BFT 54 disc one discussion

[Big Al]

Let the comments, discussion, whining, arguing, and the usual shenanigans begin!

[Big Al]

Don't mind me, I'm just trying to pad my post count!

[Spontooneous]

Me too, Al.

[Spontooneous]

But seriously, folks. I'll take a shot in the dark. For the first part:

1. At first I thought there was a Mingus quality to the writing. Or maybe Sun Ra circa ’58. Is that Blakey on drums? The trumpet starts well and gets better, doesn’t run out of ideas. Starts out sounding like KD, then sounds more like Dizzy. Love the arranging touches wherever they occur. If this isn’t lurking in my collection, it should be.

2. Sounds like a Dameron arrangement. Short solos, maybe crafted to fit on a 78 rpm record. Gene Ammons for Prestige? Dandy, whatever it is.

3. Hodges. Inspired by “Hit the Road Jack”? Maybe a Strayhorn arrangement? You can always tell Harry Carney in the ensemble. Not Duke on piano -- maybe Strayhorn on piano, or Jimmy Jones. A gem.

4. Good clean fun. Izzat chew, Zoot? The arrangement grows on you. Second listen, and the arrangement REALLY grows on me.

5. Another one that gets better the second time around. Maybe two tenor soloists? The first tenor spot shows someone who’s learned well from Chu. The brief second spot is hooty like Barnet. Still, it’s a groove. Hats off to the engineer -- beautifully recorded for its time.

6. Instant recognition of this old favorite.

First tune on this disc.

Is Philly Joe playing a tad too much, or just too loud in the mix?

7. Can’t isolate it at the moment, because there’s so much of this kind of stuff in my collection. Golson on tenor, an inspired solo; maybe he wrote it too. Blakey on drums. Art Farmer? Love the pianist’s percussive touch. Beautiful.

8. Julius Watkins? That confident trumpet, is it my man Benny Bailey? Maybe a committee from the Quincy Jones circle, about 1960? Beautiful. That ensemble is TIGHT and the drumming is just about perfect.

[Big Al]

But seriously, folks. I'll take a shot in the dark. For the first part:

1. At first I thought there was a Mingus quality to the writing. Or maybe Sun Ra circa ’58. Is that Blakey on drums? The trumpet starts well and gets better, doesn’t run out of ideas. Starts out sounding like KD, then sounds more like Dizzy. Love the arranging touches wherever they occur. If this isn’t lurking in my collection, it should be.

Yes, it is Blakey on the skins. FWIW, if I didn't already know the answer, I would've also guessed KD from Afro-Cuban.

2. Sounds like a Dameron arrangement. Short solos, maybe crafted to fit on a 78 rpm record. Gene Ammons for Prestige? Dandy, whatever it is.

Nope, none of those.

3. Hodges. Inspired by “Hit the Road Jack”? Maybe a Strayhorn arrangement? You can always tell Harry Carney in the ensemble. Not Duke on piano -- maybe Strayhorn on piano, or Jimmy Jones. A gem.

Yes, it's Hodges, but I'm not saying the piano player. Yet!

4. Good clean fun. Izzat chew, Zoot? The arrangement grows on you. Second listen, and the arrangement REALLY grows on me.

Nope, none of those either. I will say that the rest of this album is just as good as this one track, and trying to narrow it down was not an easy task!

5. Another one that gets better the second time around. Maybe two tenor soloists? The first tenor spot shows someone who’s learned well from Chu. The brief second spot is hooty like Barnet. Still, it’s a groove. Hats off to the engineer -- beautifully recorded for its time.

Boy, are you in for a surprise, as will a lot people (I hope!).

6. Instant recognition of this old favorite.

First tune on this disc.

Is Philly Joe playing a tad too much, or just too loud in the mix?

I was hoping this argument could start again! Same argument we had on my last BFT. Totally agree about this being an old favorite, and even though this album had recently been sampled on a previous BFT (which I didn't realize until AFTER I'd sent mine out), I still wanted to include it.

7. Can’t isolate it at the moment, because there’s so much of this kind of stuff in my collection. Golson on tenor, an inspired solo; maybe he wrote it too. Blakey on drums. Art Farmer? Love the pianist’s percussive touch. Beautiful.

Correctamundo on Golson & Blakey.

8. Julius Watkins? That confident trumpet, is it my man Benny Bailey? Maybe a committee from the Quincy Jones circle, about 1960? Beautiful. That ensemble is TIGHT and the drumming is just about perfect.

Yes on Watkins! The ensemble sound is what sold me on getting it onto the BFT.

I'm glad you're enjoying this, so far. It was just what I was hoping for!

[Spontooneous]

To continue...

9. I’ve always liked “As Long As I Live,” and I'd trade two dozen versions of "I Can't Get Started" for one of this tune. I’ll guess Burrell, maybe a Verve production, but that’s just a guess.

10. Like the head very much. Don’t care for the piano solo. The guitar solo shows the courage to wait and the ability to make the wait worthwhile. Nice bass solo too. I'm not easily impressed by guitar players, but I'm impressed by this.

11. Somebody tell the producer to turn the bass down. The atmosphere of LA studio slickness is neatly pierced by the tenor solo. Downhill from there, I’m afraid.

12. No doubt in my mind that it’s Silver, but a check of my collection doesn’t turn up this tune! The trumpeter, presumably Blue, has a command of time that’s just amazing here, and the tenor tone, presumably Junior’s, is so beautiful.

13. Instant recognition. It's here.

I’m very lucky that this was one of the first 50 jazz albums I owned. Love how the huge sound of the oldest tenor player sticks out in the ensembles. It’s been too long since I heard this.

14. Fat tenor sound, or just closely recorded? I'll guess Ammons again. Nice vibes. I’m not a fan of locked-hands piano soloing, but this works. The bass player ties it all up beautifully.

15. Vibes solo has fire. Horns not on the same level. Something about the drumming reminds me of Art Taylor.

16. Oh, I know this song. It’s on the tip of my – Oh, I give up. That bass-direct-pickup sound wears me out. Maybe Oscar Peterson? Do we have any threads on the board about that guy?

Edited January 28, 2008 by Spontooneous

[Big Al]

To continue...

9. I’ve always liked “As Long As I Live,” and I'd trade two dozen versions of "I Can't Get Started" for one of this tune. I’ll guess Burrell, maybe a Verve production, but that’s just a guess.

And a damn good one, too!

10. Like the head very much. Don’t care for the piano solo. The guitar solo shows the courage to wait and the ability to make the wait worthwhile. Nice bass solo too. I'm not easily impressed by guitar players, but I'm impressed by this.

This album doesn't get near the credit I think it should. I'm glad you liked it!

11. Somebody tell the producer to turn the bass down. The atmosphere of LA studio slickness is neatly pierced by the tenor solo. Downhill from there, I’m afraid.

12. No doubt in my mind that it’s Silver, but a check of my collection doesn’t turn up this tune! The trumpeter, presumably Blue, has a command of time that’s just amazing here, and the tenor tone, presumably Junior’s, is so beautiful.

You're right about Silver, but wrong about which track he's on. Everything else is wrong, though. As a bass player, however, I have to admit that playing along with track 11 is all kinds of fun!

13. Instant recognition. It's here.

I’m very lucky that this was one of the first 50 jazz albums I owned. Love how the huge sound of the oldest tenor player sticks out in the ensembles. It’s been too long since I heard this.

Easily my favorite album of his! I didn't think I'd fool anyone with this one, but it swings and that's all that matters to me!

14. Fat tenor sound, or just closely recorded? I'll guess Ammons again. Nice vibes. I’m not a fan of locked-hands piano soloing, but this works. The bass player ties it all up beautifully.

Nope, not Ammons!

15. Vibes solo has fire. Horns not on the same level. Something about the drumming reminds me of Art Taylor.

I was listening to that this morning and thought the same thing about the tenor solo. I mean, he sounds like he's bending over to play his solo from the chart that some careless klutz knocked to the floor.

16. Oh, I know this song. It’s on the tip of my – Oh, I give up. That bass-direct-pickup sound wears me out. Maybe Oscar Peterson? Do we have any threads on the board about that guy?

Interesting you would, er, "pick up" on the bass and then guess OP. It's not OP, but it's got someone closely associated with him.

Great guesses! Sounds like you had a good time with this one! I hope you enjoy disc two just as much!

[sidewinder]

Some GREAT music on this one

1. Yes, it's Blakey - and an early recording too. What's annoying is that I know I've got this one but I don't think it's KD on 'Afro Cuban' or Joe Gordon on the 'Blakey' VEE. Aaaagggggh !

2. Very nice mid-50s small group bop - is that Dave Burns on trumpet? Very nice. Could perhaps be one of George Wallington's groups (some nice chordal comping so it could be him) - don't think it is James Moody's small group. Again, the music sounds very familiar. Tenor player sounds like more of an R&B stylist.

3. Johnny Hodges for sure but I have no idea on the group or the recording. Nice though.

4. Early Quincy Jones big-band arrangement? Can't place it though - the use of the deep bari, the trumpet lead and some of the chordal progressions sound typical of his style. Jimmy Cleveland on trombone. Zoot on tenor? Great track !

5. 30s/40s swing band arrangement. Playing sounds tight as a ducks ass, very impressive. Fletcher Henderson?

6. French-horn lead off (Julius Watkins I presume?) then into a very familiar tune. Oh yes, Tadd Dameron 'On A Misty Night'. Johnny Griffin on tenor?

7. Again, sounds very familiar. Benny Golson in his early style on tenor. Is that Bill Hardman on trumpet?

8. Yep, Julius Watkins again and another very familiar tune. One of Jimmy Heath's from one of his Riverside sessions? Sounds like Freddie Hubbard on trumpet? Must go out and buy this one pronto !

[sidewinder]

12. Track 12 is easy. Track 1 from this gem, recorded with Clifford Jordan.

here

[sidewinder]

15. Sounds very late-50s West Coast. Terry Gibbs big band? Is that Conte Candoli on trumpet? Bill Holman arrangement, Frank Rosolino on trombone?

[sidewinder]

11. Must be the great Billy Harper? Strata-East vibe to this one?

[sidewinder]

14. Best sounding track sonically on the CD. Must be an LP transfer . Me likes. Yusef with a cocktail band ?

Edited January 29, 2008 by sidewinder

[Big Al]

Some GREAT music on this one

Thanks! Glad you like it!

1. Yes, it's Blakey - and an early recording too. What's annoying is that I know I've got this one but I don't think it's KD on 'Afro Cuban' or Joe Gordon on the 'Blakey' VEE. Aaaagggggh !

Nice to know someone else would've guessed KD/Afro Cuban. As I said before, it is Blakey on the skins. Dude, you are so close it's not funny!

2. Very nice mid-50s small group bop - is that Dave Burns on trumpet? Very nice. Could perhaps be one of George Wallington's groups (some nice chordal comping so it could be him) - don't think it is James Moody's small group. Again, the music sounds very familiar. Tenor player sounds like more of an R&B stylist.

Your description of the tenor player is pretty apt. You're wrong about everything else, though.

3. Johnny Hodges for sure but I have no idea on the group or the recording. Nice though.

This album cannot be praised enough! I'd be interested to hear what you & Spoontooneous think of the recording (i.e. engineering, stereo-spread, miking, etc) of this tune.

4. Early Quincy Jones big-band arrangement? Can't place it though - the use of the deep bari, the trumpet lead and some of the chordal progressions sound typical of his style. Jimmy Cleveland on trombone. Zoot on tenor? Great track !

Not even close. EDIT: My bad, it is Cleveland. Everything else is wrong though.

5. 30s/40s swing band arrangement. Playing sounds tight as a ducks ass, very impressive. Fletcher Henderson?

Fletcher Henderson? Wow! You guys are gonna be in for a helluva surprise when this one's revealed!

6. French-horn lead off (Julius Watkins I presume?) then into a very familiar tune. Oh yes, Tadd Dameron 'On A Misty Night'. Johnny Griffin on tenor?

DING! DING! DING! (with a swing!) We have a winner on all counts! Great guess!

7. Again, sounds very familiar. Benny Golson in his early style on tenor. Is that Bill Hardman on trumpet?

Y'know, I never knew Golson was so recognizable. I always confuse him with Johnny Griffin. Great guess! Wrong about the trumpet, though.

8. Yep, Julius Watkins again and another very familiar tune. One of Jimmy Heath's from one of his Riverside sessions? Sounds like Freddie Hubbard on trumpet? Must go out and buy this one pronto !

Yes, yes, yes, and hell yes, before you can't find it anymore!

Great guesses all around! I'm having as much fun reading y'alls guesses as I hope y'all are listening to the music!

Edited January 29, 2008 by Big Al

[Big Al]

12. Track 12 is easy. Track 1 from this gem, recorded with Clifford Jordan.

here

You got THAT right! It is a gem!

[Big Al]

15. Sounds very late-50s West Coast. Terry Gibbs big band? Is that Conte Candoli on trumpet? Bill Holman arrangement, Frank Rosolino on trombone?

As the great Kay Kyser would say, "That's right, you're WRONG!" I was SO hoping someone would guess Terry Gibbs on this track; it's the whole reason this track is on here!

[Big Al]

11. Must be the great Billy Harper? Strata-East vibe to this one?

It ain't Harper, but if you know of any recordings of his that sound like this track, please let me know!

[Big Al]

14. Best sounding track sonically on the CD. Must be an LP transfer .

Nope, not a needle-drop, although speaking of that, what did you think (sonically) of the actual needle-drops, tracks 9 & 11?

Me likes. Yusef with a cocktail band ?

[sidewinder]

Nope, not a needle-drop, although speaking of that, what did you think (sonically) of the actual needle-drops, tracks 9 & 11?

Not bad?

So it wasn't Yusef with a cocktail band?

[sidewinder]

11. Must be the great Billy Harper? Strata-East vibe to this one?

It ain't Harper, but if you know of any recordings of his that sound like this track, please let me know!

The tenor player sounded like Harper to me but as you say the backing doesn't sound right for him. More of a 'Jaco' groove to the bass.

[sidewinder]

15. Sounds very late-50s West Coast. Terry Gibbs big band? Is that Conte Candoli on trumpet? Bill Holman arrangement, Frank Rosolino on trombone?

As the great Kay Kyser would say, "That's right, you're WRONG!" I was SO hoping someone would guess Terry Gibbs on this track; it's the whole reason this track is on here!

Holy sh*t. I'm stunned !

[JSngry]

An unusual disclaimer in place - gonna have to do this one in parts becuase of the time gap between allowable free downloads. Gotta carpe diem, so here's Disc One, Part One, literally just downloaded, and literally "first take" responses. Other than that, the usual thanks & disclaimers are firmly in place, so away weeee gooooo!

TRACK ONE - Wow, intersting metric layering in that intro...intersting writing too...sounds like Clark Terry on the muted portions....gotta be Blakey....open horn still sounds like Terry via Dizzy, accentuating the "corniest" traits of each, not that it matters with what's going on underneath, which is really, really cool, is that pizzicato cello...yeah, that's CT, brighter sound than usual, is he on coronet?

My guess: the lead track from This One

TRACK TWO - Wow, that was recorded HOT! Sounds like one of those late-40/early 50s bop "little big bands" like Jug led where the concept was big band but the #s were smaller. Groovy tenorist, definitely one of the DarkerSideOfPrez cats that were such a dominant voice back then in certain circles. Trumpeter sounds more like Jesse Drakes or somebody than a "real bopper"...I'm really digging this tenor player....Tom Archia? Some of the licks sound like Jacquet, and the more I listen/think about it, that's my call, Illinois Jacquet, late 40s/early 50s, with his popular comboband. Recording quality has that RCA sound, so I'll guess: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:gxftxqlgldke

Although, I gotta say, Jacquet usually puts a little more grit into his tone than I here hear (or hear here if you like...). Hell, I got this on LP, I should cross-ref...

TRACK THREE - Well hell, that's Carney & Rabbit. Columbia studios. Not Duke, though, I don't think. If it is, this is a cut with which I am not familiar (or one that I've heard and forgotten...). Sure sounds like Woodyard, though, and the brass is hittin' like Duke, so I dunno... Every bit of Ellingtonia is valuable, and if this is "lesser" Ellingtonia, hey, it's still Ellingtonia, which puts it in another class altogether.

TRACK FOUR - Wow...sounds like one of those of "modern dance bands" from the 50s, ones who still aimed to play for dancers in tempo, groove, and overall ensemble sound but otherwise let the writers do their thing. Actually, it sounds like a studio band playing a chart in that vein...Woods, Cleveland, and who on tenor? Al Cohn on speed? This kind of thing is definitely a "thing" in terms of playing the charts, you gotta adopt a specific mindset to make it work, which these players do, which was no doubt a lot easier, perhaps even almost instinctual, in their time than it is now. so yeah, well played, extremely so, does what it sets out to do, betterh than it has to, actually, and if it ends up being "another day at the office" when all is said and done, then hey, if all offices were like this, that wouldn't be so bad, would it?

TRACK FIVE - Glenn Miller, "Running Wild", know it well, grew up with it in the house. A lot of the bad rap on Miller is deserved, most of it actually, but one thing about him is that he consistently had some damn good charts - well-written, not at all "easy" in either difficulty level or concept, Bill Finnegan, Jerry Gray, them cats could freakin' WRITE, and this is one of 'em. Guarantee you, you put this in front of a typical pickup dance band, & it's gonna be ragged as hell and nowhere in the pocket. So yeah, dis on the Miller trip all you want, you're right, but dammit, recognize the musicality of them charts damn it, RECOGNIZE!

TRACK SIX - "On A Misty Night", obviously...not sure about the concept, well, there's Griff, so it's ok, but still....there's better choices of songs to do THAT with, although again, Griff could make damn near anything palatable...almost. Still that's Tadd's chart from http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:hzfpxqygldke & it's Tadd's tune, so he can do with it what he wants. But...that intro & outro is just kinda....wrong for me, and the whole chart seems too top-heavy for the tune itself. Sue me.

TRACK SEVEN - Golson...don't know this one, but I'll guess: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:acfwxqrgld0e Good stuff.

TRACK EIGHT - I've hear this one before....sounds like a Max date...oh hell, that's "Gemini"...DOH!!! http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:0xfpxq9gldae

Always interesting to hear Little Bird get hooked on Trane, since it probably meant more to him as a Phellow Philadelhia Tenor...another good example of the transition is KD's Showboat album, Heath just BURNS on that sucker, totally Trane-Dazed. Yeah, this is good stuff too.

Gotta run. let's see if enough time has elapsed so I can get Part Two!

[sidewinder]

An unusual disclaimer in place - gonna have to do this one in parts becuase of the time gap between allowable free downloads. Gotta carpe diem, so here's Disc One, Part One, literally just downloaded, and literally "first take" responses. Other than that, the usual thanks & disclaimers are firmly in place, so away weeee gooooo!

TRACK ONE - Wow, intersting metric layering in that intro...intersting writing too...sounds like Clark Terry on the muted portions....gotta be Blakey....open horn still sounds like Terry via Dizzy, accentuating the "corniest" traits of each, not that it matters with what's going on underneath, which is really, really cool, is that pizzicato cello...yeah, that's CT, brighter sound than usual, is he on coronet?

My guess: the lead track from This One

Agggghhhh - Of course it is ! And it was staring at me from the shelf !

[JSngry]

Free download available, so off to Part Two.

TRACK NINE - No idea. Pleasant, really like the bassist & percussionist. The tune is familiar, but...am I hearing a clarinet in there? Weird... Guitarist sounds whooly confident & comfortable...really doesn't "do anything" except create a very pleasant zone for 2:49. Far worse things can happen in 2:49 than this...

TRACK TEN - Again, no idea, but right away you can tell that it's a more modern recording, and...wow...the lack of depth/presence/whatever in the sound is apparent right away. Digital doesn't have to sound this way, but too often it does...there's a fine line between "comfortable" and "complacent", it's a line we all draw for ourselves, no ultimate right or wrong, but for me, this one is on the complacent side. Damn fine plaers all, just not anything to draw me in, much less keep me there. Oh well!

TRACK ELEVEN - Oh HELL YEAH! "Kissin' Cousins", & not the Elvis one (although this one does have lyrics too!)! Big Al been hittin' the Half Price LP bins, eh? A Mosaic Select of this whole series is freakin' IMPERATIVE!!!! GO BOB BERG!!! I wasn't always a fan, but here...YEAH! I was actually thinking about this one last week, nearly pulled the album oout, but reality intervened, as it is wont to do. So a BIG thanks for droppin' this be-atch RIGHT in my lap! Bob Stewart used to jam the SHIT outta this one on his shows btw. Tasty, groovealiscious, from a legend (anybody needs a hint, listen to the left hand of the piano solo @ about 5:20), with electric bass, and from the 70s. They said it couldn't be done, but fuck them!

TRACK TWELVE - Sounds like more/earlier from above, but with a Riverside studio sound...I dunno...wait, that's Lee, big time, so that's probably what, Take Twelve or whatever that one was? I never really got too much into that one myself...I sure dig Clifford Jordan on this though, might need to go back & relisten just for him.

TRACK THIRTEEN - Gotta be Jo Jones on drums! Sounds like maybe a Hodges riff blues, he had a zillion of 'em (literally!). Budd Johnson, Roy Eldridge, we're in GranzLand fersure! Hawk! Ok, DOH (again!) it's: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:fcfoxqygldke

It's the long jam on here that I always obsess on, but hey, here ya' go here! Not a Rabbit tune, but them two were so stylistically intertwined as to make no nevermind, not about that. Dig the way Ray comes up for that pedal under Ben's opening. Playing the mike like a singer, he is.

Hell, this is a classic record, imo, one of the best, not the least because of Jo Jones.

Jo Jones y'all, JO JONES!!!

TRACK FOURTEEN - Georgie Auld? Nah... no idea, really, but I've heard some Auld sides on Philips that kinda take this jazzy/loungey groove to some nice places like this, althouh not usually this...tasty. I like it quite a bit actually, nice melody, nicely played, good arrangement, good functional soloing, first-rate all the way. The tenor's phrasing is just a tad too loose to really be Auld, but if it is, I'll not be surprised.

TRACK FIFTEEN - Sounds like a Concord band, a bunch of older guys who moved out to LA for warmer weather, more gigs, and less "challenges". It's ok fersure, just not the type of vibe I get into.

TRACK SIXTEEN - "Second Time Around"...sounds like Oscar Peterson...my opinion remains the same as the first time around. But good god, when people complain about "the dreaded bass direct", hey, this is Exhibit A right here... Oh wait, that left hand, now it sounds like Bill Evans... Yeah, it's Bill Evans. The stiffness of the opening statement & the "swing" of the opening lines had me thinking Peterson, funny how that works, but soon enough the Evansosity of it all became apparent. Peterson or Evans, such a choice, what is this, the Piano Players You're Supposed To Love But Sangrey Doesn't Have Any Use For part of our test? Oh well...plenty of other people have plenty of use for both Oscar Peterson & Bill Evans, so...let then take advantage of the opportunity.

Oh well, plenty of great stuff on this one, thanks Al, and I'll be dowloading Disc Two ASAP. Looking forward to it!

[RDK]

Listening - and enjoying! - now. Will add comments later, but so far both discs are enjoyable and fun.

[Big Al]

An unusual disclaimer in place - gonna have to do this one in parts becuase of the time gap between allowable free downloads. Gotta carpe diem, so here's Disc One, Part One, literally just downloaded, and literally "first take" responses. Other than that, the usual thanks & disclaimers are firmly in place, so away weeee gooooo!

Well, you've always been a good improviser on the tenor sax, and your guesses follow suit!

TRACK ONE - Wow, intersting metric layering in that intro...intersting writing too...sounds like Clark Terry on the muted portions....gotta be Blakey....open horn still sounds like Terry via Dizzy, accentuating the "corniest" traits of each, not that it matters with what's going on underneath, which is really, really cool, is that pizzicato cello...yeah, that's CT, brighter sound than usual, is he on coronet?

My guess: the lead track from This One

Yup!

TRACK TWO - Wow, that was recorded HOT! Sounds like one of those late-40/early 50s bop "little big bands" like Jug led where the concept was big band but the #s were smaller. Groovy tenorist, definitely one of the DarkerSideOfPrez cats that were such a dominant voice back then in certain circles. Trumpeter sounds more like Jesse Drakes or somebody than a "real bopper"...I'm really digging this tenor player....Tom Archia? Some of the licks sound like Jacquet, and the more I listen/think about it, that's my call, Illinois Jacquet, late 40s/early 50s, with his popular comboband. Recording quality has that RCA sound, so I'll guess: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:gxftxqlgldke

Although, I gotta say, Jacquet usually puts a little more grit into his tone than I here hear (or hear here if you like...). Hell, I got this on LP, I should cross-ref...

Right tenor, wrong album. 'taint Drakes on the trumpet, neither. Man, the way you were describing it, I thought you were about to hit the nail on the head!

TRACK THREE - Well hell, that's Carney & Rabbit. Columbia studios. Not Duke, though, I don't think. If it is, this is a cut with which I am not familiar (or one that I've heard and forgotten...). Sure sounds like Woodyard, though, and the brass is hittin' like Duke, so I dunno... Every bit of Ellingtonia is valuable, and if this is "lesser" Ellingtonia, hey, it's still Ellingtonia, which puts it in another class altogether.

This whole album is "in another class altogether." Right about everything except the studio.

TRACK FOUR - Wow...sounds like one of those of "modern dance bands" from the 50s, ones who still aimed to play for dancers in tempo, groove, and overall ensemble sound but otherwise let the writers do their thing. Actually, it sounds like a studio band playing a chart in that vein...Woods, Cleveland, and who on tenor? Al Cohn on speed? This kind of thing is definitely a "thing" in terms of playing the charts, you gotta adopt a specific mindset to make it work, which these players do, which was no doubt a lot easier, perhaps even almost instinctual, in their time than it is now. so yeah, well played, extremely so, does what it sets out to do, betterh than it has to, actually, and if it ends up being "another day at the office" when all is said and done, then hey, if all offices were like this, that wouldn't be so bad, would it?

Depends on who the boss is, probably! Especially when you find out who the arranger is and who the leader is. Correctamundo on Woods & Cleveland, not tellin' who the tenor is, but I've never seen him talked about.

TRACK FIVE - Glenn Miller, "Running Wild", know it well, grew up with it in the house. A lot of the bad rap on Miller is deserved, most of it actually, but one thing about him is that he consistently had some damn good charts - well-written, not at all "easy" in either difficulty level or concept, Bill Finnegan, Jerry Gray, them cats could freakin' WRITE, and this is one of 'em. Guarantee you, you put this in front of a typical pickup dance band, & it's gonna be ragged as hell and nowhere in the pocket. So yeah, dis on the Miller trip all you want, you're right, but dammit, recognize the musicality of them charts damn it, RECOGNIZE!

RIGHT on, brother! Testify!!! All right all 'round! This is the track I use whenever someone says that Miller couldn't swing. Bullshit he couldn't, despite the fact that 99 times out of 100 he chose not to.

TRACK SIX - "On A Misty Night", obviously...not sure about the concept, well, there's Griff, so it's ok, but still....there's better choices of songs to do THAT with, although again, Griff could make damn near anything palatable...almost. Still that's Tadd's chart from http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:hzfpxqygldke & it's Tadd's tune, so he can do with it what he wants. But...that intro & outro is just kinda....wrong for me, and the whole chart seems too top-heavy for the tune itself. Sue me.

Actually, I thought your biggest objection would've been on the choice of drummer for this date. Like I said in my last BFT (400 years ago), this drummer is my favorite small-band drummer, and doesn't look I'm gonna change anyone's mind about that!

TRACK SEVEN - Golson...don't know this one, but I'll guess: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:acfwxqrgld0e Good stuff.

Yup! All around yup!

TRACK EIGHT - I've hear this one before....sounds like a Max date...oh hell, that's "Gemini"...DOH!!! http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:0xfpxq9gldae

Always interesting to hear Little Bird get hooked on Trane, since it probably meant more to him as a Phellow Philadelhia Tenor...another good example of the transition is KD's Showboat album, Heath just BURNS on that sucker, totally Trane-Dazed. Yeah, this is good stuff too.

Yup all around a-GIN!!! May have to find that Dorham Showboat. What label?

This post about made my day until I read your commentary on the rest of the disc! All of y'all are making good guesses, and I'm having a blast reading them!