more of, but couldn’t because it basically didn’t have the feel of a Jazz Messenger’s tune, something Blakey could stamp his sound on for a JM album, although Jones does let off a nice rumbly little solo. There’s a lot of space, and despite the bluesy feel to the beat there’s also an exotic feel to the melody that’s really captivating.
Balboa wrote:‘Virgo’ is next - a ballad in that classic Shorter mould (he sounds a lot like Coltrane on ballads I think). I like his playing when he slows it down and blows - he has a real feel for chord changes that work (although this one does veer kinda close to ‘Infant Eyes’ territory, but that’s a cracker, so no harm done). They strip down to a quartet on this, Morgan sits it out, but the rhythm section play together like old friends. I know some people think BN had these blowing sessions, but I don’t see it that way at all; these guys really had a feel for playing together and you can hear it. Anyway, it takes its time and revolves around some changes, but it sounds lovely and sometimes that’s all that matters. And the bit at the end where Shorter takes it on his own is kinda cool too.
Yep, I think Shorter was a terrific ballad player and writer. And the Coltrane comparison really is interesting when you think about. While Shorter was still much more interested in the chord changes than Coltrane was by ’64, maybe the ballads allowed Shorter the room he needed to let the solo muse come to him more readily, as Trane was finding with the modal stuff he was doing a lot of. Not to knock Shorter’s uptempo playing, which is often terrific, but his ballad playing often has a range of tone and melodic ideas that sometimes don’t seem as rushed and blustery on the slower tracks. The first solo on Virgo in particular is so intimate and direct you can really hear what he’s trying to say, from a very soft breathy crackle of the reed on the drawn out soft notes to when there’s a very slight tempo increase and you’re there with the band and find your pulse picks up a bit too. Does everything a beautiful ballad should. And another shout out for Elvin, this time on the brushes, a gentle yet undeniable swing off of Reggie's strong bass sound.
Balboa wrote:‘Black Nile’ has the full band back and is a jaunty mid swing tempo, hard boppish number. Elvin Jones excels on this, really driving it along, you can almost hear him pushing Shorter on during his solo before he is happy and settles back down. Who is meant to be leading this band again? He takes his first solo too and pulls it off - even with the jazz guys, drum solos are something best done boldly and briefly; he fits the bill here. Morgan plays great again - I know he had a ton of personal issues in the 60’s, mostly with heroin, but I can’t hear that it has any impact on his playing (contrary to what some critics would tell you).
A sweet hard bop tune indeed - full of energy, a catchy melody line, and beautifully constructed group sections and solos from everyone. Morgan’s sound is awesome isn’t it. It’s on a tune like this where you can really hear the differences between the early Morgan sound he had till about ’61, and the sound he came back with a few years later, which sounds so much more full and individual and is speaking to you, rather than mostly showing off what a talented technical player he could be. Really
listening to a great jazz drummer is an education all on its own, isn't it - it's wonderful the way Jones is pushing Shorter on as he goes through his solo, before throttling back when Morgan begins, to get a feel of where he's going, before starts edging him along more and bursting out with some power shots when Morgan wants to hit the heights, before easing back again for Tyner to come in. Such intuitive, supportive mastery.
Balboa wrote:‘Charcoal Blues’ is, well, a blues! Led by Tyner, the opening chord line (played alone by Shorter) reminds me of something Miles might write, simple ovelapping lines. Although Shorter is an awesome composer, sometimes his playing lacks that certain something - maybe that’s a bit harsh, but you can hear him trying to turn the melody inside out here and sometimes it sounds like a struggle. Whereas someone like Sonny Rollins just let it all pour out of him, and could take a melody and play with it forever without repeating himself, it sounds like Shorter has to try a little harder. I mean he plays great! And he does get a groove going, but it takes a little bit of time. Meanwhile Elvin Jones is driving things along, building up, building down, turning it round when he needs too. Another quartet piece - I’m guessing Morgan wasn’t around on the day they did these as it makes no sense for him not to play on this track.
Yeah, it’s a fun tune in its way without really standing out huh. Shorter’s solo seems a little limited in its scope considering it’s quite long too, relying on repeated lines and scale type progressions, like a bluesy jam workout that doesn’t quite lift off, but as a groovy blues it’s still an enjoyable toe tapper. It’s always nice to hear Tyner get bluesy too, combining that incredibly dexterous right hand with those big barrel-house chords from the left.
Balboa wrote:‘Armageddon’ might be my favourite track here. Starting with unison horn lines, the whole thing feels like it is being slowly brought to life by the band - the sedate pace as they run through the head lends an almost sombre mood to the track, you think it is going to take off but it never does. Shorter takes the first solo, followed by Morgan, and although neither go crazy, their brief solos push a little at the edges. I don’t have a ton to write about this other than it creates a mood and sticks there.
I love this one too, especially the way the band are still so awesomely tight on the sombre and moody group parts. I think the change of feeling in Shorter's solo compared to the head is quite freeing, opening the tune up with a sense of angry, energetic release, and Morgan’s following solo sounds absolutely terrific, like brief sparkling explosions bursting and falling above a darkened city. But then that’s probably why he is one of my favourite musicians of all time, I seem to see pictures in my head and to hear emotions I can connect to so often when he plays. Tyner brings it back down and back into the sombre head again, and this is a nice closer too for the whole album, a perfect contrast to the barely restrained energy built into the title track.
Balboa wrote:So what to think overall? Some great writing by Shorter and he covers all the basses - hard bop, ballad, waltz, blues....and some great playing by the band. The only frustrating thing about BN was that some of the bands never got the chance to play together again and you never really got to see a bunch of players evolve together (as a band). It would have been good to have heard them go all out on a couple of tracks (as much as I like ‘Armageddon’, you almost want to hear some Coltrane/Dolphy/Braxton/Rivers kinda wildcard player in there just to mix things up - Elvin Jones certainly sounds like he would have enjoyed the battle!). But its great. And there is plenty more to come. And I didn’t mention Reggie Workman at all through that - shame on me, but let me quote Shorter from the liner notes - ‘You can always feel him. He has a big sound, but his ideas are always clear’. That works for me. Never flashy, but always there.
Yep, a great album that really announces Shorter’s gifts beyond a shadow of a doubt. Wow, imagine Dolphy on there as a third horn as well – that really gets the imagination going! But despite the ‘what ifs’ this is such a solid session, you can still come back to it a lot and find a lot of new things to enjoy.
Great stuff Balboa – this has been like a synch listen without the synch! An excellent idea man.