BFT 106 discussion thread

[Big Al]

I waited until the very last minute, didn’t I?

Believe me, I have NO room to gripe!

1 (Side 1, track 1): Some unusual chord changes here, along with changes of feel. I liked this more and more as it progressed. Compositionally it sounds like something Teddy Charles would do, and the vibes sound like him a little bit, but it’s not any recording I know. Whoever it is, it’s pretty interesting; I want to hear it again.

It's not Charles, but that's a GREAT guess, though! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you find out who it is!

2 (Side 1, track 2) I like the muscular tenor playing. The player sounds familiar to me, but I can’t quite put tone, articulation, and style together and come up with a name. Not brilliant, but very nice.

Also identified, and again, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I know that Jim R & JSngry were!

3 (Side 1, track 3) Cool groove and instrumentation. I hear several different woodwinds in there oboe and saxophone – same person? I don’t know who anyone is, but it’s nice.

Not the same... well, lemme look at the record.... well, whaddya know? It IS the same person! Great call, Jeff!

5 (Side 2, track 1): Very individual flute sound – I like it. And nice medium-slow groove. The best I can do is state who it’s not, but I won’t do that. I like it, though.

8 (Side 2, track 4): I didn’t like anything about this except the guitarist, but he kept me listening – a talented guy doing a dirty job.

On the CD from which this track was taken is the instrumental version of this song. I'm thinking I need to make that available as penance for you guys!

10 (Side 3, track 2) Oh, hell, yeah! What a great groove. That’s Tommy Turrentine’s little brother on the tenor sax, and he sounds fabulous. Could be Misters Mitchell and Green on trumpet and guitar. Part of what makes this groove so irresistible is that everyone in the rhythm section plays their part – no one strays much beyond their assigned role. In any case, why don’t I have this?

Turrentine yes, Mitchell & Green no. I think this one's been identified, and once you see which album it's from, you might understand why you don't have it. A genuine diamond in the rough, this one!

12 (Side 3, track 4) Sonny Stitt doing what he does best – just blowing. At least, I think it’s Stitt – the sound, style, and vocabulary are his (down to the tag at the end), but the articulation doesn’t seem quite right for him. Could be the way this is recorded. Anyway, it’s mighty tasty – good work from everyone.

This track's inclusion, and everyone nailing it, is making me feel pretty darn silly now! Especially after I reveal who *I* thought this was when I first heard it!

13 (Side 4, track 1) A very interesting track, and more importantly, it got under my skin. Someone’s equally adept at electric piano and organ, and got into some very cool, slightly out-there stuff. And the rhythm section grooves hard, changing things up just enough to make it interesting. I like.

Hopefully, this BFT inspires some purchases of this CD!

14 (Side 4, track 2) What the hell is this? I almost skipped on to the next track after a few seconds, but something made me keep going. Then – is that Bob Brookmeyer? Really? What is this?

Yup, it's Brookmeyer. Check out JSngry's hilariously spot-on statement about this track. Nobody's identified it yet, which has actually kinda surprised me. But I still like it!

16 (Side 4, track 4) “Intuition” by Lennie Tristano and the usual suspects, supposedly the first free improvisation recorded by jazz musicians (or maybe by anybody – I don’t really know). I’ve known and loved this recording for years, but had forgotten that Billy Bauer almost ruins it with that corny whole-tone scale passage at the 45 second mark. (If I ever write a book on improvisation, it will contain the commandment, “Don’t play whole-tone scales, unless you’re Coleman Hawkins, and you’re not.”) But it holds up pretty well 64 years later.

DING! DING! DING! DING!!! If the rest of your book is as hilarious as that one line, then get crackin', man! I wanna read this!!!!

17 (Side 4, track 5) Just beautiful. When you have a sound like this, all you have to do is play the melody. The tenor playing is so spare that I actually had a hard time deciding between late Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster, but there’s enough there that I think it’s Ben. Don’t know the song or the album.

Yep, 'tis Ben, as has been identified. I think I may have found another diamond in the rough here, but this might've been a lot meaner than I'd intended!

Thanks for a good 'un, Big Al. I'm looking forward to finding out more about several of these. Now to read the thread and see how embarrassed I should be....

Hopefully, you won't be too embarrassed! I mean, I'm embarrassed at my choices, and I made the bleedin' thing! As I said, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at a lot of these. Thanks for playing and for your wonderful commentary!

[jeffcrom]

Not too embarrassed, really. I mis-guessed Blue Mitchell and Grant Green, but so did others. (My first guess was actually Kenny Burrell, but I talked myself out of it.) I've never paid any attention to The Mastersounds, but that needs to change, apparently. And damn - am I now actually going to have to buy a John Klemmer album?

Edited January 29, 2013 by jeffcrom

[JSngry]

And damn - am I now actually going to have to buy a John Klenner album?

People tend to forget (as easily they should) that Klemmer was once more or less an "energy" player at root, especially once he moved to L.A. & got into that whole West Coast Avant/Don Ellis/Studio/Electric scene (of which there was one, quiet-ish as it's been kept). Anything up to and including Constant Throb is worth picking up for a few bucks in a cutout bin, and anything between that and Touch is worth borrowing from somebody to listen to once or twice. After that, you're on your own.

[jeffcrom]

Noted. And your reply made me realize that I spelled his name wrong - I must have been thinking of the composer of "Just Friends." Corrected in my original post.

[webbcity]

Okay, better late than never, I hope... haven't looked at any of the answers here yet, will just go for it and then take a look back...

Side 1 Tr 1 - Boy, the vibraphonist sure sounds a lot like Milt Jackson but I can't say for sure that it's him. My reference point for Jackson is the MJQ stuff and a few other earlier recordings of his. This COULD be him in a later setting, or it could be someone else who is influenced by him. The guitar player sure sounds familiar, but I can't place him. Overall, nice tune, nice group with some tasty playing. I like the chord progression of the tune a lot too.

Side 1 Tr 2 - WOW...this is really nice. What a fantastic, sinewy sound the bass player has...and beautiful playing. And the tenor player is outstanding. Damn...who is this? I have no guesses. I am digging the whole vibe of this...great players, and they are totally in sync. I need to know who this is.

Side 1 Tr 3 - This is a fun little lounge-y tune, but it didn't do a whole lot for me honestly. Some nice ensemble playing, and I like the trombonist's sound, but the solo left me a little cold.

Side 1 Tr 4 - Okay, I am realizing that for someone who in fact loves the vibraphone, my knowledge of vibes players beyond Bobby Hutcherson, Walt Dickerson, and Milt Jackson is actually pretty poor. Anyway...I will make a wild guess at Cal Tjader here just because of the latin flavor, though he is not a player I am really familiar with.

Side 2 Tr 1 - I like the tune quite a bit, the flute player has a really nice sound and it's a good arrangement. And again, I LOVE the bass player. Didn't totally click with me once the solos started though...I feel like they are holding back a bit or something. The piano solo did it for me though. There were a few things that reminded me of Wynton Kelly there, but I really don't have any guesses as to the pianist or anyone else here for that matter.

Side 2 Tr 2 - Nice mellow mood on this one. I really love what the bass player and piano player did at the beginning...I wanted more of that actually! But once the rest of the band came in, they settled into a really nice groove. Some nice, subtle interplay here. I've got no guesses, but am curious to know who this is.

Side 2 Tr 3 - Not for me...nice moody feel but that's about it. The thing that throws me is the bass player-- that's gotta be Ron Carter.

Side 2 Tr 4 - Sorry, not much I can say about this one.

Side 3 Tr 1 - Nice energy, and some tight playing here. I like the tenor player, he had a few nice bits in there but I wish he had gotten some more actual solo time, I felt things needed to build a little more. Fun tune though.

Side 3 Tr 2 - I like it. Nice & easy...sounds like an old Blue Note groover, but I think it could a tiny bit more recent. Nice bluesy solo from the tenor player. The tune itself makes me think Nat Adderley, but not the trumpet playing. But I don't know who the trumpet player is.

Side 3 Tr 3 - This is cool, soulful stuff. I dig the percussion. Nice feel all around. The electric bass player has a fantastic sense of time, great groove. Even with all the percussion, I feel like it's the bass player who's really holding things together here. The piano player, while not virtuosic, does the job here.

Side 3 Tr 4 - Good stuff, enjoyed the tenor solo, but even moreso the piano solo-- very nice, impeccable. That is some seriously tasty drumming. Really digging the drummer. No guesses on this one.

Side 4 Tr 1 - Hmm... the intro to this tune sounds almost exactly like a little bit of a Weather Report tune. Can't recall the name of it at the moment. Unfortunately once the tune settles in, it doesn't do a lot for me. I SHOULD like this a lot more than I do...the sound and groove are right up my alley but the playing leaves me cold. I hope I don't regret saying that. Love that intro & outro though!

Side 4 Tr 2 - Sorry, not my thing. Sounds like Sesame Street. That trombone player has a pretty fabulous sound though.

Side 4 Tr 3 - Sadly, this one doesn't really float my boat either. Just doesn't speak to me.

Side 4 Tr 4 - Now this is interesting...some fantastic interplay here. The guitar player reminds me of Jim Hall in spots but I'm not sure it's him. I really like this one, will be interested to find out who it is.

Side 4 Tr 5 - Man, that sound!! Beautiful tenor playing. Holy cow, that is stunning...that tone just defies gravity. What little I know of Ben Webster makes me want to say that it's him, but I'm probably wrong. In any case, it's fantastic.

Thanks Al, for all your efforts in putting this together. Some nice stuff here!

[webbcity]

Wow, you really got me on that Carlos tune, that's amazing... and I like me some Santana, but that one just didn't do anything for me. To be honest I think I had already tuned out by the time the guitar solo came along so I should probably go back and listen again.

Funny, I had thought Stanley Turrentine for a moment on #10 and then dismissed it...damn!

I will be looking forward to the reveal for more!

[Big Al]

Side 1 Tr 1 - Boy, the vibraphonist sure sounds a lot like Milt Jackson but I can't say for sure that it's him. My reference point for Jackson is the MJQ stuff and a few other earlier recordings of his. This COULD be him in a later setting, or it could be someone else who is influenced by him. The guitar player sure sounds familiar, but I can't place him. Overall, nice tune, nice group with some tasty playing. I like the chord progression of the tune a lot too.

You guessed precisely the way I woulda guessed this had this been someone else's BFT, which is what I was hoping for!

Side 1 Tr 2 - WOW...this is really nice. What a fantastic, sinewy sound the bass player has...and beautiful playing. And the tenor player is outstanding. Damn...who is this? I have no guesses. I am digging the whole vibe of this...great players, and they are totally in sync. I need to know who this is.

By now, I'm sure you know. Curious to know if you were as surprised as everyone else was!

Side 3 Tr 2 - I like it. Nice & easy...sounds like an old Blue Note groover, but I think it could a tiny bit more recent. Nice bluesy solo from the tenor player. The tune itself makes me think Nat Adderley, but not the trumpet playing. But I don't know who the trumpet player is.

Another guess that woulda echoed mine had this been someone else's BFT!

Side 3 Tr 4 - Good stuff, enjoyed the tenor solo, but even moreso the piano solo-- very nice, impeccable. That is some seriously tasty drumming. Really digging the drummer. No guesses on this one.

FINALLY!!!! Someone else didn't know who this was! I feel a little better now. Thanks, Tim!

Side 4 Tr 2 - Sorry, not my thing. Sounds like Sesame Street. That trombone player has a pretty fabulous sound though.

As noted earlier, the whole Sesame Street thing was what got this on the BFT: just to see if anyone else thought of this when they heard it! A point for you!

Side 4 Tr 5 - Man, that sound!! Beautiful tenor playing. Holy cow, that is stunning...that tone just defies gravity. What little I know of Ben Webster makes me want to say that it's him, but I'm probably wrong. In any case, it's fantastic.

Most definitely Ben! My favorite tenor of all time. NOBODY played a ballad like Big Ben!

Thanks Al, for all your efforts in putting this together. Some nice stuff here!

Thank YOU, Tim! Glad you enjoyed it, and I really dug your commentary!

Reveal coming tomorrow! (I hope!)

[Big Al]

Side 1, Track 1: Fully ID'd

Side 1, Track 2: Fully ID'd

Side 1, Track 3: Not ID'd

Side 1, Track 4: Not ID'd (and I wish mikeweil would take a stab at this, cuz this was aimed directly at him!)

Side 2, Track 1: Fully ID'd

Side 2, Track 2: Not ID'd, and I won't lie: I'm pretty proud of myself on this one!

Side 2, Track 3: Fully ID'd

Side 2, Track 4: Fully ID'd, and I won't lie: I really didn't think that would happen!

Side 3, Track 1: Fully ID'd

Side 3, Track 2: Fully ID'd

Side 3, Track 3: Not ID'd

Side 3, Track 4: Artist ID'd by practically everyone, but nobody's gotten the track or the album (understandable, given that the guy put out about a zillion LPs in his lifetime)

Side 4, Track 1: Not ID'd

Side 4, Track 2: Not ID'd and roundly avoided like the plague. But, a couple of you figured out WHY it's on the BFT!

Side 4, Track 3: Fully ID'd

Side 4, Track 4: Fully ID'd

Side 4, Track 5: Artist identified by practically everyone, but nobody knows the source. Which is PRECISELY what I was hoping for!

[webbcity]

Side 1 Tr 2 - WOW...this is really nice. What a fantastic, sinewy sound the bass player has...and beautiful playing. And the tenor player is outstanding. Damn...who is this? I have no guesses. I am digging the whole vibe of this...great players, and they are totally in sync. I need to know who this is.

By now, I'm sure you know. Curious to know if you were as surprised as everyone else was!

Most definitely! I know almost nothing about John Klemmer, but what little I did know would have never led me to believe that this was him. VERY interesting.

Side 3 Tr 4 - Good stuff, enjoyed the tenor solo, but even moreso the piano solo-- very nice, impeccable. That is some seriously tasty drumming. Really digging the drummer. No guesses on this one.

FINALLY!!!! Someone else didn't know who this was! I feel a little better now. Thanks, Tim!

Happy to help!...I think. Stitt is someone I should be more familiar with. Am anxious to know what record this is from so I can check it out.

Reveal coming tomorrow! (I hope!)