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tkeith
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8 hours ago, randyhersom said:
Cecile McLorin Salvant on 10?
Nay, sir.
5 hours ago, clifford_thornton said:Sounds like Charles Davis on 11.
Not bad, but probably more well known.
4 hours ago, felser said:Carl Perkins with Leroy Vinnegar on #6?
Correct, sir!
3 hours ago, JSngry said:Is the Jones-Lewis from the Mosaic? They removed all the reverb on that one, and this is a lot drier than the OG release.
I should be able to offer you a better answer than this, but I built the test from my digital library, so I'm not certain. (When I rip to mp3, I always rip to original album title.)
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9 hours ago, randyhersom said:
1. Lotta piano - familiar tune, possibly Bird's tune, Bud or possibly Phineas Newborn.
Harold Arlen, but quite likely covered by all of the above.
2. Classic tenor. Not falling strongly into Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon or Ben Webster territory, so I'll say Don Byas.
After you see the comments above, you'll understand how spot on your whole assessment was.
3. Flute in the bebop era style. Not Rahsaan, and probably not Herbie Mann. Maybe Frank Wess with the New York Jazz Quartet.
Figured there'd be a lot of Wess guesses on this (and that's a good one), but ID'd by Jim.
4. For some reason I'm thinking McCoy Tyner even though it's miles away from his predominant Milestone style.
Nay, sir. This one will be the hardest to crack in this BFT.
5. More rhapsodic tenor. Maybe Stan Getz
Nope. Another well known tenor of the era.
6. More Piano trio. John Hicks (wild guess)
Not John (who, weirdly, manages not to appear in my BFT this year), but this guy should, IMO, be flattered.
7. Having Herbie Nichols thoughts here. but I don't know if there are any Herbie nichols tracks this long. I'm going in an entirely different direction - Ahmad Jamal?
Completely see how you got there, but this is a player even higher on the hierarchy playing outside of what we're most accustomed to him doing.
8. Silky smooth larger band - Jones- Lewis?
Ding! Ding!
9. Hello to the Wind. Name sounds familiar, probably a 70's WRTI "hit" Gary Bartz?
Certainly a group that inspired/informed Bartz. ID'd with link above.
10. Female vocalist is Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered convincingly. Maby Karyn Allison?
Not KA. I'm starting to realize this vocalist may not be as well known as I thought.
11. Feels like early Sun Ra in a lot of ways, particularly the way the booting baritones drive the groove and the slightly lo-fi ambiance. But the piano solo is longer and slightly more conventional than I expect from Sunny. Note that it's only conventional compared to Sun Ra - it's pretty damn great.
The personnel on this cut spans decades and genres. Tip: Try to isolate the individuals, because there's little help in identifying my association (although, two of the players have a connection that's a strong hint).
12. I've been streaming a lot of Ogun lately and this has that feel. The Blue Notes had a fairly small output, so maybe a Louis Moholo-Moholo band?
No, but surely influenced by Louis. Soft ID'd above.
13. Much more polished sound, when the horns lay out i think of Buster Williams and Kenny Barron.
Right neighborhood, wrong door.
If I had recognized Get Happy, I probably would have guessed Randy Weston
Respectable guess. A contemporary, with similar influences. -
4 minutes ago, JSngry said:
Jerome Richardson?
Ding! Ding! I wanted to give the hint that someone had mentioned him, but not on day 2.
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1 minute ago, JSngry said:
Frank Foster also played flute?
Determined to prove me wrong, aren't you. Okay, NOW he's the only guy left? It's only July 2, so I don't want to give too big a clue....
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1 hour ago, felser said:
Herbie Mann is another one, as are Yusef Lateef and Buddy Collette.
Moving further away. Pretty much the only guy of this grouping that hasn't been guessed, yet.
1 hour ago, T.D. said:I'm only starting to scan the BFT, but Bobby Jaspar came to mind as a flute candidate (not yet a guess) for #3. He's (also on tenor) on many fine '50s albums.
Okay, NOW he's the only guy not guessed.
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Good guess, but not either of them. You're on the right track, though. There is NOBODY unknown in this band.
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17 hours ago, JSngry said:
Is it July already? Is that why we're approaching 100 degrees out side?
Mmm... that may be due more to do with approaching hell in this hand basket, but sure.
TRACK ONE - The Monk intro keeps getting referenced during the whole solo, nice touch. This is some for real stuff. Not the most invigorating bass solo, but it does no harm. Same with the drum fours I could swear I've heard this one before but not necessarily....Pianist has plenty of ideas. Not the "cleanest" playing ever, but this is better than anything like that. Excellent!
You have. Spot on descriptor of this pianist. I describe him as the complete absence of bullshit -- straight soul.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK TWO - OMG, I know this one like the back of my hand! Sonny & Elmo Hope (with a little KD in the background. "Silk 'N' Satin". Only his second LP for Prestige, but hardly his first recording. Don't get me started on how I love everything about this one, I'll not stop. A lesser mortal would have been content to just play this way for the duration, but Sonny Rolins is not a lesser mortal.
Yes, sir.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK THREE - No idea who, but this is nice. Easy-ish riff head be a demonic harmoniztion underneath! Everybody's top-shelf. Five stars, Leonar!
I'm positive you know all these guys, particularly the leader.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TACK FOUR - Head sounds really familiar...Soprano reminds me of Pony Poindexter. Can't comment past that. It's good, but nothing about the world would be different if it had never been made. That's true of a lot of good things. Is that Jerome Richardson? I don't know.
I love the comps to JR and PP, more testament to your great ears. This one is the squirrel pick -- I'll be shocked if anyone has this. All players are known, but the horn player mostly by name.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK FIVE - Zoot Sims, "A Time For Love". I'm guessing this is a Pablo side, almost has to be. Zoot is one of those guys who never really changed, but he grew deeper in his expression using the same tools he always had. The opposite of Sonny, two different approaches to life, each valid. There is no one "right way". This is beautiful.
Ding! Ding! Yes, and perfectly stated. This tune is a sneaky favorite, and Zoot + ballad is tough to be anything less than a winner.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK SIX - California? First choice would be Hampton Hawes? Nice enough.
Not Hamp. California, for sure (though a quick check tells me he was born in the midwest). Not as much of a name as Hamp, but I like the comp.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK SEVEN - That's Bud, on Blue Note, I forget which one. Bud was in good form for that one (and most of the 50s Blue Notes, actually), playing at times like a salsero. It's interesting to hear him deal with no changes, just a montuno-like vamp. He is not thrown off his game one bit. Bud gets ALL them stars.
Indeed. Label and player both nailed, but I'm going to wait to see if anybody gets more specific.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK EIGHT - I know the chart, it's a Thad thing, but not sure I recognize the band. Gorgeous writing, but I like a band with more bite. You can be mellow and still bite. But that writing....simply gorgeous,
Correct, but the band is, in fact, TJ/ML JO. It was the writing/arrangement that grabbed me, but I also know exactly what you're saying. Less teeth than some of their stuff.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK NINE - Compared to What? (Eu)Gene Daniels, and of course it's off of Bobby's NOW! Hello to Harold Land, somebody who did not stand still, kept evolving into new concepts. This is a wonderful album, the lyrics of this one aside (kinda "sensitive" to me, but of their tim0. And (Eu)Gene doee a hundred pounds of yodelling!
Spot on. Literally not enough of this cut. I could listen to every rehearsal, every outtake, and put it all on repeat and still want more.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK TEN - Glad to hear the verse. Good voice, but a bit mannered for my taste. Not sure that the actual song holds up to this groove, but I will say that such things are personal choices, and sehe certainly sounds committed to this one. Whoever this is has a strong enough voice to sing with a strong big band, and that's a fullest compliment. But this version of this song only does just a little for me. Sounds like the lyrics are secondary.
Fair point, and I agree with your assessment. This tune is the class of the album for me, but there's really not a bad track on it. She's a bit more mainstream contemporary than I usually gravitate to, but as you say, she's sure as hell committed.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK ELEVEN - That's almost either Ra or a strong tribute to him. No idea, because I thought I had all Chicago-era Ra, and this is not that. But ok, not that piano solo is not Ra, not enough layers of reality going on LOL. And that's not Gilmore. But is it Pat Patrick on bari? I guess not? Ok, whatever this record is, I like it. And a longgggg fade out on the cymbal!
There are no surprises among the players, you know them all, but together? I think this one becomes tough. Every thing everyone has heard serves as a clue to ID.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK TWELVE - Not "Ralph's New Blues"? No. Gots the feel of something off Hot Line...Curson/Barron live? Or Don Cherry? Damn that tenor player has a distinctive moan...so distinctive that I can't call the name LOL. Ibrahim?
Correct neighborhood. It IS Cherry. You KNOW the tenor. And, well, I peaked ahead and there's an ID coming.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:TRACK THIRTEEN - Dick Griffin, yeah. Hip Populist Jazz. His records were just so much fun. You could listen, you could party, you could to both. And there's Gary Bartz. Closing on a strong note here!
Ding! Ding! Love this record, though of the first 3, it's #3 for me. But with this cast, I can't NOT love it. Dick is a personal hero of mine. Now Is The Time is one of the most played records in my collection, and as always, your description is perfect.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:Muchas gracia, Amigo! Stay air-conditioned!
Back atcha, sir. Though, I don't have AC, so maybe I'll shed a few pounds.
17 hours ago, Milestones said:Number 12 appears to be Old and New Dreams playing "Guinea." Or is it a different, yet similar, group?
Good tune and performance, but a lo-fi recording.
Ding! Ding! Correct on the band. Full disclosure, I have no track info, so I'm looking for help IDing the track. You may well be right, but I'm really counting on the braintrust here to fill those gaps.
17 hours ago, JSngry said:DOH - Dewey. Should have been obvious. DOH.
That.
17 hours ago, webbcity said:Track 9!! Track 9!!!!!! 😎🔥🎉
(more to come... 😁)
He's an easy target.
14 hours ago, clifford_thornton said:1 is Mal Waldron, and it's from the LP Mal/4. A favorite rendition of this tune!
will get to the rest momentarily but now I'm listening to my Mal/4 album.
Ding! Ding! If there's a bad recorded moment of Mal, I don't own it, and I own a LOT of it.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:At last I have time again to listen .......
1. Get Happy, by a Bud Powell follower. I thought of Kenny Drew's debut, but a quick look told me he didn't play that tune. I find his phrasing a bit sloppy, as if the tempo was too fast for him, but the chords he uses sound so familiar ... probably a familar player. Bass and drums seem more at home with that tempo.
I think of the pianist (ID'd above) as having a lack of technique (but I don't mean that as a criticism). He's straight to the point, zero BS.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:2. At first I thought of a young Hank Mobley, but that's not quite his sound and phrases. A bit like a young Dexter with too much juice or other substances in the brain. Another of these early bop disciples not yet fully matured.
ID'd, but I'd say a fair assessment, as he certainly left a mark on both players (and the rest of us, as well).
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:3. More bop disciples. This makes me think flute was not the ideal bop instrument. Pianist is nice. Good bassist and drummer.
Pianist is the reason for the pick. While this may not be in the desert island collection, it was in the last crate left on shore.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:4. Soprano sax? Competent player, the others, too. Who is this?
Indeed. Soprano is a name many will recognize, but I'm not overly familiar with his work as a soloist. This is a deep cut that will require sleuthing.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:5. Sorry, I don't like this. Dreaded bass direct sound, tenor player is not for me. Don't like his intonation. Like a meal with the wrong spices. Late 1970's mainstream? The pianist pours out phrases but doesn't say much. All like a dead language.
Alas! Someone has disliked a cut. I assumed #9 would turn some off, but I'm surprised it was this one. ID'd above as Zoot. Suffice it to be said, we'll agree to disagree on this one.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:6. I simply have heard enough od this latter day mainstream when it was first released. I Have heard more compelling stuff in that style.
Fair.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:7. I have that tune somewhere, but not this version. They should have kept it shorter, and let the drummer play a solo. Bu the tune is nice with its Carrbean touches. Why does drummer Art Taylor come to my mind?
I have a good guess as to why AT comes to mind -- spot on. That gives us 2/3 of the band and the record label. I smell a full ID coming.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:8. Nice and well played, very lyrical, but could move me more.
Damned near perfectly described. Band has been ID'd, and again, it was the arrangement and tune that grabbed me. Damn! You guys are good at this!
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:9. I know that voice! Hutcherson? "Hello To The Sun" ... the guitar throws me. The Bayeté / Todd Cochran LP on Prestige? Conga drummer sounds like Candido on Elvin's Blue Note sessions.
You got Candido. Yes, Hutch. ID'd above.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:10. Another voice I know! She's good, I like her! Very well paced vocals. My favourite track so far. Nnenna Freelon?
Great guess, but not her. She's certainly out of that school, and does it well, though. A worthy album, but maybe more for casual listening.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:11. 1980's black awareness jazz?
I don't think I'd say that, but the ingredients are here.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:12. More of the same. Never heard both. This is convincing, they have a message and get it across. Would have been great to be there.
Oh my! Sure would! Mostly ID'd above.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:13. Again a style I have heard too often. Alto sax sounds like Gary Bartz without the fire. Trombonist's intonation is not my taste.
Spot on. But smoldering Bartz still gets me.
11 hours ago, mikeweil said:Thanks for the compilation, I'm always amazed how much music there is I never heard.
Right? Best thing about this process for me -- the constant reminder of how little I know.
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22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:
1. Familiar enough tune that someone will guess straight away. Pianist is ridiculously good. Love the left hand. It's like a symphony coming out of those keys. Shaming myself with a guess but Byard?
No shame, but not Byard. Pianist IS ridiculously good, a god to me. That left hand is everything.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:2. Such great playing. Could listen to this saxophone all day.
Can and likely have, sir.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:3. Flautist is very good but I'm more drawn to the pianist here. Understated but active on the left. Love the bassist too. Rhythm trio portion is my fave of this song.
Good ear. Pianist is the leader and the reason for the selection.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:4. Good song, no guesses. The recording sounds of newer vintage but by established musicians.
Not particularly new and there are roots spreading to other tunes in the BFT.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:5. I hear a Ben Webster influence on the hornsman. Definitely a well executed ballad.
Influence may well be there. This tenor is a name in his own right.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:6. Over too soon. Good song
That might be the theme for the first part of this bft.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:7. Bud Powell? Something from one of the Blue Notes
Bud fools no one. It is Bud, it is one of the Blue Notes.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:8. Severinsen?
Not in my BFT.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:9. No idea on the singer but the guitar is reminiscent of Gabor.
Those who will get this will know it instantly. Everyone here knows the tenor, the vibes, and many likely know the vocalist.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:10. Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered. No clue on vocalist.
Correct. This version was introduced to me after gig in which we played arrangement. I consider the track the class of the album, but the album is definitely worthy.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:11. Great follow up to number 10. Flows really well. Urgent playing. Love it but who would this be? Facility of Hubbard on the trumpet but more controlled. Hmmm...Sax player has plenty of force
Definite Freddie influence, and that might be an understatement on the sax, albeit an accurate one.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:12. Love it. Sounds live or otherwise audio-challenged but doesn't detract a bit. Excellent. Love the chanting but still no clue
Correct. Those bits are all clues. It was the tenor that got me on this one.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:13. Trying to guess this trombone player - nothing's coming up. Are they the leader? Seems like it. Interesting song. George Coleman-esque sax player but I don't think it's him.
Tenor is the leader. Not Big George, but fair to say a later contemporary who was likely influence if not by George by the same greater influences. I figure this one to drop pretty quickly as many have this record.
22 hours ago, Dub Modal said:Great listen. I know there's some legends on this that I've completely missed.
No worries, that's the game. I'm glad you liked it -- maybe my ears haven't betrayed me, yet.
20 hours ago, felser said:Actually, a quick sampling makes me think I'm "in" for every cut, no turnoffs. #9 is a gimme for us older folks, but also a public service, six minutes of fabulous listening! Cut #2 from this . I also LOVE the version which is the first cut from this, my all-time favorite jazz album. Looking forward to diving in to listen to the rest of the cuts!
Yeah, you and that bass player were the target for this one.
19 hours ago, felser said:1 – “Get Happy” and I did, great uplifting performance, and joyous start to the BFT. Very Bud Powell influenced pianist, and that’s always a good thing. I hope I have this on the shelves somewhere!
I'd be surprised if you don't. This pianist is, for me, on Mt. Rushmore.
19 hours ago, felser said:2 – I know I’m familiar with the composition, just need to remember what it is. Lovely ballad playing by the tenor player. Pianist doesn’t seem that comfortable in his solo, maybe that’s a clue? This will bug me until someone ID’s it.
Jim will, if nobody else. This one is all that it seems.
19 hours ago, felser said:3 – 1950’s vintage, what’s not to like? I would be surprised if I don’t own this, and it will likely be a head-slapper for me when ID’d.
Again, I'd be shocked if you don't.
19 hours ago, felser said:4 – Interesting. Is this Yusef Lateef on oboe? Late 50’s/early 60’s vintage, I again should already own this and again the ID will bug me.
Nay, sir. Saxophonist is a name many of us will recognize, but his playing would be a deep cut (like IDing Tate Houston, for example). I'll be surprised if ANYONE owns this.
19 hours ago, felser said:5 – Very pretty, older style sounding player, but newer style sounding rhythm section. I like it OK, but don’t have the enthusiasm for it I do for the first four cuts but can appreciate that it’s beautifully played.
You may have provided a near perfect Wikipedia description of this player.
19 hours ago, felser said:6 – OK, back on the enjoyment trail! What’s not to like about this? Love the walking bass. Short but sweet.
Mercy! I believe we have a clue!
19 hours ago, felser said:7 – Another older cut. Randy Weston? I like it OK, want to like it more than that, but find the rhythm to be monotonous, even though the piano playing is inventive. Don’t think it’s Dollar Brand (as he would have been going by in the period I suspect this was recorded).
Pianist correctly ID'd by @Dub Modal
19 hours ago, felser said:8 – All very pleasant and well-played. Jones/Lewis? Another cut I like OK but respect more.
Ding! Ding! It *is* The Jazz Orchestra.
19 hours ago, felser said:And you're still spot on.
19 hours ago, felser said:10 – Nice cut. GREAT bass playing and the whole rhythm section is spectacular on this cut. Good singer, and one I should recognize. But the rhythm section steals the show here. Will definitely be looking for this one, don’t believe I have it.
It's worth it. See my comments above.
19 hours ago, felser said:11 – Feels early 60’s, when this sort of thing was fresh and players were still figuring out their approach to it, which to me is very exciting. Ted Curson and Bill Barron? Look forward to ID and hope I have this one.
Fair assessment. This one sort of snuck up on me. That sound you're describing is, in itself, a clue.
19 hours ago, felser said:12 - Ye olde audience tape? A shame the fidelity is so bad, because the music is great. Except for #9 of course, this is my favorite music on the BFT, and I greatly look forward to the reveal/ID! So in my wheelhouse!
Again, a see of clues here. It's exactly what it seems to be.
19 hours ago, felser said:13 – This is a great cut! Right up there with #12! Must get!
Another I'd be shocked if you don't have. But, now I'm nervous. I fear Dan will like none of it. 😕 (
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19 hours ago, felser said:Wonderful BFT, potentially very expensive!
Favorite cuts – 9, 12, 13, 11
Other cuts I like a lot – 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10
Pleasant enough listening – 5,7,8
Cuts I disliked – NONE!
Thank you!
To be fair, though, pleasing your ears is not a high challenge for me -- I think we have rooms in the same wheel house. (Tim lives downstairs)
18 hours ago, Milestones said:No one said Sonny Rollins on #2?
It's early Sonny--maybe 1954. The piece is "Silk 'n Satin."
You spin this and say, "This is why I love jazz."
DING! DING! Nailed it.
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Greetings! No particular theme on this one, just music that struck me in the past year, as well as a few gimmes just to feel good. Hopefully there's something here for everyone. Guaranteed there will be something in here for everyone to dislike.
https://thomkeith.net/blindfold-tests/2025-blindfold-tests/ -
Huh! I guess my ears didn't betray me on track 9!
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Well, as usual, delayed, but here we go.
track 01 - I mean, what's not to like about this? It's been said here that "J-Griff fools no one." That is, once again, proven to be true. Probably a rote guess, but sure sounds like Paul Chambers on bass. Funky post-bop piano. Several options, but none staking a claim. Feel like I should have a better shot at the 'bone, but I've got nothin'. Nothing to not love about this.
track 02 - Change in gears, but I'm still in the happy zone. The blend of those horns! Yes, please. Loping three feel, Rhodes. I can even get beyond that drum sound. So, mid-70s. There's a rawness to the alto that has me looking in Byard Lancaster's neighborhood, but not him. Don't think it's Marion Brown, either, but sure in the right side of town. Okay, that's got to be Ranelin, right? So was that Wendell Harrison on alto? I'm always repelled by arrangement for arrangement's sake -- this is most certainly NOT that. What a great arrangement!
track 03 - First impressions are envisioning a glossy CD case. Feels quite clean, but I'm going to reserve judgment. Woody Shaw feel, but I think much more recent. Very clean recording, and very clean execution... maybe too clean. Yeah, that tenor is not growing on me. I'm hearing the practice room and feeling nothing. Nice piano work. Not Kenny Barron, but maybe a disciple? Trumpet invokes shades of Woody and Kenny Wheeler, but unfortunately, it's neither. This is pretty, polite, interesting music -- it just isn't giving me the feels. Nice bass work.
track 04 - What are you doing to me, man? I know it's Joplin, but not sure which. I'm not enamored of the execution. Leaves me asking why? I mean, if you're going to do this, execute. Can't help but wonder if you're sneaking Braxton in to see if you can send me to the Piscataqua bridge.
I'll pass on this one.
track 05 - AH! THERE WE GO! THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT! And, Henry T fools NO one! From what may well be my favorite Air album. I often wonder if our friends who specialize in this era have heard this, and what they would think.
track 06 - I'm liking it, but asking myself why. It's not the horn, for sure. Though, whatever the hell is happening, it's with intent. But that drummer! He's sounding like Franklin Kiermayer WISHES he sounded. Got an edge with a bit of Elvin. Gotta be a Chicago guy. Can't tell the era from the recording. I think it's a retro-style modern recording. Bassist is on point, too. Got a nice Garrison groove. Maybe Isaiah Spencer on drums? Whomever it is, an absolute MF! Still waiting for the sax to GO someplace. I mean, I get it, just not sure we needed 4-1/2 minutes of that motif. Doesn't sound like Ivo Perelman, but DOES sound like the sort of thing he would do. See, now it sounds older (loft Jazz), but I'm more and more certain that's Isaiah.
track 07 - You're certainly not a one-trick pony. Certainly feels like Herbie Nichols. But knowing you, and knowing Herbie, it's probably Elmo Hope.
I wish I had a better grasp on whether or not I'm right about that. If I DON'T have this, I certainly need it. There's nothing I don't love about this.
track 08 - Clifford Jordan (fools no one). At first I was thinking that weird later record split with Ran Blake, but then I recognized it. One of my favorite album covers of all time. Can't recall the name of the tune, but this is a sneaky good record, particularly He's A Hero.
track 09 - At first I was thinking Sonny Sharrock, then Ava Mendoza. It's neither. Has a Very, Very Circus vibe to it, but leans more... not fusion... I'm getting almost a Jamaladeen Tacuma vibe, but shuffled with VVC. What the hell is this? Gotta be Chicago, no?
track 10 - No idea, but I love it. Been really getting into some of the older stuff of this genre and completely loving it. What happened there? I thought I was on to track 11 with two Latin tunes in a row, then it just went buh-bye.
track 11 - But this makes me okay with that. Pensive and almost new-agey, except that it holds my interest. Getting a Ben Monder vibe from the guitarist. Composition reminds me of Donny McCaslin's writing, except that I'm really enjoying this and Donny tends to put me to sleep. No clue.
Quite a varied array! I think I like your work on short notice!
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5 hours ago, mjzee said:
Not John Lewis, if that's who you mean, but there is some element of the MJQ here.
I think I'm hearing Percy Heath.
Side note: BFT Archive project has finally comments. Tests 1-4 added today. For those not in the know, Jim was able to furnish me with most of the tests from 1-55, and a few stragglers thereafter. If anybody has old discs of files of the old tests, please PM me with what you have. I'd like to make that archive as complete as possible, just because.
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Alrighty, got to it before mid-month! Not a lot I knew for sure, but what I did, I'm sure of.
track 01 - Cherokee. A song on my rusty razor list. My first thought was Stitt, but I'm unaware of a recording with a nylon-string guitar. Which, naturally, means nothing. As it went on, though, the vibe was less Stitt-like. Monstrous chops, but like Stitt on indica.
track 02 - The Kicker. I've got several organ versions of this, and this doesn't seem to match any of them. Mayhaps Pat Martino?
track 03 - Okay, tune is obvious, title less so. Red Cross? That's Clifford Jordan on tenor. Okay, that's Don Cherry, and the sound is clearly Strata-East, so this must be from the box set. Sounds like Blackwell on drums, not sure on the bass. Clifford is in that Golson category for me -- doesn't get NEARLY enough respect. Very walk-y bass, but not Leroy Vinnegar. Maybe Jamil Nassir? Calvin Hill? Definitely Blackwell.
track 04 - Straight, No Chaser. Was thinking Barry Harris, at first, but seems far to frenetic. I don't thnk it's Bud Powell. Really not sure.
track 05 - Tune is familiar, title and player are not. Enjoyed it,bt more as an investigation.
track 06 - That sure sounds like Teddy Edwards. Bags Groove or one of them. Quick solos until the organ, so it's the organist's date. Just not sure.
track 07 - Recognize the tune, sort of. Wondering if this is a variation of something familiar. Reminds me of an old record my grandmother had with Basie on organ, but it's too busy to be him. Enjoyed it without recognition.
track 08 - Recognize the tune instantly, but damned if I know the title. I know I have a version by Zoot somewhere, which is likely the version I'm most familiar with. Can only say who it isn't. Double-time vibes works well of the in-the-pocket RS. Wait, maybe it's so simple as to actually be who I think it isn't. Is this some variation of the MJQ?
track 09 - My ear is expecting this to be something else, but, as usual, the title escapes me. Think my brain was hearing 'Til There Was You.
track 10 - Unknown. Gary Burton, perhaps? Not uber familiar with him, but some cuts were on my phone during my recent travel and the sound tracks. Kind of lost the thread, here. Not really hitting for me. Sort of dreamy, without really holding my focus.
track 11 - Huh, kind of reminds me of what I used to occasionally like to listen to when I first got into the music. This reeks of being a pop crossover, but hell if I know the title. Yeah, hear it now, but can't peg it. I used to work in a furniture store that played the local soft rock station all day long, and this tune was in the rotation. I like this much better than what I heard daily of the original, but beyond that nostalgic recognition, I'm out. There's a video out there of Maceo's band doing Sexual Healing, and it has a similar feel to this. But, as it's Maceo, I prefer it.
track 12 - Medley a la JATP? I think we had Startdust, into I'm Confessin'. Nope. Band isn't strong enough behind the soloist to be JATP. Perhaps a name band under the leadership of an "all-star" soloist? When You're Smilin'. So, the first section, I was thinking, Louis or a person doing their best Louis. I'm thinking the latter. Everybody is clapping on 2 and 4, so I assume it's a Japanese audience. Not sure why that is, but it is. Okay, well, that certainly changes things. So, Louis fronting a tour band?
A fairly straight-ahead mix. Looking forward to filling in blanks.On 5/2/2025 at 11:47 AM, Dan Gould said:You were not kidding about being skewed towards enjoyment. This is one of the least bothersome (for me) BFTs I can recall in a very long time.
As usual I have no good guesses but I noticed a plethora of guitarists and doorbells, not to mention so many tunes I know but can never summon from memory.
About the least favorite was number 11, a cover of a pop tune I also couldn't bring up from memory. Not a favorite by any means and the performance didn't do much for me.
But really, a nice BFT and I will watch the discussion to see if any are ID'd I should have known.
Thanks!
In my comments about the straight-forward nature, I almost made the comment, "Did Dan put this one together?"
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Brief interruption: We need a June test presenter.
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Welp... getting in under the wire, yet, again.
Most of this found a happy spot in my belly. A couple-or-few did not. But nothing was an all-out No, and a lot were emphatic YES!
track 01 - Sound is 70s, but the material is certainly newer. My first thought was James Spaulding, but then I caught the material. Love the feel of this. Very Lonnie Liston Smith in the 70s. Flutist is a bit lick-happy, but that’s where we are, isn’t it? What’s done here is done to very good effect. Recording sound is very good — drums aren’t over-mic’d so you hear them as drums (instead of individual parts of the kit). Not the most worthy of arco bass solos. Unemployment stick courtesy of the flutist? Seems to be the same path of ideas. Nothing that I’m not liking about this, but I AM curious if it would hold up upon repeated listening. Bitch of a cut, though. These folks have certainly listened to Pharaoh from the late-60s/early-70s, and I have zero issue with that.track 02 - I want this to be Another Earth. So much so that I’m going to hazard an early guess that one of these guys is Bartz. Not in love with the “composition”. First guy has certainly listened to his Bartz. Perhaps a student thereof. About 2:40, s/he seems to run out of steam on the groove. Keeps blowing, and sort of recovers it, but there’s a definite lull around that time stamp. Okay, I’m doubling down. I’ll eat my hat if that’s not Bartz (though, it’s recent, because he’s sounding older). Only other explanation is it’s TWO Bartz protegés. Part of me is thinking this cut showed up on another BFT a few years back. If it IS Bartz (and I think it is), he’s not in top form, here.
track 03 - In three and a tenor — what’s not to like? Liking this cut a lot. The bass is holding down the bottom without being in the way. Just hit those roots and hold them. Let it develop on its own. Reminds me of Chuck Domanico on that Barney Kessel record w/Elvin. Guitarist is more out of that post-Scofield school. Tenor has a beefier tone, like he didn’t lock himself in a practice room away from other people masturbating his tone. This feels like a player I could listen to and enjoy THE MUSIC irrespective of the saxophone. Yes, please. No new ground, but man, they’re crushin’ what they’re doing. Okay, that’s two wins, one maybe, but thus far, this is the class of the test. Love that bass player. There are points in the melody where this sound a lot like Tchicai with Curtis Clark (obviously not that, but they match the feel of, say, Letter To South Africa) — a very nice neighborhood, indeed.
track 04 - My gut tells me Avishai Cohen. Very pretty melody, but lacks the grunt of the last cut. Sounds very soundtrack-y. It’s okay, but didn’t really hold my interest. Perhaps in context I’d feel differently. As just music, feels a bit slick.
track 05 - How I like my Scotch. Doubler, and one who likes his Stitt (nothing wrong with that). Weird comp, but RS sounds to me like the band on Groovin’ With Jug, but with better sound (and minus Groove Holmes). Enjoying it, but no idea who we’ve got. My guess is these are veterans and not tributary players. Gosh, could somebody be honing in on Dan’s Gene Harris territory? Not in love with the guitarist. Nothing “wrong,” just feels like I’m listening to an omnibook-constructed solo. I’m not hearing the player. Flutist doesn’t seem as strong as Frank Wess, but might be someone of that generation (or at least out of that school).
track 06 - Reminds me of a restaurant we used to go to in a neighboring town. We always felt we weren’t young enough nor pretty enough to be there, but this was the type of music they’d be playing. In fact, that’s how I discovered Radio Citizen, but I digress. This feels like somebody said, “Let’s do a Santana kind of vibe,” and then did it admirably. I like this a lot, but it feels more background to me. GREAT background, but background nonetheless. That restaurant served cornbread with a whipped maple-pork fat “butter”. This makes me want that, badly.
track 07 - One of the crossovers that misses for me — Jazz and “hip hop”. Never seems to fully hit for me. Better than pop, but not something I’d spin regularly. And now that the unemployment stick arrives, I’m seeing a glossy cover in the stack of CDs that was not going to make the cut for my show. I get the draw, a bit, but it just doesn’t hold up for me. I’m old. I KNOW how hard you have to work to get that snake-charming stick to sound like that, and to do THIS with it… just seems like a low payoff. Too smooth for my taste.
track 08 - This is probably not nearly as technically accomplished as the last cut, but it has that FEEL. Before the lead came in, it reminded me of one of those older Richie Havens albums that always seemed to have one cut that flirted with the J-word. Love this feel. I could sit through a day of this, and would give body parts to play over this. Yes, please. I was thinking, guitarist isn’t Grant Green, but then realize s/he has sure as hell listened to a LOT of GG. Borders on slick, but REALLY works.
track 09 - Hearing so many things. Green Onions. The Hot Spot. Band has a great groove. Tenor is precisely what I don’t like to listen to. Ah, now I’m hearing the lyric, but not quite. Dead? Yes, that’s it. But I don’t know the actual lyrics. My cousin did an album (with an involved backstory) of Dead tunes with Chicken lyrics around 1990. Those are the lyrics I know. “Cluckin’, cause we’re chickens, man Cluckin’, for the Purdue man, Even, with our heads chopped off, We just keep cluckin’ ooo-ooo-oo-o-oo-on.” I’ll take the groove if you sub out a different tenor player. Almost has a Robert Stewart vibe, but doesn’t hold up to where he would take this. Cool cover, though. Props to the band.
track 10 - What would have happened if Amiri Baraka had linked up with Mike Westbrook. Low end of that trumpet reminds me of David Weiss, but the mid and upper registers are way more… it’s not that they’re more aggressive, but there seems to be better facility (which is saying something, because DW can PLAY). Okay, it is live — was thinking it had to be from the tonal variance in the trumpet. (Mics are the enemy!) <— [read that “Mikes”] Like an angry pep band. Maybe a Fred Ho project? I’m at a loss. I know the Chicago guys achieve this feel at times (thinking of Ernest Dawkins), but I don’t think this is that group of musicians. Didn’t love the feel, but overall liked the tune. Very curious.
Welcome to the BFT, Matthew! Glad to have your ears in the mix!I'll be damned. I should have trusted my Dawkins radar.
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Hola! Matthew (new guy presenting this month) is having issues logging in (got locked out b/c he tried to use his screen name). I'm starting the thread for him and we're hoping he'll be along shortly.
Available here: https://thomkeith.net/blindfold-tests/2025-blindfold-tests/ -
If you can snag the video of Henry Threadgill's Society Situation Dance band, he's on that (along with John Stubblefield).
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22 hours ago, Dan Gould said:
I had many left over from last year so I could put together one in very short order. But that should be a last resort.
Update: I have a new presenter, but we're working on getting his account activated.
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Claiming July, but, for the moment, I'm unable to edit the post containing the calendar.
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I was hearing KD on track 10, but really figured I must be losing it. I'll be damned.
Also, no takers on April, yet. Again, I *CANNOT* take April.
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But for track 12, this test has left me about as happy as a BFT can when Felser was not involved.
track 01 - Love the sound of this piano. Okay, Caravan. I was hoping for solo piano, but about a minute in, I'm fine with that not being the case. Love how this is unfolding. Tasty bass, too. It's not the Mal Waldron I want, but I'm really digging this. It's a unique interpretation that pays respect to the song, and it's interesting. Can't ask for much more than that.
track 02 - This is odd. It's a unique tenor voice, and a conversation. I like that. But there's something about that tenor that's also losing me a bit. They're kind of wandering. It's honest, and they're communicating, but this almost feels like a rehearsal take. Live, it'd be great, but as much as I'm enjoying the interaction, I'm not sure I would as much on repeated plays. One thing I DO applaud is, for it's wandering, I'm not hearing the practice room... they ARE creating. Bass is the standout to me. Drummer has a fondness for Rashid Ali (and I can't fault him).
track 03 - I got distracted and didn't realize track had changed. Tenor came in and I said, "That sounds like Booker T.!" I went to rewind what I thought was track 2, saw it was track 3 just as the bass hook to Hussen Kalle Mazeltov began. Love this cut, love the album. Transcribed this way back -- if only I could get someone to play it (looking at you, Tim!). Great choice. Man! Cyrille is SO fantastic!
track 04 - Unsure. Maybe George Lewis? Dunno. Interesting, but not sure it's going in the "A" stack.
track 05 - Unemployment stick NOT sounding like a snake charmer! NICE! Weird follow-up to the last tune, but it works. Sound recording doesn't excite me (either that or that's the worst snare ever made), but this puts it all together. I've reached a point that I almost can't listen to soprano these days, but this works on all levels. There is a significant drop after the sax solo. That IS the worst sounding snare I've ever heard. Fortunately, the soprano comes back and saves it. I recall a gig where a drummer was playing his "funk kit" and that's the sound the snare made. Just, no. Tim was on that gig. Fortunately, no audience member were.
track 06 - Not sure what this is (Sam Rivers?), but I'm loving it. I'm thinnking of a game Charlie Kohlhase introduced me to -- Fantasy Jazz Band. I had the thought of Henry Threadgill and Shelly Manne when this started (Thanks, Charlie!). Once it gets going, definitely getting a Smiley Winters vibe from those drums. Trumpet doesn't try to do to much. Man, THIS is what I want to hear when I go to see live music! I've got no ID on this, but I'm definitely adding it to the stacks.
track 07 - Borrowing from Horace... or Steely Dan. Kind of like it. Reminds me of the Bob Moses record with Autumn Liebs. I take that back -- this is MUCH heavier. Pianist is in that Tyner vein, but when he slows it down, there's a chunk of Andrew Hill that is very pleasing. Bass and drums are complementing the piano perfectly. Thoughtful, patient bass solo. What's not to like about this? (Hey Tim! They stole the bass line from Moonlight!)
track 08 - Straight-forward-ish. Stabby drums behind a tastefully aggressive trumpet. Loving what the bass player is doing. Pianist could soften the blows a bit, but it works for the most part. Again with an Andrew Hill feel on the piano -- am I sensing a sub-theme? Now moving towards McCoy, but I'm not offended. This one works. More nice bass work.
track 09 - Almost has the air of early Frank Lowe, that roiling, spinning tenor. It's not Frank's sound, though. Much going on here, all of it pleasing. Now it DOES sound like Frank. Maybe I should eat something.
track 10 - Genre spanning, again. Parts of this almost sound like a Jazztet date. Trumpet has edge, but also has chops. Tenor reminds me of a guy nobody has heard of who went to Yale (and showed up on one of my BFTs). If I saw this, I'd be quite happy. The proper respect is paid to tradition, but I don't feel like this is being rehashed. It's not lights out, but it's admirable in its imperfections. Doing his best J-Griff! Damnit! You're going to make me spend money!!!
track 11 - Angular and wispy. I'm not in love, but I'm not offended. My only complaint is this is going to be too short for what it feels like it's setting up. If I can figure out who that tenor in the left channel is, s/he will wake up one day unable to find their sound, because I'm going to steal it.
track 12 - I have a lot of stuff adjacent to this in my collection, but this one is missing for me. Hearing more noisy than creative, and my patience wanes quickly when that happens. Tenor overdoes it a bit. Trombone is there, though, right where they need to be. The drums are giving him the right support. I guess it's the tenor bugging more than anything. Last track wasn't long enough, this one is dragging. Piano comes in and now we're back to noiseville. Maybe my brain is just in relax mode, but now this is pissing me off. Maybe that's the point. I'll pass on this one (and wish perhaps I had).
track 13 - Nice choice for a set ender. Pulse (lacking in the last cut), more in-the-tradition, but doing it right. As it goes on, hearing more of the vocabulary, but less spontaneity. Confident it's not someone I know, but the chops are clearly there. Rhythmically, there's something South African about the sax player. No new ground broken in the rhythm section, but they're doing what they're doing well. About the half-way point, if that's NOT McCoy, they owe some SERIOUS royalties.
Thanks! And apologies for dragging ass a week longer than I'd promised!
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With apologies (since I haven't put my ears to this test, yet). I just posted in the sign-up thread. We need a presenter for April. Ordinarily when there's a gap, I would just step in (I haven't claimed a month, yet), but I can't do it in April. Anybody? Bueller? Anyone?
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Hey kids! We need a presenter for April. I can't take it this month.
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Despite my cantankerous responses, I appreciate that this BFT forced me right outside my element [Donny].
track 01 - Interesting, though slightly out of my element. A bit more in the "classical" vein than my preference. Well done, though, as it goes on, it loses me a bit. I'm reminded of the saxophone mouthpiece guru who, in the past year, posted to the socials asking if sax players preferred Jazz or Classical. The overwhelming response was Jazz. He then chided all of us for our answers, suggesting we had no idea what we were talking about. So, why ask? About the 3 minute mark things kick in and go in a very nice direction. That is some powerful trumpet, and not bashful. Yeah, I've completely flipped my perspective on this. The intro goes down a strange path that takes me out of my element, but this fires nicely. Yes, please. Alto player does quite get to that same place. I like Doplhy, too. This doesn't *quite* hold together. That trumpet solo was worth the price of admission, but I'm not sure this will hold up on repeated listening.
track 02 - A true bari player, if my ears are being honest with me (as opposed to a doubler). It's not Cuber, but this player likes RC a bunch (not a bad thing). Never played this much on bari until about a year ago, and then wondered why not. It's a nice fit (not all songs are). My ears tell me that this person has listened to a lot of the rock/funk side of this instrument. I'm guessing a younger player.
track 03 - Tune is Cool Struttin' and that sure sounds like Sonny Clark, but this is not the version I'm familiar with. Recognize the bone but can't put a name. Not Curtis. Tenor is familiar, but again, no name coming.
track 04 - This would land better if that last tune wasn't such a bitch. With all the effects and loungie percussion, however, I feel like I've wandered into the David Friesen café. If this came on the radio or in a pop culture setting, I'd be onboard. This reeks of one of those one-guy-plays-it-all projects, though, and for that reason, I'm out. Wants to be later Eddie Harris, but it just isn't.
track 05 - More effects. This is where you tap into my inner curmudgeon. Nope.
track 06 - Pretty, polite. Almost has an Ibrahim vibe to it. It's a strong composition, but I'm not in love with the arrangement. Progression almost has an Only Trust Your Heart vibe. Wait, that almost sounds like Benny Carter on alto, but I don't recognize this at all. That would explain what I'm hearing in the composition, though. Something is off here (third listen). Not Benny, but royalties are owed.
track 07 - This is the almost BFT. I'm getting a strong Konitz vibe from the alto, but it's not him. Fan? Contemporary? Leaning towards the latter. This is its own thing and it works well. A bit more controlled than my preference, but this is for real. Very curious. Taking Jerome in a little different direction.
track 08 - I like all of what is going on here. I'm not a big fan of that Monder-ish guitar sound, but there is a uniqueness here that I appreciate. This isn't the rule book formula, and deserves kudos for that if nothing else. I keep wanting this to go a certain place. It doesn't, but it a way that I actually respect. This is not a monkey performing for me, the listener; there's a purpose here and they are not being deterred by what I might want. This might be my favorite track outside of track 3. About the three minute mark, guitarist pushes it in a decidedly Tom Waits direction that I don't entire love. I think the key is, they don't care.
track 09 - There is a familiarity here, but it's an adjacent one. The tune remarkably familiar. Strong alto sound, but I'm not sold. The tune doesn't gel. Doesn't really sound like these guys are much listening to one another. Seems like it's trying to be too many things at once, and not really achieving any of those things. Not nearly as hip as it seems to think it is. And by 5:30, we're into full-on practice room masturbation -- I'm out.
track 10 - Took awhile for me to identify Sophisticated Lady in there, but are we doing a medley, or is this really that tune? Seems more Monk than Ellington, but it's neither. It's not quite hitting. Each time it gets close, it gets bangy (like Ran Blake). Okay, we're back at Sophisticated Lady. Live I might feel differently, but this one misses for me.
track 11 - Not in love with the vocals, but this is sincere. Don't recognize the tune. The sound on this recording leaves much to be desired. Somes like the vocals, saxophone, were recorded down a hallway. Saxophonist is older -- there's a shakiness at times that reveals physical age. Perhaps vocalist is also the horn player? That would explain the oddness I'm hearing in the singing, but they are both recorded in the same way that doesn't entirely work. Really sounds like this may have been recorded in different studios and mixed after the fact.
track 12 - This has a lot of promise off the bat. Has a Mapleshade sound to it, particularly those drums. Busy piano, but that bass allows for a lot to happen. Even though the bass travels, ultimately it holds down the vibe, and the drums are right there, too. Piano could do pretty much anything -- not really commanding my attention. Drums and bass are killing it, though (in a good way). Got almost a Pharoah vibe to it. In fact, that may be Cecil, but it sounds like a more modern recording. Give me that bass and drums any and ALL the time. Much as the piano isn't making a full impression on me, I'd LOVE to play with this guy. It would force me out of habits. I need this.
Apologies for taking the better part of three weeks to get to this. #12 will make me spend money (and likely #3), but it was worth it.
Okay, my ears didn't lie to me on track 3, though I should have gotten Forrest. So track 6 IS Benny? I feel better if that's the case, but also feel worse at not having this. And track 12! I'll be damned! I didn't have Jack, but that makes perfect sense. I shall have to acquire this. Also, Jim's post is the perfect explanation for why I don't read prior to listening.
#PresentingTheAnswerKey
BFT256 - July
in Blindfold Test
Posted
I'm as certain as the personnel listing.
Ding! Ding!