Re-issues from ESP-Disk

[cultchas]

Sonny Simmons - Staying on the Watch (ESP 1030)

The noted west coast composer made his ESP debut accompanied by his then wife, Barbara Donald, on trumpet, Teddy Smith on bass, John Hicks on piano and Marvin Pattillo on percussion. Recorded August 1966, Staying on the Watch is an important infusion of straight-ahead and avant jazz. Barbara Donald is a superb trumpeter who has made a strident contribution to the legacy of women performers and has been widely written about. Also, pianist John Hicks, who makes his New York debut on the record, went on to become one of the most prolific pianists in jazz.

Personnel:

Barbara Donald - trumpet

Sonny Simmons - alto sax

John Hicks - piano

Teddy Smith - bass

Marvin Pattillo - percussion

What they say:

“Altoist Sonny Simmons' debut as a leader is a typically stimulating and dense ESP blowout. Performing in a quintet with trumpeter Barbara Donald, the up-and-coming pianist John Hicks, bassist Teddy Smith and drummer Marvin Pattillo, Simmons stretches out on four colorful and mostly free-form originals. The intense set still sounds quite advanced over three decades later.” – Scott Yanow (All Music Guide)

“Always a volatile personality, Simmons cut his music in the late 60s with a finely honed edge. On ‘A Distant Voice’ he pushes his alto into English horn territory (which Simmons would later regularly employ). Then-wife Barbara Donald on trumpet is key to the band’s forceful sound. Staying on the Watch marks the debut of pianist John Hicks, who brings ‘City of David’ to a rousing finish. – Jeff Stockton (All About Jazz)

Available in digital format

- CD in Digipack with liner notes, Re-mastered from origial tapes

- DRM Free 320 kbps MP3

[brownie]

The session was included in the previous ESP reissue from 2006 'Sonny Simmons The Complete ESP-Disk' Recordings'

The double CD had a very interesting interview of Simmons by our own Clifford Thornton!

[felser]

It's a fine session, but has been out on CD lots of times. Wish someone would get things like Noah Howard at Judson Hall out on CD instead of the same titles over and over again.

[clifford_thornton]

Or the Lasha/Simmons session "It Is Revealed."

[Kyo]

Good to see they finally reissued this one, I've been waiting for it:

Marion Brown - Why Not?

http://espdisk.com/official/catalog/1040.html

[clifford_thornton]

With a cover shot by our own brownie!

[felser]

Or the Lasha/Simmons session "It Is Revealed."

I don't even know that one, would like to. The Howard came to mind because it is another ESP-Disk from the same era.

[AndrewHill]

The Marzette Watts too would be a welcome reissue.

[clifford_thornton]

Or the Lasha/Simmons session "It Is Revealed."

I don't even know that one, would like to. The Howard came to mind because it is another ESP-Disk from the same era.

Cool record from '63 with Don Cherry, Clifford Jordan, Charles Moffett et al. Very scarce custom-label thing that doesn't circulate much.

That Judson Hall date is certainly the better of the two Howard ESPs though ultimately his non-ESP sides (Sun, Altsax, etc.) are a bit stronger IMHO. & if ESP reissues the Marzette, hopefully they get the track order right this time. Calibre and ZYX both fucked it up.

[colinmce]

Michael Gregory Jackson - Clarity w/ Leo Smith, Oliver Lake, David Murray (1976)

Never heard of this one, but it sounds promising. Any opinions?

Edited June 2, 2010 by colinmce

[B. Clugston]

ESP seems to be reissuing its reissues. (The Simmons and Sun Ra - College Tour.) Maybe we'll finally get Ayler's Spiritual Unity released on ESP with the additional title from that session.

[colinmce]

It'd be nice to see the Ran Blake make an appearance.

Edited June 2, 2010 by colinmce

[colinmce]

Gripes aside, at least ESP is still in the reissue game, which is something that can't be said for just about any other notable jazz label of the 50s or 60s. Is there even another?

Edited June 2, 2010 by colinmce

[clifford_thornton]

Michael Gregory Jackson - Clarity w/ Leo Smith, Oliver Lake, David Murray (1976)

Never heard of this one, but it sounds promising. Any opinions?

One of my favorite records ever.

Original vinyl was on Bija, ESP licensed the tapes way back when though it didn't actually appear on ESP until the CD era.

ESP seems to be reissuing its reissues. (The Simmons and Sun Ra - College Tour.)

Strange, especially when the Ra Nothing Is... CD w/ extra tracks is still in print as a single. They just keep re-ordering the tracks.

[B. Clugston]

ESP seems to be reissuing its reissues. (The Simmons and Sun Ra - College Tour.)

Strange, especially when the Ra Nothing Is... CD w/ extra tracks is still in print as a single. They just keep re-ordering the tracks.

Looks like they found even more stuff from the tour.

[Chuck Nessa]

Or the Lasha/Simmons session "It Is Revealed."

I don't even know that one, would like to. The Howard came to mind because it is another ESP-Disk from the same era.

Cool record from '63 with Don Cherry, Clifford Jordan, Charles Moffett et al. Very scarce custom-label thing that doesn't circulate much.

I always thought Revealed was a mess and no one would mention it if it wasn't rare. Those with a copy call it a masterpiece.

[clifford_thornton]

I like it. Masterpiece - no, but enjoyable and considering the paucity of Lasha's work on CD...

Seems like ESP could have just plopped a single disc of more "College Tour" Ra out there and people would have happily bought it. Contrary to what is espoused in liner notes, the "Sgt. Pepper's of jazz" it is not.

[Kyo]

Seems like ESP could have just plopped a single disc of more "College Tour" Ra out there and people would have happily bought it.

Yep. More of the typical record company bullshit - "Here's some new stuff!

You can have it if you also re-buy that music you bought five years ago!"

[felser]

Gripes aside, at least ESP is still in the reissue game, which is something that can't be said for just about any other notable jazz label of the 50s or 60s. Is there even another?

Are they in the reissue game, or are they just more willing to license their masters than the majors are?

[clifford_thornton]

They ARE in the reissue game. Stollman is at the helm.

I gripe but then again it's great to see this stuff out and getting decent distribution/press, and the ZYX licensed issues, Calibre/Get Back "licensed boots," etc. are long OOP anyway. Still, uncovering some of the archived material in a creative way would be nice. If repackaging is their MO, I'd like to see something like a "College Tour" boxed set with music from Ran Blake, Patty Waters, Burton Greene and Sun Ra.

As far as new material, the best thing they've done IMO is the Talibam! CD.

Edited June 3, 2010 by clifford_thornton

[AllenLowe]

is the College tour thing out? I used to work with the bass player on that, Perry Lind, up in Connecticut. He said they had some wild times on the bus.

[colinmce]

It'd also be wonderful if they could license and release the Don Pullen/Milford Graves stuff.

[clifford_thornton]

I talked to another label about that and from their perspective it wasn't going to be affordable/profitable.

Others here might know more specifics, but I would be surprised given Milford's dissatisfaction with ESP "then" that he'd want his music on that label "now." The music itself is very good but not very well recorded (not that that's stopped anybody).

[webbcity]

Or the Lasha/Simmons session "It Is Revealed."

YES! Is that an ESP date though? I didn't know that. Do they own the tapes?

[clifford_thornton]

Not an ESP - Lasha had the tapes. Just an aside.