Forums

👍

Re- "Ben Webster meets Don Byas" (SABA): You all sure made it hard for me to listen to this without any preconceived notions based on what's been written on that session.  So I listened a bit closer now, and as I'm no musician nor a musicologist and not out to dissect such recordings academically, my bottom line is: "No desert island disc but no train wreck either." To my ears, Don Byas indeed sounds more assertive whereas Ben Webster is more in what has been described as his "coasting" mood. As for their interplay, we know why 2 of the 6 tracks are vehicles for one tenor only and elsewhere their cooperation sounds somewhat loose and disjointed, but not excessively so, at least to me and given the known circumstances. The way they alternate with one being up front and the other in the back has its moments too. Besides, weren't there many late 50s or 60s jazz recordings where anything loose or disorganized or everyone going off into whatever direction was just as likely to be construed by reviewers or listeners as "advanced" or similar, in a sort of "anything goes" state of mind?  I'm not sure how regularly I'll targetedly revisit this LP; but it is a notable document of a phase in the careers of both of these legends. Warts'n'all. 

Grateful Dead “Dave’s Picks Vol. 16” 3 disc set, disc 3 From March 28, 1973, Springfield MA. Interesting sandwich here: [i]Weather Report Suite Prelude>Dark Star>Eyes of the World>Playing in the Band[/i]

Still more Mingus: