What vinyl are you spinning right now??

[jeffcrom]

World Saxophone Quartet: Revue (Black Saint)

One of the very few groups/artists for which I've bought every release, from Point of No Return to Yes, We Can. Revue was their first really great album, in my opinion, and is still one of my favorites.

[paul secor]

World Saxophone Quartet: Revue (Black Saint)

One of the very few groups/artists for which I've bought every release, from Point of No Return to Yes, We Can. Revue was their first really great album, in my opinion, and is still one of my favorites.

The only negative about this record is Stanley Crouch's liner notes. He seems to have felt that he had to build up the WSQ by knocking other musicians. Ironically, I doubt that he has much use for this record today.

[jeffcrom]

The only negative about this record is Stanley Crouch's liner notes. He seems to have felt that he had to build up the WSQ by knocking other musicians. Ironically, I doubt that he has much use for this record today.

Standard operating procedure for Mr. Crouch. Which brings me to what I'm listening to now:

Conrad Silvert Presents Jazz at the Opera House (Columbia). A 1982 two-LP set drawn from a concert in San Francisco. I bought this back in the day, but haven't listened to any of it for awhile, and I'm surprised at how good most of it is. On hand are Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Charlie Haden, and Tony Williams, among others. There's some great music here, and your comments about Crouch are interesting in light of the excellence of young Wynton M.'s playing here. If Crouch hadn't decided that that Marsalis was The Savior of Jazz, would his music developed differently?

It's also interesting that the group shot on one of the inner sleeves pictures several musicians who don't appear on the album, like Pat Metheny and Carlos Santana. Jaco Pastorius is in the picture; he's not listed among the personnel, but he's on "Footprints," and even has a solo.

Edited May 17, 2012 by jeffcrom

[vinyltim]

After all that David Newman talk these past few days: David Newman - Straight Ahead

can lose with that one!

on the TT this evening:

http://www.timenjoysrecords.com/records/charles-mingus-jazz-portraits

United Artists 4078 mono

[brownie]

Blue Mitchell 'Step Lightly' (BN)

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Buddy Johnson - Go ahead & rock - Roulette

His last album before retirement.

MG

[BillF]

After all that David Newman talk these past few days: David Newman - Straight Ahead

can lose with that one!

on the TT this evening:

http://www.timenjoysrecords.com/records/charles-mingus-jazz-portraits

United Artists 4078 mono

Well remember that Mingus. Haven't seen it for years!

[vinyltim]

Well remember that Mingus. Haven't seen it for years!

I didn't know it until I ended up with this LP. It's great stuff. I know the 50's Atlantic and 60's Impulse pretty well--but still have a lot of listening to do. Every time I listen to his music from this era it's like it's new.

[JSngry]

[paul secor]

Never "got" that one. Perhaps time for another listen. Things and people can change over time.

[JSngry]

Oh, it's fine, fine piano playing, nice and mellow. Perhaps too mellow for the expectations, given the principles. And after about a week's worth of revisiting of Monday Michiru's best work, to come back to this is kinda like...ok...where do I fit into this? Right now, the answer is simply that this is damn good piano playing, music of integrity and skill of the highest order, and if it doesn't grab me by the cojones and jolt me into aliveness (like some of each player's other work has), well, that's ok. I mean, it's a better world with these guys having done what they did, although what to do with it going forth as anything other than an abstract standard of excellence is a little beyond my comprehension any more.

[paul secor]

Oh, it's fine, fine piano playing, nice and mellow. Perhaps too mellow for the expectations, given the principles. And after about a week's worth of revisiting of Monday Michiru's best work, to come back to this is kinda like...ok...where do I fit into this? Right now, the answer is simply that this is damn good piano playing, music of integrity and skill of the highest order, and if it doesn't grab me by the cojones and jolt me into aliveness (like some of each player's other work has), well, that's ok. I mean, it's a better world with these guys having done what they did, although what to do with it going forth as anything other than an abstract standard of excellence is a little beyond my comprehension any more.

I imagine that I expected more than what I got. Sometimes parts are more than the whole. I'll give it another listen and see what results.

[JSngry]

I guess I'd describe it as "subdued substance", with neither winning out over the other in the end, which is a rather awkward place to end up, eh?

[JSngry]

Giving it a third listen now, and finding more engagement. I think part of the "problem" is that the pianos have a bit of a Van-Gelder-ish gauze on their sound, which is odd for a Don Schlitten/Paul Goodman product. But it definitely removes a bit of immediacy from the attack, and that in turn ups the mellow factor up a notch or two, which I don't know really serves the music on had all that well.

[paul secor]

Earl Hines & Jaki Byard (MPS/EMI Holland)

Giving it a third listen now, and finding more engagement. I think part of the "problem" is that the pianos have a bit of a Van-Gelder-ish gauze on their sound, which is odd for a Don Schlitten/Paul Goodman product. But it definitely removes a bit of immediacy from the attack, and that in turn ups the mellow factor up a notch or two, which I don't know really serves the music on had all that well.

Listened this afternoon. Didn't have the sense of a gauze on the sound. Instead, I had the sense that either the recording was done wrong or that the pianists were covering too much of each other's territory. Not exactly the same, but somewhat similar to listening to King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band and having to work to sort of the musical lines. Concentrating is one thing when I listen to music. Working is a step beyond that.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Never heard before... truth be told, I avoided it, assuming I wouldn't like it much.

Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay (CTI) VAN GELDER in the deadwax.

First VAN GELDER CTI LP I've picked up that didn't have rice crispies. I'm happy. Nice date. I wonder why I was worried about it?

[paul secor]

Big Jay McNeely: Road House Boogie (Saxophonograph)

Tenor sax as rhythm instrument

[Kevin Bresnahan]

George Coleman - Amsterdam After Dark (Timeless)

[JSngry]

Earl Hines & Jaki Byard (MPS/EMI Holland)

Giving it a third listen now, and finding more engagement. I think part of the "problem" is that the pianos have a bit of a Van-Gelder-ish gauze on their sound, which is odd for a Don Schlitten/Paul Goodman product. But it definitely removes a bit of immediacy from the attack, and that in turn ups the mellow factor up a notch or two, which I don't know really serves the music on had all that well.

Listened this afternoon. Didn't have the sense of a gauze on the sound. Instead, I had the sense that either the recording was done wrong or that the pianists were covering too much of each other's territory. Not exactly the same, but somewhat similar to listening to King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band and having to work to sort of the musical lines. Concentrating is one thing when I listen to music. Working is a step beyond that.

Is that a CD?

[paul secor]

Earl Hines & Jaki Byard (MPS/EMI Holland)

Giving it a third listen now, and finding more engagement. I think part of the "problem" is that the pianos have a bit of a Van-Gelder-ish gauze on their sound, which is odd for a Don Schlitten/Paul Goodman product. But it definitely removes a bit of immediacy from the attack, and that in turn ups the mellow factor up a notch or two, which I don't know really serves the music on had all that well.

Listened this afternoon. Didn't have the sense of a gauze on the sound. Instead, I had the sense that either the recording was done wrong or that the pianists were covering too much of each other's territory. Not exactly the same, but somewhat similar to listening to King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band and having to work to sort of the musical lines. Concentrating is one thing when I listen to music. Working is a step beyond that.

Is that a CD?

No - an LP.

[JSngry]

Ok, just wondering, thought that maybe there was a remixing or something going on. I have the Verve/MPS LP and the piano sounds are lacking in that "punch" of the pianist's touch. "Gauzy" might be a streatch, but it's definitely softer on the attacks than not. But that's my version...who knows who's done what to what?

Then again, maybe my ears are on vacation...or retired. It's not like they've not been abused once or twice over the years. :g

[BillF]

George Coleman - Amsterdam After Dark (Timeless)

Had it since it appeared round 1980 and still listenin'!

[sidewinder]

Had it since it appeared round 1980 and still listenin'!

Same there - and heard them play most of the tracks the same year it was recorded (ringside seat at Scotts), although Herbie Lewis and not Sam was on bass. Still one of the most memorable gigs I ever saw. Coleman was on incredible form and Hilton Ruiz was amazing too. Billy Higgins of course was his usual marvellous self.

Edited May 18, 2012 by sidewinder

[brownie]

Herb Ellis 'Ellis in Wonderland' (Verve, trumpet label)

The cover of the LP I have is orange not yellow...

[jeffcrom]

Gary Burton - Duster (RCA)

Frank Strozier - Long Night (Jazzland). Found a copy of this recently-discussed record today. The cover is battered, but the record cleaned up very nicely.