As a fan of Nelson's film and TV music (having especially enjoyed his score for the Columbo episode "The Greenhouse Jungle") I just discovered his last concept album "Skull Session" with legendary session performers like Shelly Manne or Buddy Collette. It's perhaps among his albums the one which most recalls his film scoring.
As a fan of Nelson's film and TV music (having especially enjoyed his score for the Columbo episode "The Greenhouse Jungle") I just discovered his last concept album "Skull Session" with legendary session performers like Shelly Manne or Buddy Collette. It's perhaps among his albums the one which most recalls his film scoring.
WOW! Never heard of this! I just looked at some descriptions and online reviews and it's right up my alley...
I bought it a good while back and - to be honest - I was very disappointed. I think Nelson was trying to push the envelope a bit with this one, and to give it that something extra than his usual jazz releases. It didn't expecially recall his film/tv music for me personally I'm afraid, and I sold the CD on.
(I should add that I love most of Nelson's 'pure jazz' releases)
The FSM release of ZIGZAG is far better and more representative of his film work I think. At least until that probably far off day when Universal (god love em) relent and allow access to goodies like THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN....
Sure its not in the vein of his straight jazz releases. But a handful of the tracks recall pieces from his film scoring - especially the source cues like the great piece "Earphones" from Zigzag.
And how about the albums by Nelson's colleague Don Ellis with his unusual very "Ellis-esque" arrangements? I've waited long for a CD re-release of the album "Connection" with the groove version of his wonderful French Connection theme.
Don Ellis did some fantastic big-band stuff. Those who thought that THE FRENCH CONNECTION was a little 'inaccessible' would do well to pick up some of his big-band releases as I'm sure they'd be surprised how enjoyable they are.
CONNECTION was perhaps a more commercially-orientated album, veering on early disco/pop arrangements. I suppose it was similar in intent to Maynard Ferguson albums such as 'Conquistador'. As such there is some serious grooving going on, but less of the strangeness of Ellis's earlier albums, where he experiments with unusual time signatures, string sections playing with big band brass, etc.
Incidentally, CONNECTION is - or certainly was - available on CD.
