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Tom Storer

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Everything posted by Tom Storer

  1. couw, I identify players (when I can, which clearly is not very often - I only got one right on this test) by a combination of tone, licks, phrasing... clearly there has to be something a player *repeats* if one is to be able to *recognize* the player. The more one listens the more one can store these things in the memory banks and make a match. Funky, greazy jazz like that used for this test is not a style I spend much time listening to, hence my poor showing! Then there are other clues. Those who have the (to me) amazing ability to identify a "studio sound" can then narrow the field down to people who have recorded in that studio. Often you can narrow down in terms of time as well - some things could not have been recorded recently, and some things could only have been recorded recently; some things scream "1950's" and others scream "1970's", and so on. Sometimes you recognize the tune. So you might be able to say, let's see, who recorded for label X in time period Y, with a group this size, and was likely to play this tune? This can lead to pretty accurate guessing even if you don't instantly recognize a player's sound. Looking forward to BF3! I'm already starting to collect tunes for whenever my turn comes around!
  2. I could well be wrong on all my guesses saxophone-wise, but that's Joe Williams on #2. When you know a singer it's virtually impossible to *not* recognize the voice. That's why a blindfold test with a singers theme wouldn't be that much fun--either you know them or you don't.
  3. One for sure that I know of "A Night in San Francisco" which is a mighty fine live 2 cd set.Also I think he plays on "Back on Top" and numerous other recordings.No threat to the legacies of Bird,Cannon,Hodges etc but servicable. Van might play a little saxophone on that "Night in San Francisco" CD, but the lion's share is by what's-her-name... Candy Dulfer, that's it. She's a serviceable r&b saxophonist; Van is enthusiastic but has considerably less chops. I'm looking forward to this record. Live, he can still pack a punch. I saw him three or four years ago and he was in fantastic form.
  4. I just wanted to remind you of these thoughts, 'cause I wanted to reply but didn't want to derail this thread. I thinks it's an interesting topic. Hard to say precisely what I listen for, other than "everything"... probably rhythm section first, then the overall structure, then what the soloist is doing. Definitely not studio sound--in fact, the idea startled me. The concept means nothing to me! I wouldn't recognize a studio sound if I tripped over one.
  5. Got mine over the weekend (thanks, couw!). Here goes: 1. No idea. Nice mood but totally generic. My impression is that the pianist could have played this in his or her sleep and perhaps actually did. 2. Joe Williams, "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water." No doubt a festival given the happy hand-clapping and sing-along. No idea as to the accompanying trio. Joe could sing the phone book and I'd love it. 3. I'd guess the alto player is someone more closely associated with r&b/soul than jazz of the bebop variety. The band definitely sounds more like a soul group than a jazz band. King Curtis? A guess. 4. "Watermelon Man." I love the tenor player, who I'm sure I know – that gruff tone, the witty phrasing. But I can't put my finger on who it is. It occurred to me that if Joe Williams played the saxophone he'd sound like this. 5. Weird sound at the beginning – is that two saxophones or one in an echo chamber? OK, two soloing… My first thought was Al and Zoot, but the second soloist sounds like Clifford Jordan to me! 6. Nice. The tenor player has loads of Dexterisms; on the other hand he plays some fast flurries (such as around the 1 minute mark, again at 1:27) that definitely don't sound like Dexter to me. So all I'll say is that it's someone who has listened to a lot of Dexter Gordon. No idea who the trombonist is. The bass player had me thinking of Ron Carter. 7. "Billie's Bounce." A good bluesy jam session – could be a Pablo affair. The only alto player I can think of who was in the Pablo stable was Benny Carter, and I don't think it's him. That trill thing he does around 1:25 and a couple more times is kind of tasteless. I'm sure I'll be embarassed that I can't begin to identify the trumpet. The rhythm section cooks along rather nicely. 8. I think this tune is "Since I Fell For You." Could be Houston Person on tenor, from a few decades ago – there are some licks repeated often in the solo that I associate with him. No idea for the rest of the band. 9. Damn, that's a familiar voice on tenor. But who? Can't quite place him. Is it "The Nearness of You"? The rendition kind of drags, as if they're all rather tired or depressed. 10. I think I identify the patented Ralph Moore vibrato. The timbre doesn't sound right otherwise but it could just be the recording. I'll go with Moore on tenor; that would make me think it's him with Ray Brown's trio, since I know they've recorded together and the general bluesy, swinging atmosphere is right. But I'd swear the bass player is Ron Carter, with all that surface noise, and in particular the double stops in the solo. 11. "Footprints." Modern version, I like it. I assumed the theme of this test had to do with bluesy, gritty, greazy, fonkiness, but this doesn't fit. No idea who it is. 12. Organ with a big band or at least a horn section, nice dirty sound. A stratospheric trumpet à la Cat Anderson can be heard in the opening. Didn't Duke do a couple of things with an organist? But this has nothing Dukish about it. No idea who this is. 13. If I were in the club with a couple of drinks under my belt I'd love this to death, but in the cold light of day piano playing like this doesn't do it for me. The problem with the blues is that it's often very predictable, even if the feeling is sincere. But I must admit it's very well done in the style. The tenor is also very solid, and very familiar-sounding. Don't know who it is. Remarks: One thing these blindfold tests drive home is how vast the shared language of jazz really is. You realize how much of the vocabulary actually gets played by huge numbers of players... you *know* you've heard that musician, but then it turns out to be someone you've *never* heard, but playing a style you're familiar with, with licks that may have originally come from some ancestor a generation or three ago and been widely distributed. Hence "familiar-sounding" in my comments on number 13 above... But this could be a thread of its own!
  6. Shakespeare? Nah, it was Mark Twain. Mark Twain is the author of all known quotes.
  7. I saw the same trio at the Village Vanguard a couple of years ago and as you say, they can turn the heat way up. The Washingtons are one of the greatest bass&drums teams extant, in my book - I was seated in front of the drums and Kenny W. completely blew my mind with his incredible control, crisp sound and ferocious swing. Definitely a topnotch group.
  8. Well, I didn't do as badly as I had feared - I was pretty much on the mark with "Jitterbug Waltz," although I didn't catch Woods instead of Cannonball and I had no idea it was Michel Legrand. I got Stephane Grappelli on "How High the Moon" and Joe Henderson on the quintet thing with Ponomarev. My other guesses were wrong but not *too* wrong. I should have recognized Wilen, whose work I admire. Jaspar and Hayes I don't know well enough either. The Gaslini marimba/piano thing was the discovery for me - I'll have to look him up. And the marimba player, too! Good selection on this test! This is fun! Now I'm looking forward to Blindfold #2!
  9. I'm coming in way late - just received Blindfold #1 on Friday (thanks, Jim D). Had a chance to listen to it and once again recognize the depths of my ignorance. Before reading the answers or even more than the first page of this discussion, here are my guesses: 1. No idea who this is - sounds like it's finger-picked on an electric guitar by someone whose style is more suited to acoustic. Old-timey stuff - I'd say 20's but the electric guitar and the recording sound make me say 30's, maybe even 40's. Nice, but I would have preferred it on acoustic. The percussive effect is a bit brutal on the electric. 2. Brookmeyer and Getz? But it doesn't really have Getz trademarks other than overall fluidity and feel. Could be JJ - only he could make a slide trombone sound like a valve trombone, so crisply articulated. I like this, but the arrangement is a bit rigid; the rhythm section is cooking but they don't let their hair down much. 3. Max Roach, or maybe another early bop drummer. Could be Klook or even Haynes, but it's a little too straight up for Haynes. I'll guess an early Sonny Rollins quartet date with Max. 4. "Jitterbug Waltz." Miles and Trane definitely, therefore I'm assuming it's Cannonball on alto; it also sounds like Bill Evans on piano. This points to circa 1958. The first thing that comes to mind is a Gil Evans collaboration, but I don't think they did "Jitterbug Waltz" on any of their albums together. An out-take? But it sounds way too hokey for Gil Evans. And who's that flute? Not sure where this comes from. 5. I think I know this tenor player but I can't put my finger on who he is. He's a good bebop saxophonist, 1950's era I'd say, but he plays too many notes too evenly for it to be Rollins, and his phrasing lacks the sort of spirited quirkiness of Johnny Griffin, who I considered for the role. I dunno. 6. I can't say I like this one very much. It drags along rather gloomily; in that respect I think of Mal Waldron, not my favorite player, except that this might be a little too bright for him. No idea. 7. I wonder if this isn't from the mid-60's quartet album Elvin Jones did with Hank Jones, Richard Davis, and Charlie Mariano on alto. The drummer sounds Elvinish, and I don't know Mariano much but I have the impression he has this kind of sound; also the music has just enough Coltrane flavor to fit the bill. A guess. 8. "How High The Moon." Sounds like Stephane Grappelli in the right channel. The first thing I thought of was his album with Yehudi Menuhin, but if that's Menuhin playing the other violin, I'm a monkey's uncle. It swings too much. But I'm not enough of a jazz violin buff to identify the other guy. 9. No clue. I'd guess Coryell or some European dude. 10. No idea. Meaty stuff. 11. Beautiful tenor - Joe Henderson? Real nice trumpeter, no idea who it is. 12. My first thought was Bobby Hutcherson and Andrew Hill, but it sounds a lot closer to the present day - avant-gardish but very clean, without that experimental edge. Maybe Stefon Harris and Jason Moran? Bass and drums are right on top of things and keep it swinging - fine musicians. Very well done. 13. Jan Garbarek? That sour tone, that heart-on-the-sleeve sensibility... 14. Modern rendition of Monk's "Little Rootie Tootie". I think it could be any one of a number of modern jazz pianists. Expertly done, nice tension, and I like the drummer, but nothing revolutionary.
  10. John Scofield played Paris Friday night with his trio, which has Steve Swallow on bass guitar and Bill Stewart on drums. They were marvelous - a good bunch of songs, ranging from Bird's "Chi-Chi" to "Scarborough Fair" and some Sco compositions that were funkier. Beautiful solos all around, fantastic teamwork. Virtuosity in the service of art. It was engaging on all levels and sounded just wonderful. Scofield announced they are about to record a new album. The opening act was Jim Black's AlasNoAxis. I like Black in other contexts, such as Ellery Eskelin's trio, but this was his own group... I must concur with the group's name.
  11. Never heard him play, but his memoir "The Color of Water" is very good.
  12. And how would you do that, exactly? I have an application (MusicMatch) that reads the CDs in my CD drive and converts them from there. How would it work if you hook up your audio CD player?
  13. Beautiful post, JSngry! I have "East Broadway Run Down" on vinyl (now sleeping in the cellar, due to a lack of turntable) and always liked it, but it's been a long time... I'll have to pick it up on CD. I'll also have a listen to "Shadow Waltz" and "Green Dolphin Street" with your post in mind. You've given me plenty of food for thought - thanks!
  14. Yes, it's a good record. But I don't think it's as great as the hype it gets. Good, clean, energetic playing; they were on a roll that day. The energy was there and they were all sounding great and playing shapely, spirited music. But the compositions are no more than a pretty good basis for everybody to blow with gusto. IMHO, this is a hot blowing session in the spirit of the better 50's Blue Notes but no more. Mind you, that's quite enough as far as I'm concerned - goodness knows that's a high standard. The AMG review says: "Parker and Drake comprise the best rhythm section in jazz; together, they should go down in the history books as one of the most fruitful and interesting musical relationships this side of Ellington and Strayhorn, Diz and Bird, and Miles and Trane." Now that is happy hyperbole. There are any number of rhythm sections that could contest the title of "best," and to compare Parker and Drake to the other pairs mentioned is over the top.
  15. I hate the idea of not being able to convert my CDs to MP3 format. Even folks who are not trading thousands of files on the net like to be able to make home compilations, to have a music library on their computer and make their own playlists on the fly, etc. Man, I'll be steamed if they make that difficult. But I imagine there will sooner or later be software that gets around these protection mechanisms and renders the audio files convertible again. At least I hope so.
  16. I'm looking forward to hearing this. It will be interesting to compare it with the recent "Live at the Village Vanguard" by Fred Hersch. That album also has Nasheet Waits on drums (Drew Gress on bass), and it too smokes. But it has no "foreign language" things. What is that about, anyway?
  17. That's great. Many thanks to you and to couw!
  18. I'm fascinated to hear that Mark Shim is playing with people like Michele Rosewoman, Mark Helias and Tim Robertson. My only exposure to him was when he was playing with Betty Carter. I believe he went through the jazz masterclass series she ran, and then he toured with her and appeared on her (marvelous) album "Look What I Got." As a result I thought of him as a mainstreamer, along the lines of other Betty alumni (Stephen Scott, Cyrus Chestnut, Curtis Lundy, Ira Coleman, Kenny Washington, Lewis Nash...). Glad to hear he's still working, if not recording for the time being, and that he's widened his horizon. He sounded good with Betty.
  19. Dan, did I sign up for BF2? I thought I had, but I have a sudden doubt. My efforts to PM or email you via the board are not working today for some reason.
  20. I wouldn't mind seeing many of the performances on volumes 1 and 2, but that's not nearly enough for me to buy the whole damn thing. To think they left off Betty Carter, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, George Benson, Keith Jarrett, Sun Ra, Eubie Blake, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock! Interesting that they haven't shown any jazz since Wynton in 1987.
  21. Wow, I saw that band in Paris around the same time! I just got the Taylor solo album on Sketch. It sounds very nice indeed.
  22. Do you know if the reissues will include "Playground," with Sheila Jordan?
  23. I think they're a good trio, but only one of many.
  24. Although the recent jam-band stuff isn't my cup of tea, I've been a big Sco fan for ages. Just to demonstrate my great age, the first time I saw him live was 27 years ago! He was playing with Gerry Mulligan in a club in New York in 1976... My favorite incarnation is his trio with Steve Swallow. I saw the original version, with Adam Nussbaum on drums, many a time in the 80's. Nowadays he usually does an annual European tour with Swallow and Bill Stewart. They're passing through town next year, and I'll be there! Edit: I meant next week, Sept. 12!
  25. I saw the Milestone Jazzstars during that 1978-ish tour at a very comfortable performance space in the Albany, NY, region, and have vivid memories of it. Rollins roaming the stage like a tiger, Carter the picture of elegance, Al Foster smiling dreamily, McCoy attacking the keyboard... it blew me away. A musician friend who came with me said of Rollins, "You want to kiss him for that phrasing!" One of my favorite Tyner records is "Trident," which I got when I was in high school. I wore that one out. There was another one I had in vinyl and absolutely loved, but it's long gone and I'm not sure of the title. The LP cover was yellow, and had a photograph of, I think, an African scene.
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