Archie Shepp

[Late]

Bam. This album should be owned by all Shepp fans.

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, Late said:

Bam. This album should be owned by all Shepp fans.

The first five minutes of Frankenstein are as good as it gets. Beaver Harris!

[Late]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Beaver Harris!

Harris and Joe Chambers are two of the most under-valued drummers from jazz's 60's golden years.

[felser]

30 minutes ago, Late said:

Harris and Joe Chambers are two of the most under-valued drummers from jazz's 60's golden years.

Agreed.  Saw Harris twice in the 70's, once with Shepp, and once with George Adams/Hannibal Peterson, and he was a monster!

Edited November 15, 2020 by felser

[Late]

I realized I don't have this one, in any format. (I thought I had some of the tracks as bonus tracks from other discs, but I guess not.)

[Д.Д.]

8 hours ago, Late said:

I realized I don't have this one, in any format. (I thought I had some of the tracks as bonus tracks from other discs, but I guess not.)

You can get it as a part of this set:

https://www.amazon.com/5-Original-Albums-CD/dp/B07BLHMWYL/ 

 

[Rabshakeh]

On 14/11/2020 at 11:48 PM, Late said:

Bam. This album should be owned by all Shepp fans.

I always felt that this album was the key to Shepp's whole catalogue.

It is the point at which he develops from his New Thing stage towards a new, much greasier sound.

It was hearing this one that made Shepp really click for me, and opened up his other mid period albums like Yasmina and Kwanza. 

[danasgoodstuff]

10 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

I always felt that this album was the key to Shepp's whole catalogue.

It is the point at which he develops from his New Thing stage towards a new, much greasier sound.

It was hearing this one that made Shepp really click for me, and opened up his other mid period albums like Yasmina and Kwanza. 

Weirdly I thought it was basically redundant but then I already had and loved Mama Too Tight whose title track is basically James Brown's "Money Won't Change You" and exquisitely greasy, IMHO. YMMV. etc.  Not trying to ne disagreeable, just think it's interesting how much perceptions may vary.

[Rabshakeh]

16 hours ago, danasgoodstuff said:

Weirdly I thought it was basically redundant but then I already had and loved Mama Too Tight whose title track is basically James Brown's "Money Won't Change You" and exquisitely greasy, IMHO. YMMV. etc.  Not trying to ne disagreeable, just think it's interesting how much perceptions may vary.

I think it is interesting! Mama is my favourite of the earlier ones. Perhaps that’s why. I haven’t listened to it for while so I will give it a go.

[Rabshakeh]

Having relistened, I do definitely agree, but only really for that one short (brilliant) track.

The other three tracks seem to me to be good examples of the quite different direction that he had been taking up to that point: that sort of New Thing-type skronk meets more traditional jazz orchestration. 

Perhaps it could be said that The Way Ahead developed the focus of the title track, and opened up "Avant-Grease" (or whatever it should be called) as an area for development. Shepp then mined that seam for a while (my favourite era of his) before moving on to his grand genre fusions of the early 70s.

Either way, I am with Late on his assessment. 

[Clunky]

I played through almost  all ( bar On this Night)  Impulse Shepp's in one sitting the other day . A friend was borrowing the discs and I wanted to remind myself of their qualities  so that  I could give an informed opinion.

The Way Ahead was a real surprise perhaps because I'd not heard it too often, i loved it . Fire Music and Magic of Juju were reconfirmed as my favourites with the 2fer Kwanza/For Losers as the most uneven and ultimately only  disappointing entry . Mama Too Tight came across as raw and untidy but will need to be revisited again soon.

[Rabshakeh]

I have a real soft spot for Kwanza. It just strikes me as being really joyous, even if it is quite silly. I find it does a good job of transforming a bad mood into a good one.  

For Losers seems to me to be the weakest of the albums, although it has its moments - very uneven, as you say.

Edited November 19, 2020 by Rabshakeh

[Late]

Look for this one in 2021 out of Squidco:

No new music, but the sound might be cleaned up a little. (I've really liked what Peter Pfister has done with this series so far.) I'm not sure if this will be one disc or two. Yasmina is 41 minutes. I don't have Blasé.

[clifford_thornton]

They wouldn't both fit on a single album so I assume this is either a 2CD or an edited set. Both are great of course.

For Losers is okay. I listen to Kwanza quite a bit and dig it.

[felser]

15 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

For Losers is okay. I listen to Kwanza quite a bit and dig it.

I like the title track of For Losers quite a bit.   The rest of the album holds little appeal for me. The key cuts on Kwanza go down better as bonus cuts on The Way Ahead. IMO.  They clash with the For Losers type outtakes which complete Kwanza. Yasmina is a winner.

 

Edited November 19, 2020 by felser
typos

[Pim]

https://transversales.bandcamp.com/album/live-in-paris-1974

Have to say: samples sound promising!

[mjazzg]

1 hour ago, Pim said:

https://transversales.bandcamp.com/album/live-in-paris-1974

Have to say: samples sound promising!

Yes, I thought so too.  I missed out on the Sanders which is now going for silly money so will snap this up I think

[Д.Д.]

25 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

I missed out on the Sanders which is now going for silly money so will snap this up I think

Just in case - Sanders is available at Spotify and the likes. 

[bertrand]

Is this vinyl and download only, no CD option?

Also, in what way was it 'lost'? 'Ignored' is more appropriate.

Edited May 18, 2021 by bertrand

[jazzbo]

It's been on cd in the past. That cd is expensive now!

[mjazzg]

15 minutes ago, bertrand said:

Is this vinyl and download only, no CD option?

Also, in what way was it 'lost'? 'Ignored' is more appropriate.

Their previous Sanders release was LP/Download/streaming, LP sold out quickly so can't see they'll change a winning formula for this one

 

2 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

Just in case - Sanders is available at Spotify and the likes. 

Thank you, yes, that's how I've been enjoying it

[Rabshakeh]

Just now, mjazzg said:

Their previous Sanders release was LP/Download/streaming, LP sold out quickly so can't see they'll change a winning formula for this one

HJs West had the Pharaoh one in store for a long time. Might be worth trying there if stocks run out at source.

[mjazzg]

6 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

HJs West had the Pharaoh one in store for a long time. Might be worth trying there if stocks run out at source.

Thanks, I'm planning a trip there this week so will have a hunt.  It did disappear from their website a while ago which I took to mean they'd sold out but you never know. That'll teach me to prevaricate.

[Rabshakeh]

14 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

Thanks, I'm planning a trip there this week so will have a hunt.  It did disappear from their website a while ago which I took to mean they'd sold out but you never know. That'll teach me to prevaricate.

Oh. If you mean the Pharoah one, then I may have bought it...

Sorry. I misread and thought you might be looking for the Shepp one.

Edited May 18, 2021 by Rabshakeh

[mjazzg]

14 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

Oh. If you mean the Pharoah one, then I may have bought it...

Sorry. I misread and thought you might be looking for the Shepp one.

Yes, the Pharoah. I hope you're enjoying it...