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Big Al

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  1. Oh no, it's Big Al's BFT 229!!!

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    23 hours ago, tkeith said:

    Did this test just before the board went down.  Now that it's back, I decided to do something I never do and started reading the other posts, simply because my reaction to this was what it was.  Seems my reaction is a partial outlier (Felser got to my neighborhood after a few tunes), but after I read MJZEE's post, I decided to just post my original content.  Apologies in advance for being a curmudgeon.

    Well, part of the idea behind a BFT is to hear music you don't ordinarily listen to.  This was definitely that.  As a kid, Wednesdays school let out at noon for teacher workshop days (which, as an adult, I would come to realize was NOT a positive thing, but rather typically a complete waste of time that everybody hated -- prep time would have been far more valuable, but I digress), so I would go to my grandparent's until my mother got out of work.  She'd have on WHOM, "Beautiful music from the top of Mt. Washington," was what they billed it as.  It was Muzak.  She had taste, including a fairly decent record collection (Basie, Ellington, Lockjaw, Stan Kenton, Illinois Jacquet) and I remember asking her, "Do you like this?"  "It's pretty," was her non-committal response.  While I don't wish to kick anyones taste, that's what this BFT conjured in my memory.  It was not a highlight of my youth.  With age, I'm trying to park some of my negativity.  I keep channeling the words of saxophonist Matt Langley, "We [Jazz guys] make up about 2% of the listening population, do we have to argue about it?"  He had a point, but I still can't stand Michael Brecker.  So, my lack of deep comments is an attempt to strand some of my negative reactions in the parking lot.  

    Track 01 - Nothing really here for me, no idea what I'm listening to, but it's too clean, to the point of not holding my interest.

    Track 02 - There was a time I wanted a lyricon in the 80s.  Had a recording of Tom Scott playing it, and thought it was neat.  I was 12.  By age 13, I'd sold the record and lost interest in the idea.  This doesn't rekindle it (and I assume this is EWI, the digital equivalent).

    Track 03 - I was hopeful this was going to be Sonny Fortune.  It may be a poorly recorded Cecil McBee on bass.  The tune sounds very familiar, but with the solos, I got nothin'.  Wondering if it's someone I don't know covering a tune I somewhat know.  I don't mind the trumpet player, but can only offer a list of who it is not.  Not Fortune.  Perhaps a Grubbs brother?

    Track 04 - I want this to be a semi-hip cover of Do You Know The Way To San Jose.  Sadly, it is not.  This is the track that really brought me back to Wednesday afternoons.

    Track 05 - I want to like this, but it's crossing too many eras, and I'd prefer any of them to the mix.  Maybe Shorty Rogers?

    Track 06 - Not an era that appeals to me.  I've developed a respect for it (as I have with even certain rock music, because it's its own thing and NONE of it is *easy*), but can't listen to it for long.

    Track 07 - Ditto.

    Track 08 - There's a lot I don't gel with here.  West coastie feel, with strings on top, and an absence of the way I hear swing.  Okay as film music, but I can't sit here and just listen (though I did, twice, albeit unhappily).

    Track 09 - Song actually sounds very familiar, but I just can't get to this.

    Track 10 - No.  I can't fit into my leisure suite anymore.  Could be Gato from the period I don't get to.

    Track 11 - Kind of Mangione-esque, but I prefer Chuck.

    Track 12 - Could be Jan Garbarek and/or Gary Burton.  Or maybe Mathias Lupri.

    Track 13 - Not my bag, but might be my pick of the BFT.  Okay, three minutes in I'm just frustrated.  It doesn't GO anywhere.

    Track 14 - I recall this song from somewhere, perhaps THIS is the Grubbs brothers track?  Nope.  Shades of Joe Henderson on a nothing day.  Too much going on, yet nothing at all.  Alright, that sure sounds like Freddie, but too busy being Freddie.  This is going to be people I like just trying to bug me, I just know it.  This is a bad porn soundtrack.

    Welp, hopefully I contained some of it, but there just wasn't much in this test for me.  

     

    I love this and I hope you'll share the unfiltered comments! I'll gladly cop to liking a lot of this because it sounds pretty to these ears. :)

  2. Oh no, it's Big Al's BFT 229!!!

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    On 4/2/2023 at 1:04 PM, rostasi said:

    Kinda zipped thru these (kinda busy) and haven't yet listened to anything past the first 10,
    but I'm gonna point out the ones I feel pretty certain about:

    1) Petr Zelenka - Hidden Time (Memory Flash)

    2) Pat Metheny - Daulton Lee (Falcon and the Snowman)

    ...

    6) Fats Waller - Won’t You Get Off It, Please (any number of collections. The single has "Harlem Fuss" on the "A" side methinks...)

    ...

    9) I'm scratchin' my head on this one 'cause it makes me feel like it's the Charlie Brown All-Stars 😄

    10) Ray Barretto - Mambotango (La Cuna)

    Will give it more time tomorrow...

     

    Good grief Charlie Brown! Right on all accounts!!!! Nice to know I'm not the only one who has the Zelenka disc!

    On 4/2/2023 at 5:04 PM, danasgoodstuff said:

    Finally figured out the linky thing.

     

    Yup! And you nailed the guess too! 👍

    On 4/2/2023 at 8:30 PM, Quasimado said:

    #8 "Places Please" from the Ralph Burns "Free Forms" Clef LP from 1951.

    Lee Konitz cuts through the schmaltz. Ray Brown and Jo Jones are surprisingly in the mix.

    DING! DING! DING!

  3. Oh no, it's Big Al's BFT 229!!!

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    On 4/1/2023 at 5:53 PM, mjzee said:

    I thoroughly enjoyed this BFT.  I liked every track, and liked how the whole set flowed.  This would be good background music for a party.  Much of it involved the samba rhythm, but how each track treated it lent variety.  I only identified one track (#12).

    1. Sounds like Scofield/Lovano, but isn't.  Light and lilting.  Sax sounded a little like Stan Getz.

    Interesting! Getz was not who I thought this was when I first heard it. You're the second person to think this is a tenor sax.

    2. Synth that sounds like a harmonica!  My guess is mid-80's, something a "smooth jazz" FM station might play (or maybe heard in an upscale spa).  Spyrogyra, Special FX, one of those.

    You're on the right track but it's neither of those groups.

    3. Continuing with the samba lilt, but with a more insistent edge.  George Benson?  Could be a Blue Note late-60's track, Lee Morgan, but it isn't.

    No, but you're on the right track since the quitar is the leader.

    4. The late-'60's vibe continues.  Up Up & Away!  This is a BFT right up TTK's alley.  Sounds like the B-side of a single.

    You're the second person to name-drop TTK with this track. I can't wait to see his response!

    5. Nice groove.  Late '60's. Like a permutated Hello Dolly.  All professionals, no idea who they are.

    All professionals indeed!

    6. I love this stuff.  Louie?  I can listen to this all day.  Coleman Hawkins.

    Not Louie or Hawk, but I'm right there with ya: I could listen to this all day!

    7. Acoustic guitar.  Ben Webster?  Laid-back groove.  Could've been mid-40's Blue Note.

    Wow! Correct on all accounts! Nice peg!

    8. Alto with strings?  Lee Konitz?  The strings and arrangement are as much the star as the alto.  Jimmy Giuffre arrangement?

    Not Giuffre but correct on all other accounts!

    9. Late '60's again.  Short track.  George Benson?  Laurindo Almeida?  Session musicians actually made money in those days.

    Late 60's indeed but neither of those players. I sure hope these people made money!

    10.  Tenor sounds familiar.  Drummer sounds like Steve Gadd.  Arrangement sounds like late '60's, but recording sounds like late '70's.  Great charts.

    Tenor is very much-loved around here! The drummer may or may not be Steve Gadd because the credits list two drummers and Gadd is one of them. That's gotta be him, though

    11. Flute and marimba.  Fits with the overall groove.

    Yup!

    12.  As soon as I heard the vibes, I knew.  It's track B1 from this.

    DING! DING! DING! What a fantastic record!

    13.  Trumpet, alto, guitar.  Remarkable how much is the arrangement vs. time for solos.  Then what pops up as the first solo but organ!  This wasn't on Prestige, because it required a rehearsal.

    You're right, it's definitely not Prestige. The organist is also much-loved around here!

    14. Similar instrumentation as #13, but with tenor instead of alto.  Definitely enjoyed the groove here.

    Loads of groove on this one!

    Glad you dug it! My comments are in blue above!

    On 4/1/2023 at 9:23 PM, Milestones said:

    1) Guitar and alto...pretty nice.  I'm thinking the guitarist is the leader. Maybe Dave Stryker and Steve Slagle, mainly because of the simpatico of the players.

    Guitarist is the leader but neither of those players. Finally someone guesses an alto! 😂

    2) Just about everything suggests Pat Metheny Group.  I don’t think it’s in my collection, but I don’t have all those records.  There are the vocals and a Lyle Mays sound/vibe.  More Lye than Pat…the latter usually make his presence known.  But I’ll still say Metheny Group.

    DING! DING! It's definitely Metheny Group!

    3) Mellow.

    4) Sounds too much like a theme from a 1960’s sitcom.

    This track is bringing out comments as colorful as the album cover!

    5) Nice track that has a 1950’s west coast sound to my ears, but I could be way off.

    Maybe not. Hopefully someone will post about this track who has information about it because neither the album nor the internet has any info.

    6) Old time jazz.  Sounds like a large ensemble, but not true big band size.  Perhaps early Ellington? Yeah, sounds a lot like Duke…waiting to see if the piano gets a spot…no.  I will  guess Duke, but not with full confidence.

    Not Duke!

    7) This is old-timey too.  I’m guessing that’s a pre-Charlie Christian guitarist… and a good one.

    Actually this was recorded after Christian's passing.

     

    Cool guesses! Comments in blue!

    On 4/1/2023 at 9:43 PM, Milestones said:

    I'm pretty much at a loss on the rest.

    10) My wild guess is Grover Washington Jr.

    Not Grover but I can see how this might sound like him!

    11) This might be Hubert Laws.  It might be Dave Valentin and Dave Samuels.  Or someone else!

    One of those Dave's is correct! 😉 It's not Laws but that would've been my guess if this wasn't by BFT!

    14) Tenor sounds like Joe Henderson, but not any Henderson that I have heard before.  It has fusion elements and definitely sounds 70's.  I believe that's an organ, but it has synth qualities.

    There's a reason the tenor sounds like Joe Henderson 😁

     

    More groovy guesses and more comments in blue!

  5. Oh no, it's Big Al's BFT 229!!!

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted · Edited by Big Al
    Trying to make two consecutive and separate posts. It's not working.

    6 hours ago, felser said:

    1 – Very pretty.  Great tone for the tenor sax. 

    Not a tenor but I agree it is pretty and has a great tone!

    2 – I don’t want to like this, but I do like it.  Reminds me feel-wise of some of the Airto Moreira stuff from the 70’s, though it is less organic.

    I think people may or may not be surprised to find out who this is. Depends on how big a fan one is of the artist.

    3 – Brother Big Al, you’ve been into one relaxed musical groove this past decade!  What’s not to like about this one?  Wouldn’t mind owning it if I don’t already.  Like this one a lot.

    The only people who know this are those who own this album. It is definitely worth seeking out!

    4 – No no no no no!  I don’t do steel drums!  I guess I’d describe this one as “jaunty” but if it wasn’t so short, I’d be hitting the skip button.  60’s vintage kitsch?  TTK might love it, but he doesn’t do BFT’s.  Could be from a soundtrack to some forgotten movie of that era.  Vinyl source!

    60's vintage kitsch it is and definitely from my vinyl copy! It's not a steel drum, believe it or not, but I can definitely see where it sounds like one!

    10 – Futuristic!  Tenor can play.  Late 70’s/early 80’s?  I do like it, though won’t be rushing out to buy it.

    Oh yes he can! You might be surprised to find out who this is! I don't think it will change your mind about buying it tho. 😄

    11 – Works for me.  Late 70’s CTI-ish groove to it, though could be later.  Not earlier.  I’ll look into this one along with #3.

    This was my favorite discovery of last year, so much so I bought a second copy to send to a friend of mine in NC!

    12 – Sounds like Michael Brecker at his most annoying to me, but can’t think of him recording with vibes.  I like the vibes and the bass, but the tenor largely kills the track for me.  Still interested to find out what it is.  Someone like Dave Samuels on vibes?

     It helps to know this also isn't a tenor sax. Maybe that's why it sounds so annoying? 😁

    13 – Like this one a lot.  Guessing it is the organist’s album, but I could be wrong.   Guessing 70’s vintage.  Looking forward to ID on this, and hoping I already own it.  If not, will look into it along with tracks 3 and 11

    I hope you own it too, it is fantastic!

    14 – I know this one, my favorite organist of all time, and my favorite album by him!  Of course I own it!   And the tenor player is obvious!   Fascinating name juxtaposition of the horn player names 😊.    Last cut from this great album .

    I figured this would be a gimme to those who own this phenomenal album. This one is right up there with Bitches Brew in terms of monumental jazz double-albums!

    Big Al, great to have you back on board!  Thanks for the BFT! Looking forward to the reveals on many of the tracks, and to see how some of the tracks are received by others!

    It's good to be back and, even better, it's great to be back in touch with you!

     

     

     

  6. Mark Russell, political satirist with a star-spangled piano, dies at 90

    in Artists

    Posted

    This quote from the National Review memorial resonated with me:

    "Mark Russell was winding down during the presidency of George W. Bush and retired before the Trump era began. Perhaps it was just age catching up to him, or the fact that our culture moved beyond his gentle and bipartisan style of humor. Whether you think the U.S. has become a humorless place, this is now certainly a country where each political faction is much less willing to laugh at jokes about itself. And the political satire that is out there is usually brimming with contempt for the opposing side."

    Ouch!

  9. Oh no, it's Big Al's BFT 229!!!

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Happy April Fool's Day and what better way to celebrate with this fool and his BFT 229! My last BFT was January 2013 and it might be something of an understatement to say that life is drastically different now than it was then, both in my own life and in the world. Therefore, I wanted to stick with music that was new to me over the course of the last 10 years. Ironically, and this is the only clue I'll give, none of this music was recorded in the last ten years (that will have to be saved for a future BFT). It's funny: I spent three months putting this together and the original result was boring and unlistenable; a few rearrangements and swapping out of songs and now I love it, and that took all of 30 minutes! Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy it too!

    https://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/

     

  15. BFT 228

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted · Edited by Big Al

    Track 12 isn't "Mean to Me?" Well whattya know. I like it that after 25+ years of listening to jazz, I still can't recognize jazz standards when I hear them...

  16. BFT 228

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    I hereby nominate my guess for track 7 as THE dumbest guess I've ever submitted on a BFT. And given the volume of dumb guesses I've made over the years, that's saying something.

    My guess for track 3 is a close second.

    On 3/3/2023 at 8:03 AM, Dan Gould said:

    I'm astonished people are reacting so positively to this guy. It's the first track I actually cut off in the middle.

     

    It's one of the reasons I no longer own the CD collection on which this track can be found.

  17. BFT 228

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    My oh MY was this a blast!

    Track 1: "Lush Life." Has a late-70's/early-80's Pablo feel to it. No idea on the player, but what a lovely way to start a BFT!

    Track 2: Ahhhh, I knew this one from the first note! Lovely tune from a lovely album. I always enjoy spinning this particular version at Christmas even though it's not technically a Christmas song! Track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/22m5z5zu

    Track 3: Oh wow, I have no idea who this is but I can't wait to find out! Sounds like my man Ben Webster on tenor! The fact that it sounds like it's mono to these ears makes me think this is a mid-70's Pablo recording.

    Track 4: I didn't know they had reverb back in the 40's! If the theme of this BFT is "lovely Sunday afternoon music" then it is hitting the bullseye with each track! I fear this BFT is gonna cause a strain on my wallet!

    Track 5: Again, no clue but I love it! I can see I'll be spinning this BFT a lot after this initial spin!

    Track 6: This! This is the tempo this song should always be played! Not too slow and not too fast. Just right! I can't wait to find out who this is!

    Track 7: First clunker of the set, which is not the fault of the player. He clearly admired Dolphy whereas Dolphy's music makes me want to stick industrial-grade cotton in my ears.

    Track 8: Oh boy did THIS send me off on a loop! I first thought this was Billy Eckstine but the more it went on the more I thought I might have this in my collection and may have skipped over it for various reasons. Then I thought this was a vocal track from Tadd Dameron's MAGIC TOUCH, then I thought it was a vocal track from the Tadd Dameron-Fats Navarro Complete Blue Notes, then I thought it was a vocal track from BIRTH OF THE COOL.... As you can tell, I spent FAR too much time trying to figure this out, searching Discogs & whatnot. After letting this sit for a few hours, the answer finally came to me: track B2 from https://tinyurl.com/8pswhmtn (or disc 2 track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/3vbhfh75 which is where I first heard this tune). Turns out I was kinda correct: I used to have this in my collection. And every time I wonder why I never kept this, I stream it again and I remember why: this music, which on paper should be right up my alley, has absolutely no effect on me. May be time to give this another listen and see if I need to scour the racks for my 3rd or 4th copy of this collection.

    Track 9: Lovely (there's that word again) version of "Solitude." I'm kinda proud my first guess at the piano player was the correct one since I'd never heard it before! Discogs says it's track A-2 from https://tinyurl.com/y6kfee3v but it looks like this was combined with other albums in this series into a 4-LP box that looks like it would be well worth my money!

    Track 10: That's "When I Fall in Love," right? At first I though this also had that mid-70's/early-80's Pablo sound, but changed my mind around the 5-minute mark when everybody started playing free-like. Talk about a mood-killer.

    Track 11: The trumpet-player sure likes Miles. I like a mute as much as the next guy but... I don't know. Is it a mike problem? Those high notes sound way too shrill for these ears. Is that Terje Rypdal on guitar? Subsequent listens have made me like this even more than I did upon initial listening.

    Track 12: Very interesting take on "Mean to Me." I like it that it's only taken approx. 25 years for me to finally recognize jazz standards. Makes me wonder if this is another Mose Allison type thing where the trumpet player is not known for being a trumpeter? Around the 4:40 mark I heard what sounded like a Tony Williams drum lick.

    Track 13: Good GRIEF this almost ruined my day! It would be one thing if I'd never heard this tune before. Sure, it sounds like so many other Blue Note tunes of the day, a variation on "Impressions." Good stuff! I would've just guessed Grant Green on guitar, maybe Lee Morgan on trumpet and Hank Mobley on tenor sax, and moved on. But NO, I *have* heard this song and it was literally on the tip of my tongue ALL BLOODY DAY. I was at the point of distraction all day, trying to figure out who, what, where. I mean, I could even see the CD on my shelf. Every avenue I checked was a dead end and I wanted so bad to go home and look thru my collection. Maybe I should've done that all along and just gone about my day because I would've eventually landed where I am now, sitting at home with my collection, seeing this as disc 5 track 8 from https://tinyurl.com/m8hjupbr (which is how I know this tune), but I understand it was originally intended as (and eventually released as) track 4 from https://tinyurl.com/2pszvh7m but also released as side 2 track 1 from https://tinyurl.com/2mxm35k8. This was totally nerve-wracking and TOTALLY worth the search! It just reminds me I need to listen to this set again!

    Track 14: oh man, this is FILTHY!!! The trumpet just leers at you from every corner! Very eerie. And cryptic. And greeeeeazy!

    Track 15: sounds like a tribute to Raymond Scott. That electric piano is KILLIN' me! Love it!

    Track 16: this sounds like an Elvin Jones group. It's apparently not from his celebrated Lighthouse gig on Blue Note, at least not that I can find.

    WOW! Whatta stellar BFT! And I have to follow this next month??? YIKES!!! Doing searches for some of these tracks led me to albums I hadn't spun in a VERY long time which I need to remedy quickly! After typing this up I listened to this BFT two more times. So much good music!

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