Doom & Gloom Dispatch #8: The Most Beautiful Sound Next To Silence
Dezron Douglas, Makaya McCraven, The Everly Brothers, ECM All-Stars, Neil Young & The Stray Gators
I first heard Dezron Douglas on Force Majeure, his terrific album of duets with harpist Brandee Younger from a few years back. But it turns out he has a high-profile gig with some guy named Trey Anastasio. Heard of him? Anyway — ATALAYA! At times, this solo effort for International Anthem could pass for some mid-1960s Blue Note session or a Classic Quartet-era Coltrane LP. But the playing is so crisp and purposeful that it never once feels like an exercise in nostalgia. It just feels timeless. Douglas’ bass playing (on both acoustic and electric) is extremely strong and sturdy as he leads a crackling group of musicians (George Burton on keys, Joe Dyson on drums, Emilio Modeste on sax) through a selection of brisk, up-tempo numbers and romantic ballads. There are a few surprises, too, like Melvis Santa’s show-stopping vocal on “Weeping Birch” and Douglas’ watery solo electric excursion on “Octopus.” I’d take a whole album of this kind of thing.
Makaya McCraven - KEXP Studio, Seattle, Washington, October 25, 2022
Like that Dezron Douglas LP, Makaya McCraven’s In These Times came out this year on the International Anthem label — a label that has become a trademark of quality over the past few years. I’ve liked McCraven a lot in the past, but In These Times feels like a genuine masterpiece, weaving together elements of lush CTI-era jazz, beat scientist wizardry and heady post-rock and emerging with something extraordinary.
The Denver gig I saw a few months back (pictured above) was by necessity a more stripped down affair, but no less transfixing, thanks in no small part to McCraven’s wildly talented band — D'Sean Jones on sax/flute/synth, Jeff Parker on guitar and Junius Paul on bass. That’s the same band you’ll see and hear on this great KEXP in-studio performance. Very cool to see the quartet putting all of the pieces together, and McCraven is a wonderful player; muscular and virtuosic without sacrificing sensitivity. If it were up to me, we’d be getting a live album from this group, sooner rather than later.
The Everly Brothers - The Bitter End, New York City, January 1969
Prepping for some bitter cold with a visit to the Bitter End! The Everly Brothers’ sublime harmonies could warm up even the coldest January night, of course. This is just a snippet of one of the duo’s performances down in Greenwich Village (broadcast a little while back via Andrew Sandoval’s outstanding Come To The Sunshine podcast), but it’s a beauty from start to finish. Plenty of hits, including slowed-down-for-extra-heartache versions of “All I Have To Do Is Dream” and “Let It Be Me” — the latter including a timely “Hey Jude” coda. The highlight, however, is the haunting, semi-deep-cut “Lord of the Manor,” which feels kind of like an entire Faulkner short story condensed into three minutes.
ECM Records All-Star Night - The Village Gate, New York City, January 19, 1976
The most beautiful sound next to silence comes to NYC. This “all-star night” of ECM-related performers is a delight, with some unique performances and collabs. Things start off nicely with solo sets from Ralph Towner and Steve Kuhn. But the music really starts to cook when John Abercrombie shows up, first for a dazzling duet with Towner and then in a trio with Collin Walcott and Towner, performing the deathless “Timeless.” Tabla, 12-string and electric guitar mesh for a truly transportive listening experience. That’s just the halfway point though — highlights to come include Walcott’s lovely “Marguerite” with Dave Holland and a mini-set from Jack DeJohnette’s Gateway Trio. ECM OMG.
Neil Young & The Stray Gators - Milwaukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, January 5, 1973
Hopefully, you all got a chance to check out Harvest Time, a new documentary about the making of Neil Young's Harvest ... if not, I believe it'll be streaming on the Archives site in January for subscribers. Anyway, it was great — I had semi-low expectations, but there is a ton of cool footage and it's all put together in a pleasing, vibe-filled fashion. The barn doors are open!
The Stray Gators play a big role in Harvest Time, of course, and following the blockbuster success of Harvest, Neil took 'em out on the road for a semi-disastrous winter tour of (mostly) arenas.
"I was searching for something that I never really got," Neil later recalled. "It didn't get to the groove like I wanted it to. I never really nailed it. And y'know, you could blame anybody for that, but I blame myself. I don't think I put together the right organization. It was a bad tour. I didn't feel good. Didn't have a great time. Not a lot of smiling."
Nevertheless! I love the Time Fades Away tour. And here's the first tape we've got of it (there was a Madison gig the night before, but no tapers!). Very lo-fi, buyer beware, but kind of charming in that early 70s audience recording way — someone is crinkling some kinda bag, the taper sings off-key during "Sugar Mountain" etc. But I'm a sicko, I enjoy this stuff. And the performance is very nice, kicking off with a mellow solo set and then leading into the Gators. Plenty of then-new material, including a killer electric "New Mama" and a groovy "Lookout Joe." The set closes with a loosey-goosey "Are You Ready For The Country?" with Country Jack Nitzsche raving it up like a madman on slide guitar. It's not a crime, you know!
From The Doom & Gloom Archives
Lou Reed - Music Hall, Cleveland, Ohio, December 22, 1972
As far as I can tell, this was Lou Reed’s very first US solo show! Historic stuff, taped by Doug Morgan back in the day (thanks to Nick for passing it along to me!). A bit of a rough listen, audio-wise, but not too bad, all things considered. This Cleveland gig comes a few days prior to the well-traveled/highly recommended WLIR show, and features the Tots – Long Island’s finest! – as Lou’s backing band. I like the Tots. They’re not quite as tight and assured here as they’d get during later shows, but they still sound great. We get a bunch of Transformer tracks (including the rarely played “Make-Up”) plus some choice VU selections. There are clearly some serious La Cave heads in the crowd … who else would call out for “Ferryboat Bill”? Definitely stick around for the nasty “Sister Ray” that closes things out.
Currently Reading: Thebes At War by Naguib Mahfouz