tkeith

No worries. You've got March. So, we still need presenters for*: April, June, July, August, September, October, November. (* Randy Hersom gets one of those, as do I, so really, there are five of those seven available.)

Mmm, nope, you can't. January, February, May and December are taken. All else is open.

Only January, February, May and December are claimed, at the moment -- pick your month from what remains, and I'll carve it in stone.

track 01 - Can't make out what's being said, here. Connected to speakers, too. track 02 - Well, certainly sounds like Gil Evans writing, but not sure what it is. Guy's writing is always interesting. Probably doesn't hurt that he always works with killin' musicians, either. Case in point, that certainly sounds like Wayne Shorter. I know two things: 1) I don't have this, 2) I need this. 4.5/5 track 03 - My first thought was Heinz Sauer on tenor, but it's not him -- cleaner sound. Definitely someone with that European influence. Maybe Sean Bergin? No confidence in that guess. Phrasing has Shepp's influence at times (hence the Sauer connection). Not sure how often I'd dig this out, but in the right mood, this is excellent. Non-standard instrumentation. Getting a slight Frank Carlberg vibe from the piano, but this pianist is more melodic. This works. 4/5 track 04 - This one is it bit too programatic for my taste. Interesting composition, stellar musicianship, but not hitting me in the feels. 2.5/5 track 05 - Odd composition. Durge-y, quirky, but also musical. Horn arrangement is pretty straight ahead, but dense. I don't want to say Gil, again, but what else could it be? I don't know this. At 2:45, that line the horns are playing teases Mingus, but SCREAMS Gil. If I had any guts, I'd make the claim, but I'm struggling to commit. I mean, if it's Gil, it's likely a band with Knepper, Rehak and company, so... would explain why it works. 3.5/5 track 06 - Brash tenor. Cookin'. Sounds like Jimmy Forrest to me... a LOT. I'd give time off my life to be able to play like that. Fearless. A-HA! At 2:40, there's a tell -- that's Grant Green, for sure. Ah! Okay, this is in my stacks. Forgot about the drummer (shame on me!). It's track A4 from this. 4/5 track 07 - A little clavé. No idea who it is, but I really like this. Drawing full blanks on the tenor. My guess is these guys are from the 60s. The feel is all there. I'm not getting clear pings on who they are, but that pianist could fit easily into one of Bobby Hutcherson's bands (and probably has). Hand drums feel a bit stiff, but I bet this band caused a little shake in person. Got to see Tito once, and man, am I ever glad I did. That music needs to be EXPERIENCED! 4/5 track 08 - I'm sensing a trend! (just call me Deanna Troi). Live (boot?). Has the feel of somebody like Hal Springer. Pianist has very deliberate phrasing. Makes me wonder if this is a newer recording. McCoyisms in the piano, but also some Kenny Barron influence. Mayhaps a student of the latter? HEAVY McCoy influence. So, an alto (sound was so bad, couldn't be sure on the head). Only guy I've heard approximate that Blakey-shuffle convincingly was Ralph Peterson. Could be him. Alto isn't ringing any definitive bells for me, but is for real. Not Garrett -- more individual to my ear (and less beholden to Trane). Guy is completely putting out there, though. Certainly a post-Coltrane guy, but getting the utmost out of that. 4/5 track 09 - There's a giant hole in my collection to be filled by stuff like this. I don't have enough stuff with flute lead. This is authentic, so it's Latinx musicians doing there thing. I'm woefully unversed in the genre, though. Very tight band, the hits really work. 4/5 track 10 - Wow. Brutish tenor. Almost sounds like Sonny Criss might sound on tenor. Got that little lilt in his phrasing like Sonny. Am I crazy or do I actually know this tune? Something mighty familiar about that line. Man! This is KILLIN'! 5/5 Two things not a surprise: 1) A lot here I don't know, and 2) A lot here worth listening to. Well played, sir... well played.

Ken, given the exchange above, I'm putting you down for May.

In that case, I'm going to fly you standby along with me for a bit to see what shakes out. You WILL have a 2026 BFT, that much I will guarantee. And thanks for bailing me out this year.

Oh, for the love of... got that one, too. 🙄

Okay, the clues got to me. Another listen to 3 reveals Phil Ranelin as the trombone, and I'll eat my hat if that's not Roy Brooks. That was the when the twig snapped. Check, sure enough, this is sitting in the stacks. Would not have gotten there without the hints (and I LOVE Wendell, but not so much here). It's B2 from this. No such luck on 4. Still brings me to Thomas Chapin. Only thing I know for sure, it's not Braxton, because I'm not ready to enact drastic self-harm (just can't do Braxton). Head definitely has shades of Threadgill, but this doesn't hit me in the feels the way HT does. On track 6, I still can't net the tenor. Serious chops, but... I don't really *like* it. Yes, I'm being curmudgeonly. I feel like Chico Freeman or Peter Apfelbaum could really make this work. This just doesn't really have the fire those guys would bring. I mean, there's fire, but I'm not buying. Feels very... practiced. Chops to spare, but I don't hear the story. Looking back, my ear still brings me to the guesses I initially made, which, evidently were wrong. 😕

That explains my reaction to the bass.

track 01 - Odd tune. I kind of like it, because it reminds me of a Billy Harper tune. Working agaist it, it's NOT that tune. Okay, I know this pianist. It's got a McCoy feel to it, but he doesn't seem to be going right at it the way McCoy would. Snappy brush work. Okay, I was thinking Roy Haynes or Freddie Waits, but that's Elvin, no question. And it's McCoy. Wait... egad, I have this. It's track 2 from this. track 02 - Strange strings combo. Oh, that head sounds familiar when the horns come in. Mayhaps something from the CIMP catalog? I don't think it's Bang... maybe Leroy Jenkins? This has "it" whatever "it" is. It's certainly not polished and not perfect, but it's REAL, and that's more than enough. Tune almost has the feel of a Steve Lacy tune. It's not Frank Lowe, but it's in the neighborhood. Wondering if this is someone I'm more familiar with as an alto player. I read where Gary Bartz said he tends to like alto players who started with tenor and tenor players who started with alto. That's what this sounds like to me. Now I'm not convinced that this is not an alto. I was thinking tenor, but around the 6 minute mark, no that's an alto, with a beastly mid-range. So, early on, I was thinking maybe Jimmy Lyons, but it's a way beefier tone. LOVE the bass. Acutely interested in this one. Live recording would account for the "Cadence sound." track 03 - Horrendous 70s drums sound. Very busy band, maybe soprano lead? Could be Thad/Mel, but doesn't seem to have that facility. Mayhaps an offshoot band of former members? Sounds a lot like Joe Farrell. I don't love this -- could just be the track, but something isn't hitting, here. It lacks what the last track, had. Not sure I know the tenor, unless it's a very early recording of someone I do know. That could be Randy Brecker, but seems a bit more chancy in the approach. That Rhodes is very forward in the mix. Liking the trumpet more than the tenor. Sounds familiar adjacent. I'm getting flashes of recognition, but I don't trust them. I don't think I know this. track 04 - Horrendous 70s drums replaced by horrific 80s bass and drums. "Why you do this to me, Demi... why?" It's not the Black Saint guys. My first thought was that it reminded me of a Threadgill project, but it seems neutered by comparison. Thomas Chapin? Bone reaches me more than the alto. Could be Steve Swell. Those drums combined with the pep-band head just doesn't work for me. It's serious music and the soloists being a lot to it. The "tune" is kind of rubbish. Man, I really don't think that's Threadgill, but it *could* be, if he's working with another band. Muhal? No, that's not Henry. Sound is awfully familiar. I keep coming back to Chapin. I'll commit to that guess, but I don't know this. track 05 - Sounds like a Mingus composition. Okay, it's Mingus. Booker fools no one. Oh yeah, that's Knepper. #badass If I have this, I haven't played it quite awhile. Mingus always has a degree of familiarity, but my collection is by no means exhaustive. That's not Pepper on bari, though. Mingus doesn't get covered NEARLY enough. track 06 - This sounds like an Anthony Branker project, but that's not Tim Warfield. I like most of this, but those drums lack dynamics. He's just beating the hell out of my ears. Too bad, because this is really interesting. Conservatory guy on tenor. He's damned good, but there's a little too much muscle memory happening here to reach me. It's good, but... there's just something missing. Incredibly capable tenor, I'm just not buying it. Craig Handy could sell me this, but this guy (woman?) is not making the sale. Wow... eat up space, much? More ego than fire. track 07 - Cherokee. Never a fan of the tune, but these guys are working hell out of it. I have a listening allergy to this tempo (and a SEVERE playing allergy). It DOES, however, bring to mind this tale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WScoPutUeiY They're pulling it off, but it's just not my thing. It's a bit masturbatory. LIke the bass, but feels like he's at the end of the rope at this tempo. Someone has studied Max. Weird. Seems like I probably need to know this, but don't. If that's NOT Max, I'll be shocked. track 08 - Shades of Charles Lloyd, a touch of Pharoah Sanders, a WHOLE lotta chops... maybe early Lovano? About the one minute mark, that guess feels REALLY on target. Jesus. This dude has his Coltrane DOWN. I'm not in, yet, but no denying the chops. electric bass and I don't want to throw the guy off a tower, so I'm going to guess Jamaladeen Tacuma (about the only guy who reaches me on the electric). Really nice feel. Flirts with Wise One, a bit. Those hyper-compressed drums present a problem for me. The feel is stellar, though. Yeah, that's got to be JT on bass. Coltrane/Pharoah is back. Almost a touch of Bergonzi in that tenor, but there's a sort of prettiness to the tone that tells me no. Sick range. I heard Garzone play My One And Only Love once, and he got this sort of sound, but I'm not convinced his him. This one works, though, in spite of the drums. track 09 - That sounds like Sonny Simmons right off the bat. Nope. Now it got all clean. Clearly a player with some pretty serious chops. I thought I was hearing one tune, but we've arrived at Chelsea Bridge. I thought I was hearing I Loves You Porgy. I think I would like this more if I *hadn't* recognized the tune. Just not sure you need to do this to Ellington. But, they have, and they've done it well. No idea who THEY are, though. Oh... live. Okay, that opens my acceptance level a bit. They're going for it, and I respect that. track 10 - Gonsalves. There is no substitute. Over The Rainbow. Man... I'd listen to this guy sleep. Raw soul. I detest this tune and he is absolutely slaying it. It's brutal what this guy did to himself, but MAN, could he play. No idea what the record is, but I will never find enough Paul Gonsalves to please me. track 11 - What's New. Dickerson, at his absolute best. If this album isn't in the desert island collection, that island does not exist. Friggin' travesty that this guy isn't one of the pivotal figures known by EVERYBODY. Try to find an off moment on this album -- go ahead, I'll wait. First time I heard this on CD, I heard the drums on the title cut for the *first* time. This guy was an absolute gem. track 12 - This is really nice. Not sure what it is. LOVE the bass. Ah! About 2:00 mark, we have slidy piano keys and he's taking up a LOT of the space. Sounds like Blackberry Winter, so I'm going to say Jarrett. LOVE the bass, did I mention that? I've got my issues with KJ, but no denying, the dude can play. This is most certainly among my favorite BFTs of 2025. Well done, sir! I'll be damned. Garzone. And it WAS Bang. And a whole lot of other stuff I should probably know and a bunch I DON'T know. So much to learn, so little time.

Confirming Danuary, medjuck for February, and Felsember (THERE we go!). Not confirming Jim until he says so.

These threads tend to get long relatively quickly, but it's unclear how long I have to edit the original post. Sometimes I can fill them in, sometimes I can't. So, if you claim, I'll confirm, but I'm going to hold off from making an actual "calendar" post until we have a few confirmations, at least. I know Dan wants January, so we'll start there -- January is Danuary. Please request your month in this thread (rather than staking an outright claim). I'll do my level best to make sure everybody gets one of their top two choices, but the early bird gets the worm.

Sorry for the delay -- upside: actually slept!

My inner curmudgeon (I searched images for "grumpy old man")