webbcity

No he's not It's Ron himself. Glad you enjoyed so much of that. MG Haha! I wondered that but was afraid to make a more definitive guess, Should have just gone for it.

Didn't have a whole lot of guesses here, this was a tough one for me. But a lot of great stuff here. Really enjoyed it. Thanks Allan! Track 1 - Stardust... this is superb. I can't guess who this is, but it strikes me that this must have been considered fairly avant-garde at the time of recording, considering the trumpet player's sound and style...holy cow. Lots of liberties taken with the tune here, nice phrasing and cool "effects" too, I love it. Track 2 - Fun tune...very 70s, but that's cool with me. Sounds like the trumpet player has listened to a lot of Freddie Hubbard. I feel like I should at least be able to guess the bass player on this, but I'm coming up blank. Track 3 - Oh yeah, this is killer...what a groove, totally infectious. This is rock solid, deep stuff. The organ player is just on fire (as is the rest of the band)...awesome. Very curious to know who this is. Track 4 - Nice groove on this one too! Hmm, the alto solo makes me think of Oliver Nelson. Very nice solo too, I think it's the strongest here. The rest of the tune never quite gets off the ground for me personally, but that alto solo is terrific. Track 5 - Sadly this one doesn't do a lot for me, so I'll just leave it at that. Track 6 - Very nice rendition of Misty. Beautiful tenor sax tone...whoever this is has total command of the instrument. This honestly makes me want to hear the sax player more in a different context though. What a sound! Track 7 - Okay, speaking of sound...holy moly. Some great bari playing there. Woo! The rhythm section is driving hard here too...fantastic. Track 8 - I like the groove, but apart from that there's not a lot that stands out for me on this one. Track 9 - Not sure about this one either to be honest, not crazy about the singer. Track 10 - This is a blast. Love the singer...is he also the piano player? I like the trombone player in particular here also, fantastic sound. I need more stuff like this in my collection honestly, this is a whole area I'm not terribly familiar with, but I really enjoy it. Curious to find out if I've heard of these folks. Track 11 - Love the mood here, this is a real late-night smoky kinda thang. The tenor player is right up my alley...he is smoooooth. Very compelling solos from both the organ and the tenor. The rhythm section is perfection throughout...totally supportive and sensitive. Track 12 - Now THIS is singing...wow. This is fantastic...the singer has incredible control and a great, emotional delivery. In fact everything is just about perfect here. Excellent flute playing and superb support from the rhythm section. The bass player is taking a page from the Ron Carter playbook. Track 13 - I like this a lot. Lots of soul here, these guys really know how to set a mood. Terrific sparseness in the piano solo...wonderful stuff, and that clarinet is killin. I love the little bit of interplay there between the clarinet and piano in the middle of the clarinet solo. And then those growls towards the end...yeah! I would love to know who this is. Track 14 - Oh man...I LOVE the first four bars of this, but I did not expect it to go there. The tune itself and the vocals are okay, but the sax player is unreal. I am guessing that this must be one of the jazz greats guesting with a popular vocal group. Can't ID the sax player though. Track 15 - Haha! Funny intro. I really like the singer, she is selling this big time. Very bluesy. The band is pretty hot too, great stuff. Once again, no guesses. Track 16 - Another thoroughly enjoyable track, again in an area I'm not terribly familiar with so I have no guesses. But I like it a lot. Track 17 - This one is nice & smooth. The trumpet player complements the singer perfectly. great vocals and tenor sax solo. I like the way the piano player comps too.

That is fantastic news, Hopefully it will help to fill the void left by the mighty Velvet Lounge.

I'm in for a download, thanks! And this time I will try to respond before the last two days of the month.

As usual, I am chiming in at the 11th hour... and I only have a partial list here, but I will just post what I have for now. Haven't cheated and looked back at anything in the thread yet. Thanks for putting this together Dan, some great stuff! -- Track 1 - I like the tune, and the shuffle feel, alternating with the afro-latin thing. For me, each horn solo was better than the preceding one. I felt the trumpet solo was a bit too "by the numbers," but by the time we get to the tenor solo, things are really cooking. Obviously Blakey is an influence on this performance. No guesses on this one though. Track 2 - LOVE the sound of the horns on the head...man! This may sound funny, but it actually reminds me a bit of Rahsaan playing multiple horns at once. Wow...that is one crazy tenor sound on the first solo...awesome. Nice trumpet solo too. Aha...2 tenors? I should know this, but I have no guesses. Am dying to know. Track 3 - The drummer sounds really familiar to me. Ahh...Impressions. To be honest this version doesn't do a whole lot for me. Nothing against it, I would just rather listen to Trane. Track 4 - Blues in the Closet...I have always liked this tune. Simple, but perfect. There are bits of the trumpet solo that remind me of Clark Terry, but I feel like I'm grasping at straws here. Damn, nice piano playing too. And the rhythm section is really cookin'. Track 5 - Beautiful sax playing and tone, this has got to be one of the old school guys. Too bad about the skips. No guesses on this one. Track 7 - Rockin' in Rhythm...fantastic tune. Loved the piano intro, but not totally crazy about the arrangement after that, to be honest. Just not my thing. Track 11 - Five stars on this one, and the piano player has got to be Oscar Peterson. Track 12 - I'm Beginning to See the Light...great interpretation of this tune. Nice & easy feel...these guys are in the pocket. Track 13 - Ole Devil Moon...reminded of Ahmad Jamal at first of course, just because his version is so iconic. Don't know who the piano player is here, but I want to know. Terrific solo, but wish it were longer. Track 15 - Holy crap...LOVE the tenor player. This has gotta be someone I know, but I can't guess. Love the approach and the sound though, just perfect. I was frustrated that there wasn't more solo time though. Was this a live broadcast and that's why it had to be short? In any case, I need to find out who this is.

Oh no, this is very sad news...sorry to hear this. I was a big fan of his work with Sam Rivers, and especially his work on Dave Holland's "Jumpin' In." Was also lucky enough to meet him and hear him in person when he came to the University of New Hampshire in the early 90s. A fantastic, underrated player.

Oh man, there are SO many, but the first ones that come to mind for me are: Mtume Umoja Ensemble - Alkebu-lan/Land of the Blacks: Live at the East (Strata East) Harold Land - Choma (Burn) (Mainstream) Harold Land - A New Shade of Blue (Mainstream) Stanley Cowell - Equipoise (Galaxy) Gotta point out that this is currently available on CD, and has been for some time: http://www.about-time-records.com/at-1004.html GREAT album too!

This and this And as far as more modern-day stuff, I would say check out almost anything by Ernest Dawkins.

Every month I think, no, I can't do it this month, too much going on...and then invariably I give in and am able to finish just in time for the end of the month. So why mess with success?? I'm in for a download, thanks!

#10 is a total surprise! And I guess I'm the only one who likes Sonny Fortune on flute. I found his playing really interesting actually, not difficult at all.

Wow, I am the only one who preferred the flute player on #2 to #3!

Okay, nothing like the last minute... will post this quick and then look over the thread and the answers. Thanks for all your efforts Tom! 1 - "Darn That Dream." I like this. The guitar player has a nice, classic sort of sound, but takes a few interesting twists and turns in his solo. The only thing that was weird for me is that things really start to groove...right before the tune ends. Seems like they could have gone to a different place there. This is good stuff though. 2 - "In a Semi-mental Mood" as some folks call it on the bandstand (around here anyway)... and this is a beautiful rendition. I have no good guesses as to the players, but I do like the flute player quite a bit. I suppose it couldn't be someone as obvious as Yusef Lateef? Very interesting solo, nice "breathy" tone. Cool bass solo, whoever the bass player is has a sort of European sound to my ears. Anxious to know who this is. 3 - Hmmm...obviously a more modern version than the last one. Electric bass! My personal preference is track #2 over this one. This is a little too 'sterile' for me...that may not be exactly the right word, but this just isn't getting to me emotionally like #2 did. 4 - Fun rendition of "Giant Steps," but so short! No clues on this one...it was nice, but not enough meat there for me, they didn't really have enough time to get into anything. 5 - Haha...funny stuff! I'm sure I will be amused to find out who this is. 6 - "But Beautiful." I really like the sax player on this, but the funky sound really got in the way of my fully enjoying it...there is some kind of noise gate or something that sounds really screwy here, I felt like there was no decay on the sax sound at all. I should be commenting more about the music itself, but that was really a distraction for me. I did like what the sax player was doing though. This has got to be from the 70s or early 80s, based on the sound (apart from the noise gate thing I mentioned). 7 - And another! This has got to be roughly the same vintage as the last one...the bass player has a similar, growly kind of tone. Nice buttery-smooth sounds from the sax here. I enjoyed the piano solo very much too. 8 - "Recordame"...whoa, crazy key change after the intro. This is a speedy little version. The trombone solo is great, but the vibes solo is even better. The vibes player sounds influenced by Hutcherson, if it's not him. I should know a lot of these players, they sound familiar but I can't place them. Especially the trumpet player. Nice solos all around. The tenor solo is a standout though...great ideas, and I like the Borodin quote. 9 - "Body and Soul"...nice version. Didn't totally grab me, but it was pleasant. 10 - Ahhh! I know this, but the brain cells are failing at the moment...damn. What the heck is this? I know this one is gonna be embarrassing, because I should definitely be able to ID this one. Ellington, right? Now I'm angry at myself. I will just say that it's fantastic, beautiful, perfect. I love that sax sound. Damn. I am an idiot. 11 - Interesting. I am not sure what this is, but I feel the spirit of Charlie Haden in here. Stylistically it feel close to Haden and Frisell to me, but I don't think it is. No, now that I hear the bass solo that's definitely not Haden. I like it though. Really nice tune...haunting stuff. 12 - This is not really my flavor, but it was very nicely done for what it was. 13 - "Easy Living." Nice version...I like the singer. Great mellow, laid back feel, good stuff. 14 - Is one of the guitars Jim Hall? I don't know the tune, but it's a good 'un. Wow...that was an about face... "I Think I'm Going Out of My Head"? That was interesting. Kind of an odd transition there, but this is kind of fun overall. I'm really stumped now though. Thanks again! Will now poke around to see how far off I was on the few that I was actually able to try and guess...

I was just going to ask the same thing.

I asked Charlie Kohlhase about Robert Ruff. Charlie played a gig with the World's Experience Orchestra sometime in the early 80s, but he said Ruff wasn't with the band at that time. He did ask a friend though, who says that Ruff is still alive and well but quit playing bass in the early 80s to raise a family. He hasn't played in public since then, but has apparently gotten back into practicing the bass a little bit.

Still praying for a Billy Bang set...

Well...okay, twist my arm. I'm in for a download. Thanks!

Reveal coming tomorrow! (I hope!)

Wow, you really got me on that Carlos tune, that's amazing... and I like me some Santana, but that one just didn't do anything for me. To be honest I think I had already tuned out by the time the guitar solo came along so I should probably go back and listen again. Funny, I had thought Stanley Turrentine for a moment on #10 and then dismissed it...damn! I will be looking forward to the reveal for more!

Okay, better late than never, I hope... haven't looked at any of the answers here yet, will just go for it and then take a look back... Side 1 Tr 1 - Boy, the vibraphonist sure sounds a lot like Milt Jackson but I can't say for sure that it's him. My reference point for Jackson is the MJQ stuff and a few other earlier recordings of his. This COULD be him in a later setting, or it could be someone else who is influenced by him. The guitar player sure sounds familiar, but I can't place him. Overall, nice tune, nice group with some tasty playing. I like the chord progression of the tune a lot too. Side 1 Tr 2 - WOW...this is really nice. What a fantastic, sinewy sound the bass player has...and beautiful playing. And the tenor player is outstanding. Damn...who is this? I have no guesses. I am digging the whole vibe of this...great players, and they are totally in sync. I need to know who this is. Side 1 Tr 3 - This is a fun little lounge-y tune, but it didn't do a whole lot for me honestly. Some nice ensemble playing, and I like the trombonist's sound, but the solo left me a little cold. Side 1 Tr 4 - Okay, I am realizing that for someone who in fact loves the vibraphone, my knowledge of vibes players beyond Bobby Hutcherson, Walt Dickerson, and Milt Jackson is actually pretty poor. Anyway...I will make a wild guess at Cal Tjader here just because of the latin flavor, though he is not a player I am really familiar with. Side 2 Tr 1 - I like the tune quite a bit, the flute player has a really nice sound and it's a good arrangement. And again, I LOVE the bass player. Didn't totally click with me once the solos started though...I feel like they are holding back a bit or something. The piano solo did it for me though. There were a few things that reminded me of Wynton Kelly there, but I really don't have any guesses as to the pianist or anyone else here for that matter. Side 2 Tr 2 - Nice mellow mood on this one. I really love what the bass player and piano player did at the beginning...I wanted more of that actually! But once the rest of the band came in, they settled into a really nice groove. Some nice, subtle interplay here. I've got no guesses, but am curious to know who this is. Side 2 Tr 3 - Not for me...nice moody feel but that's about it. The thing that throws me is the bass player-- that's gotta be Ron Carter. Side 2 Tr 4 - Sorry, not much I can say about this one. Side 3 Tr 1 - Nice energy, and some tight playing here. I like the tenor player, he had a few nice bits in there but I wish he had gotten some more actual solo time, I felt things needed to build a little more. Fun tune though. Side 3 Tr 2 - I like it. Nice & easy...sounds like an old Blue Note groover, but I think it could a tiny bit more recent. Nice bluesy solo from the tenor player. The tune itself makes me think Nat Adderley, but not the trumpet playing. But I don't know who the trumpet player is. Side 3 Tr 3 - This is cool, soulful stuff. I dig the percussion. Nice feel all around. The electric bass player has a fantastic sense of time, great groove. Even with all the percussion, I feel like it's the bass player who's really holding things together here. The piano player, while not virtuosic, does the job here. Side 3 Tr 4 - Good stuff, enjoyed the tenor solo, but even moreso the piano solo-- very nice, impeccable. That is some seriously tasty drumming. Really digging the drummer. No guesses on this one. Side 4 Tr 1 - Hmm... the intro to this tune sounds almost exactly like a little bit of a Weather Report tune. Can't recall the name of it at the moment. Unfortunately once the tune settles in, it doesn't do a lot for me. I SHOULD like this a lot more than I do...the sound and groove are right up my alley but the playing leaves me cold. I hope I don't regret saying that. Love that intro & outro though! Side 4 Tr 2 - Sorry, not my thing. Sounds like Sesame Street. That trombone player has a pretty fabulous sound though. Side 4 Tr 3 - Sadly, this one doesn't really float my boat either. Just doesn't speak to me. Side 4 Tr 4 - Now this is interesting...some fantastic interplay here. The guitar player reminds me of Jim Hall in spots but I'm not sure it's him. I really like this one, will be interested to find out who it is. Side 4 Tr 5 - Man, that sound!! Beautiful tenor playing. Holy cow, that is stunning...that tone just defies gravity. What little I know of Ben Webster makes me want to say that it's him, but I'm probably wrong. In any case, it's fantastic. Thanks Al, for all your efforts in putting this together. Some nice stuff here!

I do have this album and like it very much. He's also on an album by the "World's Experience Orchestra" out of Boston in the 70s, so I assume he was based in Boston as well, but have had trouble finding any other information on him. I wish somebody would reissue the World's Experience Orchestra record, I really enjoy that one. Most or all of it can be found on YouTube I think.

I'd love a download please!

Very interesting, especially #4! Love that clip from the Hoagy Carmichael special too. Thanks again!

Thanks for this, fun stuff! It was a crazy month here so I wasn't able to give it as much time as I'd like, but here are a few comments (and I haven't looked at anything else in this thread or the "reveal" thread yet)... 1. Sounds like a commercial for something, but isn't that Jon Hendricks on vocals? 3. Marlena Shaw...but I only know this because I saw you posting about her in another thread. Nice, easy groovin' tune though. 4. This one is a blast. I don't have any guesses though. Love the bass player. 5. ????? Al Jolson? I have no idea what to make of this... 7. I really like the feel of the rhythm section, but not crazy about the tune or the singer, to be honest. 11. Aha! This is Stark Reality, from that "Hoagy Carmichael" album. I need to get more familiar with this record, but it's great stuff! I really enjoyed 12 and 14 too, but no guesses on those. Will go check the reveal thread now... Thanks again!

Wow. So interesting that #6 is Zorn...that's a nice track! And "Greatest Jazz Concert in the World"...I remember seeing that one around years ago but had totally forgotten about it. How is the record as a whole? Does it live up to the title? Thanks again for putting this together... great stuff!

Cool, I got the Sun Ra...and amazing that it is Duke AND Oscar on 14, that is crazy! Why doesn't anyone like Oscar? I'm a big fan.