BFT 115 Reveal

[felser]

01 – African Rhythms – Oneness of Juju - (1975) African Rhythms

Plunky Nkabinde Branch- tenor sax, composer; Eka-Ete Jackie Lewis – vocals; Al Hammel Rasul- keyboards; Lon Moshe – vibes, marimbas Muzi Branch – bass; Ronnie Toler – drums; Babatunde Michael Lea – percussion.

 Trying to start off the BFT with something that goes “bang”. This has long been a favorite. The group released their first two albums on Strata-East, and were known just as Juju on those. They had a slight populist change of direction (which then got much more pronounced after this) and a slight change of name for this, their third album. I saw this group live ca. 1976 at the Ethical Society in Philly, and they put on a great concert for a disappointingly small audience. Nkabinde was the driving creative force, and had a distinct identity. He has continued to put out releases through the years, but never again hit the creative peak he did on those first three albums. I believe the group was out of the Washington DC area. Several of you knew this one.

02 – Alkebu-Lan – Jimmy Heath - (1972) - The Gap Sealer

Jimmy Heath - tenor sax; Kenny Barron – piano; Bob Cranshaw – bass; Al “Tootie” Heath – drums; Mtume – percussion, composer

I got this album and a lot of other Cobblestone releases for $1 each in the early 70’s at a cutout store in Philly, where I was able to take chances and build my collection and knowledge. The whole album blew me away, as did the other material Heath recorded in this era. This was the most forward music of his career, and it was a huge disappointment to me when he took such a step backwards with the Heath Brothers. I saw them live at the Empty Foxhole Café on Penn’s campus around 1975 or so, and got to speak for awhile with Heath. He was very kind and gracious. The track heard here was a breakthrough for my young ears. This album and his other classic of the era, ‘Love and Understanding’, are essential, and this one has never had “legitimate” CD release (though the Andorran’s will be glad to help you out). Mtume (Heath’s son) did this song on his double Strata-East 2LP live set, but I always have found that version overblown and underrehearsed, much prefer this succinct masterpiece.

03 –Asha – Lloyd McNeill - (1969) - Asha

Lloyd McNeill – flute, composer; Gene Rush – piano; Steve Novosel – bass; Eric Gravatt – drums

Nobody got this! About as beautiful a piece of music as I have ever heard. Gravatt is spectacular on this album. McNeill is a renaissance man who has had careers in the visual arts and academia as well as music, and has had two books of poetry published. He hung out extensively with Pablo Picasso while doing a residency in France, and studied flute with Eric Dolphy. This album and ‘Washington Suite’ (his two greatest albums), as well as a best-of collection, have miraculously been (legitimately) reissued on CD by the Soul Jazz label. But he still has a couple more gems in need of reissue. Interestingly, McNeill actually emailed me several years ago after he saw (via google search) some comments I had posted about him on our site, but I got so excited, I think I scared him away. Many years before, he had written me a letter in response to a letter I sent to him inquiring about a reissue of his ‘Tanner Suite’ album. An amazing man, an amazing life.

04 – Or Truth –Ruth Naomi Floyd - (1994) - Paradigms For Desolate Times

Ruth Naomi Floyd – vocals, lyrics; Craig Handy – tenor sax; Uri Caine – piano, music; Ed Howard – bass; Terri Lynne Carrington

The ultimate ringer in this BFT. Ruth was my wife’s roommate from 1989-1992, and remains a good family friend to this day. We were at this recording session at Systems 2 Recording Studio on a section of Brooklyn that looks like the atomic bomb hit. Vibes great Bryan Carrott also played on the album, but layed out on this cut. This was her debut album, self-financed by her and her manager/friend Keith McKinley so that they could maintain artistic control (Polygram wanted to do it, but wanted extensive lyric rewrites), and to me the album is masterful in conception and execution, but I realize I’m going to be very biased, and wanted to hear what others thought. And for the most part, you weren’t that impressed. But Ruth has been able to attract musicians such as Tyrone Brown, Charles Fambrough, T.K. Blue, and James Weidman to play on her live gigs and recordings (she has released four other albums).

05 – Effi – Max Roach (1968) – Members, Don’t Git Weary

Charles Tolliver – trumpet; Gary Bartz – alto sax; Stanley Cowell- piano, composer; Jymie Merritt – bass; Max Roach – drums

This is probably my favorite jazz cut of all, definitely the one I listen to the most, and the one I use to try to explain to new people how to listen to jazz. This was the easiest one to ID on the blindfold test, but I can’t conceive of not including it, just in case someone is not familiar with it or has overlooked it’s greatness (and a few of you didn’t know it). I actually initially came to this album because of my early Tolliver/Cowell/Strata-East compulsion (more on that shortly), but came to appreciate the greatness of Roach in short order, especially from his drumming on this song.

06 – Infant Eyes – Semenya McCord (1996) – Good For Me

Semenya McCord – vocals; Frank J. Wilkins – piano; Dave Zinno – bass; Herb King – drums

The third one that nobody ID’d. My only other encounter with McCord was on Archie Shepp’s mid-70’s work (she wrote and sang that beginning piece on ‘There’s A Trumpet In My Soul’ and had involvement on the ‘A Sea of Faces’ album), but that was enough to burn her into my consciousness, so I snatched up this CD when I stumbled across it on ebay in the late 90’s. This is, of course, the famous Wayne Shorter composition with the Doug/Jean Carn lyrics. I love the Carn’s version, but to me McCord more than justifies her own version - she has such a pure, beautiful voice and such control over such a broad range , and brings such emotion to the song (as did Carn). She does not have the wide vibrato when holding notes that Carn did on her vocal, which makes for a very different experience. This seems like an incredibly difficult song to sing well, but so very worth it.

07 – Lysistrata – The Cosmic Twins (1974) – The Waterbearers

Ron Burton – piano; John Lewis - drums

And the final one that no one recognized. A burning cut off of what is surely one of the most overlooked Strata-East albums. Ron (now Rahn) Burton had been pianist with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and really gets to show off his chops here. No bass player necessary! When I daydream of being able to sit down at a piano in front of friends to blow them away, this is the song I am playing in the daydream.

08 – Don’t Look Back – Shirley Scott (1974) – One For Me

Shirley Scott – organ; Harold Vick – tenor sax, composer; Billy Higgins – drums

Scott declared in the liner notes to this great 1974 release something like “I’ve made a lot of types of albums for a lot of people, and now, thank the Lord, I’ve made one for me!”. And it’s a gem, to me the undisputed highlight of her career. Harold Vick shines on this album, and he recorded this same cut as the title track of his own Strata-East album. Scott was a friend of a friend of my wife, so I got to meet her, and she was a wonderful lady. By that time, she had switched over full-time to piano, and played in a pretty traditional style, not as distinctive as her spare B-3 playing.

09 – Genesis - Charles Sullivan (1974) – Genesis

Charles Sullivan – trumpet, composer; Sonny Fortune – alto sax; Stanley Cowell – piano; Alex Blake – bass; Billy Hart – drums; Lawrence Killian – percussion

Didn’t realize until now that I had finished off this BFT with three straight 1974 Strata-East recordings, but that’s a pretty accurate view of what I was listening to in those days. I had a very hip salesperson at Franklin Music (who had his own college radio show for jazz) when I got into jazz, and if I bought a suggestion of his and didn’t like it, he would let me return it. He turned me onto Charles Tollver’s Live at Slug’s, and I was stuck on Strata-East immediately, buying up virtually everything they put out the first few years. Their early catalog was awesome, but something happened, and after about 1975, they put out a lot of disappointing albums. Anyways, to the song at hand. I used to just play this over and over and over, and to me it is worth the 17 minutes I’ve invested in it for this BFT. This cut is such a high. Serious question: Why was Sullivan never a big-time presence on trumpet? This album, this cut, shows he had the goods, and I have a couple of later CD’s by him which are still quite good.

Thanks for letting me share these musical memories with you, and hope you enjoyed them and discovered something new and good.

Edited October 31, 2013 by felser

[randyhersom]

And John Lewis also gets drums credit on #7. This would of course not be the pianist of the MJQ.

Wish I had piped up about #4, I liked it just fine. I had Craig Handy as a sideman on one of my BFTs, with Sumi Tonooka and encountered similar ambivalence.

Strata East! I remember seeing Cecil Taylor at the Ethical Society just a year or two after you saw Oneness of Juju, so that brought back fond memories. And Genesis has always been a big favorite.

Many Thanks

[felser]

And John Lewis also gets drums credit on #7. This would of course not be the pianist of the MJQ.

Wish I had piped up about #4, I liked it just fine. I had Craig Handy as a sideman on one of my BFTs, with Sumi Tonooka and encountered similar ambivalence.

Strata East! I remember seeing Cecil Taylor at the Ethical Society just a year or two after you saw Oneness of Juju, so that brought back fond memories. And Genesis has always been a big favorite.

Many Thanks

Thank you! Correct on the drums credit, change made.

[Hot Ptah]

01 – African Rhythms – Oneness of Juju - (1975) African Rhythms

Plunky Nkabinde Branch- tenor sax, composer; Eka-Ete Jackie Lewis – vocals; Al Hammel Rasul- keyboards; Lon Moshe – vibes, marimbas Muzi Branch – bass; Ronnie Toler – drums; Babatunde Michael Lea – percussion.

 Trying to start off the BFT with something that goes “bang”. This has long been a favorite. The group released their first two albums on Strata-East, and were known just as Juju on those. They had a slight populist change of direction (which then got much more pronounced after this) and a slight change of name for this, their third album. I saw this group live ca. 1976 at the Ethical Society in Philly, and they put on a great concert for a disappointingly small audience. Nkabinde was the driving creative force, and had a distinct identity. He has continued to put out releases through the years, but never again hit the creative peak he did on those first three albums. I believe the group was out of the Washington DC area. Several of you knew this one.

I did not know this one, but I am glad I do now! I like a rousing song, and this one qualifies.

02 – Alkebu-Lan – Jimmy Heath - (1972) - The Gap Sealer

Jimmy Heath - tenor sax; Kenny Barron – piano; Bob Cranshaw – bass; Al “Tootie” Heath – drums; Mtume – percussion, composer

I got this album and a lot of other Cobblestone releases for $1 each in the early 70’s at a cutout store in Philly, where I was able to take chances and build my collection and knowledge. The whole album blew me away, as did the other material Heath recorded in this era. This was the most forward music of his career, and it was a huge disappointment to me when he took such a step backwards with the Heath Brothers. I saw them live at the Empty Foxhole Café on Penn’s campus around 1975 or so, and got to speak for awhile with Heath. He was very kind and gracious. The track heard here was a breakthrough for my young ears. This album and his other classic of the era, ‘Love and Understanding’, are essential, and this one has never had “legitimate” CD release (though the Andorran’s will be glad to help you out). Mtume (Heath’s son) did this song on his double Strata-East 2LP live set, but I always have found that version overblown and underrehearsed, much prefer this succinct masterpiece.

Oh my, Jimmy Heath! I have always liked him, but did not recognize him. I actually liked the Heath Brothers music, but understand what you mean by it being a step back from this album. I saw him live with Barry Harris in 2005, and he was just excellent that evening (so was Barry Harris, for that matter).

03 –Asha – Lloyd McNeill - (1960) - Asha

Lloyd McNeill – flute, composer; Gene Rush – piano; Steve Novosel – bass; Eric Gravatt – drums

Nobody got this! About as beautiful a piece of music as I have ever heard. Gravatt is spectacular on this album. McNeill is a renaissance man who has had careers in the visual arts and academia as well as music, and has had two books of poetry published. He hung out extensively with Pablo Picasso while doing a residency in France, and studied flute with Eric Dolphy. This album and ‘Washington Suite’ (his two greatest albums), as well as a best-of collection, have miraculously been (legitimately) reissued on CD by the Soul Jazz label. But he still has a couple more gems in need of reissue. Interestingly, McNeill actually emailed me several years ago after he saw (via google search) some comments I had posted about him on our site, but I got so excited, I think I scared him away. Many years before, he had written me a letter in response to a letter I sent to him inquiring about a reissue of his ‘Tanner Suite’ album. An amazing man, an amazing life.

O.K. now I have learned something! I had never heard of McNeill, and I love this recording. I am very glad to find out about him,. I am surprised that Eric Gravatt was recording at this level in 1960. I do not know that much about him, but I first heard of him when I saw live live with McCoy Tyner in 1976, and he did not look all that old then.

I understand about scaring musicians off with too much enthusiasm. I have done that too. Now I am hesitant to offer any praise to musicians when I meet them. I once sat next to David Murray at the bar for a half hour between his sets, and couldn't think of anything to say that would not seem like fawning over him. So I said nothing. I wish that musicians could accept the over-the-top enthusiasm of fans with a bit of grace and tact, but I can understand that they are only human.

04 – Or Truth –Ruth Naomi Floyd - (1994) - Paradigms For Desolate Times

Ruth Naomi Floyd – vocals, lyrics; Craig Handy – tenor sax; Uri Caine – piano, music; Ed Howard – bass; Terri Lynne Carrington

The ultimate ringer in this BFT. Ruth was my wife’s roommate from 1989-1992, and remains a good family friend to this day. We were at this recording session at Systems 2 Recording Studio on a section of Brooklyn that looks like the atomic bomb hit. Vibes great Bryan Carrott also played on the album, but layed out on this cut. This was her debut album, self-financed by her and her manager/friend Keith McKinley so that they could maintain artistic control (Polygram wanted to do it, but wanted extensive lyric rewrites), and to me the album is masterful in conception and execution, but I realize I’m going to be very biased, and wanted to hear what others thought. And for the most part, you weren’t that impressed. But Ruth has been able to attract musicians such as Tyrone Brown, Charles Fambrough, T.K. Blue, and James Weidman to play on her live gigs and recordings (she has released four other albums).

That is a very cool story, about your connection with her. I liked this recording, and think that she is a very appealing vocalist.

05 – Effi – Max Roach (1968) – Members, Don’t Git Weary

Charles Tolliver – trumpet; Gary Bartz – alto sax; Stanley Cowell- piano, composer; Jymie Merritt – bass; Max Roach – drums

This is probably my favorite jazz cut of all, definitely the one I listen to the most, and the one I use to try to explain to new people how to listen to jazz. This was the easiest one to ID on the blindfold test, but I can’t conceive of not including it, just in case someone is not familiar with it or has overlooked it’s greatness (and a few of you didn’t know it). I actually initially came to this album because of my early Tolliver/Cowell/Strata-East compulsion (more on that shortly), but came to appreciate the greatness of Roach in short order, especially from his drumming on this song.

I have this album but had not listened to it in a long time, and did not remember this song. It is your favorite jazz cut of all. Now I feel sheepish for not remembering it!

06 – Infant Eyes – Semenya McCord (1996) – Good For Me

Semenya McCord – vocals; Frank J. Wilkins – piano; Dave Zinno – bass; Herb King – drums

The third one that nobody ID’d. My only other encounter with McCord was on Archie Shepp’s mid-70’s work (she wrote and sang that beginning piece on ‘There’s A Trumpet In My Soul’ and had involvement on the ‘A Sea of Faces’ album), but that was enough to burn her into my consciousness, so I snatched up this CD when I stumbled across it on ebay in the late 90’s. This is, of course, the famous Wayne Shorter composition with the Doug/Jean Carn lyrics. I love the Carn’s version, but to me McCord more than justifies her own version - she has such a pure, beautiful voice and such control over such a broad range , and brings such emotion to the song (as did Carn). She does not have the wide vibrato when holding notes that Carn did on her vocal, which makes for a very different experience. This seems like an incredibly difficult song to sing well, but so very worth it.

I have never heard of her before, but really like this vocal. I think that she is a very good vocalist, with a lot of character in her voice. I am glad to learn about her.

07 – Lysistrata – The Cosmic Twins (1974) – The Waterbearers

Ron Burton – piano; John Lewis - drums

And the final one that no one recognized. A burning cut off of what is surely one of the most overlooked Strata-East albums. Ron (now Rahn) Burton had been pianist with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and really gets to show off his chops here. No bass player necessary! When I daydream of being able to sit down at a piano in front of friends to blow them away, this is the song I am playing in the daydream.

I like Burton's playing on the Kirk albums, but never would have guessed that it is him. I really enjoyed this one a lot.

08 – Don’t Look Back – Shirley Scott (1974) – One For Me

Shirley Scott – organ; Harold Vick – tenor sax, composer; Billy Higgins – drums

Scott declared in the liner notes to this great 1974 release something like “I’ve made a lot of types of albums for a lot of people, and now, thank the Lord, I’ve made one for me!”. And it’s a gem, to me the undisputed highlight of her career. Harold Vick shines on this album, and he recorded this same cut as the title track of his own Strata-East album. Scott was a friend of a friend of my wife, so I got to meet her, and she was a wonderful lady. By that time, she had switched over full-time to piano, and played in a pretty traditional style, not as distinctive as her spare B-3 playing.

I have heard a lot of Scott's earlier organ playing, but was not familiar with this album. Another one that I enjoyed very much. I am very glad to learn about it.

09 – Genesis - Charles Sullivan (1974) – Genesis

Charles Sullivan – trumpet, composer; Sonny Fortune – alto sax; Stanley Cowell – piano; Alex Blake – bass; Billy Hart – drums; Lawrence Killian – percussion

Didn’t realize until now that I had finished off this BFT with three straight 1974 Strata-East recordings, but that’s a pretty accurate view of what I was listening to in those days. I had a very hip salesperson at Franklin Music (who had his own college radio show for jazz) when I got into jazz, and if I bought a suggestion of his and didn’t like it, he would let me return it. He turned me onto Charles Tollver’s Live at Slug’s, and I was stuck on Strata-East immediately, buying up virtually everything they put out the first few years. Their early catalog was awesome, but something happened, and after about 1975, they put out a lot of disappointing albums. Anyways, to the song at hand. I used to just play this over and over and over, and to me it is worth the 17 minutes I’ve invested in it for this BFT. This cut is such a high. Serious question: Why was Sullivan never a big-time presence on trumpet? This album, this cut, shows he had the goods, and I have a couple of later CD’s by him which are still quite good.

I was not familar with this one at all, and I like it a great deal. I never lived in a city in the 1970s that had a shop with a lot of Strata-East recordings. I can see that I really missed out on something big.

Thanks for letting me share these musical memories with you, and hope you enjoyed them and discovered something new and good.

This was a most enjoyable BFT to listen to, and I learned so much. This is the epitome of what a BFT should be. Thank you so much for sharing these gems with us.

[felser]

Typo on my part on the McNeill. Recording date was 1969, not 1960. But that is still the first recorded Gravatt I am aware of, and he's already a monster player. Loved his work (and Vitous's) with Weather Report, they were never the same again for me after their departures for funkier players.

[Stefan Wood]

:tup :tup

[Hardbopjazz]

Wow, so much music I don't know. Great BFT.

[jeffcrom]

Apologies for not participating this time around. I listened to the music once, but every time I thought about listening again and writing down my impressions, real life interfered. I recognized the Max Roach track right away (that's one of my favorite albums), and really enjoyed the Jimmy Heath.

[webbcity]

Apologies from here too...October was a hell of a month and I just didn't have the time. But looking at the tracklist, I am seriously bummed that I didn't participate...some fantastic stuff here! And the Max Roach is a favorite of mine too...especially that particular tune. Nice one!

[tkeith]

Nice! Some stuff uncovered that I'm not familiar with but clearly need to be. Well done, sir!

[felser]

Here's the download link if anyone wants to check it out after the fact:

http://rapidshare.com/share/84183696E7B548121B90E9009EA06C94

[webbcity]

Here's the download link if anyone wants to check it out after the fact:

http://rapidshare.com/share/84183696E7B548121B90E9009EA06C94

Thank you, I will do that!!