BFT 242 reveal

[mjzee]

In this BFT, I challenged myself to use only tracks recorded since 2005.

Track #1: Alex Sipiagin: Bird Food (Take 2) (Ornette Coleman).  Alex Sipiagin, trumpet; Chris Potter, tenor sax; David Kikoski, piano; Matt Brewer, bass; Johnathan Blake, drums.  Recorded 4/22/22.  From the album Mel’s Vision (Criss Cross).  Interesting that JSngry thought it sounded “like a Bird tune of sorts.”  I may like Ornette’s tunes more when they’re played by others.  This is strong post-Bop that wouldn’t sound out of place on classic Blue Note.  Sipiagin also appears on track #12 of this BFT.

 

Track #2: Anna Webber: Simplify Simplify (Webber).  Anna Webber, flute, alto flute, tenor sax; Matt Mitchell, piano, prepared piano; John Hollenbeck, drums, percussion.  Recorded August 2013.  From the album Simple (Skirl).  Back in December 2014, board member CraigP listed his jazz top 10 released in 2014, and this album was his #2.  I got it, listened once, and immediately filed it.  I'm glad this BFT got me to pull it out, because I like this track more and more with each playing.

 

Track #3: Billy Hart: Irah (Hart).  Mark Turner, tenor sax; Ethan Iverson, piano; Ben Street, bass; Billy Hart, drums.  Recorded October 14 & 15, 2005.  From the album Billy Hart Quartet (HighNote).  I agreed with the comments here about this track.  Sort of the new jazz chamber music.

Track #4: Chris Byars: Moscow (Byars).  John Mosca, trombone; Stefano Doglioni, bass clarinet; Zaid Nasser, alto sax; Chris Byars, tenor sax; Ari Roland, bass; Phil Stewart, drums.  Recorded February 2019.  From the album On The Shoulders Of Giants (SteepleChase).  All I know of Chris Byars is from his Wikipedia page.  This is well-composed, well-played, and very satisfying.

 

Track #5: Kirk Knuffke: Chicutz (Knuffke).  Kirk Knuffke, cornet; Bob Stewart, tuba; Kenny Wollesen, drums, percussion.  Recorded February 2019.  From the album Tight Like This (SteepleChase).  Kirk Knuffke has evidently been around awhile, and has recorded in many different styles.  This, I guess, aspires to be early Satchmo updated to the 21st century.  I wish him well.

Track #6: Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan: Goldfinger (Barry, Bricusse, Newley).  Bill Frisell, guitar; Thomas Morgan, double bass.  Village Vanguard, NYC, recorded March 2016.  From the album Small Town (ECM).  I love this track.  What I hear in Frisell is the way so many kids in the early 1960’s took James Bond so seriously; it’s frivolous, heartfelt, and charming, all at the same time.  His guitar sound is wonderful.  Thomas Morgan provides great support. 

Track #7: Bobby Broom: Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb).  Bobby Broom, guitar; Dennis Carroll, bass; Kobie Watkins, drums.  Recorded February or March 2005.  From the album Song And Dance (Origin).  It is a beautiful tune.  Broom makes the performance go down like smooth bourbon.

 

Track #8: Martial Solal: Happy Birthday (p.d.).  Martial Solal, piano.  Salle Gaveau, Paris, recorded 1/23/19.  From the album Coming Yesterday: Live At Salle Gaveau 2019 (Challenge).  The reactions to this track surprised me, because I consider it brilliant.  Solal plays with such dexterity and clarity, you can hear his mind working.  And yes, it was recorded on his birthday, at his final concert before retirement.

Track #9: David 'Fathead' Newman: As Time Goes By (Herman Hupfeld).  David "Fathead" Newman, tenor sax; David Leonhardt, piano; Steve Nelson, vibes; Peter Bernstein, guitar; John Menegon, bass; Yoron Israel, drums.  Recorded 12/12/08.  From the album The Blessing (HighNote).  Even though this is a BFT of younger performers, we did need some old masters to light the way.  This was his last recording.

Track #10: Noah Preminger: High Or Booze (Preminger).  Noah Preminger, tenor sax; Kim Cass, bass; Bill Stewart, drums.  Recorded 11/9/21.  From the album Sky Continuous (Criss Cross).  I like his tone; reminds me a little of Sonny Rollins or (more recently) Grant Stewart. 

Edited May 30 by mjzee

[mjzee]

Track #11: Shakti: Las Palmas (John McLaughlin).  John McLaughlin, guitar, guitar synth; Zakir Hussain, tabla; Shankar Mahadevan, vocals, konokol; Ganesh Rajagopalan, violin, konokol; Selvaganesh Vinayakaram, kanjira, etc.  No recording date listed; prob. around 2022.  From the album This Moment (Abstract Logix).  McLaughlin, of course, is a treasure.  I was surprised to see he wrote this, because it sure sounds familiar. 

Track #12: Jim Alfredson: The Side Eye (Alfredson).  Alex Sipiagin, trumpet, flugelhorn; Michael Dease, trombone; Diego Rivera, tenor sax; Will Bernard, guitar; Jim Alfredson, organ, clavinet; EJ Strickland, drums; Kevin "Bujo" Jones, percussion.  Recorded 9/22/21.  From the album Family Business (Positone).  Now we get down to some grease.  Nice ensemble playing (the Positone All-Stars?), good solos, great vibe all around.  Pick up a copy if you haven’t yet.

Track #13: Ed Cherry: Ding Dong (Harold Alexander).  Ed Cherry, guitar; Monte Croft, vibes; Kyle Koehler, organ; Byron "Wookie" Landham, drums.  Recorded 6/16/22.  From the album Are We There Yet? (Cellar 20).  Composition originally appeared on Big John Patton’s “Understanding” LP.  Cherry was on Patton’s “Minor Swing” album (as was Kenny Wollesen - see track #5 on this BFT).  Tune has a great ’60’s vibe - I can see frugging to this.

Track #14: Marc Ribot & The Young Philadelphians: Love Rollercoaster (Ohio Players).  Marc Ribot, guitar; Mary Halvorson, guitar; Jamaaladeen Tacuma, bass; G. Calvin Weston, drums; Takako Siba, viola; Yoshie Kajiwara, violin; China Azuma, cello.  Club Quattro, Tokyo, Japan, recorded 7/28/14.  From the album Live In Tokyo (Enja).  Weston was born and raised in Philadelphia; Tacuma was raised there; Ribot was born in Newark and raised in South Orange, but perhaps identifies as a Philadelphian; but Wikipedia tells us that Halvorson hails from Brookline, MA.  Hmmm.  Could be a ringer, but maybe this album makes her an honorary Philadelphian.  This track is self-explanatory.  Ribot picks up on, and lauds, the key elements of disco; the lyrics may be silly gibberish (although I suppose love can indeed be a rollercoaster), but they’re beside the point - this is party music.  Then Ribot and company lard the skronk on top of it.  Just dive in.

 

Thanks to all who participated.

Edited May 30 by mjzee

[Dub Modal]

Ed Cherry definitely listened to some Grant Green albums. And I can't believe I had a positive reaction to Iverson. BFTs can be great for demonstrating bias I guess. And nice to know that track 11 was from McLaughlin. 

But what about the last track, the live Ohio Players?

[mjzee]

6 hours ago, Dub Modal said:

But what about the last track, the live Ohio Players?

"Ohio Players" is the songwriting credit.  The band is Ribot & friends.

[JSngry]

The lack of even one Say What was a deal- breaker for me.

A murder-scream might have mitigated that.

Might 

[Dub Modal]

12 hours ago, mjzee said:

"Ohio Players" is the songwriting credit.  The band is Ribot & friends.

🤦‍♂️lol that's what I get for reading without my glasses.