tkeith

Yay Jeff!!!!

Good point, I guess "easy" is relative to taste, but I was thinking more in terms of the players.

Well, until we can get those files fixed, it's available to hear online at my blindfold test site. Just click the link, then scroll down to "Blindfold Test 75", click the folder, and you can click the tracks from there.

Gah! Curse Microsoft!!!!! Big Al, can you hook a brother up and mail the zips back to me? I'll take down the zip for now.

Jim, can you PM me with what information you saw? I've checked the files by looking at their info, checked the id3 tags in iTunes and downloaded a tag editor, and I'm only seeing the generic information I put in there.

Not sure what to say, Jim. I DL'd it and unzipped and I have no tags showing in iTunes. Not sure what else I can do to "wipe" them.

Should be, Jim. I was able to download it, but I haven't unzipped it and verified it.

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

Al, preCISEly what I thought when I saw the message asking about where the BFT was! It's done and uploading as I type, but Comcast sucks, so it's been a slow process. For giggles and laughs, here is the link to the Blindfold Tests page on my website. Just navigate to the Blindfold Test 75 folder in the player, click, and you can play the tracks. Or, if you're not impatient, you can download it here (hopefully by 7PM GMT-5). Man, I listened to this, and I have to say I'm diggin' it. I didn't intentionally make it difficult, but there are definitely some that will be tough to get. A few obscurities, a few obvious ones, and hopefully stuff that makes your ears smile. Enjoy!

Alrighty, then... who's in? Please let me know here and let me know your desired method of listening: Download Online through a media player (a link) If you prefer a disc, it'll be a huge help if you download and burn. If you're unable, I'll cope, but you may be waiting for the disc for a bit.

A quick check of the list shows me this is on me. I'll have that up tonight. Sorry 'bout that. I'd prefer to do downloads and/or live listens. Either way, I'll start the thread when I get home from work.

Not much to offer on this one. Just threw out what I could -- feel bad about tanking on the second half of last month, but time has not been on my side. 1 - Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. Some shades of Maceo and DDBB. I'd guess the latter. 2 - 'Scuse me while I pour a Courvoisier. Or maybe Isaac can pour it for me. That's some serious reverb on that trumpet. Harold Land on tenor. Kind of like Jimmy Stewart appearing in a Lassie movie. 3 - More harsh reverb. Sounds a bit like Sonny Criss on alto to me. Now it's losing that feel. I'm going to be surprised by who the alto player is. No clue on the organ. 4 - Ain't Misbehavin', but no clue who it is. 5 - No clues. May recognize the tune, but it's not holding my interest. 6 - Holy mother of reverb infested vibrato. No idea. 7 - Green Onions. No clue. 8 - Can't remember the name of this -- learned this when I was a kid watching a guy play lead in the Seacoast Big Band... that dude is still around and still blowing his ass off, too. Arrangement is Earlandesque. Not sure on the alto -- again, the compression/reverb is killing me. 9 - Devoid of clues. 10 - Awkward arrangement of Night Train. Not really grabbing me. Almost sounds like it's either overdubbed or in the rehearsal stages. I generally take to this sort of thing, but this one didn't reach me. 11 - No idea. Can't really explain this other than to say the musicianship is missing. Tenor player is very scoopy, like a rock player. I assume it's South African due to the feel and the instrumentation, but it just doesn't grab me. 12 - Maiden Voyage. Lesser player trying to play like George Coleman. Big sound, at times tends to rush his lines a bit, a la Jimmy Heath, but it's not him. Second guy actually sounds a lot like George, but not as polished. 13 - No idea. 14 - No idea. 15 - No idea (finishing strong). Bonus B1 - Wailing alto, no clue. B2 - Attitude reminds me of Denise LaSalle, but no idea. Make a nice companion to Cleanhead's "She has it, she's got it, she sits right on it, she just won't give it away." B3 - Yikes. Gruesome. All the happiness is gone from this song. I like the tenor. Could be a subdued George Coleman, but definitely a Jazz guy and a bigger core than George. B4 - Totally lacking clues.

Finally got to listen to disc 1 -- way behind this month. I dug most of this a lot. It kind of lost steam at the end of disc 1. 1 - aaaah... Peter Schickele? 2 - Well, some old fart must've turned 40. 3 - Groovy. No idea, but fun. 4 - Again, no idea, but fun. So far this encompasses an entire segment of the genre that I'm woefully ignorant of, but I like it. 5 - Very much digging this. In a weird way, the drums remind me of a tune on Pharoah's album PHAROAH on India Navigation. 6 - That bass is killing me. Hate that sound. Otherwise, I'm much digging this track. I'll throw out the guess of Bernard Purdie on drums. Organ seems too tame to be Groove, but seems a lot like one of his 70s recordings. 7 - Stanley Turrentine on tenor, got that right away. I guess I could pretty safely guess BP on drums again. 8 - That was like George W. on a bender -- clueless, but fun. 9 - This is tasty. Maybe something from George Braith? Dunno. Recognize the alto, but... can't peg it. At times, there are ideas that have me thinking James Spaulding, but the tone is wrong. At times, there's some Carl Grubbs in there, but seems to constrained to be him. 10 - Chops to spare. Not entirely sure who it is, but a very clean sound. Heavy vibrato, so I'm guessing an older guy. This is plain fun. 11 - This one is just too flowery for my tastes. Sounds like a soundtrack to a movie I'm guiltily watching because I'm too vegetative to do anything else. Or waiting to have my teeth drilled. 12 - No clue. Pass, though... a strained oblique makes it painful for me to have my right arm raised, finger pointed, as I shake my hips....

Hook a brother up -- download, please.

Wow! Lots of surprises in here. This is the second consecutive BFT where I bashed Sam Rivers, and I LOVE Sam Rivers. Weird. Some very nice surprises in here -- methinks Daddy's going shopping! Thanks Doc!

Al, just realized in my haste to be a smart ass I never stated -- I'd like a download, please.

Bigness -- welcome to the hell of your fourth decade. It truly sucks. Count me in for the BFT, and don't break a hip.

DrJ -- Thanks for a great BFT! Just a note, there seems to be some information on each of these tracks, but I'm covering it up while I listen. Got "That Was Close" on the first cut. Otherwise, no peaking. Typically I listen once, but several tunes on this one had my going back for multiple listens. Overall, one of the more enjoyable BFTs in awhile -- a little something to please everybody. Disc1 Track 1 - No idea, but very enjoyable. Track 2 - This cooks, but there's something about it that is lacking, and it was omnipresent in the first cut. There's a rawness in that first cut that I'm just not hearing in this cut. It seems to want for a dose of the blues. Tenor is very familiar. A bit like Billy Pierce, but somebody definitely out of that Joe Henderson school -- maybe a bit too much. Could be later Joe, I suppose. The recording is hyper-compressed, and that's a factor in identifying the wound. I'm going to go with Joe -- it almost HAS to be. The rhythm section isn't doing anything for me. Maybe Joey Calderazzo on piano? Sounds like somebody post-John Hicks to me. The flavors are there, but not the taste. The whole tune is technically proficient and correct in every way, but just doesn't make me care. I'm not crazy about the guitar, but I'll give him props for having a more pure sound than most guys. Seems like everybody wants to be Ben Monder nowadays. Track 3 - No clue; pleasant, but didn't make a lasting impression. Track 4 - I like odd meter, but this seems trying to impose an odd meter over four not out of any inspiration. Tenor sound shows signs of Shepp, but lacks his balls. Makes me want to say Heinz Sauer, but seems to lack Heinz' technical proficiency. Nice ideas, but I'm not fully buying it. Could be later Benny Golson, but again, seems to lack the polish of his technique. I'll go with Benny. Not sure of the trumpet, very brassy sound. This seems like it should fire, but it's just not going there. Hmm... the Manteca quote is throwing me off -- doesn't seem like something Golson would do. I'm almost thinking someone more in the Bergonzi vein. Rhythm section strikes me as one of those mid-90s Golson bands, though. Track 5 - I like this. Chords sound like Andrew Hill right off the bat. Tenor is working hard. I like him a lot, but almost because he doesn't quite seem to be pulling off what he's trying. Touches of Shorter, but the not-complete polish is more like Harold Vick. I don't think it's either. I like this guy a lot. That sounds like Freddie to me. The recording sounds like it wants that Blue Note sound. Had it on the laptop speakers, less on the headphones. Could that be Joe Farrell on tenor? Sounds like a pissed off Shorter, which is usually when I like him most. It's not Gilmore, so that rules out most of the Hubbard/Hill stuff I know of. I'll stick with Freddie on trumpet. I'm sticking with Andrew Hill on piano. Drums are confounding... touches of Billy Higgins, but it's not him. Maybe Joe Chambers? This has to be an Andrew Hill date -- that's got to be his tune. I had a Liberty era Blue Note (those horrible white covers with a picture that had nothing to do with the music) when I was a kid... forget the name. Is this that? No, that was Tolliver. Electric bass... hmmm.. Perhaps this is a later Hill date with younger guys? I'm perplexed, but I MUST have this if I don't already. Very intrigued. I'll stand by guesses of Hubbard, Hill and Chambers. Maybe Richard Davis on bass? It's not Sam Rivers on tenor, sound is too inside. MAN! This is killing me! (on my fourth listen!) Track 6 - I know this piano player, but I'm not placing him. There's a pattern he's playing that reminds me of Austin Crowe, but it couldn't possibly be him. Very interested to learn who this is. The recording cut out during the fours, so I have no guesses to the drummer. Track 7 - Skylark. Trumpet has that fat sound with the affected vibrato that makes me think of Ruby Braff. Not sure of the bari player, but he's so relaxed I think he may be asleep. That takes superior control to play the big horn that quietly. I know Chaloff could do it, but that'd just be a guess. Track 8 - Hmmm... I'm liking it, but can't decide if it's an early recording of an established avant garde guy like Frank Lowe, or if it's an inside leaning guy playing out (and doing so very well). The ideas almost suggest David S. Ware, but the tone seems wrong, though it could be early David with Cecil Taylor. Ah! It *is* early David S. Ware! Sounds like Raphe Malik on trumpet, so I'm going to say this is Cecil's band, but I don't know what the recording is. I don't care -- I dig it! Serious drums... heavy handed, almost like Rashid Ali, but not quite THAT heavy. The feel of this is a lot like Cyrille's Metamusicians' Stomp, but those drums are way too aggressive for Cyrille. Man, I cannot WAIT for this reveal!!!! Track 9 - Love the segue. Seriously, it's PERFECT! Man, this is just fun. I could spend all Sunday listening to this -- don't even take a set break, just go get a drink while the next guy solos; don't pick up the pace, don't play me a standard or a ballad, just keep it going. I'm definitely guilty of making this comparison too much here, but there something in that piano that has me hearing shades Jimmy Jones. Second trumpet sounds like Ruby Braff again. That tenor seems a striking amount like Buddy Tate. Is this from Buck meets Ruby? Hmm... now the tenor has shades of Lucky Thompson... shit! Sounds like Ruby again... what's the record with Lucky? A John Hammond date... damn! I give. I'm going to go with my first guess of Buck & Buddy and say Jimmy Jones on piano and Buddy Tate on tenor. Could that have been Edmund Hall on clarinet? Track 10 - Nice voice. A bit of a poppy arrangement. No clue. I was going to say Chris Connor, but I like the voice better. Track 11 - Sounds like Stanley Cowell's piano voicings. Argh -- electric bass... I'm guessing the guitarist's record because he's very up front in the mix and the horns are in the back. This reminds me a bit of some of Nate Morgan's stuff, but with more polish. I prefer the rawness of Morgan. The more soprano I hear, the less of it I want to. Since Lacy's passing Jesse Sharps is about the only guy that holds my interest on that horn. No idea on the trumpet. Somebody inspired by Woody Shaw. I like the 'bone; shades of Craig Harris, but seems to spend too much time in the mid-range of the horn for that to be right. Maybe Dick Griffin, but seems to be a shade more into technique than that. Not Cowell... somebody very hooked on McCoy. I'd enjoy him more if you cut off one of his hands. In fact, there's spots where the right hand sounds a bit like John Hicks, but the left hand is all wrong. I like busy piano and a hard hand, but this guy is just making noise. Yeah, he's lost me. Track 12 - Right away, I like this. Something in the guy's touch. It stays too tame, but I think that's its intent. No idea on the trumpet, but really enjoy the piano. It's reminiscent of some of Art Farmer's later stuff in it's mellowness, but it didn't really resonate with me. Disc 2 Track 1 - Billie's Bounce a la dissonance. I'm guessing either overdubbed, or two pianos; I'm leaning towards overdubbed because I'm not really hearing two personalities. Doesn't quite hit me where it's trying to. Huh... live, guess it wasn't overdubbed. No clue. Track 2 - Heavy on the arrangement. Sounds like Phil Woods from the 80s, and/or a lot of Cannonball. That leads me to guess Jim Snidero. This is my least favorite Jazz period -- mid-80s (inside) to miid-90s. The avant garde stuff of that period appeals to me, but the vast majority of the in-the-tradition stuff just leaves me cold. This is perfect in it's technique, but it just doesn't SAY anything to me. Track 3 - Shoot... that tune... is it Horace Silver? I love that song... damnit! What is it!? Joe Henderson? I like this, but I'm distracted by my inability to identify the tune. AH!!!!! Nardis!!!!! Man, that hurt! Track 4 - This is odd, but I'm liking it. That's not a guitar sound I usually like, but the combination of the nylon guitar and whatever is making that deep drone is working for me. I like the bass. The guitar is grating on me the more I listen. There we go, there's that sound again -- I guess it's from the nylon string guitar. Overall, I like this a lot -- it's creative while staying mainly in the tradition. Lead guitar effects are a bit overdone, but I like the tune -- just needs some sweet bari sax!!!! I'm hearing some Billy Higgins on those drums -- is that possible? Wish it didn't fade, that could go on for awhile quite nicely. Track 5 - Huh... sounds like Rosemary Clooney to me, but that's nothing more than an uneducated guess. Tenor is familiar but not to a point I'm confident hazarding a guess. Track 6 - I assume this is a private recording, because I can hear the audience very well. Very clean recording, though -- probably done by, or with permission of, the musicians. I'm guessing it's the tenor player's tune, he's more precise with the rhythm than the trumpet. Man, that drummer is *tight*! More shades of Golson, but doesn't quite hold that line. I'm going to take a wild guess of Lew Tabackin on a VERY good night. Drummer reminds me of one of Horace Silver's guys... Roger Humphries or somebody like that. In fact, is this a Horace tune? Perhaps that's it. Pretty burnin' cut. Track 7 - This one just misses me. Nothing wrong with it, just doesn't hit me. If Jimmy Rushing jumped in and started wailing, I'd be all over it. Without it, just sounds too Les Paul-ish. Track 8 - Like this immediately. The tenor's tone was very much shades of Albert Ayler on the intro. But then the rhythm kicks in and shows that I'm nuts. Love this. Tenor has a touch of Bobby Jones in there, too. Tone is a bit like J.R., but too aggressive in his approach. Time-wise it seems to fall in between those two guys. I'm stumped. Track 9 - Newer, can tell by the drums. They mic every little piece of the kit now and it ruins the subtly of the instrument. The harmonies of the horns don't strike me much, but the interplay sections are beautiful. Those drums are just... blah. No life in them. Piano just isn't reaching me -- just suffered a power yawn that could pull a muscle. Sounds like Kenny Garrett on alto. I'm sorry, but this song could have been 4 minutes. Track 10 - I'm Getting Sentimental Over You. Something about the phrasing says Kenny Barron to me. I'll say it's this. Track 11 - Yeah Baby! That's this. Love this guy. My all-time favorite take on this WAY overdone tune. Got to see him live a few years back two nights in a row. Man, this guy is IT! Finally nailed one on this damned test! Track 12 - I'm a sucker for Rhodes, particularly in this setting. This reminds me of a video I once saw with Michael White, but I have no idea if it's him. It's not Billy Bang or Urbaniak, so it certainly could be him. This is like a big yummy pie of 70s -- tasty! No clue, but I like this a lot. Track 13 - Nice warm alto sound. Too short! Beautiful. Again, really enjoyed this BFT, even the stuff I didn't enjoy as much. Thanks!

I was going to ask the same question! MG MG, would it be bad form for you or me to start the discussion thread?

Yo! Where the discussion thread at?

Absolutely shocked I missed Sam Rivers. GOT to be my speakers. I've never had THAT reaction to THAT guy. Have to give that another listen for sure. Some real surprises. I guess I like Freddie more than I realize. I should have gotten Persip, and I'm ashamed of myself.

Sorry for the delay -- started early, then got crazy busy. Only one listen, not much luck. Track 1 - Clueless. No impression either way. Track 2 - Clueless, reaction is not positive. It was interesting at first, but then it just bugged me. The strings are just shrill and whiny. Track 3 - Don't know what it is, but we're getting closer. The sound is very difficult on the really old recordings, but I like the feel of this. Track 4 - Don't know, seems standard good for the period, but made no other lasting impression. Track 5 - I like this right away. Melancholy Baby if I'm not mistaken -- it was at least quoted. Sounds like that guy with the puffy cheeks on trumpet , but I don't think it is. No idea on the clarinet. I like it, but wouldn't be in the regular rotation. Track 6 - I can only guess maybe Kenton. I can't think of anyone doing something this abstract for the time period off the top of my head. I was dubious during the intro, but it's a very nice melody, and the band is really solid. Very nice, no idea who is playing. Track 7 - Now we're getting into my era. Very Ornette inspired. Man, I'm all over this like chocolate cake drizzled in fresh whipped cream. Much love. Lovin' the bone, and that drummer is kicking everybody's ass. I MUST have this. Seems too early to be Hemphill, but that's who the alto reminds me of. Track 8 - Very Bitches Brew inspired. Not Miles. Definitely Joe Henderson. Sounds like Stanley Clarke on bass. Tastily 70s, but Joe never struck me as much in this sort of stuff as he does in the Blue Note stuff. Hmm... could also be Cecil McBee on bass -- seems more musical and less flashy than Clarke. Track 9 - Really despise this sort of over-effects guitar. No idea, just not my bag at all. If it were calling itself rock, I might dig it more -- as Jazz, I'll pass. Track 10 - Not a fan of the tenor player. Sounds like an inside guy trying to play out, but I'm not really buying it. Sounds like he likes Dewey Redman a lot, and maybe David S. Ware, but lacks the balls of either guy. Maybe it's my speakers -- I want to like him more as it goes on, but I'm just not sure about how he gets there. I like the 'bone player. The tune never really seems to decide where it's going. It's something I'll listen to again, but I don't think it'll make the final cut. Track 11 - Interesting use of vocals. Not sure how I feel about the band, but I like the chart. This is going in a lot of directions -- not sure they all tie in but I like it. No clue on the bone, or anybody else for that matter, but it works for me. Very reminiscent of some of the Hieroglyphics Orchestra stuff. Track 12 - How High The Moon... not sure of the vocalist -- sounds a bit like Billy Eckstine, but the vibrato is way over the top. The second part sounds like Roy Eldridge on trumpet, I don't know of this pairing happening, but it sounds like Warne Marshe to me on tenor. Could make it a JATP session with Getz. Track 13 - Von Freeman on tenor. Not sure on the others. Track 14 - The Song Is You. Sounds a bit like Philly Joe on drums. Trumpet is a bitch. Tenor sounds like George Coleman, only weaker. Maybe more like Cal Massey. Don't know -- I know I don't have it, though. Thanks for putting this together, as it wore on, there was a lot of stuff to perk my ears.

Al, the Greatest Hits might be fun, if it doesn't put you out. At the same time, I'm willing to step in in a pinch if need be, just let me know.

Count me in, brothah!

Speaking as a Yankee fan, I HATE it- that guy is a certified Yankee killer. Good pick up for the Bosox. I just hope he can stay healthy. I really thought they might be seriously considering moving thigh-high to SS and signing Orlando Hudson. Glad they didn't, but I also don't know that Scutaro is the answer to the WS recipe. But it's a helluva lot closer than Julio Friggin' Lugo.