Rashied Ali / Frank Lowe - Duo Exchange

[Onxidlib]

An expanded reissue of Rashied Ali and Frank Lowe's "Duo Exchange" is available as a double LP on Suvival Records - Bandcamp.

 

Also available is a previously unreleased concert from Slugs in 1967 as 2 x vinyl . Line-up is Dewey Johnson (Trumpet), Ramon Morris (Tenor Saxophone), Stanley Cowell (Piano), Reggie Johnson (Bass) and - of course - Rashied Ali.

Already ordered both limited releases - the downloads coming with the order are not the complete albums but only a small portion of the respective recordings.

 

[felser]

That's a really interesting lineup on the Slugs set.   Found more about it here.  Sound is OK, no more, no less.  Music sounds pretty routine for the era/genre.   Not knocked out by Dewey Johnson's playing here, and he does go on.  https://rashied-ali.bandcamp.com/album/first-time-out-live-at-slugs-1967

[clifford_thornton]

I actually dig Johnson on that LP set.

The Duo Exchange sounds superb, really amazing, and almost makes me want to KTC the original. Almost.

[JSngry]

KTC?

[djcavanagh]

Crazy and frustrating that all the music isn't available on the download - only way to get it all is to buy the lp, which will cost a small fortune to shop to Europe.

[clifford_thornton]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

KTC?

Kicked to the curb. Audio engineering abbreviation I recently learned.

I assume the digital release stipulations might have to do with how the estate wants this thing handled. Perhaps they do not want to have the entire thing streamable online or downloaded. Time will tell. I know of at least three additional sets coming down the pike in the next year or so. It'll be pretty interesting to hear the new (to us) material.

[JSngry]

Ok, all I could find was "Kiss The Cook"...

[djcavanagh]

1 hour ago, clifford_thornton said:

I assume the digital release stipulations might have to do with how the estate wants this thing handled. Perhaps they do not want to have the entire thing streamable online or downloaded. Time will tell. I know of at least three additional sets coming down the pike in the next year or so. It'll be pretty interesting to hear the new (to us) material.

 

 

 

 

Their prerogative, I guess, but why not release it for sale on cd? This approach loses me as a customer and I suspect I’m not alone.

[clifford_thornton]

CDs are a harder and harder sell, though I do agree with you. I wish Triple Point, for example, would have done the Dixon-Taylor duo on CD. The wide dynamic range just doesn't work for cutting an LP.

[felser]

5 hours ago, djcavanagh said:

7 hours ago, clifford_thornton said:

ITheir prerogative, I guess, but why not release it for sale on cd? This approach loses me as a customer and I suspect I’m not alone.

You aren't alone.  I only buy CD's, not LP's or downloads.

[romualdo]

8 hours ago, JSngry said:

Ok, all I could find was "Kiss The Cook"...

I was thinking down the line of "Kick The Can" but that didn't make sense

 

[ornette]

10 hours ago, djcavanagh said:

Crazy and frustrating that all the music isn't available on the download - only way to get it all is to buy the lp, which will cost a small fortune to shop to Europe.

Even worse, in the small print:

'The digital version of this release contains only a portion of the material on the 2xLP, and none of the previously unissued recordings.'

What's the point?

[mjazzg]

14 hours ago, djcavanagh said:

Crazy and frustrating that all the music isn't available on the download - only way to get it all is to buy the lp, which will cost a small fortune to shop to Europe.

I thought the postage wasn't too outrageous at £15 for the pair but there's still the possible customs fees to factor in.

I like what I hear. I can't see there being distribution outside US.

[jlhoots]

10 hours ago, felser said:

You aren't alone.  I only buy CD's, not LP's or downloads.

Me too.

[corto maltese]

23 hours ago, clifford_thornton said:

I actually dig Johnson on that LP set.

The Duo Exchange sounds superb, really amazing, and almost makes me want to KTC the original. Almost.

I have listened a bit to the Slugs set on Bandcamp. Ali's drums are pretty forward in the mix (seems logical), but Stanley Cowell's piano is almost inaudible. "Study for As-Salaam Alikum" starts out in mono, then switches to stereo, although i'm not sure whether it's true stereo or electronically rechanneled.

What are your impressions of the sound of the vinyl, Clifford?

[clifford_thornton]

The sound of the vinyl is very quiet; I agree Cowell is low in the mix. This music was probably meant to document Ali's first gig as a leader, and not originally intended for release. I know Mr. Lizzi did a great job with what was certainly not the best tape situation to work with. 

Not sure who was actually running the recording device at Slugs' but it would not surprise me if they were fooling around with the unit and toggled between mono/stereo or something like that.

[mjazzg]

I listened to the two tracks of Slugs today and whilst the music sounds good I'm not sure about the SQ. My enthusiasm has dimmed a little now

[Steve Reynolds]

18 hours ago, felser said:

You aren't alone.  I only buy CD's, not LP's or downloads.

Me three

[erwbol]

No CD, no sale. Period.

[clifford_thornton]

Good thing people aren't forced to own music on formats they dislike.

[erwbol]

No, they are just often forced to resort to piracy (availability, poor mastering, etc.). 

[jcam_44]

That's only true if you deem it is your right to hear the music. Otherwise piracy is still theft. 

 

My guess is that once the sales of the LPs slow, the full download will become available. At least that seems to be the smartest way to sell them to me. 

[clifford_thornton]

for what it's worth, a pirated LP version of Exchange was released a couple of years ago. It was incomplete -- missing two tracks from the original LP, even -- and apparently sounded like absolute junk. So anybody who spent $25 on that thing was just lighting their own money on fire. I guess the bootleggers probably made their money back but it seemed like a complete waste of time for everyone. 

[mjazzg]

I nearly fell for that boot, glad I didn't. Now I'm wondering whether I really need all the added material on the legit reissue

[clifford_thornton]

you do