Playing Favorites: Reflections on Jazz in the 1970s

[HutchFan]

1 hour ago, Peter Friedman said:

\So on this week's list the only one I like is the "Claude Williamson Trio - La Fiesta". Claude is joined here by an outstanding rhythm section of Sam Jones and Roy Haynes. My CD copy is on the Venus label.

Peter - I didn't realize that La Fiesta had been reissued on Venus.  I may need to keep an eye out for that!

 

[Peter Friedman]

7 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Peter - I didn't realize that La Fiesta had been reissued on Venus.  I may need to keep an eye out for that!

 

There are a large number of Claude Williamson albums on Venus. Some are reissues, and some look to have been recorded originally on Venus. I have 6 on Venus.

[mjzee]

On 12/21/2020 at 1:24 PM, HutchFan said:

Weekly Recap - PLAYING FAVORITES: Reflections on Jazz in the 1970s 

Bud Shank, Bill Mays, Alan Broadbent – Crystal Comments (Concord, 1980)
Fred Anderson – The Missing Link (Nessa, 1984)
Dave Burrell – Windward Passages (hat Hut, 1980)
Max Roach Quartet – Pictures in a Frame (Soul Note, 1979)
Don Cherry, Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell – Old and New Dreams (ECM, 1979)
Jack Walrath – Demons in Pursuit (Gatemouth, 1979)
Claude Williamson Trio – La Fiesta (Interplay/Discovery, 1979)

 

Another solid batch, I think. 

My Max Roach choice may surprise some of you -- since I chose Pictures in a Frame, the first album with Odean Pope, rather than one of the records featuring Billy Harper.  I love those records with Billy Harper.  I just like Pictures in a Frame more.  There's more variety composition-wise -- plus, there's a different balance in the quartet that appeals to me.  I think Chattahoochee Red (Columbia, 1980), Max's next quartet record after Pictures in a Frame, is brilliant too.  Neither of these records deserve their relative obscurity.  I think they're the two best MRQ albums with Pope.

 

How many more do you have to go?

[HutchFan]

6 minutes ago, mjzee said:

How many more do you have to go?

Eleven more entries.  At that point, it will be 366 posts, one for each day of 2020.

 

[soulpope]

8 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Eleven more entries.  At that point, it will be 366 posts, one for each day of 2020.

 

You did a great job with this project ....

[felser]

33 minutes ago, soulpope said:

You did a great job with this project ....

Yes, it's been a lot of fun!

[Rabshakeh]

I’ve really enjoyed reading it, and the discussion on this thread. I’ve learned a lot.

[EKE BBB]

Heartfelt thanks for this excellent thread, HutchFan. Engaging and enlightening, as it should be. I have been following it since the beginning, though not participating too much.

I’m so happy I have taken note of dozens of suggestions. Guess my wife and my wallet are not that happy! 🤣

Edited December 28, 2020 by EKE BBB

[Rooster_Ties]

Such a bounty of fantastic info in your blog, Hutch, and also in the discussion here.

The perfect timeframe to elevate some jazz from. While statistically the 60’s dominate my collection — if I take out all my Blue Note sessions, I think I might just barely have a hair more 70’s than any other single decade.

And certainly, the 70’s has been the richest decade to find things from (for me), for the last 15 years especially.

[HutchFan]

Thanks, amigos!   

I'm grateful for our online jazz community.  

 

[HutchFan]

Weekly Recap - PLAYING FAVORITES: Reflections on Jazz in the 1970s 

Joseph Jarman & Don Moye featuring Johnny Dyani – Black Paladins (Black Saint)
Beaver Harris 360° Music Experience ‎- Negcaumongus (Cadence Jazz)
Betty Carter – The Audience with Betty Carter (Bet-Car/Verve)
David Murray Trio – Sweet Lovely (Black Saint)
Bill Evans - Paris Concert: Edition One and Paris Concert: Edition Two (Elektra-Musician/Blue Note)
Dannie Richmond Quartet - Ode to Mingus (Soul Note)
George Adams - Don Pullen Quartet – Don't Lose Control (Soul Note)

 

An especially strong week for Giovanni Bonandrini's Black Saint & Soul Note labels.  Four out of seven entries.  

But all seven records are solid hits.  No bloopers here, no cheap stuff.  We're talking line drives that leap off the bat.  You know the sound: Crack! 

A few fly right outta the park. 

              ... Black Paladins, for example.

 

O.K.  Enough with the baseball stuff. 

What say you?

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by HutchFan

[felser]

Love the Carter and the Richmond.  Like the Adams/Pullen.  Have never heard the Jarmin/Moye and the Harris.

[Rabshakeh]

1 hour ago, felser said:

Love the Carter and the Richmond.  Like the Adams/Pullen.  Have never heard the Jarmin/Moye and the Harris.

They’re two personal favourites , particularly the former.

[HutchFan]

24 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

They’re two personal favourites , particularly the former.

Yes!  Black Paladins is an AMAZING record.

I guess I said that already -- in so many words -- but it's worth saying again. 

felser, you should give it a listen. 

 

[Gheorghe]

The George Adams Danny Richmond "Don´t Loose Control" had Cult status here in Austria. Many bought this and always spinned the title track. All this, like Danny Richmond´s "Ode to Mingus" which I also had purchased than, came out shortly after Mingus´ death. 

In 1980 I saw George Adams-Don Pullen-Cameron Brown-Dannie Richmond live. That was a great concert. As much as I remember, they played Don Pullen´s "Newcomer" which was on "Mingus Moves", and "Double Arc Jake" and I think they also did a vocal á la "Don´t loose Control". 

[sidewinder]

2 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

In 1980 I saw George Adams-Don Pullen-Cameron Brown-Dannie Richmond live. That was a great concert. As much as I remember, they played Don Pullen´s "Newcomer" which was on "Mingus Moves", and "Double Arc Jake" and I think they also did a vocal á la "Don´t loose Control". 

Ditto. That must have been when I saw them at Ronnie Scott’s - or maybe it was in 1981. Anyway, they definitely played ‘Don’t Lose Control’ with the Adams vocal and I have a strong recollection that they did ‘Newcomer’ too.  Certainly, there was at least one track from Mingus Moves.

The ‘Don’t Lose Control’ album was quite popular over here too - at least as relative to other jazz releases.

At that time I saw the Adams/Pullen Band and an early Mingus Dynasty group in quick succession and it was a pleasure seeing Dannie Richmond roll up behind the drum kit.

Edited December 29, 2020 by sidewinder

[soulpope]

9 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Weekly Recap - PLAYING FAVORITES: Reflections on Jazz in the 1970s 

Betty Carter – The Audience with Betty Carter (Bet-Car/Verve)
David Murray Trio – Sweet Lovely (Black Saint)
Bill Evans - Paris Concert: Edition One and Paris Concert: Edition Two (Elektra-Musician/Blue Note)

 

Three favorites, with Betty Carter being the crown jewel of this selections .... a still (rather unsung) all-time jazz vocal album feat an superb rhythm section (John Hicks !!) ....

[Dan Gould]

11 hours ago, HutchFan said:

 

But all seven records are solid hits.  No bloopers here, no cheap stuff.  We're talking line drives that leap off the bat.  You know the sound: Crack! 

A few fly right outta the park. 

              ... Black Paladins, for example.

 

O.K.  Enough with the baseball stuff. 

What say you?

 

What say I?

Another oh-fer here.

[JSngry]

Strongest list in a while, imo!

Maybe the music was gaining steam as the 80s approached, and i don't mean the "young lions" crapmusik.

[Peter Friedman]

13 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Weekly Recap - PLAYING FAVORITES: Reflections on Jazz in the 1970s 

Joseph Jarman & Don Moye featuring Johnny Dyani – Black Paladins (Black Saint)
Beaver Harris 360° Music Experience ‎- Negcaumongus (Cadence Jazz)
Betty Carter – The Audience with Betty Carter (Bet-Car/Verve)
David Murray Trio – Sweet Lovely (Black Saint)
Bill Evans - Paris Concert: Edition One and Paris Concert: Edition Two (Elektra-Musician/Blue Note)
Dannie Richmond Quartet - Ode to Mingus (Soul Note)
George Adams - Don Pullen Quartet – Don't Lose Control (Soul Note)

 

An especially strong week for Giovanni Bonandrini's Black Saint & Soul Note labels.  Four out of seven entries.  

But all seven records are solid hits.  No bloopers here, no cheap stuff.  We're talking line drives that leap off the bat.  You know the sound: Crack! 

A few fly right outta the park. 

              ... Black Paladins, for example.

 

O.K.  Enough with the baseball stuff. 

What say you?

 

This week and last week each list had only one item of interest to me. Last week it was the Claude Williamson -Fiesta. This week it is the Bill Evans - Paris Concert.

[soulpope]

6 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

In 1980 I saw George Adams-Don Pullen-Cameron Brown-Dannie Richmond live. That was a great concert. As much as I remember, they played Don Pullen´s "Newcomer" which was on "Mingus Moves", and "Double Arc Jake" and I think they also did a vocal á la "Don´t loose Control". 

Someone else saw this concert too  ....

[Gheorghe]

2 hours ago, soulpope said:

Someone else saw this concert too  ....

At Audimax TU, if I remember right !

[HutchFan]

6 hours ago, soulpope said:

Three favorites, with Betty Carter being the crown jewel of this selections .... a still (rather unsung) all-time jazz vocal album feat an superb rhythm section (John Hicks !!) ....

soulpope, I couldn't agree more re: John Hicks.  He's the "secret sauce" on so many records.

 

[Rabshakeh]

It's telling that four of these albums are on Black Saint / SN.

Between that label and the various Hats, the late 70s and early 80s have an incredible selection of great records.

[Mark Stryker]

On 10/17/2019 at 11:54 AM, JSngry said:

A name that for some reason immediately springs to mind is Jimmy Heath. The Gap Sealer was an excellent record form the early 70s, "modern" (if not "cutting edge"). Then he went back to relatively straight-ahead bebop, made a good (enough) record or two, and then got The Heath Brothers thing going, and oh btw - the first Heath Brothers record on Columbia is a GREAT record in terms of compositions, playing, and production. It seems to be dismissed by "the establishment" because of it's "commercial" touches (of which there are more than a few, but jeesuz - that's both beside the point while being exactly the point.

I would invite anybody who's not emotionally bound to "style" to listen to the compositions on that record, and the playing that goes on therein. Those tunes are very nicely involved, details abound, and the playing is fully engaged. No halfassing going on, just a mellow sense of intent. This is a record full of expert music played by experts, yet very radio-friendly. All of that merits consideration, I should think.

So, tow totally different Jimmy Heath records from within the 70s, each one strong within itself, and neither like the other, at least not superficially. But underneath the surface, they're both pure Jimmy Heath. That's hardly a 70's thing, but it seems to have been more present in the 70s for more people than usual, if only because what was considered a "commercially viable jazz record" in, say, 1977 was a helluva lot different than at anytime before, and possibly since. So many options....

"Passing Thru" is excellent. In a way, it's the best CTI record to come out on another label, and it's actually better than a lot of the CTI records that tried to thread the same substance/commercial needle.  I thnk Jimmy Heath and George Butler are credited as co-producers. I remember hearing  "Artherdoc Blues" on a.m. radio on the school bus in late 1978.

Edited December 30, 2020 by Mark Stryker