Hot Ptah

I have always enjoyed Oscar Peterson's Big 6 at Montreux 1975, on the Pablo label. I second the recommendation for his Christmas album. It is one of the most listenable Christmas albums I have heard.

I have seen him about 10 times live, and have over 25 albums by him. He has been consistently compelling to me. Some of the most memorable concerts I have seen were Burton's 1970s and early 1980s concerts with his own group, and in duet with Chick Corea. The last time I saw him was about ten years ago, leading a small group, and he was still great live. In his autobiography, he mentions that after one of his surgeries, he lost his perfect pitch, and could no longer play as effortlessly as he could before. That may have contributed to his decision to retire.

Here is the link, which Thom has informed me is now active and should work: http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/

I am talking to Thom about getting the link activated.

I can't believe that it is Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson on Track 1. It just does not sound like him, and what I love about his playing is not much in evidence here. What a surprise track. Track 5--I have to get that album. I have liked everything I have ever heard from Norris Turney! Track 6--That is a pairing of two excellent saxophonists. Thanks for introducing this to me. Track 8--I generally like Phil Upchurch. I could not identify him at all. I like this recording though. Track 9--A very enjoyable version of Billy Boy. Thanks for introducing it to me. Track 11--Wow, I was totally unfamiliar with this, and it is an excellent cut. Another one that I have to get. Track 12--Sonny Thompson! Again, thank you for introducing this to me. I was not familiar with it. Track 13--A great closing track, and again, thanks for turning me on to this one. I had never heard most of the music on this BFT, so I learned a lot from it. Great job, Dan!

Donation sent.

I will buy these. Private Message to follow: Fanga - Afrokaliptyk Nation (cd + dvd on Underdog) OOP $20 Fanga - Natural Juice (Underdog) OOP $10 Fanga - Sira Ba (Underdog) $10 Mulatu Astatke - New York Addis London The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-75 (Strut) OOP $25 Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu Steps Ahead (Strut) $10

While we continue to enjoy Dan Gould's BFT 155, I want to announce that I am hosting BFT 156 in March. Soon I will post a link to BFT 156, courtesy of Thom Keith. My approach to BFT 156 is to create a set of jazz tracks which are enjoyable to listen to, with hopefully some interesting surprises. To help with these goals, I ran the test by a small focus group. Here are their comments: 1. "As I listened to this Blindfold Test, I felt like my body was turning into a mechanical device. I could feel the steel plate hatch lift off of the top of my head. All of my sprockets flew out, far into the sky, out into outer space, where they sit there, glittering." 2. "I am a dedicated nudist. I never wear any clothing at home. But as I listened to this Blindfold Test, I had a sudden, uncontrollable urge to put clothes ON. Lots and lots of clothes. Pretty soon I was wearing layers of clothes, including a down parka and a wool stocking cap, even though it was 80 degrees outside. Where do I have some blankets I can wrap around myself too?" 3. "Wow! What a tasty Blindfold Test! God! This is a tasty little sucker!" 4. "My pet aardvark and I both really loved this Blindfold Test. It helped put my aardvark to sleep, and that is not easy to do, believe me!" 5. "I loved Track 1 so much that I wrote a new arrangement of it, for solo contrabass ophicleide."

I loved those A&M Horizon LPs when they were first released, and also the Ornette albums which he mentions. It is very interesting to read about the background.

I saw him open for John McLaughlin and for the first Mingus Dynasty band, playing solo guitar both times. He was great in that solo guitar format. He sat in with Mingus Dynasty and played a compelling, swinging solo on "Take the A Train." (The group was John Handy, Jimmy Knepper, Joe Farrell, Randy Brecker, Don Pullen, Charlie Haden, Dannie Richmond). I saw him play duets with Chris Brubeck in a small club. That was less successful as he was very drunk. I saw him open for Frank Zappa in an arena, leading the Eleventh House. I liked it. He played with a lot of intensity.

That is one outstanding, and very enjoyable, Mosaic. It has more brilliant playing than one might expect, from a number of jazz greats.

The Vanguard album "Offering" has some fine Coryell soloing, and has never been issued on CD, to my knowledge.

I love Facebook and it has greatly enriched my life, with regular contacts with extended family members and old friends. Facebook has just been a great joy to me.

I just sent Thom Keith a message on Facebook. He immediately replied back, that he had not been aware of the problem. Then he just replied back a moment ago, that all should be up and running again.

Thom is very active on Facebook right now, including in the past few days. I have sent him a message and I expect to hear from him soon.

That is really interesting to me. I had heard his last name, Blount, many times, but never made that connection. Sun Ra died in 1993. It is too bad that he did not live long enough to be able to stand on the Patriots sideline during games, as their special guest, right next to Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

Oh wow that is actually Ben Webster? I thought it was a saxophonist very influenced by Ben Webster, but I did not imagine that it was actually Ben!

Well it's a near miracle but I have actually identified one of the songs from my music collection. Track #11 is Bertha Hope: "Low Tide," the opening track on her "Elmo's Fire" album, her 1994 Steeplechase album.

Dan, I always look forward to your Blindfold Teats because they are a guaranteed fun listen. This one is like your past BFTs in that it makes me realize how poor I am at identifying bop tenor and alto sax players. I have that Archie Shepp/Horace Parlan album but did not remember the song. I have not played that album and the other Shepp/Parlance duet album, "Goin' Home," in some time. I think I should remedy that!

You have October. We are looking forward to an Oktoberfest of sound (and/or spoken word)!

I have now had a response from Mike Ricci in the comments section of the post in which he announced the closing of the AAJ Forum, in which he says: "I have the forum database and I plan to look at the tables. I'm thinking we can import the topics and threads and present them in a searchable archive at All About Jazz. Sandra's stories would be a priority." That sounds very encouraging.

I can only hope that I hit the eephus as well as Ted Williams did.

jojazz, We have traditionally had a separate thread with the Reveal, or answers, at the end of the month. So I have set it up that way. I will respond to your answers on that thread. This was a truly great and enjoyable Blindfold Test!

BFT #154 Revealed: #1. "Ponce" (Noro Morales), Elliot Lawrence Swings Al Cohn & Tiny Kahn -1/56 Elliott Lawrence Big Band; Lawrence, piano solo (Al Cohn,ts, prominently featured on the original album). #2. Ill Wind (Arlen/Koehler), Howard McGhee: Sharp Edge -12/61 Maggie,tp/ George Coleman,ts/ Junior Mance,p/ George Tucker,b/ Jimmy Cobb,d #3. "Nubian Stomp" (Carlos Ward), Bob Stewart: Then & Now -3/96 Stewart,tu/ Graham Haynes,tp/ Carlos Ward,as/ Jerome Harris,g/ Buddy Williams,d #4. "Warm Valley" (Duke Ellington), Jerome Richardson: Roamin' With Richardson -10/59 Richardson,bs/ Richard Wyands,p/ George Tucker,b/ Charlie Persip,d #5. "You Go to My Head" (Coots/Gillespie), Ed Cherry: Second Look -4/94 Cherry,g/ Steve Nelson,vb/ Kenny Barron,p/ Andy McKee,b/ Yoron Israel,d #6. "Up Above My Head" (trad), Sammy Price & Lucky Thompson: Paris Blues -7/57 Lucky,ts/ Price,p,voc/ Jean-Pierre Sasson,g/ Pierre Michelot,b/ Dave Pochonet,d #7. "The Isolated Pawn" (John Williams), Shelly Manne: Checkmate -10/61 Conte Candoli,tp/ Richie Kamuca,ts/ Russ Freeman,p/ Chuck Berghofer,b/ Shelly Manne,d #8. "Hucksterman" (Khan Jamal), Khan Jamal: Dark Warrior -9/84 Jamal,vb/ Charles Tyler,as/ Johnny Dyani,b/ Leroy Lowe,d #9. "Song For Clare" (Dave Holland), Dave Holland/Barre Phillips: Music From 2 Basses -2/71 Holland/Phillips,b #10. {Improvisation}, John Lee Hooker/Miles Davis: Music from "The Hot Spot" -'90 Hooker,g,voc/ Miles,tp/ Roy Rogers,elg/ Tim Drummond,elb/ Earl Palmer,d #11. "Madeline" (Hank Mobley), James Spaulding: Escapade -4/99 Spaulding,bsf/ John Hicks,p/ Ray Drummond,b/ Kenny Washington,d #12. "Nu Kingdom" (Zane Massey), Zane Massey: Brass Knuckles -11/92 Massey,ts/ Hideiji Taninaka,b/ Sadiq M. Abdu Shahid,d #13. "Elos" (Duke Ellington), Duke Ellington: Private Collection Studio Sessions Vol. 9 -12/68 Willie Cook,tp/ Money Johnson,tp/ Chuck Connors,tb/ Buster Cooper,tb/ Lawrence Brown,tb/ Johnny Hodges,as/ Russell Procope,as,cl/ Paul Gonsalves,ts/ Harold Ashby,ts/ Harry Carney,bs/bc/ Duke,p/ Jeff Castleman,b/ Rufus Jones,d