Hot Ptah

I do not share the dark thoughts which the two of you have presented here. I have gone back and read Blindfold Tests from past years. When Big Al was the moderator, he unilaterally discontinued the Blindfold Tests about eight years ago due to his perception of a lack of interest. The members disagreed and the Tests were continued. There have been several seeming ebbs and flows of interest over the years. It can be as simple as five members having significant new responsibilities in their lives at once, and all of a sudden the discussions seem less active. I know of some members who are temporarily not commenting as often, because of serious issues in their lives. I think that we have had excellent Blindfold Tests all year in terms of music presented. I know that I have loved them. I think that the Blindfold Tests provide enjoyment to the members who listen. Several members have told me in private messages that they love the music on the Blindfold Tests, but do not think that they have very insightful comments to make about the music in some months, so they just love the music privately. We may have to adjust our thinking toward the idea that we are providing something nice and wonderful to the world, whether or not the world gives us instant loving back. I do not think that we can expect to have the kind of discussions which took place when the BFT was first started. Way back then, there was no streaming of music. You could not listen to just about any music ever recorded on Youtube. Even downloading of music was not nearly as common. The members received their Blindfold Tests in mailed physical CD-Rs. which made it all seem more special, especially as there was no other free way to obtain new music. People did not have smartphones back then to distract them. It was a slower, quieter time. But that does not mean that the Blindfold Tests have no value today. I think that they definitely do.

PM coming.

I have been listening some more to this BFT and greatly enjoying it. I am not coming up with any more guesses. I will comment that I really like Track 6 a lot. The saxophonist is a very compelling musician.

Reading the other comments here I see that Track 8 is from an Art Ensemble of Chicago with Don Pullen album which I own and have not played in a long time. This sounds SO good! I havs often thought about how the early 1990s loss of Sun Ra, Miles Davis and Frank Zappa robbed the world of so much creativity and good music. But the end of the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s Bowie/Jarman/Mitchell/Favors/Moye lineup is an equally huge loss to me.

Track 11 is “It’s Love” by the Rascals from the “Groovin’” album. They were known as the Young Rascals then. With Hubert Laws on flute. Oh now I see that this was identified before.

This is a fascinating BFT. I love learning about the African, French and Ohio Penitentiary tracks. I saw Candoli live and loved his playing, but did not recognize him. I need that album! I really like the Art Hodes and want to get that album. I have never heard of that Billy Byers album and I like the track here a lot—another one to get. The only album I own on this BFT is the Ralph Moore and I did not recognize it. Oh well. Thanks for a most enjoyable and intriguing BFT.

This is one of the Blindfold Tests which provides the most sheer listening enjoyment. I am striking out badly at identifying any of the artists, but I have liked the music very much. I think that 9, 10 and 11 are all African artists. Track 11 reminds me of the Meters, but I don't think it is them. Track 13 features a pianist who has lived a full life and has something to say. I am going to look forward to finding out who is playing on 13. In fact, I can't wait for the Reveal. I will have to open my wallet afterwards. I will be learning a lot, I predict.

Great, thanks for letting me know.

Yes, You have March.

Thanks.

Would April work? Here is a preliminary schedule, if everyone is all right with the month that I have given you: January Dan Gould February Hot Ptah March Hardbopjazz April Jeffcrom May Dmitry June Ken Dryden July Thom Keith August kh1958 September Pim October November December Felser

Catherine Russell and Yoko Miwa are new to me. Based on what I hear here, I need to check out their recordings. Thanks for a really enjoyable Blindfold Test!

Jeff, which month would you like?

I would like to extend an invitation to all, to sign up to present a Blindfold Test in 2019. I hope that some members who have not presented before will want to do it. Thom Keith and I will help you with everything.

Hi Scott, this is Bill DeBauche. I bought many CDs from you on eBay about ten years ago. I will buy this set. i will send you a private message.

I find Track 1 very interesting. The vocalist has the genuine old jazz sound and phrasing. I like her singing very much. The band is playing in the style of her era, but it sounds like a very contemporary recreation to me. The guitarist does not quite get the sound of the earlier era. This almost sounds to me like the soundtrack for the "Bird" film, in which Charlie Parker's solos were overdubbed over contemporary rhythm section playing. Track 2 is the only non-vocal selection from McCoy Tyner's Milestone album, "Inner Voices". I have always liked this track a lot. McCoy was on a roll with many excellent albums for Milestone at the time. He added a choir of wordless vocals to the rest of the songs on this album, which were not doo wop or pop oriented. Some people did not like the backing vocals, so this album is not remembered so much today. Oddly, I think that the only other recordings which use vocals in this way are the recent Kamasi Washington albums, although Kamasi's choirs sing words sometimes. Track 3 is unusual to me. It ends with what sounds like authentic Latin percussion, not jazz musicians trying to play Latin percussion, but real Latin percussionists. But the rest of the track does not sound much like a Latin jazz combination. So who could this be? Track 4 is the real thing, some very hot Latin jazz. I don't know who it is, but I love it. I know the artists and albums on Tracks 5, 6, 7. 8, 9, and 13. We appear to have some very similar tastes. I will hold off on identifying them until others have had a chance to comment. Track 10 is so tasteful and deep. The musicians are not young. They have lived, and are telling a story as they play. I have no idea who this is, but I like it a lot. Track 11 is a fairly standard mainstream piano trio track, so I wonder if there is some curve you are throwing us that I am not picking up on. Track 12 is a great trombone track. I like the bassist and drummer a lot. I will want to buy this after the Reveal. This is a most enjoyable Blindfold Test, with many excellent tracks.

That is an excellent album!

No need to be sorry. You did a very nice thing there.

John, that was a thoughtful gesture. I think that we have had enough confusion for one Blindfold Test! Would you please delete the link to the music in your post here, so that we do not get two separate discussion threads going, one on CardinalJazzFan's new thread, and one uhder your post here? Thanks, Bill

Thanks falser but I think CardinalJazzFan is reposting the whole thread,.

Jim Alfredson is the founder and owner of this board. We all owe him the utmost respect and gratitude for founding this board and moderating it for all of these years, in addition to fronting the financial costs of the board. Last week Jim was asked by a famous musician's relative to delete a thread in which a link appeared to a bootleg recording of that famous musician. That thread was posted over ten years ago. Jim deleted that thread and for reasons which no one knows (including Jim), the BFT 175 Discussion thread was also deleted at the same time. Jim was asked by me and other moderators looking into this issue to please restore the BFT 175 Discussion thread. Jim checked on that and learned that the BFT 175 Discussion thread is gone forever. So CardinalJazzFan has to repost the BFT 175 Discussion thread now, with a link to the music. All of the previous comments are lost. The discussion will have to start from scratch. If you posted comments before, please jump in and repost your impressions of this very fine Blindfold Test. If you did not post comments before, here is your chance to get in at the beginning of the discussion.--Bill

Track 5 is truly beautiful. If the flute player is primarily a saxophonist and is doubling on flute, he or she really plays flute beautifully. I have heard this before and think I have it in my collection but cannot place it. I am looking forward to the Reveal on this one.

Why not listen to BFT 174 and find more music so great that you will want to buy it?

I think that I may have identified some individual musicians on some tracks. Track 1. Whoever the saxophone player and guitarist are, they are really good. They have their own distinct style, and they are saying something in their solos, not just playing a lot of notes. Track 3. I think that the guitarist is John Abercrombie, from his sound and the way he plays. I lost track of John Abercrombie's complete output long ago, so I have no idea which album this is. I like the playing of the trumpet soloist, the drummer and the organist very much. Track 4. I think this is early Randy Weston. There are some short passages where the piano playing reminds me of what he later played, only in much more restrained form on this early recording. compared to what came later. Track 7. The bassist who solos briefly near the beginning sounds like Ron Carter to me. That narrows it down to any one of about 5,000 albums.