jlhoots Posted January 16, 2004 Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 I had Blue Potato on vinyl years ago. I recall it as being as good as his other solo LPs. I sold it with the rest of my vinyl collection & haven't heard it since. Also want to mention Blake / Braxton: A Memory Of Vienna (hatOLOGY 505). It was recorded 1988 in Vienna & is made up of 8 standards ranging from Four & Soul Eyes to Just Friends & Alone Together. Very nice, as you might expect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted January 16, 2004 Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 Anyone else have Blake's "Unmarked Van: Tribute to Sarah Vaughn", on Soul Note? I've been listening to it in my car today, and really enjoying it. Mainly a solo album, but with a tiny bit of support on occasion from a percussionist. I also have and enjoy Horace Silver tribute disc, which is still available on sale from hatology, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 (edited) Mapleshade has a reputation in some circles for concentrating on sound at the expense of music Who said that?!? Everything I know about Pierre Sprey's approach to recording tells of his devotion to the music and his efforts to make it heard without any sound manipulation! The musicians play what they want on his sessions. And it's real jazz, not some fancy stuff tailored to appeal to high-end listeners. Because they are hard core jazz his CDs are underrepresented in HiFi shops, at least over here. And the equipment he uses is simplistic and sophisticated at the same time. I have the Ran Blake with Jordan and find it musically great and great sounding at the same time. For what other label could he have recorded this music? I'm looking forward to getting his other Mapleshade discs. Edited January 17, 2004 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alankin Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 (edited) Anybody heard his Milestone album THE BLUE POTATO? Never been able to find that one, unfortunately. It's a nice one, IIRC. (I can't give it a spin right now because my turntable isn't currently hooked up. {Speaking of vinyl, if you see a copy of "Film Noir" and don't already have it, grab it!}) Edited January 18, 2004 by alankin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Mapleshade has a reputation in some circles for concentrating on sound at the expense of music Who said that?!? Everything I know about Pierre Sprey's approach to recording tells of his devotion to the music and his efforts to make it heard without any sound manipulation! The musicians play what they want on his sessions. And it's real jazz, not some fancy stuff tailored to appeal to high-end listeners. Because they are hard core jazz his CDs are underrepresented in HiFi shops, at least over here. And the equipment he uses is simplistic and sophisticated at the same time. I have the Ran Blake with Jordan and find it musically great and great sounding at the same time. For what other label could he have recorded this music? I'm looking forward to getting his other Mapleshade discs. I remember someone saying that on either this Board or the BN Board, and I've read it somewhere also, but can't recall where right now. Sorry to be so vague. I don't agree with that opinion either. I have 4 or 5 Mapleshades (though I've picked and chosen carefully), and I like them all for musical reasons. I never listen to a recording unless I enjoy the music, no matter how good the sound is. The Blake/Jordan is simply an excellent CD, musically and sonically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Peacock Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Up. I was thinking about the solo thread and started to think about where Ran Blake would fit, if at all. I do love his playing but its under represented in my collection to have an informed opinion. There are some great recommendations here which I hope are still available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jostber Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 (edited) I love that "All That Is Tied" album from a couple of years back. Any views on Ran Blake's latest record "Driftwoods" from this year? Edited July 14, 2009 by jostber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Thanks for posting that, Larry. Could you point me to any other articles/interviews that further discuss Blake's approach to ear-training? I find this aspect of his role as an educator the most intriguing. There is some writing on his website about this. I read in a magazine article a couple of years ago that he was going to publish a book on the subject. I have not seen it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jostber Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 (edited) Some articles on Blake here: http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/20...tle_noir_music/ http://www.ranblake.com/pdf_files/PrimacyoftheEar.pdf Edited July 14, 2009 by jostber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 (edited) There just was a story about Ran Blake in The Wire (July issue) - haven't read it yet, the pile of stuff to read is growing incredibly fast... edit: interview transcript here: http://www.thewire.co.uk/articles/2659/ Edited July 15, 2009 by king ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 (edited) another fan of the horace silver tribute here... (wouldn't call this an informed opinion though) Edited July 15, 2009 by Niko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 There just was a story about Ran Blake in The Wire (July issue) - haven't read it yet, the pile of stuff to read is growing incredibly fast... edit: interview transcript here: http://www.thewire.co.uk/articles/2659/ Yeah, that's a nice article, Coley did well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Nice piece on NPR this morning: Ran Blake: A Blur Of Film Noir, Improvisation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.L.M Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) His love for "Films Noirs" is well known. If you like is approach of Vertigo and other films music, you should listen to the french pianist STEPHAN OLIVA and his "Ghosts of Bernard Herrmann" (Illusion Music) or the magnificent "Jazz'n (E) Motion" (it was part of serie in 1998 and it could be difficult to find it) on RcaVictor where he plays the sountracks of Rosemary's Baby, Vertigo, Touch of Evil, Le Mépris etc.). Great music by a pianist who should be known better than he is. He has a website (www.stephanoliva.com) where you can find his discography. To come back to Ran Blake so far, my three favorites of him are the great "Short Life Of Barbara Monk", "That Certain Feeling" and his best solo for me, "Breakthru" (you need a pianist to pull out the best from another one"). But I'd never like the three he recorded for on Hat (certainly the weakest from his disco), and certainly not his "hommage" to Horace Silver - with this horrible guitarist who second him on few tunes. Edited October 18, 2009 by P.L.M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 to me, Blake has solved the whole freedom argument in jazz - showed how one can create a sense of open form while at the same time having brilliant musical focus - of course, it helps to be playing solo in order to do this. But I think Ran has an amazing sense of stationery development - shows how one can be both vertical and horizontal at the same time, musically speaking. Running in place, maybe, but always getting somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlitweiler Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 to me, Blake has solved the whole freedom argument in jazz - showed how one can create a sense of open form while at the same time having brilliant musical focus - of course, it helps to be playing solo in order to do this. But I think Ran has an amazing sense of stationery development - shows how one can be both vertical and horizontal at the same time, musically speaking. Running in place, maybe, but always getting somewhere. didn't know Ran developed stationery too. What a wonderful pianist as well as a good guy. He and I both loved Jeanne Moreau, so one night in 1974 we rode a bus halfway across Washington D.C. to see one of her movies. An obscure one with lots of dark shadows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) yuk yuk you guys are too fast for me will refrain from wondering what other shadows there are than dark ones - (I'm too polite) Edited October 18, 2009 by AllenLowe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jostber Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 Just got "Driftwoods" in the post. Another great Blake album! Playing favorites and film noir inspired. Here is the most recent newsletter: http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render...yH4G_G98Q%3D%3D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 yuk yuk you guys are too fast for me will refrain from wondering what other shadows there are than dark ones - (I'm too polite) What's the "freedom argument?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blajay Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 For Down Beat on July, 16, 1966, Amiri Baraka put this in perspective for me, (unclear who he's quoting to me): "This last item, is a found object: Owner and Slave If there were more Woody Hermans and fewer or no Archie Shepps, the state of Jazz would be much healthier --Dave Yost Spokane, Washington 'We try to use all components of music,' Lloyd explained. 'Chordal composition and improvisation are not finished, nor is complete freedom the answer.' here are some of the idiots floating around America" Totally not calling anyone on this board an idiot, at all. I thought this was hilarious and brilliant, though. When people start to argue that we shouldn't be completely free, they've got to think about what they're arguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 For Down Beat on July, 16, 1966, Amiri Baraka put this in perspective for me, (unclear who he's quoting to me): "This last item, is a found object: Owner and Slave If there were more Woody Hermans and fewer or no Archie Shepps, the state of Jazz would be much healthier --Dave Yost Spokane, Washington 'We try to use all components of music,' Lloyd explained. 'Chordal composition and improvisation are not finished, nor is complete freedom the answer.' here are some of the idiots floating around America" Totally not calling anyone on this board an idiot, at all. I thought this was hilarious and brilliant, though. When people start to argue that we shouldn't be completely free, they've got to think about what they're arguing. Don't know where Baraka found here are some of the idiots floating around America, but that's clearly his point of view on what he quotes above. Lloyd is speaking in both the previous sentences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blajay Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 Right. Sorry if that was unclear. That last line is his. I'm just unsure who "Lloyd" is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 Charles Lloyd? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Charles Lloyd? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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