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Gary Bartz


EKE BBB

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After a little research, I haven´t found any "general" thread on him.

Let´s discuss this wonderful saxophonist!

Just to start, I will bring an old BNBB thread...

PART 1

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Topic: Gary Bartz 

BFrank

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  posted January 21, 2003 11:09 AM               

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It's time Gary got his own thread.

I was just turned on to the fact that BGP Records had issued a "2 on 1" disk of the NTU Troop's "Taifa" and "Uhuru" a few years back. I don't know why Fantasy hasn't reissued these albums domestically, though. At any rate this import disk is available through Dusty Groove and I just received my copy today. Very cool.

On the other hand, Fantasy is finally releasing "I've Known Rivers and Other Bodies" next month and it's listed on their web site. It's about TIME!

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"I love jazz. It's so relaxing!"

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noj4possumproductions

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  posted January 21, 2003 11:19 AM               

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"Celestial Blues" is a personal favorite.

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chris olivarez

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  posted January 21, 2003 12:24 PM                   

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I knew it!!!!The moment I finally snagged a vinyl copy of "I've Known Rivers",Fantasy would reissue it!!!!-AAARGHH!!!!!

   

[ January 21, 2003: Message edited by: chris olivarez ]

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BFrank

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  posted January 21, 2003 12:37 PM               

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There's a nice version of "Celestial Blues" on Andy Bey's "Experience & Judgment" album, too.

Don't worry, Chris. It's ALWAYS good to have a nice, big 12" version of an album. 

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"I love jazz. It's so relaxing!"

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chris olivarez

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  posted January 21, 2003 01:04 PM                   

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Right on!!! 

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relyles

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  posted January 21, 2003 01:18 PM               

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Now if someone would reissue Home! with Woody Shaw I would be a happy man. That is one of my favorite Bartz albums that I don't here people talk about too often.

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Peter Friedman

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  posted January 21, 2003 01:58 PM               

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My three favorite Gary Bartz recordings are:

Gary Bartz - There Goes The Neighborhood - Candid ( quartet with Kenny barron, Ray Drummond, Ben Riley)

Sphere - Verve (with K, barron,Buster Williams, Ben Riley)

The Jet All Star Quartet - Live at Jazz En Tete

- Space Time (same personnel as Sphere CD)

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mikeweil

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  posted January 21, 2003 04:00 PM               

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I started to really dig him on McCoy Tyner's Blue Note albums, Extensions, Expansions, and Cosmos (the session with Bartz was on the Asante CD); and of course, with Miles: he's great on the Live-Evil album.

His sound can be appreciated stark naked on some tracks of a Larry Willis CD on Mapleshade, Steal Away, a more direct sax recording is hard to imagine.

I also liked the Uhuru albums on Milestone. He was somewhat more adventurous back then. For me his best moments are on Extensions where he locks horns with Wayne Shorter to great effect.

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jlhoots

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  posted January 22, 2003 06:59 AM                   

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Gary is on the new Joe Chambers album on the Japanese Eighty Eights label.

Sounds damn good, too.

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EKE BBB

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  posted January 22, 2003 07:05 AM             

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I really enjoyed Candid´s "West 42nd street", with Claudio Roditi and John Hicks

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mailman

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  posted January 22, 2003 03:28 PM               

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Bought "Another Earth" at the time of it's release,even thought I'd never heard of Bartz at the time. It's still my favorite. 

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Vincent, Paris

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  posted January 23, 2003 01:01 AM               

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Gary released a terrific live recording on his own OYO label. You can buy it online, directly from him. "Soulstice"

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http://perso.wanadoo.fr/hardbop/

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Lonson

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  posted January 23, 2003 05:06 AM                   

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I'd like to see a reissue of Gary's "Music is My Sanctuary". . . sort of an electric Miles/funky/weird session that has sentimental value for me. Probably not going to happen for a while . . . !

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Peas

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  posted January 23, 2003 09:03 AM               

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I really dig the 2fer "Taifa" and "Uhuru" as well. His collaborations with Andy Bey have really turned me around on vocals.

I discovered Gary Bartz through Robert Walter's "Spirit of The 70's". Pretty funky playing from Mr. Bartz.

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JSngry

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  posted January 23, 2003 09:30 AM                   

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Much love for Bartz over here. Check him & Tolliver out on Max's epochal MEMBERS DON'T GET WEARY. Yeah!

Seems like he kind of lost his way in the 70s, went from being a real "street" player to a "chill out" kind of guy, and it's taken him a loooong time to regain that fire. But thank God for records - we don't have to face the ugly present when we don't want to!  Still, his solo on Norman Connors' mega-hit "You Are My Starship" is the kind of thing you hate to hear a quality jazzman play, but almost HAS to be to get the right flavor. Blessings & curses, all that. Still, I think of him as a member of jazz' "lost generation", the bunch that could have (and probably SHOULD have) kept the music "pure" (and that doesn't mean accoustic and non-funky; it refers more to the "spiritual intent" of the music). Fortunately, the loss was only lengthy and not permanent. But that disco/samba version of "Giant Steps" on LOVE AFFAIR (Capitol) sure was discouraging after all the great NTU Troup stuff. Discouraging indeed...

Saw Bartz w/a McCoy Tyner Group in Santa Fe ca. 1982, and he played his ASS off. Particularly memorable was his ballad feature, "Easy To Remember". God did he get into that song! I think I might have scared him from the ferocity of my applause at the end - I was on the front row, directly, DIRECTLY in front of him, and when the tune was over I found myself beset by Uncontrollable Standing Ovationitis. The cat sort of jumped back, as if really startled, but when the rest of the club joined in, he got a grin that told me it was cool.

[ January 23, 2003: Message edited by: JSngry ]

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PART 2

BFrank

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  posted January 23, 2003 09:30 AM               

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FYI, the remastering of the "Harlem Bush Music" disk is great. A wonderful improvement on the original vinyl mix (sorry, vinyl fans).

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"I love jazz. It's so relaxing!"

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PD

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  posted January 23, 2003 09:44 AM               

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quote:

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Originally posted by chris olivarez:

I knew it!!!!The moment I finally snagged a vinyl copy of "I've Known Rivers",Fantasy would reissue it!!!!-AAARGHH!!!!!

   

[ January 21, 2003: Message edited by: chris olivarez ]

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I have a CDr of this( the new issue is on order.. so CDr's don't necessarily reduce sales)

There is one track missing due to the playing time, Rivers was originally a two LP set

The track left off was Uhuru Sassa about 2.30 long.

I don't know if the upcoming issue reflects the same time constraints, but if you are a "dreaded completist" the LP might be worth having.

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hardbop

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  posted January 23, 2003 10:49 AM               

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Nice to see GB getting some love here. You should change the name to the "Gary Bartz Korner".

We'll be seeing Gary quite a bit in upcoming weeks in NYC as he's part of a three sax band that has a gig next week at the newly rechristened Sweet Rhythms (his front-line mates will be Vincent Herring and Sonny Fortune) and then he has a gig of his own in early February at Smoke, one of the better venues to catch live jazz in in NYC.

I know GB was very bitter about his short tenure with Atlantic Records in the 1990's and began his own record company that released that aforementioned disc that was recorded live at the Jazz Standard Club in NYC. That has been so far the sole release for Gary's label.

Meanwhile, I'll also point out that Gary has been giving some young pianists a shot. I remember catching George Colligan with Gary back in the 90's at a gig when I caught Gary's band at Sweet Basil. I had never heard of George and almost fell off the bar stool I was so impressed with George.

Lately, Gary has also been using an obscure Australian pianist -- who is also impressive -- named Barney McCall.

Gary also has a long-time musical association with drummer Greg Bandy, who hails from Cleveland of all places and who I don't know much about.

Nice to see GB getting some props!

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chris olivarez

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  posted January 23, 2003 12:24 PM                   

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PD-It was just one of those situations that if I hadn't pulled the trigger on getting the album Fantasy would have never released it but I did and you know the rest.When I found out I just had to laugh.As for being a completist,for varying reasons the answer is almost always no.It will be interesting to see if the Fantasy reissue matches up with the original album.

[ January 23, 2003: Message edited by: chris olivarez ]

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relyles

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  posted January 23, 2003 12:49 PM               

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Another fantastic Bartz album for everyone to keep in mind is the disc he coled with Sonny Fortune, Alto Memories. If I remember correctly the rhythm section is Kenny Barron, Buster Williams and Jack DeJohnette. Killer versions of Ornette's "Lonely Woman" and Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments" as well as other well known jazz songs. If you can find it, highly recommended!!!

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relyles

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  posted January 23, 2003 01:03 PM               

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I confess to being a Bartz fanatic. Check the man's solo on "On A Misty Night" from There Goes The Neighborhood. In my amateur opinion it may be the best recorded solo by Bartz. It contains all his usual passion and energy, but he constucts the solo in a way that it keeps building to the climax and when you get there ... whew. Amazing. I practically scream out loud every time I hear it.

For all the joy I get from Bartz' recorded output, the biggest thrills to experience from Bartz are his live performances. It really is an experience. Some may have heard me mention this before, but anyone else who may have been at Bryant Park during the 1995 JVC jazz festival in New York and experienced Bartz' quintet with Eddie Henderson, George Colligan, Greg Bandy and a bassist whose name I can not remember witnessed what for me was the concert that made me a proud Bartz fanatic. James Carter had the misfortune of trying to follow Bartz' group. In comparison to Bartz, saying James Carter's show was anticlimatic would be polite. If this man is ever performing anywhere near you, go forth young man (or woman)!

[ January 23, 2003: Message edited by: relyles ]

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PD

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  posted January 23, 2003 05:08 PM               

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Chris, seems you and I have the same problemm.. I just find an album, or get a good CDr or tape and BOOM out comes the album. Maybe you and I should set ourselves up as recipients for the music everyone wants, they send us their copies and BOOM...out will come the CD.

Sounds good to me.. now if someone will just send me Annie Ross' Lougerhythms which sells for $50 -75 0n Ebay, or the Jazz Mombassa's Thatagata I'll be happy.. because new CD's will not be far behind. 

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Cali

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  posted January 23, 2003 06:28 PM               

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quote:

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Originally posted by BFrank:

FYI, the remastering of the "Harlem Bush Music" disk is great. A wonderful improvement on the original vinyl mix (sorry, vinyl fans).

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I'm really glad to see that. I bought the vinyl when it was released and as much as I loved the album, the sound....oy vey! I'll be ordering this one right away. Thanks.

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chris olivarez

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  posted January 23, 2003 07:34 PM                   

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Ok PD I'll work on it. 

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stevebop

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  posted January 23, 2003 09:10 PM                   

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I just got home from the RegattaBar in Cambridge after seeing two sets of Sphere with Gary Bartz, Kenny Barron, Buster Williams and Ben Riley. It's midnight on Thursday. I'm going back tomorrow night for more. I know this thread is about Gary, deservedly so, but all four of them are playing at the top of their form. Ben Riley has to be the most musical of drummers. So tasty. I told him and Kenny that listening to them was like watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing. Buster is unbelievable. Gary is fantastic. I'm sure they'll not repeat themselves tomorrow.

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Always Know,

Steve Schwartz

Jazz From Studio 4

WGBH, 89.7, Boston

Sunday 8p-1a

www.wgbh.org

"WGBH Boston informs, inspires, and entertains millions through public broadcasting, the Web, and educational multimedia."

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Peter Friedman

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  posted January 23, 2003 09:38 PM               

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Steve,

I share you enthusiasm for these 4 fine musicians. Your comments about Ben Riley are perfect. He is a truly marvelous drummer who always listens to the others in the group and is the master of good taste.

Wish I could be there to hear them with you tomorrow night.

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bertrand

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  posted January 23, 2003 11:02 PM                   

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PD,

Here is the track listing for the Bartz reissue from the Fantasy site:

Nommo--The Majick Song, Sifa Zote, Jujuman, Bertha Baptist, Don't Fight That Feeling, Mama's Soul, I've Known Rivers, The Warrior's Song, Uhuru Sasa, Dr. Follow's Dance, Peace and Love

As you can see, 'Uhuru Sasa' is there. Are there any other tracks missing? If this is too long for one CD, they might do the dreaded truncation of one or two minutes from a given track. They did this for Libra/Another Earth. Gary told me he didn't mind their doing this, but he wishes they would have consulted him about it - he would have chosen which two minutes to cut off.

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Bertrand.

uberall@wizard.net

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relyles

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  posted January 24, 2003 04:36 AM               

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Actually I believe on Libra/Another Earth one entire song was omitted and not a couple of minutes on a song. I believe I burned "Ive Known Rivers" for PD and I can say that the only thing missing is that one 2 minute track. Sorry PD, when I burned that for myself I left the track off to keep it to one CD-R. The omitted track is probably my least favorite track on the album.

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Tony Jerant

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  posted January 24, 2003 06:57 AM               

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I would rank Bartz' THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD and ALTO MEMORIES very highly indeed, the former is one of my favorite recordings.

Funny, I shared ALTO MEMORIES with another jazz fan, but they couldn't warm (at least right away) to the little screeching licks that Bartz will throw in. I've always thought he did it musically and tasefully, though, as in his appropriately singled out masterwork take on ON A MISTY NIGHT from THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

Good early glimpses of Bartz also on McCoy Tyner's EXPANSIONS (BN), which makes my Top 10 list of unjustly ignored classic Blue Note recordings (now THAT would make a great RVG choice).

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PD

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  posted January 24, 2003 07:06 AM               

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Think Relyes answered the track listing question.. my hard drive died and had to be replaced, lost all my references of who I dealt with and what I sent and received from people.. think the "hard drive" inside my skull is going too.

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Gene Harris Fanatic

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  posted January 24, 2003 07:10 AM               

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quote:

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Originally posted by Tony Jerant:

Funny, I shared ALTO MEMORIES with another jazz fan, but they couldn't warm (at least right away) to the little screeching licks that Bartz will throw in.

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I resemble that remark, Tony!

Maybe its time to give Alto Memories another listen 

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Dan

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BFrank

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  posted January 24, 2003 08:53 AM               

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On the "Harlem Bush Music" 2-fer disk there is a note saying they had to trim 2 minutes from "Blue" in order to fit on the CD.

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"I love jazz. It's so relaxing!"

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mailman

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  posted January 24, 2003 11:14 AM               

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hey relyes, I was there that night and you are on the money. It was amazing and Carter didn't have a chance.

I did catch Carter with Lonnie Smith a few months back and he is the real deal just the same. 

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Big Wheel

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  posted January 24, 2003 01:07 PM               

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Oh man, I have tickets to see Charles Lloyd at Scullers tonight (whom I just met this morning, helluva nice guy) instead. After reading this thread, might have to hit the Regattabar tomorrow, too.

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Tony Jerant

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  posted January 24, 2003 04:51 PM               

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Dan: didn't want to "out" you in a public forum regarding Bartz, but since you did...YES, relisten, I think you'll like it! 

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BFrank

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  posted January 24, 2003 07:47 PM               

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quote:

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Originally posted by bertrand:

PD,

Here is the track listing for the Bartz reissue from the Fantasy site:

Nommo--The Majick Song, Sifa Zote, Jujuman, Bertha Baptist, Don't Fight That Feeling, Mama's Soul, I've Known Rivers, The Warrior's Song, Uhuru Sasa, Dr. Follow's Dance, Peace and Love

As you can see, 'Uhuru Sasa' is there. Are there any other tracks missing? If this is too long for one CD, they might do the dreaded truncation of one or two minutes from a given track. They did this for Libra/Another Earth. Gary told me he didn't mind their doing this, but he wishes they would have consulted him about it - he would have chosen which two minutes to cut off.

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Those are the same tracks listed on the vinyl. So, either they made it fit, or trimmed some time somewhere. I guess we'll find out in about a month.

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"I love jazz. It's so relaxing!"

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Posts: 2953 | From: SF | Registered: Sep 2000  |  IP: Logged 

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Here's a thread I started about a relatively recent, great Bartz reissue on Fantasy:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...wtopic=2673&hl=

I like him rather well, by the little I know or have. Thanks for digging up the old thread, I'll have to read it.

ubu

ps: you can delete you double up topic yourself; on the bottom of the topic you got something like moderator options or something, there you can choose "delete topic", and so is history made ;)

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I actually caught Bartz last night with a KILLER three altos group: Bartz, Sonny Fortune, and Vincent Herring on the front line with Ronnie Matthews on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums--awesome stuff.

Bartz has not lost a thing--he looks like he's about 40 years old (he's actually 62), and plays with the same passion and edge he showed in the 70's with the NTU troop bands plus on his Candid dates and with Sphere, but with more of a focus on melodic themes in his solos.

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I can't believe Extensions hasn't seen RVG treatment! That's one of the worst-sounding, if not the worst-sounding, 80's-remastered Blue Notes around. The music, however ... :excited:

Late - was your version of the CD mastered in the 80's? Because my copy appears to have come out in 1996 and seems to sound alright......

Anyways, with regards to Gary Bartz, he's fantastic. I've been fortunate enough to seem him perform live three times over the past year. Twice with Malachi Thompson's Freebop Band (great band that also featured Billy Harper on the front line) and once with Kenny Barron's group Sphere. I'll never forget thier version of "Well You Needn't". Gary played one of the best saxophone solos I've ever heard. He's a consistantly strong soloist, and that's something that's rare to find.

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Another plug for Bartz's work on McCoy Tyner's Extensions and Expansions. I can't believe Extensions hasn't seen RVG treatment! That's one of the worst-sounding, if not the worst-sounding, 80's-remastered Blue Notes around. The music, however ... :excited:

Extensions came out in '98 and I haven't had any serious problems with the sound. Gary also played with Miles in the early 70s: Live Evil is pretty good, but he sounds better on the '71 European tour.

Guy

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Another plug for Bartz's work on McCoy Tyner's Extensions and Expansions.

This is my favourite Bartz, along with his playing on the Cosmos sessions.

Plenty of fire and great intensity - he was great in Roy Hargorove's Crisol project.

Back then when it was new, I played one of the Harlem Bush Music LPs to groove exhaustion!

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I started paying attention to Gary Bartz on McCoy's "Expansions" back around 1970 (the transitions and interplay between him and Shorter still can give me goosebumps), and I wore out 2 "Uhuru" LPs before it became available on that CD. "Extensions" and "Sama Layuca" are two other long-time favorites.

I remember seeing him at the Lighthouse in the early '70s. I think he was playing with a pickup band. He was generally inspired; the trio with him were less so.

From Gary Bartz, I acquainted myself with one of his mentors, Jackie McLean (they were on a Steeplechase record together). Then I really got into Jackie as Gary Bartz went electronic...

Edited by SEK
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  • 3 years later...

Besides the live "I've Known Rivers", you should check out "Harlem Bush Music" from the same time period. This is actually two albums on one CD ("Taifa" and "Uhuru") and feature Andy Bey on vocals on many cuts.

The twofer combining 'Libra' and 'Another Earth' is also well worthwhile. I still remember the pain of his commercial albums on Capitol in the mid-70's (saw him live during this period as a warm-up act to either Airto/Flora or Gil Scott-Heron at the Tower Theatre in Philly. Those two shows run together in my mind 30 years on). 'Home' is still MIA on CD, a great disappointment to me. I remember it being a really strong album, recorded at the Left Banke Jazz Society in Baltimore, I think that's Bartz' home town, hence the title.

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whats the mclean/bartz one like, saw that at the store- only one i have is music is my sanctuary, although i have heard other lps and he is really amazing- even saw him once do a monk tribute- he stole the show

For me, that one is pretty much a disappointment. The pairing with Sonny Fortune on Alto Memories is much better. Other than some of the more commercial recordings, I own most of Bartz' recordings as a leader. The early Milestone/Prestige stuff is great. Having seen him live a number of times, I have grown to prefer him in that setting - including live recordings. For that I would highly recommend the two recordings on Candid, There Goes The Neighborhood and West 42nd Street, and his recent self released recordings Live @ The Jazz Standard Vol. 1: Soulstice and to a somewhat lesser extent because of the sound quality Live @ The Jazz Standard Vol. 2, Mae Velha.

I recently started compiling Bartz' discography to include on the Jazz Discography website, so I will be revisiting a lot of Bartz for the foreseeable future.

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Guest donald petersen

as is often the case, the still not on CD "home" and "slingerella" are IMO better than the bartz NTU things out on CD currently. i don't think any of the 70s bartz albums out now are really consistent enough to sit down and enjoy the whole way through. it's probably just me but i don't like the way he synthesizes different genres. ideas and styles are basically separated track by track, which i find annoying.

chewy chew chew chew, "music is my sanctuary" sucks but "the shadow do", which was on prestige/milestone/fantasy from i guess a year earlier is pretty good mizell. bart'z singing is really bad but it makes the whole thing kind of weird. worth checking out if you are a mizell fan.

i also have a straight ahead japanese import CD of a 1976 catalyst session called "juju man" which i would categorize as not very good. again, bartz doesn't seem very good at pulling everything together. there is a good version of my funny valentine with syreeta doing the vocals!

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