mikeweil

That comment from the site Claude linked (thanks!) hits the point: Again, money. It is true - e.g. on German ebay Korean DVDs are sold that are virtually identical to their expensive US counterparts.

As Claude said, most newer DVD players can handle any regional code, or you can have them upgraded - requires exchange of some chip or so. When I bought mine last year they could do this for EURO 25,00 - I had to wait for less than ten minutes!

That sums it up for me.

If "natural" means "African derived" I will go with you here, Jim. My thesis is that African-Americans never lost their special feeling (innate or educated) for rhythmic structuring. According to Prof Gerhard Kubik's research, to whom I owe a lot in my understanding of this matter, Africans have a "metronomic sense", i.e. an inner perception of strict time, allowing them to place sounds relative to the beat without losing their reference to the beat - they can play endlessly with it. All these phenomenons of playing behind the beat, on the beat, or driving the beat without accelerating can be explained with this and underline my experience that any true understanding of rhythm always has to develop the ability to perceive two rhythms simultaneously. In the simplest case, this is the beat and some pattern played on top of it. Just like harmonic thinking only makes sense if you have your basic chord in mind. This conscious playing with the beat is what fascinates me about the music, and if you want the music to groove you - there is no other way to achieve this. Since much of the blues is closer to its African roots than jazz, it is clear to me that blues-educted players might have that more than others. (See Kubik's excellent book "Africa and the Blues" on this matter.)

You wanna switch positions?

You're both right, I suppose!

"Sunburst" is better, IMHO. It has a funky but very loose feeling, Harvey mason does a great job propelling the band, George Duke kicks ass, too, Alphonso Johnson is great on that one. "Heritage" has a Paul Jackson beyond his best days with the Headhunters, Patrice Rushen cannot match Duke's mastery, Mike Clark did not have his best day, and the tunes and arrangements are not very exiting. Compared to the former disc it is second choice. I got it when it was newly released and was disappointed.

Perhaps they wanted to show the connections: trumpet - Blue Note - and as you might have guessed Eddie Henderson did a Lee Morgan tribute some years back.

This is the only latinized track on the album - you should hear him sing "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" - happy as a lark ..... But he had the groove down, fer sure. He was a serious musician. Remember Zappa used him on "Andy"? And that he played all guitars and keyboards on "A Real Mother For Ya", everything but the horns and drums? OTOH Tjader was a much more serious jazz musicians than most will believe. Check out the many jazz dates on Fantasy - and remember he was Charles Mingus' favorite drummer before he met Dannie Richmond!

I was only in it for the dirty words you threw at me ... ..... which leads me to ask one serious question: From the remarks of several members in their signup e-mails, I must have some kind of "reputation" on this board. Now I thought after this Blindfold Test I would know some more about that, but do I?

Be warned that the Bernie Worrell disc is all funk except for 2 tracks (15 minutes) of the Worrell/Parker/Williams organ trio and two tracks with a string quartet (conducted by Karl Berger, no less). The remainder is stone funk from the Clinton clan - George, that is. ---------------------- The Karl Denson seemingly had much wider distribution in the USA than I thought - but some didn't like it on first listen ?

Bruyninckx says Lorez Alexandria recorded unreleased material for Blue Note: Los Angeles, August 10, 1971 unknown personnel, Monk Higgins & Jack Wilson, arrangers - I wish I knew - Happiness is a thing called Joe - Medley: By myself / Alone together Los Angeles, September 15, 1971 Teddy Edwards tenor sax, other unknown, same arrangers - Until it's time for you to go - You'r gonna hear from me - We've only just begun - Wave - Something Was this ever released or whatever? Thanks!

... and sideman dates with Johnny Hammond Smith, Etta Jones, Red Garland, Clea Bradford, Shirley Scott, Eddie Bluesman Krikland, plus a ahndful of arranger's dates.

I must admit that I find Nelson the tenor player even more appealing than Nelson the arranger - just my thing. All of the Prestige albums he's on feature engaged playing and his unique tenor sound. E.G. on his first Impulse LP Thje Blues and the Abstract Truth his solo on the first track always steals the show - noone, I say: noone ever played tenor like this!

They used that track to fill the album of leftovers from the vaults - perhaps they wouldn't or couldn't complete the June 1, 1962 big band session with Oliver Nelson. There must have been some problems, as Forrest didn't record again as a leader until 1978!

But I remember having a CD or two where some print was on the back of the tray card, that would have made sense with a transparent tray, i.e. referring to the CD enclosed, but not important, that was covered by a black one - no more transparent trays in stock at the plant I would say.

A simple misprint I would say. If they knew a black tray was put over it, they knew hardly anyone would ever see it and didn't have to do them all over. The ECM's I just looked at have no print on the back of the tray card. Except for careless dent-damaging people ..... Perhaps you can sell it on ebay as a rarity?

Of course I considered this, but as some posters were so anxious to learn about some tracks, I decided to give them what I had. Why do we have to take this so serious? This is no doctoral thesis that has to be delivered in one part. Members post their guesses in batches - so what? B-)

it's because Mike hasn't typed them up yet. He just reserved the first posts in this thread for later editing. Quite rightly so! I will add one batch a day, as I do have to work some besides posting here .

I never disputed this! Perhaps I should have said "Ellingtonianites"?

Track 7: Carla White: I's Only A Paper Moon (Arlen/Rose/Harburg) Carla White vocals; Dean Johnson bass. Recorded at Clinton Recording Studio, New York, September 4-5, 1991. From Evidence CD ECD 22109 Listen Here (1995) Of course I had to sneak in a piece by my favorite female jazz vocalist, Carla White. She started out in a band co-led with trumpeter Manny Duran, scatting all the way like a second horn - they made an LP for Stash that I bought after a favorable down beat review. As I am a scat fanatic, she hit home with me. She studied the bop language with both lennie Tristano and Warne Marsh, BTW. Only later she developped her interest in lyrics and the standard repertoire, parallel to training as an actress - she still maintains herself with voiceovers much of the time and orginally trained to become a jazz dancer. She made a handful of very nice albums with great sidemen, including Lew Tabackin, Peter Madsen, but usually has much trouble in getting her records out - she produces them herself and offers them to labels, but the last one on DIW took her five years to get out. I know she sits on another fine session made in September 2001 with Claudio Roditi, John Hart, Dean Johnson and Matt Wilson - she finally decided to start her own label for this, White Moon Records. The Evidence CD is the one easily available, but all of them can be obtained from her directly, visit her website, which is nicely done and offers some of her personal thoughts about jazz singing. Believe me, there is much more to her than scatting. I love the sound of life experience with all its ups and downs when she does standards - look out to one of these in my next blindfold test . New York residents have a good chance to see her perform - again check her website. Track 8: Royce Campbell Trio: Royce's Riff (Royce Campbell) Royce Campbell guitar; Melvin Rhyne organ; Jimmy Cobb drums. Recorded at Fox Studio, East Rutherford, New Jersey, December 12, 1993. From the CD Positive PMD 78024-2 Make Me Rainbows (1995) I stepped over this CD while researching Melvin Rhyne's recordings, who is my favorite living Hammond B3 organist. But Campbell turned out to be a thoroughly engaging guitarist, every CD I got was a pleasant surprise - see his website for a complete discography. He must indeed be a very nice man - he responded immediately when I e-mailed him about some discographical details on his recordings with Rhyne - and has excellent rapport with other guitarists, considering his many multi-guitar projects. This particular record was a dream come true, being in Wes Montgomery's place like on the great Riverside LP Boss Guitar - he tells that he especially loved the exchanges of fours with Rhyne on this track. As I said, his delivery service is recommendable. Track 9: Russell Gunn - Woody 1: On The New Ark (Woody Shaw) Russell Gunn trumpet; André Heyward trombone; Bruce Williams alto sax; Gregory Tardy tenor sax; James Hurt piano; Rodney Jordan bass; Woody Williams drums; Khalil Kwame Bell percussion; DJ Apollo turntables. Recorded at Sorcerer Sound, New York, July 8-10, 1998. From Atlantic CD 83165-2 Ethnomusicology Vol. 1. I was disappointed by most attempts at fusing jazz and hiphop, but this band works for me, for the simple reason that they avoid drum machines and use a real drummer and an acoustic bass doing the rhythm tracks live in the studio with the rest of the band - their approach is that of a hardbop band with modern rhythms. I found Jim Sangrey's remarks very fitting, that the musicians of this generation have to play these tunes to the rhythms they grew up with to get them across. Gunn's choice of tunes is pretty cool: This one Woody Shaw tune is the main reason I bought and keep the Mosaic box; the latest volume has Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit with dark demonic brooding rhythms sending freezes over your spine. I like their groove and their solos aren't worse than those of the other younger cats around - Gunn's lyrical sound and no-gimmicks approach are a pleasure to these ears. "No separation" is his basic rule - in life and in music. Check this interview Track 10: Gégé & The Boparazzi - The Sidewinder (Lee Morgan/Jon Hendricks) Gégé Telesforo & Jon Hendricks vocals; Renato Chicco piano; Ugonna Okegwo bass; Andy Watson drums, Cándido Caméro congas. Recorded at Skyline Studios, New York, 1992. From the CD GoJazz 2118-2 Gégé & The Boparazzi. I'm not only a scat nut, but also one for vocalese - you get both here. I remember seeing Jon Hendricks and German scat master, the late Willi Johannes, on TV when I was 17 - that got me hooked. Gégé hosted Dizzy, Hendricks, Clark Terry and other jazz greats on his TV show, so his connections are obvious - see his website for some photos. This CD is plain fun - even pianist Chicco turns in some hilarious scat synchronized to his piano on a blues tune about Schipani's empty refrigerator. On this track, Chicco hits the groove of Barry Harris' sparing piano style so well, I could listen to this for hours. There are some excellent musicians in Italy, because, as Gégé explained to producer Ben Sidran: "You must understand, Ben, the Italians, we are the Blacks of Europe!" BTW - I have still a copy of this lying round, if anybody wants to trade it in. Track 11: Reggie Workman Trio - Seasonal Elements (Spring - Summer - Fall - Winter) (Reggie Workman) Geri Allen piano; Elisabeth Panzer harp; Reggie Workman bass. Recorded at Sound on Sound Studios, New York, April 27-28, 1995. From Postcards CD POST 1010 Cerebral Caverns. Reggie Workman is my favorite bass player. That tone, his phrasing and rhythmic drive, the freedom with which he treats the rhythm without losing the groove, no matter how much "outside" the playing is, all that is marvellous. I am not that much a fan of so-called "Free Jazz", this belongs to the stylistics I listened to so often it grew stale, and most of free music makes much more sense to me when seen in performance - but Workman is someone that never fails to catch my attention. And the idea of having Geri Allen play the piano inside like a harp is very cool. Soundscape travelling. Workman, like Sam Rivers, who plays elsewhere on this CD, is someone who never stepped back, only forward in developping his music. Track 12: Gégé Telesforo - Small Blues (E. Telesforo) Gégé Telesforo vocals and mouth drums; Dario Deidda bass. Recorded in Rome (Italy), March 2001. From the CD We Couldn't Be Happier GoJazz go 6054-2. Something nice 'n' easy for closers. One more from the scat nut. The bassist BTW is the same that does that great Pastorius-style electric on track 2! Very interesting that noone realized it was the same vocalist on three tracks! Like Jon Hendricks, Gégé started out as a drummer, and like Hendricks after seeing Roy Haynes, he was convinced he better try something else after seeing Italy's best jazz drummer Roberto Gatto. Now he sings some drums on every gig, often duelling with his drummer, as on one track of their 1998 live CD. -------------------- Thank you so much for sitting through this very mixed bag. I knew much of this would not be to everyone's taste, and I have to admit I wanted to play a little devil's advocate here. The reward was the groovy jazz stuff on disc 2.

So here are the answers for Disc 1. The common denominator is the decade these tracks were recorded, well almost: in the 1990's. While compiling disc 1 I felt the necessity to narrow down the criteria for my choices, and since many of the tracks I had at the top of my list were from that timespan, I decided to use this as the "theme" for disc 1, similar to Nate Doward's BT, which featured only very recent material from 2000 and later. As you have heard, my tastes are diverse - this is all music that I find fascinating, features some of my favourite musicians, makes me move and groove ... Track 1: The Sadi Quartet - Préludin' & Egocentriques (Sadi Lallemand) Sadi Lallemand vibraphone, Tony Bauwens piano, Bart de Nolf bass, Tony Gyselinck drums. Recorded at Crescendo Studio, Genk, Begium, February 8-13, 1994. From the CD The Sadi Quartet Ispahan Records ISP 94101 (Belgium) Sadi Lallemand is easily the most outstanding jazz vibist in Europe, and, IMHO, one of the best in the world. His remarkable career started with playing xylophone in a variety act at the tender age of nine, and he has been playing the vibes since 1941. He was a towering figure in the Paris jazz scene of the 1950's and may be best known to board members through his collaborations with Martial Solal and the Kenny Clarke / Francy Boland groups. I love his rhythmic drive, his very personal sound on the doorbells, with a dynamic range wider than usual, achieved by using realtively hard mallets and none of the vibrating device, and his original and humorous arrangements and compositions. I especially love the witty turns in these two pieces, which open up this excellent self-produced CD, which was a surprise find at ebay. It documents this quartet he led for many years. More info on Sadi (who dislikes the way his last name sounds, for some reason) can be found here. Groove and humour are very important to me in any kind of music, as you might have noticed ... Track 2: Gegé Telesforo featuring Purefunklive - Hey, Rookie! (E. Telesforo) Gegé Telesforo vocals & tambourine, Julian Oliver M. Rhodes piano, Dario Deidda electric bass, Giampiero Virtuoso drums, Alfonso Deidda alto sax. Recorded in Rome (Italy), March 2001 From the CD We Couldn't Be Happier GoJazz go 6054-2 JSngry once asked the question wether there were scat singers being able to improvise on the same level as good horn players - well, IMHO Gegé is one of them. One of Italy's best singers, jazz or beyond, who had his own TV show for a while, hosting several international jazz greats. Visit his website for more. His CDs feature everything from jazz and blues to funk and Latin pop, but his jazz chops are evident. This particular track bridges the gap between bebop and Latin funk, the scat/bass unison theme brings to mind Jaco Pastorius' rendition of Bird's Donna Lee, but Dario Deidda relies much less on licks than Jaco. I find it amazing how this drummer manages to keep it right in the middle pocket between jazz feel and some kind of disco samba. In case you dislike the scat: Imagine it were a saxophone, and you would think it was great ... If it is possible to wear out CDs, I will prove it with this one, which is spinning every week since I got it (his forth for GoJazz). I was amazed at the diverging reactions on this track, you either loved it or loathed it. cannoball addict loved it so much he played in one of his radio shows. Track 3: Bernie Worrell - Blood Secrets (Bernie Worrell) Maceo Parker alto sax, Bernie Worrell Hammond B3 organ, Tony Williams drums. From the CD Blacktronic Science Gramavision R2 79474 Recorded at Greenpoint Studio, Brooklyn, New York, ca. 1992 If I'm correct, this is the only occasion Tony Williams recorded with an organist outside of his own Lifetime group. I wondered if any would recognize his unmistakably powerful drumming style, very loose and at the same time bashing without ends - as I have stated elsewhere on this forum I dig him very much even in his later years, daring and right in your face, always showing you how powerful these drums are. Most found them too loud in the mix, but that's how loud they are! Why scale them down - it would be unrealistic. Tony once stated most people were afraid of the drums - I think he is right! Funkmaster Worrell plays some nice jazzy organ, me thinks, and Maceo hits less hard on alto than usual, there is another track on this CD with this trio where Maceo even picks up a flute! The remainder is what you would expect from Bernie and his Funkadelica friends ... imagine my surprise when all of a sudden this trio sounded out of my speakers! Track 4: The Juli Wood Quintet - Night Vigil (Melvin Rhyne) Mike Plog trumpet, Juli Wood baritone saxophone, Melvin Rhyne Hammond B3 organ, Dave Bayles drums, Dumah Safir congas. Recorded at Kennedy Studios, Milwaukee, WIS. January 19, 1998. From the CD Movin' and Groovin' Wooju WOOJU-1 This is a hard bop vehicle that would have fitted nicely on the favourite label of many forum members, trumpeter Plog in a Lee Morgan bag, and Miss Wood playing some mean baritone - I wondered if any of you would get the idea this was a jazzwoman blowing. The tune is by Rhyne, who first recorded it (as "Nite 'Vidual") on trumpeter Brian Lynch's Criss Cross CD At The Main Event, which chronologically was Rhyne first session for that label - I thought maybe someone would have that one and get the idea. Those who have been following my posts know that Rhyne is my top favourite living jazz organist. You can get this from CDBaby or Cadence, as Miss Wood had to produce that one herself - she wanted to document her band with Rhyne in time. Thanks, Miss Wood - she plays fine tenor on most of the CD and sings nicely, too. The excellent conga player is a mainstay on the Chicago etc. scene. It works so well because the drummer knows how to restrict himseld to playing cascara and clave patterns on the snare and cymbals and plays fill like a timbalero - most jazz drummers play too much on the toms and too many fills which doesn't work with a conguero in the band. Track 5: Karl Denson - Blue-Eyed Peas (Karl Denson) Karl Denson & Pee Wee Ellis tenor saxes, Dave Holland bass, Jack deJohnette drums. Recorded at Waterfront Studios, Hobocken, NY, January 1994. From the CD Chunky Pecan Pie Minor Music MM 801041 We all love a tenor battle every now and then, don't we? I never thought I would come up with two tenor saxists Jim Sangrey will not guess .... Denson played in Ellis' and Maceo Parker's funk bands, among others. Thanks to Nate Dorward for analyzing the tricky head which alternates between 8/4, 7/4 and 6/4 - I love odd time signatures. Dave Holland and Jack deJohnette are a great rhythm team, especially the latter kicks ass here, reacting to every detail, that's the way I like him best, and here he shows his incomparable style. Denson did several CDs for the small German Minor Music label (as did Ellis and Parker) before his Blue Note CD, and is a typical example of a generation of musicians constantly crossing the borderline between pop and jazz - he played with Lenny Kravitz. Maybe not that individual a stylist yet, but that track is fun. His older CDs seem to be out of print, but JPC in Germany still has a few copies at bargain price. Mr. Bassman blindfolded me with this one many months ago - I recognized the deJohnette I like and ordered it immediately. Pee Wee Ellis should be better known for his jazz chops - he did a nice organ trio CD for the same label that almost made it to this BFT. Track 6: Michel Sardaby: Lush Life (Billy Strayhorn) Michel Sardaby, solo piano. Recorded at the Museum of Modern Art, Paris, France, March 28, 1984. From the CD Voyage, Harmonic Records H/CD 8402. I decided to include this after hearing a version of Lush Life on a previous BT that I found disappointing - most pianists play the theme straight, and that's it, but Sardaby takes a full chorus. I find it magnificent. Sardaby was born on the island of Martinique in 1935 and is not too well known on the scene in spite of his recurring recordings with top US musicians. This was beautifully recorded on an excellent piano by a small French audiophile label - currently available as a Japanese import (at Songsearch). They still seem to be in business, but I am afraid this CD - which features four solos and four duos with Ron Carter where you can hear the bassist's real sound - and one of piano duos with Monty Alexander seem to be their only jazz recordings; they specialize on organ and choral music. They use a pair of expensive Brüel & Kjaer (now DPA) microphones in an artificial head.

Track 16: Louis Jordan & his Tympani Five - Louis' Blues (Louis Jordan) Bob Mitchell trumpet; Louis Jordan alto sax; Count Hastings tenor sax; Chester Lane piano; Bert Payne guitar; Sammy Guy electric bass; Johnny Kirkwood drums. Recorded in New York City, January 1954. Originally on Aladdin LP. Taken from the CD EMI Aladdin CDP 7965672 The Complete Aladdin Sessions (1991). A friend that I don't see anymore - we used to have very long listening sessions - hipped me to Louis Jordan. There is more to him than the jive king. His band swung, and was pure entertainment in the best sense. But his career had reached its highest point before Aladdin recorded him, and it is understandable: There was no musical development at all compared to his many Decca sides. But the history of R & B would be different without him. I wondered if anybody would tell Jordan the alto sax stylist from Earl Bostic or the swing veterans that inspired him. Of course I couldn't fool our board sax doctor. Jon Hendricks was in turn inspired by Jordan and even wrote some tunes and lyrics for him. That band, BTW, was the first to regularly use a Fender bass! Listen closely and you will notice. (The cover is that of the US issue.) Track 17: Martial Solal - Sadi Quartet - I Cover the Waterfront (Green/Heyman) Sadi Lallemand vibes; Martial Solal piano; Benoit Quersin bass; Jean-Louis Viale drums. Recorded in Paris, January 16, 1956. Originally on Swing 12" LP LDM 330046 Sadi-Solal Quartette; taken from Vogue CD 74321409332 The Complete Vogue Recordings Vol. 2. I was surprised none of the Jazz in Paris collectors recognized this one. Solal's greatness is undisputed, Sadi was a perfect match, and this echoes the early Modern Jazz Quartet recordings released on Vogue in France, well John Lewis must have been quite an influence even after his stay there a few years earlier. I love vibes, and collect quartet recordings with this exact instrumentation - I could have made half a BT disc with this! This honors Sadi as the only musician to appear on both discs! The CD used here has the complete session, unfortunately it is out of print. Track 18: The Harry Lookofsky Strings: Leaky Faucet (Casamenti/Lookofsky) Harry Lookofsky 3 violins & 2 violas recorded by overdub; Oscar Pettiford cello & bass recorded by overdub; Billy Taylor piano; Charlie Smith drums, Quincy Jones arranger. Recorded in New York January 17, 1955. Originally released on EPIC EP EG 7081. Taken from French Columbia Jazz Originals CD COL 477455-2 Herb Ellis & Stuff Smith - Together! / The Harry Lookofsky Strings - Miracle In Strings (1994) Another rare Pettiford session! French producer Henri Renaud saved this from oblivion by adding it to the CD reissue of the fine and madly swinging Ellis/Smith session. This one again shows Oscar's openness to experiments of all types. Lookofsky with his classical tone and technique but a unique jazz feeling of his own, all arco on five(!) tracks, and jazz giant Pettiford all pizzicato. I love this, it gives me as much fun as they must have had recording this. Another Quincy Jones arrangement. A tip o' the hat to brownie for recognizing this! Track 19: Big Al Sears - Huffin' and Puffin' (Al Sears) Harold "Shorty" Baker trumpet; Tyree Glenn trombone; Al Sears & Budd Johnson tenor sax; Eddie Barefield baritone sax; John Acea piano; Joe Benjamin bass; Kalil Mahdi drums. Recorded at RCA Studio 2, New York, December 5, 1952 (6.00 - 9.00 pm). Originally on RCA single 20-5131; taken from Bear Family CD BCD 15668 Sear-Iously (1992). Available on Ocium OCMN CD 0030 The Big Raw Tone (2002). From elegant swing with classical overtones to a raunchy backbeat with all church harmonies and melodies. This is the type of groove to wake up the dead, and shows absurd the borderline between secular and sacred music can be. Plenty of "Amen" and "Yes Lord" here, and at the same time they rock your pants off! Only Sangrey got Sears - I thought more of you would have this. Not for the hardcore jazz nuts though, not to be taken too se(a)riuosly. It's like Ellingtonia going Louis Jordan, somehow. The Bear Family CD collects his rare sessions for Coral, RCA Victor, Herald, and Groove, has great liner notes and is highly recommended but it was deleted. The recently released Ocium CD has ten tracks recorded for International and King not on the Bear Family CD but stops earlier in chronology, which suggests a Vol. 2 will appear some day. Click here for a short biography. Track 20: Otis Rush & his Band: All Your Love (I Miss Loving) (Otis Rush) Otis Rush vocals & guitar; Harold Ashby tenor sax; Jackie Brenston baritone sax; Little Brother Montgomery piano; Ike Turner rhythm guitar; Willie Dixon bass; Billy Gayles drums. Originally on Cobra single 5032; taken from the 2-CD box set The Cobra Records Story (Capricorn 9362-42012-2, 1993); available on Varèse Sarabande CD 061077 The Essential Otis Rush (2000). There are only few blues artists I really enjoy - Otis Rush is one of them, as he never fails to give me the goosebumps with this track. Back in the late 1970's, when I learned about him, these recordings were almost mythical and hard to find, so I jumped at the Cobra box when it came out. Rush is a somewhat tragical figure as he never had the success his muscial qualities would have deserved him. John Mayall's Bluesbreakers copied that track note for note - this was quite a shock to some blues fan who didn't know the original, but this version still seems to be more widely known than the original, which I find much deeper. Fascinating to hear later Ellingtonian Harold Ashby in this context, and the rhythm pattern the drummer plays is pure Afro-Cuban (a tóque used in Santería rituals to evoke the orichá). A cornerstone of Chicago blues. The Varèse Sarabande CD is a good way to get these indispensable classics. Track 21: Cal Tjader - Mambo at the "M" (Luis Kant) Cal Tjader vibes; Vince Guaraldi piano; Eugene Wright bass; Luis Kant congas; Bayardo Velarde timbales; probably Armando Peraza bongos. Recorded in San Francisco, September 1957. Originally on 12" LP Fantasy 3-289 and Fantasy 8030 Tjader Goes Latin; available on Fantasy FCD-24730-2 Black Orchid. Another type of groove music. This was relatively easy to guess, as my love for Tjader is well known on the board. But this is from a lesser known LP which was compiled from four different sessions lessening its impact; one of the four tracks recorded at this session never made it to LP or CD after the initial single release. This was the band Tjader had immediately before he hired Mongo Santamaría and Willie Bobo; Luis Kant is an equally great Cuban conguéro who wrote this nice rhythmic tune and plays fascinating variations cleverly intgrated into the arrangement, Bayardo Velarde was one of L.A.'s busiest rhythm men for thirty years. The CD reissue combines two complete LPs; contrary to the AMG entry the other LP was recorded at one session, with the great Luis Miranda playing congas - a highly recommended starter for those willing to become Tjader aficionádos. p.s. personnel edited: Duncan Reid interviewed drummer Al Torre, who is listed in discographies and album credits for playing on this session, and he denied having participated. He also suggested September as the band was on tour in November. Since it is impossible to play this track by switching instruments (vibes, timbales, bongos, and congas are all heard simultaneously), there must have been a bongocero at the session; stylistically etc. Peraza is the most logical choice. Track 22: Quincy Jones & his Orchestra - You're Cryin' (Quincy Jones/Leonard Feather) J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding trombones; Lucky Thompson tenor sax; Danny Bank baritone saxophone; Jimmy Jones piano; Paul Chambers bass; Joe Harris drums; Quincy Jones arranger. Recorded at RVG Hackensack, December 7, 1954. Originally on Prestige single 908; available on Original Jazz Classics OJC-217-2 King Pleasure Sings / Annie Ross Sings. This was the birthdate of the Quincy Jones Orchestra, assembled to back King Pleasure on two tracks and record two instrumentals for the B-sides of the single releases. These made it to LP only in the 1970's, first on a Prestige Historical Series reissue, and then on the twofer LP with the singer's complete Prestige and HifiJazz sides (with very hip liner notes by Jon Hendricks!), and that is the reason they are not as widely known as they deserve. It is a beautiful ballad with my man Lucky and the velvet trombone sounds of Jay & Kai used to great effect, Jimmy Jones tinkling along nicely. This was Paul Chambers' recording debut, AFAIK. What full sound Jones achieves with only four horns! Are you willing to buy a classic vocalese album only for two great instrumentals (the other is a nice mid-tempo jump tune)? Track 23: King Pleasure - I'm Gone (Quincy Jones/Clarence Beeks) King Pleasure, Jon Hendricks, Eddie Jefferson, The Three Riffs vocals; instrumenalists as on previous track, same recording studio and date, same issues. The disc closes like it began: the same tune, now with lyrics written by King Pleasure to James Moody's solo on the original, and with two Jones arrangements each. The vocal group is The Three Riffs, listed in addition to the singers Hendricks and Jefferson, but it does not sound like more than three or fours voices in all, so I presume King Pleasure, Jon Hnedricks and Eddie Jefferson are The Three Riffs - three great vocalese pioneers on one place! Who knows, maybe even Dave Lambert was there, but not credited for contractual reasons - one should ask Hendricks before it is too late. The Prestige twofer was the first jazz vocal LP I ever bought - I still love it. I had to open and close the cycle like this. Mr. Bassman did not know either version, and when we listened to the test burn said, "oh, this sounds familiar" without remembering that it was the first track he was reminded of. Perhaps this will encourage some of you to explore the world of vocalese. I'm gone for now - but I will return in two years or so for my next Blindfold Test. Thank you very much for listening, it was GREAT FUN !!!!!!

Track 8: Kenny Clarke & his 52nd-Street Stompers: Rue Chaptal (Kenny Clarke) Fats Navarro & Kenny Dorham trumpets; Sonny Stitt alto sax; Ray Abrams tenor sax; Eddie de Verteuil baritone sax; Bud Powell piano; John Collins guitar; Al Hall bass; Kenny Clarke drums. Recorded in New York, April 9, 1946. Originally on 78 Swing 244; taken from the CD Swing in America: The Charles Delaunay Sessions 1946 - French EMI/Pathé Jazztime 251273-2 (1989); available on Chronogical Classics CD 1171 Kenny Clarke 1946-1948 (2001). I have always been a great fan of Kenny Clarke and find his importance in the development of modern jazz is still somewhat underestimated - I rank him up there with Monk, Dizzy and Bird. His move to Paris is largely responsible for this, and to this day many of his French recordings are not easy to get. This session was organized by French producer Charles Delaunay for the Swing label - where else do you get so many bop pioneers all in one place? It was funny to read the guesses on Fats and Kenny, or Bud Powell- Teddy Wilson was the wildest guess ... Another underrecorded bop baritone, Eddie de Verteuil. Klook wrote some nice rhythmic tunes, I wish some younger would record a tribute album with all of them. The Jazztime series by French EMI/Pathé was a short-lived forerunner of the Americans Swinging in Paris series, but concentrated more on rare older material. Track 9: Kenny Clarke & his Orchestra: I Tell You In Any Minute (Kenny Clarke) Dick Collins trumpet; Hubert Fol alto sax; Jean-Claude Fohrenbach tenor sax; Claude Laurence (= André Hodeir) violin; Jacques Denjean piano; Harry Montaggioni guitar; Alf Masslier bass; Kenny Clarke drums. Recorded in Paris, April 5, 1948. Originally recorded for Disques Swing, but rejected/unissued; taken from the CD Be-Bop in Paris Vol.1 - 1947-1950 - French EMI/Pathé Jazztime 251288-2 (1989); available on Chronogical Classics CD 1171 (pictured above). Klook again, with one American in Paris (Dick Collins) and lots of French bebop devotees. That violin puzzles most of you, played by a young violinist Claude Laurence, who later established himself as an important jazz critic and composer under his real name André Hodeir! The exotic quality of the violin and the choice of chords show how close Klook's ideas were to Monk's. Track 10: Oscar Pettiford & Harry Babasin: Monti Cello (Pettiford/Babasin) Oscar Pettiford & Harry Babasin cellos; Arnold Ross piano; Joe Comfort bass; Alvin Stoller drums. Recorded in Los Angeles, June 1953. Originally issued on Imperial EP; available on the CD First Bass - IAJRC CD 1010 (1995). Pettiford discographer Coover Gazdar, who compiled this CD of Pettiford rarities, writes that this session took on mythical proportions for him, as it took him endless years to locate a copy of the EP. This is some of the rarest jazz cello ever, recorded on Babasin's suggestion during Oscar's stay in California. The two got along very well and had a great time, it is impossible to tell them apart. This swings enough to attract anybody even if he doesn't care for cello pickers. I have a knack for "miscellaneous instruments", Oscar being a most prominent member of that club. I could have taken any item from this CD, which accompanies the Pettiford discography Gazdar researched but is available separately. Track 11: Max Roach Quartet: Cou-Manchi-Cou (Max Roach) Hank Mobley tenor sax; Walter Davis II piano; Franklin Skeete bass; Max Roach drums. Recorded in New York, April 21, 1953. Originally on Debut single 109; reissued on Debut 10" LP 13 etc.; available on Original Jazz Classics OJCCD-202-2 The Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank Mobley. This, along with the Jay McShann track, was the item I thought everybody would have and recognize, considering the number of Mobley fans on the board. This was Hank's jazz debut session after two with the R & B bands of Paul Gayten and Larry Darnell. The exotic quality of the melody and Hank's tone, lighter than that of Dexter Gordon or Teddy Edwards, but largely different from Wardell Gray's, makes this a desert island item for me. Hank's next step was joining Dizzy's band, and then it was the Jazz Messengers. Track 12: Cal Tjader Trio - Vibra-Tharpe (Cal Tjader) Cal Tjader vibraphone & drumset; Vince Guaraldi piano; Jack Weeks bass. Recorded in San Francisco, November 1951. Originally on Galaxy single 703, reissued on Fantasy 10" LP 3-9, available on Fantasy FCD-24764-2 Extremes. An important early step in Tjader's career was playing with Dave Brubeck - after the experimental trio, in which Tjader played vibes as well as drums and bongos, was interrupted by Brubeck's serious swimming accient on a Hawaii beach, Tjader continued this on his own. The similarity of concept shows how close their ideas were. Ted Gioia is not quite correct in his otherwise thoroughly researched book West Coast Jazz when he says Tjader was turned to Afro-Cuban rhythms during his tenure in George Shearing's quintet: He joined that group early in 1953, after recording many a number on bongos with Cuban rhythmic inflections. Imagine playing the vibes on this track: It lies mavellously on the instrument, conceived from the rhythmic motion while playing. That trio had tremendous drive, and hadn't it been for Guaraldi's success as a Peanuts composer, they may have stayed partners all their lives. Jack Weeks, that big-toned bassist and fine composer, also went on to a career as a Hollywood film scorer. This CD combines Tjader's first 10" LP as a leader with his last session for the Fantasy group before signing with Concord, not an ideal choice, but the music is very good nonetheless. Unfortunately, a few tracks not on the 10" LP are missing, but clearing dsicographical details on early Galaxy sessions is a difficult task. Anybody loving Brubeck's early trio will love this, too. Tjader is a little underestimated IMHO - but perhaps I am biased as I am so fond of his music. Track 13: The Ron Crotty Trio - Ginza (Vince Guaraldi) Eddie Duran guitar; Vince Guaraldi piano; Ron Crotty bass. Recorded in San Francisco, August 1955. Originally on Fantasy LP 3-213 Modern Music From San Francisco; available on Fantasy FCD-24760-2 The Jazz Scene: San Francisco Another underrated musician, because he never left California, is guitarist Eddie Duran, whom I liked from the very first solo I heard him play, on some Tjader jazz date. He did play a lot with Guaraldi - with Dean Reilly on bass this trio became Guaraldi's soon after - as well as with Tjader, and recorded a fine LP as a leader for Fantasy that never was on CD, only on Original Jazz Classics LP. Something in this guitarist's playing catches my attention more than Kessel, Ellis or whoever. I thought many of you would recognize that tune, as Guaraldi re-recorded it on the famous Tjader session with Stan Getz. Visit Duran's website, he's still active. Track 14: Johnny "Guitar" Watson: I'll Remember April (Rayden/DePaul/Johnson) Johnny "Guitar" Watson piano; John Duke bass; Carl Lott drums. Recorded in Los Angeles, 1962. Originally on Chess LP 1490 I Cried For You; taken from the CD reissue Green Line/Chess 1020 Gettin' Down with Johnny Guitar Watson. I fooled all of you with this one! Every blues freak buying this album is in for a big surprise: Despite the notorious cover girl holding a guitar (the original cover design was probably changed to this when the album didn't sell among blues fans) this is all piano, standard tunes, and vocals on 6 of the 8 tracks that you would have banned me from the board for, had I chosen one of these ... He's not the greatest pianist, and the sound is less than engaging, as this was most likely dubbed from a second-generation LP, but you have to admit it is a great blindfold test item, and it shows Johnny was a much more versatile and deep musician than one might expect after his late career dance hits. What I like is that he always makes serious fun of himself, on the verge of parody, no matter what he plays or sings. Track 15: Cal Tjader Quartet - Triplet Blues, 6th movement of the San Francisco Suite (Cal Tjader) Eddie Duran guitar; Cal Tjader piano; John Mosher bass; John Markham drums. Recorded in San Francisco, probably 1959. Originally on Fantasy LP 3-271 and 8017, reissued on Original Jazz Classics LP OJC-277, all titled San Francisco Moods; available on Fantasy FDC-24742-2 Sentimental Moods. Yes, Tjader is one of the musicians appearing three times on this CD, but here he plays piano, and in a much more accomplished fashion than mallet-style hammerers Hamp or Bags. This is the only LP I know where he plays piano, in a lovely suite describing the city he loved so much. One track with Guaraldi from a different session was inserted into the suite - that was what mislead you. Duran contributes many fine solos here. This Suite is my favorite Tjader this side of Cuban Jazz, and I wish the CD would have added another jazz session and not the Latin For Lovers LP, which was recorded and issued in close proximity but is stylistically from different world. I was damn close to include a vibes track from this suite as well, but time restrictions wouldn't let me .... I know this was a trick, but .... it was fun!