Rabshakeh

I just felt sorry for the guy. Turns out it’s harder than it looks. Who knew?

Currently have The Secret Between The Shadow and The Soul (Okeh, 2019) by The Branford Marsalis Quartet on. It’s... not very good. It’s going off.

Yep. This sums up my views exactly.

What is this one? Strange lack of any online presence, but I'm always interested in Tani Tabbal.

Some good stuff!

Jaki Byard at Maybeck (Concord, 1991) Possibly my favourite of the Maybeck series.

It’s the second side, really.

Ooo

Which Rouse is it?

Now playing: Birthday boy Ornette Coleman and Charlie Haden - Soapsuds, Soapsuds (Artists House, 1977) So, so good. Just finished:. Peer Pressure by Brian Lynch (Criss Cross, 1987) This one is genre work, but done well I think. It is more fun than a lot of other retro stuff from the time. Terrible terrible cover photo - someone needed to turn down the flash. Now on to: Company 5 by Leo Smith, Maarten van Regteren Altena, Derek Bailey, Tristan Honsinger, Anthony Braxton, Steve Lacy and Evan Parker (Incus, 1977) I think this is the pleasantest and easiest to follow of all the Companys, probably because so many of the players had a more intimate relationship with the jazz tradition. Braxton's and Smith's flute playing is really gripping.

Probably my favourite of the group's.

Is there a thread anywhere on this forum discussing what a good jazz library might include? I.e., the canonical jazz texts and/or personal favourite jazz books? For listeners and students, rather than musicians. It seems like there should have been one already. I've tried various searches and can't find.

Snap!

Thanks.

Is there a place to find the lists for other decades?

Whilst we are on euro-improv greats, Steve Beresford turns 71 today too.

Chicago Octet / Tentet (Okka, 1997) by Peter Brötzmann and co, in honour of the big man's birthday.

Incredible. Happy birthday to him! The last gig I went to before the pandemic was Peter Brotzmann, Masahiko Saroh, Takeo Moriyama, Pat Thomas, John Edwards and Matana Roberts at Cafe OTO. In September 2019, about a thousand years ago. Let's hope there are many more.

I like the sound of that. I had a listen to a couple of them. I moved away from hip hop a while ago, but whenever I jump back in I'm surprised at how far everything has advanced since 2008 (roughly when I stopped listening). It feels like in beat-making terms stuff went stratospheric once Kanye, Dilla, MadLib etc. had fed into the mainstream. It's funny to think how excited I used to get about stuff that really doesn't stand up now.

Jacques Coursil's Black Suite (BYG, 1971)

Great. I'd never come across the term "beat tapes" until now, but the concept makes sense. I listen the jazz mostly at work (it's instrumental), along with stuff like J-Dilla (same logic), so I may try some of those.

What did you go for?

Now on Night Fire (Black Saint, 1981) by the John Carter Quintet. Possibly even better than the Roots & Folklore records that came after? I know those well but I'd never listened to Night Fire before now. It has a similar feeling, like the listener is watching an unfolding chamber drama. Roberto Miranda on bass is just incredible.

I've heard the first. I'll check out the second of those.

Currently enjoying revisiting Kulack 29 & 30 (Hatology, 1998) by Ellery Eskelin.