JSngry Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 Let's talk about this one for a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 All I can say at the moment is that it's been on my buying list for years ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 This has some exceptional playing by Ricky Ford .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted October 11, 2016 Report Share Posted October 11, 2016 Some thoughts: Ricky Ford does yeoman's work as the main soloist - this is probably my favorite of all the recordings I've heard him on - though even when Blake lays out, there's no doubt that this is a Ran Blake album. The sound and the feel of the record is all his. The title track is a moving tone poem with dark tinges. I found Ricky Ford's playing on the two short (less than one minute each) versions of the Sephardic theme "Una Matica de Ruda" very moving. The bassist (Ed Felson) and the drummer (Jon Hazilla) play very well, though they're subservient to Blake's vision. I wondered what it might have sounded like if Blake played with a more aggressive rhythm team. Pure speculation (probably unnecessary) on my part, but still I found myself wondering. My favorite track is "Dark" - Ellingtonian, with a fine solo by Ford (channeling Johnny Hodges channeled by Ben Webster, to my ears) leading into a beautiful short Blake solo with some tinges of Ellington and Monk but, in the end, all Ran Blake. Ran Blake seems (and perhaps only seems) to mine a relatively narrow stretch of musical ground, but somehow creates a wider (and certainly deeper) vista from that. Thanks to Jim for choosing this record. I truly enjoyed the time I spent listening to it today and, for me, that's the best part of the Album of the Week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 I'm surprised that there hasn't been any more discussion on this - not even by the person who chose the album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 (edited) Even after revisiting this platter I do believe this could also have well worked as Ran Blake - Ricky Ford duo recordings to achieve this or a very similar result .... on the other hand, a stronger bassplayer and drummer most likely would changed or impacted the sessions`s mood/directions. Still this remains for me as one of Ricky Ford`s most important recordings - and although his euvre on Muse is very good too, next to the AOTW platter his solos on Kip Hanrahan`s "Desire Develeops An Edge" are my other treasured Ricky Ford efforts .... Edited October 14, 2016 by soulpope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 I like the record a lot. The Ford/Blake paring never fails. I was especially taken, at the time, by the inclusion of two numbers from the Stan Kenton book. That seemed odd-ish to me then, now, not so much. I pretty much like all Ran Blake records. Like 'em a lot. I chose this one because I figured that it was readily available, either individually or in a box, and that by nature of it's format it was one of the more "accessible" Ran Blake records out there. Tenor, piano, bass, drums, tunes. There are two more days if anybody has anything to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 (edited) 2 hours ago, soulpope said: Even after revisiting this platter I do believe this could also have well worked as Ran Blake - Ricky Ford duo recordings to achieve this or a very similar result .... on the other hand, a stronger bassplayer and drummer most likely would changed or impacted the sessions`s mood/directions. Still this remains for me as one of Ricky Ford`s most important recordings - and although his euvre on Muse is very good too, next to the AOTW platter his solos on Kip Hanrahan`s "Desire Develeops An Edge" are my other treasured Ricky Ford efforts .... I hear what you're saying, and agree about the duo possibility, and about the results of a stronger rhythm section. Hey - in the end, we're just listeners. Ran Blake presented it the way he wanted and it worked. 2 hours ago, JSngry said: I like the record a lot. The Ford/Blake paring never fails. I was especially taken, at the time, by the inclusion of two numbers from the Stan Kenton book. That seemed odd-ish to me then, now, not so much. I pretty much like all Ran Blake records. Like 'em a lot. I chose this one because I figured that it was readily available, either individually or in a box, and that by nature of it's format it was one of the more "accessible" Ran Blake records out there. Tenor, piano, bass, drums, tunes. There are two more days if anybody has anything to say. I have no recent Ran Blake recordings. Everything in my collection is from pre-mid-90's. Did he do any later recordings with horn(s) and rhythm? Film Noir does have some tracks with horns and rhythm, but it's not a conventional quartet or large group record. I guess if it's Ran Blake, it ain't gonna be conventional. And the discussion for this (or any other AOTW) can go on past the ending date for that album. It would be great if it did. Edited October 14, 2016 by paul secor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 https://ranblake.com/discography/ The recent recordings are excellent. Not really any "conventional" quartets or such, but plenty with additional instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Thanks. Looks like I've missed out on a lot. I'll have to search out the Ran Blake thread here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 2 hours ago, paul secor said: I hear what you're saying, and agree about the duo possibility, and about the results of a stronger rhythm section. Hey - in the end, we're just listeners. Ran Blake presented it the way he wanted and it worked. Paul, I`ve bought this as new release "back then" and of course the expectation reg each new release was sky high - based on the forementioned my inital perception was rather underwhelming - but as you`ve mentioned this result was Ran Blake`s intention and he was lucky enough to have Mr. Bonandrini as producer who was said not to interfere with the artist`s ideas most of the time .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danasgoodstuff Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 Hmm, no thanks, not today anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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