BFT 215 link and discussion

[mikeweil]

Very nice story, ubu! That encourages me to write to Florian Arbenz for some other oop items.

The fact that it is a limited 500 copies edition took me some time to find one, and it made this an ideal BFT item. 

Edited February 16, 2022 by mikeweil

[JSngry]

It's funny...I recognized the "keening" sound, but went straight from Booker to billy, not once registering Bennie.

Bonehead

[tkeith]

Your self-assessment was correct -- I don't think I had one relevant guess.  Enjoyed much of this test.  A couple, not at all.  Either way, all new material to me, which is a good thing.

Track 01 - Thought I was on this at the outset.  Turns out, I am not.  Very peaceful, though.  Don't hear this mix often, and it's nearly enough to get me past my disdain for the clarinet.  

Track 02 - Odd, Ran Blake sort of feel.  Like if Ran Blake played Mingus' Jelly Roll.  Enjoying it, though.  No clue who it is.

Track 03 - Sheesh.  Speaking of, this really reminds me of the Clifford Jordan/Ran Blake split bill on Mapleshade.  It's not that, but very much that feel.  Very strong alto tone with a heavy nod to the bop language while being decidedly not that. Bassist sounds like John Lockwood at times, but I don't believe it is him.

Track 04 - I know this -- it was prom night!  I want to dislike this more than I do.  She can sing, and there's something happening here, if only to spite me. So, it actually loses me a bit when she drops out.  Just not a fan of that compressed, chorus-laden guitar style.  That said, once I get past that, this is pretty danged good.  Damnit, I think I like it.  [Listening on the back porch taking advantage of a 59º day, and the neighbors do not agree.  That just makes it better!]

Track 05 - Not sure what the piano is so angsty about, because the bass/drums are laying down some beautiful sh*t.  That said, it still works, though keys are harshing my buzz a bit.  Once we get going, works really well, though.  Oooo... happy tenor time when we get there.  I'm liking the tenor.  Not sure I'm hearing a unique voice, but it's close.  There's a lot of those omnibook lines wokring in, but overall, very melodic, seemingly honest approach to what is being said.  Very curious who this is.  Modern recording because the stick hitting the cymbal is flat annoying (please stop mic'ing every damned inch of the kit!).  This one also works, but the tenor seems to carry a large chunk of what makes it work.  Seems to my ear to be a Chico Freeman-adjacent player.

Track 06 - Sorry, but why.  Nothing wrong with it, just has an air of 'who cares?' to me.  Excellent musicians who aren't creating anything.  Could be Kenny on trumpet, but more likely someone influenced by him.  This is that period I just don't really access.  It's not out, it's not in... it's not for me.  Envious of the musicianship, for sure, but wish there was more being done with it.

Track 07 - Not feeling this.  Nothing wrong with it, but owning a bass clarinet is not a good enough reason to record with it.  Not hearing a distinct voice, or if I am, not hearing one that maintains my interest.  I assume this is a tenor player doubling.  On tenor, I'd probably appreciate this more, but the bass clarinet does not hide short-comings well.

Track 08 - Like the feel of the rhythm section, a lot.  Not sure the tenor is rising to that mark.  Been in a text convo while listening to this, and that's about what I can say.  Stand by the first comments.  

Track 09 - First, pay royalties to Ellington for Take The Coltrane.  Second, STOP MIC'ING EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE DRUMS!  Drums sound like sh*t!  Really capable musicians, but I'm not hearing the music.  I've listened to all of all tracks... until this one.  Nothing about this is resonating and I want to punch the engineer in the face.  I might have enjoyed the McCoy clone more, but that recording... FFS!

Track 10 - Now THIS has my interest.  Slight drop when the full trio comes in, but more a factor of how strong the bass opening is.  Yeah, this track is a winner.  

 

On 2/3/2022 at 0:56 PM, Dmitry said:

1. Someone influenced by Ken Peplowski?

Alright, man... there are precisely THREE people on the planet who would make that guess, and two of them are in my family (me and my Dad).  I tip my cap.

 

[tkeith]

On 2/5/2022 at 5:18 PM, JSngry said:

Ice melting, grid held, ok!

TRACK ONE - It's not Paul Desmond playing clarinet, but if it was, then it would be. I'd like it more if it developed some, but as far as "chamber jazz" goes, it ain't too bad. It has a pulse, meaning it's got blood, so, ok.

TRACK TWO - If this ain't Dutch, then fuck it. And I don't think it's Dutch. I ain't got time for this, thank you.

TRACK THREE - Greg Osby already ID'ed. Like it a lot less when the rhythm section comes in and it gets Bill Evans-y.

TRACK FOUR - Hermeto? Sounds like some of his more whack excursions, like the music he made from a soccer announcer. I am by no means familiar with the totality of his output, but there's no doubt in my miond that hecould/would do something like this if he wanted to. Oh, wiat, phasy guitar, just lost my interest. Too bad, they were holding it pretty goo!

TRACK FIVE - Pianist has a Paul Bley vibe, very good. Tenor sounds familiar, but not particularly exciting, at least not here. The tone is a little Billy Harper-ish, but the language is not. That tune sounds familiar, what with the "Fernando's Hideaway" tag, but that's not it. And now it sounds less Bley-ish, after the tenor. Hell, is that Herbie? with Brecker? No. Not Billy Harper with Randy Weston, pretty sure not. So...no idea right now.

TRACK SIX - Is this the Dave Holland group with Wheeler & Eubanks, and, who was it, Osby? But that's not an alto. The head is clever, and I don't always (seldom) like clever. But the solos are for real, and there's a piano, who is flirting with clever, dammit.

TRACK SEVEN  - Do I like this? Please, tell me, because I am not sure. I mean, it means well, but there's some kind of a degree of some kind of separation, maybe? It's one of those things that I could dance to if I wanted to, but I don't really want to. Onus is on the band for that.

TRACK EIGHT - Oh my...please don't do that.

TRACK NINE - Something derived from "Take The Coltrane".  Same tenor player as on #5? Seems like it could be Dewey? But I have most of Dewey's records and don't immediately recognize this one, but hell, that means nothing these days. There's that Herbie-ish right had tremolo thing again, like Herbie. So who can that be. I should be getting this...A bit McCoy-ish also in that regard, but the fingers aren't quite that nimble.

TRACK TEN - No idea. Very nice when it's not being clever.

An interesting and certainly non-cliched presentation. Thanks!

 

God I love reading Jim's reactions!

On 2/10/2022 at 8:22 AM, mikeweil said:

Perhaps you all think that only Dutch players have that type of musical humor, thinking of Bennink, Breuker and the like. Young Wolfgang Dauner had funny ideas, too. And now there are ....

Fellows, please tell him it isn't so!

I hear tell there may be a March opening.

[mikeweil]

You will be very close to solving all riddles when following the link king ubu posted. 

All players would take your guesses as a compliment.

[Dub Modal]

So Rudi Mahall on bass clarinet then? 

[mikeweil]

Sorry, not Mahall.

[mjazzg]

Ran Wehrli,  Domenic Landolf or Marcel Lüscher on bass clarinet?

[mikeweil]

Lüscher!

[mjazzg]

Not a name I know. Couldn't have done it without Ubu!

Edited February 20, 2022 by mjazzg

[Dub Modal]

Still wondering who's playing that infernal guitar on track 8. Strings sound super tight and the player is plucking the hell out of 'em. 

[mikeweil]

It's a Swiss guy.

[randyhersom]

Christy Doran?

 

[mikeweil]

No, a generation after him.

[king ubu]

Hm, so not Harald Haerter on #8 then (he's a mere 9 or 10 years younger than Doran) ... I'm pretty much lost there, I'm afraid  

[T.D.]

Franz Hellmüller?

If so, track 6 from this? https://www.discogs.com/release/3280650-H2S2-Dance-In-Town

Guess based on comparing track times and ensembles from the label's site with the BFT. This kind of sleuthing isn't much fun...listening to samples (which I couldn't find) would be more enjoyable.

I enjoyed almost all of the selections, but the guitar playing in #8 was the one feature I really didn't care for.

Edited February 24, 2022 by T.D.

[mikeweil]

18 minutes ago, T.D. said:

Franz Hellmüller?

You got it!

Once you follow ubu's link, it's detective work, yes. 

I will post the answers during the weekend.

[king ubu]

Good catch! Afraid I never heard him 

So it's all meta releases? Pretty impressive! So gar I mostly knew - and have cherished for a long time - Elina Duni's two albums on the label, but nothing else at all, I think.

[mikeweil]

It's all meta records releases and mostly Swiss players, so I thought you might know some of them.

[king ubu]

I wouldn't be surprised to have some moments of embarrassiert once you reveal who we hear here  

Alas I didn't have enough time to really participate here, apologies!

[Dub Modal]

10 hours ago, mikeweil said:

It's all meta records releases and mostly Swiss players, so I thought you might know some of them.

Nice! Not familiar with Swiss jazz at all, so this was good exposure.