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Blindfold Test #114, The Reveal!


tkeith

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I'm going to post this a couple of days early simply due to a hectic schedule. Gig tonight with Webbcity, two long work days following. I'd rather be a little early than a little late. Please make sure you sign up for felser's BFT.

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01 - Friar Tuck - Jerome Richardson - (1959) Roamin' With Richardson

Jerome Richardson - tenor sax; Richard Wyands - piano; George Tucker - bass; Charlie Persip - drums

I wanted to start this BFT off with something very straight ahead. I was thinking of something from Jimmy Hamilton when I found this track. Richardson is a very under appreciated cat who was the prototypical studio musician for a couple of decades. It's humbling to hear just how accomplished this guy was when few people have an album by him in their collection.

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02 - B.G. Mambo - Bennie Green - (1958) Soul Stirrin'

Bennie Green - trombone; Gene Ammons, Billy Root - tenor saxophone; Sonny Clark - piano; Ike Isaacs - bass; Elvin Jones - drums

There is nothing I don't love about this album. I'm a huge Jug fan, and Sonny Clark is one of my favorite pianists in this pocket of the genre. Hearing Elvin in his development is awesome -- what a force! Billy Root was a surprise discovery when this popped up on my iPod during my commute.

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03 - Just Another Sunday - George Benson - (1964) The New Boss Guitar of George Benson with the Brother Jack McDuff Quartet

Red Holloway - tenor sax; George Benson - guitar; Brother Jack McDuff - organ; Ronnie Boykins - bass; Montego Joe - drums, percussion

George Benson seems to be a forgotten voice in the world of Jazz, particularly since he requested rights to the night on pop radio. This track is poppy, but it just works. Another one that happened across my iPod on the commute and blew me away. Red Holloway is one of those second-tier guys who always makes my ears happy. Where are those guys in today's music? Get out of the practice room and play some MUSIC!!!!

04 - The End of a Love Affair - Richard Noble - (2002) Continuity: In Memory of John Coltrane

Richard Noble - tenor sax

This was recorded off a radio broadcast to tape, then transferred to CD for posterity. I've never found the original disc (NOT For a lack of trying). My friend Ken Eisen turned me on to this cut, which is by far the class of the album. Noble was fresh out of college when this was recorded and had clearly spent a lot of time honing his Coltrane. What really sells this is how incredibly well they capture the sound of the whole quartet (solos notwithstanding). This one fooled The Boss (my Dad) who saw Coltrane many times. Like most of us, he went for his discography and was unable to find a recording of this song. The other cuts I've heard from the album expose Noble's limits as a player, and I'm not sure what ever became of him.

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05 - Old Portrait - Charles Mingus - (1964) Mingus Plays Piano

Charles Mingus - piano

Yeah. I was surprised nobody got this (particularly given the song ID!). When I found this album, I couldn't wait to hear it. Mingus is not the most accomplished pianist, but man! He sure is musical! There is not a missed moment on this disc -- pure, honest music.

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06 - Checkmate - Shelly Manne & His Men - (1961) Shelly Manne & His Men Play "Checkmate"

Richie Kamuca - tenor sax; Conte Candoli - trumpet; Russ Freeman - piano; Chuck Berghofer - bass; Shelly Manne - drums

So, who even thought Kamuca for a minute? My first leaning when I first heard this was Golson, but I knew it wasn't him. I didn't know Richie could play like this. This album is all music by John Williams (yeah, THAT John Williams) and there is not a dull moment on the record, though I believe this track is the class of the album. It's tight and the whole thing swings like hell. I've always seen Kamuca as the dividing line in taste between my father and I; I always seem to prefer the other tenor player in a band with Kamuca, though I enjoy his playing and respect his musicianship. If there were more Kamuca recordings like this, I would count myself a huge fan.

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07 - If Ever I Would Leave You - Chuck Mangione Quintet - (1962) Recuerdo

Chuck Mangione - trumpet; Joe Romano - tenor sax; Wynton Kelly - piano; Sam Jones - bass; Louis Hayes - drums

Saxophonist and educator Tim Price frequently posts what he is listening to on FB, with commentary (anecdotal and otherwise) about the music. He posted this as a demonstration of Joe Romano's work, and I was blown away. I had no idea Chuck went this far back nor that he had played with such heavy hitters. Respect.

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08 - One For You, Three For Me - Jeff Coffin Ensemble - (1995) Outside The Lines

Jeff Coffin - tenor sax; Bill Fanning - trumpet; Barry Green - trombone; Tom Reynolds - piano; Roger Spencer - bass; Chris Brown - drums

This was Jeff's inaugural album after working as a session man after college. The whole record is similar to this straight ahead, post-bop style, and the whole record is enjoyable. I had the good fortune to attend the same high school as Jeff and be one of his first (if not THE first) of his students. When we met, he was listening to Yakety Sax, The Brecker Brothers, and a lot of rock sax, as well as playing all the high school band charts (though the band director *got it*). Jeff was bad ass as a high school Junior, and really stood out. I paid $3 for a 30-minute lesson once a week (I'd been playing a little over a year). My father was converting from LPs to tapes and suggested I ask Jeff if he'd like to be paid in albums instead of cash. I was too sheepish to ask, and eventually, Jeff suggested the idea. This turned out to be a developmental moment that Jeff has cited as a major growth point as a listener. My father wound up being the guy that brought Jeff's exposure beyond "Bird" and "Trane" and such and introduced him to the likes of Yusef Lateef, Hank Mobley, and others. I'm glad for Jeff that he's built the career he has, but a part of me will always wish he'd continued down this path. But if somebody offers you a return on the investment of your study and effort that puts you in front of audiences of several thousand all over the world, you don't typically say no.


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09 - Pull Of The Moon - Carol Heffler - (2005) Exactly

Carol Heffler - vocals; Angelo DiBraccio - soprano saxophone; John Bianculli - piano; Steve Varner - bass; Dave Mohn - drums

When I was doing my radio show for Maine Public Radio, I would get a box of discs, sporadically, from different distribution sources. Most of them were glossy, well-produced covers containing over-produced schmaltz that worked well as a sedative. This track caught my ear immediately and it wasn't until later that I realized it's the same rhythm in the bass as George Coleman's Amsterdam After Dark. Because of this modern world, I was able to track down Ms. Heffler and inquire about the tune. She e-mailed me a chart and asked that I let her know if I recorded it so she could keep track. She was pleasant and thankful for the interest. While she may not be Carmen McRae, I thought this song was interesting enough to add. I *will* one day record it.


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10 - The Calling - Wendell Harrison - (2002) The Eighth House: Riding With Pluto

Wendell Harrison - tenor sax

I didn't expect anyone to get this. Awhile back, again while doing the radio show, Charlie Kohlhase put me in touch with a representative from Entropy Records. It started with Charlie asking if I'd heard the new stuff from Faruq Z. Bey. I wasn't sure I'd heard the *old* stuff, but when somebody like Charlie makes a recommendation, I listen. This was an iPod find on the commute and floored me (though I would have skipped the extreme altissimo ending). This album seems mostly comprised of some ideas rather than compositions, but it's a worthy listen. Harrison was on Phil Ranelin's recordings of The Tribe, albums that have always been a huge source of enjoyment for me.


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11 - Mokondi - Faruq Z. Bey w/Northwoods Improvisers - (2009) Emerging Field

Faruq Z. Bay - alto saxophone; Mike Carey - alto saxophones; Skeeter C. R. Shelton - alto saxophone; Mike Gilmore - vibes; Mike Johnston - bass; Nick Ashton - drums

And this was one of the albums Charlie recommended. The Northwoods Improvisors were really doing something unique and this is pretty representative of their sound. One of their "covers" is Randy Weston's theme song (written by Guy Warren) Mystery of Love. These guys bring it and manage to be creative with an underlying respect to the tradition. Their production is far less glossy -- they just create music. It would be nice if someone acknowledged them once in awhile, so I included them here.


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12 - Blackness - Robert Stewart - (1996) The Force

Robert Stewart - tenor sax; Ed Kelly - piano; Reginald Veal - bass; Jeff "Tain" Watts - drums

Stewart's story is an interesting one and can be found here. In a nutshell, Stewart was a self-taught, late bloomer who had a chance meeting with Pharoah Sanders at a jam session with pianist Ed Kelly, where Sanders said, "Ed, I hear something in this one." Another guy I owe Ken Eisen for introducing me to. Stewart was producing with regularity right up until his last album, a live date that serves as the last recording of Billy Higgins prior to his untimely passing. He's a unique voice falling closest to Ricky Ford to my ear, but I have no idea what he has done lately.


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13 - Remembrance - Ed Schuller - (1996) Mu-Point

Dewey Redman - tenor sax; Bill Bickford - guitar; Ed Schuller - bass; Paul Motian - drums

This album was a complete discovery. A friend lent it to me and I put it on the iPod for the commute. I always shuffle the tunes and this one sent me checking for what I was listening to. When I saw Schuller's name, I became excited, figuring I'd discovered some new, lesser known tenor. I was surprised and a hair disappointed to learn that my new find was actually the late Dewey Redman. I've long been a fan of the elder Redman, and this album presents yet another facet of his amazing musical personality. I chose this track because it is a Jim Pepper tune and I figured people might guess in his direction. I'm not completely sold on Pepper, but hearing Dewey playing in this varied setting is just warming for my ears and soul. I recommend this album completely, as this is likely the weakest track.

Thanks for listening and participating and hopefully I've lightened some wallets this month. :D

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07 - If Ever I Would Leave You - Chuck Mangione Quintet - (1962) Recuerdo

Chuck Mangione - trumpet; Joe Romano - tenor sax; Wynton Kelly - piano; Sam Jones - bass; Louis Hayes - drums

Saxophonist and educator Tim Price frequently posts what he is listening to on FB, with commentary (anecdotal and otherwise) about the music. He posted this as a demonstration of Joe Romano's work, and I was blown away. I had no idea Chuck went this far back nor that he had played with such heavy hitters. Respect.

Joe Romano was a long time friend of mine.

Those Upstate ( really Western and Central New York) saxophonists (Romano, Nistico, LaBarbera etc.) had their own regional sound. A flavor that is gone with todays musicians.

Somewhere out there there is a video of Chuck in the mid-60's, along with Romano and Vinnie Ruggiero and others from Rochester, playing burning bebop trumpet.

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What I almost said earlier about track 4 is that if it wasn't Coltrane, then it was kind of disturbing. To put in the time and energy to imitate another musician (even a great one) so slavishly is so far from the way I think about music that it's hard for me to get my head around.

On the other hand, go, Wendell Harrison! (And Jerome Richardson!)

And thanks again for a very interesting BFT.

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What I almost said earlier about track 4 is that if it wasn't Coltrane, then it was kind of disturbing. To put in the time and energy to imitate another musician (even a great one) so slavishly is so far from the way I think about music that it's hard for me to get my head around.

On the other hand, go, Wendell Harrison! (And Jerome Richardson!)

And thanks again for a very interesting BFT.

I agree, and I think that's a large part of why Noble didn't last on the scene. I still find that particular track fascinating, though.

in case someone else is interested, Robert Stewart has most of his albums for free download on his webpage:

http://www.therobertstewartexperience.com/discography.html

Yes, I contacted him about that years ago and he said it was his intent to share that music for free (I bought the discs anyway).

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This was a fantastic Blindfold Test, and now I have read the Reveal, I am often very surprised.

2. One would think that I would have recognized Sonny Clark, who I like a lot. I have played his albums as a leader very often. But I did not identify him here. Also, one would think that I would have recognized Gene Ammons and Elvin Jones.

So that was Bennie Green playing that focused trombone solo. I have never heard of this album before and like this song very much.

3. I should have been able to recognize Red Holloway. I have seen him live several times, and he was always very enjoyable. But I did not even recognize George Benson!

4. Richard Noble is not just a devoted student of John Coltrane. To me, he sounds so exactly like John Coltrane that it is eerie. It seems that many jazz presenters these days are fond of tribute concerts, which are advertised as an adoring program featuring a musician of the past. Richard Noble could have made money doing John Coltrane tribute concerts.

Are the pianist, bassist and drummer identified for this song on the album packaging? They do a good job of trying to sound like the classic Coltrane quartet. They can't pull off an exact duplication like Noble did, but they are quite good.

5. This is one of the few Charles Mingus albums which I have never owned, or heard. I have to admit that I was not all that taken with Mingus' piano work on his Oh Yeah! album on Atlantic, so I never tried the Mingus Plays Piano album. Now I will be getting it. This is a beautiful recording, and I absolutely did not know that the musician's main instrument is not piano.

6. I am surprised that I did not recognize Conte Candoli, because I have seen him live and have a number of his albums. I really liked this when I first heard your Blindfold Test, and now I am surprised that it is Kamuca. The "West Coast jazz" scene produced a lot of very worthy music.

7. I have already discussed my surprise that this is a Chuck Mangione album.

8. I did not know about Jeff Coffin's jazz albums. I found this to be very enjoyable, and I agree that it would have been very interesting to see him continue down this path.

9. I thought that this was a lovely vocal. I did not have the singer pictured in my mind anything like what she looks like on the album cover!

10. I have Phil Ranelin and Wendell Harrison albums, but could not identify Harrison here. I know that he was a mentor to musicians in Detroit, and that is why I first checked him out years ago. He deserves more recognition and appreciation. I liked this solo a lot.

11. I am so glad that you introduced me to this group of musicians. I just love this song, and I did not know about them. I thought that this was a recording from the 1970s, so it is surprising that it was released in 2009. I did not know that anyone was exploring this musical territory today. This is my find of the year.

12. I have never heard of Robert Stewart before. I like this song a lot, and am going to check him out some more now. Again, I thought that this was from the great age of the 1970s,

13, This is a shock, that this is Dewey Redman. I have never heard him play so "inside" and lyrical before. I find this song quite compelling. If this is the weakest song on the album, then it is well worth getting.

Thom, thank you so much for this Blindfold Test! It has given me hours of pleasure, and I have learned about musicians I had never heard of, who I really like.

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4. Richard Noble is not just a devoted student of John Coltrane. To me, he sounds so exactly like John Coltrane that it is eerie. It seems that many jazz presenters these days are fond of tribute concerts, which are advertised as an adoring program featuring a musician of the past. Richard Noble could have made money doing John Coltrane tribute concerts.

Are the pianist, bassist and drummer identified for this song on the album packaging? They do a good job of trying to sound like the classic Coltrane quartet. They can't pull off an exact duplication like Noble did, but they are quite good.

I assume that it is, but as I said, I recorded this off the radio. I've never found the actual document.

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Nice. This was a killer BFT. I need to investigate 10-13 immediately, and likely some of the earlier tracks as well...want to hear more of that Shelly Manne, for one. Wendell Harrison doesn't surprise me...not saying I could have guessed it, but seeing the reveal made me go ahhhh...right. I don't have that album but need to put it on the list now.

Great story about Jeff Coffin too, you never told me about that!

Thanks for listening and participating and hopefully I've lightened some wallets this month. :D

Yes you have!

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