Lee Konitz

Lee Konitz - ein kurzes Portrait meines Lieblingsmusikers

Lee Konitz, Jahrgang 1927, ist der Jazzmusiker, der den grössten Einfluss auf den Nachkriegsjazz in ganz Europa ausgeübt hat. Ob Albert Mangelsdorff, Hans Koller, Lars Gullin, Bobby Jaspar oder Derek Humble – alle stellten den Mann aus Chicago mit seinen klaren, langen Improvisationsketten auf dem Alt-Sax gleichberechtigt neben Charlie Parker.

Schon die ersten Soli im Orchester von Claude Thornhill 1947 wiesen den Weg vom Be-Bop zum Cool-Jazz von Miles Davis, dessen auf Schellacks veröffentlichte Arrangements von u.a. Gil Evans und Gerry Mulligan später unter dem Titel "Birth of the Cool" veröffentlicht wurden. Lennie Tristano und seine an Joh.Sebastian Bach orientieren, präzisen Neu-kompositionen der Jazzstandards waren stilbildend für den jungen, bescheidenen Schüler und Partner. An die Zeit mit der Big Bands Stan Kentons erinnert sich Lee Konitz oft und gern: Sich behaupten zu müssen neben Zoot Sims, Frank Rosolino und Bill Holman, dabei von der herausragenden Arrangierkunst von Bill Russo, Bob Graettinger und Bill Holman profitieren zu können, war eine wichtige Sprosse auf der Leiter zum Erfolg. Bis Ende der funfziger Jahre war das Cool-Jazz-Konzept überaus erfolgreich; belegt in der Karriere von Lee Konitz durch Aufnahmen für das Label Prestige ("Subconsious-Lee), für Atlantic (z.B. "Inside Hi-Fi" und "The Real Lee Konitz"), und für Verve ( "Motion", "Very cool", "Tranquility").

Als die grossen Plattenfirmen in den sechziger Jahren den Jazz aus den Aufnahmestudios hinauswarfen, wurde auch für Lee Konitz die finanzielle Basis immer kleiner: Seine Gegenoffensive war: Intime Duo-Begegnungen und häufige Clubauftritte, ein Konzept, was sich als erfolgreich erwies, war doch damit gewährleistet, dass sein Name beim zwar kleinen, aber informierten Jazzpublikum nicht vergessen wurde. Die erfolgreiche Wiederbegegnung mit Warne Marsh und die Europatournee 1975/76 führte zu herausragenden Kritiken in allen Zeitschriften. Leider war das von ihm zusammengestellte Nonet zwischen 1975 und 1980 finanziell nicht erfolgreich – obwohl die Arrangeure und Solisten hervorragend waren.

Die Duos mit Martial Solal, Enrico Pieranunzi, Albert Mangelsdorff, Jimmy Rowles und Gil Evans führten ihn in (fast) alle Länder und in (fast) alle Jazzclubs. Wichtig war ihm dabei in jedem Fall die musikalische Kommunikation auf der Basis der berühmten Standards von "All the things you are" bis zu "Body und soul" und "Lover man". Das Aufeinanderhören und –reagieren hatte und hat noch heute Vorrang vor dem Konzept der Jam Sessions, die oft nur ein schneller, höher und länger von den Saxophonisten fordern. Die verschachtelten, grüblerischen Improvisationslinien eines Bill Evans reizen ihn mehr als die Technik und Schnelligkeit eines Oscar Peterson.
Die Zahl der LP's und CD's, die von Lee Konitz gerade von 1980 bis heute erschienen sind, beläuft sich auf ca. 100, jede hat ihre starken Titel, (fast) jede auch ihre Schwächen, anhörenswert ist jede Einzelne auf jeden Fall.

(Einige CD- Kaufempfehlungen zur Auswahl)

Prestige OJCCD 186-2 LEE KONITZ

Capitol CDP 7 92862 2 MILES DAVIS THE COMPLETE BIRTH OF THE COOL

Capitol CDP 7243 8 52771 2 2 LENNIE TRISTANO INTUITION

Verve 314 557 107-2 MOTION (im Trio mit Elvin Jones)

Verve 521 659-2 LIVE AT THE HALF NOTE (Do-CD) (+ Bill Evans, Warne Marsh)

Storyville STCD 8201 WARNE MARSH – LEE KONITZ LIVE AT CLUB MONTMARTRE VOL.1

Steeplechase SCCD-31018 I CONCENTRATE ON YOU (+ Red Mitchell)

Owl 028 TOOT SWEET (+ Michel Petrucciani)

Enja 5059 2 LEE KONITZ – ALBERT MANGELSDORFF THE ART OF THE DUO

ENJA 9304-2 STRINGS FOR HOLIDAY (Widmung an Billie Holiday)

West Wind WW 2106 THE FRANKFURT CONCERT (+ Frank Wunsch)

Blue Note 7243 8 57150 2 0 ALONE TOGETHER (+ Charlie Haden)


Dr.Michael Frohne (Autor der Lee Konitz Discographie)

Tristano et al.Themes

When I started listing to Jazz about 25 years ago, the music of the so-called "Tristano-school" almost immediately crept into my mind. Lee Konitz became my favorite musician - some people might know the compilation of his records, tapes and broadcast which I issued around 1984. (Title: Subconscious-Lee, still available) I was always curious about the origin of many themes written by Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, Lee Konitz, Billy Bauer etc. The following listing is a first attempt to put together as many as possible with - I hope - only a little amount of mistakes. Please note that this is a work in progress and any kind of help of anybody all over the world is highly welcome. The ones with a question mark I listened to many times, but I could not identify any specific standard theme.


(Abr. used T=Tristano, M=Marsh, K=Konitz)


A ballad for Lennie (Solal,K) My old flame
A knight in a village (T) Body and soul/Sweet Lorraine
Ablution (K,T) All the things you are
Ad libido (Ball) Long ago and far away
Again (M-Chen) Until me meet again
Air pocket (T) Perdido
Alright (M-Chen) It's all right with me
Another 'nother (K) There will never be another you
Another you (M-Chen) There will never be another you
April (T) I'll remember April
Aretha (Ball) Tangerine
Arrival (Ball) Three little words
Asterix (M) Body and soul
At first blush (M) How deep is the ocean
August in New York (M) How about you

Background music (M) All of me
Back home (T) Indiana
Ballad (M) I should care
Ballad for Ruth=4 PM (K) These foolish things
Beautiful love fades out (M) Beautiful love
Becoming (T) What is this thing called love
Big leaps for Lester (M) Lester leaps in
Black Jack (M) Blue Lou
Blame me (T) Don't blame me
Blue boy (B) Fine and dandy
Blue mist (Bauer) Yesterdays
Bright water (Mosca-Ind) Indiana

Celestia (T) These foolish things
Change around (M) All the things you are
Citrus season (Ball) Limehouse blues
C minor complex (T) Pennies from heaven
Commentary (M) All the things you are
Continuity (T) I'll remember April
Coolhouse (Ball-Ind) What is this thing called love

Dassy (Mosca) Gone with the wind
Dee-pending (M) You can depend on me
Deliberation (T) Indiana
Dixies Dilemma (M) All the things you are
Donna Lee (Parker) Back home in Indiana
Double date (Rugolo) Fine and dandy
Dream:Paris 1965 (T) Darn that dream
Dreams (T) If dreams come true
Duet (M) All the things you are

Ear conditioning (Ball) Look for the silver lining
Earful (Ball) I'm getting sentimental over you
East side swing (M) Indiana
East thirty second (T) Out of nowhere
Easy (M) Easy living
Easy beat (M) If I had you
Everything you could be (Thorgrim Sollid) All the things you are

Fats Flats (Navarro) What is this thing called love
Feather bed (Brown) You'd be so nice to come home to
Foolish things These foolish things
Foreground music (Ball-M) My melancholy baby
Froggy day (Ball) A foggy day
Get together (M) Alone together
Ghost (T) A ghost of a chance
Glad am I (T) Yesterdays
G minor complex (T) You'd be so nice to come home to

Happening (M) Embraceable you
Have you met? (M-Chen) Have you met Miss Jones
Heads up (M) You go to my head
Hi Beck (K) Pennies from heaven
Hot house (Dameron) What is this thing called love
Hugo's head (K) You go to my head

Ice cream Konitz (K) Perdido
I found my baby (T) I found a new baby
I have a good one for you (M) It's you or no one
I like New York in June (Fischer ?) How about you
Image:Paris 1965 (T) Imagination
Improvisation No.53 (Solal,K) All the things you are
Inside out (M) My romance
Interlude (T) A night in Tunesia
In there (Mosca) Indiana
It’s personal (T) Out of nowhere
It's you (M-Chen) (K) It's you or no one

Jason's Judgement (M) After you've gone
Jazz of the two cities (Brown) Play fiddle play
Josh B'Gosh=Record shop suey (K) All the things you are
Judy (T) Don't blame me
Ju-Ju Indiana
Just Judy (T) Just you just me

Kary's trance (K) Play fiddle play
Koko (Parker) Cherokee

Later on (M) Pennies from heaven
Leave me (T) Love me or leave me
Lee in Paree=Lost Henri (K) I'll remember April
Lee's tribute to Bird (K) Honeysuckle rose
Lee Tchee =These things (K) These foolish things
Lennie-Bird How high the moon
Lennie's pennies (T) Pennies from heaven
Lincoln tunnel (Bauer) Lullaby in rhythm
Liner notes (M) You stepped out of a dream
Line up (T) All of me
Local 47 (Ceroli) This can't be love
Long gone (M) Long ago and far away
Lost Henri=Lee in Paree (K) I'll remember April
Love lines (T) Foolin' myself
Lunarcy (Levy) How high the moon
Lunar elevation (M) How high the moon

Magna-tism (Christlieb) Just friends
Manhattan Studio (T) Pennies from heaven
Marionette (Bauer) September in the rain
Marshlight (M-Ball) Moonlight in Vermont
Marvelous words (M-Chen) Too marvelous for words
Marshmellow (M) Cherokee
Midway (K) Indiana
Momentum (T) Indiana
Movin' around (Ferrara) Pennies from heaven
My baby (T) My melancholy baby

No figs (T) Indiana
No splice (K) You'd be so nice to come home to
Note to note (T) All the things you are

On a planet (T) Don't blame me
One for the band (M) Strike up the band
On purpose (Levy) Easy living
Oracle (Mosca) Love me or leave me
Out on a limb (T) Honeysuckle rose
Overtime (Rugolo) Love me or leave me

Palo Alto Scene (T) m Stella by starlight
Parallel (T) Tea for two
Pastime (T) You go to my head
Pennies (T) Pennies from heaven
Pennies in minor (K) Pennies from heaven
Penny packer (Ball) Pennies from heaven
Progression (T) Lullaby in rhythm

Quintessence (Ball) My melancholy baby

Rapunzel (Fagan-Becker) Land of make believe
Rebecca (K) My old flame
Record shop suey=Josh B'Gosh (K) All the things you are
Remember (T) I'll remember April
Retrospection (T) These foolish things
Rhythmically speaking (M) I got rhythm
Ronnie's line (Ball) That old feeling
Ronnie's tune (Ball) I'll see you in my dreams

Salpeter (Mosca-Ind) Pennies from heaven
Sal's line (Mosca) I never knew
Sal's stride (Mosca) Sweet Sue just you
Sax of a kind (K-M) Fine and dandy
Scene and variations (T) My melancholy baby
See me now, if you could (M) If you could see me now
Smog eyes (Brown) Smog gets in your eyes
Snowflower=Sunflower (Ferrara) Yesterdays
Sometimes (M) Sometimes I'm happy
Sound-Lee (K) Too marvelous for words
Speculation (T) These foolish things
Star highs (M) Star eyes
Straightaway (K) All of me
Stretch (T) You stepped out of a dream
Strike out (M-Chen) Strike up the band
Subconscious-Lee (K) What is this thing called love
Summer session (M) I got rhythm
Sunflower=Snowflower (Ferrara) Yesterdays
Sunshine (M) Shine
Supersonic (T) What is this thing called love
Switchboard Joe (M) It's you or no one

Tautology (K) Idaho
There will always be you (T) There will never be another you
These things=Lee Tchee (K) These foolish things
Things called love (M) What is this thing called love
This be love (M-Chen) This can't be love
This is called love (T) What is this thing called love
This thing (M) What is this thing called love
Through these portals (La Porta) Fine and dandy
Time's up (Ball) Indiana
Tracery (M) The best thing for you is me
Trilogy (M) I'll remember April (?)
Turn out the night (M) Stella by starlight
Two not one (T) I can't believe that you're in love with me

Unheard of (M) Laura
Upwelling (Mosca-Ind) You'd be so nice to come home to

Victory ball (T) s'wonderful

Warne out (M) It's you or no one
Warne out again (M) This can’t be love
Well spoken (M) Speak low
What is this? (M) What is this thing called love
Wow (T) You can depend on me

Young Lee (K) All the things you are

223 East 2nd st (M) I get a kick out of you
317 East 32nd (T) Out of nowhere
4PM=Ballad for Ruth (K) These foolish things


Unknown:
Abstraction ?
Always (M-Chen) ?
Apellation ?
Basic 1 ?
Basic 2 ?
Blues of a kind ?
Blues Warne-ing (Eschete) ?
Con-con ?
Confusion in Dallas (Fischer) ?
Descent into the maelstrom no standard
Emperor's old cloth (Chen) ?
Excerpt ?
Freedom ?
Fuzz blues (Fischer) ?
Geraldyne's Arrangement (M) ?
Hangin loose ?
Initially K.C. (M) ?
Just Prez (T) ?
New Sound ?
New-ance ?
Palimpset ?
Rehearsals 1961 ?
Resemblance ?
Spontaneous combustion ?
Summer evening ?
Summer morning ?
You should see me (Foster) ? (If you could see me now ?)