CJ Shearn

Very fitting they are playing "Free Form", right now. The groove Billy Higgins sets up before the head, I've always thought is a precursor to drum n bass rhythmically.

I always feel like, and it was a staple in my early listening, that "A New Perspective" is kind of a singular achievement. Sure, quite a few of the vocal ensembles are ragged (forgetting that the vocal line ends before Kenny Burrell's solo on "Elijah") and I'm aware Byrd kind of continued with this gospel influenced sound on "I'm Tryin To Get Home", which I've never heard, but nobody took that gospel and jazz fusion thing in any direction like the way Byrd did on that record. As far as I've been aware in my listening). Some of the vocal sections on "Beyond the Wall" by Kenny Garrett remind me of the way Byrd and co. applied it on "A New Perspective". "Christo Redentor" is such a great mood tune.

Great post, Jim. This band is a well oiled machine by now, I went back to the two earlier releases (don't have "Alegria") and it is a continuation of the specific language and grammar they developed over the past decade. "Footprints Live" I think makes more of the early WR in conception you've talked about, "Beyond the Sound Barrier" went with things at a different angle (I need to listen to that one more too, it came yesterday as well) and this continues in that direction. I think "Without A Net" might be the most consistent record out of the three.. and "Pegasus" is a lovely composition. Is this music still inaccessible to people who want swing and something a bit easier on the ears? I think so, but it also provides a lot of rewards with careful listening. I gotta give credit that Don Was, with this release, the Aaron Neville (from what I've read and the little bit I sampled) and Jose James for letting them do their thing and not imposing commercial restrictions just because it is Blue Note, the brand name.

I've heard some of his work, I'm a bit more into Nujabes, but there is a textural thing different from the way hip hop used samples in the early mid 90's. I'm far from a hip hop head or authority but I could tell you that people I know who like hip hop aren't aware of J. Dilla or Nujabes, that stuff is maybe a bit too intellectual for the crowd that likes Kanye, Nicki Minaj and that kind of thing.

RIP Donald.

Grant Green was hardly "subtle" nor was Eddie McFadden, though sometimes the chops weren't quite where the imagination was in the latter case. GG's rhythmic sense in his lines is pretty explicit, as is Benson's. Pat Metheny on George Benson: "yes, george has come to see me play - and yes, i was stunned. he is one of the greatest musicians to ever address the guitar as a serious jazz instrument - and he certainly is one of the major forces in the evolution of what is possible to do with the ax. his sound, his tone, the way that he plays with the drums are all just fantastic. he is someone that i always make a point of going to hear if we are on the same festival or something. besides all that, i know there are people who moan about the fact that he sings so much - but, i love his singing almost as much or more than i love his guitar playing. i guess, you can see - i am a big fan. as far as playing together goes - i think i would just let him have it, and go off to the audience and enjoy the master - then go home and practice picking all night long!"

For me, Live at the Lighthouse, "Search For the New Land", all the Blakey stuff, Grachan Moncur.

Man. What a shame it would be if true! I know Donald's chops haven't been all that great for a while, but the consistent playing on so many 50's through the late 60's is wonderful. I've always loved him on the Blakey and the JM's self titled Columbia date.

That was very well said Jim. I personally don't choose to pick up Benson album if they aren't of interest, I guess for me, is whenever I listen to a side he did that *is* burning, I wish there were more recent examples of him doing that. Then theres the issue of clones he's spawned like Norman Brown, a dude who can obviously play the hell out of his guitar, he just does stuff I don't like, but the clones make me want to hear the real Benson thing even more. But more power to him for what he does and enjoys.

Benson has always been one of my favorite guitarists, "Cookbook", "It's Uptown", "Beyond the Blue Horizon", and "Body Talk" are favorites of mine. His playing rhythmically and harmonically is always a joy, and his playing with the CTI All Stars, Lonnie Smith, Jack McDuff and JOS is some of the greatest guitar playing with organists ever put to tape. "Guitar Man" was dissapointing because it offered glimpses of George really cutting loose like the earlier days, but not really stretching out much, like he knew the limitations of his smooth jazz and R&B fans buying the record. Also because it was promoted as back to basics, a lot of us straight ahead fans bought it too. We all know George still can really burn, and he does often, sitting in at clubs, its just he doesn't document that side on records much anymore. The interview the Smithsonian conducted with him (available online in a 100 page transcript, I think the link was posted here once) is one of the most fascinating interviews I've ever read. The man is a wealth of knowledge, and a wealth of knowledge about the jazz guitar tradition, which he clearly loves.

"Half Life of Absolution" is a favorite of mine too. Both version, the "Road to You" album take and the "More Travels" video version which has an even better Lyle Mays solo.

Dry with the Antibes shows at least. The Stockholm concert on disc 3 has natural reverb from the hall. And you are right about the Hoffman forums, I am not registered there (nor want to be) I just read posts there.

I agree the new Vol. 2 boxset version sounds way better than the sample clip you posted from the Japanese version, I think it's a rare case of me preferring an American domestic version over a Japanese CD, although all of Sony's Mark Wilder mastered Miles discs since the late 90's have been pretty nice. The added reverb sounds REALLY strange, like it's a studio recording with crowd noise added. I bet the Hoffman board prefers that though

I think there is the certain level of group think that goes on with some fans and namely the press, with the kind of reception the new album is getting. Wayne's first album in 8 years, the mythic return to Blue Note , etc. There are many others like it too with the hype, that if people don't like it, they get chastized. I know I haven't gone in to the ECM groupthink section for example, when I've tried it fails!! But regarding Wayne, the music, the band, this album and the NPR first listen, I genuinely enjoy it. I love the last comment Jim that you said people you know thought Wayne was BS'ing with the Messengers and such. THAT's funny. "Lester Left Town", is not a tune that makes compromises, neither is "Elegant People" or any other tune Wayne wrote. Those accusations about him remind me of Pat Metheny, sure some of that music is slick on the surface, and shiny, but no tune of his has ever made a compromise either, it's all been worthwhile, at least for me.

Rule breaking here too: but, In addition to "All Morning Long", "Soul Junction", I'd add "I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart" Jimmy Smith, (17+) "Spectrum" Trio Beyond (16+) "Question and Answer" by Pat Metheny (19:53) and "Faith Healer" (18:20) both from "Trio Live", "Leo" John Coltrane (44+)

I made it a point to grab "Footprints Live" again (sold it when I had too many CD's once, regretted it) and "Beyond the Sound Barrier" which I never picked up before, it aids in understanding this band.

It'd be downright funny if Wayne started quoting "Baby" by Justin Bieber in a solo. I could totally hear him doing that. I thought the CD listening at NPR was tremendous, I look forward to hearing it in full fidelity not my headset.

The DVD with the BB 40th Anniversary and Legacy editions is from Copenhagen. They could have fit the Berliner Philharmonic set and the Copenhagen one on one DVD had they not issued it with those 2 sets I think. Great set Live in Europe 1969, I may like it better than Volume 1 but I'm glad to have both I ripped the discs to my harddrive for easier listening (staying with family, so I ripped a bunch of discs onto my HD) but watch the DVD separately. Not being able to put both volumes on the shelf side by side is driving me crazy, but it'll happen soon.

I know exactly what you mean about the finger snap/percussion figure on "Rain Dance" how it kind of blends the two worlds, the woodiness of Buster Williams' bassline also a component in that. I wonder what his analysis is of "Water Torture" and "Sleeping Giant". Mwandishi is such a great band that, it would be great while everyone is still around if Herbie brought them together and they try to in 2013 bring some of that super creative energy back but it'd be a challenge. Herbie's Headhunters 2005 and "Return of" projects were a mess.

How does one go about finding used equipment? Right now I'm just using my Onkyo TXSR304 Amp and Audio Technica ATHM40FS headphones at the moment. I've been ripping CD's to my external HD for convienience sake.

Very cool! I'll be buying this I think.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. Manfred has not been releasing "in the can" studio recordings but live ones like the Jarrett, the Weber and Garbarek/Haden and Gismonti. Returning to DeJohnette, I wonder if he has additional Trio Beyond recordings or plans another session with Goldings and Scofield.

Got mine today too, so far I'm on disc 1 the 7/25/69 Antibes show which I was familiar with. Man, the interplay of this band was unreal, when you thought the Second Quintet achieved that peak, especially with the first entry in this series, this band takes it so much higher. Theres a phrase Chick plays on "Directions" and Dave echoes it and runs with it, so great. And the wider range of material as well makes this really special.

"Live" in the sense of the source recordings, but they were enhanced by Weber in the post production process. He is still too weak to play bass but has added keyboards and additional instrumentation from what I've read about these recordings.