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OK, Old Wooden-Ears will start it off for everyone's amusement:

BFT 107

1 - "Darn That Dream" - Tal Farlow, I think. Love that whole style of guitar playing, Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, etc. Lovely performance.

2- "My One And Only Love". I'm going to guess that flute is not the primary instrument for the flautist on this. He does not sound as sure of himself as the rhythm section does of themselves. Of course, these are the kind of statements that oftem make me sound like an idiot when the answers are revealed. But I am not very impressed with the flute on this, though I dig the rhythm section.

3 - Same song, different flute player, this one sounds much more sure of himself. Beautiful cut, though it feels like the guitarist is sort of coasting on his solo (love what he does the rest of the cut).

4 - "Giant Steps". Short and sweet, really like both the organist and the guitarist.

5 - "The Gambler". By a non-singer, but I sure prefer this to Kenny Rogers :-)

6 - This is the part of the blindfold test where I always guess someone else and it turns out to be Sonny Stitt, so I'll guess Sonny Stitt (and it will turn out to be someone else). But really, how can you possibly not like this cut?

7. - One of those older master players I should be able to differentiate but can't. I'll go out on a limb and guess that this is a late-career recording with a European rhythm section.

8 - Joe Henderson's "Recorda-Me" but I am not placing this performance, though it's a very strong one. Trombone player is very very good, is it Conrad Herwig? Trumpet player does well, as does pianist and tenor player. I know Henderson recorded his own big band version of this for Verve late in his career (and it's the only one of the Verve albums that I really am all that crazy about, though they're all OK), but I don't think this is the version from that album. Whatever it is, it works big-time for me, and I will want to pick it up if I don't already have it.

9 - Well, I should be able to name both the song and the pianist, but I can't name either, though the song is very Ellingtonish. But I really like it.

10 - One of those things I probably should like more than I do. Again very neo-Ellingtonish, but I don't really think that it's Johnny Hodges or any other Ellington players. Not something I would buy or listen to on my own. I could see it being someone like Lee Konitz.

11 - The first thing that comes to mind, so I'll stick with it, is Attila Zollar with Don Friedman, though the bass player's conception seems too modern for that. Whatever it is, it definitely works big-time for my ears, and I'm very interested to know waht it is. BTW, Don Friedman is phenomenal as both a pianist and a composer, and I don't understand why he hasn't been much much better known and appreciated.

12 - Huh? My mind goes immediately to "El Paso" by Marty Robbins and "Come a Little Bit Closer" by Jay & The Americans. Anyways, this one has totally and utterly lost

me in every regard. Could be anything from Astor Piazzolla to Henry Threadgill to Airto to infinity and beyond for all I know.

13 - Old school. I can't place the singer, but she's not the type of singer I listen to. Wouldn't surprise me if it was the tenor player's session rather than the singer's, and I feel like he's someone I should know. I find this sort of static rhythm makes me very antsy.

14 - Second part is "Goin' Out of My Head" of course. Three separate guitar parts going on here, be it three different players or, very possibly, overdubbing. They have heard the Wes Montgomery version of this, and the acoustic player has listned to how Gabor Szabo tuned his guitar, but I can't really place this.

Edited by felser
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I think that #10 is Charles Mingus, and one of his compositions. I think I have this Mingus song on one of my albums. I have gone over all of my Mingus albums and cannot find this song. It is driving me mad. The Mingus recording I think I have of this song is a different version than this one, with different musicians.

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OK, Old Wooden-Ears will start it off for everyone's amusement:

BFT 107

1 - "Darn That Dream" - Tal Farlow, I think. Love that whole style of guitar playing, Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, etc. Lovely performance.

Nice guess, but it isn't Tal Farlow or Herb Ellis.

2- "My One And Only Love". I'm going to guess that flute is not the primary instrument for the flautist on this. He does not sound as sure of himself as the rhythm section does of themselves. Of course, these are the kind of statements that oftem make me sound like an idiot when the answers are revealed. But I am not very impressed with the flute on this, though I dig the rhythm section.

Wrong tune

3 - Same song, different flute player, this one sounds much more sure of himself. Beautiful cut, though it feels like the guitarist is sort of coasting on his solo (love what he does the rest of the cut).

Yeah I like this performance a lot.

4 - "Giant Steps". Short and sweet, really like both the organist and the guitarist.

5 - "The Gambler". By a non-singer, but I sure prefer this to Kenny Rogers :-)

6 - This is the part of the blindfold test where I always guess someone else and it turns out to be Sonny Stitt, so I'll guess Sonny Stitt (and it will turn out to be someone else). But really, how can you possibly not like this cut? Not Stitt

7. - One of those older master players I should be able to differentiate but can't. I'll go out on a limb and guess that this is a late-career recording with a European rhythm section.

8 - Joe Henderson's "Recorda-Me" but I am not placing this performance, though it's a very strong one. Trombone player is very very good, is it Conrad Herwig? Trumpet player does well, as does pianist and tenor player. I know Henderson recorded his own big band version of this for Verve late in his career (and it's the only one of the Verve albums that I really am all that crazy about, though they're all OK), but I don't think this is the version from that album. Whatever it is, it works big-time for me, and I will want to pick it up if I don't already have it.

It is not Herwig. The trombone player is new to me, but he is real strong.

9 - Well, I should be able to name both the song and the pianist, but I can't name either, though the song is very Ellingtonish. But I really like it.

10 - One of those things I probably should like more than I do. Again very neo-Ellingtonish, but I don't really think that it's Johnny Hodges or any other Ellington players. Not something I would buy or listen to on my own. I could see it being someone like Lee Konitz.

11 - The first thing that comes to mind, so I'll stick with it, is Attila Zollar with Don Friedman, though the bass player's conception seems too modern for that. Whatever it is, it definitely works big-time for my ears, and I'm very interested to know waht it is. BTW, Don Friedman is phenomenal as both a pianist and a composer, and I don't understand why he hasn't been much much better known and appreciated.

It is a modern player. Not Freeman or Zollar.

12 - Huh? My mind goes immediately to "El Paso" by Marty Robbins and "Come a Little Bit Closer" by Jay & The Americans. Anyways, this one has totally and utterly lost

me in every regard. Could be anything from Astor Piazzolla to Henry Threadgill to Airto to infinity and beyond for all I know.

I don't anyone will get this one.

13 - Old school. I can't place the singer, but she's not the type of singer I listen to. Wouldn't surprise me if it was the tenor player's session rather than the singer's, and I feel like he's someone I should know. I find this sort of static rhythm makes me very antsy.

14 - Second part is "Goin' Out of My Head" of course. Three separate guitar parts going on here, be it three different players or, very possibly, overdubbing. They have heard the Wes Montgomery version of this, and the acoustic player has listned to how Gabor Szabo tuned his guitar, but I can't really place this.

I think that #10 is Charles Mingus, and one of his compositions. I think I have this Mingus song on one of my albums. I have gone over all of my Mingus albums and cannot find this song. It is driving me mad. The Mingus recording I think I have of this song is a different version than this one, with different musicians.

Sorry, not Mingus.

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1. Darn That Dream. I don't really care much for this player. Decent tone, but the phrasing is stiff. Doesn't breathe well, to my ears. Sounds almost like he wants to get it over with and on to the next tune. The solo is very linear, and the heavy use of hammer-ons on gets a little tiresome. I also don't really care for his rhythmic concept. The rhythmic chordal passages at the end of the solo show that he's listened to a lot of Barney Kessel, but he doesn't have Kessel's musicianship (not many do). Not a bad coda, though. All in all, there are many guitarists that I'd rather listen to. Oh well.

2. In A Sentimental Mood. A refreshing contrast to track 1. This player phrases more creatively, and has a far better feel for rhythm and timing. Is this a piccolo? I'm not crazy about the tone… much prefer a fuller flute sound. Very nice rhythm section.

3. Ah… In A Sentimental Mood again. This flute sound does appeal more to my ears. Nice to hear a guitar replacing the piano comping. This is a seasoned bunch of players… really admire the way they handle this. They all know the ins and outs of the tune very well. Don't recognize this guitarist, don't really dig his tone that much, but he does a very nice job of supporting, filling, and expressing himself on his solo.

4. Giant Steps. We just had another organ/guitar/drums version of this on another BFT not long ago. This isn't the same one, though. I'm somewhat in awe of any musician who can blow through this- especially with this unusual arrangement.

5. Maybe you had to be there?

6. But Beautiful. Pretty straightforward throughout the main theme. Pretty. As with most of these tracks, the sound strikes me as modern, even if the style doesn't. Tenor has very nice phrasing and technique, to my ears. I'm wishing for just a bit more personality to help me try to identify. Well, he finishes with a flourish, but I can't really add anything else. Nicely played (hmm... another live track...)

7. But Beautiful again. Wow, this file got effed up somewhere along the way. Feel like I'm listening to a youtube video with bad edits. Very hard to listen to. Not only that, but so far all the tracks here are at a very low volume for me (have to turn them way up). Anyway, this tenor sounds to me like a modern traditionalist. Harry Allen, Scott Hamilton, someone like that. Doesn't quite sound like one of the older masters to me. Very nice playing, though.

8. Recorda Me, uptempo. Feels a little frantic to me. Skills definitely on display, though. Top notch playing. Don't really know my modern bone players too well. Maybe Steve Turre, or Conrad Herwig, or Steve Davis? Maybe Steve Nelson on vibes? Has there been a live album by these guys on Criss Cross? I'm grasping at straws now. Anyway, this is good stuff.

9. Monk's Mood. My favorite Monk tune, which seems under-appreciated and under-recorded. This version feels slightly show-offy and "insensitive" (?)to me, but that may just be my mood. I guess I prefer this tune with more melancholy. That said, this player is very creative and skillful, and that helps to make up for my minor gripe. No way I could even venture a guess as to who this is. Ah- transition into Body And Soul here… nice.

10. Okay, this one is definitely LOUDER! :) This is Strayhorn's Isfahan, right? Love this arrangement. Sounds like a nice tip o' the alto to Hodges, especially during the statement of the theme. Interesting how it gets sparse here at the beginning of the solo… ah, now the horns come back in. This ended up being pretty short, but that's okay- kind of refreshing. Well played.

11. This one doesn't appeal to me very much. Good players, but the music leaves me a little disinterested.

12. Well, this is interesting. I don't love it, but I am attracted to the sound and instrumentation. I actually like the sound of the much-maligned (probably more in years past) accordion quite a bit under the right circumstances. Hmm… now a voice kicks in! The layers here may require me to listen to this a few times before I can really say more, but... it's interesting.

13. Easy Living. The sound quality of this file is a bit weak… hmm, I don't know if it's just me with all these audio issues on this BFT. Traditional sounding group with an acoustic archtop comping. Ah, now a vocalist. At first it sounded like Carmen, but no, it's definitely not Carmen. I don't recognize this singer. She sounds mature, but not all that seasoned (like an older woman who hasn't been singing all her life, or something). This seems to be ending rather abruptly. Hmm… can't say this impressed me very much.

14. Nuages. Two guitars- an electric archtop and probably a Selmer a la Django. WTF? Goin' Out Of My Head? Wait- REWIND! How did THIS segue occur? :D Hmm… okay, I'm not hallucinating. This one ends way more abruptly than the last track. ??? I'll have to listen again to see if I can hear anything to allow me to guess who these players are. No time right now...

Edited by Jim R
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1. Darn That Dream. I don't really care much for this player. Decent tone, but the phrasing is stiff. Doesn't breathe well, to my ears. Sounds almost like he wants to get it over with and on to the next tune. The solo is very linear, and the heavy use of hammer-ons on gets a little tiresome. I also don't really care for his rhythmic concept. The rhythmic chordal passages at the end of the solo show that he's listened to a lot of Barney Kessel, but he doesn't have Kessel's musicianship (not many do). Not a bad coda, though. All in all, there are many guitarists that I'd rather listen to. Oh well.

It is not Kessel. It is another well known guitar player.

2. In A Sentimental Mood. A refreshing contrast to track 1. This player phrases more creatively, and has a far better feel for rhythm and timing. Is this a piccolo? I'm not crazy about the tone… much prefer a fuller flute sound. Very nice rhythm section.

It isn't a piccolo. Just a flute. I'll admit, this isn't his main instrument.

3. Ah… In A Sentimental Mood again. This flute sound does appeal more to my ears. Nice to hear a guitar replacing the piano comping. This is a seasoned bunch of players… really admire the way they handle this. They all know the ins and outs of the tune very well. Don't recognize this guitarist, don't really dig his tone that much, but he does a very nice job of supporting, filling, and expressing himself on his solo.

Everyone in this band is well known.

4. Giant Steps. We just had another organ/guitar/drums version of this on another BFT not long ago. This isn't the same one, though. I'm somewhat in awe of any musician who can blow through this- especially with this unusual arrangement.

Yes. This band is swinging this rendition Giant Steps.

5. Maybe you had to be there?

I was, and when I found a recording of this, I had to include it. He is one of the legends of jazz.

6. But Beautiful. Pretty straightforward throughout the main theme. Pretty. As with most of these tracks, the sound strikes me as modern, even if the style doesn't. Tenor has very nice phrasing and technique, to my ears. I'm wishing for just a bit more personality to help me try to identify. Well, he finishes with a flourish, but I can't really add anything else. Nicely played (hmm... another live track...)

7. But Beautiful again. Wow, this file got effed up somewhere along the way. Feel like I'm listening to a youtube video with bad edits. Very hard to listen to. Not only that, but so far all the tracks here are at a very low volume for me (have to turn them way up). Anyway, this tenor sounds to me like a modern traditionalist. Harry Allen, Scott Hamilton, someone like that. Doesn't quite sound like one of the older masters to me. Very nice playing, though.

Sorry about the sound. I ripped it from an album. I guess it lost something on the transfer to my computer.

8. Recorda Me, uptempo. Feels a little frantic to me. Skills definitely on display, though. Top notch playing. Don't really know my modern bone players too well. Maybe Steve Turre, or Conrad Herwig, or Steve Davis? Maybe Steve Nelson on vibes? Has there been a live album by these guys on Criss Cross? I'm grasping at straws now. Anyway, this is good stuff.

The bone player, just one, impressed me greatly. I never knew of him before I heard this.

9. Monk's Mood. My favorite Monk tune, which seems under-appreciated and under-recorded. This version feels slightly show-offy and "insensitive" (?)to me, but that may just be my mood. I guess I prefer this tune with more melancholy. That said, this player is very creative and skillful, and that helps to make up for my minor gripe. No way I could even venture a guess as to who this is. Ah- transition into Body And Soul here… nice.

:)

10. Okay, this one is definitely LOUDER! :) This is Strayhorn's Isfahan, right? Love this arrangement. Sounds like a nice tip o' the alto to Hodges, especially during the statement of the theme. Interesting how it gets sparse here at the beginning of the solo… ah, now the horns come back in. This ended up being pretty short, but that's okay- kind of refreshing. Well played.

This one I think will remain unanswered at the end of the month.

11. This one doesn't appeal to me very much. Good players, but the music leaves me a little disinterested.

12. Well, this is interesting. I don't love it, but I am attracted to the sound and instrumentation. I actually like the sound of the much-maligned (probably more in years past) accordion quite a bit under the right circumstances. Hmm… now a voice kicks in! The layers here may require me to listen to this a few times before I can really say more, but... it's interesting.

13. Easy Living. The sound quality of this file is a bit weak… hmm, I don't know if it's just me with all these audio issues on this BFT. Traditional sounding group with an acoustic archtop comping. Ah, now a vocalist. At first it sounded like Carmen, but no, it's definitely not Carmen. I don't recognize this singer. She sounds mature, but not all that seasoned (like an older woman who hasn't been singing all her life, or something). This seems to be ending rather abruptly. Hmm… can't say this impressed me very much.

14. Nuages. Two guitars- an electric archtop and probably a Selmer a la Django. WTF? Goin' Out Of My Head? Wait- REWIND! How did THIS segue occur? :D Hmm… okay, I'm not hallucinating. This one ends way more abruptly than the last track. ??? I'll have to listen again to see if I can hear anything to allow me to guess who these players are. No time right now...

Sorry the nasty cut at the end.The band goes right into another tune.

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I think there's a theme here of live recordings, not all (if any?) commercially released. Always fun to deal with that stuff!

So, the usual thanks and disclaimers in place, away we go!

TRACK ONE - "Darn that Dream". Impeccable technique, and/but a little stiff and/or "prepared" for my taste. Some Django-y influences too. Joe Pass?

TRACK TWO - "In A Sentimental Mood". Flute tone goes from sounding intentionally overblown like Dolphy or Kirk to sounding just a little uncontrolled. At times one might think it was a baritone penny-whistle (if there is such a thing) or some such. But the phrasing is really together, so...music trumps instrument, and that's a win, always. The only flutist I know of that regularly plays with that kind of rrrreeeaaaalllllyyyy deliberate pace is Sam Most, but I don't think this is him. Maybe...an older Yusef Lateef? In which case, everything is very intentional. I love that about Yusef.

TRACK THREE - IASM again, this time by a seemingly significantly more accomplished flautist. My initial impulse was Buddy Collette and Jim Hall! The approach to the instrument of this player and the previous one couldn't be more dramatic, but in both cases, in the end it's the music getting played that stays in the mind, not "how" the instrument is played.

TRACK FOUR - "Giant Steps". There's that Mickey Tucker version, but that was studio and this is live. I seldom get moved by what anybody does on this tune. Trane used it as an exercise to open up some math for him, but very few other people have been able to get past just the math. Admittedly, the math is a bitch, but...that's just me, though.

TRACK FIVE - Clark Terry? If it's not, it could be!

TRACK SIX - "But Beautiful" and damn, once again, the phrasing is just wonderful. Everything is in service of the melody, everything.Spaces in all the right places, and, yeah, let them speak. Nobody values space any more unless it's as a self-conscious effect or something like that. No, just sing the song and let each phrase resonate before going on to the next one. At first I thought this was an alot, such was the richness of the upper overtones. But no, it's a tenor.The use of the side keys reminds me of Fathead, as does the tone in parts. But not consistently. I heard one phrase @ 1:31 that sounded like Houston Person. Whoever it is knows the lyrics as well as they know the melody and, yeah, ok, that's what happens when you know the whole song, you can get inside it like this. It is very beautiful, no buts about it.

TRACK SEVEN - "But Beautiful" again, and that's Dexter, I believe. Everything I said about the last player, same here.

TRACK EIGHT - "Recorda Me"...not really feeling this one. Everybody gets their licks in, but that's all I really hear - licks. Instrumentation suggests one of these Timeless All Stars bands, but the playing, not so much.

TRACK NINE - "Monk's Mood" into "Body And Soul". Maybe a little "frantic" in spots, but it seems to all be of a piece, so it's all good. Seems to be somebody who has paid attention to Jaki Byard, but maybe not the same parts I would have...Roger Kellaway is this goofy sometimes, is this him?

TRACK TEN - "Isfhan" played through a Mingus-y lens. The alto player had me for the melody, I'm like, ok, if we're gonna do this thing, then let's do it. But then the solo comes, and it's like, no we're not gonna do this thing, and I'm, ok, well, that's you're prerogative, but now all I got is a come-on and then a never mind, kind of a bait and switch, and then I fell like, hey, I've been Marsalised! But I do like the background horns, or at least how they're recorded. They got that part right. And that's such a great tune.

TRACK ELEVEN - Coulda been really noodle-y, lord knows that melody would encourage it, but actually not noodle-y at all. So I like it just/if only for for resisting temptation. Not as easy as you might think.

TRACK TWELVE - No idea, but I find it very attractive and...human (in a good way). My earliest memory of accordion is Muzzy Marcelino every afternoon on Art Linkletter's House Party, and those are good memories, so I've never had the aversion to the instrument that many do. Also interesting here is how the accordion's lower notes sound like a bass harmonica (you can learn something from studying Brian Wilson!), which makes sense when you consider that they're pretty much the same instrument, wooden reeds that vibrate from moving air across them. DAMN this is nice!

TRACK THIRTEEN - "Easy Living". Vocalist sounds like a cross between Carmen McRae and Nancy Wilson...Ernestine Anderson and Scott Hamilton? Or, to go another route - Frank Wess? Or Flip Phillips? Phrasing is rather symmetrical though, play, stop, play, stop, lather, rinse, repeat, but in a nice way, not complaining. so I would lean towards Hamilton. I like the singer, she leaves spaces. I've played behind a lot of singers, and you know, they want to to play "fills" and then they don't leave any damn space to play them in - and then bitch when you step on them. Well, hey, here's a lesson. And the tenor player plays no fills at all! But that's cool, I'd listen to this singer too. And the piano player is playing nice chords, and the bass player GOT this, ok?

TRACK FOURTEEN - Hey, how many medleys of "Nuages" & "Going Out Of My Head" could there be? http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/jazzdownloadv.php?id=1564#.UQyMVme41Hg

There are some really truly gorgeous ballads on this BFT. And the accordion thing, wow..I like a melody, no matter how you want to define "melody" (and my definition is pretty wide open). But if you're doing "songs", hell yeah, definitely understand the melody, understand that there are probably words to go with it (and if there's not, make some of your own), understand that space is the ultimate resonator, understand that licks and music exist a Venn Diagram with very, very little intersection. There's some things on here where everybody involved gets that.Gotta clear some space on the iPod for those.

Thanks for the gift, much enjoyed and sincerely appreciated.

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I think there's a theme here of live recordings, not all (if any?) commercially released. Always fun to deal with that stuff!

So, the usual thanks and disclaimers in place, away we go!

TRACK ONE - "Darn that Dream". Impeccable technique, and/but a little stiff and/or "prepared" for my taste. Some Django-y influences too. Joe Pass?

No, it is not Joe Pass. Good guess though.

TRACK TWO - "In A Sentimental Mood". Flute tone goes from sounding intentionally overblown like Dolphy or Kirk to sounding just a little uncontrolled. At times one might think it was a baritone penny-whistle (if there is such a thing) or some such. But the phrasing is really together, so...music trumps instrument, and that's a win, always. The only flutist I know of that regularly plays with that kind of rrrreeeaaaalllllyyyy deliberate pace is Sam Most, but I don't think this is him. Maybe...an older Yusef Lateef? In which case, everything is very intentional. I love that about Yusef.

I think the overblown sound was deliberate. I've heard him play other tunes on the flute and the sound was much different. It isn't Yusef.

TRACK THREE - IASM again, this time by a seemingly significantly more accomplished flautist. My initial impulse was Buddy Collette and Jim Hall! The approach to the instrument of this player and the previous one couldn't be more dramatic, but in both cases, in the end it's the music getting played that stays in the mind, not "how" the instrument is played.

Good guess, but it isn't Collette or Hall..

TRACK FOUR - "Giant Steps". There's that Mickey Tucker version, but that was studio and this is live. I seldom get moved by what anybody does on this tune. Trane used it as an exercise to open up some math for him, but very few other people have been able to get past just the math. Admittedly, the math is a bitch, but...that's just me, though.

TRACK FIVE - Clark Terry? If it's not, it could be!

No, not Clark Terry.

TRACK SIX - "But Beautiful" and damn, once again, the phrasing is just wonderful. Everything is in service of the melody, everything.Spaces in all the right places, and, yeah, let them speak. Nobody values space any more unless it's as a self-conscious effect or something like that. No, just sing the song and let each phrase resonate before going on to the next one. At first I thought this was an alot, such was the richness of the upper overtones. But no, it's a tenor.The use of the side keys reminds me of Fathead, as does the tone in parts. But not consistently. I heard one phrase @ 1:31 that sounded like Houston Person. Whoever it is knows the lyrics as well as they know the melody and, yeah, ok, that's what happens when you know the whole song, you can get inside it like this. It is very beautiful, no buts about it.

I really enjoy this take on the standard.

TRACK SEVEN - "But Beautiful" again, and that's Dexter, I believe. Everything I said about the last player, same here.

No not Dexter.

TRACK EIGHT - "Recorda Me"...not really feeling this one. Everybody gets their licks in, but that's all I really hear - licks. Instrumentation suggests one of these Timeless All Stars bands, but the playing, not so much.

Fair enough.

TRACK NINE - "Monk's Mood" into "Body And Soul". Maybe a little "frantic" in spots, but it seems to all be of a piece, so it's all good. Seems to be somebody who has paid attention to Jaki Byard, but maybe not the same parts I would have...Roger Kellaway is this goofy sometimes, is this him?

It is neither Byard or Kellaway. I thought this would be the first one solved.

TRACK TEN - "Isfhan" played through a Mingus-y lens. The alto player had me for the melody, I'm like, ok, if we're gonna do this thing, then let's do it. But then the solo comes, and it's like, no we're not gonna do this thing, and I'm, ok, well, that's you're prerogative, but now all I got is a come-on and then a never mind, kind of a bait and switch, and then I fell like, hey, I've been Marsalised! But I do like the background horns, or at least how they're recorded. They got that part right. And that's such a great tune.

Yes it is a great Strayhorn tune.

TRACK ELEVEN - Coulda been really noodle-y, lord knows that melody would encourage it, but actually not noodle-y at all. So I like it just/if only for for resisting temptation. Not as easy as you might think.

TRACK TWELVE - No idea, but I find it very attractive and...human (in a good way). My earliest memory of accordion is Muzzy Marcelino every afternoon on Art Linkletter's House Party, and those are good memories, so I've never had the aversion to the instrument that many do. Also interesting here is how the accordion's lower notes sound like a bass harmonica (you can learn something from studying Brian Wilson!), which makes sense when you consider that they're pretty much the same instrument, wooden reeds that vibrate from moving air across them. DAMN this is nice!

TRACK THIRTEEN - "Easy Living". Vocalist sounds like a cross between Carmen McRae and Nancy Wilson...Ernestine Anderson and Scott Hamilton? Or, to go another route - Frank Wess? Or Flip Phillips? Phrasing is rather symmetrical though, play, stop, play, stop, lather, rinse, repeat, but in a nice way, not complaining. so I would lean towards Hamilton. I like the singer, she leaves spaces. I've played behind a lot of singers, and you know, they want to to play "fills" and then they don't leave any damn space to play them in - and then bitch when you step on them. Well, hey, here's a lesson. And the tenor player plays no fills at all! But that's cool, I'd listen to this singer too. And the piano player is playing nice chords, and the bass player GOT this, ok?

Frank Wess it is on tenor. Way to go.

TRACK FOURTEEN - Hey, how many medleys of "Nuages" & "Going Out Of My Head" could there be? http://www.allaboutj...64#.UQyMVme41Hg

There are some really truly gorgeous ballads on this BFT. And the accordion thing, wow..I like a melody, no matter how you want to define "melody" (and my definition is pretty wide open). But if you're doing "songs", hell yeah, definitely understand the melody, understand that there are probably words to go with it (and if there's not, make some of your own), understand that space is the ultimate resonator, understand that licks and music exist a Venn Diagram with very, very little intersection. There's some things on here where everybody involved gets that.Gotta clear some space on the iPod for those.

Thanks for the gift, much enjoyed and sincerely appreciated.

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TRACK ONE - "Darn that Dream". Impeccable technique, and/but a little stiff and/or "prepared" for my taste.

Yeah, that was my impression too (at least one of them). I'm actually surprised that this is a famous player. Gotta work on this. It almost sounds like a 7-string guitar when he hits the lower notes, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions. The tone (in that respect) might suggest someone like Bucky Pizzarelli (one of the first to use a 7-string), but the style and phrasing aren't saying Bucky to me. Hmm...

TRACK FOUR - "Giant Steps"... ...I seldom get moved by what anybody does on this tune. Trane used it as an exercise to open up some math for him, but very few other people have been able to get past just the math. Admittedly, the math is a bitch, but...that's just me, though.

Not just you, and that's very well put. I still have that respect for the folks who can do that math at that speed, though.

TRACK SEVEN - "But Beautiful" again, and that's Dexter, I believe.

:o That one came at me like a major league slider. Scared the sh!t outta me, I tell you. I would have been upset if you were correct on that, and I missed it! Don't DO that! :lol:

TRACK FOURTEEN - Hey, how many medleys of "Nuages" & "Going Out Of My Head" could there be? http://www.allaboutj...64#.UQyMVme41Hg

"The Great Guitars". Total blank job, when all the signs were right there (even the Herb Ellis tapping/percussion technique).

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Listen to that vibrato and that lower register. That sounds like later Dexter!

Yeah, I can see (hear) that. For me, the sound quality on this is so distracting that it's hard to assess.

Okay, back to track 1 for me. The more I listen to it, the less negative I feel about it. If this isn't a commercially-released thing, then I'd have to cut a little more slack to the amount of polish I may have been expecting/demanding. I'm still not crazy about the single line soloing, but there are some well-chosen chords in there, and the player has nice touch, resulting in a very rich sound. The conception comes across as more swing than bebop, and the rhythmic touches lead me to wonder if this player has any big band rhythm guitar in his background. I'm almost ready to say that this player is/was a contemporary of Kessel... someone born in the teens, 20's, or early 30's.

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Well, here we go.

1 Pretty nice version of ‘Good morning heartache’ by a pretty nice guitarist. It’s extremely quiet, though; very hard to identify the musician at this volume. There is something quite familiar about his phrasing, however. Ray Crawford?

2 This is quiet, too. ‘In a sentimental mood’ by a live flautist. I’m not much good on flautists, and hardly better on flute players. Sometimes this guy sounds as if he’s heavily influenced by Ben Webster. Other times, he sounds like he’s just noodling away there. Well, most of the time, really; flutes ain’t really got much of a sound to actually PLAY anything. A great bass solo; pretty well inaudible.

3 Oh, another quiet flute player doing ‘In a sentimental mood’ live. #2 was OK, but this grabs me immediately on account of how melodically the guy’s playing. Yeah, flutes ain’t got much of a sound but, if you can play a tune in your solo, making it flow and carrying the audience with you, that’s a good ‘un. I’d like to guess that this might be Herbie Mann, though it isn’t the kind of thing I hear him doing much, because I only buy his commercial albums. The guitarist sounds like it might be the guy who’s on #1, a few years later. Oh, out with a soprano sax now.

4 Oh I know this one. It’s Lou Bennett surely. Something from ‘Enfin’ with Rene Thomas. Oh it’s live, so it’s not from ‘Enfin’. Or maybe it's Larry Young, live. The guitarist sounds too much like Thomas, but the organist does sound more like Larry than Lou.

5 This is a country song that Wyclef Jean incorporated into one of his interludes. Well… There’s some chat in there, but I can’t hear what they’re saying.

6 Very quiet ‘But beautiful’. Nice version but too quiet for me to really concentrate on or identify the tenor player.

7 I do like this idea of having different versions of the same song back to back. If anything, this guy is playing the song just a trifle too slowly; makes it rather easy to lose the thread of the tune, particularly when he puts in those little fast runs. As before, it’s too quiet to really get a feeling for who the players are.

8 This is a bit louder. ‘Blue bossa’. So, a trombonist with one of those modern thin sounds with no vibrato worth mentioning; thousands of them knocking about. I have a feeling that the vibes player may be Booby Hutcherson, mainly because, between him and the piano player, they sound like they do on the Hutcherson BN album at Montreux.

9 Reasonably audible pianist. Can’t say this is my kind of thing, however. Just chops.

10 Ah, this is a good volume, though I haven’t had to turn the vol control down; still on max. There’s something about the alto player – but every time I think I get near him, those horrid chords the band is playing behind him get in the way.

11 Back to the quiet stuff again. I think there may be two guitarists here, plus a pianist.

12 A harmonica with a really Roy Rogers sound to it. I like this but haven’t the foggiest notion of who it might be.

13 ‘Easy to love’ and I think I’ve never heard the singer before. I feel I NEARLY know the tenor player; but could it REALLY be Houston Person? The singer has a good voice but doesn’t quite get to me.

14 And another version by a guitarist. Same guy as on #1? No, two guitarists, or even 3? Or Les Paul? Oh, in comes the LSD song. So, well, that dates it to the late sixties or early seventies. So probably NOT Les Paul, but still maybe...

Well, that was nice, Tom, thank you. Lots of stuff in there I think I would have liked quite a lot if it had been a bit louder.

MG

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Well, here we go.

1 Pretty nice version of ‘Good morning heartache’ by a pretty nice guitarist. It’s extremely quiet, though; very hard to identify the musician at this volume. There is something quite familiar about his phrasing, however. Ray Crawford?

Not Crawford.

2 This is quiet, too. ‘In a sentimental mood’ by a live flautist. I’m not much good on flautists, and hardly better on flute players. Sometimes this guy sounds as if he’s heavily influenced by Ben Webster. Other times, he sounds like he’s just noodling away there. Well, most of the time, really; flutes ain’t really got much of a sound to actually PLAY anything. A great bass solo; pretty well inaudible.

3 Oh, another quiet flute player doing ‘In a sentimental mood’ live. #2 was OK, but this grabs me immediately on account of how melodically the guy’s playing. Yeah, flutes ain’t got much of a sound but, if you can play a tune in your solo, making it flow and carrying the audience with you, that’s a good ‘un. I’d like to guess that this might be Herbie Mann, though it isn’t the kind of thing I hear him doing much, because I only buy his commercial albums. The guitarist sounds like it might be the guy who’s on #1, a few years later. Oh, out with a soprano sax now.

Not Herbie Mann. Hint, he is currently on the scene.

4 Oh I know this one. It’s Lou Bennett surely. Something from ‘Enfin’ with Rene Thomas. Oh it’s live, so it’s not from ‘Enfin’. Or maybe it's Larry Young, live. The guitarist sounds too much like Thomas, but the organist does sound more like Larry than Lou.

Nope. Sorry. The guitarist isn't a household name.

5 This is a country song that Wyclef Jean incorporated into one of his interludes. Well… There’s some chat in there, but I can’t hear what they’re saying.

When this is guessed or revealed many will be surprised. I was at this show right up front. When I found a copy of this, I had to include it.

6 Very quiet ‘But beautiful’. Nice version but too quiet for me to really concentrate on or identify the tenor player.

7 I do like this idea of having different versions of the same song back to back. If anything, this guy is playing the song just a trifle too slowly; makes it rather easy to lose the thread of the tune, particularly when he puts in those little fast runs. As before, it’s too quiet to really get a feeling for who the players are.

8 This is a bit louder. ‘Blue bossa’. So, a trombonist with one of those modern thin sounds with no vibrato worth mentioning; thousands of them knocking about. I have a feeling that the vibes player may be Booby Hutcherson, mainly because, between him and the piano player, they sound like they do on the Hutcherson BN album at Montreux.

It is Bobby Hutcherson on vibes.

9 Reasonably audible pianist. Can’t say this is my kind of thing, however. Just chops.

10 Ah, this is a good volume, though I haven’t had to turn the vol control down; still on max. There’s something about the alto player – but every time I think I get near him, those horrid chords the band is playing behind him get in the way.

11 Back to the quiet stuff again. I think there may be two guitarists here, plus a pianist.

12 A harmonica with a really Roy Rogers sound to it. I like this but haven’t the foggiest notion of who it might be.

13 ‘Easy to love’ and I think I’ve never heard the singer before. I feel I NEARLY know the tenor player; but could it REALLY be Houston Person? The singer has a good voice but doesn’t quite get to me.

14 And another version by a guitarist. Same guy as on #1? No, two guitarists, or even 3? Or Les Paul? Oh, in comes the LSD song. So, well, that dates it to the late sixties or early seventies. So probably NOT Les Paul, but still maybe...

Well, that was nice, Tom, thank you. Lots of stuff in there I think I would have liked quite a lot if it had been a bit louder.

MG

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8 This is a bit louder. ‘Blue bossa’. So, a trombonist with one of those modern thin sounds with no vibrato worth mentioning; thousands of them knocking about. I have a feeling that the vibes player may be Booby Hutcherson, mainly because, between him and the piano player, they sound like they do on the Hutcherson BN album at Montreux.

It is Bobby Hutcherson on vibes.

Aha! So, is the pianist Cecil Bernard, too?

MG

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8 This is a bit louder. ‘Blue bossa’. So, a trombonist with one of those modern thin sounds with no vibrato worth mentioning; thousands of them knocking about. I have a feeling that the vibes player may be Booby Hutcherson, mainly because, between him and the piano player, they sound like they do on the Hutcherson BN album at Montreux.

It is Bobby Hutcherson on vibes.

Aha! So, is the pianist Cecil Bernard, too?

MG

No it isn't Bernard

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8 This is a bit louder. ‘Blue bossa’. So, a trombonist with one of those modern thin sounds with no vibrato worth mentioning; thousands of them knocking about. I have a feeling that the vibes player may be Booby Hutcherson, mainly because, between him and the piano player, they sound like they do on the Hutcherson BN album at Montreux.

It is Bobby Hutcherson on vibes.

Aha! So, is the pianist Cecil Bernard, too?

MG

No it isn't Bernard

Oh well, I give up. :D

MG

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8 This is a bit louder. ‘Blue bossa’. So, a trombonist with one of those modern thin sounds with no vibrato worth mentioning; thousands of them knocking about. I have a feeling that the vibes player may be Booby Hutcherson, mainly because, between him and the piano player, they sound like they do on the Hutcherson BN album at Montreux.

It is Bobby Hutcherson on vibes.

Aha! So, is the pianist Cecil Bernard, too?

MG

No it isn't Bernard

Oh well, I give up. :D

MG

You can't screen uncle yet. You know who all of these players are, with the exceptions of the bones player. This was the first time I ever heard him.

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I know some of you would have liked the sound at a higher level. I boosted the sound if anyone wants a different copy. The 6 and 7 came from LPs, and I original tried to reduce the pops and clicks. I did transfer of those two again. Both much better :)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/cpcb2e

Thanks. I'll have another go at this.

MG

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