Is Alone Together a good place to start with Lee Konitz?

Yes, Alone Together is recommended as a starting point for new Lee Konitz listeners. Explorative improvisations blend with lyrical melodies, showcasing a masterful dialogue between saxophone and piano in a jazz landscape. By the time 'Alone Together' was released in 1997, Lee Konitz was already an established figure in the jazz world, known for his innovative approach to saxophone. This album followed his extensive career that began in the late 1940s, solidifying his status as a bebop pioneer while demonstrating his ability to adapt and collaborate with younger musicians.

Who is Alone Together for?

Alone Together works well if you're into extended contemplative journey, steady pacing for reflection and intricate melodies to explore.

How many songs are on Alone Together?

Alone Together has 6 tracks, running approximately 73 minutes.

Alone Together

Lee Konitz · 1997

73 min · 6 tracks · jazz

Explorative improvisations blend with lyrical melodies, showcasing a masterful dialogue between saxophone and piano in a jazz landscape.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Alone Together Start here — The title track features an extended improvisation that showcases Konitz's unique melodic ideas and intricate phrasing, setting the tone for the entire album.
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The Song Is You — This track exemplifies the conversational interplay between Konitz’s saxophone and the piano, creating moments of tension and resolution that highlight their synergy.
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Round Midnight — In this rendition, Konitz reinterprets the classic with a hauntingly introspective quality, revealing his deep emotional connection to the piece and inviting listeners into a reflective experience.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

68 /100

Alpine

Higher than 93% of albums we've rated

The album features strong improvisation and reinterpretation of standards, making it rewarding for repeated listens.

What we noticed

Each track features extended improvisation, with the saxophone and piano often engaging in call-and-response patterns.
Several tracks reinterpret classic jazz standards, maintaining their core melodies while exploring new harmonic territories.

Composition 25% of the score: 8/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 8/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 2/10

Little footprint beyond its audience. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

extended contemplative journey
steady pacing for reflection
intricate melodies to explore
ideal for quiet evenings

Maybe skip if you

seeking instant gratification
prefer short, standalone tracks

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Critical Peak — Noted for its critical acclaim and fresh interpretations, showcasing Konitz's artistry.
Career context: By the time 'Alone Together' was released in 1997, Lee Konitz was already an established figure in the jazz world, known for his innovative approach to saxophone. This album followed his extensive career that began in the late 1940s, solidifying his status as a bebop pioneer while demonstrating his ability to adapt and collaborate with younger musicians.
Stylistic neighbors: Paul Desmond· Stan Getz· Ornette Coleman