Opinions sought regarding Clare Fischer - Thesaurus

[GA Russell]

I have a vague recollection that someone here had kind words to say about a Clare Fischer album called Thesaurus.

I'm thinking about getting the mp3, which Amazon has for $5.52.

http://www.amazon.com/Thesaurus/dp/B00124DSY8/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IOYW1PT1FVSHH&colid=RVSBV717YT9

Does anyone have an opinion of this album?

[JSngry]

One of the best Warne Marsh solos ever recorded on "Lennie's Pennies" (which also sports a great chart) is I I need to know, but there's some more good writing. Other than Warne, the soloing is kinda generic (but hip enough, and I can use that becasue it comes from a time and a subsection of a place where hip was in the mix, although not as a primary ingredient), but really, the fix is in Warne and the charts. Oh yeah, and a good rhythm section, Larry Bunker on drums, iirc.

For < $6.00, ghee yeah.

[jeffcrom]

To keep it short, !

[mikeweil]

I love it! IIRC it was the first big band album to really catch my attention. Bill Perkins (on baritone) gives a gorgeous reading of a balld that Fischer wrote especially for him, Calamus. Larry Bunker swings the band meticulously. There's a nice chart in 5/4 that flows so smoothly that most listeners don't notice (Miles Behind), which has some fantastic sax section writing before the closing theme - Gary Foster leads them and proves to be a first class lead alto sax player.

Fischer complained Atlantic had the low bass equalized out for their release - that same mastering was probably used for subsequent reissues. The only release that sounds the way Fischer wanted it was the Discovery CD. The Atlantic LP still is in my collection and sounds very good - the Discovery CD has a slightly wider frequency range and dynamics - much more bass drum punch. But musically, very good. I can recommend the other Fischer big band albums just as well, but Thesaurus is the best.

I'm kind of biased, as I really love Fischer's writing.

Edited June 29, 2011 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

This is the Discovery CD - titled "Waltz", after one of the seven bonus tracks recorded at the same time. If you want all of it, there are used copies on amazon.

[GA Russell]

Thanks guys! I've listened to the samples, and decided to put it on my wishlist.

[Chuck Nessa]

[Stereojack]

Fischer complained Atlantic had the low bass equalized out for their release - that same mastering was probably used for subsequent reissues. The only release that sounds the way Fischer wanted it was the Discovery CD. The Atlantic LP still is in my collection and sounds very good - the Discovery CD has a slightly wider frequency range and dynamics - much more bass drum punch. But musically, very good. I can recommend the other Fischer big band albums just as well, but Thesaurus is the best.

Actually, the Discovery LP reissue also featured the remaster. Presumably, the Discovery CD contains the same remaster that was on the LP. Definitely an improvement over the original Atlantic LP.

A very fine session - I used a track from this on my Blindfold Test a while back.

[Teasing the Korean]

His beard on the cover is upsetting. I tend to go for his 60s stuff for this reason.

I think I have Thesaurus - is it on Atlantic? - but I never played it because the beard scared me.

Or maybe I played it once but can't remember.

[Bill Nelson]

The original 1969 'Thesaurus' on Atlantic was leased from Albert Marx and screams,"one-shot deal".

Maybe Nesuhi convinced Ahmet, given all the West Coast big band action generated by Buddy Rich on World Pacific.

Then there's that cover pic of Clare Fischer stuffed into a blue blazer and looking weird with the beard.

"Don't point that thing at me pal, it might GO OFF!"

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i love clare fischer esp his 80s albums with "salsa picante"- so groovin

[mikeweil]

Now there's one cover that maybe tops Thesaurus:

Before and after workout ...

These are the covers of the two Discovery Lps with the material reissued on the Waltz CD:

[John Tapscott]

One of the best Warne Marsh solos ever recorded on "Lennie's Pennies" (which also sports a great chart) is I I need to know, but there's some more good writing. Other than Warne, the soloing is kinda generic (but hip enough, and I can use that becasue it comes from a time and a subsection of a place where hip was in the mix, although not as a primary ingredient), but really, the fix is in Warne and the charts. Oh yeah, and a good rhythm section, Larry Bunker on drums, iirc.

For < $6.00, ghee yeah.

Just what I would have said, though perhaps in not such a "hip" manner. It's OK, worth getting at the price.

[Peter Friedman]

Yes, it's a good one. Bought it on LP when it was first issued on Atlantic. Now have the Discovery CD.

[sidewinder]

Just been listening to the 'Thesaurus' LP. Definitely worth getting hold of. Miles Behind has super solos by Warne and a Gillespie-ish Conte Candoli. Great chart !

[mracz]

Yes, monster Warne Marsh on two tracks, and as I recall fresh and exciting charts (it's been a long time since I've heard it). Go for it!

[Larry Kart]

A comment on Fischer from the website:

http://www.belairjazz.org/

of talented reedman-composer David Sherr, for many years a regular on the LA studio scene:

"I think the reason Clare Fischer lasted so long with Prince is that they never met. To know Clare is to be annoyed by him. Clare never tired of pointing out other musicians’ supposed flaws but sometimes had difficulty reading parts other studio piano players seemed to handle with ease. A great jazz musician, though, and an interesting arranger."

BTW, I highly recommend Sherr's own adventurous albums and a visit on his website to the sections "On the Road at 18" (great stories), "Inside Studio A" (a cornucopia of comments on the LA studio and showbiz scene and its personalities -- e.g. nice stuff about Sonny Criss, Plas Johnson, Bobby Bryant, et al, to whom Sherr was close), etc.

[JSngry]

Pretty sure I've told this story before, but just in case not....I met the guy once, he came to NT in 74 or 75, did a clinic, had the 1:00 play "The Duke" & "Lennie's Pennies" (with bass sax, as written!). I chatted with him a bit, had him autograph my copy of Thesaurus (he did note the cutout hole with some amusement..), noted that the cover showed him in "fat mode", and then started going off on the DB review of the album (by you, Larry!) and how Bill Perkins was really hurt by it and how if he ever met that SOB who wrote it, he's like to punch him out, or some such, Bill Perkins was the kindest, most gentle soul who ever lived, and this bastard tears him down like that, what did HE ever play, huh? etc.

It was a nice little rant actually, had a very artful arc to it, and then it was over. Over. I left with the impression that if you hung with Claire Fischer, you did so ready to bail when the shit got too thick, and ready to come back when things got back to normal. Probably worth the effort, because the guy does have a lot of interesting music in him as well as some other things as well...

Butcha' know, from the oyster comes the pearl, and all that.

[Larry Kart]

Yeah -- of all the reviews I've ever written, that's probably the one I'd like to efface from the planet. Don't recall what got into me there. I was familiar with Fischer's writing and playing from the Pacific Jazz orchestral album with Jerry Coker as featured soloist and his two PJ trio albums (perhaps some Revelation things, too, by that time?) all of which I liked (though I thought there was something a tad precious, albeit interesting, about the reed section writing on the album with Coker). Whatever, thanks in part to the weird Atlantic mastering, the textures on "Thesaurus" seemed quite clotted to me, and I just went nuts. The glories of Warne's solos on the albm in some strange way had something to do with this, and while what I said about Perkins' bari playing was unforgivably snotty, he was in the midst of his shift from his lovely personal-offshoot-of-Pres manner to an overtly muscular-macho Rollins-Trane mode (in terms of timbre, harmony, and rhythm) that arguably did not serve him well at all for the most part (though he does get it going IMO on several late albums under Lennie Niehaus' leadership). Perkins himself would later on speak quite honestly and movingly about the whats and whys of this stylistic switch in a Cadence interview.

[sidewinder]

Whatever, thanks in part to the weird Atlantic mastering

That's interesting - listening today to the LP my impression was that the sound was somewhat flat and 'one-dimensional'. Not untypical of Atlantics - but if anything even more so than usual.

[Larry Kart]

Whatever, thanks in part to the weird Atlantic mastering

That's interesting - listening today to the LP my impression was that the sound was somewhat flat and 'one-dimensional'. Not untypical of Atlantics - but if anything even more so than usual.

That's exactly what I thought. The Discovery reissues were a big improvement.

[.:.impossible]

Hahahahaha. Just so perfect. LOLz and all that.

I just want to add what a great place this is.

[Chuck Nessa]

FWIW, the first time I met Fischer I mentioned my pleasure derived from Thesaurus. I mentioned Warne's solos. He then huddled closer and started a long bitch about Warne's playing - "He spent too much time listening to black players and that caused him to play behind the beat" etc.

[Leeway]

I sold off my CF albums. I found them dull. I don't regret moving them along.

[mikeweil]

A very fine session - I used a track from this on my Blindfold Test a while back.

Oh yes - I remember that!