BFT #28 DISC ONE - ANSWERS (cont'd)

[MartyJazz]

12) “Prelude to Bird” (Lasha-Simmons) from Prince Lasha & Sonny Simmons: FIREBIRDS (Contemporary) – Lasha (as, fl, cl); Simmons (as, Eng hrn); Bobby Hutcherson (vb); Buster Williams (b); Charles Moffett (d). Rec’d September ’67.

This one was chosen as a change in pace as it somewhat deceptively starts out as a languid ballad but then builds to a wonderful peak with Moffett churning away, spurring the altoists it seems into an exciting passage of avant garde intensity. I kind of knew that however brief the collective “out” passage is, it might shake up a few listeners here. They can view it as the sound of unwelcome surprise. A few contributors were on the mark here not necessarily because they all like it.

13) “Rat Race” (Basie) from Count Basie: THE INDISPENSABLE… (Fr RCA Victor) – Harry Edison (tp); Dickie Wells (tb) Georgie Auld, Gene Ammons (ts); Basie (p); Freddie Green (g); Al McKibbon (b); Gus Johnson (d). Rec’d Feb ’50.

Basie is unmistakable but the tenor players here presented more of a problem (understatement). The lighter toned, Pres-inspired tenor up first has got to be Ammons; thereafter it becomes pretty easy to ID who is who. I first heard this on an RCA Victor Vintage series LP anthology I picked up back in the ‘60s titled “The Bebop Era” and now have it duplicated on the double CD shown above. The riff played late in the piece (at 2:10 or so) belongs to “Wholly Cats”, recorded 10 years earlier by the Benny Goodman Sextet with Christian, Auld and Basie. It seems Big Al spotted this cut on a radio program dedicated to the Basie 1950 octets at the last second, saving this track from being a complete mystery until today.

14) “Bleep” (Mike Wofford) from Shelly Manne: PERK UP (Concord) – Conte Candoli (tp); Frank Strozier (as); Wofford (p); Monty Budwig (b); Manne (d). Rec’d 1967.

IMO, this piece is a wonderful homage to Monk. Aside from the composition itself, even Wofford’s comping or deliberate lack of it at times is very evocative of Monk to my ears. A couple of you did in fact guess Monk, but tooter early on really surprised me by correctly id’g it. I mistakenly thought this piece was going to be a mystery throughout the BFT instead of the previous track. Interestingly, brownie mistakenly thought that this piece had been on a previous BFT. Oh well. I guess another reason for this selection is that I can’t get enough of the underrecorded Frank Strozier.

15) “Double Talk” (Navarro-McGhee) – master take, from Fats Navarro: THE COMPLETE BLUE NOTE & CAPITOL RECORDINGS (Blue Note) – The Howard McGhee-Fats Navarro Sextet: McGhee, Navarro (tp); Ernie Henry (as); Milt Jackson (p); Curley Russell (b); Kenny Clarke (d). Rec’d October ’48.

So many of you id’d this classic bebop trumpet “battle”, there’s no point in giving out so many kudos. It is truly a classic. While I normally can spot the difference in tone at least between Navarro and McGhee, at times it becomes extremely difficult in this piece, at least for me. This is must have jazz IMO.

16) “The Maid With the Flaccid Air” (Eddie Sauter) from Artie Shaw: …AND HIS ORCHESTRA 1944-45 (Hep 3 disc set), features Roy Eldridge (tp); Ollie Wilson (tb); Shaw (cl); Jon Walton (ts); Chuck Gentry (bs); Dodo Marmarosa (p); Barney Kessel (g ); Sauter (arr). Rec’d July ’45.

I got into jazz when my father brought home a copy of the “Moonglow” RCA Victor LP when I was 13 years old. When I heard Shaw’s clarinet, I stopped listening to Presley and early rock almost immediately which I guess dates me pretty well. While that LP celebrates the hits of Shaw’s late ‘30s swing band and his early ‘40s band with strings, this particular track emanates from his more forward looking mid ‘40s band which is my personal favorite of the many varied bands Shaw put together during his relatively short but very successful musical career. More so than the renowned and shortly lived ’49 band, because this particular Shaw aggregate recorded exclusively new compositions and totally fresh “modern” arrangements of pop standards plus it had wonderful soloists including Roy Eldridge (heard here on mute), Barney Kessel and Dodo Marmarosa (who has the final note). Stereojack and couw got this one which some here thought as somewhat overly arranged and film score-like, it being composed and arranged by Eddie Sauter (who JSngry nailed without being at all familiar with the piece). There are many great tracks on the Hep 3 disc set cited above that aren’t as programmatic and “arty” as this piece since this Shaw band had quite a few other wonderful arrangers, e.g.., Buster Harding, George Siravo, etc. Shaw has always been the main man on clarinet for me.

17) “Peace Treaty” (N Davis) from Nathan Davis: SEXTET (Fr EPM) – Woody Shaw (tp); Davis (ts); Jean-Louis Chautemps (bs); Rene Urtreger (p); Jimmy Woode (b); Kenny Clarke (d). Rec’d May ’65.

LP cover:

This was the third ‘60s sextet track with a trumpet, tenor and bari front line. It also was tough to identify as it features as leader a relatively little known tenor saxophonist even though much has been written in these forums concerning his TWO ORIGINALS re-issue that documents two sessions bracketing this particular, exceedingly rare, one. Love Davis’s tenor work and I’m sure that once Woody Shaw was identified (JSngry nailed Davis & Woody as well as well as figuring out which album this track came from), some of you may be kicking yourselves for not at least spotting him.

The photo above is that of the original LP which commands a nice sum on auctions and ebay. Anyway, I believe this on the short side CD (at best I think it’s 35 minutes long) is out of print. BTW, The photo of Davis on the CD booklet is far less preferable in that it seems to be one taken at least 25-30 years after the recording session.

18) “Spooks” (Archie Shepp) from Marion Brown: THREE FOR SHEPP (Impulse) – Grachan Moncur III (tb); Brown (as); Stanley Cowell (p); Norris Jones (aka “Sirone”) (b); Beaver Harris (d). Rec’d December ’66.

It’s funny that all the years I’ve liked this piece, I always thought it was Dave Burrell clanging away on piano as he is on quite a few of the tracks that make up the original LP and CD reissue. Instead it’s the relatively more traditional Stanley Cowell. While the remaining tracks on this session are very much ‘60s avant garde, this particular cut is much more on the fun side and it does swing in a rather haphazard (a euphemism for “sloppy”) way. I recall diplomatically telling Beaver Harris that sometime in the late ‘70s and he laughingly agreed. Quite a few of you got this one and it was nice to see that Big Al enjoyed it as well.

Feel very free to comment on my comments, as I put together the Disc Two answers.

[JSngry]

Glad to get the info on the Shaw/Sauter thing. Edie Sauter was BAAAD!

[tooter]

"but tooter early on really surprised me by correctly id’g it. I mistakenly thought this piece was going to be a mystery throughout the BFT instead of the previous track."

I thought I detected a certain satisfaction, not to say complacency, in the tone of the "nope" when I suggested it might be Gonsalves on tenor elsewhere.

[Big Al]

13) “Rat Race” (Basie) from Count Basie: THE INDISPENSABLE… (Fr RCA Victor) – Harry Edison (tp); Dickie Wells (tb) Georgie Auld, Gene Ammons (ts); Basie (p); Freddie Green (g); Al McKibbon (b); Gus Johnson (d). Rec’d Feb ’50.

[snip]

It seems Big Al spotted this cut on a radio program dedicated to the Basie 1950 octets at the last second, saving this track from being a complete mystery until today.

Well, I can’t say enough about that edition of Night Lights; it’s every bit as good as this track would indicate.

Man, those Basie Octets swung. I think this 50’s Octet may be my favorite of the small groups!

15) “Double Talk” (Navarro-McGhee) – master take, from Fats Navarro: THE COMPLETE BLUE NOTE & CAPITOL RECORDINGS (Blue Note) – The Howard McGhee-Fats Navarro Sextet: McGhee, Navarro (tp); Ernie Henry (as); Milt Jackson (p); Curley Russell (b); Kenny Clarke (d). Rec’d October ’48.

[snip]

This is must have jazz IMO.

A-freakin’-men!!!

17) “Peace Treaty” (N Davis) from Nathan Davis: SEXTET (Fr EPM) – Woody Shaw (tp); Davis (ts); Jean-Louis Chautemps (bs); Rene Urtreger (p); Jimmy Woode (b); Kenny Clarke (d). Rec’d May ’65.

[snip]

I’m sure that once Woody Shaw was identified (JSngry nailed Davis & Woody as well as well as figuring out which album this track came from), some of you may be kicking yourselves for not at least spotting him.

Wouldn’t ya know it? The ONE time I don’t fall back on my usual guess of an unknown trumpet, and it turns out to be Woody! I think this track had me the most flummoxed, just because literally ALL of the players reminded me of other players, to wit:

Woody Shaw=Donald Byrd

Nathan Davis=Johnny Griffin

Jean-Louis Chautemps=Pepper Adams

Rene Urtreger=Kenny Drew

Jimmy Woode=Paul Chambers

Kenny Clarke=Philly Joe Jones

My only explanation for the complete choke is that I was so confident that it was from that Johnny Griffin Sextet album on Riverside, it couldn’t possibly be anyone else. Ah well, ‘taint the first time I dropped the big one on a BFT!

18) “Spooks” (Archie Shepp) from Marion Brown: THREE FOR SHEPP (Impulse) – Grachan Moncur III (tb); Brown (as); Stanley Cowell (p); Norris Jones (aka “Sirone”) (b); Beaver Harris (d). Rec’d December ’66.

[snip]

this particular cut is much more on the fun side and it does swing in a rather haphazard (a euphemism for “sloppy”) way.

[snip]

it was nice to see that Big Al enjoyed it as well.

Darn tootin’ on both counts!!!

An absolutely marvelous collection, Marty. Heck, I’m STILL listening to it! Have no idea when I’ll get around to getting all the discs from this collection, but this disc’ll be a nice reminder of what’s at the top of the wishlist! Thanks for a ton of fun, Marty!

[Rosco]

12: An album that has been on my wants list for some time but have never gotten round to (hey, it’s a looooong list!! ) I don’t know why I heard a tenor on my first listen; it’s obviously two altos but one of them (Lasha?) has a much fatter sound. I thought you might have put this on here at this point to shake things up a little. It’s a lovely track, ‘thoughtful and melodic’ I said and despite being from the avant side of things I don’t hear this as being inaccessible. Interesting that some were put off by it. Proof that the 60s avant garde wasn’t all fire-breathing anarchy.

13: Had to be Basie. Lovely stuff. Kept us all guessing with the tenor players; Ammons I might have spotted on a good day, Auld is less familiar to me.

14: Another album from the wants list (I think it may be OOP, at least last time I tried). A fun Monkian track. Didn’t ID anyone here. What little Strozier I’ve heard I’ve liked. In tone he reminds me a little of Cannonball, but here his brief solo has more of a McLean-ish edge to it. Good piece.

15: Another gimme. Eveyone should own this marvellous music.

16: This was a track I didn’t care too much for. The writing is accomplished for sure, too restricted for my tastes though. Shaw had some fine musicians working with him of course, so I’d be interested in hearing some other things from this set.

17: I had no idea on this one. Not familiar with Davis’ playing but he sounds fine here and this another album I’d like to hear more of. Really shoulda spotted Woody Shaw! Those wonderful inside/ outside lines and glowing tone. Dang!

18: On the wants list. Strange, I’d always figured this album would be more ‘out’ (and from your comments it would seem so). It’s a fun track but it still seems to run out of steam a little after that spiky piano solo (I wasn’t alone in thinking of Jaki Byard)

Really enjoyed my first BFT so thanks, Marty. There are some tracks here I’m going to have to follow up. More expense!

[paul secor]

Sorry for taking so long to comment on the answers. There were three others (besides the ones I recognized) that I have in my collection and didn't detect. My only defense is that I hadn't listened to those recordings in some time, but that's really no defense.

What I've liked about the blindfold tests I've participated in is being turned on to new stuff. I'll be picking up 3 or 4 things that I heard here - Barry Harris, Lennie Niehaus, Basie, and possibly the Artie Shaw.

Thanks for giving me some great listening, Marty - and thanks for all of the work that you put into this.