I understand that it might not be so easy to get the magic of those players, (konitz, marsh and tristano in particular), you have to listen carefully and possibly play some of their tunes or try to imitate some solo phrases. in 1949, when everybody was playing like charlie parker, konitz was able to built his very own style, an alternative to parker, and his compositions (as tristano's) were in a certain way more modern then most of bebop standards: expecially the use of intervals, tempo, polyrhythmic approach.

he wrote 'subconscious lee' in 1949, that tune has a very innovative way of line construction and use of tempo. His ability to construct orizontal lines was (and still is in a different way) totally unique, as his fellow warne marsh's. listen to, f.i., him play 'ezzthetics' in the contemplation album (prestige) with davis, mulligan and others. If we are talking about jazz, about a language of improvisation, about ideas, solo construction, use of intervals, the ability to go deep into the armony or just follow an inner melody, the ability of composing significant tunes, then it is NOT a matter of taste that lee konitz is among the - how many? 20? - important people that have done the history of jazz. Ronnie Cuber,baritone & soprano saxophonesĠ3. Remains (in my opinion), one of the peaks in Lee's career. Johnson), great interplay among the nine players, the nonet Great songbook, great arrangements (most written by Sy To freer improvisations and challenging originals.' Was able to stretch from swing standards, bop and cool jazz 'It was a tragedy that Lee Konitz's versatile nonet was notĪble to succeed commercially.

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