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Which Jazz box set are you grooving to right now?


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Don't have time today for a full Weather Report discussion but thought I'd add that in a fire, the two records I'm grabbing first are "Mysterious Traveller" and "Sweetnighter." Never saw the band live, but would have really liked to have heard them in late '72 and '73 -- sometimes the transitions are more thrilling than perhaps the more aesthetically consistent, polished poles on either side.

The first time I heard them was in fall of 1974, when they were promoting Mysterious Traveler. Alphonso Johnson had replaced Miroslav by then. They got into a thing on "Boogie Woogie Waltz" that had people standing up and screaming like they had been possessed.

Zawinul had, and Wayne still has, that mojo thing that can go a-conjurin'. Look out!

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Lu Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band - Complete Good Time Jazz Recordings, disc one. I used to think this band was totally derivative of New Orleans music, but this music has its own weight and emphasis. I wouldn't take this over King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, but I'm glad to have both. I still hate Wally Rose's piano playing, though.

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Zawinul over the top? About anything? I'm shocked, I tell you, SHOCKED! :g

But seriously, as time goes by, Zawinul's "world vision" or whatever you want to call it, has really proven valid, I think. If you don't have it and think you might want to hear it, there;s a 2-CD set of live Zawinul Syndicate material that is about as outstanding as it can be. Totally origianl and organic. While the "jazz world" was militantly resisting the influx of too much of anything outsideits immediate self, Zawinul was in heat looking for exactly that. There were a lot of bumps along the way, but this live stuff shows him eventually getting it right, and splendidly so.

As for Vitous, hell he had the gig with Herbie Mann, played on "Philly Dog", locked in with Bruno Carr. So he could if he wanted, but I guess he didn't want to. His prerogative, for sure. ECM called, and he answered.

And the digital/sampling age has not passed him by http://miroslavvitou...raSamples.shtml If you want to sample traditional orchestral sounds, he's your guy!

A good example of what Vitous brought to Weather Report is found on Manolete from Sweetnighter, where he could have gone in, what Bill Milkowski calls in his booklet, a "groove-orientated direction," in how he played the bass in the song. Instead, he was very creative, and help produce an unique atmosphere for song, going away from the "funk" feel that Zawinual wanted in Weather Report's music, and that was something that Zawinul did not fully appreciate or understand. What you did get from Zawinul is this:

There were too many ideas running around in his [Vitous] mind. He couldn't cope with being simple. You want to play a thousand note? You're a bass player, man! Play the guitar or the harp. This is not the bass. He was swimming around all the time. It's not really anything you can put a finger -- or especially a foot -- on.

Will is also a nice addition to the album. As I said, going through these albums again, I've discovered a new appreciation of Vitous.

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The Art Ensemble 1967/68 (Nessa); disc D.

Ah, the last 2 pieces of that disc make up my upcoming new release:

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Chuck: Has all the music on the original box been remastered? I've been thinking of buying all the remastered stuff when it's completed.

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The Art Ensemble 1967/68 (Nessa); disc D.

Ah, the last 2 pieces of that disc make up my upcoming new release:

51t0b01081L._SS500_.jpg

Not really on-topic for this thread (not that that's ever stopped anyone here), but I've been wanting to ask you, Chuck, about the late Charles Clark. I'm very impressed with his playing on the 1960's Chicago avant music that I've been listening to lately. Can you (or the other guys who were on the scene back then) tell us more about him - impressions, stories, etc?

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Charles was a lovely, happy guy and a "spark plug" sort of player. He seemed to be a natural. I am sure that is how he got connected to the Chicago Symphony program.

At this point, that's all I can add. I saw/heard him in dozens of gigs and some recording sessions.

Sorry I'm not eloquent right now. Maybe more later when I'm not thinking of dead musicians.

Why not start a thread asking for info/memories? Might get some stuff from some of us old folks.

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