Between the fall of 1980 and late 1987, guitarist John Klopotowski (above) studied and performed with tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh. A cool-jazz founder in 1949 with pianist Lennie Tristano, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, guitarist Billy Bauer, bassist Arnold Fishkin and drummer Harold Granowsky, Marsh played high on the instrument's register and had a dry, vibrato-less tone. Like Boy Scout knots, smoke signals and bebop (which preceded cool), the music was a secret language based on Tristano's polymorphic approach to improvisation. To the naked ear, the music sounded like familiar melodies played in reverse.
A passionate student of Marsh and Tristano, Klopotowski has just released San Francisco Concert: Remembering Lennie Tristano (1919-1978). Recorded at Jazz Chez Hanny on February 10 of this year, the album features Klopotowski backed by a magnificent group—alto saxophonist Jacob Zimmerman, bassist John Wiitala and drummer Akira Tana. The album is superb from start to finish, capturing the arid essence and unison playfulness of Tristano's and Marsh's cool-jazz recordings.
Interestingly, while Klopotowski's motive was to celebrate the music of Tristano, he also rekindles interest in guitarist Billy Bauer's role in the original Lennie Tristano Quintet. Klopotowski's guitar playing is exemplary, combining Bauer's brooding swing and Marsh's sailing horn together in one entwined attack. Zimmerman's saxophone against Klopotowski's guitar rekindles the eager grace of both Konitz and Marsh, and he clearly has spent quality time absorbing and adapting Tristano's and Marsh's recordings. [Photo above of Billy Bauer]
The album's tracks are Klopotowski's Child's Play, Konitz's Subconscious Lee, the standard You Go to My Head, Tristano's 317 East 32nd St., Tristano's Lennie's Pennies, the standard Stardust, Marsh's Fishin' Around, Al Cohn's High on You and Charlie Parker's Billie's Bounce. John David Klopotowski, the guitarist's son, is on drums on the last track. All of the tracks embrace Tristano's controlled, geometric jazz feel. [Photo above of Lennie Tristano by William P. Gottlieb]
If you dig cool jazz, this album is pure joy and a must own.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find the John Klopotowski Quartet's San Francisco Concert: Remembering Lennie Tristano (1919-1978) here. Or in the CD format here.
The album also is available at Spotify.
JazzWax note: Klopotowski is the author of A Jazz Life, a memoir detailing his experiences studying and performing with Marsh throughout the 1980s. For a book preview, go here. The book features some of the most cogent explanations of Marsh's approach and why the music sounds the way it does. For the book, go here.
JazzWax clips: Here's Fishin' Around...
Here's Subconscious Lee...
And here's Child's Play...
