king ubu Posted October 18, 2005 Report Posted October 18, 2005 Hi folks! On sunday night I did a radio show again, after a long break. It was fun to do it, but even more fun (and grand... what's the noun? grandity? ) was the music we played. To honour the recenly (July 25, to be exact) deceased Albert Mangelsdorff, probably the singlemost important jazz musician Germany ever produced, we did an overview on his quintet. He founded the group in 1961 and kept it going up to 1971 (although in the end the alto sax player was gone, leaving it a quartet). You can hear the show online here Here's the line up: Albert Mangelsdorff - trombone Günther Kronberg - alto sax (plus occasional tenor and baritone sax) Heinz Sauer - tenor & soprano sax Günter Lenz - bass Ralph Hübner - drums Our playlist: 1. 1. VARIE (A.M.) (7:33) 2. BALLADE FOR JESSICA ROSE (A.M.) (3:59) from “One Tensions” (rec. Juli 1963) 3. NOW JAZZ RAMWONG (A.M.) (9:00) from “Now Jazz Ramwong” (rec. June 1964) 4. FAJUMATA (?) (7:59) Live, Jazzclub Tuttlingen (DE), 1962 5. THREE JAZZ MOODS (Ravi Shankar-A.M.) (6:11) 6. THEME FROM VIETNAM (A.M.) (0:57) (SOLO) 7. ES SUNGEN DREI ENGEL (TRAD.) (7:29) 8. BURUNKAKA (A.M.) (3:26) (TRIO) from “Now Jazz Ramwong” (rec. June 1964) Quote
king ubu Posted October 18, 2005 Author Report Posted October 18, 2005 The group had a freshness and earthiness (not of the clichéd funky hardbop kind, though) that still today simply blows me away. Below is the cover for the 1964 album, their stone-classic "Now Jazz Ramwong" (now *that* would be one for Sony/Legacy to keep in print! Hellyeah!) Quote
king ubu Posted October 18, 2005 Author Report Posted October 18, 2005 (edited) You need real-player to play the show. And it only starts around 1:44 into the stream, and is likely cut a little bit at the end, too. And in case anyone wonders: I'm the guy doing all the short talking parts, the lenghty biographical sketch that follows the first tune is done by my friend. And the weirdo language we're using is Swiss German, btw Edited October 18, 2005 by king ubu Quote
Man with the Golden Arm Posted October 18, 2005 Report Posted October 18, 2005 I streamed the show live as I was hipped by chance from the north seas. Very much worth checking into if only for the sometimes maniacal Kronberg - Sauer team. That splashy drummer was a treat as well. My Swiss is now infinitely grandity for it all. Nice to hear you Flurin. Quote
king ubu Posted October 18, 2005 Author Report Posted October 18, 2005 I streamed the show live as I was hipped by chance from the north seas. Very much worth checking into if only for the sometimes maniacal Kronberg - Sauer team. That splashy drummer was a treat as well. My Swiss is now infinitely grandity for it all. Nice to hear you Flurin. ← Thanks Vint! I'm afraid the bass is not that great on this webstream (neither is the drums, btw). Lenz is a terrific bass player with a huge boomy sound of wood. Got to love him! Quote
couw Posted October 18, 2005 Report Posted October 18, 2005 very nice to hear that live track! (One) Tension has always struck me as more in the "classic" hardbop theme-solo-theme vein than Ramwong, where the group play is even more intense and where the solos - as individual as they may be - much more strongly serve the entirety of the piece than on (One) Tension. So I was positively surprised that this early ('62) piece was so much in that Ramwong pocket. Maybe it was just the theme and group-tone in which it was stated, I need to hear it again. The latter day quintett stuff I have heard (1968) is again much looser but with the theme merely serving as a base from which to depart in long winded solos without much apparant melodic linking to the theme and the overall development of the piece. Then again, I am talking about live stuff here. Is there any more studio material from the Quintett? Anyhow: I listened to the radio show "live" like MwGA and it was a very nice ride! Swiss German isn't my strong suit, but with some effort I could understand all of it. Quote
king ubu Posted October 18, 2005 Author Report Posted October 18, 2005 very nice to hear that live track! (One) Tension has always struck me as more in the "classic" hardbop theme-solo-theme vein than Ramwong, where the group play is even more intense and where the solos - as individual as they may be - much more strongly serve the entirety of the piece than on (One) Tension. So I was positively surprised that this early ('62) piece was so much in that Ramwong pocket. Maybe it was just the theme and group-tone in which it was stated, I need to hear it again. The latter day quintett stuff I have heard (1968) is again much looser but with the theme merely serving as a base from which to depart in long winded solos without much apparant melodic linking to the theme and the overall development of the piece. Then again, I am talking about live stuff here. Is there any more studio material from the Quintett? Anyhow: I listened to the radio show "live" like MwGA and it was a very nice ride! Swiss German isn't my strong suit, but with some effort I could understand all of it. ← As far as I know, there are only these two studio LPs by the full quintet. The Tokyo one has Kronberg missing already (and isn't that a live LP, anyway?). I think the latest live recording I've heard that still is in the NJR "bag" is from 1966 - but then I have only 3 tunes, all together, from 1966 onwards. Only one of these 3 is in the collective mode, the others are more straight. Thanks for letting me know about this music, in the first place! Quote
couw Posted October 18, 2005 Report Posted October 18, 2005 The Tokyo one has Kronberg missing already (and isn't that a live LP, anyway?).← yup, that one is live and also very loose. Thanks for letting me know about this music, in the first place! eyyy Quote
sidewinder Posted October 18, 2005 Report Posted October 18, 2005 Royal Command Performance? Look forward to listening in to the link. Thanks ! Quote
slide_advantage_redoux Posted October 19, 2005 Report Posted October 19, 2005 Thanks for sharing! It is great to hear another recording from that period of Albert's playing. That group was so well rehearsed and musical. Great tunes and playing. Quote
king ubu Posted October 27, 2005 Author Report Posted October 27, 2005 Thanks for sharing! It is great to hear another recording from that period of Albert's playing. That group was so well rehearsed and musical. Great tunes and playing. ← Hey, wait, get your old handle back, Sir! Are you serious? Thanks for the kind words! I'll drop you a PM again, soon! Quote
Late Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 (edited) Up. Can't believe I heard Now, Jazz Ramwong for the first time just three days ago. Where have I been? How can one hear One Tension? Did it ever make it to compact disc? I've had Mangelsdorff's Diggin' for about twelve years now, as well as the trio session with Jaco Pastorius and Alphonse Mouzon, but had never checked out his earlier sessions. Edited March 16, 2007 by Late Quote
Late Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 One other question — Was the original issue label for Ramwong Amiga? It seems like this recording was reissued by any number of labels. Wasn't it on Pacific Jazz at one time? I wonder what's the story behind why this one was shopped around. Quote
Bluesman Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 (edited) Up. Can't believe I heard Now, Jazz Ramwong for the first time just three days ago. Where have I been? How can one hear One Tension? Did it ever make it to compact disc? I've had Mangelsdorff's Diggin' for about twelve years now, as well as the trio session with Jaco Pastorius and Alphonse Mouzon, but had never checked out his earlier sessions. Late, It took me years to track Tension down on CD. A fantastic album. I found it on a German label, Bellaphon Records (CDLR71002), and bought from Amazon UK. It said last copy but you may find one somewhere. Note the title is "Tension", not "One Tension" Edited March 16, 2007 by Bluesman Quote
Bluesman Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 Up. Can't believe I heard Now, Jazz Ramwong for the first time just three days ago. Where have I been? How can one hear One Tension? Did it ever make it to compact disc? I've had Mangelsdorff's Diggin' for about twelve years now, as well as the trio session with Jaco Pastorius and Alphonse Mouzon, but had never checked out his earlier sessions. Late, It took me years to track Tension down on CD. A fantastic album. I found it on a German label, Bellaphon Records (CDLR71002), and bought from Amazon UK. It said last copy but you may find one somewhere. Note the title is "Tension", not "One Tension" Even better, I just noticed that the CD of Now Jazz Ramwong also includes the full Tension session. And its available: http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Ramwong-Albert-...559&sr=1-12 Quote
Late Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 I don't know which tracks belong to which album, but eMusic lists Ramwong as such: 1. Now Jazz Ramwong (9:00) 2. Sakura Waltz (3:26) 3. Blue Fanfare (6:39) 4. Three Jazz Moods (6:11) 5. Burungkaka (3:26) 6. Raknash (4:40) 7. Theme For Vietnam (0:57) 8. Es sungen drei Engel (7:29) While Amazon lists it as: 1. Club Trois 2. Blues Du Domicile 3. Set 'Em Up 4. Varie 5. Tension 6. Ballade for Jessica Rose 7. Now Jazz Ramwong 8. Blue Fanfare 9. Three Jazz Moods 10. Burungkaa 11. Raknash 12. Theme from Vietnam What is the original track order for the two albums? Is the CD listed at Amazon missing "Sakura Waltz" unintentionally? Quote
Bluesman Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 I don't know which tracks belong to which album, but eMusic lists Ramwong as such: 1. Now Jazz Ramwong (9:00) 2. Sakura Waltz (3:26) 3. Blue Fanfare (6:39) 4. Three Jazz Moods (6:11) 5. Burungkaka (3:26) 6. Raknash (4:40) 7. Theme For Vietnam (0:57) 8. Es sungen drei Engel (7:29) While Amazon lists it as: 1. Club Trois 2. Blues Du Domicile 3. Set 'Em Up 4. Varie 5. Tension 6. Ballade for Jessica Rose 7. Now Jazz Ramwong 8. Blue Fanfare 9. Three Jazz Moods 10. Burungkaa 11. Raknash 12. Theme from Vietnam What is the original track order for the two albums? Is the CD listed at Amazon missing "Sakura Waltz" unintentionally? Tracks 1-6 are the full Tension album. This is same listing as Allmusic. They must have left off two tracks from Now Jazz Ramwong because of space contraints. Still a good deal with the best part of both albums. Quote
couw Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 Ramwong was originally released on Columbia/CBS, the GDR label Amiga had planned to release it contemporaneously, just like they did the (One) Tension album -- BTW, that's where the title mix-up comes from as Amiga released the LP as "One Tension", whereas CBS had just "Tension" -- but for some reason the GDR release of Ramwong was pushed back a few years. The 12 tune tracklist is from a US release titled "Now Jazz Ramwong" (World Pacific, if memory serves), which is actually a compilation of Tension and Ramwong, leaving off some tracks. To add some, the Wewerka release "Abstractions" is actually Ramwong with an extra long alternate of Blue Fanfare (hellyeah!). Quote
Ken Dryden Posted March 18, 2007 Report Posted March 18, 2007 I seem to recall reading the World Pacific version of Now Jazz Ramwong was edited byt the often overzealous label owner Dick Bock. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted March 19, 2007 Report Posted March 19, 2007 The "One" in the title of Tension was in reference to the new-jazz series produced by Horst Lippmann. Also in this series were titles by Joki Freund, Wolfgang Dauner and Manfred Schoof. Quote
Late Posted February 19, 2008 Report Posted February 19, 2008 Has anyone heard this new reissue? Bards Quote
Free For All Posted February 19, 2008 Report Posted February 19, 2008 (edited) Has anyone heard this new reissue? Bards I just discovered that over at Da Bastids. Ordered it, haven't received it yet. Edited February 19, 2008 by Free For All Quote
king ubu Posted February 19, 2008 Author Report Posted February 19, 2008 Let us know - I cut out a tiny review from a daily paper, wanted to check it out ever since (in December, I think) but haven't come around... Quote
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