tkeith

It's a book & CD set (jazz play-along). Each track has a duplicate minus Blake.

Track 01 - The Twister (Waldron), Mal Waldron Quartet, (1959) Music Minus One: The Blues Minus You Ed Xiques - tenor saxophone, Mal Waldron - piano, Wendell Marshall - bass, Charles Perry - drums The realization that Waldron was one of the pioneers of play-along was quite a discovery to me. The fact that these volumes (at least on CD) include the demo track with the horn is, for me, extremely interesting and helpful. Jamey Aebersold has put in a great amount of work to make his series what it is, but most of it lacks the feel. This does not. Mal Waldron is not about technique, but rather, pure soul. Track 02 - Nisha (Hayes), Louis Hayes Group, (1979) Variety Is The Spice Leon Thomas - vocals, Frank Strozier - alto saxophone, Harold Mabern - piano, Cecil McBee - bass, Louis Hayes - drums, Portinho - percusion, Titos Sompa - congas Bought this album for 99¢ at Looney Tunes in Boston back in the day. There’s a few fillter tracks, but some outstanding stuff, as well. I always enjoyed Leon, but this track, to my ear, is something completely different. Not going to push Kind of Blue out of the rotation, but still a worthy listen. Track 03 - Pithecanthropus Erectus, John Hicks/Boris Koslov/Tommy Campbell/Seamus Blake, (1999) Charles Mingus: More Than A Play-Along John Hicks - piano, Boris Kozlov - bass, Tommy Campbell - drums, Seamus Blake - tenor saxophone In the vein of the old Waldron sets for MMO, this one manages to capture the feel of a Mingus rhythm section. Best to play with real people, but if you HAVE to rely on a canned backing for practice, this is not a bad way to go. I’m not all that enamored of Blake’s playing, but I’d listen to John Hicks tie his shoes. Track 04 - Miyako (Shorter), Malachi Thompson, (1997) 47th Street Malachi Thompson - trumpet, Billy Harper - tenor saxophone, Steve Berry - trombone, Kirk Brown - piano, Harrison Bankhead - bass, Dana Hall - drums When I saw the personnel on this one, I bought it… just in time for BOTH of my CD players to die. I owned it for ages before having the chance to hear it (had put it into one of the cars and forgot it there). Anyway, it’s frankly NOT all I hoped it would be (Harper AND Carter J?!?!), but, as with most of Malachi’s stuff, worth a listen. Seemed to me a good Shorter tune is always a positive addition to a BFT. Track 05 - Seven-Toed Sloth (Cushner), The Jazz Aesthetic, Unreleased (c. 2004) Adam Cushner - tenor saxophone, Omar Butler - trumpet, Marc Sorel - piano, Silas Meredith - bass, Chris Paxton - drums This was a great discovery for me. Through the magic of a “post a clip of your playing here” thread on the saxontheweb forum, I came across this tune. I was blown away and contacted the guy (Cushner) privately because I had a radio show at the time on Maine Public Radio. He sent me five tunes from this set, all good, though this is the standout. He was a computer science major who also played saxophone (and life has taken him in that direction, as well). I have reached out to him via social media to inqure about the name of the trumpet player, but as yet have not heard back. Just consider how much music of this quality is happening that we are never getting the opportunity to hear. Moral of the story: Logout, turn off the tube, and go hear some live music from musicians you’ve never heard of — that’s how it starts. Track 06 - The Day After (Lupri), Matthias Lupri Group, (2004) Transition Sonic Matthias Lupri - vibes, Cuong Vu - trumpet, Mark Turner - tenor saxophone, Nate Radley - guitar, Thomas Kneeland - bass, Jordann Perlson - drums From the aforementioned DJ era, this was one of the few interesting recordings provided by the major distributors (yes, I am a cynic). Most of what they provided was cold, soulless music presented in beautiful, glossy packaging. Very little of it ever saw the air (my format trended towards avant garde), and though this is more towards the European feel for my tastes, it’s stayed in the collection because there is something interesting about the entire record. Not a big Turner fan, but he works well in this setting. Track 07 - Nisha, Louis Hayes Group, (1977) The Real Thing Woody Shaw - flugelhorn, Rene McLean - alto/tenor saxophones, Ronnie Mathews - piano, Stafford James - bass, Louis Hayes - drums Yes, a repeat band AND a repeat tune, but very different and very beautiful. There’s so much to love about this cut for me. It’s a nice tune and manages to be both a ballad and a grooving swinger at the same time. Woody is in top form here and the track is representative of the best stuff of the period IMHO. Track 08 - What’s Goin’ On (Benson/Cleveland/Gaye), Louis Hayes Group, (1979) Variety Is The Spice Frank Strozier - alto saxophone, Harold Mabern - piano, Cecil McBee - bass, Louis Hayes - drums, Portinho - percusion, Titos Sompa - congas Yup, Louis, again. Never really being a pop radio guy, this was the version of the song I was most familiar with. Oddly, it led me to my obsession with the music of Marvin Gaye. I have Strozier’s record of the same name from the same period, but to my ear, this is the definitive interpretation. This record was a dollar very well spent. Track 09 - Illusion of Grandeur (Willis), Junior Cook, (1981) Somethin’s Cookin’ Junior Cook - tenor sax, Cedar Walton - piano, Buster Williams - bass, Billy Higgins - drums This was one of my favorite records from my teen years. And on an album of really strong tracks, this was always the class of the bill to my ear. Cedar Walton is how I found my way to the record, but that turned me onto Junior Cook, a voice so unique even if you only focus on his dedication to NOT playing like Coltrane. This tune led me to the music of Larry Willis and I’m sure glad it did. Nothing but love for this track. Track 10 - First Mind, Corey Wilkes & Abstrakt Pulse, (2009) Cries From The Ghetto Corey Wilkes - trumpet, Kevin Nabors - tenor saxophone, Scott Hesse - guitar, Junius Paul - bass, Isaiah Spencer - drums I came to Wilkes through the Chicago scene (and Spencer the same way). This is one of those weird, modern albums. About half of it, I really like. About half of it, I abhor. Like many modern releases, it suffers from the need to fill up 60+ minutes of album space. Trim the fat, and this is a really good record. I find Nabors a bit math-jazzy, but overall, this is honest, creative music. Track 11 - Wisdom, Anthony Branker & Ascent, (2009) Blessings Steve Wilson - alto saxophone, Ralph Bowen - tenor saxophone, Clifford Adams, Jr. - trombone, Bryan Carrott - vibes, Johnny King - piano, Belden Bullock - bass, Wilby Fletcher - drums, Anthony Branker - musical director I know very little about Branker, accept that he doesn’t seem to actually play on his records. That made me curious and I found out the following: In 1999, medical problems stemming from two brain aneurysms and the discovery of an AVM (arteriovenous malformation) led him to yield his trumpet playing and forced him to take a leave of absence from teaching. And while I’d have to say, that sucks, I’m glad that he’s staying active in composing and presenting this music. This was another find through the DJ experience. Track 12 - Conversion Song (Hall), Dana Hall, (2009) Into The Light Terrell Stafford - trumpet, Tim Warfield - tenor saxophone, Bruce Barth - piano, Rodney Whitaker - bass, Dana Hall - drums I was originally going to go with the title cut, but it’s very heavy on the electronics. Additionally, the day after I programmed this BFT, I heard this cut and instantly regretted not choosing it. I know little about Hall beyond what appears in this test, but I will say, this is an interesting record. It’s not a great record, but there is some really hard listening in there.

I get what you're saying, but this band (all of it) probably leans a little more towards post-bop than McCoy, though the connection is certainly there. You have nailed precisely why I included this track. The whole album is not here, but it IS creative and worth the listen. Again, precisely why this track was included. You've pegged what makes this album special for me -- sounds like they give a damn. Again, you are right on it. Tracks 11+12 give me hope that the music I love is not dead, but in fact thriving in small pockets.

Correct, Jim. I was going from memory and added a beat at the end. It is in 9. My bad.

Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart is, I believe, written in 10/4

Correct, sir!

Basically new to me. Stuff I didn't even know was out there. Sometimes, that's stuff that's 60-70 years old. In this case, it's newer than that.

Quite correct. A fun story accopanies the reveal on this one. You may know the tune, but unlikely the version. My guess is you DO know all the players. Indeed. He is not. Negative, but I'm glad it's got your mind working. This one has a great story to it. It's an album I was slow to warm up to, but it always captures my attention. A bit outside of my normal sphere. Mmmm... could be.... I will be shocked if both are not true. Agreed. You likely know some of the personnel. Was listening to another cut off this album today and it knocked me out. Perhaps I chose poorly. I will be surprised and impressed if you get this one. Glad you enjoyed, sir! Not Hutch. Definitely a name I have seen in these parts, though. The reaction is no surprise. A terrific band with terrific personnel. Unfortunately, a recording slightly off the radar. Smiling Billy is correct (and now Felser will nail it). Not Jack, but I'm sure he is an open influence. Not the guitarist's date. I can see why your ears would take you there. I think Jimmy gets less credit for his influence on the modern style. A lot of guys, I would say, have him as an influence-once-removed; he influenced someone they consider a direct influence. I mean, I WANT to... but that takes a lot of other options for a test out of play if you're trying to create a cohesive listening experience. The last track has been a pleasant discovery for me. Actually, true of 10-12.

Not Burton (though I'd LOVE to have included some of his stuff -- THE guy of his generation of tenors, IMHO). I see where the instrumentation on #4 would lead you down a Shaw path, but I don't hear the trumpet player from that side of the coin -- definitely more out of the Freddie side.

Correct tune on track 3, and you are correct that it is not Mingus. I'm wondering what you're wondering. I hear what you're hearing, and it's a good, on-point analysis. You are correct that this is someone lesser known, at least lesser known than Freddie.

Welp, since Ken has posted the answers to #183, I'll go ahead and unleash the beast for #184. Download and online player are in the usual place: http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/ There's a range in here. I expect a number of folks to do very well on this one. Hopefully, there are some surprises, as well. Good luck!

Not chancing that I'll be able to get to this later -- had a little time tonight. Don't usually sleuth but had to on a couple and had a moment. Track 01 - Not sure who we are listening to, but accent sounds French (thought it was fake at first). Thought I heard S’wonderful before Time After Time started. Busy fingers, but I’m not sold. Okay, so we’re full on medley, but I can’t give you this song. Oh, I Get a Kick Out Of You. Tea For Two. Track 02 - Sounds like a Harold Land head, but then the tenor voice sounded like Rouse on the head. Now that we’re into the improv, no idea, but it’s neither of those guys. Good ideas, but that tone doesn’t click with me. Sound of the recording reminds me of a later Don Byas record I have, but this doesn’t have the “it” that that has. Sounds like a modern recording going for that sound to me. Don’t recognize the trumpet at all. I like the piano best of the rhythm section. Drummer is kind of bugging me with his fidgeting. Nothing wrong with it, but I’m not feeling like I’d go back to it. Track 03 - Wind bass. Doesn’t seem in full agreement with the piano, though. Could be early Jackie, but I think it’s someone aiming for Jackie. These drums probably fidget just as much as the last cut, but it totally works here. Hmmm… Bill Hardman for sure. Wait a second. That’s Mal Waldron’s left-hand, so that has to be Ray Draper. It IS J-Mac! A little checking the collection and it’s track 1 from this. Man, I love Mal Waldron! Track 04 - Seven Steps To Heaven, but by whom? Nylon-string guitar. Not sure who it is. It’s busy, but it works, particularly the bass. No guess. Track 05 - It Had to be Who? Not digging the vocalist. French horn? Cut misses for me. Track 06 - I want to say Zoot, but recording sounds too new. Also the guitarist is very quote happy. Not Zoot. Good player, but I’m missing the story. Duet breakdown is cool. Track 07 - Well, it’s not by the composer, but this is from The Queen’s Suite. Sunset and the Mockingbird. Glad to hear this song covered, but man… the original is just SO incredible. These are not people I know. Track 08 - Harold Arlen tune? Uh! No. Frank Loesser. If I Were A Bell. Flyin’ vibes! Ah! Tommy Flanagan for sure! That left-hand is unmistakeable (almost as much as Waldron). Okay, sleuthing occurred — tried to think of vibists in my collection who worked with Tommy. It’s from this. Track 09 - Recognize the tune, but can’t name it. I don’t know the tenor. Some Marsh-like feel in there, but no way. More recent recording. It’s just not clicking for me. Obviously a helluva player, but I’m not feeling… “it”. Track 10 - Different sounding guitar (steel body?). Darn That Dream. And a second guitar. Second sounds like nylon-string to me. That tells me one thing for sure: I have no idea who this is. Appreciate the general, laid-back feel, though. Track 11 - Bird tune… Segment. Beyond Daryl Harper, I won’t even hazard a guess at most clarinet players. However, I do know Ed Bickert, and the association makes me think Terry Clarke (perhaps a Concord recording?). So, I’m going to hazard a guess: Ken Peplowski. Track 12 - Goodbye Porkpie Hat. Niiiiiice bari. I can name everybody it ISN’T! Loses me a bit as we move into the improv. Too choppy, not enough story. Like the sound, but disagree with the ideas. Nothing wrong with it, just a matter of preference. Porkpie in 3? Interesting. Always thought if you sped the tune up you’d have a bitchin’ Blakey tune. Track 13 - I *have* Met Miss Jones. She was NOT a Blackbird. Two bitchin’ musicians for sure. Alto sounds a bit more out of the later in-the-tradition guys than I’m familiar with. Perhaps Herb Geller? Time is pretty impressive. Not sure on the pianist. I hear the accomplishment, but I also hear some strange ideas. Track 14 - Creole Love Call. Digging this. About 2:45, it occurs to me who the alto is — gotta be Lee Konitz. I don’t have this, but I sleuthed and this explains why I like it — LOVE the ‘bone! It’s from this. Track 15 - I’m in. I’m ALL in. Can’t tell if this is one piano, or a looped piano. My first thought was Ibrahim, but it’s way too agressive. I’m diggin’ it, though. Going with looped. It's cool, but doesn't quite swing. Some neat stuff in here!

Thank you!

Trouble Finds Me by Ross MacDonald

Do you have the dates on Amherst?

I have a chart for Croquet Ballet (that blew my mind, and showed how bad my transcription sucked!). I've learned Priestess, but never wrote it out. Another great tune. That guy has magic when he writes.

Love this answer, but I'll be more specific: There's a Small Hotel, Soon, Isn't It Romantic Also, Wives and Lovers, anything by Billy Harper, anything by Pharoah Sanders... basically, please just give me a hip audience. (Recently ended a set with Pharoah's Greetings To Idris, and as we were breaking down, sound guy put on a live recording of You Gotta Have Freedom that I was not familiar with. That's a good night.

Body & Soul, Recordame, Blue Bossa, All of Me. Leave the chestnuts in the bulk food section, please.

Chuck Berry, Maybelline.

Yeah, I'm 64, and go through frequent bouts of "I used to know that..." such as with the great Paul Horn cut on #5, sports knowledge, history, passwords, names of people I see in hallways at work (very large company and I've been here 38 years) all sorts of things. A friend recently gave me input from his doctor: Forgetting your keys is not Alzheimer's. Forgetting what the keys are for? Might be time to call somebody.

Very listenable BFT. Thanks! Track 01 - When Did You Leave Heaven? But who by? A touch of Hartman, a touch of Eckstine, but it’s neither. Track 02 - You Don’t Know What Love Is on what sounds like an upright piano. Not someone I’m familiar with (at least not solo). Can’t decide if I like this or not. Track 03 - Like the feel of this. Almost childlike, but a groove all the same. Needle drop. I want him to play something that makes me commit to Jug… or play a Yusef lick so I commit that way. But he just won’t. I’ll commit to Jug and be wrong. I want a WHOLE lot more of this. Not up on my nylon-string guitarists. Oooo… tasty piano. Maybe Hugh Lawson? Track 04 - Minimalist composition. :D. Last tune made something out of nothing. This one seems to be trying to make too much out of nothing. I don’t know the players. Track 05 - More needle drop. Ah! Yes! I was going to say something from Checkmate, but there’s Paul Horn. Mr. Bond. SUCH a cool tune. I believe it’s the version from this. I think this was in a BFT not too long ago and I found myself getting very into Paul Horn afterward. This is a great track. Track 06 - Vocalist is very familiar. I’m thinking maybe someone I’m more familiar with in the pop realm? No. Maybe Abbey Lincoln? Tune “Something To Remember You By”. Track 07 - Love the vibes. A bit of Buddy Tate in the tenor, but not him. Very nice. Track 08 - Gee Baby, Ain’t I Confused Because It’s Not Who I Thought It was (The Three Sounds). Nothing earth shattering or new here, just a good cover of a classic tune. Track 09 - No idea. Doesn’t really click for me, but it fits into the program. After perusing the thread -- SHAME ON ME!!!! Gotta stop listening on the laptop speakers. Mising Curtis Amy is unforgiveable. Missing Bean and Bags is sacrilege. I suck so bad I shouldn't even call myself a fan.

We have had some requests for a written directions for preparing the Blindfold Tests. Setting up a blindfold test: Choose your songs, and rip them to MP3 or record them to a CD-R. CD-R: This will automatically strip the song info and is the easiest way. Then mail the disc (I will provide my mailing address on request via a private message). MP3: Please strip the song info (metadata) so the songs are not identifiable to the listener. You can do this in most MP3 management programs (iTunes), or you can use a tag stripper (that’s the name of the program). I check them before I share them, but if you strip them first, I get to take the test. If you don’t, I can’t. Please name the tracks in the following manner: Track01.mp3, Track02.mp3, etc. No spaces, and zeroes before numbers 1-9. This is so they will appear in the correct order in the online player. If you don’t do this, I have to rename the files or the test doesn’t play in the correct order. It sounds like a small thing, but it is actually quiet time consuming. Getting me your MP3 files. There is one acceptable method. If it’s one you’re not comfortable with, you will need to burn me a disc. Files can be uploaded directly to my server using an FTP program (Filezilla, Cyberduck, etc.). Filezilla is open source with no crap involved (it’s a save download) directly from Mozzilla. I get it if you don’t want to have to download something (really, I do), but you will then need to burn a disc and send via mail. I’m happy to host the tests, but I can’t do it as a part-time job, so these are the only acceptable methods of transferring the test moving forward. Thank you for understanding.

Well, shoot! I wanted to guess Bean on Track 1, but it seemed like an easy out guess. I was thinking Elvin with Yusef, but it just didn't make any sense to me. That's what I get for playing it cautious.

Apologies -- meant to get to this on stacation last week, but just didn't have time. A lot here I have no clue on, but all worth a listen. Can't explain the weird formatting -- chromebook copies the background from the Sticky Note program and fouls up the formatting. Track 01 - Tenor Madness, but by the sounds, predating that title. An older bari who plays exactly the style I do not like on the instrument. First trumpeter lacks the facility for the range in which he is playing, to my ear. Second presents a more thoughtful statement. No clue on the rhythm section. Not sure on the alto. Maybe VERY early Sonny Criss. Big, bruising tenor that I cannot identify. Track 02 - No idea, no guesses. Track 03 - Early on I thought I heard shades of Rob Brown in the alto, but it's not him. They were listening, I'll say that. Track 04 - Not a style I listen to much, though it's in the collection. This cooks. Could be Bechet. Track 05 - Yusef. Not sure what the recording is, but that's gotta be the big man. Track 06 - No idea. Someone I'm not familiar with. Seems like a more classically oriented Noah Howard. Track 07 - Very much in the KC style but no realistic guess as to the leader. My mind hears Basie, but I know I'm wrong. Track 08 - Afro Blue. Has the air of an Allman Brothers show. No idea who it is. Track 09 - No idea. Growly, bluesy alto. Track 10 - No idea. Track 11 - Good ol' church Jazz. Me likey. In the style of Phineas, but not him. Snappy drums, but the piano doesn't maintain interest as it goes on. Track 12 - One way out, couldn't fathom who by. A fun ride.