(1999) Mal Waldron **1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: from 1995 to 1999

This record really is something. It’s Mal’s last record that was recorded in his beloved Japan. It was his last solo recording. His last effort for 3361*Black. And his last record of another fruitful decade: the 1990’s. As a 30 year old from the Netherlands all that jazz from back in the day tend to feel so far away. But these records were recorded while I was probably playing somewhere out in the yard. And Mal was living just 300 kilometers from my house. He performed even closer. If I knew that back in those days… If I could only turn back time.

One could say this is more of the same stuff as Maturity number 5. To some extend it is. But where that record was pleasant but nothing shocking, this is a little boring. While it contains a pretty interesting set of jazz standards. Mal unfortunately fails to make something interesting out of them. And less than on the last Maturity disc there are creative or inspired moments. It really just sounds like Mal plays a set of standards in a very standard kind of way. Perhaps he was tired or just did not had his day. He was definitely not at his end as an artist for his last three records before his death were superb.

Anyway, one could live without this record. This really is a for completists only and for that kind of stuff it’s rare and probably a little too expensive.

(1996) Maturity 5: Elusiveness of Mt. Fuji ***1/2

With: Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: July 4, 1996

The final recording of these series is a solo effort by Mal himself. It was released first as ‘Maturity’ which makes it a little confusing as this was not the first part of the later series that were also called Maturity. The 2003 issue was actually made the closing part: number 5. It was called for the famous Japanese volcano near the city of Tokyo that makes a lasting impression on every visitor: Mt. Fuji. The repertoire consists mostly of standards only except for Mal’s own original: The Seagulls of Kristiansund. Just like some other records in Japan, this was recorded in a theater but without an audience.

This is in no way an essential Mal Waldron record. All of the music goes by in a very relaxed tempo and atmosphere. Mal takes his time and space to work out everything nicely. The music is basic, yet detailed. It will not blow you off your feet and is in no way comparable to some of the solo records he made in the ’70’s. But its all very nice. Mal really sounds mature here and his sound is definite. He sounds like he has done everything already a thousand times and just goes back to the basic principles of his own style and playing. None of the standards is treated in a very creative way, but they surely come immediately recognizable out of Mal’s hands. And between the straight ahead lines he is playing are plenty of details that keeps the music interesting. The overall calmness in his playing gives this whole record a very meditative feeling. It’s an excellent pick for a late evening after a hard day’s work. Nice detail: the second version of Seagull's is accompanied by Mal's voice who is saying the lyrics. It really adds to the intimate feeling of the record. And Mal has a very warm and deep voice. He once stated that he wrote music with words in his mind.

And yes of course this 5th volume of the series is hard to find, and so is the original 1997 release which isn’t even on Discogs. I could imagine no one wants to pay 60 euros for a record like this. I paid around 30 for mine. Though it’s not essential, I still love it. And the sound is just amazing. It’s like your in Mal’s Steinway.

(1995) Maturity 4: White Road, Black Rain ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Jeanne Lee (vocals), Toru Tenda (flute)

Record date: August 6 & 21, 1995

This is the last record to be reviewed from Mal's 1995 birthday tour in Japan. The personell is the same as on the BVHaast disc: 'Travelin Soul-Time'. We've got the great singer Jeanne Lee and Japanese flautist Toru Tenda. And it also has some tracks in common with that record. The two songs that were written in remembrance of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hirsohima and Nagasaki during WWII, based on Japanese poems. 

But there are also different tracks here: Like the starting Japanese lullaby with it's sweet yet sad sounding, perfectly fit for the Waldron/Lee duo. Jeanne Lee meanders sotfly over Mal's chords in the background, improvising in a language that does not really contain words. Very nice. 'White Road' is probably the piece I like best by them. With it's dark atmopshere, and Jeanne Lee almost 'telling' this impressive and sad poem on Mal's subdued chords. It really is a reminder of the horror's of that very day in Hiroshima. Jeanne Lee is a singer of pure feeling and she makes it possible to almost relive those events in your head. 'Black Rain' is less structured and is clearly representing the horrors in the hours after the drop of the big one. I personally do not like the more free form singing here but that is a matter of taste. But everyhing is made even better with the closing jazz standard 'Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child'. It get's a very thoughtful treatment and Lee's soft and sweet voice just hits all the right notes. 

I am no vocal jazz fan but this is great stuff. I have to say that Mal's role in it is a bit limited. Yet he is able to create the right atmosphere with his moody voicings in the background. Biggest downside is probably it's short length. It was initially released on Dan or Tokuma Japan in 1995 and in 2003 made Volume 4 in the Maturity series. Unfortunatly it doesn't contain as much photograph's as the previous two volumes. The sound is great anyway. Like all of those Tokuma discs it is not very easy to pick one up. Prices mostly start around 50 euros. Chances are probably best again trough websites like Buyee or something like that. For everyone that likes the voice of Jeanne Lee: this is recommended stuff.  

(1995) Maturity 3: Dual ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Takeo Moriyama (drums)
Record date: August 20, 1995

The same day that they recorded 'Bit', they also made this record. 4 days after his birthday Mal teamed up with Japanese drummer Takeo Moriyama and played two long sessions in Studio F with a live audience present. The 'Bit' record was already rated highly by me, and this third part of the Maturity series is also very interesting.

Just like the 'Bit' record this was recorded as a suite. But here the tracks are partitioned in 7 parts. Yet every composition flows over in another one. All the music was improvised on the spot and that leads to some very exciting and creative music. Both Mal as Takeo play on a high level of energy here and the music is pretty intense here and there. Though Mal became a little milder in sound in the 1990's this is a pretty good example of his capabilitly to explore more free territories. His attack is highly percussive and he uses big clusters of notes here and there. But the music still sounds set in structures as from the improvisations, there are still themes in the music that Mal regularly visits. And part from the high energy parts there are also some beautiful calmer bits in the music that are of equal interest.

Just like the other Dan release the music here is all about the interaction between drummer and pianist. And Mal and Takeo really feel each other and are able to communicate in an almost telepathic way. Also Moriyama is a very pleasant drummer to listen to as he works his ass of but still in no way tries to overrule Mal. He's a very balanced player, never too loud but definitely not in de background only. He just adds the right things to Mal's lead. This was an excellent duo.

This record was released in 1996 for the first time by Dan or Tokuma Japan. It was made part of the Maturity series in 2003. I can't speak for the 1996 release but the Maturity is beautiful. It's warm and balanced in sound and the photographs in the booklet are truly beautiful. Of all the Maturity releases this one seems to be avaible a little better. Highly recommended music and perhaps a good introduction to the more rare 'Bit' which is even better.

(1995) Maturity Vol.2: He's My Father ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Mala Waldron (piano, vocals)
Record date: August 21, 1995

I mentioned the year 1995 before as the year of Mal’s 70th birthday celebration tour. That tour largely took place in Japan and Mal was joined by his whole (2!) families. Not only Hiromi, but also his ex wife Elaine joined him. And also his 2 daughters from his first marriage. One of those daughters is Mala Waldron who is the only one of Mal’s children that is really active on the jazz scene. She still performs regularly in NYC and the surrounding area. Her website is in the list of links on my blog. Just one day after Mal’s birthday he recorded a duet album with his oldest daughter called ‘He’s My Father’. It was originally released in 1996 by Tokuma and later made part of the Maturity series. It’s that disc that I own.

So what to expect of this record? Mala might be an active live singer, she has not recorded a lot of music. But I have to say: she is a fine singer. And a good piano player too. As she is a singer I expected a real vocal album but she is not singing on all of the tracks. In fact she mostly sticks to piano. She only sings on two tracks. Her piano playing reminds one of her father’s playing: it’s not technical, a bit minimalistic and repetitive in parts. The way she interacts with her fathers playing is excellent and the whole album breathes a comfortable but still interesting air. Both the jazz standard ‘My Funny Valentine’ as the Waldron original ‘Clouds’ are very meditative with deep and long chords. The soloing by both Mal as Mala is subdued and calm but very beautiful. It has this very warm atmosphere with still that dark undertone that Mal’s music is known for. No vocals on these two long outings.

Then there’s ‘Castle in The Sky’ which was written by Mala. It has more of a pop music feeling. Mala starts singing here and her voice is pleasant. And that says a lot coming from someone that generally does not like those vocals. She might not be the new Ella Fitzgerald by I am pretty sure Mal was proud of her. The whole song might be a little shoddy here and there bit I like it as it sounds very sincere. With ‘Cat and Mouse’ the whole album takes another turn. From sweet sounding poppy music into more free territory. Both Mal’s as Mala’s piano actually sound like a cat chasing a mouse. This is more experimental free improvising music. It’s interesting to hear how much Mala has been influenced by her father as the two are sometimes hard to distinguish. The whole interpretation of ‘A Night In Tunesia’ is probably the least interesting as it’s all a bit predictable. The closing title song is a thoughtful one suited perfect as a closing title for this father/daughter collaboration.

Like all of the Maturity discs this one is quite difficult to obtain. The biggest chance for a success remains websites like Buyee where you are able to buy from Japanese stores. I like it for it’s intimacy and the fact that this a collaboration with his daughter. But there’s some pretty good playing here too.

I know a man, he’s a strong man
A very complicated man
Music is his life, and how he inspires
With the power in his hands

And this man’s my father
And how I’ve watched him
From the time I was old enough to understand
He’s my father
For as long as I live
And he’ll never be replaced by any other man
He’s my father

A life on the road, he’s traveled far and wide
And as kids sometimes we’d come along
I always was amazed at how he mesmerized
With his melodies so strong

He’s my father
And it feels good to say it
When there are so many dads who do not know their own
An tough he’s far away
And we don’t talk so much
I hope he knows he’ll never have to be alone
He’s my father

(1998) Maturity Vol.1: Klassics ***1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Yoshihiko Katori (vibes), Kengo Nakamura (bass)
Record date: July 21, 1998

Now, perhaps the attentive reader noticed that I skipped a few records in the years 1995/1996. They were all recorded for ‘Dan records’ and three of them during the birthday celebration tour in Japan. The reason I skipped them at first is because I want to review them in the series that I own. When I was around 15 years old one of my first Waldron discs I bought was ‘Maturity Vol.3: Dual’ with Japanese drummer Takeo Moriyama. Not a very logical start and it really was a very impulsive buy. I was fascinated by the beautiful photograph of Mal on the cover of these series. It cost me 40 euros which was half the money I was being paid for stocking shelves in the local supermarket. And it took 3 months to arrive. The record itself was pretty good, the sound was amazing, the artwork impressive but most of all: I had the feeling I owned something pretty rare. They still are, these Maturity series. It took another 15 years when I decided to complete the series for I could not control my compulsive behavior. When one owns volume three, there’s gotta be a volume one, two, four and five too of course.

Maturity Vol.1: Klassics is the starting point in the series but wasn’t the first to be recorded. It was the last one actually. The title can be taken literally for the record contains interpretations of classical music only. There are compositions by Brahms, Chopin, Grieg and Bartok. Plus intermezzo’s that were written by Mal himself. The results are a bit mixed. Mal has clearly selected compositions that would fit in with his minimalistic and dark approach. Some of his interpretations of this rather sad music are truly beautiful. The playing goes very natural and so the transitions from the more classical oriented theme’s into more jazz improvised territories. The intermezzo’s that were written by Mal himself do not sound out of place at all and are also more based on European classical music. The thing that I really dislike is the addition of vibes and bass to it. If Mal decided to treat these solo it could have resulted in a very favorite record of mine for I love his interpretations of these old compositions. But especially Kator’s vibes really don’t add anything to the music. Quite the contrary: it makes them sound a bit silly in places. Vibes could work out pretty well in Third Stream music as Milt Jackson clearly pointed out with the MJQ. But Katori is just not capable enough to make it really work.

The parts where Mal plays in duet with bassist Nakamura are a little better. But Nakamura isn’t really a very interesting musician too. The way Reggie Workman adjusted his bass playing during those Satie interpretations: that was really something else. Nakamura just plays his part, nothing more and nothing less.

This is a pretty enjoyable effort in a lot of places. I love the way Mal interprets this classical music from centuries ago. I do not know how the real classical music lovers feel about it. What I do know is that Mal really treats them with respect. The original release was in 1999 by Tokuma Japan. It’s not even on Discogs and pretty rare. The Maturity version from 2003 on 3361*BLACK is just as rare and took me quite a while to obtain a copy. The sound of these series is incredibly good and the packaging is lovely, though I can’t read the Japanese liners of course. One of Discogs’ most opportunistic sellers called KUPIKU sometimes offers a copy for around a 1000 euros. Really what are those guys thinking? The easiest and cheapest way to get your copy is to follow them on website like Amazon Japan, Rakuten and Yahoo Japan. You could buy them trough websites like Buyee.