BFT 239 Discussion Thread

[tkeith]

If anybody is listening online, it may have been unavailable for a bit.  My site did not auto-renew (JustHost is really great a screwing up the renewal).  I upgraded services, so I cannot guarantee that there will not be hiccups.  If there are, please message me directly through the forum, and I'll get it sorted ASAP.

[Dan Gould]

I just checked and all is fine.

Hoping we get some more engagement soon.

5 hours ago, randyhersom said:

3,4,6,7,9 IDed

1 also but Big Al has never acknowledged my post. But I am 100% certain its the title track of one the Three Sounds Limelight recordings, Beautiful Friendship.

[Big Al]

On 2/1/2024 at 8:59 AM, Dan Gould said:

 

@Big Al On first listen last month I had Wynton Kelly in mind, and wondered if there was a Verve-era recording matching this. Fortunately I did go back and listen a couple of times more and the former Gene Harris Fanatic did not beclown himself by missing his (former) namesake. It's the title track from THIS.  The Limelights are not a highlight for me of the Three Sounds output.  3 1/2 stars, for Gene and I wonder if Jim will re-think his comment.  And I wonder if Big Al chose it for the title, as in, tribute, in this celebratory BFT, to the many beautiful friendships the Big O (and the BNBB before it) helped foster?

Correct on the ID! I wish I could tell you that was exactly why I chose this track because I love that explanation. In fact, let's just pretend that was my reason. 😊 As it turns out, this was just a happy accident: awhile back I was trying to build a discogs cart to the seller's minimum order and this was listed for very cheap. I like the 3 Sounds and I like how much fun those Limelight record covers are. Ended up enjoying the record more than I expected simply because I wasn't expecting a big-band record. A very enjoyable record.

I'm happy to admit when you announced this BFT, selecting something from this album was a no-brainer as a simple tribute to the former Gene Harris Fanatic. I kinda figured you had this record, but this felt obscure enough to fool everyone else.

[Dan Gould]

8 hours ago, Big Al said:

Correct on the ID! I wish I could tell you that was exactly why I chose this track because I love that explanation. In fact, let's just pretend that was my reason. 😊 As it turns out, this was just a happy accident: awhile back I was trying to build a discogs cart to the seller's minimum order and this was listed for very cheap. I like the 3 Sounds and I like how much fun those Limelight record covers are. Ended up enjoying the record more than I expected simply because I wasn't expecting a big-band record. A very enjoyable record.

I'm happy to admit when you announced this BFT, selecting something from this album was a no-brainer as a simple tribute to the former Gene Harris Fanatic. I kinda figured you had this record, but this felt obscure enough to fool everyone else.

Well thank you Al and you nearly did fool me ... but there was a piano run maybe around 1:10 or 1:20 that finally said to me "this is GENE, you dolt!"   

[Dub Modal]

Very slight correction in that track 4’s album has been ID’d but I don’t think the actual song from that album has been named - unless I missed it. Shouldn’t be too difficult to do anyway.

[Big Al]

On 2/11/2024 at 5:53 AM, Dan Gould said:

Well thank you Al and you nearly did fool me ... but there was a piano run maybe around 1:10 or 1:20 that finally said to me "this is GENE, you dolt!"   

Yes yes, the man's sound was definitely unmistakable! 

[tkeith]

Please - be patient.  My site is down and files were lost.  They are attempting to reload a back from Feb 7 so they can troubleshoot.  I have no idea how long this is going to take or what the end result would be.  I can do sweet f***-all about it, and I'm at the mercy of a call center in India.

[Dub Modal]

Thanks for all you do. Sorry you’re having to deal with this kind of thing.

[mjzee]

Yes, thanks for all you do, Thom.  We really appreciate it.

[Dan Gould]

We will see how Thom's fight with his website host company goes but I can offer a way to keep the BFT Party going:

I can zip the tunes for 239, and 240 if Thom isn't up and running by March 1, and offer via a WeTransfer link.

Post here if you'd like to still participate in February and I can start with BFT 239. I am away Friday afternoon-Sunday afternoon but will post a download link (which are good for seven days) ASAP if anybody requests one.

[Big Al]

Yes please, I'll take the link.

 

Sorry you're getting screwed over, Thom.

[JSngry]

Link, please.

Hoping for Thom's triumph, but Plan B, always. 

[mikeweil]

Link, please. I intended to listen during the train ride today ..... there still is the ride back home next week.

[randyhersom]

On 2/13/2024 at 2:50 PM, Dub Modal said:

Very slight correction in that track 4’s album has been ID’d but I don’t think the actual song from that album has been named - unless I missed it. Shouldn’t be too difficult to do anyway.

Side B track 1 The Count on Rush Street

[Dub Modal]

34 minutes ago, randyhersom said:

Side B track 1 The Count on Rush Street

There ‘tis 

[JSngry]

Conte Candoli being the Count and Rush Street being a reference to Chicago, composer Bill Russo's home town and the city where the session was recorded. 

[Dub Modal]

13 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Conte Candoli being the Count and Rush Street being a reference to Chicago, composer Bill Russo's home town and the city where the session was recorded. 

Didn’t know that. I was thinking the Count reference was a nod to Basie. Glad to know the actual details.

Discogs doesn’t list other recordings of this song unless I’m missing it. 

Edited February 16 by Dub Modal

[tkeith]

Alright, I've been working this hard with absolutely NO thanks to tech support but HUGE thanks to Tim (webbcity).  I'm going to go ahead and share the link here with this disclaimer:  site is under construction.  As of right now, I can see all the tracks in Firefox, Chrome, and on Safari on my phone.  I canNOT see them in Safari on my computer, and Dan was unable to see them in either Edge or Chrome.  So, welcome to beta-testing, friends.  Feel free to give it a shot and let me know if it works or not.  Probably best to do so via private message so as not to derail this thread.

https://thomkeith.net/blindfold-tests/current-tests/

[mikeweil]

In Opera browser it works, and better than before. 

[JSngry]

Works on my phone and has the crispy clean look of modern dissimilarity! 

[tkeith]

With apologies -- this month has sucked ass.  It's pure guilt that's even got me to the point of fitting in a listen.

[Also, Dan, didn't see your instructions until I went back to read the thread, and it won't add the tags for me in edit mode.]

@Big Al

-- This sounds like something else, but I can't figure out what.  And it's overlaid with the music my grandmother used to have going on the radio ("Beautiful music, from the top of Mt. Washington..."), but way hipper.  Tinkling pianist is familiar, but I can't quite get there.  I'm enjoying the hell out of this (which is a feat, because I'm in an absolutely shit mood).  It's fun, it's tasteful, and it's arranged without being overly so.  Big All for the win!

[edit: hint as to the type of week it's been -- three songs in I realized I was on shuffle... #fml]

@Dan Gould

-- This makes FAR more sense than what I THOUGHT was your track due to the shuffle issue.  No idea what this is.  It works, but mignt not be in my regular play stack.  It's fun, but also serious enough to be, well, taken seriously.  I'm positive it's someone I'm not overly familar with.  Reminds me of Red Holloway.   A single tune in this vein as part of a set would leave me smiling and wanting more.  Two of them would leave me wishing it had been one.  Plenty to like here, though.  Growly alto is enjoying himself.  Bass player may well be in a coma.  

@danasgoodstuff -- Something familiar about the song.  Has a touch of that Ibrahim feel in it.  A little new-agey, but not in an offensive way.  I assume this is two pianists.  

@Dub Modal -- West coast recorded from down the hall?  Chops to spare, but what on earth is going on with the sound.  Not sure on the alto, but that trumpet could be Howard McGee.  Can only give you a list of who the tenor is not.  The sound is really off-putting.  I've got headphones on and really don't feel comfortable even trying to guess on the players.  Unfortunate.

@Eric -- Musicianship is here in this one, but I just don't feel it.  It's very technical to the point of sounding contrived.  At about 0:40, sounds almost like Oliver Lake, but it doesn't have that level of hip.  But for the nice sound, I might think this was Braxton.  There's an intentional sparseness that reminds me of, of all things, a Wynton Marsalis record.  Seems like inside guys (or at least contemporary traditional guys) trying to be 'out'.  Not sure what to say other than, I'm just not buying it.  

@mjazzg -- This has a similar sense of intent that the last track had, but this works a whole lot better to my ear.  Not sure what the stringed instrument is -- sounds like a plucked cello.  I'm not in love with the sound, but what he's playing works, and the horns are providing just the right texture.  This track is a keeper for sure.

@randyhersom -- A-ha!  You don't sneak Rahsaan by me!  It's track 2 from this.  Good stuff throughout.  THIS is how you put a different spin on a rusty razor tune.

@Rooster_Ties -- Heavy Bitches Brew influence. Wondered at first if it was from the extended set, but no.  I like it, but I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Feel like I should have a handle on who this is, and there are chops to spare, but it's also very honest.  That description is troublesome, because it suggests I should know what this is.  Alas, I do not.

@sidewinder -- A Henderson-influenced tenor who I'm not familiar with.  It's in 3, so I like it.  Reminds me of Joe's stuff on Milestone.  Drummer is very familiar -- like a cross between Billy Hart and DeJohnette.  

@webbcity -- It's got an air of Woody Shaw that makes me happy.  Not Woody, but certainly a capable trumpeter.  I've heard this.  There's a little bit of... slop is too harsh a word... it's imperfect, and that's what is endearing about it.  The musicianship is there, the story is there, but there's no sense that this has been practiced ad nauseam prior to recording it.  There's something very honest about this.  Then the tenor comes in.  Sounds a bit like Lew Tabackin, but it's not up to what the previous players set up.  Hints of David Murray in there, as well, but the execution isn't quite there for me.  Piano puts it back on track.  On the whole, the track is still a win.  Wait, now, about the 5-minute mark, there's a couple of lines that lead me to believe this might just be John Hicks.  Maybe not, but certainly from an adjacent school of thought.  Funny part is, all of the above was written before I realized it was your track (due to the aforementioned shuffle issue).  In hindsight, every word of this makes complete sense.

This is kind of a neat exercise.  Good call, Dan.  Maybe this is just the think I needed to unf*** my week.

 

 

Edited February 25 by tkeith
Trying to add username tags

[Dan Gould]

@tkeith  Hoping some folks try to puzzle out the alto before the end of the month. So far we've eliminated Red Holloway, Charlie Williams, Chris Woods, Hank Crawford, Lockjaw and Cleanhead.

 

My hint is, this well-regarded player had a few leader dates but is best known as a sideman/feature soloist.

 

[JSngry]

Norris Turney? 

[Dub Modal]

2 hours ago, tkeith said:

Dub Modal -- West coast recorded from down the hall?  Chops to spare, but what on earth is going on with the sound.  Not sure on the alto, but that trumpet could be Howard McGee.  Can only give you a list of who the tenor is not.  The sound is really off-putting.  I've got headphones on and really don't feel comfortable even trying to guess on the players.  Unfortunate.

I had the same sentiment on the sound quality when I first listened to this. I didn’t revisit it for a long time bc of that actually. Thought about getting rid of it too. Then at some point, it clicked for me. Jim ID’d the record it came from, but this is from the CD. No idea if the LP would sound better. All I can say is I’m glad I gave it multiple listens. Definitely wish someone would clean it up - if that’s even possible.
 

Trumpet is Candoli btw. Alto is Pepper and tenor is Bob Cooper. 

[Dan Gould]

8 hours ago, JSngry said:

Norris Turney? 

Nope.