mikeweil

Me too - I have to admit the description of his status on that gig was pretty discouraging. I would hate to read about his passing, but as with Barney Kessel, it can happen every day. This is the generation of our musical fathers, which makes it all the more difficult to take. All the best to Elvin - as Coltrane said when Elvin wrecked his car: I can always get another car, but there's only one Elvin!

RIP Mr. Kessel, you were one of Charlie Christian's direct heirs and did a formidable job of passing on his legacy on and still develop your own inimitable voice. Thank you!

I know that Odyssey of Iska and Moto Grosso Feio show the same recording date in the liner, but is this really true? Can anybody verify this from the Blue Note discography? Thanks! I vote for Adam's Apple, BTW: One of the best tenor sax quartet albums ever recorded, great tunes, each different in character. *****

From the Jazz Times website:

Joe, you really must have hit some soft - or rather, some very strong - spot with most members here. Congratulations. In retrospect, Tale Spinnin' ist still my favourite, for its sheer playfulness and spontaneity. That one aspect Jsngry mentioned, Jow Zawinul playing the keyboard of the listeners' feelings (my words), is what turned me away, as I prefer music that leves me the choice of being drawn inside or not - but Weather Report at the Black Market stage didn't leave you a choice - you either went inside or not. I went inside back then of course, and don't regret it. I saw them live twice, with Alphonso Johnson, Chester Thompson and Alex Acuna, and later with Jaco, Acuna and Monolo Badrena. The latter was the better concert, the first one was more or less an energetic jam session in bad sound. But Jaco's eagerness for admiration of his prowess - others call it showmanship - was not for me. What I find sad about Weather Report is that it developped - not evolved - from a cooperative unit - Shorter/Zawinul/Vitous - into a Zawinul group. Vitous ECM albums show how much he shaped the group in its early stages, and it is his sound and ideas that I miss with all later editions. On Black Market, its last traces have vanished. Don't get me wrong - it's a fantastic album ...

indeed, one of the best possible introduction to the compositional personality of Thad Jones - I always liked his tunes, especially those on the Mosaic small group set, but this puts them in a new - and very positive - perspective.

Wish I could say the same about the lady on the B-3 ....

They really should let the board magicians here do the cover designing! Bet you'd do for free copies of the batch.

This page has a discography - there's more available than I had expected. There's a link at the bottom to another feature.

Hermeto is great! I saw him live two or three times and even had the pleasure of joining in at a jam session after a Frankfurt concert. He is such a nice humble guy, just said "Thanks for loving music" to us all at the end. Just the opposite of his excentric zappaesque genius in the music. I saw him do the teapot solo, too! Too little of his music in print - he's largely neglected by the large companies, and runs his own label, Som da Gente, The Sound of The People, in Brazil. Here's a nice article: (link)

Impossible to vote, as I enjoyed them all and appreciate the effort of every compiler just the same. And I noticed I cannot separate the discussion from the Test disc, both are inseparably connected for me. A suspenseful lively discussion enhances the listening experience. It's so great to be exposed to new music, or turned to discs one has but has neglected. I LOVE BLINDFOLD TESTS !!!

As I posted in the discussion thread I had a listen to the Zawinul and find it to be very consistent. I also experienced it has to be listened to at full volume rather than subdued, like one would think with a jazz with strings date. The strings are taken as a ensemble part just as important as any other player. This is the work of arranger/saxist William S. Fischer just as much as Zawinul's. Fischer is a vastly underrated arranger, he did many a date for Atlantic, two LPs by Nat Adderley for A&M with Zawinul on 'em etc. But the second LP coupled with it on the Rhino CD, Money in the Pocket, is a hard bop date much in the manner of Cannonball's later work with Joe. Congratulations: This is the one item I find in every BFT that I have in my collection but do not recognize! Very fine disc, and very nice discussion, all you folks here! Thanks! p.s. Is the Brandon Ross track on any of his CDs or just on this sampler?

Cheesy ???!!! Only for diehard mainstream rockheads, I suppose. If you're talking about the album with several percussionists added, it is one of the most interesting experiments in that direction. Perhaps more for us from the brotherhood of rhythm, but not cheesy, for sure.

I had all the Harper Brothers Verve CDs and sold them later, I found them not original enough to keep. On the other hand, I have Winard Harper's Epicure CD (with his sometime boss David Newman among the guests) and enjoy it very much.

Yes you're right: Third Stream was Vortex 2002 Money was Atlantic 3004

I'm spinning that Zawinul disc right now, the Rhino edition that also includes his rare Vortex LP. Any track from the Third Stream disc would have stumped us! For sure! I hear the sax on BT track # 9 almost as an alto, not tenor as the liner notes state. But the next tracks reveal he has a very high sound on the horn at times.

So what's still left unsolved? # 2, 8, 11, 15?

Now, although the artists' list is hard to resists, that cover is a secure way of keeping me from buying this album. Can I have a burn with neutral packing?

Hah! I was four minutes faster! Wicked choice indeed! Congratulations rockyboy!

I got it! Shame on us!!!! The only excuse is that it's one of his least known albums ..... click here

So you're finally having mercy with us ...

... or this album:

Maybe it's from this album: Wouldn't be the first time we've been had by one of his albums.

Sorry if I disappointed you ... I will test your knowledge of Austrian musicians when it's my turn ... . So far I only bought and/or listened to the MPS with Pettiford - I just can't afford to buy all of this stuff right now. At least I recognized Benny Bailey right away. I will check this one out as soon as funds allow. That Michael Gregory (Jackson) - I never had a chance to hear a single track of his. Now, how's the rest of this album? B)

Now that I got copies for Big Al and myself I could listen to this, at last. The music is beautiful, the compositions, and the way they play them. ***** But the sound ... almost like an electric piano in the beginning. George Mraz, one the most gorgeous sounding bassmen in the country, recorded with a pickup?! Listen to his Milestone CDs for a sample of how he really sounds. And the drums - as always, too far in the background, afraid of Elvin's thunderous sound. The brushes are lost in the mix at times. I've heard Elvin live and I know that's not how he sounds like. But the musicianship is first class, without a doubt. A worthy choice for Album of the week!