ECM

Tragedy recently struck the jazz world when it was announced that Lee Konitz, one of the great giants of the alto saxophone, suffered from subdural hematoma, or bleeding on the brain, and required surgery. Any kind of trauma to the brain is cause for serious concern. But when it affects a genuine national treasure such as Konitz, whose career on the horn spans over 60 years, it becomes a truly worrisome event on both a historical and humanistic level, though recent reports suggest he is making great progress in his recovery.

If you have yet to experience the sheer beauty of Lee’s alto prowess, there is nary a better place to start than this beguiling new release from the esteemed ECM label. Compiled from a two-night stand in December of 2009 at the fabled New York City jazz club Birdland, this crystalline live recording features Konitz backed by three of the best players in the modern age: a rhythm section consisting of Charlie Haden on bass and Paul Motian on drums with Brad Mehldau, one of the foremost pianists in the days since the death of Bill Evans, serving as his melodic foil. Together, this mega-union of minds, spirits and abilities perform a stirring selection of standards from the jazz songbook, many of which have been tied to Konitz through the years. Billie Holiday’s “Lover Man”, for instance, was a highlight of the 83-year-old’s 1957 performance with Gerry Mulligan at Newport. “Lullaby of Birdland”, originally composed in 1952 by George Shearing, is special in its gleaning display of this particular quartet’s dynamic interplay while serving as a tribute to Konitz’s status as the only cat to have played every address Birdland has occupied since it opened in 1949. Meanwhile, “You Stepped Out of My Dream” stems from a 1997 between himself, Lee, Mehldau and Haden for a trio album on Blue Note Records. Live At Birdland is rounded out by heartstopping takes on Miles Davis’s “Solar”, Jule Styne’s jazz favorite “I Fall In Love Too Easily” and a daring, freeform spin through “Oleo” by Sonny Rollins.

As Lee Konitz continues to recover from his health scare, make sure you pay your respects to this living legend by checking out this late-period highlight in his career while praying that he will return to good health so that we can enjoy more performances from him like the one he blesses us all with on Live At Birdland.