‘Live at the Olympia – June 12, 2012'
Ahmad Jamal featuring Yusef Lateef (Jazzbook/Harmonia mundi)
Pairing pianist Ahmad Jamal and reed giant Yusef Lateef creates a brand of originality that can be hard to take. “Live at the Olympia” is a recording and DVD of a concert in Paris that shows their never-take-it-easy approaches to music. Sometimes, that style can be overly demanding. For instance, “Autumn Rain” and “I Remember Italy” are original songs by the pianist. As such, they seem to fit his varied tempos and his sometimes jarring phrasing. But when he takes “Blue Moon” and “Invitation” and twists them to meet his individual sort of play, he strays so far from their very natures he seems to question them as compositions. He ends up going a little far with his interpretations. The part of the concert with Lateef is better because it puts them into settings that are largely of Lateef's construction. The DVD of the complete concert is a fine bit of live production, with excellent sound and great camera work. In all, the package is a fine look at Jamal — if you can accept his challenges.
‘A Simple Truth'
Ernie Watts Quartet (Flying Dolphin)
There was a time when Ernie Watts's distinctive saxophone sound had to rise above the over-produced background surrounding his music. He succeeded in doing that, always establishing that he was a man of his own sound. That struggle does not exist anymore. His music, talent and instrumental abilities are easily heard on “A Simple Truth.” The album is a nice mix of material, topped by Watts' own contemplative title track. But, around it, he offers a version of Dizzy Gillespie's “Bebop” that is played as the title might suggest and a sincere look at Keith Jarrett's “No Lonely Nights.” The longest piece on the album, at more than 10 minutes, is “Acceptance,” another Watts original that gives him plenty of time to show off skills that are dominated by a rich sound. His three colleagues produce good support, but never rise to his level. Pianist Heinrich Koebberling, for instance, gets a great deal of room on “Acceptance,” but it is Watts who makes the piece worth its double-digit time.
‘Art Official Age'
‘PlectrumElectrum'
Prince (Warner Bros.)
To attract attention, album releases can't just be album releases these days. They need to be Events — surprises, giveaways or, in U2's case, both. Prince's entry is the appearance of two stylistically distinct discs on the same day, emphasizing his freakish versatility. They also mark his return to original home Warner Bros., the company he once protested by writing “slave” on his face and briefly changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol.
The disc “Art Official Age” is Prince as the studio wizard, a funk album on which he sings and plays everything. On “PlectrumElectrum,” he leads his three-piece, all-female band 3rdEyeGirl.
The centerpiece of “Art Official Age” is the evening seduction song “U Know,” cleverly driven by a repeated female vocal loop, followed by the morning seduction song “Breakfast Can Wait.” They're two of his strongest cuts in decades. Yet, the hurdle most veteran artists face — that technical ability now outstrips the spark of inspiration that makes a song memorable — weakens this disc.
The sound of live drums and wailing guitar that opens the fun leadoff cut “Wow” on “PlectrumElectrum” immediately signals a far different experience and, on balance, the stronger album. It's an inspired band that shines on the title cut, a Hendrixian blues jam. “Whitecaps” is a dreamy power ballad where Prince hands lead vocals to a band member, “Stopthistrain” a solid duet and “Tictactoe” updates Philly soul.
