Lee Konitz More Live-Lee CD

Whereas most alto saxophonists of his generation were (quite understandably) under the sway of Charlie Parker stylistically, Lee Konitz always blazed his own path, his horn lines sounding almost detached and dry-ice cool even on the most scorching tunes. While some musicians find their forte and never stray far from it, Konitz challenges himself with vastly different contexts--playing accompanied only by bass and drums, working with a string section, embarking on improvisations with guitarist Derek Bailey, and even contributing to the Elvis Costello album NORTH.

MORE LIVE-LEE was recorded at the Los Angeles, California club the Jazz Bakery, with Konitz accompanied only by the nimble, lyrical piano playing of Alan Broadbent. The program is mostly standards, performed with a mixture of warm, subtle swing, intellectual wit, and brevity (the longest tune is eight minutes), with a complete lack of overt sentimentality. A particular high point is the elegant, melodious original "Nothin'," where the artist's alto soars completely alone. Though not an ideal introduction (that would be SOUND OF SURPRISE or MOTION), fans of Konitz won't be disappointed by this exceptional live outing.

Live Recording

Personnel: Lee Konitz (alto saxophone); Alan Broadbent (piano).

Recording information: Jazz Bakery, Los Angeles, California (10/21/2000 - 10/22/2000).

JazzTimes (p.84) - "Konitz is a melodicist devoted to ceaselessly evolving originality or, perhaps more precisely, to avoiding cliché. He reaches his goal here, accompanied and inspired by breathtaking pianist Alan Broadbent."