John B

PM on the way. My vote is for a single disc. I think that having every BFT be two discs or more has led to some of the burnout and drop in participation. I also find it easier to find the time to comment on tracks from just one disc. It gets to be challenging when there are 30 to 40 tracks to listen to and comment on.

ON HOLD I have an extra sealed copy of Billy Taylor's album Cross Section for sale. This is a limited edition OJC which is now, I believe, out of print. $6 plus $2 shipping in the U.S. I will ship internationally for the exact shipping cost. Thanks!

32. Very nice. I’ll guess this is off of this album. I’ve had this one on my “to buy” list for a few years and have never gotten around to it. I really love this track. He has a fantastic tone, and this tune is very well played. I’m not normally a huge fan of solo recordings, but this is outstanding. This is passionate, lyrical and very, very impressive. 33. An interesting track. The piano sounds somewhat odd, and the performance itself feels a bit “precious” at points. I’m not really sure what to say about this one. I’m wondering if this would make more sense in context of the album as a whole. 34. Tony Oxley on percussion, not sure who the pianist is. This doesn’t sound like Battaglia, whose duet with Oxley I chose for my BFT a while back. Both performances are impressive, although this sounds like two simultaneous solo performances rather than a true duet. Each player is doing their own thing and doing it well, but I don’t sense a lot of close listening and response here. Could this be von Schlippenbach on piano? If so, I’ll guess that it is this album but I’ll have to wait until I get home from work to check. 35. Is this AvS again? It sure sounds like it. I’m not very familiar with his solo works. Is this off of one of the new discs on Intakt? The playing is fairly blocky and abstract, but it also demonstrates some of the humor and quirkiness of his Monk tribute pieces. This one didn’t fully engage me for its duration, but I found much to appreciate here. 36. Very nice. This piece seems to contain elements of many styles. I’m hearing some references to stride, some show-tune like moments, some symphonic hints. No clue who this is, but it’s a fun way to end the BFT. I had a wonderful time listening to your selections and am looking forward to reading the answers and your thoughts on each track. Thank you for sharing this music!

24. This track comes across as very cerebral. Not a whole lot of warmth or emotion in the playing, but lots of technique and “flash” to spare. The performance is technically impressive, but it doesn’t invite me in or engage me very much. Definitely a sense of being detached and cool. 25. Ok, I own this album. Very nice. As much as I love the solo EP albums I have where he focuses on soprano exclusively, it is nice to hear him on tenor, interacting with another master. This isn’t what I would consider a “warm” album. In fact, this tune is fairly somber. This tune feels somewhat slight, on its own, but the album, as a whole, is fantastic. 26. Same album. A little more lively than track #25. I like this track a bit more than the last one, perhaps because it is more active or because I’m hearing more interaction between Joe and Evan. Again, a fantastic disc and a great opportunity to hear EP in the role of partner rather than in quite so dominant role as he can sometimes take. 27. This reminds me of Andrew Hill. The bass sounds fairly muffled at first, so I’m guessing this is a live recording, although I’m hearing some noise now that suggests this might be from vinyl, rather than live. Either way, the playing isn’t bad, but the track doesn’t really seem to go anywhere. I get the sense that the pianist isn’t quite sure where to go with this one and seems to muddle about for a bit before wrapping up the song. 28. A very classical sounding piece. No clue who this is. Not something I really love, but the performance is interesting, especially later in the piece when the playing gets a bit looser. 29. Another piece that is heavily reminiscent of classical music, although this seems to have a lack of gravity that I wouldn’t associate with classical musicians. The ICP of classical, perhaps? No clue who this is, but I enjoyed the performance. 30. A very pleasant performance. This one sounds very familiar, but I’m not placing it. The rhythm section is serviceable, if unexceptional. I like the tenor here. Again, nothing really out of the ordinary on this track, but a nice enough way to spend a few minutes listening. 31. I was a little disappointed when I finally heard this album. No fault of the music, just too much hype for a disc that had been out of print for years and was very difficult to track down. That said, this is some fantastic playing off of a fantastic album by one of the great unsung cats. Cool? Sure. Cerebral? Sure. But, I think, full of emotion and nuance and humanity. Essential.

Sticking to more jazz-based recordings: recent: I highly recommend Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet / Orchestra. They recorded a complete cover of Dolphy's Out to Lunch that would be a fairly easy entry point, although I prefer the live discs on DIW and Clean Feed. historical: check out guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi. One reviewer described him as sounding like "Sonny sharrock, Fred Frith and Derek Bailey, all rolled into one." I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I think he fits what you are looking for.

14. This sounds like Dave Douglas’ “Parallel Worlds” string project, but I can’t be sure as this track is definitely not on the one disc I own by that group. The lack of drums and the electric (?) guitar that appears toward the end makes me think this guess is not correct. This is a beautiful track. It doesn’t really go anywhere, but that seems to be beside the point. It is more about creating a mood, or an atmosphere, than telling a story. The soft, lyrical trumpet playing over the plucked violin and bowed bass is a very unusual combination which works really well. 15. I bought this album last year when his big band was touring the U.S. My first introduction to his music came through an earlier BFT, which I recall was compiled by Nate Dorward. The big band was fantastic live, playing everything from stride to fiery free-jazz blowouts with ease. This disc, which features the bassist of the big band, but not the drummer I saw in September, is one of the best 2006 releases I heard last year. You can tell that these three have played together for quite a while. Fore some reason he doesn’t seem to be discussed as often as other Dutch masters, but I think a lot of people would really love his work if it were more widely available / discussed. 16. This track doesn’t quite work for me. I like the Caribbean vibe, and many individual elements are nice, but, for some reason, this doesn’t seem to gel as a coherent whole. The solos seem to be intentionally ragged and unfocused, to the point of some distraction for me. Actually, I could make the same point about the entire track. That being said, I do enjoy it. It has a wonderful, airy, relaxed feeling and I enjoy a lot about the playing. I do think this could have been tightened up just a bit, to the track’s benefit. No clue who this is. 17. This is Monk again, isn’t it? The pianist sounds familiar, but I’m not sure who this is. This is a very angular and “jagged” reading of the tune. He must be European…no, still no idea. I think I’ll kick myself when I read the answer. Very impressive technique, but not “warm” at all. A difficult track to love, but very easy to admire. 18. The same tune as #17, but almost its polar opposite. This version is everything that one was not. Warm, emotional and inviting, while still displaying an impressive technique. Is this the same person? This is just a beautiful reading of the tune. 19. I have no idea who this is, but I find it very reminiscent of Sonny Rollins. The tenor is nice, if not terribly original. The rhythm section is impressive. A very nice track that pays homage to the Rollins sound of the late ‘50’s but still manages to sound fresh. 20. Similar to track #14 in that this one doesn’t tell a story so much as create a mood. This is pleasant enough, but isn’t really grabbing me. Nice enough, but more for background music than for intent, focused listening. 21. This tune sounds very familiar, but I’m not having any success identifying it. The tune itself is fairly quirky…sort of Monk-like but I don’t believe this by Monk. The playing is interesting. There really isn’t any “flow” to the piece. The technique is very angular and “pointy” for lack of a better word. Interesting, but I don’t love it. 22. This sounds like the same pianist as #21. This tune is played a little more fluidly, and almost comes across as an abstract take on an old stride tune. Again, I find this interesting more then loveable. 23. This sounds an awful lot like a track off of one of the Thomas Chapin albums on the Knitting factory box. I really love this track. Great playing by all three. Perhaps not as exuberant as Chapin could sometimes get, but this playing is energetic, full of life and full of enthusiasm. The drummer and bassist are fantastic, too. They are supportive of the sax while free enough to express their own ideas and really shine. If this isn’t Chapin I’ll be tracking down this album asap.

1. This one sounds intentionally rough, tentative and clunky. I hear a very playful vibe from the pianist. Not sure who this is, but I feel like I should know. It sounds very European. Irene Schweizer comes to mind, but I don't think this is her. Is that a second bass player or is this overdubbed? Brief , but tantalizing. 2. This sounds sort of like a Syd Barret outtake from the Madcap Laughs era. Not really my cup of tea. Nothing really grabbing me here. Not such a fan of the spoken / chanted lyrics. 3. A very brief miniature. I like the dound of the bowed bass here. It sounds like some of the Dutch crew, but I'm not able to get a handle on who this might be. I hear some playfulness and humor in this piece. Is this someone covering Fats Waller? Very nice. I wish the track wasn't quite so short and would love to hear the rest of the album. 4. Very nice. Soulful with a lot of emotion coming through. The emotion definitely comes across as real, and truly felt. lThis sounds like someone younger playing in an older style. Nice playing by all involved. 5. Very impressive technique. Gentle, playful, aggressive and fiery all at once. I'm guessing this is Nabatov, who I only know through his disc on Hat and the duo with Han Bennink which is a fantastic (and sadly OOP, I believe) album. I liked this one quite a bit. 6. This track sounds like a Les Baxter / Esquivel slice of exotica at first. Light and fluffy. I'm not really hearing much of substance, although the playing is pleasant enough. The tenor plays with a little more depth when he gets the chance to solo. I'm guessing he is the focus of your choice, but I have no idea who he is. 7. This track really caught my attention. The playing is very regimented yet retains a ragged, quirky sensibility. None of the "wackiness" that appears in some Dutch music, but I'm guessing this is a product of Holland. I like this one quite a bit. 8. Excellent track. No clue who these players are but I really love their performance. Proof that "free" doesn't have to mean "fiery," or require a non-stop barrage of notes. Understated and effective. Very nicely recorded, too. 9. This sounds like one of the Funniest of the Rats. I recignized his tone almost immediately. I am not familiar with this recording, but could probably guess which album this is from and who the drummer and bassist are by looking at AMG quickly. A dearly-departed master bassist and a drummer I really should be more familiar with, I see. Beautifully nuanced and full of ideas. I'd love to sit back with a cappuccino and hear this entire album. It will be added to the top of my "must purchase" list. Just gorgeous. 10. This almost sounds like some zorn / joey baron thing but it is too stiff to be them. This sounds like someone who was inspired by Masada but didn't have anyone to play the Dave Douglas role. Not bad, but I kept waiting for the band to really cut loose and let the song take off. Too restrained while trying to sound fiery and exciting. I hadn't realized this was a live recording until the applause trailed off at the end. 11. This sounds like a composition by Monk, but I'm not sure if it really is or if this is just a spot-on homage. A nice bit of humor without going overboard, some nice, swinging playing, all very tastefully done. I have no idea who these players are. Another track which whets my appetite to hear the rest of the album. 12. This one has a very interesting stop/start timing that kept the tune feeling fresh and had me feeling surprised by the playing. Nicely done. The drummer steals the show, for me, although everone acquits themselves well. 13. What an odd track. I'm guessing the horns were your focus for choosing this track. Perhaps it is due to the low number of tubists (sp?) I've heard but this sounds somewhat like Michel Godard doing a neo-classical project or one of his "ancient music" groups. This one keeps growing on me. I'd love to hear the entire album, read the liner notes, and have some more context for this track.

I think the BFTs are on life-support these days. I apologize for not posting more thoughts but I've been very busy at work and haven't been online very much. I loved your test and appreciate all of the effort you put into the test and into compiling the answers. I look forward to exploring some of the artists I was not as familiar with previously.

I have been busy and only have one file so far. I should have all three downloaded by Saturday or Sunday.

Corsano appears on the new live Jandek album, along with Loren Connors and Matt Heyner. Dusted has a good review of this album posted today.

Up for some air, as Corwood has just released the 50th Jandek cd. There is a nice review of Manhattan Tuesday over at Dusted. I was already intrigued, based on the musicians (Loren Connors, Matt Heyner and Chris Corsano) plus the idea of Jandek on Korg synth, but the reviews I've been reading have pushed this disc towards the "must buy" category. I still have very little interest in picking up the recent studio albums but he is on a roll with the live releases.

11. Another beautiful track. I have no idea who any of these players are. Nothing too exceptional from the metronomic percussionist, but the alto really shines and the trombone gets better and better as the tune goes along. I really love the alto and would like to hear more by him. 12. I know this track, too. I’m not recalling which album this is from, however. I love everything about this one. The song itself is fantastic. Great work by the percussionists and the bass player. I really dig the tuneful, funky rhythm. The horns are wonderful, too. Such a beautiful and joyous track! 13. A nice big band tune. I’m not sure I would need to hear more by this group, as they are a bit to “poppy” for my tastes. This track however, is nice, and make for a pleasant ending to this disc. I’d be interested in hearing this tune played by a band with more of an edge. I had a wonderful time listening to both discs of your BFT, Ubu! Thank you again for compiling this music and for sharing. I look forward to reading the answers and exploring a few of these artists I am not familiar with.

7. This playing on this tune is fairly ragged and not polished, but intentionally so, I would guess. I really like the ensemble playing. This reminds me of someone, but I’m not quite placing it. Sort of Brotherhood of Breath-ish, but I don’t believe this is them. A very nice tune. 8. Ok, I’ve heard this one before, but I’m not positive, off the top of my head, if it was this version. This is from one of the discs on KAZ / Camden, right? Such a great tune. The piano has that odd harpsichord-like sound again. Listening on headphones there is some fairly annoying panning from left to right that is somewhat distracting but doesn’t detract from the quality of the playing. This is one of my favorite songs on the test. (After going back and listening to this one more time I’m fairly certain this is on one of the discs you sent me. Based on track times I’ll guess this is track #5 off of this album. I’ll double check when I get home from work and have access to the KAZ discs.) 9. KAZ / Camden again. I know this song…the piano sounds more like a piano than on track #8. Same player, however. The sax tone is fairly rough, but it gives the tune a nice edge. I’m not recalling who the other players are, so I’m not positive this is the same band as #8. Same era, correct? Another fantastic tune that I always enjoy hearing. He has such a strong body of work and I really love this run of albums, in particular. This is the title track of this album. 10. Wow, what a performance by the bass player. This has to be Johnny Dyani, correct? No idea who is on the flute, and I’m not positive if there is a drummer or if that percussive sound comes from the bass? I think that is just the bass. Nice playing from the flute, but it is the bass that demands to be heard. So, so good. A fantastic, virtuoso performance.

I'll guess Johnny Dyani, although one of my first thoughts was that I was hearing some Peter Kowald in this performance.

1. The playing sounds familiar to me, but I’m not able to guess who this is. I like the tune. This one isn’t very polished at all. The pianist reminds me of Randy Weston, but this is not him. Interesting time changes. No one really dominates the proceedings, but everyone does a very nice job with their parts. I really like what the pianist and horns add to the tune. Kind of a bizarre switch from the ensemble sections to the solos. Everything seems to change: the time, the feel, etc… A rough dropout about two minutes in. Is this from vinyl? The sound quality isn’t bad overall, so I’d guess this is something from the sixties, possibly into the early 1970’s. Not bad at all. 2. A nice version of an old standard. Not “pleasant,” as the altoist’s tone is sharp and the playing is fairly angular. Sort of what I would expect a hybrid of Lee Konitz and Art Pepper to sound like. 3. Not something I would want to listen to very often. The sound is fairly harsh and tinny, and the trumpet player gets more points for enthusiasm than for execution. His chops are still lacking a bit. This band has their heart in the right place but they could use some more time to develop. 4. A nice, relaxed groove, at least until the sax solos around 4 minutes in. I love how the band stays relaxed and casual even as the sax starts to get more and more animated. Some interesting tempo changes, too. Not a song that completely grabs me, even though I appreciate all of the individual contributions. It has sort of a Randy Weston or Abdullah Ibrahim “African Sun” vibe to it, although this band takes the tune and twists it around more than I would expect from Randy or Abdullah. 5. The piano is almost irrelevant, as the alto is so captivating. Fantastic playing! He has a great tone, and pours such soul into every note. No clue who this is, but this is a wonderful little solo masquerading as a duet. Very, very nice. 6. Is this a piano or a harpsichord? This is a really odd sounding piano, if it is one. I find the playing to be a bit inflexible and stilted. The sax has a nice tone, but this track isn't really grabbing me.

8. It took me a few listens, and I think it finally took the next few tracks to convince me, but I’m guessing this is Abdullah Ibrahim. The band is playing with more energy and fire than I am used to. This sounds like the playing I associate with his live shows in the late 1970’s / early 1980’s more so than anything I have heard from him in the past 10 years or so. There is a lot I like about this track but, unlike track #7, which is slightly longer, track #8 starts to lose me about seven minutes in. All of the musicians are playing really well, and I can’t really pinpoint anything specific, but I think they could have benefited by reigning things in a few minutes earlier. 9. Very nice interplay between the piano and bass to start. This tune sounds familiar. More Ibrahim? Yes, this is him again. I’d guess this is a more recent track than #8. OK, the first 10 minutes are wonderful and captivating, but they are starting to lose me during the bass solo with occasional chimes. Cut out the minute and a half bass solo and I’d be a happy camper. This track works much better when there is some interplay. The flute brings me back into the tune, but the ending section with Ibrahim is worth waiting for. Another tune that I should be able to name. All in all a nice track that could use a bit of editing. 10. Abdullah again. This one sounds like it is from the late 1990’s. Even though his style is immediately recognizable all three of these tracks really stand apart from each other and have their own unique sound. This is another great tune that I should be able to identify. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had a copy of this show floating around somewhere. This one has a really nice groove. Kind of lazy and relaxed, but with a slow-burning energy and some real enthusiasm from all involved. The vocalizations really add to the track. Very nice! 11. Is that a cello? And electric bass? The mix doesn’t serve the drummer well, as he sounds fairly flat and lost in the mix. I really like this tune. The tenor shines, but the whole ensemble plays with nice energy and seems to be having fun. Another SA sounding tune, but a little more “out” than usual, perhaps due to the unusual instrumentation. Thanks again for a fantastic disc! I really had a great time listening to disc #2 and look forward to exploring more by several of these artists! Now on to disc #1.

1. I'm not sure what language is being sung here. At first I thought it sounded like Polynesian, but I can't think of a match that feels right to me. Other than the interest of trying to identify the language this track doesn't do a lot for me. I'm really not a big fan of vocal jazz. The band is fine, nut nothing out of the ordinary. This is from the 1940's or early 1950's I would guess. 2. This one is also not grabbing me. The tune is pleasant, and the musicians are fine. Early 1950's I'd guess. I think this one sounds older than it really is. 3. Ok, now this track is another story. Pleasant enough at first, but it quickly gets much more interesting. Again, this sounds like a track from the 1950's, but I'm fairly certain this band is South African. No one instrument really shines, although the vibes make a big impact when they arrive and the alto is very nice. I like the way this track swings so distictively. Very nice! 4. This tune isn't as distinctivly SA as #3, but the flute makes me think we haven't left SA. The vocals are nice, they add to the tune without dominating the proceedings. The tune itself sounds familiar, but I can't place where I might have heard it before. 5. Now I'm positive of your theme. I wish this recording was a little more dynamic. I'm hearing guitar and one, possibly two, percussionists. This has a very SA feel to it, but the guitar playing gets a little wild towards the end and the rhythm gets busier and more complex than I would expect from SA. I really like this track. As I said, I wish it was a bit better recorded, but a very interesting and fun track. 6. A great tune! This almost sounds like a smaller offshoot of the Brotherhood of Breath. The recording quality isn't doing them any favors, but the rhythm section is absolutley smoking here. The horns dominate, but the guitar, bass and drums really steal the show for me. This sounds farther out than I would expect from the Blue Notes, but the recording sounds like it could be from the early-mid 1960's and I keep thinking this is Dudu on alto. If this isn't a group from the Blue Notes / Brotherhood orbit I have no clue who it is. My favorite track so far. 7. Forget what I said about track #6 being my favorite. Track #7, rough sound quality and all, just knocked it back to second place. This sounds more like the BoB than the last track, but I don't hear any piano, so I can't be sure. That might just be due to the sound quality. Is this Mongezi on trumpet? Such wonderful energy and enthusiasm. It really sounds like the band is having a lot of fun playing this one live. The trumpet stands out, but it's the ensemble playing that really grabs me. Is the rest of this album this good? If so, I'll have to track down a copy. It doesn't get much better than this, in my opinion.

Flurin, I started with disc #2, and I've been loving it! It is such a fun ciompilation. Very nicely done. I'll post my guesses / thoughts by this weekend. We listened to it with dinner tonight and my wife gives it a thumbs up, too. At first I thought there was a Caribbean theme, but, after the mid-point of the disc, I think it's safe to say this has an African, and possibly South African, theme. I definitely heard some Abdullah Ibrahim. I'll hold off on more comments until I listen one more time and write down my thoughts.

I haven't heard this set yet but Dust to Digital does great work. Their Goodbye, Babylon box set of gospel recordings and Fonotone Records : Frederick Maryland set of the 78's Joe Bussard released (the last label to release 78's in the U.S.) are fantastic documents. These are both examples of how box sets should be done. Wonderful music and an obvious love for the music that comes through in the care taken assembling the entire package. I also highly recommend the documentary they did called Desperate Man Blues, about Joe Bussard and his collection of 78's.

I'm a bit baffled by the upcoming Atavistic Unheard Music Series Brotzmann release. Out of the unavailable Brotz they could choose to reissue this is what they are focusing on? It's nice that Machine Gun will be available domestically, but there are many albums of his that are far more "unheard" than Machine Gun. The Complete Machine Gun Sessions "For this reissue, we have resequenced the CD as the original LP, self-produced and released on Brötzmann's own BRO label in 1968, followed by the two extant alternate takes. For comparison, UMS has included the live version, recorded two months earlier at the Frankfurt Jazz Festival, which adds Gerd Dudek to the ensemble." - John Corbett / Chicago, May, 2007 I am excited about the Sun Ra reissues. I've heard Strange Strings and Night of the Purple Moon, but it will be nice to own real copies. Also, the Purple Moon bonus tracks should be interesting: "To show something of the origins of Ra's keyboard playing in this period, we have added three incredible home recordings, made in 1964, on which Ra pummels a lightly amplified Wurlitzer electric piano, and on the first of them he adds the startling sound of Celeste."

a few last thoughts to wrap up my comments: 17. I really like what the clarinet is doing here. He has a nice sound. This is a very quirky tune. Interesting how the piano lays out for quite some time. I’m not sure the piano is really necessary during the ensemble passages. The piano solo is much “prettier” than I expected for such an abstract tune. Nice work by the bass player, too. The drummer didn’t make much of an impression on me at first but, as the tune goes along, he starts to take over a bit more to good effect. Nice tune, the clarinet really shines but I’m still not sure this piece works as an integrated whole. 18. Another interesting tune. This one lives fairly firmly in 60’s post-bop, but the repeated transfer to that shuffling rock beat keeps things feeling fairly unsettled. There’s also a hint of calypso in there. The drummer does an excellent job of switching between genres at will without losing the beat or the rest of the band. Nice, supportive work from the bassist. The pianist isn’t grabbing me. Nothing wrong with what he’s playing, it just isn’t really exciting me. The tenor and trumpet are nice, but veer dangerously close to smooth, “Love Boat” theme jazz every once in a while. The flute at the end is another example of “interesting, but I don’t love it.” 19. I like the interplay of the piano and drums. The pianist has kind of an odd tone that can be a bit distracting at first. A nice, playful closer to the BFT. Thanks again for sharing this music! I had a great time listening and am looking forward to checking out the answers.

Just time for a few more: 7. The players are a little rough around the edges, but they have enthusiasm and swing like crazy. No really individual sounds, but that doesn’t matter when you are having this much fun. I like this track. It shows a lot of promise and is a blast to listen to. 8. A very mellow, almost somber tune. Again, like track #7, there is a lack of polish here. These players still have room to improve, but they do what they do well. Conveying emotion and telling a story is much more important that pure technical mastery for me. Nicely done. 9. Now this is very, very good. Showy, but not too flashy. Not as "out" as Cecil, not as quirky as Nichols. This pianist sounds very familiar to me. I’m guessing some of his music has been shared with me in the past, although I haven’t listened to it in quite a while. Korossy? 10. The “coolest” track on the BFT so far. I like this one a lot. This one sounds very west coast to me. Laid back with very relaxed pacing. Everyone contributes nicely, although this is really the altoists chance to shine. The drum solo is top-notch, too. 11. I love the tuba / baritone opening. This tune has a very playful feel to it. Sort of reminiscent of a group like Bik Ben Braam doing their homage to late 1950’s bop. Not “wacky” but definitely more of that whimsical vibe I attributed to the Dutch earlier. My wife says it “has a good beat and she can dance to it.” (That’s a thumbs up, by the way.) I’d love to hear more by this group. 12. This sounds like the earliest track on the test so far. Is this a live concert recording from the late 1940s / early 1950s? The congas suggest this was inspired by Dizzy’s afro-cuban recordings. More nice baritone work. I’m not normally a fan of big bands from this era, but this track is a lot of fun. Is this a big band that did work for radio or television? Very nice. 13. A very relaxed, cool vibe on this one. This would work well on a film noir soundtrack. The recording quality leaves something to be desired. It sounds like the drummer is hitting a phone book with a wooden spatula. The vibes and trumpet really shine. It’s hard to accurately judge the rhythm section, as the sound quality really does them no favors. Another dual thumbs up from the second co-pilot and I. 14. Not as busy as the playing on track #9. Nice pacing. A very catchy, fun tune. Nicely done. This one reminds us a bit of Randy Weston’s style. Positive, upbeat and technically proficient without being too flashy. 15. Definitely the wildest track so far. This sounds like the soundtrack to a 1920’s cartoon of the residents of a henhouse being let loose in a clock factory. The ominous sections could be the Star Wars “Imperial March” being played as Darth Vader attempts to corral the hens while avoiding the ever-faster swinging pendulums and minute hands. Not soothing at all, I was a little edgy at first, but grew to love the extreme quirkiness of this track. More fun from some players who are not taking themselves too seriously at all. 16. Pleasant enough, but this one isn’t really grabbing me. Very of it’s era and a bit dated. The “quacking” sounds used as extra percussion is interesting, but I’m not sure it adds much to the tune. I do like the soprano. The rest of the band sounds a bit flat to my ears. An homage to electric Miles, but lacking that spark.

Apologies for the delay in participating. May was a crazy month. I'll try to get some thoughts down for all of the tracks by the end of the weekend. I've really been enjoying listening to BFT #47. It went along on a long car ride yesterday and got a thumbs up from my non-jazz loving co-pilot. I have no idea who any of the musicians are on the first six tracks. 1. A very nice tune. Sort of a jazzy-samba thing they have going on. The vibist is the star of the show for me, but the tenor works perfectly in the context of the tune, too. The guitar and drums are less noticable, as they do a great job supporting without being showy. I like this one a lot. 2. Another track that sets a very nice mood. Quite unusual instrumentation. The flautist seems to be the leader, but the bassist is almost as much a leader on this track. The drummer is extremely restrained, almost to the point of sounding subdued. 3. Keeping the unusual instrumentation going....is that a double flute with African drums? Ok, and now we have bells and trombone (?) added to the mix. What a wild tune! No clue who these guys are. I'm hearing that Dutch "techniclaly proficient yet full of wacky humor and wild abandon" vibe from these guys. No one that I know, but kind of in the ICP arena. 4. I like the color the baritone adds to the ensemble, but the alto really shines. The trumpet isn't horrible, but I'm hearing a lack of confidence, or alack of polish. The drum solo is fairly bland and unengaging but he does fine when in a supporting role. Not my favorite tune so far, but a nice (brief) addition to the mix. 5. With the exception of that really harsh cutoff at the end I really like this track a lot. It has a Dolphy-esque feel, although it doesn't sound like Dolphy at all. Something about this rtack sounds very familiar, but I'm fairly certain I've never heard it before. Probably that Dolphy-osity I mentioned. Everyone (flute, trumpet, tenor, piano, drums) gets a chance to shine. This battling with track #1 for my favorite so far. 6. Excellent groove. Nice vibe solo, too. Quite a dramatic shift at the halfway point of the track. Lose the groove, lose the vibes, add chimes and some sort of stringed instrument. Is this still the same song? If so, this is a really bizarre track.

Up for some air. Exploding Customer have a new studio album out on Ayler called At Your Service. I've listened to it three times since receiving it and highly recommend it. The Masada comparison I mentioned above is very strong at times. I can't imagine this, and the new Fred Anderson / Harrison Bankhead disc also just released by Ayler, won't make it onto my "best of 2007" list.

I've had the time to spin the Anderson/Bankhead disc a few times and can highly recommend it. It must have been a fantastic set to see live.