Noj Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 After getting GLASS BEAD GAMES I realized I have little from this label. What Strata East albums would you recommend? Quote
rockefeller center Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 I'd like to find a copy of SES 8003 New York Bass Violin Choir. If anyone has it, please pm - thank you! Quote
undergroundagent Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 Charles Rouse "Two is One" — essential! Quote
AfricaBrass Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 My favorite Strata East title is Pharoah Sanders - Izipho Zam It's my favorite Pharoah Sanders title period. I dig the Rouse too! Quote
Late Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 Noj, check out this thread. Hopefully those albums are still available! Quote
Late Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 Rats! I just checked. The Hicks is available, though. Quote
Noj Posted October 30, 2003 Author Report Posted October 30, 2003 Thanks Late. I did a search and must have missed that thread. Thanks for checking Dusty Groove, too--I'll have to have them email me when some of these come back in stock. Thanks everyone for your suggestions! B) Quote
BFrank Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 Tolliver's "Live at Slugs" is essential. Quote
sidewinder Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 As is Tolliver's 'Impact' - recorded with a very brass-heavy big band. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 (edited) Hell, all of the Tolliver's on Strata East are essential. ( But then y'all knew I was gonna say that in this thread eventually. Hey - I held out as long as I could!! ) Good thread, cuz other than the 4 Tollivers, "Glass Bead Games", and "Capra Black" (Billy Harper) --- I don't have any other Strata East titles. Here's a LINK to a listing of the entire Strata East catalog, to further the discussion. Edited October 30, 2003 by Rooster_Ties Quote
kdd Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 (edited) All the Tollivers and the Harper of course but there is another Clifford Jordan with Kenny Dorham on some tracks and Don Cherry on the others that is nice as is a Cecil Payne with Kenny Dorham Edited October 30, 2003 by kdd Quote
JohnS Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 I've got around a dozen or so Strata East vinyls. They are still in the collection so I must like 'em all. Best of the bunch "Rhythm X" by Charles Brackeen with Cherry, Haden and Blackwell. "Capra Black" is a classic. Harold Vick's "Don't Look Back" is a tad disappointing. I'd have to play some of the others again to comment but I can recall some nice playing on the Sonny Fortune, Charles Sullivan, the Composers Workshop Ensemble and Joe Gordon discs despite the trendy (for the time) tinkly percussion that crops up here and there. Sorry guys I didn't keep any of the Tollivers. Interesting label. I wish I'd kept a few more but one or two that came my way were pretty awful. Quote
Brandon Burke Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 Charles Rouse "Two is One" — essential! Yup. Quote
SEK Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 ... there is another Clifford Jordan with Kenny Dorham on some tracks and Don Cherry on the others that is nice... You are referring to Clifford Jordan's excellent "In the World". I also dig Charles Brackeen's very Ornette-ish "Rhythm X". Quote
Late Posted October 30, 2003 Report Posted October 30, 2003 You might want to check out this one. Information here. Quote
DrJ Posted October 31, 2003 Report Posted October 31, 2003 (edited) I was just gonna mention Brackeen's RHYTHM X, SEK beat me to it. All the Tollivers CAPRA BLACK Anyone have/heard Cecil McBee's entry (I think there's only one)? I've been intrigued, but not enough to take the plunge yet. Edited October 31, 2003 by DrJ Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted October 31, 2003 Report Posted October 31, 2003 Strata-East, owned by Tolliver and Cowell (Stanley was a semi-silent partner), was a vanity label. You could release a record if you had the money to deliver finished tapes and artwork (and if Charles approved). Musicians usually used the studio and graphic artists used by Tolliver, but it was not necessary as far as I know. Clifford Jordan had a side deal to deliver his dates and others he produced (Sanders, Brackeen, Payne, etc). Lots of unhappy guys around the edges and the product suffered from indifferent production qualities, sound, distribution and finances. From what I've heard, lots of musicians were looking for money that never materialized and gave up. Tolliver was always painted as the bad guy, and Cowell came out relatively clean. In the mid '70s Clifford Jordan tried to make a deal with me to escape Strata-East. I could not afford it, so.......... I am completely mystified by the reputation this label has on this board. Quote
undergroundagent Posted October 31, 2003 Report Posted October 31, 2003 (edited) Interesting to know, and dare I say TYPICAL of a small label with no money. Edited October 31, 2003 by undergroundagent Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted October 31, 2003 Report Posted October 31, 2003 Interesting to know, and dare I say TYPICAL of a small label with no money. Gee, I didn't think you looked strong enough to master a brush that broad. Quote
Noj Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Posted October 31, 2003 Thanks Chuck, I'm not sure how else I could have learned something like that. Quote
DrJ Posted October 31, 2003 Report Posted October 31, 2003 (edited) The sound quality IS poor, and everything else you say is also true I'm sure, Chuck, but it's 30+ years down the road now and the label did yield a few classics, stuff that surpasses so much that came before, at the time, or since. If there were other options, how come nobody else recorded these guys as leaders? Edited October 31, 2003 by DrJ Quote
brownie Posted October 31, 2003 Report Posted October 31, 2003 Strata East albums (LPs all) I enjoyed: Cecil Payne 'Zodiac' with Kenny Dorham, Clifford Jordan 'In the World'. Charles Bracken 'Rhythm X' with Don Cherry, Charles Sullivan 'Genesis', a forgotten trumpet player. I've got some others but they don't get played much. Also puzzled by the fascination for that label. Quote
kdd Posted October 31, 2003 Report Posted October 31, 2003 Strata-East, owned by Tolliver and Cowell (Stanley was a semi-silent partner), was a vanity label. You could release a record if you had the money to deliver finished tapes and artwork (and if Charles approved). Musicians usually used the studio and graphic artists used by Tolliver, but it was not necessary as far as I know. Clifford Jordan had a side deal to deliver his dates and others he produced (Sanders, Brackeen, Payne, etc). Lots of unhappy guys around the edges and the product suffered from indifferent production qualities, sound, distribution and finances. From what I've heard, lots of musicians were looking for money that never materialized and gave up. Tolliver was always painted as the bad guy, and Cowell came out relatively clean. In the mid '70s Clifford Jordan tried to make a deal with me to escape Strata-East. I could not afford it, so.......... I am completely mystified by the reputation this label has on this board. Because a lot of good or great music is on the label despite the indifferent production qualities, sound, distribution and finances. Quote
JohnS Posted November 1, 2003 Report Posted November 1, 2003 Anyone have/heard Cecil McBee's entry (I think there's only one)? I've been intrigued, but not enough to take the plunge yet. Cecil McBee's "Mutima" lp is something of a mixed bag. A long arco bass duet with McBee overdubbing, a sprited freeish piece, a Pharoah Sanders like number with tinkling percussion, a groovier cut with McBee Jnr on electric bass and two short pieces, presumably the openings to longer works. Quote
DrJ Posted November 1, 2003 Report Posted November 1, 2003 Thanks for the review, JohnS - not something it seems should be a real high priority. Quote
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