jeffcrom

Spencer Clark and his Bass Sax Play Sweet & Hot (Audiophile) A 1978 album by the guy who replaced Adrian Rollini in the California Ramblers back in the 1920s. It's a pleasant, undemanding record, which is what I needed tonight.

I always liked that one, warts and all. I have all the "metal spine" box sets, but I kept my vinyl Big Fun, since the originally released version of "Go Ahead John" hasn't appeared anywhere else. Really ? How does the vinyl version differ from the version on the Big Fun CD ? I misspoke - I should have said that the originally released edit of "Go Ahead John" doesn't appear in the Complete Jack Johnson box. I assume that the CD version of Big Fun uses the same edit.

George Adams, Hannibal & Friends - More Sightings (Enja) The friends include John Scofield and Ron Burton. This is not the record I'd take to a desert island to represent any of these guys, but it's a decent club date.

Pee Wee Russell - Plays Pee Wee (Stereo-o-Craft) Love this album.

Thanks for confirming that I'm not crazy. Well, at least not about this. I might try "breaking" the locked groove, if I get up the nerve.

Happy 80 to Mr. Abrams! Blues Forever!

Luther "Houserocker" Johnson Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson

It is indeed Lonnie Johnson, sitting in with McKinney's Cotton Pickers masquerading for another record label.

Chick Corea/Miroslav Vitous/Roy Haynes - Trio Music (ECM) I know that some hear don't like the "ECM sound," but jeez - what a great-sounding couple of hunks of vinyl. The improvised pieces on record one are more compelling than the renditions of Monk tunes on the second disc, in my opinion.

Okay, this is weird. I've long been dissatisfied with my BN Liberty pressing of John Patton's That Certain Feeling, because there is a groove stick shortly after the guitar solo starts in "Early A.M.," the last track on side one. So I finally got another copy, and guess what? The groove sticks in the exact same place! Looking at both copies under a strong light doesn't reveal any problem that I can see. Does anyone else have this issue? Is it a well-known problem? I have to assume it's a pressing error. I'm a fairly rational person, otherwise I would assume that the Blue Note gods are punishing me for sins against jazz.

In for a download please.

Nah, that's Circulus, which includes Vitous/Haynes stuff as well as chamber trio work w/ clarinet and cello (Braxton/Holland). Like that one a little better than Circling In. Clifford, you've got the titles reversed - Circling In has the Vitous/Haynes material, along with two Corea/Holland duets, two Corea/Braxton duets, a Braxton composition, and the excellent "Starp" by Holland. Circulus has "Drone" by the Corea/Holland/Altschul trio, the three long, improvised "Quartet Pieces" and the "Percussion Piece." I'm going to play devil's advocate about the Circulus album just a little bit. It's not the best work by this quartet, but "Quartet Piece No. 1" is the best of the three quartet pieces, and it's pretty good, in my opinion. The other improvisations have some excellent moments, although they also have some pretty boring ones. Given the relatively small size of this group's output, I'm glad to have it all.

Melody.

Israel Gorman at Happy Landing (Center) New Orleans dance hall music from 1954.

Chico Hamilton Quintet (World Pacific) Every copy I've ever seen of this is in rough shape, including mine.

Thanks, Chuck. Hmmph - those would have fit on a 45 nicely. Wish they hadn't faded them early.

Would someone who has the Mo' Greens Please album mind posting the timings of two tracks: "I Know" and "Googa Mooga?" I have the Blue Note 45 release of these - 2:55 and 3:00, respectively. I have half a dozen BN 45s, and this is the only one that I suspect was edited down for single release. Some of my other BN 45s are five or six minutes per side. Just wanted to know. Thanks.

Julius Hemphill - Dogon A.D. (Arista Freedom) The high reputation of this album is totally justified.

The Dixie Hummingbirds - Live (ABC/Peacock)

I always liked that one, warts and all. I have all the "metal spine" box sets, but I kept my vinyl Big Fun, since the originally released version of "Go Ahead John" hasn't appeared anywhere else. For me: Freddie Roach - The Soul Book (Prestige stereo) Followed by a Blue Note 45: I Know/Googa Mooga

Wow - had no idea Harold Land played oboe.

Archie Shepp & Philly Joe Jones (Fantasy)

I have posted a new BFT FAQ thread, based on the old one, but updated to reflect changes in technology - most folks like their BFTs in download form these days. Comments and suggestions are welcome - follow the link at the top of the new FAQ. If it looks okay, I'm going to ask Jim to pin the new FAQ and unpin the old one. Next up - I'll be working on updating the Master Lists.

Please do not reply to this thread. You can discuss this FAQ here. GENERAL Q - What is this BFT thing? A - BFT means Blindfold Test. A Blindfold Test presents you music without telling you what it is, or who are playing. This forces you to listen with an open ear and without preconceived ideas and opinions. A Blindfold Test is generally presented each month in this forum. Q - Why have a Blindfold Test? A - There are several reasons for doing these Blindfold Tests. First of all, it is fun. Secondly, you will be listening to music you probably have not heard before; you may discover something you like a lot. Thirdly, it will allow you to sharpen your senses when listening to music. If you are going to express an opinion about it, you cannot rely on generally accepted or otherwise openly expressed opinions, as you would not know where to look for these. Furthermore, you can test your knowledge of music by trying to guess who, what, where, and when. Lastly, others will share their impressions and opinions with you on the music. An informed discussion is always helpful to improve your knowledge and ability to express ideas. Q - Who makes these Blindfold Tests? A - Any member of this Board can compile a BFT and distribute it to the participants in the Test. There are some guidelines, though (see below). Q - Who can participate in these Blindfold Tests? A - Any member of this board may sign up to participate as a listener. Q – How is the music distributed to the participants? A – Most listeners prefer to download the BFT through a file-sharing site such as Mediafire or Rapidshare, but there are still participants who prefer to receive a physical CD through the mail. Presenters should be prepared to share their BFT through both methods. FOR THE LISTENER Q - How do I sign up to participate as a listener? A - The compiler of a BFT will start a thread usually titled "Blindfold Test #X - sign up" or something similar. Follow the instructions of the compiler in that thread. Q - The BFT has already started; can I still sign up? A - Yes, post a request in the sign up thread for someone to get the music to you. Q - What is the task of the participants? A - They listen to the disc and may then post their ideas in a destined thread, usually titled "Blindfold Test #X ? discussion" or similar. Posting is not compulsory, but very much appreciated. Apart from wanting to present some own favorite music, the presenter compiled the music to receive reactions on it. Q - Will the correct answers be revealed eventually? A - Yes, the compiler will post the correct answers in a separate thread at the end of the month. Q - Can I participate even if I will not be able to make any correct guesses? A – Yes. The BFT is not about showing off how much you know; it is about sharing music and opinions about music, and about learning to appreciate new styles and artists. All opinions are equal, just as all tastes are equal. Q - What's with the costs? Do I have to pay? A - No. The consensus of the Board is that what comes around goes around and everyone will receive as many discs as are sent out eventually. Then there is Karma, and that works for most. In other words, there is no strict need to pay for discs. Some compilers may ask for assistance, either monetary or in form of copying or postage. If you feel uneasy in receiving without giving, you may offer help yourself. Q - I cannot/prefer not to make my own compilation, can I participate anyhow? A - Yes, "free-riders" are allowed. You may offer help in copying or distribution if you feel uneasy about receiving without giving. Q - I am interested in a previous Blindfold Test disc. How can I get it? A - You may post a request in this thread for someone to make you a copy. FOR THE COMPILER Q - I want to do a compilation myself. How do I go about that? A - You sign up in this thread. You may want to check the Blindfold Test forum to find the latest list of upcoming BFTs. You can pick the next available position or request to do any later test. Q - What kind of music can I include on my BFT disc? A - Anything goes, but remember that this is a jazz discussion board. The selected tracks should at least tangentially be related to what is commonly called jazz music. Discuss here. Q - How long should my BFT be? A - It is suggested that you make your BFT no longer than the length of a CD - 80 minutes. Some listeners have stated that longer BFTs may reduce their interest in participating. You may make your BFT longer if you wish, but that increases the chances that participants may not listen to every selection. Q – I’m not comfortable with the technical aspects of uploading/downloading music. Does that mean I cannot present a BFT? A – No. Contact the BFT manager (at the time of this posting, jeffcrom) for assistance. Such assistance can include a short tutorial on uploading music or, if necessary, the manager can upload the music for you. Q - Postage is expensive; I cannot afford it. Does this mean I cannot present a BFT? A - No. Some people have less money than others. This does not mean they have less interesting taste in music. You can request help from fellow board members (in particular, the BFT manager) to assist you in your test by copying and/or posting discs. Q - When do I post my announcement and call for participants? A - Make your call early enough. There are a lot of logistic issues to deal with and it will need time before all have read your call to sign up as well. As a rule, you should post your sign-up thread after the previous compiler starts the discussion – around the middle of the month before your BFT is about right. This not only shows good style by not interfering with another BFT, but will also allow you enough time to get your music uploaded and your discs out. Q - When do I begin my BFT? A – Assuming that the presenter before you has posted his/her answer thread by the last day of the month, you can start your discussion thread on the first of the month. You can start later if you wish, but that will give less time for your test, since you will still be expected to finish up by the end of your month. The download links for your music should not be sent to participants until the previous month’s answers have been posted. Physical discs should be mailed to those requesting them a few days earlier. Much, of course, depends on the speed of postal delivery. Discs going out to overseas addresses are ideally sent out up to a week earlier. Q – When do I end my BFT? A – You should post your answer thread by the end of your month. It might be a good idea to post the thread a couple of days before the end of the month to allow for further discussion that listeners may have after knowing the artists and selections.

Al Grey featuring Billy Mitchell - Snap Your Fingers (Argo stereo) Nice! Young Bobby Hutcherson plays some great solos.