Big Al

Our starting pitcher fans 10. Mariano blows his first save after 31 consecutive successes. Mench bats like a man possessed. We still lose. {{{{{{{SIGH}}}}}}}}}

Alright! I NEEED to know who track 8 is. That buildup at the end, vamping on the one note, DAMN I love that!!!!! I see no one has guessed. I also see that brownie hasn’t checked in either. BROWNIE!!! Get yer butt in here and set us straight!!! Also, I’d like to thank y’all for not pointing out that the reason the players on track 15 could make you forget Sonny Rollins is on there is because...... well, he ain’t! D’OH!!!!

We shall see. Lately, it seems that the Rangers have a bad habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

The Rangers vs. the Yankees aka The Battle of the Overblown Payrolls aka The Battle to See Whose Starting Pitching Will Falter First Signed, Bitter, Disenfranchised, and You'd Think I'd Learned After All These Years Rangers Fan

You make a good point, especially where Kenny Hagood is concerned. Still doesn't make it any easier to listen to, but a good point nonetheless!

What a surprise..... -_-

Well, disc one was so much fun, I couldn’t wait to start disc two! Track 1: An accordion orchestra? Lawrence Welk on LSD? This is VERY different! Trumpet player sounds average, no clue as to who it is. Recording sounds like it was made yesterday, or at least in the last 5-10 years or so. A few trumpet flutters sound like recent Freddie Hubbard. Gotta admit this isn’t really holding my interest. Track 2: Sounds like recent Herbie Hancock, or someone who wants to be Herbie. The drummer sounds like one of those busy-types who tries to sound like Blakey, Elvin, and Philly Joe all at one time, without ever really finding their own identity. Track 3: EWWW!!! I hate electric-fretless-bass playing like this! Sounds like a Jaco wanna-be, fercryinoutloud! The conga is a nice touch, though. I dunno: this sounds like the kind of record Sting wanted to make back in the 80’s. Too sterile for me. Track 4: Ahhhh, now THIS is nice! These players sound familiar, but no one is immediately jumping to mind. Let’s see if I can figure anyone out over the course of this lovely tune! Well, that sounds like Shorter on tenor, maybe Fuller on trombone; Mogie on trumpet? Naw, can’t be; sounds too recent. Maybe that tenor is actually Brecker. Track 5: Not being a particular fan of the marimba, I have no clue what this is. Couldn’t even begin to venture a guess. Sounds recent, though. (At this point, I’m gonna venture a guess that the theme of disc one is “something old,” and the theme of disc two is “something new.” Recording qualities of both discs led me to this conclusion. We now return to the ongoing cluelessness.) Track 6: No clue, and not much more interest, I’m sorry to say. Track 7: Nice simple piano trio. Again, no clue as to who it is, but this recent, I’ll guess Brad Mehldau. Yeah, the more I listen to this and those nice ringing tones, the more I think it is Mehldau. Somebody call a doctor for this kid: his fingers sound like they’re in a knot here! I’m sorry to report that none of the rest of the tracks really did anything for me. I didn’t know any of them, and I know next to nothing about recent jazz to be able to fathom a guess, anyways. I’ll admit right now that I am biased towards jazz from the 50’s and 60’s, and while that’s no excuse for not knowing or keeping up with the times, it does leave little time to listen to much anything else. It’ll be interesting to check out others’ comments on this disc. Maybe I an glean something from their comments to make me wanna investigate some of these tracks further. But for now, I’m swingin’ back to disc one. That disc ROCKED!!!

Yep, and I see I was wrong on all three counts! Ah well, this BFT's probably gonna break me anyway, so at least I have time to save up for the answers!

Off to Barnes & Noble for this one!

From today's Fort Worth Star Telegram: This is how much it sucks to be a Ranger fan right now! Oh but we’re gonna set a world’s record for home runs! Big fucking deal. Monday night, 16 hits, stranded 12 runners. TWELVE runners!!! That is completely unacceptable for a team with such a vaunted offense. Dan, I hope you’re enjoying the free pass you guys’re getting right now, and better hope that your guys can keep up the momentum when the White Sox come to town, cuz I predict a sweep by the Yankees when my ragtag bunch hits the Bronx. Johnny, where’s your guys? 3rd place is ripe for the taking!

The rest of the story! Track 10: Sounds like a Gerry Mulligan arrangement with him on bari (THAT is unmistakable!), maybe Konitz on alto. Seems like I’ve heard this one before; sure wish I could place it! But who is that going nuts on the drums? Philly Joe? Or maybe another Art Taylor beat? Nice swing on this one! Track 11: Now THAT sounds like Donald Byrd, backed by Philly Joe. No wait! I wonder if this is that Miles Davis Quartet with Oscar Pettiford on bass, Philly Joe on drums, and I forget who on piano (could probably look it up, may do so later). Track 12: AbsoLUTEly no clue!!! A little too meandering for me. Sounds like it wants to be like Out to Lunch. Ah well. NEXT!!! Track 13: What, another Basie band track? ‘salright with me!!! Lester on tenor? Maybe it’s one of his Aladdin small groups. Track 14: That octave jump is grating on my nerves, for some reason. Sounds pretty recent; either that, or it is a phenomenally good recording! Don’t recognize anyone off the bat. Waaaaait a second: in my usual ignorance, I’ve not paid attention to the piano, and how it drops out a lot during solos, and how that octave-jump is SO Monk! I’ll bet this is from 5 by Monk by 5. Track 15: AH HA!!!! Finally!!! A track I know!!! And the only reason I know it is because I happened to be listening to this collection a bunch the last few weeks. Otherwise, I’d be whining about how I should know this but don’t; you know, like all the rest of my answers! Fats & Howard doin’ some double talkin’! For my money, that trumpet duel at the end is hotter than anything this side of a Roy & Diz duel; it’s also probably the ONLY time you’d ever forget Sonny was on a record (his 70’s Milestone stuff notwithstanding)! Track 16: This sounds like a Benny Goodman band in the mid-40’s or so. I love this kind of writing! Are you trying to pull the same stunt I tried to pull on my BFT (a Goodman track without a Goodman solo)? If so, it worked! Oop, wait a sec: there IS a clarinet solo. Whatever! Still a wonderful track! Can’t wait to find out the answer to this one! Track 17: AAAARGH!!! Another trumpet/bari combo! I love it! But I can’t keep guessing Byrd/Adams alla time. And yet, THIS sounds like THEM all the way. OH! OH! OH!!!! I bet I know dis one, bossa: it’s that Johnny Griffin-led date on Riverside, with.... (Philly Joe drum roll, please) Byrd and Adams!!! Woo hoo! Let me bask in my knowledge for just a moment until I actually go back and read the answers! Track 18: The writing for the horns doesn’t do much for me at first, but on a groove like this, WHO CARES?!?!? That piano is killin’!!! Sounds like Teddy Wilson on uppers! That trombone sounds completely unfamiliar, which means it ain’t the usual suspects (JJ, Kai, Curtis, even Fred (Anderson or Wesley)). Who’s that alto tryin’ to sound like Jackie McLean? Can’t wait to find out the answer to this one! My GOD this was a fun disc!!! Haven’t had this much fun with a BFT since mmilovan’s disc (#20). I’m gonna do some searching to see if some of my guesses were right (11, 14, & 17, f’rinstance); then I’m just gonna spend some time just listening and enjoying. Thanks again for a fantastic listening experience, Marty! :tup

Glad you find it a joy to listen to. Some of the answers will surprise you when you either wait for me to post them or look at some earlier posts, but I could understand what was behind your guesses in quite a few instances. You made a good start on track #7 but then digressed elsewhere. Thanks very much for your input. I was looking forward to your comments and hope to see some more re the rest of the disc. ← Oh, I am enjoying this disc! Quite a bit! This BFT is one I’ll be returning to long after the guessing and answers have come and gone. Well, track 7 is my favorite of the bunch so far, so I’m gonna keep guessing on this one. So it’s not a Heath date (doesn’t matter; I need to get those sextet dates anyway!). If it’s a Tadd Dameron arranged date for Riverside, wonder which one it is? It’s not the Milt Jackson date, nor is it Tadd’s own date. A Riverside date, though: like I said, it has that “sound,” which I really dig. I’m gonna keep monitoring the answers on this one!

I started making some notes at the house; took the discs to work, and left them there. So here's what I've got so far: This BFT is so enjoyable, it makes me forget how badly these all have me stumped! Track 1: Sounds like Artie Shaw’s Gramercy Five, without the celeste. Track 2: Nice groove. No clue as to the trumpet player or the tenor, but I love the melody! I could ride this groove for a while; I am really diggin’ this cha-cha-cha beat! No clue on the bari sax, either. Track 3: No clue here, either. Wish I had more to add than that! Track 4: I dunno. Tal Farlow, maybe? Track 5: Stereo separation suggests some kind of RVG recording. I want to say Byrd/Adams, maybe guesting on someone else’s record. No, that ain’t Pepper; this guy doesn’t possess the slashing soloing for which Pepper was famous! And that DEFINITELY ain’t Donald Byrd. The drums sound like Art Taylor. Maybe it’s his Wailers? Don’t know, but I sure like it! And there’s a tenor buried in there! This sounds like it could’ve EASILY fit on Byrd in Hand. Track 6: GOTS to be Basie. GOTS to be Freddie Green! When and where, I have no clue, and I don’t care. Wonder if it’s from America’s Number One Band? Shows you how much I listen to THAT set! Music this good should be listened to at least ten times a day! Track 7: Nice! Has that Riverside sound to it. Sounds like something arranged by Tadd Dameron in the late 50’s or early 60’s. No wait!!! I’ll bet this is one of those Jimmy Heath Sextet sessions with Freddie Hubbard! DAMN, I need to get those discs. Again, music that should be listened to at least ten times a day! Track 8: No clue. Shame on me for not knowing this one. More Basie? That’d be alright with me! Track 9: Lem Winchester? I love this modal vamp! Could ride this for hours! On second thought, this sounds to me like Johnny Lytle.

You got THAT right!

How is it that a future AOTW is getting more action than the present one?!?!?

That’ll teach me to start an AOTW at the stroke of midnight!

But in terms of a starting point, grab either the Bohemia or Birdland sets. You can't go wrong with either, but my personal preference is the Bohemia date because a) it was my first bona fide jazz purchase and b) I generally prefer Mobley/Dorham over Donaldson/Brown.

Both.

Actually, FWIW, I feel sorry for Jessica (and Ashlee). I mean, her father is her agent, and a more despicable lowlife scum I cannot fathom. Here's a guy who should be treating his daughters as if they were treasures, and yet he is making them do things for which most normal dads would yell at their daughters! Questions for you guys with daughters: can you imagine yourself telling your daughter, "Hey, I got this great role lined up for you. I know memorizing lines (hell, reading, for that matter) is a stretch, but listen, it won't matter: all the ticket-buyers (mostly men) are gonna want to see is cleavage and legs. So, give it all you've got, girl!" Or how about, "Got a magazine interview lined up for you! On the cover, you'll appear in a skimpy bikini top, unzipped jeans revealing a bikini bottom resembling the American flag, with your tongue hanging salaciously out of your mouth? That cover will FLY off the stands!" That's not even to mention marrying off his oldest daughter to a teen-fluff has-been and the documenting their every move to make money off of it! In the old days, this was called "prostitution," and Joe Simpson would be called what he is: a pimp. I thought this country was past the point of arranged marriages and controlling our daughters' destinies. Guess I was wrong. As a father, it makes me want to throw up.

(Due to a family emergency, mikeweil asked if we could switch weeks. So Mike will be filling this space NEXT week.) Talk about an aptly titled album! This album is one of those few that makes me feel genuinely joyful. And most of that joy comes from the leadoff track, "On a Misty Night." The way the french horns announce the band, the way the crack of Philly Joe's snare leads the rest of the band onto the stage, this is about the happiest exorcism on record. It is literally the sound of a man finally breaking free from his demons. Okay, maybe that's a bit much to read into one song; and knowing that this was Dameron's final album under his name, not to mention that it wasn't the end of the road as far as his demons were concerned, kinda acts as the opposite of what I was hearing in it. But still, there's so much hope to be gleaned from it: as if to say, "I'm free! And I'm gonna make the most of my new chance!" Philly Joe is the drummer on this album, and for my money, this is the perfect setting for Philly. He knows how to accentuate certain beats, fills the spaces with that snappy snare sound of his, and has a lovely sensitivity when accompanying ballads that belie the irascible nature of the man playing. Having said that, though, one thing he ain't is a so-called "Latin" player. The liner notes state that "Bevan's Birthday" is a "Latin-flavored" bit, but to hear Philly play those licks, he sounds absolutely lost. But once past the theme statements, he redeems himself nicely when it starts to swing in the pulse that suits him best. And those flutes! Especially on "Fontainebleau" and "Just Plain Talkin.'" Words fail me at this late hour, but they serve as big a purpose whether stating the theme, or adding colorful commentary. The only real downers on this album are the vocals. And IMHO, they are awful. I've yet to sit through them all the way through; I always hit the "skip" button. And it's a shame, too, cuz "If You Could See Me Now" is about as heartbreaking as a ballad gets. Check out Chet Baker's version on his Riverside date, or Bill Evans (who's on this album as well as the Chet album just mentioned) and his trio's version on his Moon Beams album. Here, it sounds as if someone was recorded at 45 rpm and replayed at 16 rpm. Finally, there's "Swift as the Wind" which is really "Smooth as the Wind," only played.... well, "swifter!" Contrast this with Blue Mitchell's sumptuous version on his own Riverside date (sidenote: I don't know if such a thing exists, but I love the "Riverside sound" (for lack of a better term)! I don't know what caused that sound: if it was the way the mikes were set, the way the players played, or if it was just the general atmosphere, but I find this sound to be as consistent as the RVG sound on all those Blue Notes from the same era). Ironically, Dameron scored Mitchell's version, and while that version highlighted a highly lyrical trumpet player, Clark Terry's attack on the present version is (or should be) just as important. He doesn't just keep the beat: he leads it!!! Alright folks: fire away!

No! Damn straight! And ooohhhhh YEAH!!!!

Yeah, well, I hope she enjoys being a single mom.

Hell, I don't even like jazz... I just come here for the barbeque recipes. ← Glad I'm not the only one!

Totally agree, on BOTH counts. I’ve never wondered why Nick is smiling all the time.

Wow!