tkeith

Yeah, Dad took this privately (he's not comfortable posting here). He did note quite as well as Jim, and to my surprise, missed #10 (he's the one who introduced it to me and we've spoken about it at length). His comment was, "Ellington tune not Ellington." #AnyGivenSunday

Yep. Figured maybe I could spike the punch and see what happens.

Gotten mighty quiet in here...

Perfectly stated.

I was a little hung-up about them when I realized they were more producer-driven, but something about it just works. Fair. You are, of course, correct on 6 and 8. 11 will surprise people at the reveal. I did have a moment's pause about Hank, but decided to stick with my original choices (that was one of the first 3 tracks I chose for this year's BFT). Correct, sir! Glad to hear it. Sorry 1 & 2 missed.

It would be, but not for the reason you think. Correct ID, but you can't have my copy.

You've got 3-out-of-4 personnel, but that's not the tune. Track 2 -- 2-for-2. Track 3 -- spot on. Spot on! I am out of my league. Of course, you nailed it. Glad that this hits for you, because inclusion of this was a struggle, particularly with your reaction in mind. #score! And, now it does. Egad. You are, of course, correct. Yes, you do.

Alrighty! Traveling, so I'm going to apologize in advance if things are wonky -- I'll fix by the 4th (browsing on tiny screens is awful enough, but trying to deal with code is an absolute friggin' nightmare!). This month's test has no specific theme other than I did what several others did and chose stuff that crossed my radar or made an impression over the past year. There are some gimmes, there are some that may be very difficult. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to lay your ears upon this collection and attempt to identify what you can. What you cannot, feel free to provide your impressions. Good luck, we're all counting on you. https://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/

Sounds like you need to retire, bud. Tell 'em I said so.

Okay, it's neither Murray nor Carter. Sounds closer to Ehlrich than Maupin.

Okay, worth a shot, since this is really what led me to try and figure this stuff out. Most of my Ra is digital (meaning minimal information), and I'm trying to ID this song.

Found a version on Youtube (somehow more complete than mine, suggesting my copy is probably a boot, damnit) with the date. It's 11/2. Watching now, and sure enough, there's Mr. Gale.

Well, I appreciate that a great deal. I knew Eddie and didn't recognize him, so you've given me extra reason to watch again! Nice!

Hmmm. Okay, not Nov 3, then. Can verify for sure Michael Ray, Ahmed Abdullah, James Jacson, Tyrone Hill, Buster Smith and - of course - Marshall and Gilmore. Not sure of the bari player -- thinking Charles Davis (also plays tenor). Might be Jothan Callins on electric bass, but I can't tell for sure. This is the video: LIVE IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – THE FIRST & SECOND CONCERTS – 1991 CONCERT – SUN RA VOLUME 6 – TRANSPARENCY DVD TR-0175 But the sleeve is missing, so I have no info. I stand correct -- just found picture of bari/tenor, it's Ronald Wilson.

Yes, but I wasn't quite sure enough to commit. Could certainly be Killgo, though, on a re-listen.

There is not, that I can find, but judging by the setlist, likely the 3rd. Ra is definitely there (and definitely not well).

Just replaced our 25 year old DVD player with one that actually plays the videos. For a test run, I put in Sun Ra Volume 6, Live in Oakland, CA, 1991. Horrible sound/footage, but MAN is the band killin'! Sadly, I can't ID everybody -- anybody shed some light here?

Lousy weather here in the northeast, so got the chance to lay ears on this. It was a rough start, but from four on, I'm diggin' it. track 01 - They're tight, but maybe too tight. Incredible musicianship at play here, but I'm not sure I'm convinced by it. I really want to hear the reins come off. Even so, there's a lot going on here and it's executed flawlessly. At around 3:15 when it sort of opens, it actually loses a step. I want to like this more than I do. I'll have to settle for impressed by the musicianship. I can explain exactly what's missing for me -- this could very well have been multi-tracked by one musician. The precision is impressive, but the core is just not there for me. track 02 - This is highly technical but nowhere near as well executed as the previous cut. It's not clean enough to match what the last cut achieves, and lacks that same core that would make the looseness work. Braxton, maybe? Nope, as it gets going he actually manages to swing -- Braxton never seems to get to that point. This gets better as it goes (that head is atrocious), and by 2 minute mark, I'm actually enjoying it. The drum bass duet is interesting, but not sure if it hits. Something Han Bennink about the drummer. Sounds like they're going for the Elvin-Steve Davis feel on Summertime, but not quite there (hey, who CAN get there!?!) European group? track 03 - At 1:30, and I have to ask, does this GO somewhere? Never mind, I don't care. #hardpass track 04 - Wait! What's this? Rhythm, melody, form... this is more like it. I guess I'm just old, because I like this a lot. Okay, so Mobley. Not Woody, not Lee... not Donald Byrd... not Blue Mitchell... Dizzy Reece? Not Billy Higgins. Drummer is snappy, but I can't get to him. Not Curtis. Not JJ. Ah! Slide! Okay, after sleuthing (and I don't believe I have this), it's track 2 from this. Shame on me for the drummer. track 05 - Like it. Not sure on the drummer... could be DeJohnette. Wait, that's Steve Lacy. Is that Potts? Sounds edgier than him. I want the guys from the first two tracks to listen to this. Is that two basses or is one of those a cello? I've got a ton of Lacy, but I really have to have my head there to listen. I assume this is the Lacy 5 band, but can't swear what. But, MAN, do these folks LISTEN! Ah! Live explains much. track 06- More live! Excellent! Sounds like Cannonball and Art Pepper had a kid. Maybe Andrew White? Something about those reckless runs has me feeling good about that guess. Drums and bass cook, pianist doesn't seem quite to their level, but still holds it together. That could certainly be Novosel. track 07 - Sounds like Ed Blackwell. That's not Cherry. There's something immaculate about this recording. Seems like all parts of it are perfectly balanced. I'm not positive about Blackwell, but that's where I'm leaning. Great bass hook. track 08 - A lot to unpack here. That trumpet sounds like it has effects on it. 5/4 with a Miles' feel. Bass clari, okay, that explains why my skin wasn't crawling at the sound of the clarinet (that's for Tim). This has to be live, doesn't it? Has that electric feel you only get from live music. I saw a bass clarinet player in Montreal who played like this (Mathieu Belanger), but the rest of the band was way more tame. This is burning throughout. Ah, yes to live. No idea on any of these guys, but I like this bunches. track 09 - Needle drop into reggae... classy. Is that a melodica lead? No idea, but this is cool. Thanks for the sounds!

90% of this was right in the happy zone. Track 01 - I’ll never not think of the Scottish kid in a college music class, please read with the appropriate accent: “When Dean Hage was here, he talked about how his wife always cries when she hears Amazing Grace on the bagpipes. I cry too, but it’s not ‘cause I like ‘em.” This was very cool. No idea who it is. Track 02 - Makin’ Whoopee, sure sounds like Fathead. A little sleuthing shows me nothing, but those triplets surrounding the note have me feeling pretty confident that it’s David. Could certainly be Ray on piano. Track 03 - Someone to Watch Over Me, but not sure whose eyes they are. Pleasant enough, not sure I’d spin it on the regular. Track 04 - I’ve got this under my skin in the first 30 seconds. I wouldn’t think of doing this song this way, but it certainly works. Sounds like an upright piano to me. That could be a clue, but alas, it is not (for me). Track 05 - Interesting. There was something decidedly Monkish about the previous cut, and here is Misterioso, no? A neat crossover. No clue who we are dealing with. Also, are they just blending Misterioso with another tune? (and/or just borrowing the theme) Track 06 - This whole song went by without my realizing it as I was looking at printer inks. On second play, I know why. First, electric bass. Second, just doesn’t feel like it goes anywhere. Too obtrusive for background music, but doesn’t really grab my attention for listening. Track 07 - No idea, but I like. Harmony is similar to My Heart Belongs To Daddy and something else, but my brain is not cooperating. I know that tenor. Perhaps Harold Land? I really want to hear the percussion cut loose, otherwise, completely digging this. Track 08 - If I *don’t* have this, I should. Tin Tin Deo, but who? Marimba that could be Bobby. I don’t think this is Dizzy, but I’ll wait for the solo to commit to that idea. Hmm… not Bobby. Difficult to ID tenor with the bad sound, but the lines could certainly be Getz. Could be Dizzy, but can’t tell from this. Track 09 - Busy arrangement. Maybe Teddy Edwards on tenor? I think so. Trombone doesn’t quite fit in with what the rhythm section is doing, or vice versa. Alto doesn’t work for me. Seems like a blues guy playing jazz. Worth it for the tenor, but otherwise kind of misses for me. Track 10 - No idea, but this growler swings his ass off. Feel over technique — I’ll take that all day long. Track 11 - I’ll get none of these people, I can only say who it’s not. But I’ll take an extra helping of this. Track 12 - So, definitely Wayne. Sounds like Andrew Hill to me on piano, but less so in the solo (so maybe it’s just that Blue Note thing). Combing through my Shorter collection, I’m not finding it. So, either obscure Wayne as leader or as a sideman getting the spotlight. Track 13 - The Very Thought of You. A mellow-toned tenor… not one I’m overly familiar with. Nothing ground-breaking, but quite enjoyable. Love the piano. Something almost Buck Hill-ish about the tenor, but think this player might be a notch or two on the plus side of Buck (pretty good neighborhood!). Descending pattern at about 4:20 seems VERY identifying, but I can’t pull out a name. Track 14 - On A Clear Day I can see Eddie Harris’ house. Not Eddie, but a very thin toned… sounds like an alto. I think I’d enjoy this more if it wasn’t recorded on a Fisher-Price sound board. Chops to spare. No guesses. Track 15 - Sounds like the bands that did the MMO series way back. Very enjoyable cut. Not sure on the singer. Track 16 - Reminds me of an Ellington tune (from youth), but can’t say what it is. Again, enjoying it thoroughly. So basically, ID’d next-to-nothing, but enjoyed the ride.

Oh, MB can play, he just can't make me care.

Did this test just before the board went down. Now that it's back, I decided to do something I never do and started reading the other posts, simply because my reaction to this was what it was. Seems my reaction is a partial outlier (Felser got to my neighborhood after a few tunes), but after I read MJZEE's post, I decided to just post my original content. Apologies in advance for being a curmudgeon. Well, part of the idea behind a BFT is to hear music you don't ordinarily listen to. This was definitely that. As a kid, Wednesdays school let out at noon for teacher workshop days (which, as an adult, I would come to realize was NOT a positive thing, but rather typically a complete waste of time that everybody hated -- prep time would have been far more valuable, but I digress), so I would go to my grandparent's until my mother got out of work. She'd have on WHOM, "Beautiful music from the top of Mt. Washington," was what they billed it as. It was Muzak. She had taste, including a fairly decent record collection (Basie, Ellington, Lockjaw, Stan Kenton, Illinois Jacquet) and I remember asking her, "Do you like this?" "It's pretty," was her non-committal response. While I don't wish to kick anyones taste, that's what this BFT conjured in my memory. It was not a highlight of my youth. With age, I'm trying to park some of my negativity. I keep channeling the words of saxophonist Matt Langley, "We [Jazz guys] make up about 2% of the listening population, do we have to argue about it?" He had a point, but I still can't stand Michael Brecker. So, my lack of deep comments is an attempt to strand some of my negative reactions in the parking lot. Track 01 - Nothing really here for me, no idea what I'm listening to, but it's too clean, to the point of not holding my interest. Track 02 - There was a time I wanted a lyricon in the 80s. Had a recording of Tom Scott playing it, and thought it was neat. I was 12. By age 13, I'd sold the record and lost interest in the idea. This doesn't rekindle it (and I assume this is EWI, the digital equivalent). Track 03 - I was hopeful this was going to be Sonny Fortune. It may be a poorly recorded Cecil McBee on bass. The tune sounds very familiar, but with the solos, I got nothin'. Wondering if it's someone I don't know covering a tune I somewhat know. I don't mind the trumpet player, but can only offer a list of who it is not. Not Fortune. Perhaps a Grubbs brother? Track 04 - I want this to be a semi-hip cover of Do You Know The Way To San Jose. Sadly, it is not. This is the track that really brought me back to Wednesday afternoons. Track 05 - I want to like this, but it's crossing too many eras, and I'd prefer any of them to the mix. Maybe Shorty Rogers? Track 06 - Not an era that appeals to me. I've developed a respect for it (as I have with even certain rock music, because it's its own thing and NONE of it is *easy*), but can't listen to it for long. Track 07 - Ditto. Track 08 - There's a lot I don't gel with here. West coastie feel, with strings on top, and an absence of the way I hear swing. Okay as film music, but I can't sit here and just listen (though I did, twice, albeit unhappily). Track 09 - Song actually sounds very familiar, but I just can't get to this. Track 10 - No. I can't fit into my leisure suite anymore. Could be Gato from the period I don't get to. Track 11 - Kind of Mangione-esque, but I prefer Chuck. Track 12 - Could be Jan Garbarek and/or Gary Burton. Or maybe Mathias Lupri. Track 13 - Not my bag, but might be my pick of the BFT. Okay, three minutes in I'm just frustrated. It doesn't GO anywhere. Track 14 - I recall this song from somewhere, perhaps THIS is the Grubbs brothers track? Nope. Shades of Joe Henderson on a nothing day. Too much going on, yet nothing at all. Alright, that sure sounds like Freddie, but too busy being Freddie. This is going to be people I like just trying to bug me, I just know it. This is a bad porn soundtrack. Welp, hopefully I contained some of it, but there just wasn't much in this test for me.

Alrighty! We've filled the roster for 2023. I'll create a thread for 2024 toward's Labor Day and we can start over! 🤪

Just in case, sent you a private message, Joe.

Don Cherry Chenrezig from Brown Rice.

Claiming July b/c I'm traveling in late September. Still have that opening in September if anybody knows a potential host.