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Big Al

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  2. BFT 104 Discussion Thread

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    More thoughts on track 8: someone earlier mentioned Osie Johnson on the drums; was that a correct guess? Could this be Howard Rumsey on the bass? It kinda has that Lighthouse All-Stars feeling, or maybe those two 10" records that Osie put out that are nicely collected on a Fantasy CD whose name escapes me but reminds me that I need to order it before I die.

  4. BFT 104 Discussion Thread

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted · Edited by Big Al

    TRACK SEVEN - Lady Q? Funny how you can try to sound exactly like something, and the closer you get, the farther away you end up. I like it, but it is kinda creepy at the same time. If that's really Quinichette, I like him when he got more quirky and less literal. Then he was where he probably wanted to get to all along - had his own legit place in somebody else's very personal world.

    Not Paul Quinichette.

    Drat!

    TRACK THIRTEEN - Basie! "K.C. Stride", the airshot from 44 with Prez stretching out for three of his most luxurious choruses on record is desert island music for me. This is not that, but same band, same tune, just a lot more constricted and, Jacquet in the little tenor interlude? When I sometimes mention how you can hear the Old Testament band becoming the New Testament band before they actually WERE the New Testament band, this is a good, not great, example.

    You got it!

    Wait, so this isn't the exact same track what was on JSngry's BFT? Of course I'll defer if I'm wrong, but there were so many times I had to keep checking my player because I thought I'd somehow switched BFT's!

  5. BFT 104 Discussion Thread

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Oh boy THIS was SO much fun!!!! Of course, I don't know anything, which makes it that much more fun for all ages!

    Track 1: Recent vintage of an old tune. I hate when I hear a melody I should be able to identify but can’t. I love this track though! Excitement abounds!

    Track 2: Wow! I like this line-up: sounds like two trombones, a tenor, and a rhythm section with guitar instead of piano! Sign me up NOW!!! Gonna guess Arnett Cobb on the tenor just cuz that’s the first thing that came to mind, not because I know any better! Oh, I guess there is a piano after all. Have I mentioned how clueless I am when it comes to these things? Hmmm.... Spare piano.... Basie or a reasonable facsimile?

    Track 3: LOOOOOOOOVE this sound! Oh, what is that riff the trombones are playing? My my my, that bridge is delicious!!! Simply MUST seek this out!!!!

    Track 4: Ptah, I gotta give you credit for holding out this long before unloading the skronk!!! I still can’t listen to it, though. :g

    Track 5: A groove like this for ten minutes? Bring it, baby!!! Oh boy, it did! It stayed on that groove, the solos were warm & tasty like comfort food, no sudden tempo changes, no squawking anythings, etc. Ohhhhhhhh yeah, gonna be listening to this again A BUNCH!!! Wait... where did that reverbbed guitar come from??? That just makes me wanna jump up and yell OH YEAHHH!!!!

    Track 6: sounds like a Freddie Hubbard CTI. If it is, then my CTI knowledge just took a massive hit to the ego, because I thought I knew ‘em all. Oh geez, that piano riff sounds SO familiar. It’s gotta be from SKY DIVE or POLAR AC. One of the two, and I clearly haven’t listened to either one as closely as I thought. {{{groan}}}

    Track 7: Ha! You think you’re so smart, thinking you’ll put this on here and everyone’s gonna think it’s Pres, but I know it’s not! I know it’s the Vice Pres! And that’s Freddie Greene! And this is from that Verve Elite that combined the 12” and the 10” that drew from a slew of sessions into a nice compact package! And that’s Jimmy Jones on the piano! And I’m too lazy to look up track names or album names. Which means if I’m wrong about any of this, then I’m gonna feel awful silly about the above display of braggadocio!

    Track 8: Sounds like it could ALSO be from the aforementioned Vice Pres disc, but it actually reminds of me of something from the Illinois Jacquet Verve Elite. If I’m wrong, then it’s all good cuz I need to give that a spin, and then find out who THIS is and see if it’s available anywhere! I love this sound: small group sounding a lot bigger than it really is! Gimme this ANY day of the week!!!!

    NOTE TO SELF: seems to me that Mercury put out a lotta great small-group records like this back in the late-40’s/early-50’s: the aforementioned Quinichette record & Jacquet record, then there were the Terry Gibbs Big Band records they put out. I need to investigate this further!!!

    Track 9: is that a banjo being played like a sitar? Whatta groove! Okay, now it’s starting to get a little weird. Maybe some Yusef Lateef? Ahhhhh, what is that, an autoharp? Or Ahmed Abdul-Malik?

    Track 10: Nice, but I wish I had the faculties to be able to tell one solo piano from another. I know it’s not Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, Fatha Hines, Teddy Wilson, or Art Tatum. Do I get points for knowing who it ain’t?

    Track 11: Ahhhh, nice intro, don’t let me down! Oh, this is pretty. Very lovely cello playing so far. Loving the guitar accompaniment! Wishing it wasn’t so loud here at the office so I could hear this better, must listen later with headphones or something. Is it a Jacques Louissier (sp?) thing? Oh boy, now that the full band is in full swing, this just took on a whole ‘nother level of fun!

    Track 12: Wow! Sounds like mid-90’s vintage. It’s clichéd, but in all the right places so as to be completely fun & free-wheeling! Sounds like everyone’s having a good time just playing the blues! Can’t argue with that!

    Track 13: This must be a first: a track from a previous BFT reappearing on a subsequent BFT. This first appeared on JSngry’s BFT #4 from AGES ago, Count Basie’s “K.C. Stride!” Funny thing is, I actually contemplated making my next BFT nothing but tracks from previous BFT’s just to see if anyone was paying attention. Does anyone else give those old BFT’s a regular spin? I know I do! There’s a vast treasure trove of great music on those collections!

    Track 14: Where oh where is the Duke playing this? Duke live is ALWAYS a good thing! I love this arrangement, the version with which I’m familiar can also be found on the PIANO IN THE BACKGROUND album!

    Track 15: Started out good enough, but.... I dunno, did a cross-breeze knock everyone’s music off their stands and they just decided to wing it from there on out?

    Track 16: Solo guitar. MUCH love! Pat Metheny?

    Geez, Ptah, maybe I’ve been wrong about you this whole time! Now I feel so bad for all the grief I ever gave you about noisy music, I’m thinking I may need to change the course of action for MY BFT coming up in January.

    Or not. :g

    THIS, my man, will be getting regular multiple listens! One for the ages & all that! :party:

  6. The occasionally annual offer of the Christmas BFT

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Back in the early daze of the BFT*, my very first BFT came with a special bonus** Christmas BFT, which got quite a favorable response (especially since the BFT occurred in August***). Since then, I've made the BFT available as a download for those who haven't heard it or lost their copy or want to drive annoying people out of their house for the holidays.

    So, with that in mind and since JSngry has specifically said there will be NO HOLIDAY SONGS on his BFT, reply here or shoot me**** a PM and I'll get you taken care of. Guaranteed stress-free***** Christmas****** music.*******

    *1922

    **Not sure how accurate this word is: everyone got one whether they wanted it or not. Thankfully, most everyone wanted it. Or they're good at lying about it.

    ***I'm lying. It really was December. I just thought it would be a good joke. Apparently, I'm neither good at lying nor coming up with a good joke!

    ****Not in the literal sense, PLEASE!

    *****All except the last song. That one drove a few people nuts. Just warning you.

    ******To address those who are easily offended, the reason I referred to this as "Christmas" music and not "holiday" music is because "holiday" music implies it could be played for any holiday, and these are all Christmas-specific songs. That said, if you really wanna be radical, I suppose you could play this music at your next Memorial Day gathering, or your 4th of July party, or your Boxing Day suarez. All I ask is that you take pictures of the resulting bloodshed. :)

    *******There's nothing significant. I'm just having fun with footnotes.

  7. BFT 105 Signup Thread

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Wow, not sure what Jim's got against Billie Holiday, but I'm doing my Christmas dreaming a little early this year. Hoping to hear something from the Chipmunks' Christmas album... yeah, that would be almost good. I'll take a download please, any way I can get it.

    All I can do is just stand in awe at the level of genius behind that quote. ;):g

  10. What Things Will You Not Like In Your Jazz?

    in Miscellaneous - Non-Political

    Posted

    Something I don't like in jazz (or popular music in general) is when a performer plays a few recognisable notes of a hit or a well known song and everyone bursts into applause. Who are they applauding? The performer for choosing that song; or themselves for recognising it within a few notes?

    My, that was a grouchy one!

    I know what you mean, but I can think of one instance where my son and I applauded out of sheer excitement that a song we thought would never get played live was being played live: Metallica's "The Call of Ktulu." (I know it's not jazz, hang with me a second) I mean, we went apeshit!!! And then after the introduction, they started playing "The Unforgiven." THAT'S when everyone else in the crowd went nuts. My son and I, however, went to the concession stand....

  12. BFT #103 Discussion thread

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    I like #7 a lot. I am not familiar with this version of Afro Blue, and am looking forward to finding out who this is. Afro Blue is such a good song. I really like Cal Tjader's version on Soul Sauce. Now this is another really good recording of the song.

    It was Cal Tjader's version running thru my head while listening to #7 that was driving me to distraction the entire time. Nice to know I was not alone in this! :)

  15. BFT #103 Discussion thread

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Caveat: this didn’t drive me to the usual brink of insanity that most free-avant-squawk-fests usually do, and this is because I can tell you the EXACT day I listened to this: Wednesday, October 3, immediately after the Rangers got swept into Wild-Card oblivion by the Oakland A’s. In my massive frustration, this collection only fueled my already blitzkrieged brain and what I originally started typing ended up being an endless list of “I DON’T KNOW, I DON’T GIVE A RAT’S ASS, BUT I WANNA PLAY THIS IN THE RANGERS CLUBHOUSE TO SCARE THE SHIT OUTTA THEM INTO PLAYING FOR THEIR LIVES!!!!” Alas, such did not happen. Although I’m happy that Detroit is going to the World Series (and you better believe I’m rooting for those guys!!! GO TIGERS!!!), alas (again) all you’re left with is the following clueless musings. Sorry to keep y’all waiting!

    Track 1: Three minutes in, still waiting for the song to start. Long intros make me think of CTI, the trumpet player makes me think of Freddie Hubbard which makes me think of CTI. Oh, that piano vamp is nice! Let’s have some more of that! Oh, I’m liking this more with that two-chord vamp holding things together nicely, despite the squawking going on over it. It’s as if the prettier this gets, the more determined the sax player gets to make this as dischordant as possible. {{{MEGA-SIGH}}} And just like that, the piano player is told at gunpoint to quit playing anything rhythmic and go back to playing this ten-minute introduction to...... I guess we’ll never know.

    Track 2: Sounds like vintage mid-60’s Blue Note Bobby Hutcherson & Joe Chambers. Nice. Doesn’t sound very structured to these ears, but at least it sounds like it’s going somewhere, and the vibist & the drummer keep things very interesting.

    Track 3: It’s the same guys from track 1. I guess they felt I haven’t been tortured enough. Thanks guys. Appreciate it. NO, seriously, when I actually listen to this (as opposed to whining without listening), I can appreciate that it’s of the same character as track two. The man in the mirror sez it’s because my ears prefer vibes over horns for this kind of thing, because the drummer here is keeping things going like the drummer on track 2.

    Track 4: I must’ve really hated this one, because I see I deleted it from my download. Sorry! I think!

    Track 5: Hold that train!!! I’m coming! The piano intro sounds like what Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood would be like if it were a dark creepy forest. Nice Ellingtonish voicings! Me likey so far! Gonna go out on a limb and suggest Marion Brown?

    Track 6: I never complain about anything even remotely Klezmer-sounding, and this be no exception! Fun, rollicking, & noisy! What’s there to whine about?

    Track 7: One thing that’s always irritated me with jazz (or any instrumental music) is my consistent failure to recognize tunes and not know their names. I love this song! I love this arrangement! Sounds like it could be from TIME FOR TYNER. Maybe it is! It’s been so long since I listened to .... AFRO BLUE!!!!! I knew it would come to me! Thank you Cal Tjader! NO, that’s not my guess, I was just trying to remember where else I’d heard this. Wait, maybe it *is* Cal Tjader! Ah, whatthehelldoIknow? I’m just lovin’ it, that’s all! Actually, on second thought (or maybe I’m up to my eighth thought), this sounds like mid-70’s Hutch on Blue Note. ALWAYS a good thing!

    Track 8: Good for what it is, I guess. Not a big fan of solo sax.

    Track 9: Okay, I guess. Just kinda drags for me. I mean, it all makes sense on a technical level, and I appreciate the chords and the voicings and the obvious thought that went into the improvisations. I dunno, it makes me think that things are being overthought instead of just movin’ & groovin’, y’know? I mean, I respect it a TON even if it don’t move me much!

    Track 10: Sounds like they’re trying to go for the sound of a New Orleans hangover. Whether or not they succeeded is up to a better judge than me (i.e. someone who’s actually HAD one).

    At this point, my stamina has run out and I as I sampled the last four tracks the range of responses I had were “meh” to “YIKES!” So, I’ll leave it at that.

    I apologize for being my usual grouchy narrow-minded anti-avant self again, Colin, as I have no doubt you put a lot of thought and heart into this. Take my comments with something less than a grain of salt, because I defer to the more knowledgeable amongst the BFT players and their much-more-informed-than-my comments! :)

  17. Wynton is live right now...

    in Artists

    Posted

    I don't know about "great players."

    Speaking in terms of instrumental proficiency, yes, great players. I will respect that if I don't anything else (which I pretty much don't...).

    Instrumental proficiency? At what? Saint-Saens? Guy Lombardo? And how can you tell based on this IMO f---ed up performance? I mean, if they can't play this score decently, it's kind of like saying of a baseball player that he's athletically proficient because he's in great physical shape, has excellent bat speed, oodles of quick-twitch muscles, and can run like a deer, even though he still can't catch a fly or put his bat on the ball.

    By this logic, the Texas Rangers are the LCJO of baseball. And I can't say I disagree with this comparison.

  22. Donald Fagen - Sunken Condos

    in New Releases

    Posted

    I've enjoyed everything he's done since TWO AGAINST NATURE, and I'm one of those rarities who prefers his solo stuff over the SD stuff.

    I've heard the album once today on Rhapsody, and will be heading to Best Buy to get the CD later. There's nothing on this album that's any different from anything else he's done, but then Fagen is one of the few artists who can say the same thing over & over and keep me interested. It's all about the groove for me, and few people keep that groove going like Donald Fagen, AFAIC, IMHO, and YMMV.

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