The Magnificent Goldberg

Hot here, too. Forecast for the rest of the week is pretty good. MG

Eartha Kitt Cat Ballou Abyssinian Red

She's chuckin'! Is that what you're supposed to do? MG

Time to put Vonski's photo in here MG

Just ordered both albums. They're both very good - not quite so Mbalax-oriented as later stuff of theirs I've heard - more jazz-oriented. MG

The Dixie Hummingbirds Martin Hummingbird Opal Louis Nations

A bash at my new Xalam LPs Goree - Celluloid Apartheid - Encore MG

Yes to all that, but it does depend on how soon. Some stuff is worth money now but won't be in a decade or so. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzh0MONKjXs MG

Thanks Thom. Is this stuff all on Delmark? MG

Thanks Thom. Is there a thread here about him? MG

Not THE Eddie Harris, AN Eddie Harris who worked for Fantasy Records. MG

Well, I see I have to get that Ari Brown. Never heard of him. MG

BFT112 Well, here we go, for another series of improvised comments without much thought behind them, but in the spirit of the Down Beat BFTs. 1 Something very familiar about this band. And that fabulous tenor player! I feel sure I know him, but maybe I just ought to know him. There’s bits like Fred Jackson in there and bits like Jimmy Forrest, too, but I don’t think it’s either of them. I’ll have yet another listen. 2 An interesting Latin bit, with a much more modern tenor player, but another I think I ought to know. He’s got a sound a bit like Benny Golson but a way of playing that’s more Joe Henderson-oriented than Golson usually is. The trumpet player seems more full of chops than melody, however. However much like a 1970s Muse album this sounds, I think it’s a good bit more recent than that. The rhythm section is alarmingly ingenious; bells of some kind and, later, brilliant use of cowbell, and all the time right there on the nose, but changing all the time. The more you listen to this, the more it’s the drummer’s record. I’d like to say it’s a bit of Cecil Brooks III that I haven’t heard… 3 Well, here’s a trumpet player with all that Hubbard stuff, and another modern Joe Henderson type player. But it doesn’t sound too recent; I think I detected a scratch in the LP so it’s probably before the 90s. And it’s live, so maybe it ain’t a scratch, just extraneous noise. Pianist is a bit quiet or I’d think it was Cedar Walton. I’ve got a suspicion it’s Gerald Wilson’s band, but the voicing of the saxes isn’t quite his thing. 4 Is this Steve Lacy? Never heard him before but this sounds like how he ought to play, from what I’ve read. Another damn good rhythm section. Actually, this is pretty nice stuff; if it’s Lacy, well, I’ve been missing something. If it’s someone else, well, I’ve been missing something. 5 Can’t say I really like this one, though it’s kind of interesting; but a bit too aggressively modern for my taste. 6 See, I didn’t get the head; what was the point of that head, then off into a nice bootin’ rhythm that seems to have nothing to do with the head? I mean, sounds like a good ol’ blues to me and so little wrong with that, that I don’t see why they tried to disguise it. OK, I’ve listened to it again and I get the head – at least the first part of the head, still not the second; still too clever by half. 7 Here’s another bunch of pretty modern jazz musicians making interesting music but it’s not CAPTURING me. 8 Unusual combination, alto & trombone. Somewhat arresting. The trombone’s sound is kind of bland like Curtis Fuller or J J Johnson, whereas the alto’s nothing of the kind. Damn fine rhythm sections you’re picking, Tim. 9 Piano trio, for a change. It’s NOT Gene Harris Not easy to identify a pianist by the sound; sounds like someone playing the piano… 10 Oh, I’m really right into this from the first few seconds. This is really music to capture you (well, me, I mean). Doesn’t matter who’s playing; it’s the music, the singing, the song. Fuckin’ ‘ell this is beautiful! Thank you for this music. 11 This made me think of some of those fifties Jimmy Giuffre pieces I heard decades ago and have almost, but not quite exactly, remembered. 12 Yeah, I thought that was an organ playing those chords behind the flute in the head. Another great rhythm section. I think this is some fifties Verve recording – perhaps it’s even Herbie Mann with a pianist who didn’t usually play organ. Good, too. 13 ‘The beauty of simplicity’ – something familiar about the soprano player, but I don’t know. And the rock guitar solo after leaves me cold, I’m afraid. Not really for real, seems to me. Bonus 1 Hm… Another rock guitar – this one sounds a bit like Sonny Sharrock, though, so there’s somewhat more interest for me. Well, this is some modern hard boppers I don’t know but, when I’m in the mood for it, this is often just right for me. Is this someone playing two horns at once who isn’t either Braith or Rahsaan? Well, it ain’t any Braith I know, but the voicing of those horns is more like Braith than Rahsaan. But the sound of them isn’t like Braith. Confess – dunno. Bonus 2 Someone takin’ care of business. So what business. Well, related to ‘So what’. Seventies stuff. Is this someone like Joe Lee Wilson? Well, could be… Well, some fine stuff there, Tim. Damn, sure I’ll get #1 after a few more listens. MG

Has he got a sax AND a ciggy in his mouth? Practice makes perfect. MG

Bleedin' 'ell! I should have got those two! MG