BFT 52 - discussion

[mikeweil]

Thanks for those very nice comments, Nate!

1) A really nice "Night & Day"; even the scat solo does it for me, & I basically hate scat singing. I always like the contrast in this kind of music between the laconic, off-beat bass playing & the denser rhythmic layers on top. Good horn chart, too.

Glad to hear someone likes this singer!

2) I was anticipating that I wouldn't know anything on this BFT, & here's already a familiar track. This is ES's disc on Herbie Mann's short-lived Kokopelli label--I think I picked it up in a trade w/ John Felser (thanks John for recommending it!). The unmistakable MT on sax--it's almost nostalgic to hear him here sounding a lot more expressive & less airlessly "smart" than a few years later. You don't get a lot of the leader here, but the unexpectedly staged three-way dialogue between him & bass & the percussion is quite effective. (AMG link)

4) A more nervous modern feel, with a great post-Monk use of out-of-sync rhythmic/melodic layers. Not sure who any of these guys are though I'll guess Gary Thomas for the tenor on the basis of his distinctive tone, even though this isn't the context I'd expect to find him in.

Yes it's Thomas - I wanted to present some players in this context you wouldn't expect there.

5) I was wondering how on earth this quiet Hank Jones-style piano was going to work its way to a Latin feel.... but it does! Surely an older player--has flash & the licks fall nicely under the fingers, but has a take-your-time vibe that I think most young players just can't manage. Nice drummer, quietly in dialogue with the bass & piano.

One of my favourite drummers! IIRC the pianist is in his late forties.

6) OK, so this is the first track where I think "this is a Latin piano player, not a jazz piano player in a Latin context". I think this is good but, it's not as "multi-dimensional" for me as a track like #5 or #2.

Yes he is but made his name as a jazz player - this track was guessed above.

13) God knows what this is! Definitely the oddest medley with "Round Midnight" I've encountered since Wiek Hijmans did it in conjunction with a piece by Sweelinck.

I certainly would like to hear that one!

[mikeweil]

BFT 52

1 “Night and day”; Don’t know the singer, but she has a nice voice. I like this a lot! Keep waiting for the also sax solo, though. Is the singer playing drums at the end?

I suppose she overdubbed her scat on to the timbale fills, but the liner notes do not tell it.

3 This tune gives me a very strong Willie Bobo feeling. But the tenor player has a very angular quality to his solo that I DON’T associate with Bobo – and am not very keen on. Otherwise, this is a very pleasant track.

He's a very well known jazz tenor someone should recognize!

9 Portentous intro. Very nice alto solo: strong, groovy player. Like the trumpet solo, too: quite like Blue Mitchell in places, very solid. Pianist doesn’t feel quite so comfortable as the other soloists; I have the feeling that he’s the leader, though. Strange…

That pianist is a really big name, but not the leader here. But he was the leader of several players here including the leader on this track for many years.

12 What an odd little thing! Sounds like George Braith meets Pony Poindexter (I know it’s not that).

13 Another strange thing. This seems more African than Latin, but it’s not really African either. Sounds like an Arts Council job.

[Nate Dorward]

Thanks for those very nice comments, Nate!

4) A more nervous modern feel, with a great post-Monk use of out-of-sync rhythmic/melodic layers. Not sure who any of these guys are though I'll guess Gary Thomas for the tenor on the basis of his distinctive tone, even though this isn't the context I'd expect to find him in.

Yes it's Thomas - I wanted to present some players in this context you wouldn't expect there.

Glad to hear I nailed that one -- I really barely know Thomas (only from the very low-key sideman appearance on Osby's The Invisible Hand & a few spots on Sam Rivers' big band dates) but he has an unmissable sound on the tenor, a half-swallowed Shorter tone. Can't access AMG at work but maybe at home I can determine the exact source of the track from Thomas's sideman listing....

13) God knows what this is! Definitely the oddest medley with "Round Midnight" I've encountered since Wiek Hijmans did it in conjunction with a piece by Sweelinck.

I certainly would like to hear that one!

It's on Classic Electric, on X-OR, the label Hijmans co-ran with the late Paul Termos. Aside from the Monk tune it's all contemporary composition, including Steve Reich (I forget the name of the piece but it's the one that Pat Metheny recorded), Theo Loevendie, Christian Wolff, & a terrific sort-of-blues by Termos.

Edited November 23, 2007 by Nate Dorward

[mikeweil]

Glad to hear I nailed that one -- I really barely know Thomas (only from the very low-key sideman appearance on Osby's The Invisible Hand & a few spots on Sam Rivers' big band dates) but he has an unmissable sound on the tenor, a half-swallowed Shorter tone. Can't access AMG at work but maybe at home I can determine the exact source of the track from Thomas's sideman listing....

I agree about Thomas' sound - unmissable, very energetic, rough, couldn't listen to him all day, but would miss him.

13) God knows what this is! Definitely the oddest medley with "Round Midnight" I've encountered since Wiek Hijmans did it in conjunction with a piece by Sweelinck.

I certainly would like to hear that one!

It's on Classic Electric, on X-OR, the label Hijmans co-ran with the late Paul Termos. Aside from the Monk tune it's all contemporary composition, including Steve Reich (I forget the name of the piece but it's the one that Pat Metheny recorded), Theo Loevendie, Christian Wolff, & a terrific sort-of-blues by Termos.

Sounds quite interesting! Will check it out.

[mikeweil]

More when I'm back home - this connection is too slow and costing me a fortune, and the browser configuation is weird ...

Thanks all for posting!

[mikeweil]

Okay, back in town for a day, this is the state of things:

# 2 - identified by Nate Dorward

# 4 - tenor player Gary Thomas identified by Nate Dorward

# 6 - identified by sidewinder

# 7 - identified by John B.

... you're much better than I thought .

But I'm really surprised nobody get's a clue on track # 5 .... that pianist was born in 1969, but he's not the leader. Hehe ....

[mikeweil]

I have the answers ready but will wait until king ubu and Big Al have posted their comments. Due to some post clerk's mistake their discs were returned to me and are still under way, it seems ...

[Big Al]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!! I’ve been waiting for this BFT ever since I found out I was already signed up!

Track 1: No clue, as usual, but it’s already got me outta my seat & dancin’! The vocalist reminds me of Carmen Miranda; sort of a Latin Ella! Lovely horn arrangement; it doesn’t sound like your stereotypical “latin soul” band. Sounds like some real heart and thought went into this arrangement.

Track 2: That alto sax sounds familiar, but I can’t place it. Nice latin groove, a little looser than the previous track, but nothing to complain about.

Track 3: Oh, like I’m gonna guess anything else besides Cal Tjader? No clue as usual, but I love unison statements by vibes-flute-tenor sax. Oh I could get lost in a groove like this for hours and never get tired! Pity this song is only five minutes long!

More later.....

[mikeweil]

Glad to see the last discs finally reached their destination - stay in the groove!

I will be back Sunday or Monday from gigs in Basel and Paris.

[sidewinder]

... you're much better than I thought .

But we're crap !

I'll get my listening cap on again and maybe we can redeem the situation a bit !

[Big Al]

Well, I was hoping to have more detailed responses, but when I realized that every one of my guesses was starting off with, "No clue, but I am SURE digging this!" I figured it was best to take off the thinking cap and put on the listening/grooving cap! This is another wonderful BFT, Mike! Definitely a keeper here! If I come across a track that I actually have a guess, I'll post it. Until then, groooooooooove-time baby!!!!