BFT # 18 - Disc 1

[couw]

Number 10 is most definately Jon Hendricks among others. Can't miss that voice anywhere! This was a trick by Mike but I did the AMG research.

This is the disc

Hate to quote myself but I already identified the Sidewinder track a long time ago.

no one implied you didn't

[king ubu]

Number 10 is most definately Jon Hendricks among others. Can't miss that voice anywhere! This was a trick by Mike but I did the AMG research.

This is the disc

Hate to quote myself but I already identified the Sidewinder track a long time ago.

no one implied you didn't

Indeed not. I was just talking of my own post, nothing else. I don't look at this as a contest, anyway, sure it's fun, but if it ought to be a contest, there would have to be conditions etc... and we wouldn't want that, would we?

[catesta]

Okay, I made it through disc 1 with little or no injuries.

1. Not much interest from me at the very beginning, but it most definitely grew on me. Turned out to be a real solid piece of work. I liked it, no real clue as to the players. Might be something from The Modern Jazz Quartet, no?

2. Too much scat for me. Jaco on bass?

3. Heavy, heavy bass drum. A little too heavy if you ask me. Didn't seem to ever really take off. Is that Vincent Herring in there?

4. Not sure of the tune, but this one got me. Might be some Freddie Hubbard influence on trumpet. The baritone had a real rich sound to it, Cecil Payne, Adams, I doubt it. I'm thinking this player is better known for something besides the baritone, but what the hell do I know?

This was a very fine track.

5. I liked this one form the start. It stayed real nice all the way through, I'm sold.

The tune seems so familiar, almost sounds like "Now's The Time".

Dual tenors! I though I heard Booker Ervin, I thought I heard Joe Henderson, I thought I heard Stanley T., but honestly have no idea.

6. This be "Lush Life" and a damn fine solo piano version. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff. Always real easy for me to be taken in when I hear something played this sweet. Damn you MIke for not posting in Jim R's favorite Lush Life thread.

No real guess on the player, but I hope this is not off something out of print, or heads will roll. B-)

7. "Only a Paper Moon" The gal can sing, however this is not for me.

8. This one makes you want to move, has a real nice vibe to it. Me likey!

9. Yikes, at first I'm thinking, "Mike threw some Chuck Mangione in on us", then it started to get better. Kind of a funky feel to it. I got into it some, although it's really not my kind of thing. Seems/sounds almost like Woody Shaw may be invloved here, in one way or another.

10. "Sidewinder" Mike, this was the gimme track, no? B-)

I never cared for vocals on this classic. I would have to say Jon Hendricks is in on this.

11. Not for me.

12. Bass sounded fine, but this one did nothing for me.

Mike, it was interesting to say the least. A lot of organ tracks, so obviously I struggled.

Thanks for including me.

Edited October 15, 2004 by catesta

[JSngry]

My copies arrived yesterday afternoon, and I listened to each disc once through tonight, and am listening again as I write. Will have to be brief, as I've been working OT at the slave.

TRACK ONE - Interesting progression, from the somewhat post=boppish opening to an increasingly conservative style as the thing progressed. The vibist is using REALLY hard mallets, it seems, and I though of Red Norvo in this regard. The style could be him, too, but I don't know any of his more recent work, and this is definitely a recording from the 70s on. Great players all, but I liked the mood of the intro better than the actual piece itself. Had kind of a loose John Lewis feel to the entire thing, but I don't think that Lewis is involved. Drummer sounds like a mix of Chico Hamilton & Shelly Manne. The ending's cool too.

TRACK TWO - Another frisky drummer! Don't ahve a clue who it is, but I dug hearing the Rhodes in a straigh-ahead context again. This cut, and most of Disc One, has a good "social" feeling to it - I don't know that I'd enjoy it too much for "studied" listening, but as club/festival and/or radio music, it's GREAT. I like both kinds of vibes. Jazz can use this kind of thing, something that gets people up and partying. Oh yeah, the alto player...don't know. But he fits in well with the rest of the vibe here.

TRACK THREE - Mike sure likes his drummers! Again, don't ahve a clue. DEfinitely something fairly recent, digitally recorded.I like this altoist better than the previous one. Drummer sounds too much like Tony in too many spots to actually be him, but it could be the lovely and talented Cindy Blackmon, which means the altoist could be...I dunno. This is good "outdoors" music - get this kind of thing going in a park or other outdoor venue and people WILL respond.

TRACK FOUR - SON OF ZOLTAN! But with a twist or two. More outdoors music, excellently conveyed. Still don't have a clue (and that's going to hold true for this whole disc, iirc...). I'm digging the conga/traps hookup, a lot tighter than is often the case, and more tee better for it. Soloists don't really do that much for me, but that groove renders that concern secondary, at least! And frankly, this group sounds more like it's into the group thing than the solo thing anyway. The conguero is doing it right. Good stuff.

TRACK FIVE - Now this one is really bugging me, because I the tenorists sound familiar, but damned if I can call them. ANOTHER kicking drummer! Both tenorists keep threatening to go into Ornetteland and stretch the barlines, but they don't. But damn it if sounds like they WANT too! This drummer has definitely checked out some latter-day Max, but I don't hear Max's ultra-focused crispness (or his cymbals...). If you tell me that Odean Pope is one of the tenorists, I'd be surprised, but only a little...

TRACI SIX - "Lush Life", of course. Sometimes I'm really in the mood for this type of piano playing, sometimes not. Right now, I'm not, but in a few days, I might be. And sooner or later, I will be. This player gets more into the specifics of the song than the mood, that's what I mean. Very "pianistic", if you know what I mean. The "recital"-ish appraoch puts me in mind of somebody like Dave Burrell, whom I really, REALLY dig, but I'd hesitate to say it was him. It's really very nice, I'm just noit there for it at this moment, which is entirely my prolem.

TRACK SEVEN - Well, at first I was afraid it was going to be Tania Marie (she always sounds like she has to pee really badly but can't get away, which makes me nervous. Joanne Brackeen's like that for me too). Some hellacious bassism going on - big, FAT tone, and those double stops come off pretty effortlessly. HAd to search for this one, and here it si: http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dr...f74601jintm.jpg I'm a bit disappointed that the singer is faking the ethnicity bit, but I cna live with it.

TRACK EIGHT - Burrell/Smith? I should know, but I'm really REALLY tired right now. But the vecording has that dull sheen that characterized 60s Verve, so there you go.If I'm wrong shoot me, but you'll have to wake me up first.

TRACK NINE - WELL!!! Want an INTERESTING tact to take on one of Woody Shaw's greatest tunes, "On The New Ark" (aka "Woody 1"). Had to investigate this one, and it's this http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dr...f45863kkuu7.jpg Frankly, it makes more sense to me to come at this kinf of material this kind of way if you're this age, because this is more in sync with the rhythm of the live you grew up in. Trying to do it like Woody did it is doomed to fail because you didn't grow up in a world that had the same rhtym to it that Woody did. Solid soling, nothing spectacular, but I very much dig the concept, and also think that if more young players stay true to their times in this kind of way that the soloing will eventually loosen up and go somewhere. How can you free yourself up over a rhythm that isn't yours?

TRACK TEN - http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dr...f06344stdmf.jpg Never heard of this guy before now, but don't Jon Hendicks sound his usual fine self! The guy is one of the few singers who can actually scat like an horn player plays. More fun than anything wlse, but what's wrong with that?

TRACK ELEVEN - Don't know. the only "jazz" harpists I know off the top of my head are Alice & Dorothy Ashby, and I don't think it's either one of them. Very much liking this one. It's "abstract" thematically, but still has a narrative going on. The "sonics" have me thinking of Ra, but I don't think so. I think it might be the bassist's date, and he's playing superbly. Will be most interested to find out who this is - this could be a purchase.

TRACK TWELVE - More fat bass. Such a beautiful instrument when cats learn how to get the sound OUT of it and don't cheat. The singer sings brushes! That's kinda neat. Obvious guess would be Bobby McFerrin, the man of a million voices. Is this that duet w/Rob Wasserman? No matter. Moe fun stuff, and a great clsoer.

Good stuff, lots of fun, and high energy. Now off to disc Two. If I can stay awake...

[mikeweil]

6. This be "Lush Life" ..... Damn you MIke for not posting in Jim R's favorite Lush Life thread.

Now you know why ...

I'm afraid I'll have to watch my head closely ....

[mikeweil]

............................

Jim, you saved organissimo board's honor - I started to think noone would recognize that it's Woody's tune on track 9 - how well do you guys know your Mosaics? Well, catesta came somewhat close ...

I never thought I would come up with a track with two tenors that you will not guess ....

Very interesting comments all the way - I ROTFLMAO with every new post

[RDK]

I've been listening all week, but finally had a chance to compose some thoughts. There's some real familiar stuff on here, but I'm drawing a lot of blanks - more than usual this week - on names and titles. Overall, Mike, I'm very pleased with both of these discs. It's clear that you like your jazz - or at least much of it - fun and upbeat. This first disc was a blast to listen to, and the second one is even groovier. I'm very curious what others have to say. As for me...

Disc 1

1. Interesting. Very percussive sound to the vibes (and to the piano). I’m digging this - a nice way to open the disc. The playing sounds both old (50s) and more modern.

2. Funky modern scat! I’m sure many will object to this one, but this is a blast. Loads of fun, with the e-bass blending nicely with the vocal gymnastics. No idea who it is. Bobby McFerrin’s more talented older brother? Love that false ending!

3. This sounds so darn familiar, I’m sure I have this. Larry Young? Elvin? Is it from Unity or Into Somethin’ (but that sure doesn’t sound like Sam Rivers)? I can’t keep anything straight these days. But no, as the track continues it starts to sound more contemporary than that. Hmm. The more I listen to this the more uncertain I am…

4. Not as familiar as track 3, but I may have this as well. Like the Latin beat going on underneath.

5. Now’s the Time? Confirmation? (Or at least one of those Bird titles that I’m always confusing.) Not my favorite track here overall, but I’m digging that drumming. Elvin again? I dunno, but it seems to have that polyrhythmic thing going on.

6. Oh gosh, I know this one of course but for the life of me can’t come up with the title. I know this performance, too, I’m pretty sure. Lovely solo piano piece.

7. Delightful - I love this! I’d say Sheila Jordan and Harvie Swartz – I know they’ve recorded a lot of duets like this – but it doesn’t really sound like Sheila.

8. Okay, but no specific comments.

9. Again, okay, but this one doesn’t really jump out at me. The playing’s okay, but the track is bit too modern-sounding and “electronic” for my tastes without offering anything new.

10. Hell yeah! Never heard this vocal version of The Sidewinder, but I dig it. Jon Hendricks or a disciple? I’m not too familiar with Hendrick’s sound, but this is certainly up his alley. It sounds, though, like a more recent recording.

11. It’s not jazz if it doesn’t swing! No seriously, I don’t hate this sort of stuff, but I have to be in the mood for it. Harp? Alice Coltrane? Not bad, but a little goes a long way. Love the atmosphere of such things, but like much of ECM’s output I get tired of it fast. I listen to a good amount of this sort of spacey and atmospheric jazz, but overall it strikes me as too cerebral and not much fun. Works better as background music.

12. Sounds more like Sarah Vaughan, whom I generally don’t care for all that much. This is obviously similar to track 7, but the flip side of the coin: more serious and somber than lively and fun. No problem, there’s room for both, but I like the other one better.

[RDK]

Well, after reading all the posts now, you guys weren't as helpful as I thought you'd be,

A few additional comments...

1. There's no way this sounds like MJQ to me. Don't know who it is as I don't recognize that really percussive tone to the vibes.

3. Listening to this again, it still sounds like Larry Young to me, but it's much too modern a recording. (But what the hell do I know?) But I know I have this and heard it only recently. I'll have to do a bit of digging...

7. I'm surprised at some of the negative reactions to this track. I love this and could listen to it all day long. The human voice is perhaps the most expressive and emotional instrument in all of jazz, so I'm always shocked when people dismiss vocal tracks so quickly. Besides that, this track is mad fun!

Some of you guys take your jazz far too seriously. You gotta loosen up and have some fun!

[JSngry]

............................

Jim, you saved organissimo board's honor - I started to think noone would recognize that it's Woody's tune on track 9 - how well do you guys know your Mosaics?

I have the Woody Mosaic but have never listened to it. Bought it strictly for sentimental value. There's like, what, one new tune on there? I'll get to it eventually.

WOODY III was one of those albums that grabbed the people it was going to grab almost the vvery second it came out. Several tunes off that side got heavy on both the college jazz FM & the commercial AM jazz radio here. The former appealed to a predominately young, white, college crowd, the latter to a predominantly African-American , older, blue collar group. But this album appealed to both groups equally, it seemed.

As for 23 - when did King Pleasure & Michael Landon cross paths?

[Big Al]

9. Yikes, at first I'm thinking, "Mike threw some Chuck Mangione in on us",

HOLY SH...... That's what I thought, too! I just couldn't bring myself to admit it. Mike is definitely one sick puppy!

[mikeweil]

9. Yikes, at first I'm thinking, "Mike threw some Chuck Mangione in on us",

HOLY SH...... That's what I thought, too! I just couldn't bring myself to admit it. Mike is definitely one sick puppy!

Can anyone send me a Chuck Mangione CD, so I know what you're talking about?! - Seriously, I never bothered to listen to him. I guess I might be a sick puppy after listening ...

I probably would if there was an album "Chuck Mangione plays Woody Shaw" ....

Edited October 16, 2004 by mikeweil

[Dan Gould]

A little late to the party, I'm afraid-and not a lot to say on this one.

#1: I thought MJQ at first, but then not, then I did again. So I'm going to say, not the MJQ.

#2: Me no likey. Farting bass and unimpressive scat.

#6: Lush Life, nicest performance of the disc, but no guess.

#7: At first I figured it was Bobby McFerrin, then I realized it had to be a girl singer. Then I remembered that McFerrin has like a 6 octave range or something, so maybe it is him? "Paper Moon"-and not a favorite performance by any means.

#10: Must be Jon Hendricks with vocals on the Morgan classic. Shouldn't have seen the light of day, IMO.

[mikeweil]

Okay, I will make it a little easier here, too.

# 1 - very rare item - but one musician here is on one track of disc 2 as well

# 2 - hmmm .... see my notes below

# 3 - cannonball addict thought of Maceo Parker, JSngry of Tony Williams, but who's the organist here?

# 4 - another rarity - again refer to the notes

# 5 - tooter got this one, maybe he can renew the vegetable link? Nate Dorward correctly recognized Jack DeJohnette.

# 6 - another rarity - what shall I say?

# 7 - JSngry by AMGing

# 8 - Jim R by instant recognition

# 9 - JSngry by AMGing, but he got the tune, folks!

# 10 - identified by several via Jon Hendricks' participation

# 11 - the bassist is the leader, but has not been mentioned. The harpist is not exactly a household name in jazz circles, and that is a woman digging inside the piano (JSngry you hear me?)

# 12 - well ....

There are four vocal tracks on this disc, but only three vocalists. You got it?

There are three organ tracks, but only two organists ....

Edited October 16, 2004 by mikeweil

[randyhersom]

1. Sounds a little modern than Milt Jackson, particularly at the beginning. Dave Pike?

2. The combination of idiomatic scat and electric bass seems to suggest an 80s or later recording. I'll guess Giacomo Gates, who I haven't heard, over Kurt Elling, who I have.

3. Bobby Watson?

4. Organ based ensemble playing adventurous hard bop. I have no better guess than Larry Young.

5. Sounds like Now's the Time/The Hucklebuck. Maybe Houston Person?

6. Solo piano. Nice Lush Life. With no real clue, I'll try Tommy Flanagan.

7. Nice voice, something husky about it reminds me of Rebecca Parris.

8. Pat Martino?

9. Something very familiar about the tenor, but I'm clueless beyond that. Art Farmer with Clifford Jordan?

10. Cool vocal version of Lee Morgan's Sidewinder. Kurt Elling?

11. Alice Coltrane?

12. Could be Bobby McFerrin.

[JSngry]

Is #12 Geri allen w/Reggie Workman? http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dr...d82332eftol.jpg

You shouldn't have given THAT big a clue, Mike!

[Tom Storer]

Took me a while to get around to preparing my responses, but here goes. Haven't looked at this thread yet, so I'm preparing myself to be thoroughly embarassed when I do.

CD1

1. I like this a lot. All the players are impeccably elegant, swinging with comfortable authority. The recording quality makes me think this is relatively recent, and I thought of Bobby Hutcherson or Steve Nelson, but the way the vibraphonist plays doesn't sound as modern as either of them. I don't know who it is, but very nice indeed!

2. Impressive chops on that bass guitarist, and the scat singer sounds experienced. Well-done party music. Maybe Jamaaladeen Tacuma, who's worked on various things with Wolfgang Puschnig on alto sax.

3. Very catchy, but I would have preferred a less drum-heavy performance (or mix). The organ and sax both have a lovely tone, full and sweet with a bluesy edge, but the subtlety of their sound is drowned out by those strong-arm drums.

4. The theme is kind of dull. Pepper Adams? I say that because that's the first baritone player who comes to mind in the hard bop arena. Nice stuff but no idea who it is.

5. More hard bop. The gospelly section in the theme reminds me of Horace Silver's tunes. Don't know who these guys are.

6. "Lush Life," prettily performed. Beautiful tune, nice playing, but nothing more.

7. Excellent singer, for whom English is a second language. Somehow she sounds typical of many contemporary jazz singers, with lots of musicality and chops but not much of the vision thing. Very pleasant, though.

8. Sounds a lot like Pat Martino but I hesitate. Lots of his phrasing and sound seem to come from Martino, but something about the way he shapes his solo doesn't sound like the real thing to me. The only recent organ trios I know with Martino involve Joey DeFrancesco and Billy Hart, and they don't fit. The organist is less of a whiz kid and the drummer doesn't sound like Hart. Whoever this is, he's a fine guitarist.

9. Ouch. A multi-horn, boppish arrangement that could have been done anytime since the late 50's is merged with ham-fisted, unsubtle rhythm and a touch of modern effects. The rhythm section kills it for me, but the horns sound great considered on their own. No clue.

10. "The Sidewinder." Jon Hendricks and... ? Kurt Elling? I know that Hendricks, Elling, Mark Murphy and Kevin Mahogany toured together this summer, although I don't know of any recordings. But listening closely, this singer seems to have a non-native accent in English. I thought of Theo Bleckmann, a young German (Dutch?) singer who sang with Sheila Jordan and Meredith Monk. But at the end Hendricks addresses him as "J.J.," so I have no idea. This kind of vocal treatment already sounds dated, although lots of fun; in any case it's Hendricks whose inimitable timbre and highly swinging phrasing make it more than just a curiosity.

11. I guess this is the sop for "avant-garde" fans. It sounds like harp, but the presence of some piano sounds makes me think this is actually someone plucking the piano strings or doing something "prepared"... Could this be from Alice Coltrane's new album, "Translinear Light"? But that doesn't sound like Charlie Haden... I give up.

12. Cool, relaxed. Good for the soul. Is this "Red Top"? Maybe this is Kurt Elling. If so, it definitely does him good to get away from lyrics. But all that weird rhythmic stuff towards the end - half washboard, half rhythm box - that's got to go.

[mikeweil]

Is #12 Geri allen w/Reggie Workman? http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dr...d82332eftol.jpg

You shouldn't have given THAT big a clue, Mike!

Real big clue just for you - how would you have felt when someone else would have guessed it?

[catesta]

6. This be "Lush Life" ..... Damn you MIke for not posting in Jim R's favorite Lush Life thread. 

Now you know why ...

I'm afraid I'll have to watch my head closely ....

D'Oh!

[John B]

I can't believe you have already started to post the answers...either I am really lagging behind or this BFT raced by.

Disc 1

1) No clue who this is. My knowledge of vibists is sorely lacking. This sounds like a very modern / recent recording to me. Very clean sound on the vibes, very well recorded. At times this almost sounded "TV themeish" to me. I'm enjoying this one a lot more tha I expected to at first.

2) I was prepared to like this one due to the greasy organ and bass but the vocalist killed this one for me quickly. I'm not a huge fan of scatting in general and this performance sounds fairly uninspired to my ears. 4 stars for the grease, take away 3 stars for the vocals.

3) Again, a very cleanly recorded track, with the drums WAY out front. I'm not sure if I consider this to be a problem or not. At times it is really irritating and, I fear, headache inducing. At other times I really like the fact that teh drums are not buried way back in the mix. The drums have a very "rock" sound to my ears. No clue who this is.

4) 4 for 4, no clue who this is. Nice latin vibe, but nothing too fiery or exciting. The band is a little too restrained for my liking I wish they had cut loose just a bit more.

5)This tune sounds really familiar, but I'm just not placing it. This one is going t drive me crazy. Nice track, I'm looking forward to reading who this is.

6) Nice break in the program! This is a nice track, almost too "precious" of a reading of this tune. I enjoyed listening to it, but wouldn't track this disc down.

7) Not my cup of tea at all. No clue who this is. The bass is ok, but the vocalist doesn't do anything for me.

8) Kenny Burrell w/ Jimmy Smith? I don't recall any sessions with the two of them off the top of my head, so I'll assume I'm wrong. nice mid-60's BN/Verve feel to this track.

9) This keeps bordering on being way too smooth for my liking. There are hints of something interesting here, but the track never really clicks, imo. I feel like I've heard the tune somewhere before but I'm not placing where. No clue who this is. This track isn't really doing it for me but I am interested enough to be hopeful that future projects will be better.

10) KRS-One starting things off here....then, the Sidewinder. The vocals aren't my thing and I have no clue who this is. Don't care to find out, either.

11) Very interesting track. Not sure what to make of this one at first, but I really enjoy it. Very atmospheric, almost ECM-ish. Someone is plucking away inside the piano. No clue who this is, but I am really looking forward to finding out.

12) No clue who this is. I'll guess the vocalist is Bobby McFerrin. Nothing heer that really sticks with me. I kind of like what the bass player is doing, but not enough to track down this album.

I'll try to post my thoughts on disc #2 tomorrow night.

Edited October 19, 2004 by John B

[relyles]

I apologize to mikeweil for my delay in contributing to the thread. I received the discs about one week ago, but I have been so busy recently yesterday that I don’t think I am going to be able to find time to give the discs the attentive listen they deserve. Here are some comments I have from one listen to the first disc in my office. I have not read any of the other posts regarding the disc.

1. Nice vibes solo. The vibist remembers that vibes is a percussion instrument.

2. I have not investigated jazz vocals to any significant degree and have no idea who this is.

3. The alto saxophonist sounds familiar, but I can’t identify it.

4. Another track featuring organ. Nice baritone sax solo. The trumpeter sounds like he/she may have been influenced by Lee Morgan. I really like the groove of this track. My favorite track thus far.

5. Solid track. No comments come to mind.

6. Relaxed solo piano rendition of what I think is an Ellington tune. Well played, but not particularly impressive.

7. “It’s Only a Paper Moon” by a femaled vocalist that I am not familiar with.

8. no comment

9. Funky version of Woody Shaw tune – I think “Moontrane”. Its an interesting arrangement, but the soloists did not make a particularly strong impression.

10. Vocal version of “Sidewinder”. Interesting, but not something I would listen to often.

11. After much of the up tempo music that preceded it, this somewhat abstract tune seems to meander.

12. I have not heard much of her, but Jeanne Lee comes to mind. I don’t know who this is.