En La Orilla Del Mundo - Charlie Haden (2001)
Sublime Cuban-inspired modern jazz
Hey, Jazzsters!
One of my main aims for The Daily Jazz is to introduce you to as many different kinds of jazz as possible.
And so today we’re heading to Cuba!
Today’s track:
En La Orilla Del Mundo - Charlie Haden
Artist: Charlie Haden (Bass)
Album: Nocturne
Date of recording: 2001
Image: Nocturne (Charlie Haden album)
Olly’s Take
I remember hearing this album for the first time when I was at music college.
I fell in love with it immediately, and I’ve been listening to it ever since.
What makes it special?
The atmosphere.
I feel like I’m walking through Havana when I listen to this.
The mood, sounds, instruments, rhythms… everything about this music screams “Cuba”, and that’s what makes it so special.
There’s nothing particularly flashy or fancy about the playing. It’s just beautiful, dignified, atmospheric music.
The translation of the track name from Spanish is: “On the edge of the world”. Does the music sound like its title?
Who am I listening to?
Charlie Haden played the double bass, and is famous for his sparse, understated playing.
He was one of the great bass players of his generation, active from the 1950s to 2000s, and recorded with many of the greats, including Keith Jarrett, who you met a couple of posts ago.
Bass players rarely take centre stage, but rather exist “in the shadows”, quietly playing the role in the group that holds the music together. And Charlie Haden is the ultimate example of that, like a reliable engine that never stops running.
What’s the music?
It’s sometimes difficult to know exactly what you can call jazz.
In fact, my wife often asks me “How do you know if this music jazz or not?” and there isn’t always an easy answer.
But today’s track definitely fall into the jazz camp.
Here, you’ve got what I’d call “Cuban-inspired jazz”, with the familiar setup of:
piano
double bass
saxophone
… but with other instruments to give it the Latin feel:
violin
strings
3 things to listen for
Beautiful double bass
I mentioned earlier that Charlie Haden is know for being understated in his playing.
Listen carefully to the bass.
Notice how little he plays — how few notes.
But every note is perfect. He gives a strong, stable rhythm throughout, which is what creates the Cuban atmosphere to the music.
Cuban-inspired piano
The pianist is Gonzalo Rubalcaba, a renowned Cuban musician.
Listen to the piano throughout the track.
If you’ve ever heard the famous Buena Vista Social Club, you might recognise the style. Simple, melodic, quite unlike modern jazz, actually.
Highly-composed
In the last few posts, I’ve made the point that there was a lot of improvisation going on.
But what’s interesting about this track is that it’s highly-composed:
the strings in the background
the long, flowing melodies
the different instruments playing the theme tune
The exception is the long, beautiful saxophone solo, which is clearly improvised. (And that’s partly what means we can call this jazz!)
Share the music!
That’s all for today.
Please email me back and let me know which bits of the post you find most useful. That way I know what to do more of!
And, lastly, if you know someone who would appreciate this, please share this newsletter with them using the button below…
Until tomorrow,
Olly Richards