Search the Community

Since Dub Modal posted the reveal, I'm going to jump on GMT (well, if so, I'm 1 hour late, actually) and start this thread up. https://thomkeith.net/blindfold-tests/current-tests/ This is a mix of tunes I made note of throughout the year as well as some things I've picked up relatively recently. There's a mix of "classic" and new, with some stuff that isn't really in my normal wheelhouse. I expect this will be Felser-approved, Gould-rejected, and a mixed bag for Jim. Without further ado, your Maître d' will show you to your table.

I've completed the bft archive back through 2016. I'm going to stop there because that's where the bulk of the data runs out. To that point, only two tests were missing, but one was still active on SoundCloud. The other was only shared via bandcamp and seems to have been deleted. If anyone has access to BFT's from 2015, back, and is willing to provide them, I'll keep building it back. For 2015, I'm missing two tests completely (#140, and #132). Otherwise, I could do most of 2015. Long story short, I'm a stickler for completion, so if anybody has them and is willing to share, I'm willing to add them to the archive. Archive can be found here: https://thomkeith.net/blindfold-tests/archived-blindfold-tests/

Well, it seems like I should probably start a sign-up list for 2023. I'd like to stick with the format Bill setup leaving a calendar year between tests by the same author. If you positively can't do that, please message me privately. I'll work with everyone to do my best to make sure you get the month you want, or failing that, a month that works for you. Happy compiling!

We have had some requests for a written directions for preparing the Blindfold Tests. **UPDATED May 3, 2024** Setting up a blindfold test: Choose your songs, and rip them to MP3 or record them to a CD-R. CD-R: This will automatically strip the song info and is the easiest way. Then mail the disc (I will provide my mailing address on request via a private message). MP3: Please strip the song info (metadata) so the songs are not identifiable to the listener. You can do this in most MP3 management programs (iTunes), or you can use a tag stripper (that’s the name of the program). I check them before I share them, but if you strip them first, I get to take the test. If you don’t, I can’t. Please name the tracks in the following manner: bftxxx-01.mp3, bftxxx-02.mp3, etc. No spaces, please add zeroes before track numbers 1-9. This is so they will appear in the correct order in the online player. If you don’t do this, I have to rename the files or the test doesn’t play in the correct order. It sounds like a small thing, but it is actually quiet time consuming. This really isn't to make anyone's life harder, it just allows for easier management of the data. Update (12/12/24): I don't have any limit set on bit rate of the mp3 files, and don't plan to. However, for the online player, I will converting all to 128. Yes, that's a low bit rate, but for the online player, it's not going to make a huge difference in fidelity (pretty sure the player does this anyway). At issue is, I just had BIG problems backing up the site and received a warning from the host site. The "BFT" directory is over 34GB. In the grand scheme, that's not really that much, but they have their panties in a wad over it, so I'm not going to risk them shutting down my site. Download links will be in the original bit rate format sent by the test compiler, but are only available on the "Current Tests" page. The directory that contains those zip files is currently 16GB, so it's not viable to keep those links on the site. In fairness to the artists, you should purchase the discs if you find value in the music. Thanks for understanding. Getting me your MP3 files. You can always send me a disc with your tracks. Alternatively, if you're comfortable with ftp, you can upload them directly to my server. The other option is you can use a file transfer host such as dropbox. Please note, if you choose this option, you need to provide me an explicit list to download your test (not individual tracks, the WHOLE test, and the link must be direct -- I've gotten viruses from DL sites and I'm not interested in playing search games to find the link, sorry if that seems harsh, but thems the rules).

BFT160 for July is available for download and listening online. It's got a range from easy IDs to impossible (mostly the former, IMHO). I won't be around most of tomorrow so I wanted to get this up and ready to go. Have at it at will. And, I just want to tell you good luck. We're all counting on you. http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/

Thanks to all who participated! I can’t believe it was more than ten years since my previous BFT. Maybe I’ll do another one in just five years.  1. Börje Fredriksson Quartet ’Intervall’ (Fredriksson) Album: “Intervall” (Columbia SSX 1021) Rec: Stockholm, June 22, 1965 Börje Fredriksson (ts), Lars Sjösten (p), Roman Dylag (b), Fredrik Norén (dr) Link to previous thread on Fredriksson: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?/topic/76194-b%C3%B6rje-fredriksson-1937-1968/ 2. Trumpetmachine, Directed by George Gruntz ’Hot Diggedy Damn!’ (Ambrosetti) Album: For Flying Out Proud (MPS 15503) Rec: Villingen, June, 1977 Franco Ambrosetti (flh), Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler, Palle Mikkelborg, Woody Shaw (tpt), Mike Zwerin (bass tpt), George Gruntz (el p, Arp 2600), Isla Eckinger (b), Daniel Humair (dr) I find George Gruntz records for SABA/MPS to be fascinating in that they cover many different styles. This one is of course very much of the 70s, but has some distinct features. The LP cover names three trumpet soloists although there are only two solos, so I presume solo number two is only the short interlude; 1: Kenny Wheeler, 2: Franco Ambrosetti, 3: Woody Shaw. Not reissued on CD. 3. Hampton Hawes ‘My Romance’ (Rodgers-Hart) Album: The Challenge (Victor SMJ 7488) Rec: Tokyo, June, 1968 Hampton Hawes (p) I had heard about this album long before I actually found a copy. Even so, I wasn’t fully prepared to hear Hawes’ touching performances. One of my favourite solo piano albums. Inexplicably this album has to my knowledge not been reissued on CD. 4. Friedrich Gulda und sein Eurojazz-Orchester feat. Jay Jay Johnson ‘Eurosuite, part 1’ (Johnson) Album: Eurosuite/Variations (Preiser Records SPR 3141) Rec: Summer, 1966 Ernie Royal, Rolf Ericson, Kenny Wheeler (tpt), Ray Premru (bass tpt), J.J. Johnson, Erich Kleinschuster (tbn), Rudolf Josel (btbn), Alfie Reece (tba), Ralf Isakson (F hn), Herb Geller (as), Tubby hayes (ts), Hans Salomon (bcl), Ronnie Ross (bari), Pierre Cavalli (g), Friedrich Gulda or Joe Zawinul (p), Ron Carter (b), Mel Lewis (dr) This is, I think, a much better version of Johnson’s big band suite than on his own album on RCA. As a bonus you also get the third movement of the suite which wasn’t on the RCA album. Wonderful live recording from an unknown Austrian(?) location. I think Johnson was an excellent arranger who should have had more opportunities to write for big bands or larger groups. 5. David Amram ‘Cantina Latina, Korea 1952’ (Amram) Album: The Manchurian Candidate complete film score (Premier PRCD 1059) Rec: Hollywood, Spring, 1962 Carmell Jones, Joe Gordon (tp), Dick Leith, Lou Blackburn (tbn), Paul Horn (as), Harold Land (ts), Jack Nimitz (bari), David Amram (p), unknown (b), unknown (dr), unknown (perc) Harold Land's presence on this soundtrack was unknown to me before the release of the soundtrack on CD. Apparently Land appeared on another Amram soundtrack as well. I suppose the sound quality may have fooled some listeners as to when this track was recorded. 6. Michel Legrand ‘A Time for Love’ (Mandel) Album: Cinema Legrand (Fontana International 858 069 FPY) Rec: ca 1967 Michel Legrand (arr, cond, maybe also piano), others unknown See my comments in the discussion thread. Not reissued on CD. 7. George Gruntz Jazz Group+Beduinen ‘Nemeit’ (Gruntz) Album: Noon in Tunisia “Jazz Meets Arabia” (Saba SB 15132) Rec: Villingen, June, 1967 Sahib Shihab (fl), Jean Luc Ponty (vln), George Gruntz (p), Eberhard Weber (b), Daniel Humair (dr), Salah El Mahdi (nai, darbouka, bendire), Jelloul Osman (mezoued, bendire, tabla), Moktar Slama (zoukra, bendire), Hattab Jouini (tabla, darbouka, bendire) Another album from Gruntz that doesn’t succeed in every respect, but is fascinating nevertheless. This was one of several “jazz meets…” albums on Saba around 1967. All of them have their merits, I think. 8. Jazz Studio Orchestra of the Polish Radio ‘Rajd Safari’ (Milian) Album: Jazz Studio Orchestra of the Polish Radio (Muza SXL 0569) Rec: Warsaw, Oct, 1969 A. Mazurkiewicz, B. Dembek, F. Górkiewicz, F. Kowalski, T. Stanko (tp), A. Piela, K. Pradella, J. Munial (ts), H. Rzezniczek (bari), Jerzy Milian (vib), B. Suchanek (b), J. Stefanski (dr), J. Barz (cong), Jan “Ptaszyn” Wroblewski (ld, cond) This is kind of a Polish rip off of ‘Maiden Voyage’, but I love the groove. Those interested are advised to search out other records from vibist Jerzy Milian. The track has been on a compilation of Polish jazz, but the album as a whole has not been reissued on CD. 9. Harry Bäcklund Quartet ‘Body and Soul’ (Green) Album: Remembering Harry (Anagram ANA CD 6) Rec: Early 1960s. Harry Bäcklund (ts), Knud Jörgensen (p), Sture Åkerberg (b), Sture Kallén (dr) Sadly, Harry Bäcklund is a forgotten figure, even in Sweden. He was a favourite of Lars Gullin’s and is featured on a few of his recordings, but aside from that not much can be found on record. Although not distinctive in means of a unique style, I think his playing is very fine. He was troubled by unspecified “illness” and had dropped out of music by the 70s. He died in obscurity in 1978, only 42 years old. Although he never recorded an album under his own name, but his group made several broadcasts for Swedish radio. Unfortunately, all of those seem to be lost. This track was released on a compilation of Bäcklund recordings pulled from various collector’s tapes by the obscure label Anagram, run by David Reid, who also had an excellent jazz record shop in Stockholm during the 90s/early 2000s. Reid is now retired and both the shop and label are long gone. Here’s one very rare clip of Bäcklund in a Gullin group playing ‘Milestones’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnLYkmKU5ms I’ve got the rest of that TV broadcast on VHS somewhere. 10. Dave Mackay & Vicky Hamilton ’Here’ (Mackay) Album: Dave Mackay & Vicky Hamilton (Impulse AS 9184) Rec: Hollywood, June, 1969 Dave Mackay (p, voc), Vicky Hamilton (voc), Ira Schulman (ts), Ray Neapolitan (b), Joe Porcaro (dr), Fransisco Aguabella (cong) Mackay and Hamilton made two albums for Impulse, but have mostly stayed under the radar ever since. This is like the Brasil 66 but with a slightly more sophisticated jazzy touch. Mackay played behind Chet Baker at one time and made a few more albums on small, independent labels. 11. Radiojazzgruppen ‘Zero’ (Ericksson) Album: Höstspelor (Sveriges Radio RELP 1058) Rec: Stockholm, April 23, 1968 Bertil Lövgren, Rolf Ericson, Jan Allan (tp), Runo Ericksson (bass tbn), Arne Domnerus (as), Claes Rosdahl (fl), Lennart Åberg (ts), Erik Nilsson (bari), Jan Johansson (p), Rune Gustafsson (g), Georg Riedel (b), Egil Johansen (dr), Sabu Martinez (cong) Parts of this album were reissued by Dragon Records, but this track has not been out on CD. This is from the days when Swedish Radio had a part-time but permanent ensemble, led by Arne Domnerus, recording a string of new compositions and arrangements for regular broadcasts. Besides featuring some well-known Swedes it has Sabu Martinez (who moved to Stockholm in the 60s) on congas. 12. Herb Geller ’Space a la Mode’ (Geller) Album: An American in Hamburg – The View from Here (NOVA 6.28332) Rec: Hamburg, January, 1975 Palle Mikkelborg (tp), Herb Geller (saxes, flutes), Rob Franken (el p, Arp synth), Gottfrid Böttger (synth), Philip Catherine (g), Wolfgang Schlüter (vib, perc), Hans-Lucas Lindholm (b), Alex Riel (dr), Mark Murphy (voc) This was reissued on CD by Tramp Records in 2013 and is a very handsome release, but they forgot to mention any of the sidemen. In 1975 it was Geller’s first own album since the late 50s. Very nicely arranged, I think. 13. Ingrid Jensen ‘Vernal Fields’ (Christine Jensen) Album: Vernal Fields (Enja ENJ-9013 2) Rec: New York, October, 1994 Ingrid Jensen (flh), Steve Wilson (as), Bruce Barth (p), Larry Grenadier (b), Lenny White (dr) I think this is a wonderful tune, written by Ingrid’s sister Christine, and I’m surprised is hasn’t been recorded by others. I’ve always found Ingrid to be a personal and honest voice who should be more well known. 14. Hank Jones ‘Love, Come Take Me Again’ (Wilson) Album: Here’s Love (Argo LPS-728) Rec: New York, October 19, 1963 Hank Jones (p), Kenny Burrell (g), Milt Hinton (b), Elvin Jones (dr) Se my comments in the discussion thread.

Welcome to September! (damnit!) The link has been posted (), and the test is also available online. Please let me know if you have any issues. Now for the discussion! Let 'er rip!