Happy Apple - Happy Apple Back On Top

I'm not much of a Jazz-bo. I know the history and I know the classics but stuck up Jazz elitists are one of my top three worst groups of people ever, so its given me and the music a strained relationship. Apart from there being no real major developments in jazz style since the introduction of Avant-Garde and free jazz, it's hard to really make your mark as an innovator, and it's even harder for me to take it seriously, and that's why Dave King is so special.

Not only is King talented and creative, but his playing is just so weird sometimes that it can't go unnoticed. He has the rare ability to play out of time but maintain a steady melody and tone so that is doesn't feel so bombastic and jagged as other modern avant garde jazz players. With Happy Apple's latest album King plays various jazz styles, but he has these bursts of playing that are within structure but out of the comfort zone. It's this weird dance he does, mixing style and grace with zaniness and unpredictability and every twenty seconds I feel like hitting rewind just to try and figure out what the hell he is doing sometimes. Along with his other group, The Bad Plus, Dave King may be the only drummer really stepping outside of his instrument and bringing back pieces of everything in his playing.

Maybe I'm just such a jazz elitist that only the truly original and exciting music finds it's way to me. Or maybe I'm just a cranky old Sonny Rollins fan. Who knows.

Audio/Visual Evidence : Footage from the Happy Apple Back on T0p CD Release, Dave King Drum Solo