tkeith

Got to this one on the big system last night. Old fashioned hand-written notes I'm retyping. Yes... I've got cabin fever. I usually do okay on Felser's tests, but this one kicked my ass, hard. Track 1 - 70s. Song is reminiscent of Charles Tolliver's On The Nile. Aggressive tenor. No idea on the trombone (only vague guesses I will not share). Getting a Randy Brecker vibe from the trumpet, but better. Perhaps Jack Walrath? No, I like this more. Track 2 - Sounds like Kenny Burrell right off. Grooves like a sonovabitch. Not sure what's up with the mix, but clearly the guitarist's record. It's got a CTI vibe, but in a good way. Track 3 - I mean, that's gotta be Lennie, doesn't it? Tempus Fugit. Hmmm... thinking not Lennie, but who? Track 4 - Johnny Come Lately. Weird arrangement. There's something very familiar about those VERY busy drums. Could that be Han Bennink? Something very Hal Galper about the piano. Heavy Dizzy influence on the trumpet, but not Faddis. Track 5 - Larry Young feel in 3 -- I'm all in. Drumer out-Purdie's Purdie! Not Larry. Was thinking Pat Martino, but clearly this is the organist's date. Track 6 - Mingusy arrangement. But no. Clean alto sound, but very west coast. Shades of John Handy as it goes on, but seems less driven by the blues. Hmmm... Arrangement is like Mingus-meets-Slide Hampton. Track 7 - Back-to-back burners. Very clean trumpet sound. Something marchy about the drums. Makes me wonder if this could be one of Kenny Clarke's things. Track 8 - Soundtracky quality to the sound. Love that vamp. There are moments I think I know that trumpet, but I'm not sure I do. Tenor has shades of many, from Gilmore to Rouse. You're killin' me, Smalls! Track 9 - Didn't love the bass intro, but VERY MUCH love the vamp. What's going on with the sound, though? Don't think I know the tenor. Mal Waldron on piano, but what is he doing here? Is this the record with David Friesen? That would explain my reaction to the bass. Not sure of the tenor, want to like it more than I do. The effects kind of bug me. Bass sounds MUCH better in the solo here -- getting more of a McBee vibe, and that's a very good thing! Track 10 - Don't know who it is, but I smell espionage!!! I want to say Rudolph Johnson on tenor. Band has that Clark-Boland feel to it. Yeah, I'm in on this one, too. Track 11 - Has an Art Farmer feel, but I can't quite commit. Nope, not Art. I mean, it's in 3, so I've gotta have it. Sounds like maybe Barney Kessell on guitar, something about that comping. If it's Farmer and Jim Hall I'm going to scream. Track 12 - No clue. Reminds me of a tune I may put on my next BFT, though. Track 13 - You've got me -- all in. That's gotta be Lloyd McNeil (a guy I only discovered through the BFTs!). It's Tzigane from this. A lot to like here, and a BFT I know I'm going to come back to. I don't think I've every done this poorly on one of your tests. Well done, sir! SONOVA!!!!! I psyched myself out. I recognized KD, but it didn't fit right and I couldn't even bring myself to write his name down. Too chicken to commit on Farmer and missing Chico. UNACCEPTABLE! And on the BIG system, too! NO EXCUSES. I suck eggs.

I'm a George fan, but sadly, much of his output is made up of albums with two strong tracks and a lot of filler thereafter, IMHO. This one and Sound Suggestions on ECM are the standouts in my collection (if you want to save a little cash). City Gates is fair, Earth Beams is good. After that, I find them inconsistent at best. Particularly with the Adams-Pullen Quartet setting, where it became an exercise in how-fast-can-we-play. In general, that band would have benefited greatly from shaving 20BPM off the pace most of the time.

Just putting this here because my Dad posted it in the main thread. Organissimo November Blindfold Test #200 REVEAL 1. Big Alice (Don Pullen) HOWARD JOHNSON: Gravity!!! Howard Johnson,tu. Bob Stewart,tu. Dave Bargeron,tu. Earl McIntyre,tu. Raymond Chew,p. Bob Cranshaw,b. Kenwood Dennard,d. -12/95 2. Blu-a-Round (Sahib Shihab) SAHIB SHIHAB: Jazz Sahib Phil Woods,as. Benny Golson,ts. Sahib Shihab,bs. Bill Evans,p. Oscar Pettiford,b. Art Taylor,d. -11/57 3. Children of the World (Khan Jamal) KHAN JAMAL: Three Khan Jamal,vb. Pierre Dorge,g. Johnny Dyani,b. -10/84 4. Lonnie’s Lament (John Coltrane) ARI BROWN: Groove Awakening Ari Brown,ts. Kirk Brown,p. Yusef Ben Israel,b. Avreeayl Ra,d. Dr. Cuz,pc. -5/13 5. Tonk (Ray Bryant) ART FARMER: Perception Art Farmer,flgh. Harold Mabern,p. Tommy Williams,b. Roy McCurdy,d. -10/61 6. Send in the Clowns GEORGE ADAMS: Paradise Space Shuttle George Adams,ts. Rahn Burton,p. Don Pate,b. Al Foster,d. Azzendin Weston,pc. -12/79 7. A Notion (Albert Heath) SAM JONES/NIELS-HENNING ORSTED PEDERSEN: Double Bass Sam Jones,b. N-H Orsted Pedersen,b. Philip Catherine,g. Billy Higgins,d. -2/76 8. Kamal’s Gift (Hugh Ragin) HUGH RAGIN: Revelation Hugh Ragin,tp. Assif Tsahar,ts. William Parker,b. Hamid Drake,d. -9/03 9. Body and Soul AHMED ABDUL-MALIK: Spellbound Ray Nance,cnt. Seldon Powell,ts. Paul Neves,p. Ahmed Abdul-Malik,b. Walter Perkins,d. -3/64 10. Twinkle Toes (Will Smith) MAX ROACH: M’Boom Roy Brooks,cymb. Joe Chambers,vb. Omar Clay,mrb. Fred King,mrb. Max Roach,tymp. Ray Mantilla,bells. Warren Smith, Afr.bells. Freddie Waits,xylp. -7/79 11. Nothing But Love (Frank Lowe) BILLY BANG: Above & Beyond Frank Lowe,ts. Billy Bang,vi. Andrew Bemkey,p. Tood Nicholson,b. Tatsuya Nakatini,d. -4/03

July, please.

Eeesh. I missed Miles. It seemed too obvious. Surprised I didn't like the Owens cut more. And fooled by JG!? WTF is wrong with me!?

Well, I was going to hold off on this one because I had an advance listen, but I see everybody else is cooped up, as well. Track 01 - Sophisticated Alice (later Big Alice). Don't know who, doesn't matter -- it's a Pullen tune and it's a bitch. I assume that's DP on piano. Maybe not; seems a bit stiffer than Don. It's not Craig Harris. Is that actually a Euphonium? What the hell is this? Some of the lines are straight bebop (and grossly out of context), but then it flirts with being downright dirty. Stewart and HoJo are the only guys I can think of that would do something like this, but that doesn't sound like a Tuba to me. And it clearly is NOT Pullen on piano. Maybe Steve Turre? They don't *quite* pull it off, but it still works. Wondering if your throwing a curve with some newer players. Maybe Anthony Cox on piano. Arrangement is Quotey Quotenstien, but I'm loving it. Track 02 - Man! What a BITCH of a tune! [FYI -- Growing up, this guy used to make me mixed tapes like this all the time. Not a bad way to learn.] Though I'm sure I have this, it's dancing around me. It's guys I know but I'm trying too hard. Stitt? Benny Golson. Man... why is he NOT the guy every horn player loses his mind over? So that's Sahib. Could that have been Phil Woods on alto? Seems like the band on New York Scene, but I can't think of the title. Track 03 - If this isn't Sam Cooke's Wonderful World, it probably should be. Because of recent avenues your ears went down, it has me thinking Khan Jamal, and that could be right. Either that or somebody like Warren Smith. I'm about to doze here, but I'm doing it with a smile. Track 04 - ARI!!!!! How can this NOT make you smile? Two tenors just sit there, **glaring** at me while I listen to this. Ari is SUCH a baaaad mf! Track 05 - This just showed up recently on a BFT if I'm not mistaken. Tonk (Ray Bryant?), from Art Farmer's Perception. Yes please. Track 06 - How dare you. Grew up in a duplex owned by my grandparents. My grandfather told me he loved it when I played this song (transcribed it from the album; for me this was the first version I really knew beyond the one lyric). George was inspired to do this tune by Elizabeth Taylor's version. One of my first purchases from Loony Tunes in Boston. Track 07 - Swear I know the tune, but I'll be wrong. So... guitar and two basses? So there's only a handful of people this could be. I'm also positive you've played this for me once before and I was surprised. But, my memory is shit, so I get to be surprised, again! Track 08 - You're a dirty man. MY GUUUUYS! Took me forever because Assif threw me off. I couldn't come up with Ragin's name, and when I did the rest of it smashed me in my face. Lucky enough to take part in an after show jam with this rhythm section years ago in central Maine. Still have chills. #Hamid Kamal's Gift from Revelation. Track 09 - Yeah, pretty sure you played this for me recently, too. I'm always wrong if I don't try it, Sweets? If I guess him, it'll be one of the others I'll usually guess here. Gotta listen again, but I'll come back. This is killing me, because I know this is a tenor I absolutely love! Smoother than Ike. Clean and powerful. Lucky? Fifth listen, damnit. I'm going to get this guy. WAIT! That's Ray Nance! Shit! Of course! Took some sleuthing, but I got it. I'm wrong on the tenor and I would have NEVER guessed this. Track 10 - Can't get me here! Gotta be Khan Jamal! It's one of the ones I don't have, but you definitely laid this on me on a recent visit. Track 11 - Damnit! I know this. I'm sure I have it, but I'm not seeing it. It's Frank Lowe, but I'm not sure if that's Bang, I don't think so. This is a bitch, too! Drummer is a bad man. Damned digital piano. Okay, found it, but I don't have it? Don't know how that is. It's Nothing But Love from this. Okay, coach. How bad'I hit?

With apologies, very late to the game this month. Track 01 -- This sounds familiar, but the longer it goes on, the less I feel that way. Sounds like a player whose main horn is the soprano, rather than a doubler. However, the list of players I can think of who fit that description is very short, particularly in the post-Lacy era. I like the general feel, but the drummer bores the hell out of me. Seems like if there was a bit more drive, this would really cook. Soprano player has a nice sound, but when the improv tries to get too tricky, it loses it's footing to my ear, and ends up being a far less interesting statement. I don't believe I know these players. I'd like to hear more, but with a more supportive drummer. Don't know the song, but it owes much to Lacy and Monk. Track 02 -- Born to be Blue, representative of what I don't care for about 90% of Jazz vocalists. She has a nice voice, but just sing the damned song. There's a Miriam Klein record from the 70s (IIRC) featuring Dexter Gordon. If you've known me 3 seconds, you know I love Dex. I find that album almost unlistenable because she just won't shut up. I'm sure the opinion is not popular, but too many singers have to play star and ruin the music. The rhythm section is really enjoyable, and I'm even going to go so far as to suggest it's Mal Waldron on piano, because it's that good. Likewise the bass player. When the singing comes back in, it's very good at first, but then she gets all vocalist. Sorry, just my bias, but this one missus and it's all the singers fault. Track 03 -- This one is odd, but speaks directly to me. Glad to hear increasingly more exploration of this instrumentation. It's not desert island material, but it IS sheer enjoyment. Track 04 -- Billie's Bounce, my guess is by a blues guitarist, because that is not a Jazz rhythm section. Guitarist can play, though again, definitely rooted in a different style. Listened for the guitarist, in spite of the bass/drums. Almost sounds like a canned backing behind the guitar and the keys. Track 05 -- All The Things You Are. This one has all that the last one didn't. Weird comment, but reminds me of the old Music Minus One series from the 1950s. Makes me wonder if we're not dealing with Milt Hinton, Barry Galbraith, Osie Johnson, and Tyree Glenn. Again, not desert island material, but a very enjoyable cut -- mostly because they're just playing the music. There's great musicianship without competing egos. Track 06 -- Thought we were going in the direction of Caravan. Instead, feels more like someone went in that direction and avoided royalties. Not the level of musicianship of the last cut, but they mean it. Thinking it's a little newer than it sounds, but not by much. Track 07 -- Comin' Home Baby. Not going to lie, I'm a sucker for this feel. Sure sounds like a younger Ronnie Cuber, but seems too obvious. Nope. I take it back -- this guy is more raw than Ronnie (and I mean that in a good way). No new ground being broken, but I can sit through this all day long. Insert guitarist here. Could be Pat Martino, but I don't think this guy is quite there. Still, I find no fault with any of this -- maybe I'm an easy mark for this genre. That COULD be Groove Holmes, because the organist is no slouch. Seems maybe a shade off of Groove, but if it's not him, has definitely done a lot of listening to the man. I'll take extra helpings of this, please. Track 08 -- Sounds kind of like a soundtrack. I like the oddness of the instrumentation, in context. I'm getting a sense of Peter Sellers in the playful nature of the composition. I don't think it IS a soundtrack, but it oughta be. Track 09 -- Good tune. That rhythm section sound is perfect. Almost feels like this song could be done even a tad slower or more rubato. I really like this a lot, but I've got nothing on the saxophonist. Wondering if it's one of those local/regional players on one of his rare recorded dates. Again, could take a lot more of this. Beautiful song. Almost has the kind of feel of a Johnny Griffin ballad, but not that level of facility (hell, who DID?). Track 10 -- Sure has a Randy Weston feel in the first 20 seconds. That left hand is filthy, and it surely does sound like Randy. Wait, that phrasing is Billy Harper, though the sound isn't quite. This must be that duet of Randy and Billy not too long ago. Is the tune Blue Moses? Yeah, that's Billy. A little sleuthing suggests it's Blues To Senegal from this. Track 11 -- Not sure who it is, but I'll bet the ranch that's Stanley Clarke on bass. Sure sounds like McCoy's piano, too. It's McCoy, but is it Stanley? I was sure early, now I'm not. Doesn't walk like Stanley, but that opening piece was very much in the Stanley alley. I'm sticking with Stanley, but not sure what this is. Needle drop, so it could be Rites of Strings, but I'm not familiar with the music from that album. Track 12 -- Busy 70s Jazz? Reminds me of the Roy Haynes Hip Ensemble. "I have no kick against modern Jazz, Unless they try to play it too darn fast, And change the beauty of the melody, Until it sounds just like a symphony" - Chuck Berry Sure sounds like Randy Brecker of that period on trumpet. Track 13 -- 70s cheese, but I'm not proud -- I love it. The electronics bug me, but in the setting has me feeling wistful. Makes me feel like Donald Fagen on the way to a hangover. Sounds like somebody going for a hit. To my ear, they should have made it. That guitar reminds me of the guitar on Pharoah! on India Navigation. The hornline is very Mangione-influenced. Man, I'd play this stuff if asked. Track 14 -- Holy Land! I've been trying to find a chart that includes this intro. One of the first tunes my Dad taught me (he no longer owned the record, so I played notes until he heard the right one). It's not Cedar. I like the addition of the strings. Now, that sounds like Billy Higgins' gallop, so what the heck is this? Sounds like Buster Williams to me on bass. I take it back; that is either Cedar or somebody doing their best Cedar in tribute. I can hear Billy's grunt, so there is no more doubt, there. How do I not have this? Nice! A quote of Clifford's The Highest Mountain at the end of the piano solo. Must have. Track 15 -- Detest that drum sound (not the player, the recording). Recognize the song once it gets going around 1:30, but can't give you the title. I refer back to the Chuck Berry quote. These are good players, but I'd rather slow it down and hear the message. This is so fast it lacks a message, to me. Amazing ability, but the tempo is gratuitous. Bassist has a great sound (slow down so I can hear it [YOU DAMNED KIDS!!!]). This would be intense live (minus the crappy engineering). Curious what it is (particularly because of the instrumentation). Very much like the bassist. Track 16 -- Take 5, obviously. Desmond, and I assume Ed Bickert. Oh, yeah. I bought this on vinyl in college at a flea market. Live. Great quote in Desmond's notes about Bickert: "He smokes more than me, which is impossible." The way this tune should have always been done, particularly the bass. Stuff landed on both sides of me, but my ears appreciated the exercise overall. I feel like I should have known more of these people so I'm looking forward to the reveal.

Jo, post here (respond to this or add a message). If you're not Jo, well... ignore, please.

As a listener, my focus is always more on IDing the players. That and the fact that the iPod has done tremendous damage to my memory for song titles, I don't really consider standards-vs.-originals. Heck, it all mostly boils down to V-I, anyway.

Happy I was at least in the neighborhood. Embarrassed to not get the song. Yeah, just don't jibe with Ravi. Got to meet Ferber at a jazz camp, once, and he really made an impression on me; had great feel. When discussing some of Lew's work with Toshiko's big band with a horn player, he sort of scowled and said, "He married well." Still cracks me up. It always bugs me when I don't like Kuhn. Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers is absolutely one of my all-time favorite tunes. Huh. Right guy, wrong horn. Hate when that happens.

Just catching up on this thread (forgot to subscribe). DAMN, Jim! You got EARS!

Jesus. What was in the pipe when I wrote this. Wasn't until I read Felser's comments that I realized I'd called The Visitors "The Travelers". #justsayno

I was wondering if the Tristano connection was intentional.

Listening to this one before the month gets away. 01 - Summertime. Not sure about the snake-charmer intro. At first, the bass had me thinking Francois Rabbath. It’s not him, but my guess is that this has European origins. Not sure I’m fully buying the gratuitious use of the Byzantine scale, but I like it in spite of that. Definitely digging the bass. I appreciate the attempt at a different approach, but I’m not sure I can handle it more than once. 02 - Now, I like this. It’s got that restrained solo piano feel, but with some nice extensions in there. Sort of like Roland Hanna meets Ran Blake. I’m going to switch gears about 4 minutes in. Sounds like a Monk tune, but maybe a Fred Hersch interpretation. 03 - At first, I was thinking someone else was sneaking in some Dennis Gonzalez. It has that modern Steeplechase feel, like something John Swana would do. These guys are more modern than that, at least the saxophonist is. Has that heavy rhythmic variance of a lot of modern Jazz. I like it, but I’m not in love with it. 04 - Meandering melodic lines, questionable direction. I should detest this, but I quite like it. Seems like it owes a bit of a nod to Abdullah Ibrahim. I don’t believe it’s him, but neither would I be surprised if it were. Has touches that suggest Mal Waldron, as well. I believe I would enjoy sitting and talking music with this pianist. Runs a bit long, but I like it overall. 05 - This is weird. First thought was this cat like Cannonball, a lot. Then I was getting a distinct Sonny Criss vibe, though the rhythm section has a Bitches Brew meets Shepp’s Mariamar vibe. I want to make a weird guess of Anthony Ortega, but it seems too aggressive. I like this, though. This hits the wheelhouse really well. It’s raw. I’m in. Let me add, it’s raw, but hasn’t lost the blues. This just works. This one seems to run a shade long, as well, but I’m still in. 06 - Shades of Tristano. At times, shakes hands with Mal. I could listen to a lot of this. Live, but not sure who it is. GIMME MORE!!! 07 - It’s an interesting feel, but I’m not convinced it goes anywhere. It’s great in the background, but not a sit-and-listen track. I can always do without electronics, but I have to confess, I’m a fan of drummers replicating that remix sound. My guess is, this is the drummer’s gig, and that’s what we’re supposed to focus on (because it’s where the action is). Nice bass line, but again, doesn’t really go anywhere. Reminds me of Radio Citizen. 08 - Guessing a younger pianist. Has that technique. First note sounded like Don Pullen. The main line sounded like Mal Waldron, but too precise. Then, it turns out, we’re at Solar. No idea. Sticking with younger pianist. Wait, is this perhaps TWO pianists? I’m still thiinking younger, but they’ve done their listening. Even a direct Tristano quote at about 5:00. Still unsure if it’s one or two. 09 - Ah, the somewhat rare trumpet/unemployment stick unison lead. Post-Shorter doubler on soprano, could be about anybody. Now, that alto provide a hint. Is this The Travelers, perhaps? Certainly sounds like it. Let’s make a triple line. Getting a Dizzy feel from the horn, but 90% sure it’s not him. Could be Jon Faddis (it sounds THAT close to me). Really almost don’t hear the alto on the head. 10 - Not sure where I am on this one. It’s pleasant, but I’m working, listening on the laptop, and it really hasn’t made much of an impression on me. A co-worker of my Dad’s had alternate lyrics to this song, and it’s kind of ruined the song for me. I will not share them here — no need to ruin it for others. 11 - A little second-line, I’m in. Especially when you put it with a bitchin’ bass line. Not sold on the horn, entirely, but the feel of the tune is awsome. Sounds like a Larry Willis groove. Very busy saxophone — why not? Plenty of energy here. I’m loving the rhythm section more than the horn, though. I’m going to throw out a weird guess of Ernie Watts on alto. 12 - Man, somebody always throws in an old needle-drop and it’s obvious, but I’m always afraid to risk it. To hell with it — is it Fats Waller? 13 - Know the song, can’t give you the title. First impression was Art Farmer. Oh, shit. Cherokee, for crissake. Hmmm… sure sounds like Lee Konitz. Seems to me I had this at one point (Live in Genoa?), but I don’t recall this being so long. 14 - This one is going to irritate me. I know that pianist. Two listens and I don’t have it. I’m going to hate myself, later. 15 - This one is weird. Pace and general feel is Donna Lee, but I don’t hear it, yet. Are we dealing with solo organ? That’s an oddity, but I’m not sold on it. Only guy I can think of trying something like this is Joey D., but this person sounds a bit older. Wait… now we’re at the ballpark. I’m so lost. I give it points for being original, but I’m not feeling this one. And, for some reason, my wife is downstairs rocking out to Mingus Ah Um. Guess I did something right last night! Nearly all of this is new to my ears. I’ll be interested to see the reveal.

NOW all the comments make sense! I was in the right neighborhood with Kurtis, at least.