Jump to content

BFT 155 Reveal


Dan Gould

Recommended Posts

Track 001

“The Theme” Eddie Vinson, Fun in London (JSP)

John Burch (piano) Lennie Bush (bass) Bobby Orr (drums)

First of all let me say that I practically cackled with glee when I decided to program The Theme, aka Set Closer, as the first track. Yet of course not one person said “is this playing right? This song at the start? Huh?”

Not only that, it didn’t get great reviews either. Oh well.

Track 002

“Julian’s Dash” Julian Dash, A Portrait Of (Master Jazz)

Dash, (tenor) Jimmy Shirley (guitar) Milt Hinton (bass) Cliff Smalls (piano) George Foster (drums)

The first of the guitar tracks picked with Jim R. in mind and … well at least some people liked this track more than the first one. Chuck Nessa praised Shirley’s contributions to the record and all I’ll say is that I am happy I picked it up.

Track 003

“When Things Go Wrong” Archie Shepp – Horace Parlan, Trouble in Mind (Steeplechase)

At last a successful pick. One for three, the pinch hitter is hitting .333! Too bad that’s a case of small sample size.

Track 004

“Johnny Come Lately” Ben Webster, Meets Piet Noordijk, Nederlands Jazz Archief

Webster (tenor) Noordijk (alto) Irv Rochlin (piano) Rob Langereis (drums) Tony Inzalaco (drums)

Was curious to see how Ben’s frontline partner would be regarded, and apparently I’m the only one who didn’t think he nearly ruined the record. 

Track 005

“Please Don’t Talk About Me” Harlem One More Time Live at Pluckemin! (Harlem One More Time)

Norris Turney (alto) Bobby Ashton (tenor) Taft Jordan (trumpet) Benny Morton (trombone) Norman Simmons (piano) Al Casey (guitar) Johnny Williams (bass) Ronnie Cole (drums)

As I said, not a minor league version of JATP. I don’t know anything about Bobby Ashton who so confused Mr. Sangrey.  I love the entire record. One of my best pick ups of 2016. Mileage.

 

Track 006

“Broadway” Rickie Kamuca & Buddy Tate Live at Donte’s 1970

w. Mundell Lowe (guitar) and probably Monty Budwig (bass) and Chuck Flores (drums)

See, the other tenor had a name, and not a bad one. Dory Kamuca brought these tapes to light a few years ago and a Japanese label put it out. I actually tried to sell this on the board a few months ago but had no takers. I have no problem keeping it.

Track 007

“Willow Weep For Me” King Curtis

It never even occurred to me how this one could be automatically assumed to be Turrentine and The Sounds, so I call that one a flare that fell over the 1B head and Gould hustled into 2nd with a stand up double. In BFT terms.

Track 008

“Sister Sadie” Phil Upchurch, Dolphin Dance (King Japan)

w. John Clayton (bass) and Harvey Mason (drums)

Boy was this one giant whiff. I thought MG might know one of his favorite guitarists but … I see in the credits that it was originally produced by Upchurch, March 9 1987 and digitally recorded live to two tracks with no mixing or overdubbing.  Maybe King should have left it in the can? Maybe I should have picked something else from the disc?

Track 009

“Billy Boy” Three Sounds, Hey There (Blue Note Japan SHM Series)

Gene Harris (piano) Andy Simpkins (bass) Bill Dowdy (drums)

Michael Cuscuna rescued this unreleased track when they put out Hey There with 99% of the Babe’s Blues release as a complete record of the August 13 1961 recording session. 

Track 010

“Intro” Dusko Goykovich Blues in the Gutter (Cosmic Sounds London – 2000 reissue)

Goykovich (trumpet) Erich Kleinschuster (trombone and composition) Milos Krstic (piano) Kreso Rameta (bass) Alvin Queen (drums)

 

Track 011

“Low Tide” Bertha Hope, Elmo’s Fire (Steeplechase)

Hope, piano, Eddie Henderson (trumpet) Junior Cook (tenor) Walter Booker (bass) Leroy Williams (drums)

 

Track 012

“Moten Swing” Sonny Thompson, Swings in Paris (Black & Blue)

Thompson, piano, Roland Lobligeois (bass) Michael Silva (drums)

Was this a home run or a triple to Death Valley? Regardless I’ve found the two Black & Blue LPs Thompson recorded at the end of his career to be fascinating documents. He spent a lifetime in the R&B field, limited to 3 minute 78s and 45s, sharing the spotlight with singers, guitarists and tenors. But this blues pianist, apparently inspired by Tatum, could play compelling jazz when given the chance to stretch out.  Both of his records are highly recommended.  Secret Sauce, indeed.

Not only could Thompson play jazz but he also had the good sense to hire Bubba Brooks, which was why I’ve been on a Thompson kick and ended up giving the Black & Blue LPs a shot:

Track 013

“Anahuac Breackdown” Bill Doggett, Am I Blue (Blues Reference AKA Black & Blue)

Bubba Brooks (tenor) Pete Mayes (guitar) Larry Trott (bass) Howard Overton (drums)

Only a portion of this session was released in the Midnight Slows series but for the CD reissue they put it all out and I am damn glad they did as I like all of the unissued material especially this track.  Kinda confused though why MG said he’d never heard it because I tugged his coat toward it at the end of last year and he told me in January that he’d picked it up.

What can I say, I’ve had a love affair with Bubba Brooks since I first heard him, and since this BFT was put together I even found an obscurity from the end of his life in which he guested on one track. It’s led by a guitarist sure to aggravate the hell out of Jim R., so … see y’all next time!

And thanks for playing.

(Cues up the Liza Minelli version of “New York, New York”)

:g

 

Edited by Dan Gould
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel bad that I was not more enthusiastic about Cleanhead. I love the guy, but haqve never her him play less "ognaically" than when he got into that Phil woods thing.  Oh well, he owes nobody any explanations,or justifications, Cleanhead doesn't.

Same thing about Julian Dash and Jimmy Shirley.

The Norris Turney cut, wow, I want that album. Bob Ashton I know, but only as a session player, and mostly on Oliver Nelson dates. So, uh...wow. I really want to hear this record. Taft Jordan!

Phil Upchurch should know better, imo.

And Sonny Thompson, no shit! GREAT cut.

The reveal holds more surprises than the music, and I don't mean that as a dis!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't believe that it is Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson on Track 1. It just does not sound like him, and what I love about his playing is not much in evidence here. What a surprise track.

Track 5--I have to get that album. I have liked everything I have ever heard from Norris Turney!

Track 6--That is a pairing of two excellent saxophonists. Thanks for introducing this to me.

Track 8--I generally like Phil Upchurch. I could not identify him at all. I like this recording though.

Track 9--A very enjoyable version of Billy Boy. Thanks for introducing it to me.

Track 11--Wow, I was totally unfamiliar with this, and it is an excellent cut. Another one that I have to get.

Track 12--Sonny Thompson! Again, thank you for introducing this to me. I was not familiar with it.

Track 13--A great closing track, and again, thanks for turning me on to this one.

I had never heard most of the music on this BFT, so I learned a lot from it. Great job, Dan!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

I'm tripping on how Sonny Thompson & Dave Brubeck are intersecting/overlapping for no readily apparent "logical" reason.

However, cf Willie The Lion about Brubeck in a DB BFT, he was hearing it too, that "ting".

The dude had serious skills. Listening to the album again - which believe it or not I'd only listened to in the car, once, in its entirety. This was a late purchase and I started out with Moten Swing because I thought, wrongly, that I could tie it in to the trombonist on the Harlem LP but that wasn't his song. 

Anyway I'm listening again and it continues to delight, even more. Jumpin' at the Woodside had me laughing out loud.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wait, did you flip flop 10 & 11 in the reveal?

 

Wow!  Love me some Cleanhead, but somehow (went back and re-listened to be certain), this one just misses for me.

Not familiar with Julian Dash... recorded around the time of my birth... thank you!

I'm less familiar with Trouble In Mind than with Goin' Home, but it's still a great period for Shepp.

Really happy to hear this Ben record.  He's absolutely vicious, even at this late date!  A baaaaaaaaad man.

Damn!  Did better on this than I thought, but it just missed the mark for me.

Man!  Kumuca AND Buddy!  Wow!

King Curtis.  A guy I need to know more about.

Sister Sadie... should have had that.  The recording, however, misses.

Gene!!!!!

Heard Dusko's name before, but this is really nice.  Need to brush up.

Wow... need to get this Bertha Hope record.  Nice.

Not familiar with anybody on the last two. 

 

 

 

 


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, tkeith said:

Wait, did you flip flop 10 & 11 in the reveal?

 

Hold on a minute folks, the umpires are conferring, did Gould bat out of order?

Yes, yes he did and he is ruled out. And look at Brett come flying out of the Royals dugout, they're going to have to restrain him .....

:g

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

Track 008

“Sister Sadie” Phil Upchurch, Dolphin Dance (King Japan)

w. John Clayton (bass) and Harvey Mason (drums)

Boy was this one giant whiff. I thought MG might know one of his favorite guitarists but … I see in the credits that it was originally produced by Upchurch, March 9 1987 and digitally recorded live to two tracks with no mixing or overdubbing.  Maybe King should have left it in the can? Maybe I should have picked something else from the disc?

Well, all I can do is stare at my bat (as if there was something wrong with it :lol:), on my way back to the pine.  The good news is... I don't own that album.  The bad news is... I once owned that album.  I can't really remember what I thought of the album in general... that was a long time ago.  I still wouldn't buy it based on this track, which I just listened to again.  It still strikes me as kind of loose and sloppy.  Great skills, though, and the sort of "throaty" tone makes sense to me now, even though there was quite a bit of string buzz happening on this recording that I didn't care for.  Although I wouldn't rank him high on my list of favorite players, Upchurch is near the top of my list in terms of specific tone(s) achieved on specific recordings.  "Feeling Blue" (Milestone, 1967) is in my top three all-time in that department (and the actual playing was pretty damned fine too).  Over the years, he gradually evolved into different sounds, using different guitars.  I never really stuck with him long enough to maintain a familiarity with his playing.

Sigh... maybe I should just stick with soccer or basketball.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...