AOTW-September 24-30

[Guest akanalog]

Since everyone seems so happy over a new Ornette Coleman disc, I thought it would be nice to look back at an unsung member of Ornette's crew-Charles Moffett.

I am away from home for the weekend and don't want to write about the album without giving it an extreme relisten, but this is a fun piece of music. Not too deep, but a very interesting group of musicians of all ages and talent levels.

Like Moffett, Jeffrey is an underrecognized guy and it is nice to hear them together. I just wish Moffett played more drums on this one-he is primarily on vibes. You might know Jeffrey as Monk's last saxaphone player (or from his own Savoy album or his Mainstream albums, I guess...).

"The Gift" came out on Savoy in 1969.

Chime in with any thoughts and I will get to mine shortly.

Charles Moffett: Trumpet, Drums, Vocals, Vibraphone

Wilbur Ware: Bass

Paul Jeffrey: Tenor, Clarinet

Codaryl Moffett: Drums

Dennis O'Toole: Drums

1.Avant Garde Got Soul Too

2.Adverb

3.The Gift

4.Blues Strikes Again

5.Yelriks

[Late]

I like this album a lot. Just listened to it last week, and will have to spin it again. Jeffrey actually plays alto clarinet on it — but, alas, no solos on that horn.

Dennis O'Toole (or O'Tootle, as he's also referrred to in the liner notes) isn't the greatest drummer. He tends to drag things down from time to time, but, if memory serves, he was one of Moffett's students ... and it certainly was a generous offering from mentor to student to record!

It's interesting to hear Ware in this setting, and Moffett's one vocal track (the era withstanding) isn't that bad. The first track, though — that's the one to play over and over. Very hip.

[Guest akanalog]

i usually hate vocal tracks but find this one bearable also. goes with the fun and good-natured vibe of the album.

the drumming is awkward at points. i am not always sure if it codaryl or o'toole. the liner notes make the guy sound like some sort of college hippie arty guy who did a lot of things but wasn't good at any of them but maybe didn't realize it yet (this is my interpretation-it also says he is a filmmaker). i am pretty sure the 7 year old codaryl is the better drummer! it is also weird on a drummer's album, the drumming would be weak. but that is what happens here. but sometimes in a good way-like the drummmer just barely fit that fill into that bar of music-exciting!

i guess ornette using denardo at an early age rubbed off on charles moffett. i liked it when ornette did it too. something nice about it, in my opinion. moffett's multi-intrumental non-virtuoisity on here is also reminiscent of ornette's style.

[kh1958]

I haven't heard this record, but I did see Charles Moffett performing a number of times with the Moffett Family Jazz Band--really, it was thrilling, a great group. As I recall, he did occasionally sing a song--it was nothing serious, just something he appeared to enjoy. His daughter, Charisse, is a fine vocalist. It was Mondre on trumpet, Charles Jr. on saxophone (I really liked his playing but have heard nothing of him for many years), Charnett on bass, and Coradyl on second drums. Then there would be an honorary Moffett on keyboards. Sometimes a special guest--a set with Ornette! Another time, with Rachella Parks. I really would urge seeking out their two recordings on Venus--Magic of Love is the best of the two.

[clifford_thornton]

I love the Savoy - one of my favorite records - but the Moffett Family LP on Charles Moffett Records ('71 iirc) is also superb. It's got a healthy dose of modal funk, and includes Pat McCarthy as second bassist after Charnett. The opener is a mo'fo' of a heavy tune...

[Late]

I always knew Paul McCartney was a versatile musician ... oh, wait a minute.

[clifford_thornton]

i guess ornette using denardo at an early age rubbed off on charles moffett. i liked it when ornette did it too. something nice about it, in my opinion. moffett's multi-intrumental non-virtuoisity on here is also reminiscent of ornette's style.

Moffett is a very good vibraharp player, in my opinion. He played it with Prince Lasha also.

I'm not sure that the Moffett Family is a direct outgrowth of Ornette and Denardo; Moffett was a music educator in the schools and directed student jazz bands that were probably as great as his family group. Those kids could PLAY.

[ep1str0phy]

I love this album to death--straight call on the 'fun vibes' thing, although I don't take the better part of this album to be any more frivolous than a lot of the non-spiritual free jazz/free bop of the period. At the same time, there is a sense of playfulness and youthful joy about the proceedings--it's certainly one of the less exigent or apocalpytic albums put out by the extended Ornette crew. I enjoy the amateurish element (as with The Empty Foxhole, etc.) as a piece with the whole to the extent that I never thought twice about it. Matter of fact (having not really listened to the album for a year or two) I always supposed that Codaryl was doing the tempo muffing--nothing too suprising for me, anyway.

Anyhow, props to the elder Moffett on this one--showing that he did have the chops to fulfill multiple roles in the Ornette bands (first as trumpet, I believe?...). And good for Wilbur Ware... always nice to hear him in more 'out' contexts.

[mikeweil]

Was there a CD reissue, and is it still available?

[Guest akanalog]

here in the US i have seen it available as both a domestic and as a japanese import CD.

i know mr. tanno has a copy right now....

the valdo williams savoy session was another one i have seen as both a domestic and import.

i got my CD of "the gift" on ebay for like 12 bucks.

[clifford_thornton]

The Valdo kicks ass...

I wouldn't say there's any amateurishness to the Moffett record - I think it's actually pretty deep, though there are moments of "letting up." The whole thing is absolutely beautiful, I'd say.

Paul Jeffrey also has a Savoy record, apparently somewhat greasy, that came out at the same time. That and the Doug Carn Trio are both scarce ones that I stupidly passed up for $30 apiece about 7 years ago and haven't seen since. I mean, I didn't care about Doug Carn (and still don't) but it was a dumb move to leave 'em!

Anyhoo...

[Chuck Nessa]

The Valdo kicks ass...

I wouldn't say there's any amateurishness to the Moffett record - I think it's actually pretty deep, though there are moments of "letting up." The whole thing is absolutely beautiful, I'd say.

Paul Jeffrey also has a Savoy record, apparently somewhat greasy, that came out at the same time. That and the Doug Carn Trio are both scarce ones that I stupidly passed up for $30 apiece about 7 years ago and haven't seen since. I mean, I didn't care about Doug Carn (and still don't) but it was a dumb move to leave 'em!

Anyhoo...

As Lenny Bruce would say, "you betta' off".

[Guest akanalog]

yeah, cliffe....i have the jeffrey and listened to it once and put it in the SELL pile.

it's good but not what i expected.

not too deep. more of a rote season of its time.

[Guest akanalog]

let me add-

i really like how "avant garde got soul too" kind of sounds like a messed up version of a tune you could imagine on a blue note album of let's say, 1963 vintage. actually maybe it sounds a little like a song off of "the procrastinator"? which is from what? 1965? but it's a nice song and jeffrey and moffett really play nicely together on tenor and vibes.

"adnerb" has a nice ornette-ish vibe going on. whoever is on drums does a decent replication of the moffett style IMO. perhaps it reminds me a tad of something off of "firebirds" actually, because of the presence of vibes.

"the gift" is an attractive ballad which reminds me of walt dickerson in the way moffett gets a nice ringing vibrato going on the vibes and just the overall use of space and mellowness of the track.

"blues strikes again" is whatever...a short fun throwaway with bearable vocals.

"yelrihs" almost has a rock beat made all the more fun by the somewhat awkward drumming and again has moffett and jeffrey complimenting each other nicely on vibes and tenor (and i believe some alto clarinet).

so overall i can see how there is a deeper layer to it all then i originally felt, but i still feel this is a fun album with an overall happy feeling to it.

strangely, i don't really register wilbur ware much at all. i am not sure if it is the recording not doing him justice. i think that is it. he sounds fine, but i must focus on him to really hear what he's doing.

i like this album more every time i listen to it.

[Guest akanalog]

any other good savoy dates from this time period?

i like the valdo williams a lot. i like this moffett. i don't like the jeffrey.

anything else readily availble? no, right?

[clifford_thornton]

There's a LOT of good mid- to late-60s Savoy stuff.

Other than the Shepp/Dixon records, there's some Dixon-produced sides that are brilliant, by Marc Levin (flute/cornet); Bob Pozar (drums); Ed Curran (alto/clarinet); and Marzette Watts (tenor). Love all of them (still need the Watts in the appropriate form). The Bill Barron dates, of which there are three, are all really nice too. Modern Windows and The Hot Line (w/ Booker Ervin too!) are serious - all the Barrons are on CD, or were recently.

Perry Robinson has a nice, mellow but kinda "off-kilter" (lame phrase, but fitting) side called Funk Dumpling, with Motian, Grimes and Kenny Barron. I like that one.

Joe Scianni (piano) and Dave Izenzon cut a duo called Man Running that's interesting, though the pressing is absolute shite - not uncommon with Savoys in my experience. In addition to the Valdo, Bley had some good Savoy material, though it's not up to his later greatness; still, Bley/Swallow/LaRoca isn't a bad start!

Savoy '50s-'60s

There are inaccuracies in some tracks, personnel and titles here and there, but it's helpful - especially to find some weird ones.

[JSngry]

The Bill Barron dates, of which there are three, are all really nice too. Modern Windows and The Hot Line (w/ Booker Ervin too!) are serious - all the Barrons are on CD, or were recently.

Has Motivation been on CD?

That one is just nuts!

[mikeweil]

Slightly off topic, but since we're talking about many other Savoy sessions here: Has anyone heard MG 12190 Marc Levin - The Dragon Suite? I have a later French issue of this and find it quite interesting - Calo Scott, the master cellist is heard to good advantage here.

[clifford_thornton]

I have the Savoy LP - actually just traded my extra copy of it. EXCELLENT record, and should be properly reissued - that pennywhistle shit on side two really gets under my skin!

[clifford_thornton]

The Bill Barron dates, of which there are three, are all really nice too. Modern Windows and The Hot Line (w/ Booker Ervin too!) are serious - all the Barrons are on CD, or were recently.

Has Motivation been on CD?

That one is just nuts!

So there was a fourth on Savoy - I've never even seen it. I like your description!

I can't say I've see a catalog number as high as 12303 on a Savoy LP before.

[ep1str0phy]

I'll only add that those Barron Savoy dates are wildly underrated. A good chance to hear some legendary players out of more familiar group folds (e.g., Mingus and Trane), too.

[JohnS]

The Gift is, imo, a rather minor entry in the Savoy catalogue. It's interesting to hear Charles on vibes but I can't say the cd does very much for me. As stated above, bring on the Baron's.

[kh1958]

A couple of reasonably priced copies of this hard to find title are currently available from amazon sellers.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00...5797&sr=1-1