BFT #220 reveal

[Pim]

1. Khan Jamal - The Known Unknown (from Infinity) 

Surprised me nobody got this one right. I’m pretty sure some know the album and absolutely sure everybody knows Jamal. I love vibists and I love the adventurous kind even more. Of course most people thought of Hutch immediatly, whom I also love to death. This excellent got a recent reissue. It's with Byard Lancaster and Dwight James. That alone should spark some interest.

 

2. David Friesen - For Toby (from Mal Waldron Encounters David Friesen)

Okay so this is originally a Waldron album but he does not play on this track. Friesen wrote this solo bass piece for his son and overdubs himself. It’s a beautiful personal statement with folkish influences. I interviewed Friesen for my Mal blog. Such a friendly and humble guy, full of great stories. 

 

3. Chet Baker - Sad Walk (from Chet Baker quartet with Dick Twardzik)

I do not consider myself a huge Chet fan but his Barclay sessions…. men I love those. The atmosphere trough all those recordings is magical. I now realize that Sad Walk is hardly the best track but it’s still good. The whole ‘50’s Paris atmosphere it’s breathing: it’s truly desert island material to me. Have to say I mostly like Chet’s 50’s records overall. 

 

4. Amir ElSaffar - Venus, the Evening Star (from Inana) 

Amirs father is an Iraqi and that influence is evident trough his music. A relatively young talented trumpeter that makes beautiful crossovers between advanced modern jazz and traditional Arab music. Mjazzg had the artist right!

 

5. Takeo Moriyama - Smile (from Smile)

Lots of wild guesses on this one. The link with Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner is pretty evident. I got to know Takeo trough his duets with Mal (highly recommended!) and he led one hell of a band on this record. Creative and full of fresh energy. 

 

6. Elmo Hope - Liza (from Hope-Full)

Nobody identified Elmo and aint that the story of his life. From the first moment I heard him play I fell in love with his sound. To me he’s one of the most underrated musicians in jazz. Herbie Nichols suffered the same fait but at least got some credit posthumously. This solo/duo (with his wife Bertha) disc is a great opportunity to hear him stretch out solo. On my pick he does a little stride piano. It says a lot some people thought they were listening to a modern jazz pianist 

 

7. Roswell Rudd with The Mongolian Buryat Band (from Blue Mongol)

What a guy this is. Roswell Rudd: always with open ears and a big heart for all kinds of music he decided to work with Mongolian throat singers. This is not an everyday listen but inrueging and interesting stuff all the way trough. 

 

8. Vijay Iyer/Linda May Han Oh/ Tyshawn Sorey - Children of Flint (from Uneasy)

Lots of guesses on this one! I recall Bobo Stenson, Marcin Wasliwenski, Marylinn Crispell. It is an ECM trio. This Vijay Iyer record might be my favorite 2021 release. Excellent interplay with both Han Oh as with Sorey. As with Avishai Cohen it surprises me how little attention these guys get around here. 

 

9. Buddy Tate/Dollar Brand - In A Sentimental Mood (from Buddy Tate meets Dollar Brand)

I really love Abdullah Ibrahim. I love him. This is far from his best session but i’ts great nevertheless. I especially love the fact how he adjusts to Buddy Tates sound. This was after all the period Ibrahim was playing in a more free oriented style. Song was Id’d by Dub Modal. Artist and album by Tom Keith. 

 

10. Avishai Cohen - Eleven Wives (from Gently Disturbed)

Avishai is a great bassist. A virtuoso pur sang with catchy themes that are rooted in jazz and Jewish music. Always suprises me het gets so little attention here on the board but that goes for more modern jazz players. I really loved this album and From Darkness and Continuo. But when he started singing on his last albums he’s lost me as a fan. Eleven wives sounds like my personal hell. One is more than enough .

 

11. Mal Waldron - Sakura (from Two New)

This one is probably best known in group form with Eddie Henderson, Reggie Workman and Pheeroan Aklaff from the album ‘Where Are You’. The version here is from the duo album with British reed player George Haslam but Haslam is not on this track. Picked this as it’s a typical Mal song. It’s dark, tense and influenced by Japanese music. I love it but was not the most popular pick this BFT. Artist was Id’d by Randy Hersom. Composition was guessed by Oliver.

[mjazzg]

 

Thanks Pim!

OK, kicking myself whilst standing in dunce's corner - I have and really like 'Infinity' so why I didn't get that I have no idea.

Friesen, I only know from a very nice album with Paul Horn and he's not someone who easily comes to my mind

I thought Chet was too obvious, obviously not!

I haven't heard a bad El'Saffar album yet

I like Moriyama whose name I know from somewhere and who I shall now investigate

I really struggled with that Iyer album (I have many of his others), leaves me completely cold although I tend to really enjoy Sorey.  I'd like to apologise to Bobo Stenson for suggesting it might be him 

The Rudd makes absolute sense and I'll have a look for that album

I find Cohen all technique over substance and that track didn't change my mind 

This probably isn't the place to mention that I have never really got into Mal, sorry Pim. Enjoy your holiday!

Edited July 30, 2022 by mjazzg

[Niko]

As a long time bft lurker (first time I participated in any way iirc), some really interesting choices in here, thanks! Highlights are the guesses on the Elmo Hope track and how everybody knew the Iyer album was something on ECM but couldn't place it.... (Will definitely investigate that Hope album which I still don't have... I like that Iyer album quite a bit actually but didn't connect the dots either when playing track 8)

[OliverM]

Thank you Pim for the very interesting selection!

Two that I have listened to in recent months (one on Bandcamp, the other borrowed on CD from local library) and should have thought about are the Khan Jamal and Vijay Iyer. The Iyer trio seems especially obvious now in hindsight.

Many other albums that I have never heard and will listen to during the summer, thanks again!

 

[tkeith]

Huge kudos for at least four tracks of people I'm familiar with and feel I should have gotten and didn't.  All four will need to be added to the collection.  Well done.

[Dub Modal]

Great track list and interesting variation. Thanks for putting this together 

[webbcity]

Wow! Really surprised about some of the reveals here.

I did consider Khan Jamal for that 1st track but I guess ultimately decided it couldn't be him (based on what, who knows now?)...

I've been getting a strong message lately that I need more Chet Baker in my life and track 3 confirms that.

*Definitely* need to check out that Moriyama album.

Can't believe I didn't get the Elmo Hope! I love Elmo Hope. This is one I don't have though, it's on my want list.

I think Buddy Tate & Dollar Brand has come up here before. I gotta get this one too!

Some truly excellent music here. Thanks again for your efforts!

[JSngry]

Apologies for missing this one, hectic month, as this one is looking to be.

Some pretty interesting selections, I going to have to go back and stream just for pleasure.

Thank you!

 

 

[T.D.]

Thanks, it was an excellent BFT but I only had time for cursory listens.

I always suspect Khan Jamal on vibes tracks, but never heard that particular album and drew a blank on #1.

Kind of red-faced on #2 and (especially) #6, as I own both albums and am an Elmo Hope enthusiast. I suspected Friesen on the bass solo but never got around to pulling the CD off the shelf.

Guessed Mal by process of elimination on #11, but had never heard that version.

Will go back and listen in detail.

[Pim]

Thanks guys for your enthusiastic responses here! It was as always a pleasure organizing one and I know how hard it can be to make a little time to participate. Hope that the ones who did not attend but will listen anyway still share their thoughts on the music here! 

Edited August 1, 2022 by Pim