JLH reissue plans

[alankin]

Ran Blake's "Film Noir". Pretty sure it hasn't been on CD.

[colinmce]

Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron - Journey Without End?

Ran Blake's "Film Noir". Pretty sure it hasn't been on CD.

I considered this too, but I think if I had to pick just one Blake record for this project it would be Painted Rhythms.

Edited March 15, 2012 by colinmce

[alankin]

Painted Rhythms was on CD, though.

[clifford_thornton]

If you could pry anything out of the Fontana and Polydor catalogs, there are some really incredible gems to be found. Many of the Dutch/UK Fontana titles that focused on American artists are held by Alan Bates, but I'm not sure how deep his ownership of the material goes. I was talking with another label guy who was trying to get pianist Jym Young's Puzzle Box reissued, for example, though I don't know if anything came to fruition with that. It's an excellent and virtually unheard 1966 Bay Area post-bop session that came out on International Polydor (Germany) a few years later. I mean, whether or not it's "peerless" I don't know, but it's really strong and swinging.

[colinmce]

Painted Rhythms was on CD, though.

Sure but try getting a copy.

Any of the 60s New York scene Fontanas would be amazing.

[clifford_thornton]

I've got a real soft spot for Mohawk and the Cursons, but they are all very good records.

[Stefan Wood]

I would second the Gene Shaw Argos.

What about the Human Arts Ensembles that Arista released in the 1970s?

Or the Sam Rivers Tuba Trio from the mid 70s?

[Head Man]

I've got a real soft spot for Mohawk and the Cursons, but they are all very good records.

As well as the music being so strong the covers are terrific too.

I would second the Gene Shaw Argos.

What about the Human Arts Ensembles that Arista released in the 1970s?

Or the Sam Rivers Tuba Trio from the mid 70s?

Yep, I'd go for all of those!

Edited March 16, 2012 by Head Man

[king ubu]

The complete Bimhuis Rivers Tuba Trio material might be a swell thing, indeed!

[walt]

There were several recordings made for the Palm Records label in the mid 70s(the late Jef Gilson ran that label) that have never seen the light of day on cd.

Khan Jamal-Give The Vibes Some

Byard Lancaster-Us

Bakaida Carroll-Oliver Lake-Orange Fish Tears

I'd love to see these get a proper re-issue.

[Clunky]

Remember JLH wants stellar recommendations only. I'm hesitant to add my thoughts just yet, so as not to pollute the thread !!

[AllenLowe]

am I the only one who finds Shaw's recordings disappointing? He's obviously a fine trumpeter, but I always wondered (as I mentioned elsewhere) if he needed a strong leader to bring out the best in his playing.

[jazzbo]

I wouldn't say disappointing. . . well maybe I would. His playing on them is great, but the whole isn't as great as his playing is, in my opinion. The one not yet out on cd, "Debut in Blues," is I think the best, but they're all very good, especially for Shaw.

[JSngry]

I've heard all three Shaw Argo sides, and don't find them "overwhelming" or anything. But I do find them very satisfactory, and I'd not want to be without them either.

They're "local" records, and can/should be enjoyed as such, I think. Fine playing, but also "local flavor" aplenty, which often disguises itself as a genericism of sorts.

A lot of those Argo/Chess records by their non-stars are like that, too. Just the odd one or two and you don't really hear it right away, but when you start exploring the catalog, a picture begins to develop.

One can be forgiven for hearing them through the New York-centric concept of "identity", since that's the overwhelming collective overview, you know, if you don't go to New York, it doesn't really "count", but one can also come to hear a lot of individual subtleties as well. Quite possibly those subtleties are a result of staying local.

I tend to like the local guys. They're what made this a 3D (or even 4D) music, when it was one.

[king ubu]

I guess a Select of the Shaw Argos would be wonderful (albeit short)... but they don't really make the cut for Jonathan.

And since Universal has their Hip-o-select label, they might just as well put them onto a 2CD set. Won't happen, I'm sure, but would be nice!

[kh1958]

I like the groups on Debut in Blues and Breakthrough. They seem like actual working groups with otherwise little recorded or even unrecorded musicians; they are perfectly fine. As for Carnival Sketches, I mostly like the first side--the suite by Richard Evans; the trumpet playing on this side is fantastic.

[jonathanhorwich]

Thank you all. I bought Gene Shaw's Breatkthrough and listened to it today. It is a very good performance. However, it is not stellar, as several of you noted already. The trumpet playing is really fine. But the rest of the playing isn't stellar enough to reissue it. For instance, the piano player, James Taylor is quite good, but his comping is not. Very pedestrian at best. So the whole of the performance suffers (if you want to hear the bible of comping listen to Miles Davis 1994 live concert My Funny Valentine and Four and More). As an example, I am putting out Jeremy Steig next because it is the best straight ahead jazz flute work I have heard AND Denny Zeitlin on piano is just superb. Incredibly structured solo and comping. Just killer. that makes the performance stellar for me. Without Zeitlin playing like that, I would not have put it out. Anyway, I have Debut in Blues coming on vinyl and I'll check that out.

[dougcrates]

Thank you all. I bought Gene Shaw's Breatkthrough and listened to it today. It is a very good performance. However, it is not stellar, as several of you noted already. The trumpet playing is really fine. But the rest of the playing isn't stellar enough to reissue it. For instance, the piano player, James Taylor is quite good, but his comping is not. Very pedestrian at best. So the whole of the performance suffers (if you want to hear the bible of comping listen to Miles Davis 1994 live concert My Funny Valentine and Four and More). As an example, I am putting out Jeremy Steig next because it is the best straight ahead jazz flute work I have heard AND Denny Zeitlin on piano is just superb. Incredibly structured solo and comping. Just killer. that makes the performance stellar for me. Without Zeitlin playing like that, I would not have put it out. Anyway, I have Debut in Blues coming on vinyl and I'll check that out.

Jonathan, thank you for taking the time to search out the Gene Shaw material. But I think the general discussion as been about Shaw's Carnival Sketches and to a lesser extent Debut In Blues. While I like Breakthrough, it is my least favorite of the three. But still essential for Shaw's trumpet playing.

[fomafomic65]

Painted Rhythms was on CD, though.

Sure but try getting a copy.

I did it, two cds Vol.I and II.

Had it from japan many years ago. Pretty essential solo Blake performances, true.

[peterintoronto]

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/extension/id345686905

Samples here! Sounds really tight.

[mikeweil]

The Steig with Zeitlin may be the only Steig record I never heard - I will check it out on your recommendation.

[Chuck Nessa]

The Steig with Zeitlin may be the only Steig record I never heard - I will check it out on your recommendation.

Ancient memory says it is the only one you need to hear. YMMV.

[felser]

The Steig with Zeitlin may be the only Steig record I never heard - I will check it out on your recommendation.

Ancient memory says it is the only one you need to hear. YMMV.

The one with Bill Evans is pretty good also, but I'm not losing any sleep over not owning "Jeremy & The Satyrs".

[jonathanhorwich]

Chuck, Yes, Steig Flute Fever is superb. A good two steps up from the work with Bill Evans. Something happened on it and Steig played brilliantly and Denny's piano work is the best I have heard by him. Perfect structured solos and comping. A rare gem. I consider it spectacular. Well listen to it against the Evans record with Steig and one can see Flute Fever was a one time thing as happens in jazz. Everything clicked. Whether it will sell or not I don't' know. But I am putting it out next. Listening right now to Gene Shaw Debut in Blue. Very very nice. I'll have to see but don't think it is reissue material except maybe in the future if I start reissuing on the basis of very nice performances that are hard to get. Don't worry dougcrates, Carnival Sketches is coming to me soon to hear. I got your message loud and clear and will keep listening to both Debut in Blues and Carnival Sketches. Thanks for the redirection. By the way all, since this post by me is basically a stew of ideas, Clare Fischer is coming out soon, 17 April. I may have mentioned it but Bob Belden wrote me recently in regards to it and said the performance is that of a genius. (Hope I'm not repeating myself.)

Thanks guys.

[colinmce]

Since you're taking the time to sort through these suggestions by listening to the records, maybe I'll expound on my suggestion of Steve Lacy-Mal Waldron: Journey Without End. I think it's a good candidate for a few reasons:

First and foremost it's a great record with great playing by two all-time masters (also their first record together)

It was released in Japan only on Victor and I don't believe it's ever been on CD.

Unlike many of the encounters between Steve and Mal, this is a quartet record, not a duo which I think makes the music more "marketable"

On the latter point, the leaders also have high visibility which might secure more sales.

If you ask me, this sounds like what you're looking for: a rare, unavailable on CD title with impeccable playing by two amazing musicians. It has some historical significance, and, if it came out next year it would fall in-between the ten year milestone of Waldron and Lacy's passings. I think it would make a fitting tribute and would be enjoyed by just about anyone who bought it.

Just my two cents on the matter. Others may disagree.