Alexander Hawkins Posted June 30, 2006 Report Posted June 30, 2006 Also been enjoying 'Shapes' (FMR) recently, with Moholo, Miller, Earl Freeman, Osborne, Surman, and Skidmore. Ummm... I think I need this, as a collector of all things Earl Freeman. By the way, ep1str0phy's review of the Isipingo at AAJ is nice! It's nice - check it out! Thanks for the tip about the review - I'll have a read. Quote
ep1str0phy Posted July 1, 2006 Author Report Posted July 1, 2006 Also been enjoying 'Shapes' (FMR) recently, with Moholo, Miller, Earl Freeman, Osborne, Surman, and Skidmore. Ummm... I think I need this, as a collector of all things Earl Freeman. By the way, ep1str0phy's review of the Isipingo at AAJ is nice! Hey--thanks. No one seemed to be writing about it (although it appears some of my commas were replaced by prepositions, but hey-). By the way--is Freeman's discography even that large? I can't recall seeing him on more than a dozen (probably less) discs... Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 5, 2006 Report Posted July 5, 2006 (edited) Aside from various BYGs and an America or two, there's: Friendship Next of Kin - Facets of the Universe (Goody) Universal Jazz Symphonette - Sound Craft '75 (Anima), orchestral blowout conducted by Earl The Freestyle Band - s/t (Adeyeme) trio with Earl on electric bass and piano, Henry Warner on clarinet and alto clarinet, and Ade Yeme on congas. Weird record, but cool as hell! Noah Howard - Live at the Village Vanguard (Freedom) Noah Howard - Patterns (Altsax) I'll dig through the mental reserves and see what else is out there, too... Edited July 5, 2006 by clifford_thornton Quote
ep1str0phy Posted July 6, 2006 Author Report Posted July 6, 2006 (edited) Aside from various BYGs and an America or two, there's: Friendship Next of Kin - Facets of the Universe (Goody) Universal Jazz Symphonette - Sound Craft '75 (Anima), orchestral blowout conducted by Earl The Freestyle Band - s/t (Adeyeme) trio with Earl on electric bass and piano, Henry Warner on clarinet and alto clarinet, and Ade Yeme on congas. Weird record, but cool as hell! Noah Howard - Live at the Village Vanguard (Freedom) Noah Howard - Patterns (Altsax) I'll dig through the mental reserves and see what else is out there, too... I'd completely forgotten that he was on Patterns--looks like a spin is on the horizon... Edited July 6, 2006 by ep1str0phy Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 6, 2006 Report Posted July 6, 2006 I've been far more impressed by the band on Patterns than the actual music... Quote
Guest akanalog Posted July 6, 2006 Report Posted July 6, 2006 i was just listening to a crappy live don cherry tape from '92 and i think when introducing the band...the MC intro-ed the bassists as earl "bo" freeman. in my notes for the show, it says "bo freeman". could this be him? Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 7, 2006 Report Posted July 7, 2006 Seems about the time he passed away, I think... Could be, however. Earl's middle name was "Goggles." Quote
ep1str0phy Posted July 7, 2006 Author Report Posted July 7, 2006 I've been far more impressed by the band on Patterns than the actual music... I think the rhythm section is fine... however, Howard seems to have a difficult time shepherding the music into anything truly galvanizing. It's a somewhat static-sounding, 'free' blowing album that has some excellent subtle spots. At the very least, the SA cats play great--Dyani is, as always impressive. Howard was capable of a lot more, though. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 7, 2006 Report Posted July 7, 2006 Oh, I only have the LP, which lacks the McGregor material. With the original Altsax, I always feel like Hans Dulfer and Groentjie should be around to spice it up a bit! Quote
ep1str0phy Posted July 8, 2006 Author Report Posted July 8, 2006 (edited) I forgot that the reissue's a twofer--anyhow, I think the SA half is the stronger of the two. 'Patterns' could definitely have used a wildcard... Edited July 8, 2006 by ep1str0phy Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 8, 2006 Report Posted July 8, 2006 For me, the best Howard dates are the two on Freedom, Black Ark and Live at the Village Vanguard. Of course, the stuff with Frank Wright isn't bad either... I'd also like to hear the Live in Torino on Altsax (tho co-released with some obscure Euro imprint). Assume it's got the nice modal/out vibe of his best work. Wonder where the original Patterns session came from - the band is so weird it's hard to figure. I mean, Mengelberg, Bennink, Boston and Schoonhoven isn't that strange a combo (if it were a Dulfer date, anyway...) but to throw Noah and Earl in there makes it super odd. I think I'm going to put it on right now, as a matter of fact - it's been years since I jammed the thing. Quote
ep1str0phy Posted July 8, 2006 Author Report Posted July 8, 2006 Now, I would be stoked if someone bothered to reissue Black Ark--it gets tons of talk on the underground circuit (no spin for me, yet--but hey, I'm one of those guys who wasn't disappointed by Alabama Feeling, so the wait'll be worth it). Anyhow, that America Wright/Howard disc is near the top of my list (Bobby Few and Art Taylor play pretty hot, too...). -On the Howard note--wasn't he making the rounds in Europe at the time? Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 10, 2006 Report Posted July 10, 2006 Black Ark is/was reissued on a Japanese jewel-case CD. Still findable on the web, I assume. Alabama Feeling took some getting into for me - but now I stand by it as a valuable document, and even find it listenable! Yeah, Howard was a bit of a journeyman, though Holland is not a place I usually associate with him, especially considering the different working methods of the rest of the group and him. However, I enjoyed listening to it very much the other day, especially the first side, though maybe less for cohesion and more for curiosity. Schoonhoven does not disappoint! Quote
ep1str0phy Posted July 11, 2006 Author Report Posted July 11, 2006 The Howard 'Village Vanguard' disc is available (on CD) on ebay right now. It's a 'buy it now' item (not to pricey, but looks sort of bootlegish). Any idea where to get a copy of Black Ark? Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 12, 2006 Report Posted July 12, 2006 Probably eBay or maybe some Japanese CD distributors. I assume it's oop, but I've seen it around a bunch. I didn't realize the Village Vanguard was on CD as well - did you buy it? It's absolutely great! "Back-A-Town Blues" is one of my favorite Howard tunes. Quote
ep1str0phy Posted July 13, 2006 Author Report Posted July 13, 2006 (edited) Probably eBay or maybe some Japanese CD distributors. I assume it's oop, but I've seen it around a bunch. I didn't realize the Village Vanguard was on CD as well - did you buy it? It's absolutely great! "Back-A-Town Blues" is one of my favorite Howard tunes. I'll look into it (the Howard, anyway)--I'm worried that the Vanguard record may be a poorly put together boot (and hey, cash is cash). Today (more to the topic)--I got a copy of Unlawful Noise: Johnny Dyani on bass, Louis Moholo on drums (early SA/Euro free improv--appropriately intense, in that Brotzmannish vein, but consummately played). Also picked up a copy of the Simmons Complete ESP Disk recordings--nice liner interview, man. Edited July 13, 2006 by ep1str0phy Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 13, 2006 Report Posted July 13, 2006 (edited) Hey, thanks! You're right, I did some research on the Vanguard and it is a bootleg. Despite the somewhat dubioius quality vinyl pressing I have (I thought Germans were hip about this...), I can burn it for you (or anyone else) for free. No artwork, though, as I'm without a scanner. I've got Unlawful Noise on LP and haven't listened to it in some time, though I have enjoyed it. Spent a bit more time with Pleasure One (Peace Records, also on UMS), which casts a Dutch glance at wide-vibrato funeral music. It's got Moholo, Kris Wanders (alto) and Gorter in the mix... Edited July 13, 2006 by clifford_thornton Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted July 14, 2006 Report Posted July 14, 2006 Unlawful Noise is brutal! Bennink's on board as well, IIRC? Quote
ep1str0phy Posted July 14, 2006 Author Report Posted July 14, 2006 Unlawful Noise is brutal! Bennink's on board as well, IIRC? Not one, but two Benninks: both Han and his brother Peter. Both make a fine impression, IMO (although it's hard to go wrong with this ensemble). Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 15, 2006 Report Posted July 15, 2006 Yeah, both Benninks on clarinets (and bagpipes)... need I mention the Brotzmann-Hazevoet-Bennink-Bennink shrill onslaught at the beginning? Quote
shrugs Posted July 16, 2006 Report Posted July 16, 2006 Bennink is on Sean Bergin's Kids Mysteries. A cozy little date. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 16, 2006 Report Posted July 16, 2006 (edited) Which Bennink? Too lazy to look it up myself... Peter Bennink was also with Globe Unity, the infamous ICP "Chocolate Box," Groupcomposing and on Breuker's The Message (ICP). I'm sure there are many others also. Edited July 16, 2006 by clifford_thornton Quote
king ubu Posted April 28, 2008 Report Posted April 28, 2008 harry miller is jewish. who would have known? i really like this release. i enjoy keith tippett in less-out group settings. a lot of times i feel cuneiform releases stuff best left in the vaults, but this is a good one. i too have been thinking about the 3 CD box and am only worried because i am pretty sure i won't like the duet album with malfatti and maybe not even the solo bass album. miller is also good on the ogun live trio set with osborne and moholo, available on CD. Hey, I'm glad you did buy and then sell it on to me for a nice price!!! I've been far more impressed by the band on Patterns than the actual music... I think the rhythm section is fine... however, Howard seems to have a difficult time shepherding the music into anything truly galvanizing. It's a somewhat static-sounding, 'free' blowing album that has some excellent subtle spots. At the very least, the SA cats play great--Dyani is, as always impressive. Howard was capable of a lot more, though. Hm, I only just got this and gave it one spin - found the ZA part much more enjoyable, but all in all it didn't exaclty blow me away... but yes, Dyani is fine! Now why I dug this thread up is because I finally got hold of the Cuneiform discs (all the BoBs and the one to which this thread is dedicated). Isipingo was a mother of a band, and Miller/Moholo - wow! They keep impressing me, wherever I hear them (Osborne's great trio album on that Ogun twofer was the most recent addition of Miller/Moholo to my collection - better than the two FMRs, I found, and indeed a mighty fine album! The Quintet album on the CD, "Marcel's Muse", is ok, but less impressive). Anyway, Isipingo, holy holy! Will have to play that disc again as soon as I have an hour of quiet and can blast it up aloud! The Ogun album is sort of a lost promise, I found... doesn't live up quite (though I may be wrong in the end...), but this live show is just great! (I've had it before as a boot - seems it originated from some collector's tape or something, who was involved it the show being spread on dime - or at least I seem to remember reading something to that effect.) Quote
ATR Posted May 22, 2008 Report Posted May 22, 2008 Bennink is on Sean Bergin's Kids Mysteries. A cozy little date. Excellent disc, but I wouldn't know where to get it today. I love the music on those Ogun sides, particularly Spirits Rejoice and Isipingo. I wasn't impressed by the sound of the CD versions, as they seemed to have significant distortion. I was wondering if it was an issue with the condition of the tapes, the quality of the mastering, or even that the discs were done by needledrop. Cuneiform also has some smokin' live Brotherhood of Breath that added nicely to my old Live at Willisau LP. Basically, if Moholo and Miller are in the boiler room it's going to roll. Quote
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