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And the venues are getting bigger, Union Chapel this month. I think a lot of the current exposure here in the UK is down to him being on a UK label. Also to the comparison with Lloyd, whilst he's be on ECM and Blue Note El'Zabar has releases on Denmark and Spiritmuse.

El'Zabar seems to be going through a moment. He's passed through London with various groups over the last year or two, selling out prestige venues like Ronnie's or the newer Church or Sound. My wife loves his stuff so we go and see him whenever we can. Perhaps a bit inconsistent on record. The amazing experience of watching El'Zabar drum live doesn't always come across when listening at home. I like those early EHE records a lot.

I took this at Montreux 78 (with Ben Sidran, Randy, and Steve Khan)

Yes do agree what you say. Good coverart is very important for me too but seldom seen these days. I may refer to DSM on CLEF/NORGRAN & Verve. The music inside is excellent.

Absolutely at his best when he was in Hal Galper's band in the 70's, but in more recent recordings, this was good enough to hear Randy's solo in a straight-ahead setting.

Reinhard Goebel Complete Archiv box, disc 34.

Good luck finding that one. 😎 More recently A Time For Healing is pretty good.

Well, it is Jazz Record Center. That explains it.

Agreed,

Which reminds me of the Joe McPhee / Michael Foster appearance at Tubby's (Kingston) this Sunday.

Interesting that Zoh Amba has studied with David Murray, who, as far as I am concerned, is an epitome of a "simulacrum" player from the previous generation.

His own album "In the Idiom" is excellent: https://www.discogs.com/release/5445589-Randy-Brecker-In-The-Idiom

I think he's on both of don Grolnick's album for BN

Duane Eddy, 'the first rock 'n' roll guitar god,' dead at 86 (msn.com)

Fun compilation. He really was a fine clarinetist.

Bernie Worrell - Waves From The WOOniverse

They were in Buffalo in early February - nice to reconnect with Kahil.

Their first album, from 1981, is still my favorite. But I like them all. I do prefer the earlier ones, thoguh. But yeah, I'd go see them, no question.

Thanks. As I can't keep up with all these corporate mergers, is there a chance that unedited masters may exist, or were these either destroyed or tossed in an acquisition?

I saw them live decades ago and was blown away. It felt very spiritual. I had kind of forgotten about them/him for a long time until recently. I've been listening a lot lately and can't understand why he doesn't get much more attention and praise. They are planning a 50th anniversary tour and I'm hoping they end up stopping here in Boston. Why don't they get the same love Charles Lloyd does, with his "spiritual jazz?" https://downbeat.com/news/detail/kahil-elzabar-celebrating-the-ethnic-heritage-ensemble-at-50

If they kept it intact for the LP, I get that. But I've listened to the LP since 1974, so been there, done that. Same with the brown-bag LPs, spent a long time with those also. No interest in going backwards in format selection. For the CD, that logic goes out the window from the very beginning with the banter before "Old Devil Moon" (but I love the banter, all of it, which is why it was disappointing to find some of it missing)) that was NOT on the OG LP. And then at the end of the OG tracks, there's still two "new" tracks, so, again, so much for the LP "effect". And the two takes of "Get Happy"...when hear in recording order, it makes sense. On this new version, they're back to bak and...why? So...I'm not the target for this release, that would be the LP buyers. But they were nice enough to accomodate us fringe CD buyers, and they got my money. And it sounds GREAT!!!! But there's a definitive package still waiting to be made, especially if there's more between-cut speaking to be had. People talk about "it's like you were really there", well OG running order IS like you were really there! So are announcements and band chatter! What would be uber-sweet would be if somewhere somehow they find more that the two recordings from the matinee. That band was really hittin' it on their own terms!