Big Al

Time for another fun BFT go-round! Track 1: This sounded very much like a vintage Horace Silver quintet, but that tenor sax sounds like Coleman Hawkins. Trumpet definitely sounds like Blue Mitchell, and that sounds like Louis Hayes on the drums, especially with his use of the tom-tom fills. Great track! Track 2: For some reason, I want to say this is something from the Savoy label. Don’t ask me why that popped into my head. Really digging the arrangement; I love arrangers who can take six or seven instruments and make it sound like a big band! Coming to the end, for some reason Introducing Duke Pearson’s Big Band popped into my head. Is it from that? I’ll have to check my vinyl when I get home tonight. Another good one, regardless! Track 3: No clue when it comes to vocalists, but I do enjoy this singer, whoever he is. I’ve never heard the words to this song, so that’s cool. Alto for some reason sounds like Jackie McLean. Three good ones in a row! Track 4: Sax is screaming too much for me, blues-shouters like this don’t do much for me. No clue, NMCOT™. Next!!! Track 5: The stereo spread suggests some Riverside date from the early 60’s. My first thought was this was a track from Jimmy Heath’s On the Trail until that trombone entered, and now I have zero clue! I’ll stick with Heath as my guess, though. What the heck? Another nice track! Track 6: GO RED GO!!! And Plas, too! Probably not fair that I have this album, but what the hell? Otherwise, I would’ve had no clue, but would’ve been begging for the answer throughout the discussion! I always love to tell the story of how I first heard this album, and with y’alls kind indulgence, I’m gonna quote my own BFT 21 Answer thread to explain my opinion of this track: Now I’m REALLY glad I didn’t choose “Go Red Go” for my BFT! My only tiny gripe with this song is that it isn’t twice as long!!! I hope this track spurs others to go get this album. Do they even make albums like this anymore? Buncha guys get together at Rudy’s, jam for a few hours, with magical results! Fantastic track, fantastic album, and one I need to dig out again SOON!!! Track 7: I thought I knew this, but after initial research showed that it’s NOT from any of Mogie’s first 6 Blue Notes, it looks like I was wrong, and my streak of identifying songs that I have in my collection is over. Drattit! I know I have this somewhere, and it’s gonna bug me until I find it, and I’ll be kicking myself after I read other folks’ guesses, cuz I’m sure someone’s gonna get this one before I figure it out. DRAT!!! Track 8: AAAAARGHH!!!! I know I have this one, too! Oh, this is KILLING me!!! Track 9: I’m pretty sure I don’t have this version of “If You Could See Me Now,” but I wish I did! I want to say this is also Blue Mitchell. No clue on anyone else, though! Track 10: My goodness, this one sounds familiar, too!!! Guitar sounds like Johnny Smith. Now that the full band has come in, I wanna say that’s Diz on the trumpet, but no clue on the rest of it. I wonder if this is from Dizzy’s “New Perception” LP? Since this came from vinyl, and I have that vinyl, but it’s been a while since I listened, I’ll make that my guess. Track 11: No clue all the way around, and not sure I wanna stick around for eight minutes. Thought I might get some help from the band intro, but the guy’s barely audible. All I heard was Walter Davis on piano. Would never have guessed him. Anyway, this guy’s too squawky for me. Sorry! Track 12: Nice little Dixieland-sounding diversion, I guess. No clue who it is, though! Track 13: Ah crud, I should know who this singer is. There goes another honking R&B tenor shouter. I’m starting to wonder if this BFT is a showcase for what various tenors sounded like when they were paying their dues in the rollicking R&B bands before they struck out on their own. Like, f’rinstance, I think I just heard a lick that sounded like Stanley Turrentine. So, that’s my guess! Track 14: Drat, I bet I have this, too! Man, this is getting embarrassing! Cannonball maybe? Definitely a Bird disciple. Nice groove, too! Track 15: Pretty busy little piano solo. Hey, this sounds like Kenny Barron from his Sunset to Dawn LP. Have to check that out tonight, see if I’m right (or I could just look at the guesses of other folks, which I’m gonna do anyway) Absolutely spectacular BFT, Jack! Like I said before, I hope this trend of tremendously enjoyable BFTs continues (yes, I’m patting my own back, thankyouberymuch)!

I'm ringin' in the sane

I thought this was clever, but nothing more. It just didn't move me, and seemed to struggle to find a solid rhythm. Didn't care for this one as much as the leadoff track, but a nice way to end the BFT nonetheless!! This was a very enjoyable BFT, made even moreso because of the answers. I had a tough time trying to enjoy it before I knew the answers; knowing the answers helped me to listen for stuff I hadn't heard before, making the listening experience a very enjoyable one!

How long does it take you to type these up, with all those italics and accented letters? That's quite a job, and you've done it nicely! I really dig tunes like this: lots of percussion under one solo instrument. The choir of saxes is added flavor to an already tasty mix! Both feet are stompin here, in two different rhythms!!!

My God, this is gorgeous! May have to get these! The only Chico I'm familiar with is the 2-CD Verve Cuban Blues. Jack Jeffers on trombone! Nice to see he was (is?) still active. Yeah, definitely gonna have to get all three of these at some point. Man, I just can't get over how lovely and lilting this piece is! Many MANY 's!!!

Wow, whatta groove!!! For me, the real fireworks start with Cressman's trombone solo; can't explain it, just that the groove gets so deep in the pocket!!! Another foot-stomper from start to finish! Love the name of the band: Machete Ensemble!!!

I'da never guessed Palmieri, don't know enough about him to make a solid guess. Kinda takes a while to get going, but boy when it gets going.... get down!!! Yes, I can definitely hear a kind of "Listen Here"/"Sham Time" groove going on here! Speaking of Conrad Herwig, I'm kinda surprised you didn't include anything by him on your BFT! Shame on YOU!

2001... wasn't that when the whole "prayer of Jabez" fad was running rampant here in the States? I'd like to think that their choice for a song title was truly "inspired," as opposed to jumping onto the coattails of a religious fad; this song is truly inspired! This sounds a lot like Tony Williams band from the 90's (documented on the Tony Williams Mosaic Select).

Oh now, I LIKE this!!! Fiddler on the Red Sea! (sorry, that was the best pun I could come up with) Tevye would have a fit! I wish I'd had this song when our church did Fiddler on the Roof, it would've made for nice intermission music (or the wedding scene ). Goes on a little too long, though; it made it's point after about four minutes, didn't need another repeat of the strings interlude. Ah well, again, minor quibble.

Hilton Ruiz! I don't know much about him, but the few things I've heard from him I've really enjoyed! (I think I have him on a Christmas compilation, lovely playing there) When did he pass away? This one's a serious foot-stomper (forget toe-tapping), kinda reminds me of "Mongorama" from Los Ritmos Calientes! May have to get this one, too!

Wow, this one is very nice! I'll be honest: I would never have guessed this was Ron Carter. I like the percussionist on this track, I dig the subtlety of his rhythms. And to be honest, I wouldn't know if a bongo was tuned properly or not! (Every now and then, I get asked to play the bongos at church (how's THAT for a scary thought?), and I've never tuned them or noticed if they needed to be tuned. Ah, well, I guess this is why I play bass! ) Again, is the rest of this album like this tune, or is this the fluke? This might be one to get!

This one was nice, but had the same kind of engineering qualities as track 2. Also, there seems to be a prominent use of this kind of inverted crash cymbal (I have no idea what it's called) that I generally don't care for, and this track is no exception. Minor quibbles, though; overall a nice track!

Well, that shows you how much I'm paying attention: I didn't realize Grolnick and Alias had passed away. Is the rest of this album as lovely as this song? I love this kind of groove! The vibes and the flute add a real nice color to this song!

I like this track, but I've never been crazy about this kind of engineering/miking (not sure I'm conveying the right message), and I'm not sure I would buy this album. But this track is nice enough!

Wow, she's just as beautiful as her voice! IMO, she looks a lot like Nicole Kidman! During the scat section, she sounds just like Ella, which really threw me the first time. And I don't usually enjoy scat singing! Is that Jose Rodriguez the same one who played on those Tjader records of the 50's? Or am I just mixing up names?

I'm giving this BFT another spin, having forgotten all about it during the Christmas season and my own BFT. I forgot how much I enjoyed this the first time around, and now that the answers are posted, well..... thank God my birthday's coming soon, as quite a few discs have just made the gimme list! With y'alls kind indulgence, I'm gonna comment on tracks as I go along.

I'm wearing my socks inside out today. For some reason, they feel so much more comfy this way.

Are you kidding? I dig honesty! I can take it if someone doesn't like one of the tunes I put on my BFT, especially after all the griping I've done on other folks BFTs! You have no idea how perceptive you are! Others have already guessed the title, so I can't wait to hear your reaction when you find out the name of this song! "Puh" is a word I've never heard, but it cracks me up every time I see you use it! I like to sing along to this song as well, but only in the car, while driving down der strasse! 'tis Baker! Point for the Bassman! :applause: There's that word again! I love it! Yeah, it's a waltz, but no points for that! Nothing to apologize for! You either dig it or you don't, and you're certainly not the first not to dig this tune! Follow you? Hell, I'm thinking of moving to Germany to follow both you AND Mikeweil around as a whiny roadie! (I am German by descent, and can kinda sorta understand the language. At least I know how order bier over there!) Anyway, you described the mood perfectly for this song! The opening statement of this tune does that for me every time! Oh, I'm sure you know the drummer! I'm looking forward to it!

The river is deep, the river is wide

"I've got to ask you Trebek, about the 'penis mightier'"

Okay, my streak is still alive! I just figured out track 7 while walking down the hall. I'll reveal my guess on the discussion thread! Oh boy, TWO correct guesses on one BFT! I'm feelin' GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!

I hung with King Kong. He was jealous.

And Everything Must Go was better than that, which in turn was surpassed by Morph the Cat! Past their prime my fat ass; these guys keep getting better with age!

Answers to be posted this weekend so's we can get the BFT 55 discussion underway.

Answers to be posted this weekend so's we can get the BFT 55 discussion underway.