dsgtrane Posted August 26, 2003 Report Posted August 26, 2003 Great news about the upcoming Hill with Shaw. Two of my favorite musicians. Some relative Woody rarities: As a leader: Night Music Master of the Art Both were recorded live in 1982 for the Elektra label. LP only. As a sideman: Roy Brooks: Duet in Detroit Tone Jansa: Dr. Chi Tone Jansa: Woody Shaw with the Tone Jansa Quartet The first is a series of duets between Brooks and Woody Shaw, Randy Weston, Don Pullen and Geri Allen, two tracks apiece. Took me a few years to track a copy of that one down. Quote
relyles Posted August 26, 2003 Report Posted August 26, 2003 Some relative Woody rarities: As a leader: Night Music Master of the Art Both were recorded live in 1982 for the Elektra label. LP only. I have both of these LPs and I must confess that these two are probably the only Shaw led dates that may even come close to being a disappointment to me. The sound quality is not the greatest and I have heard much better playing by both Shaw and Bobby Hutcherson. Nonetheless, just about any Woody Shaw is worth hearing, including these two LPs. Quote
JSngry Posted August 27, 2003 Report Posted August 27, 2003 It'a weird - I bought MASTER OF THE ART the day it was released, was captivated from the first listen, and still am. When NIGHT MUSIC was released a few year(s?) later, oh yeah, I could NOT wait to get it. But it just left me flat, and still does. How to explain thix? Hell if I know. Same band, same gig, maybe even the same night, I don't remember. Just one of those things, I guess... Quote
shrugs Posted August 27, 2003 Report Posted August 27, 2003 master has the better sound and is the better session IMO. Lito, baby Quote
dsgtrane Posted August 27, 2003 Report Posted August 27, 2003 I tend to agree about Master vs. Night Music. I do like the cover for Night better though. Quote
dsgtrane Posted August 27, 2003 Report Posted August 27, 2003 Don't think this one has been mentioned. It features excellent playing by Shaw. Tone Jansa Quartet featuring Woody Shaw - Dr. Chi How does that compare with this one??? Woody Shaw with the Tone Jansa Quartet I have the latter, but not the former. Quite a good date too, I'll add (meaning the one I have, but I presume the date lead by Tone Jansa is just as good). IMHO, Dr. Chi is better. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted August 27, 2003 Author Report Posted August 27, 2003 (edited) Harry Whitaker's BLACK RENNAISANCE Well, I listened to this again twice today (so I been through it three times now, total). Damn, what an amazing album. Really DEEP in the very best "Sun Ra meets Music Inc., meets Funkadelic" sense of the word. And what powerful solos from Woody. I'm sure I've never heard him play in anything even close to this kind of context. And I'm pretty sure I've never heard any trumpeter anywhere near this caliber - play in any context even remotely similar. Not for the faint of heart, but if anyone has open ears, and an open mind for jazz in the 70's, then they NEED to get this disc sometime. FYI, here's the description from Dusty Groove: Black Renaissance (Harry Whitaker) -- Body Mind & Spirit . . . CD . . . $12.99 List Price: $15.98  (Item: 60662) Luv N' Haight, 1976 Condition: New Copy  View Cart A spiritual jazz classic -- one of the rarest albums of its type from the 70s! This legendary session was recorded by Roy Ayers' keyboardist Harry Whitaker -- working here as the leader of the Black Renaissance group, a one-shot ensemble that featured Woody Shaw on trumpet, Azar Lawrence on saxes, Buster Williams on bass, and Mtume on percussion. The session was cut in New York in 1976, but never properly issued at the time -- save for a rare bootleg that came out briefly in Japan. Yet somehow, the quality of the work and the depth of soulfulness have created a strong aura about the session -- making it an oft-cited influence by a generation of DJs and soul jazz listeners. The album only features 2 long tracks -- both of them strong ensemble numbers that build modally searching grooves in a Strata East-like style, peppered with voices, both sung and spoken, in a hip, socially conscious mode. Both tracks -- "Black Renaissance" and "Magic Ritual" are excellent, on a par with the best 70s spiritual soul jazz -- and both are wonderfully remastered, and re-presented here for the first time in legitimate release!!! Edited August 27, 2003 by Rooster_Ties Quote
dsgtrane Posted August 27, 2003 Report Posted August 27, 2003 Here's another Woody sideman rarity Quote
.:.impossible Posted September 1, 2003 Report Posted September 1, 2003 How is 'Bout Soul? I was listening to Demon's Dance the other day and it dawned on me what a great pair McLean and Shaw made together. Other than a few live recordings from the 80s, Demon's Dance and 'Bout Soul seem to be the only two available pairings. Looks good to me... From http://www16.brinkster.com/fitzgera/woody/...eptember-8-1968 Van Gelder Studio, New Jersey; September 8, 1968 WS - tp; Grachan Moncur III - tb; Jackie McLean - as; Lamont Johnson - p; Scotty Holt - dr; Barbara Simmons - voc. 1.Soul 10:15 2.Conversion Point 9:45 3.Big Ben's Voice 10:06 4.Big Ben's Voice 9:55 5.Erdu 5:54 Jackie McLean -- 'Bout Soul (CD) Jackie McLean -- 'Bout Soul (LP): tracks 1-3,5 various artists -- Blue Break Beats vol. 3: track 1(?) The poetry of Ms. Simmons on track "Soul" makes for a quaint period piece. Other tracks are aggressive, energetic hard bop in line with McLean's other late 60's recordings. Quote
.:.impossible Posted September 1, 2003 Report Posted September 1, 2003 I like the sound of this! I don't think I've ever seen it before... Nope. Definitely not. I don't even rememeber this album cover being posted on a board before! Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted April 29, 2004 Author Report Posted April 29, 2004 Gonna play this for our own Spontoonious later today -- his first time ever hearing it. Harry Whitaker's BLACK RENNAISANCE Time for another episode of The Magic Ritual!! Quote
Miles251 Posted April 29, 2004 Report Posted April 29, 2004 I too am a Woody Shaw fanatic of the highest level! Living in Iowa in the 70's, I remember the Woody concert at the Maintenence Shop in the ISU campus, although I showed up a day late. I saw the rebroadcast of the show quite a few times and remember being in awe of what the man could do on the horn...his angularityof line, lyricism and dark luscious tone were stunning. The time that I spent in NYC was spent seeing Woody as many times as possible....and NOTHING on record compared to seeing him live! When he would play the Vanguard, I would show up very early and listen to Woody warming up....georgeous long tones and very "Woodyesque scalular exercises. Let's not forget the Eric Dolphy side, "Iron Man" featuring a very young Woody...the man, besides Booker Little, was the one cat that could play "in" or "out". Quote
king ubu Posted April 30, 2004 Report Posted April 30, 2004 Found "Coral Keys", that Walter Bishop Jr. disc with Harold Vic (what's the deal about this spelling? Did he change it? Is that a strange typo?) and Woody Shaw. Pretty cool album! ubu Quote
catesta Posted May 3, 2004 Report Posted May 3, 2004 I picked up my first two Woody Shaw leader dates this weekend. CAN YOU DIG IT? I can. B) Quote
brownie Posted May 25, 2004 Report Posted May 25, 2004 Not sure this has been mentioned before but a very nice Woody Shaw website opened recently. Great site! http://www.woodyshaw.com/ Quote
ralphie_boy Posted May 25, 2004 Report Posted May 25, 2004 Little Red's Fantasy is one of his best. I'd love to see it re-released without that god-aweful cover someday though. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted May 25, 2004 Author Report Posted May 25, 2004 Little Red's Fantasy is one of his best. I'd love to see it re-released without that god-aweful cover someday though. What did the original cover look like?? (I've probably seen it at one time or another, but can't remember.) Has it ever been released on CD with the original cover?? Quote
catesta Posted May 25, 2004 Report Posted May 25, 2004 I've really been digging Shaw as of late. These reissues are selling for $9.99 at Tower. Quote
sidewinder Posted May 25, 2004 Report Posted May 25, 2004 Somewhat strange incident which I'd like to share concerning Woody. Several years ago I was over in NYC and checking out a music store on Broadway just above Times Square. They had a book of Woody trumpet transcriptions in stock (with things like 'Moontrane') at a good price so I took it to the checkout. The guy behind the counter took one hard look at the cover, snarled unpleasantly, took my cash with disgusted look on his face, no thanks offered. I've always wondered just what Woody must have done to piss this store guy off so much. Very odd. Quote
doubleM Posted May 25, 2004 Report Posted May 25, 2004 Maybe he was just a surly bastatrd (the employee) , or he wanted the book...(?). Or maybe Wood had done something... peculiar. Quote
sidewinder Posted May 25, 2004 Report Posted May 25, 2004 He was definitely the first but I got the distinct impression that it was also the latter.. Quote
ralphie_boy Posted May 25, 2004 Report Posted May 25, 2004 I've always wondered just what Woody must have done to piss this store guy off so much. Very odd. It couldn't have been Woody's playing, I can guarantee that! Quote
doubleM Posted May 25, 2004 Report Posted May 25, 2004 I was lingering after a Rasheid Ali gig a few weeks ago, talking to Ravi Coltrane and Jumani Smith (a great, young trumpet player) about improv., and all kinds of other shit. The subject of Woody came up...and a few minutes later Ravi comes out of the back room w/ an iPod looking thing w/ headphones and lays the fucking Holy Grail on me. It was 20 minutes of Woody Shaw practicing. Man, he had so much control over that horn, be it on arpeggios, patterns, anything...it just blew me right the fuck away. As a trumpet player, I was mezmerised, inspired, and terrified! Quote
Eric Posted July 29, 2004 Report Posted July 29, 2004 (edited) up for a little air ... I have been listening to the "Love Dance" lp inlcuded on the "Last of the Line" CD issued by 32 Jazz. How in the hell have I been asleep on this one??? IMHO, it is just as good as "Little Red's Fantasy". Frankly I think I was scared off by the album title (and "flowery" lettering on the cover) all these years - figured it was some watered-down junk. Not so. Sidemen include Billy Harper, Rene McLean and Steve Turre. "Love Dance" is a very strong original by the pianist on the date - Joe Bonner. The lp also includes "Obsequious" by Larry Young (which Woody also recorded on "Cassandranite" AND " "Live at the Berliner Jazztage"). It also includes "Zoltan", a great great Shaw original (where else does this appear???) as well as a nice Harper ballad. This thing really cooks - check it out folks!!! Edited July 29, 2004 by Eric Quote
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