a YouTube find: “Baptism” (1970) by bassist James Leary (incl. Hadley Caliman). Is this tune from an *album* of some sort? (also w/ Fred Berry(?) - trumpet)

[Rooster_Ties]

Stumbled on this interesting 11-minute track on YouTube last week. Is this from an album of some sort, by any chance? It seems to have been uploaded by Leary (or someone on his behalf - it seems to come from his YouTube account/page).

YouTube description:  BAPTISM composed 1968 by James Leary RECORDED 1970 San Mateo, Ca Personnel "An initiary act or beginning" — Todd Cochran-Piano, Paul Smith-drums, Fred Berry-Trumpet, Hadley Caliman-Tenor sax, James Leary-bass

And on trumpet, who’s Fred Berry? - somebody I should know? (or knew, and forgot?) This whole track is quite interesting, and I’d love to hear more by this group.

Don’t know much about Leary. His Wikipedia entry, fwiw:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Leary_(musician)

Not much more here:

http://www.jameslearymusic.com

Edited September 13, 2020 by Rooster_Ties

[Niko]

yes, you should know Fred Berry... he was an original member of the AEC or its precursors, he's on Roscoe Mitchell's Before there was sound (Nessa) and then went to the West Coast... he was in the group Smoke that played before Monk in Palo Alto 1968... here is one track from their album which you might like as well... (the whole thing is on youtube)

it's an interesting career

https://www.discogs.com/artist/305134-Fred-Berry

[Rooster_Ties]

2 hours ago, Niko said:

yes, you should know Fred Berry... he was in the group Smoke that played before Monk in Palo Alto 1968... here is one track from their album which you might like as well... (the whole thing is on youtube)

 

Wow, that track by Smoke is wonderful! Sure wish that was on CD. Might just have to break down and look for it on LP even. Thx!!

And how funny they should come up in an entirely unrelated thread, with all the talk of Monk at Palo Alto.

Edited September 11, 2020 by Rooster_Ties

[Niko]

yes, that Smoke album should certainly be reissued - guess it doesn't help that Fred Berry is by far the biggest name in the group - of the rest, the only other player who has one more discogs credit beyond this album is vibes player Woody Webb who retained the band name and recorded a second LP (featuring Akira Tana and Curtis Clark among others... again not names that would justify a reissue even though there actually was one once)... the remaining tracks are on youtube as well iirc

[Rooster_Ties]

Leary’s bass solo on the track I posted up too, sure is tasty too - as are all the other soloists. I love how up-front in the mix that bass solo is - which is partially why I’m wondering if it comes from a legit release of some sort (and not just some random single-mic recording of a live performance - or even something taken off a soundboard).

The sound isn’t perfect, but it is really rather above average if it’s more of a homemade sort of thing.

(Maybe a self-produced independently issued LP - maybe?)

[Niko]

James Leary has posted this video on facebook (where he is quite active) several times and it doesn't sound like there are additional tracks (which is a pity), e.g.,

"1968 was a transformative year for me(Graduated University of Arkansas Pine Bluff,Moved to California). In that year 1968,I wrote this composition Baptism because that is how if was realized for me 51 years ago. In 1970 I was in a college recording studio in San Mateo and handed this music to 4 great masters . For a Studio Engineer class at College of San Mateo, I was blessed and allowed to perform on bass and record my composition Baptism featuring,Hadley Caliman-tenor sax,
Fred Berry-trumpet, Todd Cochran-Keyboards, Paul Tillman Smith-drums"

 

[Rooster_Ties]

13 hours ago, Niko said:

For a Studio Engineer class at College of San Mateo.

Thanks, Niko. Such a nice little track - not so little, actually.

No idea what sort of umbrella it would fit, but it would be a nice inclusion on a future “Spiritual Jazz” v/a release from the UK Jazzman label - if they weren’t doing label-centric dives of late (Prestige, BN, Steeplechase, and one from Impulse is on deck next, iirc).

(I don’t exactly mind the label-centric Spiritual Jazz comps, but I valued the series more when it was more obscure stuff.)

[JSngry]

Calliman, Cochrane, and Leary were all in the Bobby Hutcherson axis of the time, interesting musics made.