Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian
Live At Birdland
ECM Records
www.ecmrecords.com
By George W. Harris

I’ve heard Lee Konitz perform a number of times, and have tons of his
records. He’s a major name in jazz, and has release some great material
lately. I preface my statements, because this latest one has me
scratching my head; was Konitz suffering from a satanic reed, or a
chest cold, or a borrowed mouthpiece? Something has to be blamed for
the abysmal tone coming out of his usually eloquent alto sax. The notes
are all there, but it’s like hearing Domingo after getting punched in
the mouth. Mehldau and company try to salvage things; his solo on “I
Fall In Love Too Easy” is stupendous, and he makes “Out Of Nowhere”
finally identifiable, but it’s too little too late here. Keep on moving.