What records disappointed your expectations?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Scott Dolan made me think of this. He noted that the Village Vanguard was a venue where everyone played their best stuff. But for me, the exception is David Newman's "Fire".

Sometimes, a record looks great on form, but doesn't live up to your expectations. A live David Newman album, with Hank Crawford and Stanley Turrentine sitting in on some tracks, looks too good to be true, at least in my book. Trouble is, it WAS too good to be true. Everyone plays fine but, for an album called "Fire", the spark wasn't there.

MG

[Matthew]

Freddie Hubbard: Hub-Tones. Great line up, love James Spaulding, but no matter how many times I give it a try, it bores me.

[Scott Dolan]

Bitches Brew - Miles Davis

I don't know what to say, gentlemen. I cannot stand this album.

[Dan Gould]

Scott Dolan made me think of this. He noted that the Village Vanguard was a venue where everyone played their best stuff. But for me, the exception is David Newman's "Fire".

Sometimes, a record looks great on form, but doesn't live up to your expectations. A live David Newman album, with Hank Crawford and Stanley Turrentine sitting in on some tracks, looks too good to be true, at least in my book. Trouble is, it WAS too good to be true. Everyone plays fine but, for an album called "Fire", the spark wasn't there.

MG

I don't know about that. If everyone plays "fine", is your disappointment based solely on your expectations due to the chosen title? I thought the LP was more than fine; my problem is I always prefer Fathead's tenor to his flute.

[Guest the mommy]

i don't think you are wrong. i think bitches brew is more respected as a historically important piece of music than it is listened to and enjoyed repeatedly.

[J Larsen]

Heavy Weather.

[clifford_thornton]

A number of Andrew Hill sides, esp. Andrew!!! and Compulsion. Big yawn!

[kh1958]

After reading all the accolades for Trio Beyond/Saudade, I couldn't have been more disappointed at this limp, uninspired and utterly boring recording. Not a single track did I want to hear twice.

[kh1958]

Scott Dolan made me think of this. He noted that the Village Vanguard was a venue where everyone played their best stuff. But for me, the exception is David Newman's "Fire".

Sometimes, a record looks great on form, but doesn't live up to your expectations. A live David Newman album, with Hank Crawford and Stanley Turrentine sitting in on some tracks, looks too good to be true, at least in my book. Trouble is, it WAS too good to be true. Everyone plays fine but, for an album called "Fire", the spark wasn't there.

MG

I was disappointed with this one when released. I don't like the recording quality for one thing. But I did re-listen fairly recently and found that I liked it better, at least some of the tracks.

[RDK]

William Parker's "O'Neal's Porch." It was my first Parker album, bought due to numerous recommendations here, but it did nothing for me. I've come to like and respect Parker in other settings, on other albums, but that one? Meh.

[Scott Dolan]

O'Neals Porch has never really grabbed me either. I don't dislike it, but there are many albums of his that I prefer to listen to.

I think I like him best with Other Dimensions In Music.

Edited January 24, 2007 by Scott Dolan

[Guy Berger]

i don't think you are wrong. i think bitches brew is more respected as a historically important piece of music than it is listened to and enjoyed repeatedly.

Count me as one who has listened to and enjoyed Bitches Brew repeatedly.

Records I've found to be disappointing relative to expectations:

Weather Report, Heavy Weather (WR had much better records than this one)

Herbie Hancock, Headhunters

Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

Lee Morgan, The Sidewinder

Horace Silver, Song for My Father (very good record, but not Horace's best)

Wayne Shorter, Speak no Evil

Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage (very good record but I like this rhythm section's albums with Miles better)

Guy

[Guest the mommy]

guye, i agree with many of those.

but did anyone actually think heavy weather was good? i have never met anyone who thinks it is a "great" album. no one seems to like it that much. it sold a lot of copies. it had a hit song. but i don't think anyone, even weather report fans, would tell you it is a favorite. maybe some high school kid with a boner for jaco....

[Kevin Bresnahan]

The one that sticks in my mind was Jimmy Smith's "Cool Blues". I read the Penguin review and I just had to have it. OOP! Ahh. I searched the used bins for several years and finally found a copy at some on-line shop in Florida. I paid almost $30, which I thought was a steal.

It came in and I put it on. Good stuff. Nice Tina Brooks. When it was done, I thought to myself, "Hell, 'The Sermon' is better than this".

[Hot Ptah]

Joe Zawinul--Dialects (first post-Weather Report solo album)

Chick Corea--The Leprechaun, My Spanish Heart, Music Magic (I began to realize that he wasn't going to put out consistently high quality albums)

Miles Davis--The Man With The Horn (after years of waiting, THIS is it?)

[Scott Dolan]

Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

I actually found Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus to be very disappointing.

Of course, I bought it when I was heavily into the live Antibes album. And I don't think anything could have stacked up favorably to that one.

[kh1958]

Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

I actually found Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus to be very disappointing.

Of course, I bought it when I was heavily into the live Antibes album. And I don't think anything could have stacked up favorably to that one.

The only Mingus album that disappointed me was Three or Four Shades of Blues, which was because Changes One and Two were so good, and there was such a long wait for this lesser record to come out. Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus and Mingus ... are both great recordings, in my opinion.

[Jim Alfredson]

After reading all the accolades for Trio Beyond/Saudade, I couldn't have been more disappointed at this limp, uninspired and utterly boring recording. Not a single track did I want to hear twice.

Uh... did you have the volume up?

[Hot Ptah]

Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

I actually found Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus to be very disappointing.

Of course, I bought it when I was heavily into the live Antibes album. And I don't think anything could have stacked up favorably to that one.

The only Mingus album that disappointed me was Three or Four Shades of Blues, which was because Changes One and Two were so good, and there was such a long wait for this lesser record to come out. Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus and Mingus ... are both great recordings, in my opinion.

I also found Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus to be disappointing. It is certainly good, but I had read that Mingus thought that his music was finally recorded properly on that album for the first time, and I expected so much.

Three or Four Shades of Blues....I bought it the day it came out. The man at the counter at Discount Records in Madison, Wisconsin, most likely a Chuck Nessa-trained guy, tried so hard to talk me out of buying it. He told me that it was so terrible, that when I finally heard it, I thought it was great by comparison to the expectations he had created. Now, I like the title track and think that the rest is O.K.

[Noj]

Fascinating how individual tastes differ, a few of my favorites are mentioned in here.

Hub-Tones I disliked enough to sell. Later I thought I should have kept it and given it a second chance when I read praise directed its way.

[kh1958]

After reading all the accolades for Trio Beyond/Saudade, I couldn't have been more disappointed at this limp, uninspired and utterly boring recording. Not a single track did I want to hear twice.

Uh... did you have the volume up?

"Turn It Up or Turn It Off."

I don't know, it must be me. I'll try it again in a few years or something.

[ep1str0phy]

Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

I actually found Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus to be very disappointing.

Of course, I bought it when I was heavily into the live Antibes album. And I don't think anything could have stacked up favorably to that one.

Few, if any Mingus studio dates can touch Antibes, IMO. Dolphy is a man possessed.

[kh1958]

Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

I actually found Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus to be very disappointing.

Of course, I bought it when I was heavily into the live Antibes album. And I don't think anything could have stacked up favorably to that one.

The only Mingus album that disappointed me was Three or Four Shades of Blues, which was because Changes One and Two were so good, and there was such a long wait for this lesser record to come out. Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus and Mingus ... are both great recordings, in my opinion.

I also found Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus to be disappointing. It is certainly good, but I had read that Mingus thought that his music was finally recorded properly on that album for the first time, and I expected so much.

Three or Four Shades of Blues....I bought it the day it came out. The man at the counter at Discount Records in Madison, Wisconsin, most likely a Chuck Nessa-trained guy, tried so hard to talk me out of buying it. He told me that it was so terrible, that when I finally heard it, I thought it was great by comparison to the expectations he had created. Now, I like the title track and think that the rest is O.K.

I also like Three or Four Shades of Blues, but merely liking a Mingus recording is below my expectations.

[Scott Dolan]

Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

I actually found Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus to be very disappointing.

Of course, I bought it when I was heavily into the live Antibes album. And I don't think anything could have stacked up favorably to that one.

Few, if any Mingus studio dates can touch Antibes, IMO. Dolphy is a man possessed.

Agreed, on both counts.

Eric's solo on Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting is quite possibly the greatest and most exciting sound I've ever heard!

Still makes me sad to this day thinking about what could have been if he and Monk would have hooked up.

[GA Russell]

I agree with Guy's nomination of Headhunters.

From this past year or so I definitely would say Chick Corea's The Ultimate Adventure and Neenna Freelon's Portrait of a Lady.