LEE KONITZ - sax alto
Lee Konitz è una delle ultime leggende viventi della musica Jazz. Colosso indiscusso dell’arte dell'improvvisazione, continua a stupire per la sua straordinaria originalità espressiva che lo portò già alla fine degli anni ‘40 ad essere considerato uno degli artisti più geniali del suo tempo. Ascoltare Lee Konitz significa incrociare una delle personalità più complesse e interessanti del Jazz del dopoguerra. La sua musica è tra le più sottilmente mobili e ambigue: chi lo classifica come esponente del Cool Jazz ne riduce semplicisticamente il profilo artistico, che invece è caratterizzato da incredibile molteplicità di visuali. In quarant’anni di attività, Lee Konitz come Miles attraversa tutti i grandi cambiamenti e le rivoluzioni della storia del Jazz: partecipa alle memorabili sessions del ’49 con Tristano e alla registrazione del capolavoro “Birth Of The Cool” a fianco della tromba di Miles Davis; negli anni ’60 affronta una serie di esperienze decisamente d’avanguardia con una serie di duetti che precorrono chiaramente il Jazz degli anni ’70. Oggi Lee rimane uno dei più lucidi stilisti del Jazz, sempre perfettamente cosciente dei suoi mezzi e dei suoi obiettivi, sempre assolutamente onesto nei confronti della musica, sempre fedele al suo mondo poetico dove creatività e distaccato autocontrollo trovano una irripetibile sintesi.
Born in Chicago, Illinois on October 13 1927.
After studying the clarinet and the tenor, he pursues with the alto, with Jerry Wald, since age 16.
Having met, in Chicago, Lennie Tristano, in the mid 40ties and studying with him, he joins Claude Thornhill (1947-8), with whom he did his first recordings. It is frequently emphasized in many discussions of the Konitz career that the late Lennie Tristano was a shaping force. Absolutely true, but Lennie simply firmed up an approach to playing that was already in place. Lee's earliest recorded solos, with the Claude Thornhill Orchestra in 1947, illustrate that Lee has embarked on a wholly individual stylistic journey.
Moving to New York, he plays at the Royal Roost as a member of the Tuba Band of Miles Davis and so, participated in the Birth of The Cool sessions (1948-50). At the meantime, he records with Lennie Tristano "Intuition" and performs with Warne Marsh, with whom he records a LP as leader (1949). After a tour of Europe (1951) he plays with Tristano in Canada (1952), joins Stan Kenton (1952-54) and records with Gerry Mulligan (1953).
After his association with Kenton, he works, on occasions, in New York and Boston, leading his own quartet (1954-55), with Tristano, at the Sing Song Room of the Confucius Restaurant, does more recordings with Marsh (1955). He is back in Europe (1956, 1958), more recordings with Mulligan (1957), Gil Evans (1957) and under his own name.
In California he is playing occasionally with Vince Guaraldi, Clare Fischer, Virgil Gonsalves. He returns to New York and appears at the Half Note with Tristano (1964); teaches, takes interest in the flute, the electrified saxophone, varitone, and performs at Carnegie Hall (1965), at the Paris jazz festival, in Lugano (1965-66).
Konitz found his own route through the musical maze, emerging with a wholly personal conception. After his collaboration with Tristano, his participation in the Birth of the Cool experiments with Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan and John Lewis, Lee braved the Stan Kenton powerhouse and opened up to other influences, taking different directions, especially during the 1960s, before returning to his natural habitat, the intimate small group.
Records a series of duos with Joe Henderson, Richie Kamuca, Jim Hall, Ray Nance, Elvin Jones... (1967) - a formula which becomes a speciality of his : with Sal Mosca (1971), Red Mitchell, Hal Galper (1974/5), Jimmy Giufre, Martial Solal (1978, 1980), Karl Berger (1979), Michel Petrucciani (1982), Harold Danko (1984).
He is in Germany with Attila Zoller or Albert Mangelsdorff (1968 - they record in duo in 1983), in Italy with Solal (1968) or Enrico Rava (1968). Tours with Primordial Jazz Five of Roswell Rudd (1968-70). He can be heard aside Mingus at Town hall (1972). He takes place in the concert, 1974, of Newport in New York and the Antibes festival. Records under his own name and with Dave Brubeck and Anthony Braxton, with Andrew Hill. Assisted by Peter Ind and Al Levitt, he tours Europe with Warne Marsh (1975-6) and with him records with Bill Evans (1977). He devotes an album to the tenor (1977), plays with Paul Bley, appears in France with Shelly Manne. He rejoins Mingus in 1978, Gil Evans in duo in 1980 and pays tribute to him at the New York jazz festival in 1983. His curiosity and availability result in appearance, in France, with accordionist Francis Varis and the Cordes et Lames group of guitarist Dominique Cravic (1986)...
Taking, very early, certain liberties with the sacred style of bebop and inventing, versus the music of Charlie Parker, a way of relation singularly more able and complex than the rest of his saxophonists generation, Lee Konitz anticipated the avant guard of the sixties.
Experimentalist, his style never ceased to evolve: the sonority of the cool period progressively took grain, enriching with emotions and sensuality sensibility initially turned towards abstract. Man of encounters, he maintained close relation with his instrument and his renovated conception of standards manifested with astonishing quality in his improvisations.
Lee Konitz has been applying his considerable energy and intellect in highly personal and specialized musical cause for almost half this 20th century. The century is virtually over, but Lee, as he nears the mature milestone of 70, shows no sign of running out of steam, enthusiasm or ideas. His music and self-belief have proved to be as durable as in the cases of Coleman Hawkins or Duke Ellington. Lee has never lost his inquisitiveness or propensity to grow artistically during a recording career that spans six decades.
Sources: Jazz Dictionary / Mark Gardner (co-author, The Blackwell Guide to recorded Jazz)
Lee KONITZ was occasionnally associated with Belgian musicians, such as Nathalie LORIERS (1 CD on AMC), Sal LA ROCCA, Bruno CASTELLUCCI, Michel HERR, Nicolas THYS, etc..., and more often, with guitarist Jeanfrançois PRINS and Judy NIEMACK, with whom he recorded a few times, a.o. :
Discografia
One Day With Lee
Released: 2004
Sound-Lee
Released: 2004
BargaLee
Released: 2004
A Day in Florence
Released: 2003
Live-Lee
Released: 2003
Suite for Paolo
Released: 2003
Unleemited
Released: 2003
Motion
Released: 2003
The Real Lee Konitz
Released: 2003
Complete 1953 the Haig Performances
Released: 2003
In Harvard Square
Released: 2002
Duas Contas
Released: 2002
Gong With Wind Suite
Released: 2002
At Storyville
Released: 2002
Konitz - ORIGINAL LP TRACKS
Released: 2002
Subconscious Lee
Released: 2002
Outra Vez
Released: 2002
Hibeck
Released: 2002
At the New Mississippi Jazz Club
Released: 2002
Some New Stuff
Released: 2001
One Day With Lee
Released: 2004
Sound-Lee
Released: 2004
BargaLee
Released: 2004
A Day in Florence
Released: 2003
Live-Lee
Released: 2003
Suite for Paolo
Released: 2003
Unleemited
Released: 2003
Motion
Released: 2003
The Real Lee Konitz
Released: 2003
Complete 1953 the Haig Performances
Released: 2003
In Harvard Square
Released: 2002
Duas Contas
Released: 2002
Gong With Wind Suite
Released: 2002
At Storyville
Released: 2002
Konitz - ORIGINAL LP TRACKS
Released: 2002
Subconscious Lee
Released: 2002
Outra Vez
Released: 2002
Hibeck
Released: 2002
At the New Mississippi Jazz Club
Released: 2002
Some New Stuff
Released: 2001
One Day With Lee
Released: 2004
Sound-Lee
Released: 2004
BargaLee
Released: 2004
A Day in Florence
Released: 2003
Live-Lee
Released: 2003
Suite for Paolo
Released: 2003
Unleemited
Released: 2003
Motion
Released: 2003
The Real Lee Konitz
Released: 2003
Complete 1953 the Haig Performances
Released: 2003
In Harvard Square
Released: 2002
Duas Contas
Released: 2002
Gong With Wind Suite
Released: 2002
At Storyville
Released: 2002
Konitz - ORIGINAL LP TRACKS
Released: 2002
Subconscious Lee
Released: 2002
Outra Vez
Released: 2002
Hibeck
Released: 2002
At the New Mississippi Jazz Club
Released: 2002
Some New Stuff
Released: 2001
Rhapsody
Released: 1993
Lunasea
Released: 1992
Subconscious-Lee - OJC BONUS TRACKS
Released: 1992
Frank-Lee Speaking
Released: 1992
From Newport to Nice
Released: 1992
Lee Konitz and the Jazzpar All Star Nonet
Released: 1992
Lullaby of Birdland
Released: 1991
Friends
Released: 1991
Zounds
Released: 1990
S'Nice
Released: 1990
Once Upon a Line
Released: 1990
Konitz in Denmark '89
Released: 1989
In Rio
Released: 1989
Round and Round
Released: 1989
Solitudes
Released: 1988
Medium Rare
Released: 1986
Wild As Springtime
Released: 1984
Glad, Koonix!
Released: 1983
Art of the Duo
Released: 1983
Dedicated to Lee
Released: 1983
Star Eyes, Hamburg 1983
Released: 1983
Dovetail
Released: 1983
Toot Sweet
Released: 1982
Heroes
Released: 1980
Live at the Berlin Jazz Days
Released: 1980
Yes, Yes, Nonet
Released: 1979
Seasons Change
Released: 1979
Live at Laren
Released: 1979
Pyramid
Released: 1977
The Lee Konitz Nonet
Released: 1977
Tenorlee
Released: 1977
Lee Konitz Quintet
Released: 1977
The Lee Konitz Nonet
Released: 1977
Lee Konitz Meets Warne Marsh Again
Released: 1976
Figure and Spirit
Released: 1976
Oleo
Released: 1975
Jazz Exchange
Released: 1975
Chicago 'N All That Jazz
Released: 1975
Windows
Released: 1975
Satori
Released: 1974
I Concentrate on You
Released: 1974
Lone-Lee
Released: 1974
Jazz a Juan
Released: 1974
Altissimo
Released: 1973
Spirits
Released: 1971
Lee Konitz Sax Duets
Released: 1970
Peacemeal
Released: 1969
Alto Summit
Released: 1968
Zo-Ko-Ma
Released: 1968
Impressive Rome
Released: 1968
The Lee Konitz Duets
Released: 1967
Modern Jazz Compositions from Haiti
Released: 1966
Trio and Quartet
Released: 1965
Motion - 3 DISC
Released: 1961
Live at the Half Note
Released: 1959
Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre
Released: 1959
You and Lee
Released: 1959
Very Cool - VERVE
Released: 1958
An Image: Lee Konitz with Strings
Released: 1958
Tranquility
Released: 1957
The Real Lee Konitz
Released: 1957
Lee Konitz
Released: 1956
Inside Hi-Fi
Released: 1956
In the Land of Hi-Fi
Released: 1956
Lee Konitz with Warne Marsh
Released: 1955
Jazzlore: Lee Konitz / Warne Marsh
Released: 1955
Lee Konitz at Harvard Square
Released: 1955
Jazz at Storyville
Released: 1954
Konitz
Released: 1954
Konitz Meets Mulligan
Released: 1953
Lee Konitz/Bob Brookmeyer in Paris
Released: 1953
With Gerry Mulligan Quartet
Released: 1953
The New Sounds
Released: 1951
Sax of a Kind
Released: 1951
Subconscious-Lee
Released: 1949
Lee Konitz with Tristano, Marsh, Bauer
Released: 1949
At Storyville - BONUS TRACKS
Released:
L' Age Mür
Released
Speakin' Lowly
Released:
Breaths and Whispers
Released
Tender Lee for Chat
Released:
