Lee Konitz More Live-Lee CD

Live Recording

Personnel: Lee Konitz (alto saxophone); Lee Konitz; Alan Broadbent (piano).
Audio Remixer: Phil Edwards .
Liner Note Authors: Orrin Keepnews; Bill Kirchner.
Recording information: Jazz Bakery, Los Angeles, CA (10/21/2000-10/22/2000).
Photographer: Steve Banks.
On More Live-Lee, saxophonist Lee Konitz is joined for an intriguingly spare set with pianist Alan Broadbent. This atypical setting allows for subtle interplay and the type of quiet nuances impossible in larger settings. The duo allow "Body and Soul" to drift at a lazy pace as Konitz's horn weaves slow, lovely lines and Broadbent adds tasteful, though minimal, flourishes. There are a couple other nice stabs at classic material, including an eight-minute take on "I Can't Get Started" and a seven-minute version of "How Deep Is the Ocean?" These two players even manage to inject a bit of pizzazz into a warhorse like "You Go to My Head." Several of these pieces, however, have been written by Konitz and have a decidedly more contemporary feel. On "Thingin'," Broadbent keeps a steady bassline as he plays a nifty solo comprised of individual notes and block chords, while "Nothin'" gives Konitz a chance to explore varying shades as his solo climbs and descends without accompaniment. The duo also offer lively interchanges on "Lennie's," "Bending Broadly," and the closer, "Just Friends." Simply presented and executed, More Live-Lee delivers a full, satisfying set by two fine performers playing at the top of their game. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.
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.

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."