Mal Waldron: Git Go & Seagulls of Kristiansundi

[Rooster_Ties]

Git Go: Live At The Village Vanguard (1986) --and--

Seagulls of Kristiansundi: Live at the Village Vanguard (1986)

- Mal Waldron, with Woody Shaw, Charlie Rouse, Reggie Workman, and Ed Blackwell.

I first heard "Git Go: Live At The Village Vanguard" about 7 or 8 years ago, when I borrowed it from a friend. Heard it about 4 times in the space of a month, and didn't know what to make of it at the time. Returned it, and haven't heard it since then.

Until I managed to borrow both "Git Go" and "Seagulls of Kristiansundi" recently, and I've given each a spin twice, in the last two weeks (most recently, tonight). And oddly enough, despite the fact that I normally LOVE Woody Shaw in almost any context, but especially "progressive ones" (like his work with Andrew Hill especially), I have to say that -- overall, I simply do not 'get' these two releases.

I don't think they're particularly bad, but neither do I find myself wanting to hear them again, nor are they very high on my list of discs to acquire for myself anytime soon. (And this is coming from someone who normally will buy anything with Woody Shaw on it, sight unseen.)

To paraphrase Jim Sangry in a recent post of his (about an entirely different topic), I certainly have respect for these recordings, but I just don't 'get' them. Are my ears on crooked??

I have to admit that I really haven't heard very much Mal Waldron, so I'm wondering if he's an acquired taste (much like Andrew Hill), where someday the light bulb will start to go off for me (with Mal), and suddenly these two will start to make some sense.

I did find both discs somewhat 'interesting', to be sure - but probably nothing I'd pick up from a bargain bin (if I got to sample the discs, but couldn't see who was on them). Woody catches my ear from time to time, but it's the exception - and not the rule.

What do others here think of these two recordings??

[Ron Thorne]

With all due respect, RT, it's simple, ... Jim Pepper was not on these dates.

[Rooster_Ties]

Actually, I like Charlie Rouse's contribution to these dates as much (or maybe even slightly more) than Woody Shaw's.

( And I'm normally about 20-times more interested in Shaw than Rouse, based on all of my previous listening. I mean, I own a TON of Shaw (and am always looking for more!!!), and I own only a smattering of Rouse. )

Maybe Jim Pepper would have helped - but I can't imagine he would have helped that much.

[John L]

I love both of these records. But then again I don't get what there is not to get.

[.:.impossible]

I'm the same way John! Maybe Mal Waldron is and acquired taste? Seagulls was actually one of the first "serious" jazz albums I heard back in college. At least, it seemed "serious" at the time and made a "serious" impression on myself and my brother, who owns the album. We bought it for the Woody Shaw + Mal Waldron factor + Charlie Rouse + Reggie Workman + Edward Blackwell factor. Maybe focusing on Mal + Reggie + Edward Blackwell will reveal the strength of this recording.

[JSngry]

I love both of these records. But then again I don't get what there is not to get.

Same.

[JSngry]

Oops, wrong thread.

[mikeweil]

There was a thread on this before.

[mikeweil]

I find the version of Waldron's "Seagulls" on this LP to be very beautiful:

Anybody else here heard this one too?

[Spontooneous]

Oh, yeah, "One-Upmanship" was a good one.

I confess that the Soul Note "Seagulls" and "Git-Go" aren't favorites of mine either. And I had high expectations for them, being a fan of EVERYBODY on them.

Sometimes Mal's repetitiveness seems purposeful, even magical. But his playing on this date doesn't take off very well.

I understand that much of the time, the trumpeter in Mal's quintet was Benny Bailey, not Woody. I wonder if things might have fit together more comfortably with him aboard.

(Remind me to start a Benny Bailey thread one of these days.)

[shrugs]

Two of the greatest Mal live dates IMO. Interesting to read so much dislike for them.