Blindfold Test #131 Discussion Thread

[colinmce]

http://www.thomkeith.com/bft131.html

Here's a working link, many thanks to Thom from this luddite.

FWIW I was able to scrub all the info from these files but noticed that on Windows Media Player the album art still comes up for some titles. So avoid that if anyone uses it.

Thanks, sorry for the delay, and I hope you enjoy!

Edited February 5, 2015 by colinmce

[page]

Hi Colinmce,

sorry to trouble you but could you please do it some other way besides this too? The first click there I got a sex related website and I hate it when my e-mail address will get that kind of spam through this.
Kind regards, page

[colinmce]

Hm, sorry about that. I'll look into something else.

[NIS]

I got a phony malware warning.

[colinmce]

Hm. Crap. Let me start over then.

[B. Clugston]

I did manage to download--just close those boxes that ask you to install something.

[Spontooneous]

Where do we stand on this? I don't even have a link.

[colinmce]

Still working on getting one up but should be there tomorrow. Sorry for the delay, this is much harder than it was last time I did it ...

[felser]

Still working on getting one up but should be there tomorrow. Sorry for the delay, this is much harder than it was last time I did it ...

Plenty of February left, no sweat!

[Hot Ptah]

Thom Keith, the co-administrator of the Blindfold Tests with me, is working with colinmce on this right now. Please be patient for just a little while.

[page]

I'm with felser. No worries. Looking forward to the game!

[Hardbopjazz]

Yup, Don't worry, be happy.

[colinmce]

We have a link!!

[mjazzg]

Great! Looking forward to this one big time.

Will dig in after the Surman-fest generated by that other thread...

[tkeith]

Apologies for the issues you ran into, Colin. Should be good now. This was an interesting BFT, and I rewarded myself for all the hard snow removal with a little listening time, so here's my take:

Track 1 - Odd beginnings. I like it. Song sounds familiar, but I’m quite sure I’m crazy. Hearing some elements of a WSQ tune, I think composed by Hemphill, called Hymn For The Old Year, but it’s not that. I really like this once the tempo kicks in. Tenor could be Ayler — strong and crying, but sounds too new. Reverend Frank, perhaps? Very much liking this. I love the bowed bass and tenor in the beginning. May have to borrow that arrangement. So… guitar, tenor, bass clari, and bass… something about that guitar has me thinking Allen Lowe.

Track 2 - Not sure what it is. Takes awhile to get going, but is nice once it does. I’m not 100% if I like it or not. I’m going back and forth between liking it and thinking it’s dragging on (I think I’d like it upon repeated listening). The percussion in the beginning really does take a bit to get going.

Track 3 - That’s Michael Moore, for sure. That makes me think Bennink. Oh! I know what this is — it’s Clusone Trio. Moore, like all things Dutch, is someone who always piques my interest. It’s not even that I love it, I just can’t ignore it, ever. Amsterdam may be the coolest place on earth.

Track 4 - Needle drop. A lot of facility in this player. It wouldn’t be the first thing I grab, but a dark night, no lights, I could enjoy a whole lot of this. Seems similar to some of the Bill Dixon stuff, but I think this is a European player.

Track 5 - A live recording (late 70s?) of Take The A Train. Sounds to me like an outside player intentionally playing inside. Could be Cameron Brown on bass. I’m guessing this BFT is heavy on the European players, though.

Track 6 - It’s track 6 from this. I can never fully warm up to Kidd. He’s a bad ass player, but he never fully resonates with me. What’s more, I typically love Parker, but with Kidd, less so. I could, of course, be crazy, but that’s what my ears are telling me. Drake is always awesome. I’m reading Parker’s WHO OWNS MUSIC? right now. What an amazing human being.

Track 7 - At first, the tenor sounded like Charles Brackeen, but then he started to get too technical. I like him, but something isn’t entirely clicking for me. There are some monstrous moments, but then he kind of loses me. Monster player, though — no doubt about that. Digging that bass, though. A bit of David S. Ware in the tenor, too, but seems to be thinking too much as opposed to staying within the music. On second listening, I like this. That tenor is mean. Aggressive and feisty, I was wrong to dig on his facility — this is a bad man. Not Ware, but in that neighborhood. That bass player has the facility of Stanley Clark on those note-filled runs, but man, he’s got that David Holland style low end. This is good — looking forward to the reveal on this one. Weird guess on the drums - could be Motian, but sounds very aggressive.

Track 8 - This has that European abstract style that I’m less familiar with. It’s interesting, but I think I’d be more into it live. It’s a lot of work to listen to (which is not necessarily a bad thing) but I think I prefer a bit more of the blues.

Track 9 - This is really nice. A lot of precision in this player, but very thoughtful. Even when he gets a little out, he finds his way back to that melodic beginning. There are a few points that get a little abstract in relation to the original feel, but still, I like this. Reminds me of some of the Tomasz Stanko stuff, but it’s not him.

Track 10 - Big, beefy sound. This seems a shade older, but not too old. I’m pretty certain it’s Fred Anderson. It’s not Drake or Parker, though. Definitely Fred. Second listen — oh, wait! The tune is Fred’s Wandering. I have it as a duet with Harrison Bankhead. This isn’t Harrison on bass, either. This is good stuff. Like Kidd, Fred can be hit or miss with me, but one thing is certain, he’s always putting it out there.

Track 11 - I’m all in on this from the get go. First impressions are maybe one of Peter Apfelbaum’s groups, but it seems a bit too out. Very aggressive alto. That bass line is hypnotic. Wait a second -I have this. I’m sure of it. Ah, this is Dennis Gonzalez. Yes, there is Charles Brackeen. Such a cry! Oh, yes! I *do* have this — SUCH a great record! Track 1 from this. Been awhile since I’ve played this. I think I’m about poised for another Dennis Gonzalez kick. The Skipper is such a beast and it’s a beautiful mix with the cello on this cut.

Track 12 - A little abstract for my blood. Not really feeling it.

[B. Clugston]

Track 4 - Needle drop. A lot of facility in this player. It wouldn’t be the first thing I grab, but a dark night, no lights, I could enjoy a whole lot of this. Seems similar to some of the Bill Dixon stuff, but I think this is a European player.

My first thought was Slava Guyvoronsky, but it does sound more like Bill Dixon towards the end. I'm stumped on the others.

[page]

I have a request: Can we make the link for te new BFT just by pm again next time? Now I'm a bit disappointed for partly seeing alex his answers by accident since I didn't know the link was replaced already. (I don't get e-mail notification since I do not want to receive the answers to prevent to accidently seeing them that way). Now I feel like I'm cheating even though I didn't really read his post.
Kind regards, page

[Hardbopjazz]

Here are my guesses. I wasn't that good.

#01. No idea.

#02. No idea.

#03. I did some sleuthing. The tune is El Condo Pasa. I went to Allmusic.com. There are over 121 thousand recordings of this tune. I went through about 100 and decided I was never going to find who this was and gave up. I see Thom Keith made a guess and I checked and it is who he said.

#04. No Idea

#05. Take the A Train. No idea yet who this is. There are even more recording of this that #3.

#06. No idea

#07. I bought this CD at the Village Vanguard many years ago when Paul Motian was playing there that week his band. The tune is Abacus, Charles Brackeen is on tenor. Le Voyage is the CD.

#08. No idea

#09. No idea

#10. No idea

#11. No idea

#12. No Idea

[felser]

1 – I would guess the World Saxophone Quartet or something. Not in my array of “things”.

2 – played it while working, and it never even registered., I got jarred back into active listening by the next cut. Went back to pay attention, and it still kept fading away from my consciousness through the first three minutes or so. Yet I don’t dislike those three minutes. Would be great film music (or maybe it already is?). Once it “started” for me, I found it quite pleasant and pretty, though not overly compelling.

3 – Paul Simon’s “El Condor Pasa”. I like this! Cello is such a cool instrument, can do so many different approaches.

4 – Kept waiting for the rhythm section to come in and the song to start. Leo Smith?

5 – Don’t think this one’s too avant-garde! “Take the A Train” of course. J. I know Archie Shepp started doing some of this sort of thing in the mid-70’s to prove he could (yet wasn’t overly good at it to me), but this isn’t Shepp.

6 – Works for me. This is one I’d like to own if I don’t already (so much music, such a short lifetime).

7 – Only sort of works for me. I don’t really like that sort of rhythm section. I like to recognize a pulse. Saxophonist is a good player.

8 – Had this Sartre nightmare where I was locked in an elevator with Irene Aebi for eternity, and she just kept singing and singing and singing…

9 - See #4, except this one works a little better for me. But still would never voluntarily return to it.

10 - Drags too much for me.

11 – Ace! Always a beautiful BFT occurrence when my favorite cut is the long one. I’ll be looking for this one as soon as the reveal comes out (or some sharpie identifies it). The cello/bass/drums rhythm section on this is killer! That’s what makes the cut for me. The soloists are fine, and the alto and trumpet have beautiful tones, but the context sets him up beautifully. I could play a kazoo solo over top of this and it would sound good.

12 – This sort of thing always reminds me of my horror of first hearing the Corea/Braxton stuff,, “Afternoon of a Georgia Faun”, and some of the more inscrutable BYG material 40+ years ago. I was a kid then, and had spent hard-earned money on used/cutouts some of that. I still sort of metaphorically scratch my head and say “huh?”

[NIS]

This link worked great, thanks. I listened a little while doing the stationary bike this morning and liked what I heard. A couple comments.

Track 1 for me is a winner right out of the box. The horn player on the left and the over all feel of the piece say Joe McPhee to me. I get a spiritual feeling from some of his music. I'm not a church goer anymore but I like to listen to Joe McPhee on Sunday mornings.

Track 2. First of all, I had to turn up the volume and listen a second time. Subtly and very pretty stuff.

I have listened to this album so many times that I knew Track 3 immediately. I'd rather be a hammer than a nail and outside of Walt Dickerson, I'd rather listen to the Clusone Trio than anybody. Any track from this album would be great on a BFT.

I'll just say that Track 4 is nice playing.

The drummer is the best part of Track 5 for me.

Track 6. I was thinking this is ok and then the percussion came in and for me it hit another gear. I like this very much.

Later.

Edited February 6, 2015 by NIS

[NIS]

So,

Track 7 is not my favorite overall but that is a pretty darn good drummer.

I was liking Track 8 ok and then “yikes”, I normally at least get a smile out of these kind of vocals but this one not so much.

For some reason I liked Track 9 a lot more than the earlier one. I'm not sure if I would like an entire solo album but this was very interesting.

Track 11. Now you are talking. Nothing bad about this. Liked the cello and bass.

Track 12. Great ending piece. Of coarse the von Schlippenbach Trio comes to mind but you wouldn't be that obvious, would you? Hopefully this get an ID before the end of the month. Favorite track along with #1 and the Clusone Trio.

By the by, track 1 inspired me to hear some Joe McPhee this morning. Listening to “Oleo” and what do you know.

[Homefromtheforest]

Been a bit of a tough week for me and I just gave this a quick sample; hopefully will have more time to devote to this later in the month. Everything sounded quite good though! The only tracks that I sort of recognized were 1(joe mcphee), 3(clusone trio), and 12(schlippenbach trio).

I am most intrigued by track 2...is it Paul Bley? At the beginning it sort of sounds like him but then near the end it starts to sound a bit like Ketil Bjornstad!?

Nice BFT and again hope to come back to it 'properly' later...

Edited February 8, 2015 by Homefromtheforest

[mjazzg]

I'm only just downloading so hope to join in soon, Desperately resisting reading the thread so I don't cheat

[mjazzg]

Listened now.

Early thoughts on the tracks that made an instant impact:

track 1. is McPhee and duly fabulous but I suspect on an album I don't own (yet)

track 2. I just want to know what this is. Loved it

track 4. Now this had me thinking of Rob Mazurek's solo album recorded in a castle or church in France but it's obviously not that as this is a well-loved LP. Stumped and intrigued.

track 7. Motian tune and I'm fairly sure he's drumming. It sounds like it might be a live recording of a track I know better from the studio. I don't recall so much solo space on the version I know, It's ECM era and possibly Brackeen. I must play those albums again to find it

track 8. I thought it was Leandre on bass but not necessarily on vocals at first then I decided it could be her on both. It's mighty fine whatever it is. Leimgruber maybe?

track 11. Just stunning, completely my thing. Familiar but not so much that I think I have it (prepared to be embarrassed later). The bass line really makes this and then that front line. I'm wondering if we're talking Dennis Gonzalez and Charles Brackeen as it's reminiscent of 'Debenge Debenge'. Could it be from the CD of that (I only have the shorter LP)?

track 12. Schlippenbach Trio. Can't spot the track or album right off but it's a later one I'd say

Great music throughout this and bookended with absolute diamonds. Thanks for putting this together

[mjazzg]

second time through and track 6. is leaping out this time. Is that Hamid Drake and (less sure) William Parker ?