Blindfold Test #75 Discussion

[tkeith]

Yes, I know, it's only been up long enough to download, but hey, why keep 'em waiting?

[jeffcrom]

Just wanted to let you know that, while I haven't had time to do much deep listening to #75, I really like most of what I've heard so far - including a couple of "I've got to have this!" moments. I'll be able to really give it some time next week.

[tkeith]

Just wanted to let you know that, while I haven't had time to do much deep listening to #75, I really like most of what I've heard so far - including a couple of "I've got to have this!" moments. I'll be able to really give it some time next week.

SWEET!!!

[Hot Ptah]

I think that I've guessed the artist on one of the last cuts! I really think that it could be Horace Tapscott!!!!!

[tkeith]

I think that I've guessed the artist on one of the last cuts! I really think that it could be Horace Tapscott!!!!!

Well, no.

[webbcity]

Hey Thom- I gotta listen to this more, did check it out quickly the other day and nothing was immediately obvious to me, well, except our friend from a few miles north...

[Niko]

i'm not registered so i just post a first impression of the first half..

#1:

definitely a great opening, could be the theme song of a radio show; that said, it does not really speak to me, way to upbeat, and i'd be really surprised if i knew the artists well, can't really place it, a little bit what i'd imagine a wycliffe gordon album to be like :-)

#2:

more up my alley, definitely don't know this since i don't have anything in the line-up trumpet/bass/drums; i like this type of trumpet playing, tomasz stanko?, don cherry?, too simplistic music for Cherry? but there's this brief singing... all in all i find it a bit too cinema-like, but the bass solo was great - and i am not a big fan of bass solos usually...

#3:

Romano/Sclavis/Texier? clarinet player is a bit less polished and more bluesy in a superficial way than Sclavis, would not swear it's not them, but tend to say no... again the bass playing is the best part of the track... again this is nice to have around but the final spark is missing...

#4:

best track so far, i really like the backing of the alto solo, flexible and arranged (?) at the same time.., also the solo itself quite a bit; trumpet solo is definitely better than on #2, much more sparkling... overall the track has a great dynamic... i also like the contrast between the two saxophone players, the relatively focused, extroverted alto player and the freer but more introverted tenor player...

#5:

no idea what this is, drums and bass are instruments i pay less attention to than i should usually, but since there's nothing else to be heard here... sounds good to me! have trouble even counting the bass players, two of them, right?

#6:

once again it's a bit to soundtrack like for me in the head... (pink panther comes very dimly to mind) but the guitar player i find really interesting, obviously not afraid of dissonances, there's a rock influence, a bit of africa, great! i like how the drummer interacts wih the rest, drummer-deaf as i am... with the saxophone player i like the reflective moments a lot, the way he tries to build up intensity in places i liked a bit less... this is not early Rypdal/Garbarek? sounds more like Rypdal/Maupin to me... but what do i know...

#7

clever music... but i like it, guess it's what they call post-modern django bates? henry threadgill? no clue...

#8

this is the type of jazz you always hear on the jazz radio shows, overhere at least, don't really like the overall feel of the music although i do like something about the piano player and saxophone player as soloists, saxophone player is very focused, though not a way of playing i'd enjoy a lot... with the piano player i liked the simplicity...

#9

a jazz singer is involved.. that said, i found the piano solo pretty interesting, almost like a classical piano player...

#10

sounds like a real deal to me... strangely, i can't really decide between archie shepp and pharoah sanders... which dimly suggests it's neither of them, like david murray... so my best guess is one of pharoah sanders theresa albums... also like the piano player who plays a good deal lighter and more volatile than most i've heard in spiritual jazz settings like this

Edited May 27, 2010 by Niko

[tkeith]

Niko, thanks for the comments. I like the way you hear and approach the BFT, but no matches... I hesitate saying that, because I suspect many are going to guess Shepp on track 10. Hope you got a smile or two out of the tracks.

[jeffcrom]

Finally got some time to listen. Here's the first half:

1. The old blues-with-a-bridge. This is very well done – tasty without being particularly original. It’s good, but could be almost anyone.

2. Wow! This, on the other hand, is tasty and very original. I like the band, I like the piece, I like the space, I like the interaction. Very nice, compact trumpet sound – is this a cornet? Two thumbs up, plus my big toes.

3. Another winner. My first thought was Perry Robinson, but the sound is a little fuller than Robinson’s. I’m going to make the somewhat ridiculous statement that it’s either Perry Robinson or someone I’m not familiar with. I love the moody atmosphere here.

4. Great! Don’t have any idea who it is, but the conception and playing are excellent. The trumpeter has listened to Lester Bowie.

5. More interesting music I’ve never heard. Some fine bass playing, but once again I have no idea who it is.

6. Ditto the first sentence above. This kind of bass-less trio is hard to make work, but these guys do a nice job. I like the drumming – solid and loose at the same time. I have a feeling that I’m going to kick myself when I find out who the tenor player is.

7. I’m not even sure how many people are playing here. It’s well-done, but kind of episodic – a bunch of parts that don’t really hang together very well, in my opinion.

8. To be honest, my comments about track 1 also apply here. It’s a solid group of musicians whom I don’t recognize, playing competently in an established style. So why do I find this track so much more interesting than track 1? It could be that this area – a Coltrane-esque minor blues – has not been quite as thoroughly mined as the shuffle blues of the earlier track. Or it could be just personal taste. In any case, I like this.

9. The piano solo is fabulous – thoughtful, moving, and spacey. The whole track is touching; good singer, even if this kind of very “clean” jazz singing doesn’t usually get to me. Once again, no idea who anyone is.

Although I'm sure you can tell I like some tracks more than others, I'm kind of amazed that there's nothing I don't like here (although track 7 comes closest). Part 2 will follow soon.

Edited May 28, 2010 by jeffcrom

[tkeith]

Finally got some time to listen. Here's the first half:

1. The old blues-with-a-bridge. This is very well done – tasty without being particularly original. It’s good, but could be almost anyone.

2. Wow! This, on the other hand, is tasty and very original. I like the band, I like the piece, I like the space, I like the interaction. Very nice, compact trumpet sound – is this a cornet? Two thumbs up, plus my big toes.

3. Another winner. My first thought was Perry Robinson, but the sound is a little fuller than Robinson’s. I’m going to make the somewhat ridiculous statement that it’s either Perry Robinson or someone I’m not familiar with. I love the moody atmosphere here.

4. Great! Don’t have any idea who it is, but the conception and playing are excellent. The trumpeter has listened to Lester Bowie.

5. More interesting music I’ve never heard. Some fine bass playing, but once again I have no idea who it is.

6. Ditto the first sentence above. This kind of bass-less trio is hard to make work, but these guys do a nice job. I like the drumming – solid and loose at the same time. I have a feeling that I’m going to kick myself when I find out who the tenor player is.

7. I’m not even sure how many people are playing here. It’s well-done, but kind of episodic – a bunch of parts that don’t really hang together very well, in my opinion.

8. To be honest, my comments about track 1 also apply here. It’s a solid group of musicians whom I don’t recognize, playing competently in an established style. So why do I find this track so much more interesting than track 1? It could be that this area – a Coltrane-esque minor blues – has not been quite as thoroughly mined as the shuffle blues of the earlier track. Or it could be just personal taste. In any case, I like this.

9. The piano solo is fabulous – thoughtful, moving, and spacey. The whole track is touching; good singer, even if this kind of very “clean” jazz singing doesn’t usually get to me. Once again, no idea who anyone is.

Although I'm sure you can tell I like some tracks more than others, I'm kind of amazed that there's nothing I don't like here (although track 7 comes closest). Part 2 will follow soon.

More terrific comments! I like your Perry Robinson guess on three, but that's not it. I put this together mostly from stuff that has struck me from my current iPod list, and some stuff that I'd file away to use for a BFT at some point. There's some very tough tracks to ID in here. Thanks for giving it a listen, and I'm glad you enjoyed so much of it.

[jeffcrom]

Okay, I'm much more of a curmudgeon with the second half. Not that there was anything I thought was terrible, although I kind of hated track 17 by the end. Several tracks were good, but (in my opinion) not outstanding - nothing I would need to hear again. Other tracks had potential, but let me down in some way. There were two that I really liked, as you'll see.

10. This and track 16 were by far my favorite from the second half. This is excellent music – no reservations of any kind on my part. Very nice drum solo – those can be so dull, but this was well-constructed. Is that Pharoah Sanders on tenor?

11. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it never really did. This sounded like a well-played five-minute introduction to something that never came. Don’t have any idea what or who it is, except that the tenor player has George Adams’ sound. Whoever it is doesn’t really do enough to be identified, though.

12. The set drummer sounds like Ed Blackwell, but it’s probably not. I like the tenor player, but I would like him more if he played through the eight-bar periods of the tune more. He builds up a good head of steam, but it’s still in eight-measure sections. Excellent drummer, Blackwell or not.

13. Excellent bass playing and piano solo. The singer, whom I’m guessing is one of the instrumentalists, is very enjoyable – he doesn’t try to do too much, or go beyond his limits. Good without being really memorable.

14. Much more driving and exciting than track 13, but some of the same comments apply. It’s good, but not very individual except for the vocal.

15. This could have been really good, but I ended up not liking it very much. The bari player has a good sound and good command of the instrument, but his improvisation didn’t do anything for me – I found it pat and predictable.

16. This could have been really bad, but I liked it a lot. Jazz-with-poetry is always dangerous, but this worked due to the strength of the poem, the vocal delivery, and the musical backing. I did think that the singer went a little higher than his vocal range near the end. “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” is one of the most powerful melodies in the history of music, in my opinion.

17. Okay, I started out liking this one. Good players, good ensemble concept, good singer…. But the quasi-mystical lyrics gave me a real pain. I liked the singer at first, but after about five minutes I wanted to hit her with the Juju stick we picked up on the way. And give the horn players some space – they were excellent with their fills; how about some solos?

18. I love the tenor player’s sound and approach – I wrote in my notes that he has an “old, wise sound.” But the electronics get more and more intrusive as the piece goes on – the organic sound is spoiled. This one could have been a contender. Is it Charles Lloyd, by any chance?

Thanks for the BFT, Thom. I obviously liked some parts better than others, but there are several tracks I'm really looking forward to finding out more about.

[tkeith]

Nice comments, Jeff. No matches, but I think you're going to be surprised come the reveal. You're guess on track 12 is the closest. Ironically, track 17 is the most "centric" I've ever heard this vocalist. In fact, when I saw this band live, she was not even out in front. She's such an understated part of this ensemble that I think that's what appealed to me about this track. When the reveal hits, you can judge that for yourself. This part of the test was tough to assemble, as it covers a wide variety within the genre. Track 15 is pretty standard, but given who and what it is, that's kind of what works about it for me. In fact, when I was listening to it in the car, at one point, he plays a line that he repeats three times. After the second time, I let out an involuntary, "Aaargh!" After the third time, he does the exact same thing. It was a nice moment. I agree with you about the electronics on track 17, but the tenor is so gorgeous, I just can't give it up.

[Hot Ptah]

I have really enjoyed this Blindfold Test.

1. This sounds like a recent Art Blakey tribute to me. It sounds like they are focusing on the Benny Golson era of the Jazz Messengers. I can't identify any of the players.

2. I like this one a lot. The bassist has such a full, rich tone. Again, I can't identify the players and am really looking forward to finding out who they are. Who would play trumpet for so long in the lower register only, in a free, spare way?

3. I like this one very much too. I don't know who the clarinet player is. I like the bassist's sound. The drummer plays things that remind me of Ed Blackwell at times here.

4. A Dolphy like theme, with a drummer who sometimes has an Elvin Jones sound to me, a trumpeter who reminds me of Lester Bowie at times, and a tenor saxophonist who reminds me of David Murrary. I like this type of thing very much, and think that this is a great performance.

5. Really excellent bass playing, great bowing. I like this one a great deal. I don't know who they are.

6. Interesting guitar player--like Abercrombie or Rosenwinkel, he does not play just the usual patterns. I can't place the saxophonist.

7. What an interesting piece. I like the pianist, and all the players. It sounds like a short burst of Raymond Scott at one point. No idea who this is.

8. Really good. Obviously a Coltrane-ish tenor, but this player has some real depth. The bassist has a full, beautiful tone. I want this album, once I find out what and who it is.

9. This is "Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers" by Steve Kuhn, but I don't know who is singing it. Very interesting piano solo, beyond the mainstream.

10. This one really has me puzzled. The tenor sax player sounds like George Adams in parts of this, and like Jan Garbarek with Keith Jarrett at other times. The pianist has listened to Keith Jarrett, but the playing is too straight to be Jarrett. I don't know!

11. A catchy piece. The trumpeter reminds me of Kenny Wheeler at times, but I am not sure it is him. I don't have any idea who it is.

12. Is this later Sonny Rollins with Tony Williams on drums, plus bass and congas?

13. I like the bowed bass very much, excellent bassist. I have no idea who the singer is.

14. This is Napolean Murphy Brock on vocals--he was the saxophonist/vocalist for Frank Zappa's mid-1970s ensembles. The horns at the beginning have a Zappa influence--whoever arranged them knows Zappa's 'Grand Wazoo" album. It is not a Frank Zappa album though. Is it a George Duke album? That sounds like George Duke on piano.

15. A soulful baritone sax workout. I kept having this feeling that the baritone sax is not this player's main instrument.

16. If it is not Horace Tapscott saying "I am Horace Tapscott", then who is it? I have no idea.

17. A nice vocal. The lyrics almost have to be circa 1970-76.

18. I can't place the tenor sax player. The electronics are interesting. I can't tell if they are made by a keyboard or a guitar. Very intriguing to me.

I really liked all of the songs, and loved several. I can't wait for the Reveal! This was a great Blindfold Test, and has given me much enjoyment.

Edited June 6, 2010 by Hot Ptah

[tkeith]

I have really enjoyed this Blindfold Test. <snip>

9. This is "Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers" by Steve Kuhn, but I don't know who is singing it. Very interesting piano solo, beyond the mainstream.

Wow! First person to get the tune! I'm surprised by this. This is one of the original Real Book staples that everybody giggles about the title until they play it and pretty much everybody agrees what a great tune it is. Well done!

12. Is this later Sonny Rollins with Tony Williams on drums, plus bass and congas?

No, but the tenor player would be flattered.

14. This is Napolean Murphy Brock on vocals--he was the saxophonist/vocalist for Frank Zappa's mid-1970s ensembles. The horns at the beginning have a Zappa influence--whoever arranged them knows Zappa's 'Grand Wazoo" album. It is not a Frank Zappa album though. Is it a George Duke album? That sounds like George Duke on piano.

No on all counts. I think people will be really surprised by this, but when it's revealed, a few may kick themselves.

16. If it is not Horace Tapscott saying "I am Horace Tapscott", then who is it? I have no idea.

It's a poem in his honor, recited by a guy view have heard of. He has that Morgan Freeman quality in his voice that makes you think you're listening to an event, even if he's saying "Pass the Cheerios."

I really liked all of the songs, and loved several. I can't wait for the Reveal! This was a great Blindfold Test, and has given me much enjoyment.

Glad you liked it!

[Hot Ptah]

I have really enjoyed this Blindfold Test. <snip>

14. This is Napolean Murphy Brock on vocals--he was the saxophonist/vocalist for Frank Zappa's mid-1970s ensembles. The horns at the beginning have a Zappa influence--whoever arranged them knows Zappa's 'Grand Wazoo" album. It is not a Frank Zappa album though. Is it a George Duke album? That sounds like George Duke on piano.

No on all counts. I think people will be really surprised by this, but when it's revealed, a few may kick themselves.

I am quite surprised that #14 is not Napolean Murphy Brock on vocals. I can remember how he sounded live with Zappa, and it sounds just like him. Wow, who would be a major Napolean Murphy Brock vocal imitator?

Edited June 7, 2010 by Hot Ptah

[Guest Bill Barton]

Here's my first-run-through response cut and pasted from notepad. More reactions soon...

BFT 75:

1. Tune sounds a little like "Blues in the Night," but it's not. A "tough tenor" for sure. Nice solo. Can't place the player yet. The trombone is mighty tasty... Brief piano spot.

2. Love the bass intro! And the moody, minor-key ambiance. Just trumpet, bass, drums... At points I thought that it might be Dave Douglas, but now I don't think so. I like this a lot. John McNeil? Or maybe even Christian Scott?

3. Sounds like Louis Sclavis to me. From one of the trio discs with Aldo Romano & Henri Texier I believe. Nice miniature!

4. Saxophonist is taking it "out" with authority. I don't actually "feel" a lot from this track yet. Rather Dolphy-influenced at points.

5. Interesting, darkly textured composition. The arco playing at the beginning is very potent. Do I hear cello AND double bass? The pizzicato stuff reminds me of Richard Davis. Hmmm... A fade ending... What a drag. I wonder what happened then?

6. Clifford Jordan? Wait a minute... Is this Chico Hamilton? Albert Stinson? Maybe Gabor Szabo? So the tenor may be Charles Lloyd. Excellent track!!!!! I like this one a big ol' bunch. Yeah, this has to be Chico.

7. Very nice after hours kind of feeling here at first. Then things get rather "edgy." I'd say that this is Lee Konitz. Can't place the pianist though. String quartet? Excellent track!

8. MP3 of this track seems to be corrupted. Stops and starts... VLC media player finally spits it out as totally unplayable. What I could hear was rather nice. A post-Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders tenor player whom I couldn't recognize.

9. Interesting... I'd guess that the vocalist is also the pianist. Don't recognize her although she reminds me a bit of Jay Clayton. End of this one is corrupted too... It just sorta dies...

10.

11.

12. The trap drummer and the conguero are really locked in on this. Impressive percussive interplay. I like this track a lot. Tenor saxophone (or maybe alto?) Has that South African thing happenin'. Bass, drums, percussion, sax... Louis Moholo-Moholo? I should be able to place the saxophonist!

13. Paul West? A bit of a Chet Baker influence I'd say.

14. I don't really care for this much. Vocalists usually leave me cold and this one I find very annoying too. The tenor sax is fashionably "out"... Not a bad solo all in all. The piano sounds good in a Tyner vein until the vocalist tromps on what could have been a good solo. This vocalist REALLY annoys me! Yucccch! And a fade ending too boot. Minus five on the five-star scale.

15. Now that's more like it. Low-down blues. Way low. This tenor player really tells a story and doesn't waste any words. Damn! This gets really greasy! There are points where I thought it was a baritone sax instead of a tenor. Ballsy lower register! That unaccompanied part toward the end is freakin' incredible. Almost as if somebody like Evan Parker or John Butcher went nuts on the blues. No idea who the saxophonist is but he or she is telling The Truth.

16. Excellent recitation! Is this from The Dark Tree collection?

Edited June 13, 2010 by Bill Barton

[tkeith]

6. Clifford Jordan? Wait a minute... Is this Chico Hamilton? Albert Stinson? Maybe Gabor Szabo? So the tenor may be Charles Lloyd. Excellent track!!!!! I like this one a big ol' bunch. Yeah, this has to be Chico.

No, but I like where you're going.

8. MP3 of this track seems to be corrupted. Stops and starts... VLC media player finally spits it out as totally unplayable. What I could hear was rather nice. A post-Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders tenor player whom I couldn't recognize.

Bummer! Not sure what happened there. If you e-mail me, I'll send you the track, or you can listen through my website: BFT #75 (just scroll down to the Blindfold Test #75 folder)

9. Interesting... I'd guess that the vocalist is also the pianist. Don't recognize her although she reminds me a bit of Jay Clayton. End of this one is corrupted too... It just sorta dies...

Odd... haven't heard this from anyone else; perhaps you had a download issue.

12. The trap drummer and the conguero are really locked in on this. Impressive percussive interplay. I like this track a lot. Tenor saxophone (or maybe alto?) Has that South African thing happenin'. Bass, drums, percussion, sax... Louis Moholo-Moholo? I should be able to place the saxophonist!

I think you'll be surprised by this one.

15. Now that's more like it. Low-down blues. Way low. This tenor player really tells a story and doesn't waste any words. Damn! This gets really greasy! There are points where I thought it was a baritone sax instead of a tenor. Ballsy lower register! That unaccompanied part toward the end is freakin' incredible. Almost as if somebody like Evan Parker or John Butcher went nuts on the blues. No idea who the saxophonist is but he or she is telling The Truth.

Definitely bari. And VERY greasy.

16. Excellent recitation! Is this from The Dark Tree collection?

No. This is the stumper -- it's not Horace, but a recitation in homage.

[Big Al]

Here we go! No idea who anybody was, so this is all just general commentary!

Track 1: Cool. Nice & swinging!

Track 2: Gonna kick myself, I’m pretty sure I have this somewhere. OH, wait, I’m just confusing this with late 60’s unreleased Miles. Nice tribute, nonetheless!

Track 3: Sounds like a natural progression from track 2. Nice!

Track 4: See track 3. Really diggin’ the flow of tunes right now!

Track 5: Sounds like something from Ron Carter’s WHERE. Again, keeping up with the nice flow of things. This is starting to sound like a freebop suite, and while I may not be digging individual tunes (like, I don’t imagine ever listening to track 4 again by itself), the programming of these tracks has, thus far, been the most enjoyable programme of tunes I’ve heard in a long time, both officially released and programmes of my own making (and I do mean BFT 73!)

Track 6: Like I said! The sweet suite continues! But I wanna know what this is!!! Tenor sax and guitar is one of my favorite combos! If it was anyone else assembling this BFT, I might guess Joe Henderson with what sounds like John McLaughlin, but since this is Thom, this could be anyone and I can’t wait to find out who!

Track 7: Ouch!!! That was a jarring switch! Suite’s over, I guess, but it sure was nice while it lasted. Let’s see where this takes us... well, after two minutes, I’m still waiting. Too disorganized for me. NEXT!!!

Track 8: Now THIS would’ve been a nice follow-up to track 6. In fact, when I’m done here, I’m gonna re-program this, get rid of track 7, and see if the transition is as smooth as I imagine it will be!

Track 9: What *is* it about this particular key that whenever anyone sings it, it drives me up a friggin’ wall? Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, who I’ve heard sing anything this high sounds either too delicate or too shrill!!! So, I’m gonna guess Flora Purim because, having spewed the previous rant, I don’t know of anyone else, male or female, who sings/intones like this. My own two cents, change offered as always. I’m sure others will like it, and rightfully so, but it’s fingernails on a blackboard for me. In fact, when there’s no singing/vocalising, there is some astoundingly beautiful piano playing!

Track 10: Crud. I’ve always said that one of my biggest stumbling blocks to my enjoyment of jazz is my inability to identify obvious songs. Once I see the name of this song, I’m gonna go “Duhhhhh!”, despite the fact that I have no idea who this is. Not that it mattered: I didn’t make it all the way thru this one either. Too shrill a-sax blowin’ for me!

Track 11: It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing. Translated: songs that spend the entire duration sounding like an introduction drive me batty, since I feel like I shoulda seen it coming and skipped to the next track before the time was spent waiting for something that wasn’t ever gonna happen.

Track 12: And speaking of going nowhere, I think I’ve officially turned into an old jazz fogey. I don’t mind pianoless sax trios but when the sax player starts squawking for the sake of squawking and the bass player is electric... why am I even listening to this? And where’s my teeth? And whose kids are these on my lawn? I tell ya, in MY day, we had melody goddammit!!! ZZzzzzz.....

Track 13: I need to listen to this again at louder volume, cuz here at work I can only listen so loud, and this sounds like Elvis Costello sounding like Chet Baker singing a Jobim tune. Intriguing to say the least! Must investigate further! And a nice change after all the racket that preceded it!

Track 14: Double-you tee EFF?????!?!?!?!?!? NMCOT, HAFC, and DKDC!!!!!

Track 15 - 18: I don’t know..... maybe it’s just my overall malaise with jazz right now and the fact that I really haven’t been in the mood for jazz lately that is causing me to be put off by these tracks. In another time, these tracks might’ve intrigued me or made me curious; now, they just seem to be irritating, which is completely my own hang-up (yeah, the typical “It’s not you, it’s me” argument). Who knows? Maybe once the answers are revealed my ears will become curious. Right now, it’s just not happening.

But I will say that tracks 1-6 and 8 alone make this a great BFT, and tracks 9 and 13 make nice extras. I am positive others will like this BFT more than me, and that’s why I’m glad jazz is all over the map: I don’t have to feel like I need to be in all places at all times.

Thanks again, Thom! Now to read everyone else's responses!

[tkeith]

Al, you're cracking me up.

I'm glad you dug the first halfish, anyway. Track 7 was difficult to fit in anywhere, so I used it to break up the similarity of the rest of it. If I moved eight down, I could have easily gone 1-6, 9-12, 8, 13, 14, 16-17 and called it a nice mixed tape, but my ear told me it was too much of a similar style (I guess this BFT was my mood at the time). I'm surprised by some of the stuff folks are NOT getting, but that may have more to do with who is NOT participating than anything else. Thanks for taking the time to listen. Reveal comes Sunday, if I'm not mistaken.

[JSngry]

Too long to get to this...too damn long... Usual thanks and disclaimers firmly in place, here we go.

TRACK ONE - No idea. I hear a lot of vocabulary, not too much dialect. The Dictionary All Stars, perhaps? Or the Clayton Brothers? Slick tune, California neo-slick, maybe, but just a bit too much "love me!" for my tastes.

TRACK TWO - Sounds like they mean well, but there's not enough space in the playing to say what I think they want to mean to say, and what there is is rushed and kinda symmetrical. Yeah, the longer it goes, the less silence there is. I mean, the bass doesn't breath, he just goes on and on, and w/nothing else going on, that's a really....noisy thing to do. Just not a very...secure piece of music.

TRACK THREE - That instrumental balance did not exist in the room where the music was being played. And again with the symmetry and the disregard for space. The time on this one and the one before does not sound particularly flowing to me.

TRACK FOUR - This one is ok. A little more space in the time, if not respect for group density, although to be fair, that's ok on a thing like this bacause the density shifts come from the different pulses going on over the ti, but HEY what's this? Trumpet drums an bass trio? And the trumpet is realy flowing. HELL YEAH! That's a trumpet player! Yeah, this one gets better as it goes along, and for me is the firstcut to speak with confidence and maturity. Nice!

TRACK FIVE - The drumming sounds like it's sampled (not a bad thing in my book) up until the end & the bass player covers some zones. I'd have loved to have heard a vocal or a rapper/poet/whatever get in there and mix it up, but this was a quite nice piecelet quite on its own. I get some good spirit out of this, thank you.

TRACK SIX - Engaging, perhaps not compelling. But I like the relationship the tenor player has with their horn. It sounds deeply intimate and reciprocal. More than that...none of my business, the loves of others. Drummer guitar have a good relationship too. This must be a real band, eh? Always rewarding to hear a real band. Yeah, no bullshit here. Thank you. I don't think that this is "important music", but I do think that what is brought by this music - intimacy, natural relationships, confidence, calm command, knowing better than to force the flow and instead just flow the force, that is important, and you don't get that just everywhere, do ya' now?

TRACK SEVEN - Don't have a clue what they were actually saying, a vignette representing the some kind of journey of a some kind of thing, perhaps, but they sure said it well!

TRACK EIGHT - Why?

TRACK NINE - Yes. And fine drumming too.

TRACK TEN - Sounds like life to me. More yes. This is kinda like #7, only not all crushed up.Songs are being sung here.

TRACK ELEVEN - I jave this record, I think. Pretty "of its time", but I liked those times, and geez, iirc ain't this a cover of a pop tune?

TRACK TWELVE - Dewey? That tone...but not so much as it developed...no matter, enjoyable, quite, drumming is as it should be.

TRACK THIRTEEN - Nooo... I'd like to have hear dwhat Gary McFarland would have done with this, but...little to late for that now...

TRACK FOURTEEN - I'll take some of that! HELL YEAH!

TRACK FIFTEEN - Well, that's how you do that.

TRACK SIXTEEN - Self-explanatory. If not..

TRACK SEVENTEEN - Diatonic songs about flowers and mountains and love do not alone a righteous thing make. That's a dance you gotta tap just right.

TRACK EIGHTEEN - So8unds like the cat on #10. There's some similarites to Shepp, and some electronics(?), and I think I like this one too, actually. It flows just right for me.

Hey, I thank you for the sharing. Certainly interesting, it is!

[tkeith]

Jim,

As with several others, I like your overall ear on this. I'm surprised by some of what you liked vs. some of what you didn't, but that's part of the reason we do this. Reveal will come tomorrow (finally).

[JSngry]

I'd be interested in knowing know what the surprises were, Thom...There's not much that I really automatically like or dislike in terms of "style". To me, it's all about the performance, the "voice", what is being said, the why &the how. I'd rather hear a great pop record than a mediocre jazz one, if you know what I mean. And sometimes (always?) it's just so damn subjective. Years can go by and all of a sudden what sounded great suddenly becomes depressing, and vice versa...so "first listen" reactions...are just that - first reactions, not final judgments (as if there really is such a thing!). But I think it's important to always keep hearing new things, even "unpleasant" things, becuase the worst thing that can happen is to let those reflexes take over and start listening to music like you think you hear it, like you think it is based on what you think it's supposed to be, rather than what it really is, which...I don't know how you prevent that altogether, but you gotta always confront yourself with other possibilities, I think, at least if you're a lazy fuck like I am...

[tkeith]

Jim, the reactions to #2 and #3 surprised me, as I had the opposite reactions the first time I heard both, and usually, our ears are tuned fairly close. #10's overtly positive reaction surprised me somewhat, but I agree with your reasoning. #7 got mixed reviews throughout, but your reaction was more positive than I would have anticipated, given the awkward flavor. I find it interesting that most everybody loved track #4, and this band frequently elicits strong reactions, sometimes less positive, when seen live. I love this recording, and it's pretty much what you get from them live. I'm surprised the Bostonian contingent didn't peg this one.

[JSngry]

That trumpet player on #4 hit me just right, at least last night. The rest was not at all unpleasant, but what I took away from that one was the trumpeter.

Can't really say that I was "positive" about the music of #7, just that the musicianship was just so damn good (and apparent). "Pastiche" is too modest a word for waht it sounded like to me compositionally...like I said, I really don't know what it was trying to say, which is, I'm sure, my fault

What I really dug was that #14. Yeah!

[tkeith]

Reveal is posted.