BFT 228

[Dan Gould]

27 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Again - Austin Cromer on this record is a bob Clampett rendition of Billy Eckstine.

And Cromer's sole Atlantic LP is very worthwhile, imo.

A bit of talk about him here:

 

And how does an animator/producer/director DO  a rendition of Eckstine?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Clampett

[JSngry]

synesthesia 

[mjzee]

Wow.  I've never identified so many on a BFT before (9 out of 16)!  So what's the etiquette - do I list them and claim bragging rights, or withhold my knowledge so that others can play?  I can tell you that I've identified #2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 15.  I'll keep silent on those for now.  Here's my impressions of the others:

1. Lush Life.  Bassoon?  I actually liked it better without the band.  Bassoon player is very expressive.  Rahsaan?

5. Sounds Ellington-ish.  Can't name the sax or piano, but very nicely done.  Pianist sounds like Mal Waldron.  Is that Steve Lacy?

7.  Tenderly.  Soulful rendition.

8.  Over The Rainbow.  Billy Eckstine?

12.  This does not appeal to me.  I might have had more patience for this sort of performance when I was younger.  Everyone involved obviously has massive chops, but the effort does not move me.

14.  Another trumpeter who's listened to Miles (I guess, who hasn't?).  Organ sounds like an accordion at times (plus the drone!).  Track doesn't do much for me.

16.  Bari + bowed bass?  Interesting.  Live track.  Hamiet Bluiett?  Kind of a riff piece, but doesn't really go anywhere; might be their "marching off the stage" song.

Fun BFT! 

[randyhersom]

47 minutes ago, mjzee said:

Wow.  I've never identified so many on a BFT before (9 out of 16)!  So what's the etiquette - do I list them and claim bragging rights, or withhold my knowledge so that others can play?  I can tell you that I've identified #2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 15.  I'll keep silent on those for now.  Here's my impressions of the others:

1. Lush Life.  Bassoon?  I actually liked it better without the band.  Bassoon player is very expressive.  Rahsaan?

Not Rahsaan

5. Sounds Ellington-ish.  Can't name the sax or piano, but very nicely done.  Pianist sounds like Mal Waldron.  Is that Steve Lacy?

Correct on piano, not on sax.  Composition identified above written by Billy Strayhorn.

7.  Tenderly.  Soulful rendition.

8.  Over The Rainbow.  Billy Eckstine?

Not Eckstine

12.  This does not appeal to me.  I might have had more patience for this sort of performance when I was younger.  Everyone involved obviously has massive chops, but the effort does not move me.

14.  Another trumpeter who's listened to Miles (I guess, who hasn't?).  Organ sounds like an accordion at times (plus the drone!).  Track doesn't do much for me.

16.  Bari + bowed bass?  Interesting.  Live track.  Hamiet Bluiett?  Kind of a riff piece, but doesn't really go anywhere; might be their "marching off the stage" song.

Fun BFT! 

Well done on the IDs.  11 and 15 (tune) not IDed by anyone yet.  I make a point of not reading the thread until I make my first guess, would say that sharing what you know should not rain on anyone's parade.  Some people hide a link behind the word "this" to insure that only people who are ready to know find out.

 

Cartoons and early jazz have had a long and somewhat symbiotic relationship.  Frequent use in Looney Tunes probably didn't get Fletcher Henderson many gigs, but may have financially benefitted his later years.  I had to look up the Bob Clampett reference.  You could choose to word it as animated, or cartoonish.  I'll go with the former.   I do like this version, but Joe Lee Wilson remains my go-to version of Over the Rainbow.

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by randyhersom

[mjzee]

Thanks for the guidance on etiquette, Randy.  OK, so I'll try to use a lot of this's, and at least say how I came to identify these:

2. The intro trumpet was very nice and restrained, but the big clue happened when the band came in.  The arrangement sounded like Thad.  I downloaded this album a long time ago (inexpensive Amazon d/l), and matched the track by the timing.

3.  The tune is so identifiable.  I've owned the album for awhile, and of course Sonny's choice of an obscure tune seemed funny, but then I heard Rosemary Clooney's version of it (from this) and it slayed me.

4. I bought this LP just a couple of months ago, based on a mention by someone on this board.  I owned the Mercury twofer (""Jug" Sessions"), but was amazed to learn of still more early Jug.  In fact, just a few days ago, I found on Ebay the Chess CD "Young Jug," which should complete most of the early Ammons picture.

6.  The sound quality was a big tipoff.  I mean, Webster but not Webster, Lester but not Lester, Hawk but not Hawk, so who's left?  I was curious about Byas, and someone on the board recommended some titles.  I identified it as off this.

9.  The pianist started off restrained, but after about a minute had to be himself.  So Hines + Duke = this (an old eMusic download).

10.  Ornette has never been one of my favorites, to put it mildly.  But, boy, for someone who's perpetually portrayed as misunderstood, he sure has always had the hype machine cranked up to 10, hasn't he?  I remember when this album came out, and reviewers pointed to it as akin to the second coming, but it sure just sounded like more Ornette to me.  Someday I'll figure out the allure of this perpetually misunderstood musician, but today's yet again not that day.  

11.  The big clue for me was Bill Frisell - that sound.  He has a sound that's as identifiable, in his own way, as Ben Webster's.  So, working from there, I figured the trumpet to be Wadada, and it's a trio, so it could have been one of Wadada's recent releases, but then the notion of Cyrille clicked for me.  The track is "Pretty Beauty" from this; I played the album once and filed it.  (I gotta mention here, each track's showing its total time in Tom Keith's software is a big help in sleuthing.)

13.  I could kinda tell the time period from the hard pan, but the rest was a mystery until I heard Grant Green's unmistakable tone and phrasing (see Bill Frisell above).  I know most of Green's work, so, since it sounded like a larger ensemble, and Grant was probably not the leader, and having the total time of the track, led me to this, which I own as both a standalone CD and on the Mosaic Parlan box.

15.  The sound quality immediately pegged it as '50's Sun Ra, along with the uncoordinated big band and the apeshit piano solo.  What else but "Medicine For A Nightmare" from this, which I own on Evidence.

Edited March 4, 2023 by mjzee

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, randyhersom said:

I had to look up the Bob Clampett reference.  You could choose to word it as animated, or cartoonish.  I'll go with the former. 

I used it to mean cartoonish, but in the sense of allowing for a an un-real exaggerated or stretching of space and shape. 

[Dub Modal]

8 hours ago, mjzee said:

 

11.  The big clue for me was Bill Frisell - that sound.  He has a sound that's as identifiable, in his own way, as Ben Webster's.  So, working from there, I figured the trumpet to be Wadada, and it's a trio, so it could have been one of Wadada's recent releases, but then the notion of Cyrille clicked for me.  The track is "Pretty Beauty" from this; I played the album once and filed it.  (I gotta mention here, each track's showing its total time in Tom Keith's software is a big help in sleuthing.)

Great write up. Enjoyed reading it. And thanks for the sleuthing on this one. I don't have any Wadada but have streamed and enjoyed several of his albums. This one escaped me somehow but it's a must listen at this point. 

[Milestones]

I'm a bit surprised I didn't nail Smith/Frisell/Cyrille (though I did recognize Frisell), since I have that record.  It's a good record, and I think I need to listen again.

 

 

[Big Al]

My oh MY was this a blast!

Track 1: "Lush Life." Has a late-70's/early-80's Pablo feel to it. No idea on the player, but what a lovely way to start a BFT!

Track 2: Ahhhh, I knew this one from the first note! Lovely tune from a lovely album. I always enjoy spinning this particular version at Christmas even though it's not technically a Christmas song! Track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/22m5z5zu

Track 3: Oh wow, I have no idea who this is but I can't wait to find out! Sounds like my man Ben Webster on tenor! The fact that it sounds like it's mono to these ears makes me think this is a mid-70's Pablo recording.

Track 4: I didn't know they had reverb back in the 40's! If the theme of this BFT is "lovely Sunday afternoon music" then it is hitting the bullseye with each track! I fear this BFT is gonna cause a strain on my wallet!

Track 5: Again, no clue but I love it! I can see I'll be spinning this BFT a lot after this initial spin!

Track 6: This! This is the tempo this song should always be played! Not too slow and not too fast. Just right! I can't wait to find out who this is!

Track 7: First clunker of the set, which is not the fault of the player. He clearly admired Dolphy whereas Dolphy's music makes me want to stick industrial-grade cotton in my ears.

Track 8: Oh boy did THIS send me off on a loop! I first thought this was Billy Eckstine but the more it went on the more I thought I might have this in my collection and may have skipped over it for various reasons. Then I thought this was a vocal track from Tadd Dameron's MAGIC TOUCH, then I thought it was a vocal track from the Tadd Dameron-Fats Navarro Complete Blue Notes, then I thought it was a vocal track from BIRTH OF THE COOL.... As you can tell, I spent FAR too much time trying to figure this out, searching Discogs & whatnot. After letting this sit for a few hours, the answer finally came to me: track B2 from https://tinyurl.com/8pswhmtn (or disc 2 track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/3vbhfh75 which is where I first heard this tune). Turns out I was kinda correct: I used to have this in my collection. And every time I wonder why I never kept this, I stream it again and I remember why: this music, which on paper should be right up my alley, has absolutely no effect on me. May be time to give this another listen and see if I need to scour the racks for my 3rd or 4th copy of this collection.

Track 9: Lovely (there's that word again) version of "Solitude." I'm kinda proud my first guess at the piano player was the correct one since I'd never heard it before! Discogs says it's track A-2 from https://tinyurl.com/y6kfee3v but it looks like this was combined with other albums in this series into a 4-LP box that looks like it would be well worth my money!

Track 10: That's "When I Fall in Love," right? At first I though this also had that mid-70's/early-80's Pablo sound, but changed my mind around the 5-minute mark when everybody started playing free-like. Talk about a mood-killer.

Track 11: The trumpet-player sure likes Miles. I like a mute as much as the next guy but... I don't know. Is it a mike problem? Those high notes sound way too shrill for these ears. Is that Terje Rypdal on guitar? Subsequent listens have made me like this even more than I did upon initial listening.

Track 12: Very interesting take on "Mean to Me." I like it that it's only taken approx. 25 years for me to finally recognize jazz standards. Makes me wonder if this is another Mose Allison type thing where the trumpet player is not known for being a trumpeter? Around the 4:40 mark I heard what sounded like a Tony Williams drum lick.

Track 13: Good GRIEF this almost ruined my day! It would be one thing if I'd never heard this tune before. Sure, it sounds like so many other Blue Note tunes of the day, a variation on "Impressions." Good stuff! I would've just guessed Grant Green on guitar, maybe Lee Morgan on trumpet and Hank Mobley on tenor sax, and moved on. But NO, I *have* heard this song and it was literally on the tip of my tongue ALL BLOODY DAY. I was at the point of distraction all day, trying to figure out who, what, where. I mean, I could even see the CD on my shelf. Every avenue I checked was a dead end and I wanted so bad to go home and look thru my collection. Maybe I should've done that all along and just gone about my day because I would've eventually landed where I am now, sitting at home with my collection, seeing this as disc 5 track 8 from https://tinyurl.com/m8hjupbr (which is how I know this tune), but I understand it was originally intended as (and eventually released as) track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/2pszvh7m but also released as side 2 track 1 from https://tinyurl.com/2mxm35k8. This was totally nerve-wracking and TOTALLY worth the search! It just reminds me I need to listen to this set again!

Track 14: oh man, this is FILTHY!!! The trumpet just leers at you from every corner! Very eerie. And cryptic. And greeeeeazy!

Track 15: sounds like a tribute to Raymond Scott. That electric piano is KILLIN' me! Love it!

Track 16: this sounds like an Elvin Jones group. It's apparently not from his celebrated Lighthouse gig on Blue Note, at least not that I can find.

WOW! Whatta stellar BFT! And I have to follow this next month??? YIKES!!! Doing searches for some of these tracks led me to albums I hadn't spun in a VERY long time which I need to remedy quickly! After typing this up I listened to this BFT two more times. So much good music!

[Big Al]

I hereby nominate my guess for track 7 as THE dumbest guess I've ever submitted on a BFT. And given the volume of dumb guesses I've made over the years, that's saying something.

My guess for track 3 is a close second.

On 3/3/2023 at 8:03 AM, Dan Gould said:

I'm astonished people are reacting so positively to this guy. It's the first track I actually cut off in the middle.

 

It's one of the reasons I no longer own the CD collection on which this track can be found.

[randyhersom]

1 hour ago, Big Al said:

My oh MY was this a blast!

Track 1: "Lush Life." Has a late-70's/early-80's Pablo feel to it. No idea on the player, but what a lovely way to start a BFT!

Track 2: Ahhhh, I knew this one from the first note! Lovely tune from a lovely album. I always enjoy spinning this particular version at Christmas even though it's not technically a Christmas song! Track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/22m5z5zu
You got it!

Track 3: Oh wow, I have no idea who this is but I can't wait to find out! Sounds like my man Ben Webster on tenor! The fact that it sounds like it's mono to these ears makes me think this is a mid-70's Pablo recording.

Track 4: I didn't know they had reverb back in the 40's! If the theme of this BFT is "lovely Sunday afternoon music" then it is hitting the bullseye with each track! I fear this BFT is gonna cause a strain on my wallet!

Track 5: Again, no clue but I love it! I can see I'll be spinning this BFT a lot after this initial spin!

Track 6: This! This is the tempo this song should always be played! Not too slow and not too fast. Just right! I can't wait to find out who this is!

Track 7: First clunker of the set, which is not the fault of the player. He clearly admired Dolphy whereas Dolphy's music makes me want to stick industrial-grade cotton in my ears.

Track 8: Oh boy did THIS send me off on a loop! I first thought this was Billy Eckstine but the more it went on the more I thought I might have this in my collection and may have skipped over it for various reasons. Then I thought this was a vocal track from Tadd Dameron's MAGIC TOUCH, then I thought it was a vocal track from the Tadd Dameron-Fats Navarro Complete Blue Notes, then I thought it was a vocal track from BIRTH OF THE COOL.... As you can tell, I spent FAR too much time trying to figure this out, searching Discogs & whatnot. After letting this sit for a few hours, the answer finally came to me: track B2 from https://tinyurl.com/8pswhmtn (or disc 2 track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/3vbhfh75 which is where I first heard this tune). Turns out I was kinda correct: I used to have this in my collection. And every time I wonder why I never kept this, I stream it again and I remember why: this music, which on paper should be right up my alley, has absolutely no effect on me. May be time to give this another listen and see if I need to scour the racks for my 3rd or 4th copy of this collection.

Correct again!

Track 9: Lovely (there's that word again) version of "Solitude." I'm kinda proud my first guess at the piano player was the correct one since I'd never heard it before! Discogs says it's track A-2 from https://tinyurl.com/y6kfee3v but it looks like this was combined with other albums in this series into a 4-LP box that looks like it would be well worth my money!

That's it!

Track 10: That's "When I Fall in Love," right? At first I though this also had that mid-70's/early-80's Pablo sound, but changed my mind around the 5-minute mark when everybody started playing free-like. Talk about a mood-killer.

Track 11: The trumpet-player sure likes Miles. I like a mute as much as the next guy but... I don't know. Is it a mike problem? Those high notes sound way too shrill for these ears. Is that Terje Rypdal on guitar? Subsequent listens have made me like this even more than I did upon initial listening.

None of the musicians you mentioned are on it.  Glad you like it.

Track 12: Very interesting take on "Mean to Me." I like it that it's only taken approx. 25 years for me to finally recognize jazz standards. Makes me wonder if this is another Mose Allison type thing where the trumpet player is not known for being a trumpeter? Around the 4:40 mark I heard what sounded like a Tony Williams drum lick.

Track 13: Good GRIEF this almost ruined my day! It would be one thing if I'd never heard this tune before. Sure, it sounds like so many other Blue Note tunes of the day, a variation on "Impressions." Good stuff! I would've just guessed Grant Green on guitar, maybe Lee Morgan on trumpet and Hank Mobley on tenor sax, and moved on. But NO, I *have* heard this song and it was literally on the tip of my tongue ALL BLOODY DAY. I was at the point of distraction all day, trying to figure out who, what, where. I mean, I could even see the CD on my shelf. Every avenue I checked was a dead end and I wanted so bad to go home and look thru my collection. Maybe I should've done that all along and just gone about my day because I would've eventually landed where I am now, sitting at home with my collection, seeing this as disc 5 track 8 from https://tinyurl.com/m8hjupbr (which is how I know this tune), but I understand it was originally intended as (and eventually released as) track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/2pszvh7m but also released as side 2 track 1 from https://tinyurl.com/2mxm35k8. This was totally nerve-wracking and TOTALLY worth the search! It just reminds me I need to listen to this set again!

Very cool ID.  I hope someone will comment on the highlights of the track for me that I pointed out.
Track 14: oh man, this is FILTHY!!! The trumpet just leers at you from every corner! Very eerie. And cryptic. And greeeeeazy!

Track 15: sounds like a tribute to Raymond Scott. That electric piano is KILLIN' me! Love it!

Track 16: this sounds like an Elvin Jones group. It's apparently not from his celebrated Lighthouse gig on Blue Note, at least not that I can find.

WOW! Whatta stellar BFT! And I have to follow this next month??? YIKES!!! Doing searches for some of these tracks led me to albums I hadn't spun in a VERY long time which I need to remedy quickly! After typing this up I listened to this BFT two more times. So much good music!

 

51 minutes ago, Big Al said:

I hereby nominate my guess for track 7 as THE dumbest guess I've ever submitted on a BFT. And given the volume of dumb guesses I've made over the years, that's saying something.

Except for the part about being right!

I'm not always in the mood for the extreme tartness Dolphy and Ornette can bring to the table, but have learned to appreciate, and there are times when it's just right for me.  And I love Charlie Haden, without Ornette there would be less Charlie Haden to enjoy.  Like Dan I tend to like tenors more than altos.  Just not always the same tenors.

Remaining sleuthing (or waiting for Tim Webb or JSngry) to be done:

Artist on 1 - tune IDed

co-leader on 5

Tune, drummer and full name of trumpeter on 12

tune and all musicians on 14 (trumpeter has been narrowed down)

Well done so far, Organissimo Forum!

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by randyhersom

[Big Al]

Track 12 isn't "Mean to Me?" Well whattya know. I like it that after 25+ years of listening to jazz, I still can't recognize jazz standards when I hear them...

Edited March 8, 2023 by Big Al

[tkeith]

On 3/2/2023 at 4:59 PM, BillF said:

Track 8: Vocalist Austin Cromer with the late 1950s Gillespie Big Band.

Oh, THAT explains why I loved the band.

 

[Dan Gould]

11 hours ago, randyhersom said:

 

Like Dan I tend to like tenors more than altos.  Just not always the same tenors.

 

 

Hey I like altos! It's the soprano that grates for me - most of the time.

 

[mikeweil]

Okay here's more from my two cents bag. I didn't look at other posts. 

Track 8 - I relistened again, and am now convinced that this is not Eckstein, although probably influenced by him. Great singer - I wonder who this is.

Track 9 - This is a very fine pianist. Technical proficiency and knowledge of the old school of pre-1950 piano jazz coupled with elegance and wit. I probably know that pianist, but .... Oh, this is Ellington's "Solitude". 

Track 10 - To me it sounds like they intonate differently. Bass sound is very big, as if recorded through a pickup, which I really dislike. Both players' styles are not to my taste.

Track 11 - Trumpet player reminds me of Eddie Henderson, but this track is new to me. ECM-ish sound.

Track 12 - more trumpet. Why is the trumpet so low in the mix at the end? Did the engineer fall asleep? Well played, but the balance annoys me.

Track 13 - this sounds familiar. Yes, this is Johnny Coles - the smears are typical for him. I have this, he's one of my favourites. Not much of a theme, though.

Track 14 - more trumpet, very interesting track. I thought of Larry Young, but he would have played more variations. No idea who this is.

Track 15 - we get an interesting varied traumpet anthology here. But the baritone player is no slouch either. Nice that they keep solos short. An electric piano, but not a Rhodes, sounds like a Hohner model. Nice chatter from the trumpet. Would have liked to hear more from him.

Track 16 - More baritone, nice live sound. Nice track, great atmosphere, but is it they go crazy about? Not so much happening, musically. Nice closer.

Very nice compilation! That trumpet series was really good.

 

 

On 3/3/2023 at 2:50 PM, randyhersom said:

IDed above.  Austin Cromer with Diz.

Geez! I have that record ...... 

[randyhersom]

9 hours ago, mikeweil said:

Okay here's more from my two cents bag. I didn't look at other posts. 

Track 8 - I relistened again, and am now convinced that this is not Eckstein, although probably influenced by him. Great singer - I wonder who this is.

Track 9 - This is a very fine pianist. Technical proficiency and knowledge of the old school of pre-1950 piano jazz coupled with elegance and wit. I probably know that pianist, but .... Oh, this is Ellington's "Solitude". 

Got the tune and nicely narrowed down the pianist without quite naming him

Track 10 - To me it sounds like they intonate differently. Bass sound is very big, as if recorded through a pickup, which I really dislike. Both players' styles are not to my taste.

Track 11 - Trumpet player reminds me of Eddie Henderson, but this track is new to me. ECM-ish sound.

Label correct, not Eddie

Track 12 - more trumpet. Why is the trumpet so low in the mix at the end? Did the engineer fall asleep? Well played, but the balance annoys me.

South African recording, possibly this trio put out the second commercially released trumpet bass drums trio after Mose Allison.  Some time in between Don Cherry recorded half an album that never got released.

Track 13 - this sounds familiar. Yes, this is Johnny Coles - the smears are typical for him. I have this, he's one of my favourites. Not much of a theme, though.

First to mention the trumpeter who has the stellar moments on this track for me.  Multiple full IDs above

Track 14 - more trumpet, very interesting track. I thought of Larry Young, but he would have played more variations. No idea who this is.

Not Larry

Track 15 - we get an interesting varied trumpet anthology here. But the baritone player is no slouch either. Nice that they keep solos short. An electric piano, but not a Rhodes, sounds like a Hohner model. Nice chatter from the trumpet. Would have liked to hear more from him.

Track 16 - More baritone, nice live sound. Nice track, great atmosphere, but is it they go crazy about? Not so much happening, musically. Nice closer.

Very nice compilation! That trumpet series was really good.

Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[Д.Д.]

I disqualified myself from the BFT by peeping, so just a quick note since it was not identified - the first track is from this album: https://www.discogs.com/release/10910192-Ken-McIntyre-Hindsight . 

I think the artist was a mildly interesting composer but a mediocre player on all instruments, and his bassoon sounds decidedly clumsy (I appreciate that this is an extremely tough one to master).      

Track 12 - maybe some Paul Smoker trio stuff, although I tend to think of Smoker is a more varied trumpeter than this. Good stuff still. Drummer and bassist way too busy. 

Track 14 - would this be Wadada Leo Smith in some Miles project? I don't like Smith's sound and his ideas either, so I do not know his work that well. Sounds like him to me.  

Edited March 14, 2023 by Д.Д.

[randyhersom]

5 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

I disqualified myself from the BFT by peeping, so just a quick note since it was not identified - the first track is from this album: https://www.discogs.com/release/10910192-Ken-McIntyre-Hindsight . 

I think the artist was a mildly interesting composer but a mediocre player on all instruments, and his bassoon sounds decidedly clumsy (I appreciate that this is an extremely tough one to master).      

Correct ID.  I did play it because I liked it.

[randyhersom]

On 3/14/2023 at 12:47 PM, Д.Д. said:

Track 12 - maybe some Paul Smoker trio stuff, although I tend to think of Smoker is a more varied trumpeter than this. Good stuff still. Drummer and bassist way too busy. 

Track 14 - would this be Wadada Leo Smith in some Miles project? I don't like Smith's sound and his ideas either, so I do not know his work that well. Sounds like him to me.  

Not Paul Smoker on 12.  The trumpet on 14 is Wadada Leo Smith, but the track is not part of the Yo Miles series.

[randyhersom]

Last minute folks please note.  I will be dropping the reveal a couple days early so I don't have to worry about it from Big Ears.

[JSngry]

I am indeed late. March was a month of much transitions here. Retired at last (and for as long as we don't run out of money...).

TRACK ONE - "Lush Life" on bassoon. Double reeds are a booger to deal with as doubles and this player shows this. Not at all bad, but from a "technical" standpoint it is is not totally "together". On the other hand, the pocket, the time and phrasing is totally there. And all things being equal, I'd rather have pocket than "perfection". But what is that counting at the end?

TRACK TWO - "A Child Is Born"...not my favorite tune. Probably Thad, but not Jones/Lewis. Oh, but the but smack at the end, ok then, it is. The woodwinfs are more out of tune than I would have expected. Oh well!

TRACK THREE - Sonny asking if I like the guacamole, and yes I do, thank you for asking, I'd be happy to have that every day for the rest of my life.

TRACK FOUR - Early-ish Jug, the real thing coming along, as it always did. If you don't like Gene Ammons, you are worng. Period.

TRACK FIVE - "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing". Not sure if I like the alto's tone on the melody. Or the solo. Oh well. I think that's Marion Brown? I love him when he was in full capacity of his physical capabilities, which I think kind of diminished with him as he aged. Too bad, a beautiful spirit, always willing, but maybe the flesh was sometimes weak. And surely that is Mal Waldron? No such problems with him.

TRACK SIX - HERE! and NOW! Don Byas, surely. God this is beautiful. Nothing but beautiful.

TRACK SEVEN - Plenty of reverb! ED, and not anything that you need a little blue pill to fix. That guy was such a total virtuoso, and not just in terms of chops, but also of mind.

TRACK EIGHT - Yeah, like I said! But also, Melba Liston dipping into a Kenton-ish "Progressive Jazz" bag on the chart, which is always more interesting when it's not played by Kenton's own band (not really their fault). But jezzus, that singing is totally  genius. Too bad the, per Phil woods' auto bio, that he was a loon and the band wanted to kill him. Or something like that.

TRACK NINE - I'll say it yet again - I would NEVER play poker with Earl Hines. That motherfucker had at least three hands at all times.

TRACK TEN - Louise Lasser was hot, if more than a little bit of a mess.

TRACK ELEVEN - No idea, but it's pretty.

TRACK TWELVE - LOVE that bass sound, SO much wood resonating the natural way. Trumpeter starts shaky but gathers steam as they go. Fortunately! It's all good once that happens.

TRACK THIRTEEN - Well, yeah. Cole/Ervin. How about those two for a study in contrast?!?!?!?!?!?!

TRACK FOURTEEN - Some ideas, all of them quite positive, but no guesses. Looking forward to the reveal.

TRACK FIFTEEN - Ra. Chicago Ra. Hello Charles Davis.

TRACK SIXTEEN - "Odwalla". Those were beautify spirits playing beautiful music. I miss them more than is healthy, probably.

Thank you. That was a Sweet 16 indeed. How're your brackets looking?

 

[randyhersom]

Congrats on retirement, and thanks for the detailed comments.  You were the first to recognize Marion Brown.

 

[mikeweil]

Here's what I found on my hard drive but for some reason didn't post:

Here's my two cents:

Track 1: Lush Life, played on a bassoon. I must admit I am spoiled by the more beautiful sound of historical bassoon instruments and the perfect way our local Frankfurt period performance practice students play them, so this does not satisfy me from a technical point of view. But it is a nice idea. Bassoon has to be played exclusively to really master it, in any genre. No idea who it is.

Track 2: A Child Is Born - very nice that they take their time before they let the band come in. Beautiful arrangement, well played. I would have liked it even more if they had kept it as subdued as in the beginning. Concise and to the point.

Track 3: This trumpet intro sounds very familiar. Tenor sax? I hear Dexter Gordon phrases. But that is neither his sound nor his vibrato. I am sure I have heard this or even own it, the tune sounds familiar, too. Very curious who this is.

Track 4: Gene Ammons! 

Track 5: Another standard tune, A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing. That alto player has his own very personal way of approaching the tune. The pianist starts his solo with some Debussy phrases, which is a nice contrast. This probably will be on my must buy list. Like it a lot. This has class.

Track 6. Cannot name this familiar tune right now. I probably know this player ..... Must be a seasoned older generation player. Not quite convincing to me how he plays the clsong cadenza.

Track 7. Another familiar tune. They way he meanders licks around the tune rather than playing thematic variations on it does not convince me. Almost like Dolphy at times. Could it be him? 

Track 8. Billy Eckstine? Over The Rainbow! What a fantastic singer! This is better than classical opera as you never have that much freedom there. This has me shouting "Yeah" every other bar. On second thought, he does too many things Eckstine never did .... 

This was so great I have to take a break ....

Edited June 1, 2023 by mikeweil