Jaded, My Tummy

Jamire Williams is my favorite jazz drummer, bar none, and I'd say he's arguably in the Top 3 of jazz drummers in America. Truly exceptional.

The first time I discovered him was on Christian Scott's Yesterday You Said Tomorrow (2010). His drumming on there, especially on album opener "K.K.P.D.," really cements together on the LP Scott's musical ideas. Williams' imaginative use of his drum kit and his myriad senses of rhythm—unorthodox syncopation, gutter boom-bap kicks, diffusive cadences, malleable fluctuations of space-time—drew me in. But what made me a fan and convinced me that he become my favorite was hearing him perform as part of pianist/composer Robert Glasper's trio. Recorded live at the Village Vanguard in December 2010, Williams sounds like art. And that is no mere trope—he is captivating. Every lick, every brush, every roll, every hi-hat tap, every strike of his calibrated snares feels like the masterful deliberation of a painter's impressionistic brush strokes, ethereal beauty in motion. I can palpably sense the three-dimensional space he's creating inside the Village Vanguard, and my mind. So, when I read this recent interview with Bandcamp where Williams states, "It’s high art to me. I look at myself as a painter on the drums," it strongly bolstered my thoughts on him.

The integration of jazz and hip-hop has appeared any many forms the past few decades. A whole crop of them were hot in the early-'90s hip-hop heyday with A Tribe Called Quest being the most notable (but remember Digable Planets and Resurrection-age Com Sense?). Even today, there are a new crop of young, innovative jazz heads who incorporate hip-hop into their music. Blue Note pianist/composer Robert Glasper is the first to come to mind (Karriem Riggins, Stefon Harris, Jason Moran...).

 Well, these three, under-21, Canadian knuckleheads are named BADBADNOTGOOD (BBNG), and they're a jazz band that reinterprets notable hip-hop songs à la El Michels Affair, except they play a whole lot more types of tracks. Recently, BBNG has been in the music news for their performance backing Odd Future at the Coachella Festival in California. One thing I really I like about their covers is that they don't feel so obligated to recreate the track in every way. They leave room for improvisation and exploration. Although their sound is real fresh and organic and I love some of their cover choices, I can't say I'd want to buy an album from them. But, luckily we don't have to, because they offer all their music for free here: http://badbadnotgood.bandcamp.com. Check out digital releases BBNG (2011) and BBNG2 (2012) where they cover Nas, Gucci Mane, Joy Division, the Zelda soundtrack, James Blake, and A Tribe Called Quest. I got word of them from The Revivalist blog (definitely worth checking for) over at Okayplayer. Here is their video for "Electric Relaxation" (A Tribe Called Quest):

Rating:
from the forthcoming Summer 2012 album What We Play Is Life

I hate to admit this, but my knowledge of the contemporary jazz scene is embarrassing. But, at the same time, much of it doesn't move me like Mingus or Monk. Well, this new track, "Groove," from trumpeter/composer Lee Hogans and his band, Pursuance, doesn't dissuade me from feeling this way. It's actually an enjoyable, head-nodding groove with some exciting improvisations, but the track as a whole doesn't really capture my imagination.

Hogans, who developed his chops backing the likes of Jay-Z, Jill Scott, Diddy, and others on their respective tours, is clearly of the hip-hop generation. The rhythmic foundation of "Groove" - a steady, bouncing hip-hop/funk jamfest - is securely held down by the chemistry and interplay between bassist Kellen Harrison and drummer Jerome Jennings. It's real easy to get lost in that groove. In fact, so much so that it somewhat bears down on the vitality of the music. What does capture my attention, though, is how lyrical Hogans approaches his solos. His effective, punctuated phrases reminds me of a hip-hop MC who skillfully manipulates syllables to fit the rhythm of the beat. It also reminds me some of Freddie Hubbard's jazz-funk classic Straight Life (1972)—but only just a little. At best, "Groove" is nice, jamming background music, but nonetheless, I still look forward to hearing what he's cooked up for the rest of his What We Play Is Life album.

For more info on Lee Hogans: http://www.bachbrass.com/artists/profile.php?aid=342