Big Al Posted December 22, 2004 Report Posted December 22, 2004 Again, with the kind permission of mmilovan, let the festive discussion begin! Once again, no real surprises expected but if the holiday cheer comes through, then I'll have felt like it was a success! And in the spirit of rampant PC-ness, Merry Hannukwanzamas!! Quote
tooter Posted December 23, 2004 Report Posted December 23, 2004 With that line-up, 5 has to be Shearing I should think. I remember hearing him on the radio - he said that the big secret of the Shearing sound was that the vibrato of the vibes had to be turned off and that none of his immitators at the time realised this. Sounds as though it's off on that one. And is 12 Shearing too? If so, difficlut to hear the guitar in the ensemble I thought. Again, I hope to try for more later. I'm getting into the Christmas spirit now and this disc is the main reason, but some of the tunes have me puzzled still. Oh, yes! 4 sounds like Joe Pass. Quote
Jim R Posted December 23, 2004 Report Posted December 23, 2004 Okay, time to give this a shot... 1. This track would not play for me. So, I'll take a wild guess. ZZ Top? (that's probably wrong). 2. This wouldn't quite play right either, but I did recognize it as "White Christmas". 3. A nice arrangement of "Little Drummer Boy". Don't recognize the tenor... 4. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". This is from a CD I have. Both guitarists have the same initials. 5. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (down at Birdland)". Telarc CD 83438, produced by John Snyder; 20 bit digital; total playing time 62:39; Copyright 1998. The guitar player is from Canada by way of Holland, and he's really into Brazilian music. 6. "O come all ye faithful / Silent Night". Nice... but I don't know who... 7. "Hark, the herald angels sing". Never heard this either... 8. "Joy to the world". Never heard this either... 9. "Hark, is there an echo in here"? Wait, maybe this is "Hark the herald angels swing" (and I'm serious). But who...? 10. "White Christmas"... nice vintage piano... Fatha Hines? 11. "O Holy Night". I'll guess John Fahey (not that I'm familiar with him, but because Al has mentioned him before). 12. "Snowfall". Telarc CD 83438, produced by John Snyder; 20 bit digital; total playing time 62:39; Copyright 1998. The guitar player is from Canada by way of Holland, and he's really into Brazilian music. 13. "Angels we have heard on high". Whew, nice nice nice! Tell me who! 14. "Little Drummer Boy". Greeeeeaaaaazzzzzy! No, no, but very nice. 15. Oh, you GOT me, Al. This is becoming my favorite Christmas tune. I have a Rosemary Clooney xmas CD, but this ain't on it! Nice surprise! 16. "Frosty the snowman". Is THIS ZZ Top? (sorry, I can't help it). I should know who this is... not the Beach Boyz....? I dunno... 17. The GOSPEL according to K.B.!! Yeah!! B-) 18. Mantovani? This provided a couple of good laughs, Al. Nice way to end it, even though I'm clueless... Quote
MartyJazz Posted December 24, 2004 Report Posted December 24, 2004 Aside from the vocalist on #15 who has already been id'd, I'm drawing a blank on everything except track #2. That's got to be Booker Ervin on tenor - very unique tone. Quote
mmilovan Posted December 24, 2004 Report Posted December 24, 2004 (edited) Disc 2 Track 1 - It can be J. Smith on organ. Track 2 – Well known “White Christmas”. Still I’m confused which Sonny (Rollins or Stitt) is main soloist here. At the moments it sounds like Stitt, and I know that he from time to time struggled with this type of the tunes. On another moment it sounds like Rollins, that intensive high notes waving across my head. Don’t really know. On the other hand, I don’t like the tune, and Bing Crosby’s 2 million record sold behind that tune. But everything other is just fine, the player, the rhythm, everything. Track 3 – Is it Coleman Hawkins while doing string thing (something like “Hawk in Paris” album). Sounds like he is reading music all the way through, not so much inspired, but sincere... maybe something from his latest period. Track 4 – Nice guitar playing and perfect technique. Track 5 – my favorite George Shearing, or someone who copied that vibes-piano color. Have just a few recording with his 1949 combo, and I like that highly reflexive music for lull my ear with. Yes I like Shearing. But, the overall sound is stereo, so it was recorded after cca 1959. Don’t know if Shearing carried that 1949 sound with Chuck Wayne, Terry Gibbs (was it Terry back then). If it’s not Shearing, don’t know who can it be. The name of the tune is not so important, the overall score is much more important, and I like that score so much Track 6 – Very confusing player. On tenor there it can be Webster, maybe Gonsalves, too lazy for him, but piano? Something like John Lewis doing his “damn classical thing” (cit. M. Jackson), but too many notes. Can be Brubeck, of course, and at the beginning it sounds like Wilson. Very unusual take. The name of the tune I can not recognize? Track 7 – Don’t know. Track 8 – Don’t know. Track 9 – How strange! Hard swinging tenor with large fat tone (around 1:13-15, that copied Pres) – this is how sometimes Jerry Jerome sounds. Maybe it’s Buddy Tate. It’s not Little Jazz on trumpet, maybe it’s Buck Clayton, from later period, intonation lacks sometimes, but thinking is awesome. Don’t like the sound of the bass. Piano... those small high notes reminds me of Jimmy Jones. Track 10 – Looks like Earl Hines doing that “White Christmas” for that downward 1:10 rushes and 1:21-23 notes in right hand (as well as 2:47 bass line). Still, I must listen to Hines more closely to dig him entirely. Track 11 – Don’t know. Track 12 – This is not Shearing again, the piano has another touch. But it is so quiet. Music for silence. Something to listen to, really... Track 13 – Don’t know. Track 14 – Dimitry Tiomkin doing some Western films music Track 15 – Don’t know so much about modern singing. A. Lincoln? Nah, not her. This is not so modern. Still, voice sounds familliar... Track 16 – “Tequila”... expected “Tequila” for Christmas Track 17 – Sounds like Grant Green from later, funky, period. This is pure joy. Like it, although I can not recognize anyone else from behind the Green (if it’s Green, of course). Track 18 – Have not slightest idea. Greetings from Tarzan, and Merry Christmas everyone. Big Al, this set is really kicking. Quiet mood and nice, carefull choice to enjoy to. Edited December 24, 2004 by mmilovan Quote
Jim R Posted December 24, 2004 Report Posted December 24, 2004 ... ... shouldn't we discuss this before Christmas comes and goes? Quote
Dan Gould Posted December 24, 2004 Report Posted December 24, 2004 ... ... shouldn't we discuss this before Christmas comes and goes? That's the problem - I'm running out of time today, and I just know that after tomorrow, I won't want to hear Christmas tunes for approximately 358 days. Maybe I can give this a spin while Kobe's Corvette is hitting Shaq's brick wall tomorrow? Quote
RDK Posted December 27, 2004 Report Posted December 27, 2004 Listened to the X-mas disc a couple of times now while driving back and forth for Christmas with the family. Enjoyed the heck out of it, recognized a few of the performances, and want to know about a few more of them - but I wasn't in position to take notes or recall track numbers, so a more "critical analysis" will have to wait (hopefully tomorrow). Overall, though, a big Quote
Jim Dye Posted December 30, 2004 Report Posted December 30, 2004 I just spun this disc this morning. I arrived back home in Tennessee after a week-long trip to Michigan and Ohio to visit the Fam. Sometimes, vacation is more work than work! Anyway, I really enjoyed it. The first track has become a holiday fave in my house. Way to start out a BFT right! A most excellent collection. My favorite moment came during track 5 when the band started quoting 'Birdland' right in the middle of 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'. A great collection that will be played in the Dye house for many Christmases to come. Quote
Big Al Posted December 30, 2004 Author Report Posted December 30, 2004 With the holiday season just about over, I'm gonna post the answers hopefully this weekend. I'm glad you all enjoyed this disc. Quote
mikeweil Posted December 31, 2004 Report Posted December 31, 2004 Thanks a lot, Al - I like your Xmas compilation a lot better than all I bought! Wanted to post my impressions before the old years says good-bye ..... Track 1: James Oscar Patterson, Kenny Raney & Grady Jones swingin' the candles out on the title song of our favourite Xmas symbol. We almost had none this year, but then we spontaneously bought a nice little two feet tree ... Hats off to our board host: When I played this to 25 of our friends on Sunday evening before Xmas, the whole house swung with 'em! Track 2: Oh, I have that one! What a refreshing swinging treatment after being tortured by Bing Crosby for so many years. Track 10 from this CD. Track 3: Some warm tenor that sounds familar, but I just can't seem to put my finger on his name. While I like the grandeur of this treatment, his sliding into the notes is not to my taste. Track 4: Kenny Burrell? Not sure .... nice and swinging. Track 5: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" or how the title goes. Sounds pretty much like some George Shearing Quintet. That "Birdland" quote is so hip!!!!! Very cool idea! Track 6: Not sure 'bout this - the tenor's tone borders on parody, to these ears, with its wide vibrato. The pianist has a nice counterpointillistic interlude. I'd say to be listened to tongue-in-cheek. Curious who this is, nevertheless ... Track 7: More classically trained piano! Is this the same pianist as on track 6? No idea who this is. Track 8: ... even more classically coloured piano playing! Again, no names popping up. Track 9: Now this is a cute treatment! Yeah. Some swing veterans in a 1970's or 1980's recording? Oh: Hawkins? Buddy Tate? Where are the saxperts? Guitarist is a little sloppy, but inserts some cool quotes along the way. Eldridge? A little too sweet tone for him. More cool quotes in the bass solo. Nice. Well, this whole disc was made for fun, and fun it is! Track 10: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the Bourbon ..... I'd say the Fatha noodling aways at some Xmas favourites in his unmistakeable/unpredictable manner. Great! Track 11: No idea - I'm not an expert at this folksy guitar stylings, and it doesn't thrill me much, but for some Xmas dinner background music it's fine. Track 12: More Shearing? Beautifully arranged and played. "Snowfall" is the tune (Claude Thornhill's theme song). Track 13: This playing style is what I would call "American piano". No idea who it is. *** (three stars). See my remark to track 11. Track 14: It gets more "American by the track .... no idea, same remark as tracks 11 and 13. Track 15: A great jazz singer very late in her career, the voice not all sure anymore, but great sincerety and feeling. I know that voice .... very curious who it is. Track 16: Have yourself some Tequila for downers! Yeah! But one is enough! Track 17: Cool and greazy! That's more to my taste! Give me more!!! Burrell? Some phrases sound very much like him, and he cool enough for such a treatment. Track 18: Off to Hollywood! Can you post some pictures of those purdy cheerleaders, given they are purdy gals? Heheh ..... Thanks for your whishes, Al, and a BIG THANK YOU! Quote
mikeweil Posted December 31, 2004 Report Posted December 31, 2004 Track 1 - It can be J. Smith on organ. It could be, if it was, but it ain't .... click here for a clue .... Quote
Big Al Posted December 31, 2004 Author Report Posted December 31, 2004 Track 1 - It can be J. Smith on organ. It could be, if it was, but it ain't .... click here for a clue .... NO kidding! I just hope it made the....er, b3-er's Christmas! Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted January 2, 2005 Report Posted January 2, 2005 Track 1 - It can be J. Smith on organ. It could be, if it was, but it ain't .... click here for a clue .... NO kidding! I just hope it made the....er, b3-er's Christmas! Quote
John B Posted January 3, 2005 Report Posted January 3, 2005 Al, I haven't had time to pull together my thoughts on the Christmas disc, but I will try to do so in the next few days. It did get a lot of play over the holidays while the family was staying with us. Great disc! Quote
Tom Storer Posted January 4, 2005 Report Posted January 4, 2005 1. "Hark, the Hammond angels sing." Nice! No idea who it is, but a real toe-tapper. 2. Booker Ervin dreaming of a White Christmas? 3. Wait a minute! Stan Getz didn't play drums! 4. Nice guitar playing, but it's not Christmasy enough! I'd like it to be schmaltzier. 5. I'd have to guess latter-day Shearing. 6. Sounds like Ben Webster, with that German pianist, Johnny S. Bach. 7. More harking. Less wild about this one. Sort of plods. 8. I'm not joyful about this one either. Same general mood and approach as number 7. I'd put coal in their stocking. 9. Yet more harking. The arrangement is forgettable, but I like the soloists. The tenor sounds very familiar but I don't know who it is. 10. Clearly an old-timer. Fabulous! What touch. Very familiar... I'll be kicking myself, I'm sure, when the answer is revealed. 11. I'm hard-pressed to find the jazz in this one. Well, maybe real old ragtime guitar, except this is of recent vintage. But... what's the tune?? I wouldn't even have known it was Christmas music. Incidentally, I like it! 12. More Shearing? Maybe not, but that signature sound... 13. Very pleasant. Could have been shorter. 14. "Do You See What I See"? Blah. Not to my taste. 15. Oh, I like this one! Exceptionally tasteful singer, whom I recognize but can't put a name on. If this is from a Christmas album by the singer, I want it. 16. (polite silence) 17. Pretty good. Sounds like Kenny Burrell, except he lets his hair down a bit more at the end than Burrell usually does... 18. So hopelessly awful it must be a joke, right? Here's hoping you all had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'll be stealing 2, 3, 6, 10 and 15 for my personal Christmas compilation CD. Quote
couw Posted January 4, 2005 Report Posted January 4, 2005 oy, I returned from being away and still haven't found time to listen to this disk. Maybe I can squeeze in a little slot in about 11 months when the mood hits? I will want to put down a post on the regular BFT soon and may return to this thread if it itches enough to do so. Quote
Big Al Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Posted January 14, 2005 Y'know, maybe I will wait and post the answers in December. That way, folks can dig this disc back out at that time and actually be curious as to the lineup then! Unless anyone has any objections, I'm gonna do that! See y'all in December! Quote
mikeweil Posted January 20, 2005 Report Posted January 20, 2005 Al, still cuddling under the Xmas tree? We won't accept the answers later than January 31st ...... Quote
mikeweil Posted January 28, 2005 Report Posted January 28, 2005 Are the answers still missing or am I just too dumb to see them? Quote
Big Al Posted January 28, 2005 Author Report Posted January 28, 2005 Are the answers still missing or am I just too dumb to see them? Nah, I was just gonna wait until next Christmas to post them. I figure, by now, folks have already filed away the Christmas disc and either aren't interested in digging it back out during the non-holiday time; or have just completely forgotten about the disc altogether. This way, by waiting until this coming December, people may be inclined to dig it back out and then will actually be interested in the answers. Plus, it buys my lazy ass ten more months to actually finish typing up the answers! Quote
mikeweil Posted January 30, 2005 Report Posted January 30, 2005 Plus, it buys my lazy ass ten more months to actually finish typing up the answers! You could have said that right away! Well, please e-mail me what you have, at least an artists' list - I am still curious! Quote
mmilovan Posted February 10, 2005 Report Posted February 10, 2005 Me too! Hey Big Al is it Shearing there or not (on those two tracks)...? Quote
Big Al Posted February 11, 2005 Author Report Posted February 11, 2005 Man, I really am a lazy-ass: I completely forgot I was gonna do this! I'll PM you guys this weekend. Back to sleep...... :rsmile: Quote
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