Daniel A

Thanks to all who participated! I can’t believe it was more than ten years since my previous BFT. Maybe I’ll do another one in just five years.  1. Börje Fredriksson Quartet ’Intervall’ (Fredriksson) Album: “Intervall” (Columbia SSX 1021) Rec: Stockholm, June 22, 1965 Börje Fredriksson (ts), Lars Sjösten (p), Roman Dylag (b), Fredrik Norén (dr) Link to previous thread on Fredriksson: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?/topic/76194-b%C3%B6rje-fredriksson-1937-1968/ 2. Trumpetmachine, Directed by George Gruntz ’Hot Diggedy Damn!’ (Ambrosetti) Album: For Flying Out Proud (MPS 15503) Rec: Villingen, June, 1977 Franco Ambrosetti (flh), Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler, Palle Mikkelborg, Woody Shaw (tpt), Mike Zwerin (bass tpt), George Gruntz (el p, Arp 2600), Isla Eckinger (b), Daniel Humair (dr) I find George Gruntz records for SABA/MPS to be fascinating in that they cover many different styles. This one is of course very much of the 70s, but has some distinct features. The LP cover names three trumpet soloists although there are only two solos, so I presume solo number two is only the short interlude; 1: Kenny Wheeler, 2: Franco Ambrosetti, 3: Woody Shaw. Not reissued on CD. 3. Hampton Hawes ‘My Romance’ (Rodgers-Hart) Album: The Challenge (Victor SMJ 7488) Rec: Tokyo, June, 1968 Hampton Hawes (p) I had heard about this album long before I actually found a copy. Even so, I wasn’t fully prepared to hear Hawes’ touching performances. One of my favourite solo piano albums. Inexplicably this album has to my knowledge not been reissued on CD. 4. Friedrich Gulda und sein Eurojazz-Orchester feat. Jay Jay Johnson ‘Eurosuite, part 1’ (Johnson) Album: Eurosuite/Variations (Preiser Records SPR 3141) Rec: Summer, 1966 Ernie Royal, Rolf Ericson, Kenny Wheeler (tpt), Ray Premru (bass tpt), J.J. Johnson, Erich Kleinschuster (tbn), Rudolf Josel (btbn), Alfie Reece (tba), Ralf Isakson (F hn), Herb Geller (as), Tubby hayes (ts), Hans Salomon (bcl), Ronnie Ross (bari), Pierre Cavalli (g), Friedrich Gulda or Joe Zawinul (p), Ron Carter (b), Mel Lewis (dr) This is, I think, a much better version of Johnson’s big band suite than on his own album on RCA. As a bonus you also get the third movement of the suite which wasn’t on the RCA album. Wonderful live recording from an unknown Austrian(?) location. I think Johnson was an excellent arranger who should have had more opportunities to write for big bands or larger groups. 5. David Amram ‘Cantina Latina, Korea 1952’ (Amram) Album: The Manchurian Candidate complete film score (Premier PRCD 1059) Rec: Hollywood, Spring, 1962 Carmell Jones, Joe Gordon (tp), Dick Leith, Lou Blackburn (tbn), Paul Horn (as), Harold Land (ts), Jack Nimitz (bari), David Amram (p), unknown (b), unknown (dr), unknown (perc) Harold Land's presence on this soundtrack was unknown to me before the release of the soundtrack on CD. Apparently Land appeared on another Amram soundtrack as well. I suppose the sound quality may have fooled some listeners as to when this track was recorded. 6. Michel Legrand ‘A Time for Love’ (Mandel) Album: Cinema Legrand (Fontana International 858 069 FPY) Rec: ca 1967 Michel Legrand (arr, cond, maybe also piano), others unknown See my comments in the discussion thread. Not reissued on CD. 7. George Gruntz Jazz Group+Beduinen ‘Nemeit’ (Gruntz) Album: Noon in Tunisia “Jazz Meets Arabia” (Saba SB 15132) Rec: Villingen, June, 1967 Sahib Shihab (fl), Jean Luc Ponty (vln), George Gruntz (p), Eberhard Weber (b), Daniel Humair (dr), Salah El Mahdi (nai, darbouka, bendire), Jelloul Osman (mezoued, bendire, tabla), Moktar Slama (zoukra, bendire), Hattab Jouini (tabla, darbouka, bendire) Another album from Gruntz that doesn’t succeed in every respect, but is fascinating nevertheless. This was one of several “jazz meets…” albums on Saba around 1967. All of them have their merits, I think. 8. Jazz Studio Orchestra of the Polish Radio ‘Rajd Safari’ (Milian) Album: Jazz Studio Orchestra of the Polish Radio (Muza SXL 0569) Rec: Warsaw, Oct, 1969 A. Mazurkiewicz, B. Dembek, F. Górkiewicz, F. Kowalski, T. Stanko (tp), A. Piela, K. Pradella, J. Munial (ts), H. Rzezniczek (bari), Jerzy Milian (vib), B. Suchanek (b), J. Stefanski (dr), J. Barz (cong), Jan “Ptaszyn” Wroblewski (ld, cond) This is kind of a Polish rip off of ‘Maiden Voyage’, but I love the groove. Those interested are advised to search out other records from vibist Jerzy Milian. The track has been on a compilation of Polish jazz, but the album as a whole has not been reissued on CD. 9. Harry Bäcklund Quartet ‘Body and Soul’ (Green) Album: Remembering Harry (Anagram ANA CD 6) Rec: Early 1960s. Harry Bäcklund (ts), Knud Jörgensen (p), Sture Åkerberg (b), Sture Kallén (dr) Sadly, Harry Bäcklund is a forgotten figure, even in Sweden. He was a favourite of Lars Gullin’s and is featured on a few of his recordings, but aside from that not much can be found on record. Although not distinctive in means of a unique style, I think his playing is very fine. He was troubled by unspecified “illness” and had dropped out of music by the 70s. He died in obscurity in 1978, only 42 years old. Although he never recorded an album under his own name, but his group made several broadcasts for Swedish radio. Unfortunately, all of those seem to be lost. This track was released on a compilation of Bäcklund recordings pulled from various collector’s tapes by the obscure label Anagram, run by David Reid, who also had an excellent jazz record shop in Stockholm during the 90s/early 2000s. Reid is now retired and both the shop and label are long gone. Here’s one very rare clip of Bäcklund in a Gullin group playing ‘Milestones’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnLYkmKU5ms I’ve got the rest of that TV broadcast on VHS somewhere. 10. Dave Mackay & Vicky Hamilton ’Here’ (Mackay) Album: Dave Mackay & Vicky Hamilton (Impulse AS 9184) Rec: Hollywood, June, 1969 Dave Mackay (p, voc), Vicky Hamilton (voc), Ira Schulman (ts), Ray Neapolitan (b), Joe Porcaro (dr), Fransisco Aguabella (cong) Mackay and Hamilton made two albums for Impulse, but have mostly stayed under the radar ever since. This is like the Brasil 66 but with a slightly more sophisticated jazzy touch. Mackay played behind Chet Baker at one time and made a few more albums on small, independent labels. 11. Radiojazzgruppen ‘Zero’ (Ericksson) Album: Höstspelor (Sveriges Radio RELP 1058) Rec: Stockholm, April 23, 1968 Bertil Lövgren, Rolf Ericson, Jan Allan (tp), Runo Ericksson (bass tbn), Arne Domnerus (as), Claes Rosdahl (fl), Lennart Åberg (ts), Erik Nilsson (bari), Jan Johansson (p), Rune Gustafsson (g), Georg Riedel (b), Egil Johansen (dr), Sabu Martinez (cong) Parts of this album were reissued by Dragon Records, but this track has not been out on CD. This is from the days when Swedish Radio had a part-time but permanent ensemble, led by Arne Domnerus, recording a string of new compositions and arrangements for regular broadcasts. Besides featuring some well-known Swedes it has Sabu Martinez (who moved to Stockholm in the 60s) on congas. 12. Herb Geller ’Space a la Mode’ (Geller) Album: An American in Hamburg – The View from Here (NOVA 6.28332) Rec: Hamburg, January, 1975 Palle Mikkelborg (tp), Herb Geller (saxes, flutes), Rob Franken (el p, Arp synth), Gottfrid Böttger (synth), Philip Catherine (g), Wolfgang Schlüter (vib, perc), Hans-Lucas Lindholm (b), Alex Riel (dr), Mark Murphy (voc) This was reissued on CD by Tramp Records in 2013 and is a very handsome release, but they forgot to mention any of the sidemen. In 1975 it was Geller’s first own album since the late 50s. Very nicely arranged, I think. 13. Ingrid Jensen ‘Vernal Fields’ (Christine Jensen) Album: Vernal Fields (Enja ENJ-9013 2) Rec: New York, October, 1994 Ingrid Jensen (flh), Steve Wilson (as), Bruce Barth (p), Larry Grenadier (b), Lenny White (dr) I think this is a wonderful tune, written by Ingrid’s sister Christine, and I’m surprised is hasn’t been recorded by others. I’ve always found Ingrid to be a personal and honest voice who should be more well known. 14. Hank Jones ‘Love, Come Take Me Again’ (Wilson) Album: Here’s Love (Argo LPS-728) Rec: New York, October 19, 1963 Hank Jones (p), Kenny Burrell (g), Milt Hinton (b), Elvin Jones (dr) Se my comments in the discussion thread.

Any more thoughts or guesses before I'm revealing the full track list in a few days?

I would have assumed that if it was a staged photo of McQueen as a jazz fan they would use a grab bag of miscellaneous LP:s from the jazz section of a record store, including a few possible duplicates.

More about this gig and the Alan Grant bootleg: http://gc-pepperadamsblog.blogspot.se/2014/04/double-trouble-alan-grant-george-klabin.html?m=1

Also, a few words regarding Hank Jones. I've always loved Hank's early to mid recordings (50s-60s) and he was one of the first jazz pianists I heard as young. What always strikes me on his recordings from this period (including an array of Savoy dates both as leader and sideman) is his immaculate timing. He never rushes, he's on the beat when he wants to and he makes these tiny shifts back and forth to add some feeling that to me always sounds completely right. His solo on this track is 30 seconds long, and I can listen to it again and again just because of his beautiful timing. What's maybe not apparent on this very short track is that he's not always polished and uneventful. He sometimes may add a dissonant note or chord that may pass by a casual listener because of his delicate touch but that shows that there's a lot more depth to his harmonies than some people might think.

#2 - You're right; it's Woody. But he's not the only soloist. Hino is not present. #5 - Very good, it's Harold Land. This recording is not very well known and I doubt many here have heard it. #12 - As confirmed above, it's Murphy. #13 - No, it's not Kenny Wheeler. #14 - See Hot Ptah's post above, In my view, Legrand is the greatest living arranger, but he was at his top as a film composer in the late 60s. There are so many dimensions in a short track like this one that I can listen to it a hundred times. I've got a Dutch Fontana pressing that has a nicer cover than the MGM release: Not released on CD to my knowledge.

It was simultaneously released as a single LP on Atlantic titled "Rhyme and Reason". The original on Nova was a double album with instrumental versions of all the tracks and one additional title. It's a bit of a surprise for those who only know Geller's earlier American recordings. By this time he had been a German resident for some time and had been playing with Peter Herbolzheimer's Rhythm Combination & Brass, which I think may have been a source of inspiration for the "contemporary" sound. Several tracks feature harmonized solos from Geller who overdubs a sax section over his original solo á la Supersax. Geller wrote the lyrics, BTW. I think Mark Murphy is terrific in this context. Many thanks for the compliment!

Good work, etherbored! Thom also had at least two correct guesses. Will comment later today. A hint: Two tracks that still haven't been fully identified are by the same leader. Recorded ten years apart.

Quite right! As stated above, I'm fascinated by Elvin Jones as a bossa drummer, since it's so obviously out of his usual bag and yet he sounds very much like himself. There are always slight time shifts back and forth in his playing that somehow make it sound both loose and "stiff" (for lack of a better word) at the same time. Another great example is Corcovado on Grant Green's 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' album.

To me, this arranger is unsurpassed in making a tune sound so luxurious, like the soundtrack to a movie with an endless budget. It's also beautiful on a musical level.

I'm listening to this album (the 2 LP version). To aswer Justin V's question from 2013 the tracks are not longer than that the total playing time is a few seconds short of 80 minutes. Just now the Zeitlin track is playing and it's as good as anything on the album.

Right on both accounts! And the "stiff" bossa rhythm is part of the reason I included this (more on that later). I just love when this drummer plays bossa, and I'm always fond of shuffle bossa rhythms.

I can see why you thought it was Gordon, but it wasn't a concious set-up. I think having heard this player in other contexts helps not to make that connection.

Track 9 is not Gordon.

Track 1 is not 'Appointment in Ghana' and BillF's description sounds more appropriate. Felser, please make sure you're listening to BFT 142.

I wish you all happy listening and a happy new year! Here's the link for streaming or download: http://www.thomkeith.com/BFT/bft142.html Many thanks to Thom Keith for generously providing help with the distribution.

It sounds like a wise state of mind, as things go these days. In retrospect, I find it odd that the previous box wasn't DSD:d, but perhaps they wanted to be able to take it one step further later, which of course they did. Lon, any opinion on the reproductions of the LP covers in the latest version compared to the previous one? As you can hear, I'm grasping at straws to resist an upgrade... 

Thanks, Lon. Have you had any opportunity to compare with the earlier set? I find some of the sessions in the previous edition a bit thin-sounding, which I have attributed to the original recordings. It shows up here, however: http://www.popmarket.com/details/117622749?feature_id=117622601&cid=nl%3A1198966738&utm_medium=email&utm_source=generator-popmarket&utm_campaign=email%7C1198966738%7C20151023&utm_content=nllink-477c563f-Glenn%20Gould

Different remasterings than the previous Original Jacket Collection box?! Also, note that the latest box has 81 CD:s as opposed to the 80 discs in the "coffin" edition...

It was of course in the complete MPS sessions CD box (which, despite its title, left out the christmas album, I think because it was recorded as a demo and was not produced by MPS boss Brunner-Schwer).

Yes, that one is also enjoyable. Interestingly, I find that his technique falters here and there on the Singers Unlimited album, like he wasn't prepared, didn't care to do another take, or was just in lesser form on the day of the session. And I think that it's all the better for it, because it sounds honest and relaxed.

Those two OP albums are the ones I listen to regularly. I think "Motions and Emotions" is super hip.

Well, after some 11 years it's once again up to me to compile a BFT. Please send me a message or post accordingly in this thread if you'd like to have a CDR. I figure most people will go for a download these days, but a disc will be sent at request. No specific theme for the test other than my taste in music (jazz).

Hi there. Which ones are you looking for? I'm asking out of curiousity, as I'm holding on to all of his recordings.

Thanks again for valuable information.