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mikeweil

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Posts posted by mikeweil

  4. BFT 238 Reveal

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

    Thanks Al!

    I truly feel like the Charles Williams is at the top of the great Mapleshade list.  He didn't get the attention he deserved.

    Just put it in the player! And ordered a copy of the Norris Turney a few minutes ago. 

  5. BFT 238 Reveal

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Oh well ..... two albums I actually have. That I did not recognize Poindexter is a big shame, having researched his discography. 

    I bought the Charles Williams because I love Larry Willis and the way Pierre Sprey's recordings sound. Will have to pull this out. That series on Mapleshade is a treasure trove.

    Thanks, Dan!

  8. The Worst Masterpiece: "Rhapsody in Blue" at 100, by Ethan Iverson

    in Classical Discussion

    Posted · Edited by mikeweil

    There's a tradition in France and Great Britain of pianists playing "jazz", that is what they thought it to be at the time. The Thibaudet track belongs to that, in my ears.

    I think of Bily Mayerl, or Jean Wiener. In Germany, Erwin Schulhoff and Paul Hindemith made money with playing in cabarets and even composed ragtimes and dance stuff. I remember a letter by Hindemith where he offered it to his publisher as he thought it would sell. (There was a lot of this before the Nazis put an end to this.) From this it is not very far to Ravel or Milhaud and their (genuine) insterest in jazz. To me. Gershwin belongs more into this tradition than jazz. Take someone like George Shearing coming out of this tradition.

    The Cuban and Carribean pianists playing dance stuff with their conservatory training is a similar stream, take Lecuona.

  10. BFT 238 Discussion

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Shame on me! Track 1 is indeed the opening track of Pony Poindexter's Barcelona album. Urghh! I must admit I listenedn to it only once or twice and never since I put his discography online. Whre's the next rabbithole?

  16. BFT 238 Discussion

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Listening to complete my comments/guesses.

    Track 6: Opening drum roll sounds very Blakey-ish. I thought about Donald Byrd / Pepper Adams, but .... Nice. I would listen to more from that group.

    Track 7: Very interesting, heavy groove, trombone in an organ combo. No idea who this is.

    Track 8: Bird's "Now's the time". I like it a bit slower. I know that tenor player. A bit of Ammons, but too many slurs for him. Fun jam session, they definitely have a good time. But I am no good at identifying players anymore as I do not listen to jazz that much currently. 

    Track 9: Another old Calypso-type tune. Again it looses its charm when played that fast and just used for running the changes. The title escapes me, but I have a much slower version that is downright cute.

    Track 10. Dizzy Atmosphere? You seem to love versions that raise the tempo! Another loss in charm. All comptetent players, but all racing like the are on cocaine.

    Track 11: Night In Tunisia. Now here's someone taking his time! He knows how to play the break! Some clever quotes, literally and stylistically, in the solo. He knows the history of jazz piano. Who is this? 

    Track 12: Okay, this, too, looses the charm of the original, but I kinda like this approach here. Again traces of Ammons. Title escapes me right now.

    Track 12: Misty - with feeling. That's a very nice closer.

    Thanks for the compilation. Without these BFTs I would listen to much less jazz right now. Too much music to listen to, too little time.

  17. The Worst Masterpiece: "Rhapsody in Blue" at 100, by Ethan Iverson

    in Classical Discussion

    Posted

    Many aspects play a role here. Racial and segregational issues, economics, taste - all interwoven in a very complex fashion. As long as black, white, jewish etc. is an issue and musicians have to make money with their profession under these conditions, there will be happenings like this. Basically, you use whatever you hear and inspires you. What grows out of it is another thing. But y'all know this.

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