CardinalJazzFan

I am glad that you got this in, as I am posting the Reveal today. My responses are in red next to your comments.

No one has mentioned it so I will say that I like John McLaugjlin’s electric guitar solo on “Rawalpindi Blues”. My reaction is that it is a compelling electric guitar solo without the overwhelming flurry of fast notes that was the characteristic of his Mahavishnu Orchestra playing not long after this. It was a different approach for John, which he did not explore further in recordings as far as I know.

I am glad if I inspired you. My favorites are the Overture (Side 1 of the three record set) and Side 5, but there are other pleasures throughout.

Here is something I have wondered about "Rawalpindi Blues", Track 12 on this Blindfold Test. In the booklet that comes with the LP set of Escalator Over the Hill, the lyrics are printed in a back section. The lines that Jack Bruce sings on "Rawalpindi Blues" are credited to "Jack". There are responses sung by someone else, to what Jack is singing, credited to "His Friends." For example, :"His Friends" sing "let me stay away from you," and "what will we ever do with you." There is a separate section in the front of the booklet with the title "Musicians." . It shows that Jack's Traveling Band, the band on "Rawalpindi Blues", consists of John McLaughlin, Carla Bley, Jack Bruce, and Paul Motian. There is no mention of "His Friends" in that musician credits section. There is yet another section near the front of the booklet with the title "Cast.", That section lists characters' names and which musicians and singers play them. It does not say which songs they appear on. In the "Cast" section, "His Friends" are Charlie Haden and Steve Ferguson. So is it Charlie Haden and Steve Ferguson singing the response parts on "Rawalpindi Blues"/ I have read that Charlie Haden was part of a family country band as a child. I am not sure if Charlie Haden could sing well. It is not made certain and clear, in the booklet and its credits.

That is all correct.

Yes, Track 12 is a track from Carla Bley's "Escalator Over the Hill."

Thank you for your close attention and listening. I expected that some listeners might not like the avant garde selections, so I put them all together at the end. You can just stop listening when it gets to the part of the Test that you do not like. It is Sam Woodyard of the Ellington band on Track 5, of the unswinging cymbals as you put it. I bought the Duke Ellington Jazz Party album as an LP in the late 1970s. The liner notes stated that this Hello Little Girl recording was an unplanned, spontaneous jam session in the studio. Duke is not on piano, but conducted the band as the recording unfolded. Jimmy Jones is on piano. Jimmy Rushing had always wanted to sing with the Ellington band and took this opportunity when it presented itself, according to the liner notes. I have always wondered how off-the-cuff this recording could be, because the band plays simple riffs but plays them very precisely together. Maybe top musicians can just do that as a group with no rehearsal or planning. I wonder what the musicians on this board would have to say about that. Track 1 is not early Sun Ra. I never thought of that. You are correct on all of the names that you have mentioned. Track 13 is Anthony Braxton with Kenny Wheeler on the album that you mention. Thank you for your close attention and listening.

I hope that you like it, or at least some of it.

Thank you for the welcoming artwork. It reminds me of how when we want someone to feel at home in St. Louis, we take them to Ted Drewes for a concrete. 1. You have not identified the artist. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. You have identified everything correctly. Did you get straight A's in school? You are a high achiever. With that, I am a little bit surprised that you are not immediately familiar with 11 and 12. I thought that 11 and 12 would be the easy ones to guess. Since I just love the music, I included 11 and 12 anyway. You have the artists correct on 10 and 13. What are the albums? In St. Louis now, cutouts often go with a saw cut in the plastic case to Half Price Books. I love that Randy Weston album. I bought it when it was released.

I am responding to your comments. 2. It is Count Basie and Eddie Lockjaw Davis. I had imagined that maybe listeners would not think that it was Count Basie on piano, because he plays a lot more notes here than he often did in his later career. It is a Norman Granz album. You have not guessed the trumpet player. 3. You have guessed the song title. 5. Everything you have said is correct. I have loved this track for a long time. 7. The trumpet player is Rex Stewart. When I saw Lester Bowie live I remembered this particular track. It is Bill Evans' "Very Early". According to the album's liner information, there is one guitarist. Maybe overdubbed? I am not sure.

Here is the link which Mr. Thom Keith has provided to me, so that you can access this Blindfold Test: http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/

That is funny. It was a different era of baseball, and Bob Gibson was one of the masters of the high hard one, inside. I remember how he would throw a fastball close on three straight pitches to someone like Frank Robinson, sending him sprawling into the dirt on each pitch. That would never happen today. The pitcher would be fined and suspended.

Thank you. I wondered if anyone would recognize that photo. Bob is one of my favorite all time Cardinals.

On October 1 I will be posting a link which Mr. Thom Keith has prepared for Blindfold Test 163. This is my first time hosting a Blindfold Test. I have been visiting this board for awhile and have now become a member. I hope that you have as much fun listening to this music as I had putting it together.