AOTW Aug. 28 - Sept. 4 2016 John Handy - Live at the Monterey Jazz Festlval

[felser]

Tracklist

A	Spanish Lady	19:36
B	If Only We Knew	26:58

 

• Bass - Don Thompson
• Drums – Terry Clark
• Guitar – Jerry Hahn
• Saxophone – John Handy
• Violin – Michael White

Recording date: Sept. 18, 1965

Edited August 28, 2016 by felser

[felser]

One of the very first jazz albums I ever bought in late 1972.  My Franklin Music Sales Clerk/Mentor recommended it to me.  I had never heard of any of the musicians, but he told me I could return it if I didn't love it.  I never returned it.  A stunning work, unlike anything I'm aware of that preceded it, opening new pathways between jazz and rock, the present and the future.   Each player acquits himself beautifully, the extended performances hold up, and "Spanish Lady" remains a bracing experience, start to end, 50 years later.  Timeless music that does not sound dated.   This started a run of beautiful albums by Handy on Columbia ("Second John Handy Album", "New View", and"Projections" followed), and I wish it had continued longer.  Handy did not record again as a leader until the mid-70's, and was in a very different bag then, which must have been hard work.   White had a nice run on Impulse after his proto-fusion in the Fourth Way.but went commercial and then disappeared from view shortly thereafter.  Hahn recorded an interesting album on the mysterious Arhoolie album, then the Jerry Hahn Brotherhood album for Columbia in 1970.  I've never heard that one, but it looks to be somewhat rock-oriented, with organist Mike Finnegan being featured.  Is anyone familiar with that one?  I also have not heard any of his subsequent recordings.  The 1996 Handy "Live at Yoshi's" set reunites the quintet for a reprise of the two Monterey cuts and some other material, and admirably maintains a surprising amount of the old fire.  The original Monterey recording remains a landmark in the history of music.  I hope some others feel my love for this amazing set.  

[Guy Berger]

Enjoyable album!

[kh1958]

This album gripped me from the first listen and still does. I love it.

I've seen John Handy live a couple of times, but last October at Dizzys he actually closed his set with Spanish Lady. He's over 80 now, but I was amazed at how well and with the level of passion he played. He still was able to play the high notes; by the end of the song he appeared dripping with sweat--it was a thrill to hear live.

I have a copy of Jerry Hahn Brotherhood, but haven't listened to it yet.

 

 

[soulpope]

First heard this recording - actually started to listen closer within seconds during John Handy`s solo on "If Only We Knew" - in a Viennese Jazz Club in the late 70`s. I`ve asked the DJ about the record and was handed over the cover - and wanted to have this platter from than onwards (as it turned out, this recording`s first issue was quite scarce at that time so it took me some serious money to get it via Japan a couple of years later - remember, there was no internet .....).

To me this is a typical lucky strike when magical moments (aka concerts) are captured on tape. Don`t get me wrong, I do love Handy`s recordings as part of the Charlie Mingus Band but IMO Handy never sounded better than on this special occasion. All  artists involved contribute substantially, but - when reading the first posts in this thread - it strkes me again that the only artist not specifically mentioned is bassist Don Thompson. His playing here is astonishing - to say the least - and so ist the fact, that didn`t become a major force on this instrument for the years to come

Cross-connection : Don Thompson is also a major factor on another (beloved) platter I`ve bought as new release at that time, namely Paul Desmond "Live At Bourbon Street" (Horizon) ....

Edited August 29, 2016 by soulpope

[mikeweil]

Had a copy of the original vinyl of this (and one of New View), but sold them both at a time when I got a bit tired of listening to much jazz and needed to reduce my collection. Saw Handy live with Ali Akbar Khan, whch was beautiful. I remember I got the Handy because Joachim Berendt raved about it when he pictured Handy in his Jazz Calendar and stated that Mingus, Roach, and Handy had the most exciting bands at the time. I'll have to listen to some samples to remember my impressions ....

[HutchFan]

I'm not familiar with this one. Need to check it out.

I have (and love!) Handy's New View with Bobby Hutcherson, and Handy's MPS LP with Ali Akbar Khan is another fave. 

Not sure why I've overlooked the Monterrey LP. 

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

Not sure why I've overlooked the Monterrey LP. 

CD Version (Koch) out of print for some time - vinyl (Columbia 2eye) rather rare .... so probably that's the reason ....

[felser]

A discogs seller in the Netherlands is offering an amazing deal on the Mosaic Select box, $28 + shipping.

https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/5328881?ev=rb

and discogs has some decent deals on the Koch CD

https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/1889660?ev=rb

and here's a Sony Japanese edition that is priced very fairly

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JOHN-HANDY-LIVE-AT-MONTEREY-JAPAN-CD-Ltd-Ed-B63-/272348118563?hash=item3f69367e23:g:41IAAOSw9mFWHLft

 

Edited August 29, 2016 by felser

[JSngry]

I remember this record, along with Charles Lloyd's Forrest Flower, it was a bit of a "crossover" hit, an effect that still lingered on into the 70s, which is when I found it. Interesting that both were live albums that featured extended pieces that were really good for "grooving" to, in whatever condition you found yourself in at any given moment.

I like this record well enough, it's good stuff with a really unique band, unhackneyed voices, if you will. One of those "moments in time" things, for sure, when the right band is in the right place at the right time and the tape is rolling.

Handy's Roulette sides should not be overlooked. The impulse! sides, otoh, are strictly of sociological intrest, imo, and this coming from somebody who is not automatically opposed to "that type of thing". But geez, "Hard Work", the song, was a HUGE R&B hit, good lord, that thing was everywhere on Black Radio. the Frat Party Band I was in at the time...I had a feature where I'd start out doing "Mister Magic" on tenor, then there would be a break where I'd play tenor and alto simultaneously, riff a while, and then hit the "Hard Work" lick on both horns to bring the band back in and we'd keep going with me on alto now. Community Show Business Music Showtime at it's...uh....well, the crowd went wild, whatever that means.

But apart from those two, anything with John Handy on it is something I will want to listen to at least once, even that silk album, that one was not really hearty, but, as they say, I kinda dug what they were trying to do. And this Monterrey album, maybe a bit of catching lightening in a bottle, but if that's a problem, I've yet to figure out what it might be.

[ornette]

Wonderful record which I bought when it was released and have listened to ever since.