webbcity

Okay, as always... cutting it close and coming in just under the wire! I guess the only good thing about doing this late in the month is that I don't have to wait too long for the reveal! And likely many of these have already been ID'd. Haven't peeked yet but will do so after I post this. These are my notes as I listened... Track 1 - Great groove, love it...a lost groove from another time, sounding even better in lo-fi. No guesses, but this is a total blast. Track 2 - Right out of the gate I can tell this is gonna be a favorite. Gotta be a 70s or 80s vintage. I like the way the tenor player begins the solo with a reference to the head. Hmmm...nope, I'm wrong about the date, this is quickly sounding like something more recent than I thought. Honestly the tenor player sounds a hell of a lot like Nicole Glover but I don't think it could be her. Overall I like the track but it's actually a little too clean around the edges for me. Great playing from all, no doubt. Just would like for them to get their hands a little dirtier. Track 3 - Hearing a Dolphy influence right off the bat. I really like the sound of the group. Vibes solo is excellent...some really great development there. Aaaaannd, yes, if this altoist doesn't name Dolphy as a primary influence then there's something wrong with my ears. OK, I am REALLY digging the tenor solo. Yeah...I am down with this. Trombone and bari are bringing it as well. I'm gonna guess this is one of Jason Adascewicz's groups (and yes, I'm sure I spelled that wrong)? Not real familiar with him though. Track 4 - Definitely like what the pianist is setting up. Once the tune starts, it sounds very familiar actually... I feel like I've heard this. Sounds like a newer group but I hear an older Blue Note influence. The alto tone is delicate...beautiful solo. The guitarist is less interesting to me. I do like how each solo is a new experience with a different feel. I'm back on track with the piano solo. Love the rhythmic nature of the bass solo, great sound too. For a minute in there I thought it was gonna go in an Alex Blake direction but no. Track 5 - Well, I really like this! Took a minute for the vocal to grow on me, but this is a really fun track. Very 60s obviously. Groovy! Track 6 - Yep, within seconds I can tell this is right in my wheelhouse too. Great groove, interesting tune. Ah, is this 70s Blakey? I think I got an inside hint from you on this though? This is excellent! Right in the pocket... everything just feels good here. Really enjoyed the alto as well as the tenor solo. My guess is it must be Schnitter on tenor then? I particularly like the way his solo builds. I definitely need to get into more 70s Blakey. Have played a bit of Child's Dance recently and I love that one. Yep, you sold me on this, love it! Track 7 - Oh yeah, love that quirky little head! Reminds me of a Booker Ervin record... Space Book I think? That's not a guess, it just reminds me of something on that record. But this grooves... and who is that pianist? Wow! Hang on. Pullen? Talk about one foot in tradition and one in the future, this is it right here. And this must have been the 70s, once again? Holy tenor player! So wait, if this is Pullen and Adams, it's gotta be Mingus? I need to know this record. Fantastic. Track 8 - No surprise that I am loving most everything here. Oh hey now! This is a Tolliver tune, yes? I'm blanking on the name though. So I love this vibes player but couldn't tell you who it is. That sure as heck sounds like Tolliver himself though on trumpet. LOVING the pianist's support throughtout, that's jumping out at me. Man! What a track! You are killing me with this. I should know this tenor player too. Wow. The piano solo is next level... really loving the way the vibes player supports in an almost ghost-like way at the beginning, and then the drummer kicking it big time towards the end. Everyone is on fire here and I wish I had more guesses... this one is really stumping me. Can't wait for the reveal though! Track 9 - Another nice groover. Can't sit still for this one. Hell yeah to the organist, great solo and the band is cookin right along. Digging that vibes solo too... inclined to guess Roy Ayers? But that's a shot in the dark. Rock solid groove, this is another keeper for me. Track 10 - And yet another that's right up my alley. LOVING the vibe of this. Part of the head sounds very close to McCoy's Passion Dance. Very open and exploratory. Even if a little hesitant in spots. I'm hearing the search. Obviously this is a live recording... of a gig I wish I was at. I am repeating myself here, but I feel like I know/should be able to guess this band too. Wow this is great. I'm gonna go back and listen to this one some more, love it. Track 11 - So the tune is of course from Hair, and the vocalist is nailing it. Great energy, great groove. Winner winner! Track 12 - Interesting... I like the piano intro but did not expect things to end up where they did. Hang on though, I know this groove. I know this tune. Dammit... I bet you I have this one and I can't place it. Sounds like a Black Jazz record maybe? Gotta love that Rhodes sound. Is there even a bass player on this or is it just the Rhodes player holding it down? It works! Well I guess I'm stumped on this too. Can't tell if it's one I actually know or it just "sounds like" something I know. Either way, I dig it! As always, lots of winners here for me. You are speakin' my language! Thanks for another great BFT... cannot wait to find out who some of these are! Update: Ah! Missed Roy Ayers by one track! I should have known Virgo Vibes for #8... damn! Gotta go back and listen to that one again, clearly!

I can't believe I missed this! And only 3 tracks! Sounds like I will have to give this a listen very soon though. Have seen that Newport record around for pretty cheap, never realized it was such a gem! Thanks for bringing my attention to this even if I did miss out on the BFT.

Same here, if there's still room, I'd love to contribute (and yes, will keep it short)!

Definitely interested in checking this out. Thanks for sharing!

Ah, yes... had forgotten about that. As to the pun, I am a massive Yes fan, and they have a 20 min tune called "The Revealing Science of God" which popped into my head as I was about to type "BFT 235, The Reveal"... As to the Marian McPartland album, the entire disc is really worth checking out. Did not realize when I included it that it was the last album she recorded, at the age of 89! Yeah, when I got back from my trip I started to look for that one and had a little trouble finding an inexpensive copy myself, but it popped up eventually. Definitely worth looking for, the whole record is fantastic.

Any Yes fans who understand my terrible pun? No? Ah, well... Onto the revealing! 01 Winter - Wendell Harrison, Reawakening (1985) https://www.discogs.com/release/4610262-Wendell-Harrison-Reawakening Yes, the production is fairly questionable here, and certainly does no favors to Harrison's clarinet sound. Which is too bad, because I'm a big WH fan, and I really dig this band and like the tune a lot. 02 Perdido - Tito Rodriguez, Live at Birdland (1963) https://www.discogs.com/release/7261728-Tito-Rodriguez-Live-At-Birdland Heard this LP for the first time early this year while on vacation in Puerto Rico. CT was recognizable right away, as he was to many of you, and I just fell in love with the overall energy of this record. Oh, and I am pretty certain that's Al COHN and not "Al Cohen"... 03 Quadrangle - Jackie McLean, Jackie's Bag (1961) https://www.discogs.com/release/10193363-Jackie-McLean-Jackies-Bag Love me some JMac. As I think I mentioned elsewhere in this thread, one thing I find amazing about this track is the fact that it was recorded just 2 days after the first session for Ornette Coleman's Tomorrow is the Question. I don't think McLean gets enough credit for being a pioneer. 04 Celebration - Jimmy Giuffre Three, River Chant (1975) https://www.discogs.com/master/585102-Jimmy-Giuffre-Three-River-Chant Have been exploring Giuffre a bit more lately and I really love the stuff he did with this particular trio. 05 Green - Roscoe Mitchell, Before There Was Sound (released 2011, recorded 1965) https://www.discogs.com/release/3234698-Roscoe-Mitchell-Before-There-Was-Sound Thank you Chuck Nessa for this one! If you're a fan of early Art Ensemble/AACM music and don't know this disc, you need to. A haunting composition here from the underappreciated trumpeter Fred Berry, who sounds fantastic throughout these sessions. 06 Ellipsis - Dave Schnitter, Glowing (1981) https://www.discogs.com/master/864530-Dave-Schnitter-Glowing Before this record, I knew Schnitter only from recordings with Freddie Hubbard. This is a really interesting LP with some great playing from all corners. Claudio Roditi was a big surprise for me here as I wasn't familiar with his playing but I absolutely love him on this. And: Ed Blackwell! 07 Dizzy's Smile - Akua Dixon, Akua's Dance (2017) https://www.discogs.com/release/10590238-Akua-Dixon-Akuas-Dance This is still a record that's pretty new to me but I am really enjoying getting acquainted with it. Fantastic! Have heard Dixon on other musicians' records but never her own until now. Many guessed Ron Carter on this, who does appear elsewhere on the album, but not on this track! 08 Maze - Curtis Fuller, Crankin' (1973) https://www.discogs.com/master/912265-Curtis-Fuller-Crankin Did not know about Fuller's Mainstream records until pretty recently, which has clearly been a massive oversight! 09 Twilight World - Marian McPartland, Twilight World (2008) https://www.discogs.com/release/10444418-Marian-McPartland-Twilight-World Beautiful tune, beautiful performance. I definitely hear shades of Green Dolphin Street, as someone mentioned, and Poinciana as well. 10 Unicorn in Shadows - Joseph Jarman, Inheritance (1984) https://www.discogs.com/release/1127370-Joseph-Jarman-Inheritance One of my favorite musicians, but I had almost forgotten about this solo track until I heard it again recently. 11 Hive Queen - Nicole Glover, Strange Lands (2021) https://www.discogs.com/release/21030580-Nicole-Glover-Strange-Lands Saw Nicole Glover performing with Allison Miller's group and thoroughly enjoyed her playing... she did a rendition of Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes" that was just incredible. Sought out this album and was not disappointed. 12 Beneficent - Phil Ranelin/Wendell Harrison, A Message From The Tribe (1973) (2nd edition) https://www.discogs.com/release/4199918-Phillip-Ranelin-Wendell-Harrison-A-Message-From-The-Tribe It was kind of accidental that Wendell Harrison ended up opening and closing this BFT, but it seemed appropriate somehow. This was the record that introduced me to him and it's still one of my favorites. Thanks to all who listened and participated!

We're in the final 24 hours folks, make your final guesses! I believe the tracks that haven't been ID'd are tracks 1, 5, 7, 9, and 11. And just by chance, while looking up the Discogs pages on these for the final reveal, I discovered that our own Ken Dryden knows track #9 and gave it 5 stars, so ask him if you don't know!

Well hell, in the spirit of improvisation I thought I might try something different, but it's looking like October might be the best option again. Let's go with that! Thanks man!

Thom, I just realized I accidentally revealed a couple of these to you the other night that were actually NOT publicly ID'd yet. Whoops! Yeah, it is super confusing. I have several different versions myself, on both CD and LP. All reissues. But there is one fairly recent 2CD "deluxe edition" or something to that effect that has many of the different takes and mixes over the two discs.

I don't really know any of Blakey's records from that period, must check this out!

Ding ding ding! You are on fire! 🔥 Previous to this, I really only knew Schnitter from a live Freddie Hubbard record, but Roditi I knew even less about, and he sounds DAMN good on this session IMHO.

Correct, and agreed! That's my favorite cover as well... the first one I knew actually, before I realized there were 2 others! I think the whole album is pretty great! Came to my attention after being pretty blown away by the sax player at a local show. (Sax player not local to Maine though, just on tour)

It's from my personal favorite Tribe record, credited to Harrison/Ranelin or Ranelin/Harrison depending on which issue you're looking at... this particular LP has had at least 3 different covers!

Ding ding! And you've probably already ID'd the record by now.

Thanks all, for your listening and comments so far! Again my apologies for not attending to my own party sooner.

Hey all, apologies for the delay in responding, life has been nutty these past couple days. More detailed response coming soon. Thanks for listening! And yes, I figured many people would get #3, but a part of me was hoping to fool some, as I've done with JMac previously. 😎 More on that later...

I was confused for a minute, but I think you're listening to last month's BFT. This one, BFT235, is actually the 2nd one down in the player. You did nail track 13 though! 😄

Hi all, very happy to be this month's presenter! As always, it's great to hear your thoughts & reactions even if you can't ID players. Hope you find something to enjoy here. https://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/

Wow, some really fascinating reveals here. I guess I was one of the few who dug #2! And #6... I definitely have to keep an eye out for that one. Agreed, Haynes sounds amazing on this cut, and he's not someone I'm familiar with at all. The hate for (or indifference to) the Hancock/Shorter record is surprising to me. I really like that one. And #12 was a big winner for me too. Don't know Rehak, but will get further acquainted soon. Thanks so much Joe! Excellent BFT!

You know, I did wonder about Jarrett and Haden on #7 but I thought that was too obvious!

Coming in late as usual, and I haven't looked at any responses yet but will do so as soon as I post this. These are notes I took as I listened... Track 1 - Off to an ominous start, and I mean that in a good way... the mood is being set, it's mysterious, and I dig it. I really like the guitarist, and there are some familiar sounds here but I don't think I can name names. Once this settles into the 3 feel it's very nice indeed. Still digging the guitarist, but also wishing for some over-the-barline phrasing rather than everything "fitting neatly," so to speak. The contrast of the faster & slower sections is nice. Is that a celeste? Also must mention that I'm a big fan of the bassist's playing and sound. Overall an intriguing track, very curious to know who it is. Track 2 - Wow! This is different. Me likey. Sounds almost proggy. I do enjoy some good odd meters. Great group sound, love the keys and the repeating motif they keep coming back to. Yeah, this is excellent... would love to hear more from this group. Track 3 - Right off the bat I'm getting hints of Larry Young, but that could just be because I'm not familiar with more than a handful of organists. This tenor solo builds really nicely... digging this a lot. Not sure I'm familiar with this player but I could be surprised. The drummer is driving the hell outta this. Wait, Woody Shaw? Okay, and that IS definitely Larry Young. Ah! It's Buddy Terry... this is an album I need. "Natural Soul." Nice one! Track 4 - I like the instrumentation & arrangement of the horns. The trombonist gets to shine a bit here. In fact I think the bone solo is my favorite, though the trumpet & tenor solos are most excellent. Some really interesting stuff in that piano solo too actually, I definitely want to know who that is! Rock solid rhythm section. Fantastic cut! Track 5 - Again, it's nice when the players can set a mood, and it's happening here. I like the openness and the darkness. Having said that... I'm not really grabbed by this. As a group they're all on the same page, but the piano solo is not saying a lot to me. But that's just me. Track 6 - I should know this bass player. Well done on the intro. The bassist & drummer are like hand and glove here. Hmmm... what does that make the horns, head and hat? The trumpet player is a research scientist, and this is my kind of research. The alto player...okay, let's stop with the metaphors. The alto player is killer! The Ornette influence is strong here, but other elements are at play too. Boy... I should know who this is. And this bass player, yo! What is going on here?? I really hope someone else has already ID'd this because I really don't want to wait another week. This is a five star track for me, no question. Track 7 - The chromatic motif is very cool and I like the rubbery sound the bass player gets. It's always interesting how often the best ideas are the simplest ones. I mean, there's almost nothing to this tune, but it's perfect. It almost sounds like it plays itself. Honestly I don't even think they need that 2nd, groovy section! I don't like that nearly as much, personally. Great feeling in the drums. And overall you can hear they're having a blast. But see, this went actually in a really different direction from what I expected. Some of the stuff they get into after 4:30 doesn't really fit with some of what came earlier, to me. Or maybe it's the stuff I like that doesn't fit? Anyway, overall there's some great things happening here but I'm personally a little divided on this cut. Track 8 - Ah! Now this is an easy one, as soon as Wayne came in I knew it. It's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAOB2Xx-hiw ...and it's fantastic. I didn't discover this album myself until relatively recently but boy is it DAMN good. Two old friends pushing each other into new territory. Five stars! Track 9 - You had me at bass clarinet. Oh! But there's so much more... sounds like quite a large group in fact. Hmmm. I'm having a bit of trouble latching onto this though. Either it feels directionless, or it's user error, which is possible. I'll probably be shocked at the reveal but this one isn't doing a lot for me. Feels kind of like several different conversations happening at the same time. Track 10 - My first reaction to the alto sound: Arthur Blythe? No, it's not him though. The pianist is standing out to me here. Yep. Definitely digging the pianist, big time. Truly free with the material. The bassist has incredible chops but the actual solo ideas are not that interesting to me. I'm sure I'll regret saying most of this! Track 11 - What a great flute sound. Almost sounds like a wooden flute? Not that I'm an expert. This is interesting and I'm impressed with the musicians though it might not be something I personally would play a lot. Still, I think it's very well done. Track 12 - Love the intro, the way the rhythm section sets it up and the horns feel like punctuation. Damn, what a bari sound! I can already tell I like this. Kinda sounds like early Sun Ra. Some excellent improvising all around and I love the feel. Thumbs up from me on this one. Track 13 - Great trio sound, very solid rhythm section and the pianist is tasty. I want to say that's Billy Higgins on drums? Should I say that? Hmmm... no, maybe not. But a very respectable track nonetheless. Good stuff! Joe, thanks so much for a REALLY enjoyable BFT! Really anxious for the reveal on many of these. Appreciate your efforts getting this music to us!

Finally got to check this one out, and as always, I'm posting my notes made while listening before going back to read the thread and see just how far off I was on some of these guesses. Track 1 - Right away I love the clarinet, the percussion and the way this begins with so much space... it draws me right in. As the arrangement gets going it sounds a bit like a modern version of Ellington. Oh yes! Very Ellingtonian. Some beautiful horn arranging and a very solid rhythm section. If I have any complaint it's that it's too polite, I could use a little more grit. Overall a nice selection though, clearly a very tight group. Track 2 - Very sensitive playing, beautiful start on this. Early on I'm getting a touch of Sonny Rollins from the tenor player, though I highly doubt it's him. No, this is someone of an older vintage. I suppose it could be someone who is one degree from Rollins... say Coleman Hawkins? Beautiful track all the way around. Can't ID the other players, but very nice support from all. Track 3 - Black Orpheus, right? My memory is getting worse and worse but I think I'm remembering that correctly. Definitely a 70s production, listen to the electrified upright! Not that I'm complaining, I don't object to that, just noting it. I suppose the obvious call is Milt Jackson but I'm not convinced it's him. The drummer sure sounds familiar but I don't have a clear answer there either. Overall I like the energy of the track. Feel-wise it's a little uptight to me. The drummer sounds way on top of things in a way that I'm not sure I'm down with. A fun listen though. Track 4 - Now we're in some quite different territory, and I do like it. I like the space we're in... nice use of sounds. Not a lot to go on here, but I'd be interested to hear what the rest of this recording sounds like. Track 5 - Not sure I completely love the head, but once the tune gets going it is cookin! Great trumpet solo right out of the gate, but my ear is equally drawn to the rhythm section which is just LAYING IT DOWN. Damn! Whoever is on bass and drums here, I salute you. The flute solo is slightly less engaging to me, but that's ok because we're still cooking. In fact, ok, we're heating up again. I take back my earlier assessment of the flautist. Once again, the rhythm section is just killing it. Absolutely driving, yet it sounds effortless at the same time. Really digging the piano solo too. I don't think I know this bass player. Good solo. Drum solo is super tasty. No guesses on any of this, but me likey. Track 6 - Very torn on this one, the tune and arrangement is a bit corny to me, but then again that sure sounds like Clark Terry on trumpet and I do dig it! But whose band? Maybe Basie? Not sure on this one. Track 7 - Alone Together! And I suppose that's meant to apply to the two horns here? Very competent band, but a couple minutes into the tenor solo and I don't really feel moved. I like the 2nd tenorist a bit more, a little more fire there, but overall this isn't getting off the ground for me. Too much head and not enough heart. But what do I know? Track 8 - Now this is interesting. I really like the vibes/guitar sound right off the bat on those lines. Kind of magical and other-worldly. Getting deeper into the tune, I enjoy it but need to give it another listen or two I think. The solos are not grabbing me as much as the overall sound and feel, which I do like... but something's missing. Not sure. I don't dislike it, in fact I like the sound of the group a lot, but I needed more of a story or an arc to the tune I guess. Track 9 - The guitarist sounds very Scofield-inspired to me. Probably what I like most about this from the get-go is the drummer... great loose feeling in the drums. Other than that this one just may not be for me. Not really my taste. All the musicians are technically very good but it doesn't speak to me. Track 10 - Early on, this track gives me what the last one did not: feeling. This is very nice. A bit of funny intonation here and there from the tenor player, but that doesn't get in the way of my enjoyment of this. Don't know the tune, but I like it. Overall this was a keeper for me. Track 11 - Ah, Blood Count! What a great tune. So far this is a good reading for me. I kinda wish the recording was a little better... I feel like the tenor player's sound is not well served by this. But I do like the tenor player very much. I definitely want to hear more from this group, they're hanging out in a neighborhood I like. In fact I will probably feel silly for not getting who this is, but in any case, it's fantastic. Track 12 - This is of course Horace Silver's "Peace" and this pianist is doing some very interesting things with it. Not sure this is someone I know, but it's an individual approach and I appreciate what they're doing. Track 13 - On this track I appreciate the fun factor, and they're all great players having a good time, but it's not something that personally resonates with me. The drummer sure does sound familiar though. Sounds like it could be Phil Woods on alto, who is not one of my favorites. Will be interested to find out who it is anyway! Some very nice stuff here, will look forward to the reveals! Thanks so much for putting it together for us, Ken!

Some great stuff here to dig into. As always, you outdo yourself! Many highlights here but I loved the Gillespies, the Lowe, Azar Lawrence...well, pretty much everything. Can't believe that was Richard Pryor. Definitely gotta go back and play that one again...