Lee Konitz & The Brazilian Band Brazilian Serenade 180g LP

One of the most individual of all altoists (and one of the few in the 1950s who did not sound like a cousin of Charlie Parker), the cool-toned Lee Konitz has always had a strong musical curiosity that has led him to consistently take chances and stretch himself, usually quite successfully.

Early on he studied clarinet, switched to alto, and played with Jerry Wald. Konitz gained some attention for his solos with Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra (1947). He began studying with Lennie Tristano, who had a big influence on his conception and approach to improvising. Konitz was with Miles Davis' Birth Of The Cool Nonet during their one gig and their Capitol recordings (1948-1950) and recorded with Lennie Tristano's innovative sextet (1949), including the first two free improvisations ever documented. He was always interested in finding his own way; by the early '50s he started breaking away from the Tristano school. Konitz toured Scandinavia (1951), where his cool sound was influential, and he fit in surprisingly well with Stan Kenton & His Orchestra (1952-1954), being featured on many charts by Bill Holman and Bill Russo.

Lee Konitz has long been a versatile jazz musician, adaptable to many different styles. This Brazilian-flavored session is one of two that the alto saxophonist recorded during the mid-'90s for Venus... As expected, Konitz's light sound works well with the Brazilian favorites they perform, with Harrell being a particularly inspired foil for the leader... This rewarding release is well worth investigating.