Blakey's non-Blue Note albums

[jazzmessenger]

I particularly like this group's recording on MCA/Impulse! (originally Sunnyside???) titled "Album of the Year".

That one was leased from Timeless, and may still be available as such. I think Blakey did several sessions for Timeless, not all of which had U.S. release. Seems as if I remember one that was a bigband, or near bigband, date, recorded live(?).

And didn't the later (last?) Messengers do a thing or two for Black Saint/Soul Note?

You are right. It was on Timeless. I believe one of the last Jazz Messnegers left some recordings on Sould Note. I don't own them, but they should be pretty good.

[agriffith]

BIG THUMBS UP for "Soul Finger" on Limelight! Bu with Lee & Freddie, + Gary Bartz (not credited on lp), Lucky Thompson, John Hicks, & Victor Sproles. My favorite of the Limelight lps, but "Buttercorn Lady" (live) is close.

AND "The Jazz Messengers" on Columbia! w/ Hank, D. Byrd, Horace, & D. Watkins. Contains my favorite version of "Nica's Dream". A MUST HAVE!

[BFrank]

Some of those late 70's albums aluded to are really strong. The group had the front line of Bobby Watson, David Schnitter and Valeri Ponomarev. Very tight and very under-rated.

- "Gypsy Folk Tales" (Roulette)

- "In My Prime, Vol. 1" (Timeless) + Curtis Fuller, too!

- "In This Korner" (Concord)

[BruceH]

Another one that finds Blakey in a different sort of setting/feel is the Verve Elite with Joe Gordon and Gigi Gryce.

This is a nice album; and the Verve Elite re-issue includes a whole extra Joe Gordon album with Blakey on drums.

Has anyone mentioned the Bethlehem album Hard Drive? With Johnny Griffin on tenor, Bill Hardman on trumpet, Junior Mance, piano.

[doubleM]

Well, I picked up that "Selections from Golden Boy" for $20. (White label promo, NM--)It's really good, too. Thanks Bertrand, for the recommendation.

[Leeway]

One to avoid is "Buttercup Lady," with Chuck Mangione and Keith Jarrett. Not terrible, bhould be much better than it is.

BTW, if anyone wants to buy my copy (after that splendid review), just PM me!

[Michael Fitzgerald]

As it happens, Buttercorn Lady was one of the first seven CDs I bought around 1987, before I owned a CD player and I'm glad I did because this album disappeared for a long time after that. It's very interesting and might have been better if the performances were not brutally edited (listen to the title track, for instance - as if Blakey ever played a 3:25 tune at a live gig). I think it's worth it just for the Keith Jarrett's solos - on "My Romance" and the amazing burning one on "Secret Love". And there's a great short version of "The Theme." The other tunes "Recuerdo" (where Jarrett plays inside the piano) and "Between Races" both by Mangione aren't so bad, although the latter is missing solos.

I wish that someone would find and issue the unedited versions as well as the rest of the tapes made at the Lighthouse during that engagement. I'd love to hear what else that band was playing. The sound by Wally Heider is excellent.

So, I guess I'm saying - buy that copy! Is it the legit EmArcy issue or one of the ripoff versions? (Sometimes titled "Recordo" or something like that.)

Mike

[bertrand]

If it was recorded by Wally Heider, I'm wondering if the master tapes (or a copy thereof) are part of the Heider collection at the Library of Congress. I remember that when I first started going there about ten years ago, this collection was mentioned to me. For lack of time, I never looked into what it contained.

As I'm typing this, I'm wondering if there's any interesting Jefferson Airplane material there. Hmm, let's check their website...

[Wally Heider Collection]

LC Control Number: 92751679

Type of Material: Music Sound Recording (Collection)

Main Title: [Wally Heider Collection] [sound recording].

Published/Created: [ca. 1930-1970].

Description: 3,224 sound discs and tape reels.

1,826 sound discs : analog, 33 1/3 rpm ; 12 in. or 16 in.

1,342 sound tape reels : analog, 7 1/2 ips or 15 ips, 2 track ; 7 in. or 10 in.

Summary: In 1974 Wally Heider, a sound recording engineer, sold/donated his personal collection of recorded sound materials to the Library. These include concert dates and radio broadcasts by jazz and popular performers from the 1950s and early 1960s.

Notes: Title supplied by cataloger.

To locate individual items from this collection, search under: (corporate added entry: 710) Wally Heider Collection.

Wally Heider Collection, Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress.

Finding Aids: Finding aids located in the Library of Congress Recorded Sound Reference Center.

Source of Acquisition: Gift; Wally Heider; 1974.

Subjects: Jazz--1951-1960.

Jazz--1961-1970.

Big band music.

Dance orchestra music.

LC Classification: Wally Heider Collection

Geog. Area Code: n-us---

Repository: Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division Washington, DC 20540 USA dcu

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CALL NUMBER: Wally Heider Collection

-- Request in: Recorded Sound Reference Center (Madison, LM113)

-- Status: Not Charged

If these are his personal recordings, then the complete Buttercorn Lady session could conceivably be contained therein. And I'm sure there's some Airplane stuff - possibly some that later surfaced on CD (I'm not too familiar with those releases, other than having seen them in stores).

There's probably some Wayne Shorter stuff in there as well, with Miles or Blakey. I need to look into this on my next visit. I assume there is some sort of finding aid.

Bertrand.

Edited March 29, 2004 by bertrand

[Big Al]

Another one that finds Blakey in a different sort of setting/feel is the Verve Elite with Joe Gordon and Gigi Gryce.

This is a nice album; and the Verve Elite re-issue includes a whole extra Joe Gordon album with Blakey on drums.

Yet another one I shoulda grabbed when I had the chance!