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tkeith

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Everything posted by tkeith

  1. Man, you are so sniffing around the fire! Azar Lawrence DOES appear on this album, but this is not him. I'll be surprised if anyone gets this one. Your assessment that they are not Caribbean is correct. They seem to cover a fairly wide stylistic swath. Nothing about your reaction to this is a surprise, and yes, the bassist is INDEED a heavy musician. I would say the pianist qualifies, as well. This guy was a discovery to me about 20 years back. Haven't heard all that much from him recently, which could be as much my fault as his. I like where your ears took you, but this test does the impossible -- a BFT from me absent a John Hicks appearance.
  2. He is in there, and it is his composition, but the band operates under multiple names.
  3. Not KB. I figured you'd dig this one and figured you for a lock to get it. Hint: Trumpet player identifies as something else and THEN a guy who plays trumpet. I'd be surprised if you're not correct about most of those.
  4. Glad you could stop by! I think you called this one pretty well, though I think the perceived failure to pull it off is intentional. They call it something else, but parentheticaly "Yesterday". Pretty well assessed. Really don't expect this one to get ID'd. Certainly a period that influenced this band. That assessment comes as no surprise. I'm surprised this one hasn't been pegged, yet. Exactly. Seems to have been an occasional mark of the label that produced this music. In my mind, it was frequently the recording (there were some great drummers in the stable), but some of the recordings seemed to feature the "b" team. Appreciate that. This one, IMHO, gets better upon repeated listening. Another tenor who leaves it all on the field. I mostly agree on the composition, but the rhythmic pattern and the movement in the piano's left hand (freeing up the bass for ad-libs) make this one special to my ear. Composed by a GREAT musician and an underrated composer. Thanks, again!
  5. Invisible Funk-A-Roonie-Peacock can be challenging, and the title track always seemed a bit short of the rest of the album to my ear, particular the A side.
  6. Correct! My father picked this record out for me at Looney Tunes in Boston. At first, I didn't care for it. Upon repeated listenings, it became a favorite. There's a couple of filler tracks, but most of the album is excellent.
  7. Spot on on track 9. LM was introduced to my via the BFT, and boy am I glad. LOVE this tune. And, I agree about how we are wired. Of course, I knew that the first time I saw your avatar! A few years back this happened:
  8. Wow! Some definite surprises. Never would have gotten Alan Dawson, but feel pretty good about my assessment of James Williams. A lot of people saw him in a lower tier, but I've always felt he was under-respected within the genre.
  9. To access July’s BFT, please use the following link. http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/ at the risk of stepping on KEN’s toenails, I’m going to start this today (not sure I am available tomorrow). Apologies in advance — this is a long BFT. I am usually better about that. Mostly long tracks, more of a listener than a fooler. Enjoy!
  10. A transcription of it is available on Scribd. Jim, What tunes have you transcribed, out of curiosity. Equal curious as to what your axe is (spend most of my time on the BFT thread and was not aware of this). Also, to the OP, you might have luck contacting him. For awhile he was offering to sell his arrangements on his website (I have a BH fetish and tried to purchase a slew of stuff, but it never materialized). I've lobbied him a couple of times about putting out a book of his material, but to no avail. He seems a pretty private guy.
  11. Finally got a listen in. No mining (well, a little where it will be obvious), just first impressions. Track 01 - Old Devil Moon by a vibist I’m not familiar with. Modern recording, in that it’s too clean. The drums seem to lose something in the modern recordings, IMHO, as a result of the sound being *too* clean. Drummer seems like he comes out of Billy Higgins. Piano speaks to me most, here. Not quite John Hicks, but definitely out of that school. Track 02 - Not feeling this one. Keep waiting for it to go somewhere, but it never seems to get there. Muhal Richard Abrams has some stuff like this and it’s the stuff that least reaches me. Track 03 - Sounds like Gilmore’s tenor in the mix. This has PRECISELY what the last track lacked. That IT factor… or maybe it’s just that it swings. That’s NOT Gilmore. Very distinct tenor sound, almost like he’s holding it back. Ballsy… sort of like a ballsy Oliver Nelson. Particularly dig the drums on this cut. That’s Paul Gonsalves right there. Man, that right hand on the drummer is THICK! I like this a lot! This is must have material. Track 04 - Overall, this seems too abstract for the sake of being that. Sounds like Dolphy playing a clarinet, which I’ve only heard once or twice. Doesn’t really click for me. Seems absent the blues. Track 05 - If You Could See Me Now (did Tadd Dameron write any songs that WEREN’T great?!). No idea who the flugelhorn player is. Didn’t really grab, but was perfectly pleasant. Not a criticism, just an observation (hell, Art Farmer does that to me all the time!). Track 06 - Expressive, warm soprano sound. Inability to get that body in the tone is precisely why my soprano sits fallow most of the time. Can’t come up with the name of the tune, which frustrates… Short, sweet, to the point. Quite enjoyed this one. Track 07 - Surrey With The Fringe On Top. Cooking trio, but can’t say I know the players. Track 08 - Unclear on the tune, don’t know the players. Not a clarinet guy, but oddly, I like this. Track 09 - It’s a unique composition, but not in a way that makes me care. I do like the blending of the instruments within the arrangement. Liked it more as it went on, though the arrangement remains clunky. Soloists all seemed to work well against the backdrop of the band, particularly the alto, Bari, and trombone. Track 10 - “Warming up in the bullpen for Cincinnati…” No idea. Track 11 - I believe this one was on a previous test (118). I believe it’s track 9 from this. Love the song, love the movie, love the version. Track 12 - Interesting instrumentation. Not sure where I am on the composition, but love the blend of the three voices. Not feeling the organ, at all. Track 13 - Just friends. Dual vibes? Triple vibes? Or two vibes and a marimba, anyway. Three it is. Seemingly older recording (I’d guess late 50s/early 60s from the sound of the rhythm section; either that or it’s Mapleshade doing their thing even better than usual). Don’t know who. Of there three, I prefer the third; first two are a bit bouncy in their style for my taste. Rhythm section is right there, though, making this a good listen. Track 14 - Georgia a la Big Ben (who fools NOBODY). I know this is on multiple compilations. I’m familiar with it from The Complete Recordings of Ben Webster on Enlightenment. That seems to be Art Tatum on piano. Track 15 - I like the piano, crisp yet swinging. Not enamored of the guitar sound. Track 16 - I do NOT like harmonica. And yet, you’ve done it again: this, I like. Strange instrumentation, but I’m all in.
  12. I didn't see the pinkish shade until the response. I took my notes in an app called Sticky Notes on my Chromebook at work. It copies the color of the note when you copy and paste and I can't figure out how to get it to NOT do that.
  13. A bit delayed and getting ears on this one. Once I had the chance, I was mostly confounded. Weak pocket of the genre for me, so always an education. Track 01 - No idea Track 02 - No idea Track 03 - Honeysuckle Rose. No idea Track 04 - Honeysuckle Rose, again. No idea Track 05 - That sure sounds like Edward Kennedy Ellington on piano, and Honeysuckle Rose. Track 06 - This BFT is in full bloom. No idea. Track 07 - And the Sunny Side of the Street is leading to all those flowers. Sounds like Rabbit to me, but almost too clean. Track 08 - More sun! Could there be more flowers to follow!? Track is this, though I know not from which source. Track 09 - More sun. Not sure. I was thinking Jerome Richardson on flute/bari, but more due to context than any sure feeling. Trumpet sounds familiar (like, should have had him). Track 10 - Hmmm... theme is in full force. Obvious guess would be Fatha Hines, but I think it's more likely someone playing like EFH. Track 11 - No idea. Track 12 - Sounds like Django to me, but no further guesses. Track 13 - No idea. Track 14 - No idea. Track 15 - No idea.
  14. Zorn can be enjoyable... and he can be un-enjoyable. This one was enjoyable, even where I differed with choices. Track 01 - West coastiness. Something very... proper(?) about the arpeggios in the alto player's solo. It's not stiff... but it's close. Track 02 - This sounds familiar rather quickly. I knew there was something quirky in that mix. Is that a banjo? No... brass guitar? Something odd in that bass, too. Acoustic bass guitar, maybe? Pizzacato cello? This is intriguing. It's odd, but remains musical. There's something almost Kenny Wheeler-ish about the trumpet, in a very good way. Like Kenny and Freddie Hubbard produced an offspring. Aha! Well, that's Oliver Lake. So maybe that could be someone along the lines of Hugh Ragin on trumpet. That strange-ish bass sound could be Abdul Wadad on cello. And the more I'm hearing the drummer, the more I'm getting a Cyrille vibe. Track 03 - Solo piano, older. Unsure. Track 04 - I like the vibe of this from the git go. Tenor has that vibrato quality that Byard Lancaster had on alto. Players struck me as avant garde players, but that's not the vibe, at all. Track 05 - Early on with the dogs was just weird enough to get me thinking Bill Dixon, but then it got all groovy. Hell, I like dogs -- I'm in. I was almost leaning Eddie Harris, then it hit me, that sure sounds like Rahsaan. And then, it sounds a little more controlled than Rahsaan. Definitely not Eddie. Okay, definitely Rahsaan, but not sure of the recording. Dig the groove, though. Is that a bassoon in my left ear? Intriguing. Can only name two guys who play that in the genre and I don't think it's either. Track 06 - That IS a different direction. Pretty straight forward swing, after the head. Maybe Budd Freeman on tenor? Not sure the band. Track 07 - Ooooo.. tasty. Man, this feels very LA to me. It's not Tapscott, but I think it's a disciple. It's not Adele Sebastian, so that leaves me wondering which of the doublers it might be (though, in truth, this sure sounds like a flute player to me). More polish on the piano than the Tapscott crowd, but I'm realling thinking Roberto Miquel Miranda on bass and Sonship Theus on drums. Very snappy drums, digging them a lot. That McCoy-ish lefthand is a big selling point for me, as well. Yeah, I'm going to commit and say flute is the main axe for this player. Some groaning in there, but not quite to the level of Harold Alexander. Perhaps James Newton? This is an absolute keeper for me. Track 08 - Odd. Heavily brass ensemble, heavily arranged, busy drums, but it works. Not sure how often I'd go to this well, but it's a refreshing drink at the moment. Get's a bit more common when it breaks into the Jazz waltz feel, but still works. The opening section had me thinking of Charles Tolliver's Brass Company. I'm almost wondering if this might be from Charles' current big band, as that sounds like Donald Harrison on alto. Arrangement has a bit of an edge to it, as well. Track 09 - HANK JONES! The Great Jazz Trio. This is SUCH a great track! Track B1 from this. One day, I WILL cover this tune. Hank is a forgotten hero of this music. Should be mentioned as frequently as Barry Harris or Tommy Flanagan. Stellar! Track 10 - Niceness. Very tasteful ballad. Not sure who the 'bone player is, only who it isn't. It's pleasant, but not overly memorable. Certainly a nod is due to Freddie Hubbard. At first I was thinking a controlled Hannibal, but that's not the case. Maybe Jeremy Pelt? Again, seems a bit more controlled. I like this, but prefer the trumpet player to the trombone (though that's purely preference -- both are fine efforts). So refreshing to hear a ballad that REMAINS a ballad. Track 11 - Has a very Vijay Iyer feel to it (and I mean that in a good way). It's complicated rhythmically, but remains musical. Vijay manages that where so many fail. Piano solo gets VERY busy, but that bugs me less than the putrid electric bass. Again, just a preferential thing, but I truly loathe that instrument 99% of the time. About 4:58, I turned into Montgomery Burns - "Alright... it's beginning to grate a little..." Almost wondering if this might be Martina Almgren's band. Seems like they may be a couple of steps ahead of that from a technical standpoint. Clearly, these are good players, but... I hate to be the curmudgeon, but... "sing me a song, baby." Gets a little too into the world of Chris Potter towards the end. I think I would have been wowed if the whole thing were about 5-1/2 minutes. This is just too busy for too long to suit my tastes. Sorry about the color background, it's a Chromebook thing, and I got paid to take this test. Ah... I see I'm not as isolated in my appreciation of Hank Jones as I thought. Got to see him towards the end, and glad I did. A true master.
  15. I am surprised by this. Mostly because a friend recently sent me a Kamasi video that I found completely uninspiring. He was knocked out by it and I was completely turned off by it. Just listened again, and I still like it. Hey, there's a recording of Joe Lovano with The Jazz Orchestra that knocks me out, though Joe usually causes me to break out in a rash. It happens.
  16. Okay, not sure what's going on with the link, but it's working for me in all browsers (Safari, included), even on different machines. Try this link: http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/ Granted, I got an advanced listen, but here are my responses on that first listen: Track 1 - First thought was that it was electronic keyboard, but given the style, I'm now uncertain. Ah! There's John Gilmore, so I have to assume it's Sun Ra's band, but maybe after he passed? Track 2 - Off the bat, sounds like Cyrille's drumming. Organ sounds like Sun Ra. I know there is the Ra small band record on Horo (which I haven't heard in quite awhile), but this sounds cleaner than that, in terms of the recording. Definitely Ra, definitely Gilmore. I may be wrong about Cyrille, but I'm sure getting that vibe. Track 3 - I'm thinking of that John Handy record on MPS with similar instrumentation. Not convinced it's John, though. This stuff is always hit or miss with me, but this is a full-on hit. Man, that control. It's almost gotta be John. Track 4 - No clue. Very pleasant, though. Track 5 - Dat Dere. Initially, I was thinking it might Randy Weston, but once it gets going, I don't get that vibe at all. Track 6 - Recognize the song as Ellingtonia, but not that I can put a title to. I will guess Sir Roland Hanna. Track 7 - My first thought was Ricky Ford, my second was Harold Ashby. Neither are correct. Nope. I'm going with Ricky Ford. Track 8 - This has a distinctly Ibrahim vibe, but I don't recognize it. It's beautiful, though, particularly the left-hand of the piano. And then what seems to be Ricky Ford again would certainly support this being one of the Ekaya projects. It's not HoJo... sounds more like Charles Davis. I have Mindif and African River, but not The Mountain. I'll assume this is from the latter. Track 9 - This is cool in that Gil Evans 70s way. Even though those are synth strings, it works in this setting (odd since I had such an adverse reaction to them on last months BFT). I mean, I'd still prefer the real deal, but this works. Sure sounds like Hannibal. Is this Gil? Man, this is killin'! I need to acquire this. Don't suppose it's something off the wall like Mike Westbrook? Track 10 - No idea. Obvious guess would be Tito, but I have nothing to back it up. I know Jerry Gonzalez band can get this feel, but this seems like a bigger unit. Track 11 - Back to straight ahead, and it fits perfectly. Seems like something almost on the commercial end of the spectrum. My wife had a disc with Red Prysock playing a lot like this. A lot of stuff I'm hearing could be a lot of guys, but when he goes to Cuckooville (which I love), it leads me to believe it might be Red. Track 12 - Big sound. So big, I was thinking it was a tenor, at first. I've Louis Jordan (later) play like this, but don't think it's him. There's a lot to like in this. It's the understanding and respect paid to this stuff that makes me appreciate James Carter (when he stays focused). Track 13 - Man, this test took a turn, but I'm cool with it. A little more rock-and-roll than my listening takes me, but I"m totally diggin' it. No guesses. Guitar sounds like a cross between Albert Collins and Buddy Guy. Track 14 - That's another direction. I want to like it, but the distorted guitar is working against the process. It's unique, I'll give it that. Initially, it reminded me a lot of Peter Apfelbaum's Luminous Charms, but it seems a little more "in" than that. Lost me with the synth solo. Track 15 - Intro was more interesting to me than when it got going. I still like it, but it went in a different direction. First instincts had me thinking DeJohnette's Special Edition, and I'm coninced it's Jack. That's not any of the tenors I expect, so maybe the band with Gary Thomas?
  17. Updated. General FYI, I've put it into my iCal to update the page the last day of every month, so it WILL happen, now.
  18. BFT 167 Track 1 - Listening on crappy phones, but the sound seems a bit thin, but also like an early 90s (or later) recording. Drummer likes him/her some Tony (could it be Cindy?). Alto player seems to have listened to a lot of later Art Pepper (in a good way). Nothing jumping out about the piano player, but seems out of that John Hicks/Joe Bonner grouping, though I don't believe it is either of them. A touch of Harold Mabern in there, as well. Good, straight ahead Jazz, but not a lot of lasting impressions. Maybe Craig Handy? Track 2 - Newk! Not sure what the recording is, very 70s feel to it. My guess is pre-1975. Song is familiar, but I can't put a name to it. Man, this guy is so f***ing musical. Feeling more certain about the era -- the other players are just not to his level (few are, but after the Cherry band, that was never more apparent). Sonny is a baaaaaad man! Filthy! Track 3 - Sounds like Charlie, from Kansas City, though from what, I cannot hazard a guess. Can't really make out the melody. Track 4 - A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, my late uncle's favorite song. Track 5 - I kid you not, this makes me hostiley suicidal. I recognize that is an overreaction, but it IS the reaction. Track 6 - Off the bat, I was thinking Buddy Tate, but that's wrong. No idea who the band is, but the player is a survivor. Band seems a bit more common than the lead voice. Brass voices don't seem to be all that interesting as an arrangement; meanwhile, the saxophone voices are knocking me out... that's weird. This tenor voice is familiar, but in an unfamiliar way. My guess is that it's more of a blues player who I am less familiar with. What I can't decide is whether it's his band or he's just being featured. Track 7 - I like the singer's voice, and the use of the bass, mirroring it. The synth strings, on the other hand... well, they're bringing me back to #5. Very upbeat lyrics. Omit the synth strings and this is a winner, but that one item kind of kills it for me. Track 8 - Late 70s/Early 80s feel. Sort of out of that Woody Shaw school. Most certainly not Woody, though. Drums seem kind of detached, not sure if it's the mix or just not clicking. Seems busier than it needs to be, but nobody else seems to be paying attention to what's happening. Busy, without being tuned in. If it's not Wayne Shorter, it's somebody that owes him a house. Seems like a band trying to be Miles' band (no faulting that), but not quite there. Track 9 - Tenor almost sounds like a young Eddie Harris. Track 10 - Not sure who these guys are, but seems inspired by EH, to my ear. Track 11 - Not sure of the trumpet, but that sure sounds like George Coleman to me. There was a trumpet player from Memphis that had an album with Big George... I forget his name right now. This could be that. Definitely Big George on tenor. Sure sounds like Harold Mabern, too. Can't think of the trumpet player... Louis something. Track 12 - My favorite Bird tune! Scrapple From The Apple. That's Dex on tenor -- unmistakable. And there's Booker Ervin. Wow! Two unmistakable BOSS tenors!!!! Wow! WHAT!!? Sure sounds like Newk to me, on the right! Wow! Finally googled this and arrived at YouTube. Holy SMOKES! Track 13 - Man, the bass player is lost. Seems like a modern pianist, because they seem so out of sync, I'm going to make an odd guess: James Williams? Definitely that vintage. Bassist is just out-to-lunch at times. Some pleasing oddities in here!
  19. Jim to the rescue, shortly, I imagine. (I want my ears to be his when I grow up!)
  20. Man, not a lot I knew here. Some just didn't click, some absolutely nailed it. Gotta say, this one took awhile (four separate sittings). Track 01 - At times, almost flirts with Mal Waldron's phrasing, but too busy. Obviously Round Midnight, but not sure the player. Sure makes me wish I could play piano, though. Track 02 - Reminds me a bit of Don Pullen's album, Tomorrow's Promises. Because of that, I can't get the notion of Randy Brecker out of my mind. Has that South African feel, but more like a stateside band playing in that style. Not sure if it clicks. Not feeling the tenor player. Best thing I can say is, it's not Michael Brecker. Seems to have that approach that a lot of the 80s musical secretaries had -- too many influences outside of the realm in which they are playing. Track 03 - Didn't dig the drums in the beginning in the least. When the band kicks in, though, there's a lot of affinity for this. Alto is doing to me what the tenor player on the last track did. I like both more than most guys who play in this style, but it's not my bag. That alto's tone is pinging for me, but I can't say why. All over the bone, though. Everything seems to click as soon as he comes in. Not any of "my" guys, but I'm totally digging what he's bringing to the table. Some shades of Frank Foster in that tenor, but again, more out of that play-it-all generation. Digging the tenor, though. Rippin'! Track 04 - Sugar, obviously. Drummer's time leads me to think European. Tenor is tasteful, but I'm not getting much of a feel for who he is. Good player, but not something I'm compelled to own. No guess on the brassy trumpet. Arrangement is kind of clunky, like a late night TV show band might do. Again, diggin' the bone. Has almost a Knepper-esque quiver. Track 05 - Saw Billy Bang do a tune with this sort of drum riff, and as it was developing (Mike Carvin) Billy rasped, "Got that James Brown shit goin' on." I forget the title... is it Billy Joe, or the Tallehatchie (sp?) Bridge? Doesn't offend, but can't say I'm diggin' it, either. Rhythm on the tenor seems just a shade off. I want to like it, but it keeps poking me with these little rhythmic "offs". Something familiar in the tone, but not enough to hazard a guess. Track 06 - Block chords, Red. It's track 2, side 2, from this, but I'm guessing this is from the 32Jazz reissue based on the sound of the cymbals. Track 07 - Everything Happens To Me. Something is making me think Konitz, but it's not him. Very clean sound, but with a bit of a rasp, too. Sort of like an edgy Frank Morgan. There's a sparseness in the chord voicings that has me thinking Horace Parlan. This one is an absolute winner. Track 08 - And this one elicits the opposite response. NOTHING about that alto working for me. Overblowing and scoopsville. I'll pass. Gave up at 2:40. Track 09 - No idea on this one. Very pleasant. Track 10 - That's gotta be Randy Weston. Or not. Track 11 - A howler. I appreciate it, but have no guesses. This is a long-ass BFT! Track 12 - Fun, but not my thing. Reminds me of a Tom Waits lyric: "The band is awful and so are the tunes." It's not THAT level, but it's just not what I gravitate towards. This is very familiar to me, but I wouldn't seek it out. Is it possible this was part of a recent BFT? Track 13 - Methinks I smell a Pablo date. Leaning Arnett Cobb. Track 14 - I guessed Randy Weston, already, but that sure seems to be hinting at High Fly. And so it is. Not sure if I'm buying this or not. The laidback approach seems very forced. The rhythm is a little off (think Ricky Ford), and I'm not sure if I buy his technique. I want to like it, but I'm not there. Like the piano a lot. I don't think the player is as old as he sounds, and I think that's where it's missing for me. Track 15 - No guesses, not a lot of impressions. Track 16 - Misty with a heavily effected (for my taste) guitar. Somebody that has listened to a fair amount of Jim Hall, but isn't quite there to my ear. Perhaps Barney Kessel? Track 17 - Just a standard shuffle blues. No guesses, but nothing really striking me one way or the other. Track 18 - I know this. I swear I had this on vinyl growing up. It was my favorite Bird tune growing up. I can't peg this and I know I don't still have it. But I DEFINITELY owned this. I remember that intro chorus vividly. Trying to reason out the player. Has that live recording of the period sound. Touches of Eddie Harris, a bit of Newk, not quite to either guy's level (though it could certainly be Eddie). Either way, this is REAL. This guy is working, whether it works or not, he's after it. I would be so excited to see somebody do something like this live. Closest I've come in recent vintage was a night of Bill McHenry at a nothing club in NH with a local guy on bass and a drummer who was supposed to be somebody. Bill was killin' it all night. Nothing fancy, just like this (different style, but I mean, FEEL). We were diggin' it and he was feeding off of us. That's what's supposed to happen. This HAS that. This one is absolutely killin' for me. D'oh! Right up until the change in tune... rarely care for that.
  21. 1. That's just the way the files were sent to me. If sent a disc, they are always MP3 because that's the conversation I use. 2. In an effort to be certain that no data remains in the files that will help people ID them, I always try to choose a photo relative to the BFT number that will appear as the album artwork. In this case, Frank Taveras, due to a trade from the Pirates to the Mets, played 164 games in 1979. Similarly, BFT165 features a photo of Maury Wills, who played in 165 games in 1962.
  22. tkeith

    BFT 165

    Not falling behind on this one, my friend! Some morsels in here! Track 01 - This might be one step beyond what I can really muckle on to. Usually, anything that conjures visions of a 1973 El Dorado tends to make me pretty happy, but this seems to lean one extra step away from "Jazz" and towards Chicago. Tenor solo brings it back a bit, but again, just outside my sphere. This actually reminds me a lot of Bill Cosby's Badfoot Brown and the Bunions Bradford Marching Band. I'm guessing I don't know the players by name here, but I'll hazard a shot at Rudolph Johnson on tenor. It cooks, I'll give it that. Almost feels a little polished for what it's aiming for. The Dick Griffin, Phil Ranelin stuff of the era had enough slop in it to keep me smiling. This seems like it might be a bit more towards commercial (thus cleaner) than that stuff. I'm on the fence about it, probably in part because I can't put a decent guess on what it is. A little nod to the Beatles in the fade? Track 02 - Ah... there's a nice bass hook, with some simple backbeat... now we're talking. Well, not sure what it's being called here, but that's Hugh Lawson's Joobubie (which has had various titles on different records). Not sure who the tenor is. Has a touch of George Adams in his cleanness, but it's not Big George. Just a bitch of a tune. Very interested to know what this one is. Track 03 - First thought was a Blakey cut, but that's obviously not the case. Shades of Kenton, though seems more out of that vein than his own stuff. Tenor is like Harold Vick and Bill Saxton had a child... and maybe Stubblefield raised it. In fact, that may well be Stubb. Seems like a variation on Coltrane changes. Kind of a busy arrangement, but not overbearing. If it's not Kenton, it could be Manuel De Sica. I don't know this, but I think I want to hear some more. Track 04 - Harold Land, for sure. What a SOUND! And there's Bobby. Off to a stellar start. Sounds like the progression of Dark Mood. It's not the version I'm familiar with (definitely not Billy Higgins). That means it's the version from this. I have this, but I'm less familiar with it than other stuff from Hutcherson/Land. Track 05 - "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..." Damned tenor. I know h im. I mean, I KNOW him. But... damn it! He's playing just beyond a tempo he can handle. He's got that same, almost gasping quality to some of the lower register that Harold Land has. Almost like Charles Lloyd, but seems too bold. At the onset, I was leaning Scofield. Now I'm torn between Sco and Pat Martino. Track 06 - Good old Jazz waltz -- nothing quite like it. I cheated on this one and Googled it. I thought I heard Junior Mance in there. Track 07 - Speaking of Ranelin, that sure sounds like him to me. Perhaps it might be somebody a little more towards "the tradition," but the energy is certainly compatible. A very Tyner-esque piano, some FIERY drumming which certainly owes at least a nod to Elvin, though it could be the man himself. This kicks a bit of ass. No idea who the lunatic on piano is, but I think I love him. Not Elvin. Energetic MF, though! Man, I need this. This is killin'! Track 08 - Aw yeah! Last track on the A-side of this. Such a bitchin' tune! Sonny recorded this later with Pharoah and Elvin on Ask The Ages as Many Mansions. His tune, I guess he can do with it what he wants. Elvin DESTROYS this and it is EPIC! Track 09 - I was thinking, this one HAS to be McCoy. However, that's a Woody Shaw tune. Damned if I can tell you the name. Wait! No! I'm a huge, fat liar! That's Hannibal! No! Okay, this is funny. I had to sleuth this out in the collection, knowing full well I had it. About 2-1/2 minutes in, I made a note to myself (as I do throughout the year for tunes for my next BFT): "Jothan Callins" figuring I'd pick the tune later. When I found the bass hook, I spent 3 minutes laughing at myself before coming back to the computer to type. Fair enough. Tim Webb turned me onto this record. I know nothing of the artist other than this absolutely bitchin' recording. It's the title track from this. Track 10 - Has the feel of a Mingus tune. No idea who, but I like this. Track 11 - No clue. Shades of Cream. Interesting. I like it, but not sure if I would go to this well unless in a specific mood. [Additional listens prompted me to sleuth this, but I'm not going to ID it; very interesting story, and indicative of one of the many gaps in my listening, even after nearly five decades.] Great stuff, as usual!
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