The Magnificent Goldberg

Hey, that one looks interesting! What period does it cover? This came yesterday, and it's thanks to Noj for letting me know this was around still. And it's a WOW! Now I REALLY want a Mosaic covering the complete Decca period! MG

This is a lovely album. I have all of Teddy's albums as a leader, or co-leader, so I wouldn't put it at the top of the list. But there's no such thing as a bad Teddy Edwards album, so there's no bottom of the list MG

I think also volume 2 of Jimmy Smith's "The master" (recorded in Osaka, 1993) wasn't issued outside Japan, though vol 1 was. MG

Liberty WAS an independent party at the time. BN needed money - this wasn't anything like Bob Weinstock flogging Prestige or Ertegun, Wexler & co flogging Atlantic in order to realise the appreciation of their asset. BN was in the shit; artists revolting and, I suspect, cashflow problems arising from the hit albums for which the company wasn't being paid in a timely fashion. Liberty had the muscle to ensure that payments were made to time and Lion & Wolff were able to continue to do their thing. The real problems started when, within a relatively short time: Liberty and UA merged; UA was acquired by a finance (I think) company, Transamerica; and Francis died and was replaced by George Butler. MG

I listened to the bonus disc first – no reason why – suppose I felt like being perverse. The first track put me in a real good mood But then… 1 Oh I know this – but the recording sounds different to the one I’m familiar with. Perhaps that just because it’s on the walkman, rather than the hifi. I prefer the walkman for BFTs because I can concentrate without hearing external stuff going on. Oh, I’m in danger of thread hijack here… OK, this is “Tender feelings”, from “Contrasts”. And yes, it does sound a bit different to the vinyl. 2 Long intro on alto to “There is no greater love”, interestingly altered. Sax, bass & drums – a nice airy combination. Sounds nice, but to me the bass player and the alto player aren’t playing off each other. The sax and drums are having a conversation, but the bass player’s just strolling around, keeping time fine, but leaving me wanting more. And the end is too long; just noodling. Don’t know who these guys are. It’s OK, but not TPOK Jazz, if you know what I mean. 3 Sorry, but this is rubbish. Well, I didn’t turn it to the next track. Eventually, I caught something going on. Then there was a bit more going on. But I didn’t delete my first sentence – reality posting. Didn’t like it at all, but there’s something going on. It’s not FUN, though. Nor is it passion. Bleedin’ ‘ell, don’t it go on a looooooonnnnnnngggggg time? (@13:20). Yes, it does (@21:00). All seems rather too deliberate. And for little or no point. Well, looks like this track is going to outlast the battery in my walkman (27:27) I can get with the baritone player who came in nearly half an hour late. Glad there was room for him but, truly, who cares? Milkman called for his money at about 35:00, it had finished when I got back. Insufficiently interested to find out how it ended. Do I dare to try the main disc? Oh, yeh will, yeh will, yeh will! BFT62 Main disc 1 A wee bit o’ Bebop. Nice and swinging pianist. Sometimes I think I recognise the tune – or at least the one underneath. Is it “Alone together”? Trombonist didn’t do much for me, but the alto player is grooving me to the full! Don’t know who these guys are – modern jazz isn’t really my thing. I know lots of people who the alto player ISN’T, if that’s any good. 2 This seems to be based on “The last post”. A somewhat “out” version, of course. The front line – well, all of them – are working together nicely. After a bit, it settles down into some pretty ordinary hard bop stuff. Very chopsy alto player. Is this from that Branford Marsalis album about Katrina? Can’t say I liked it. 3 More bebop. Well, more modern than that, I guess. This seems relatively recent. The unison passages suggest a bunch of college types. Not saying anything to me. 4 A nice groove to start with always gets my attention! There’s something Ellington-ish about the tune and the way it’s played. And also Joe Dukes-ish about the groove. The alto player was solid with me. Can’t be bothered with rock guitarists, though. This should have stopped before he got to the studio. And that rock-style beat that comes along then has nothing to offer me. 5 Pleasant trumpet player backed with a string synthesiser? Or is it a string quartet? Maybe real strings. Yes, the pizzicato bits sound real. This is pleasant enough; the way the strings are arranged could be film music. 6 Sounds a bit like Benny Golson. But I can’t imagine him writing a tune like that! Don’t like the guitarist much. Or the organist, for that matter. 7 Some funny kind of stringed instrument of the Indian persuasion, I guess. Oh, a guitar. I know! It’s 7/4! Sorry, can’t be asked to take this seriously. Listened to it all, though. 8 “Crazy rhythm”. Wow! A song I know! And a sax player I know, too. You devil, Nate! Lull me into a false sense of security, thinking there won’t be anything in my range and here’s this guy - and although I know him, I can't recognise him, not even on the second or third attempts. With a trombonist I don’t think I know at all. Valve trombone, by the fleetness of it. Funny sounding piano. Or is it the recording? No, it’s the piano player, giving the game away, because this isn’t a fifties recording but something rather retro. (Well I think so.) 9 More drivel. Rock guitarist again. Could be the same one as on #4; they’re all interchangeable. Could be the same drummer as well. I’ll give it foive – minutes, that is. 10 Well, at least this is quieter. Film theme time. Very pleasant after the last cut, but I wouldn’t normally want to listen to it even in a lift. As it progresses, it becomes less like Muzak and more like the previous track. And I’d use the stairs. 11 A modern big band. I think I recognise the drummer. But I don’t know really. The trumpet, alto and trombonist, and the tenor player are all people I feel are pretty recognisable modern musicians. Ditto the pianist. I just don’t recognise them. There’s nothing in here in the way of a STATEMENT that makes me want to get to know any of them better. But it’s OK. 12 Ah, obviously a prime time TV quiz theme! It’s not that there’s nothing going on. It’s that there’s nothing going on that has any meaning to me. These musicians have ideas but they aren’t putting them together into a coherent shape that conveys emotion. Not a lot in this for me, Nate, I'm afraid. But I'm glad I heard it - so thanks. At the very least, it reminds me how careful I need to be in exploring modern music. MG

Nice album, "Sophisticated Lou". Hope you get to see him. One of my favourites whom I've never seen. MG

Last night Sonny Thompson - Cat on the keys - Official Larry Young - Contrasts - BN Liberty Quite a contrast MG

Hear, hear. MG

Thanks for that Shawn. In my experience, the working classes have limited objectives; the middle classes place no theoretical limits on their objectives. It's a damn sight easier to be happy if your objectives are modest. If it makes people realise that it isn't compulsory to have boundless ambition, maybe this depression will be a good thing in the long run. MG

Wow! That looks interesting. When was it recorded? I guess if it's in the Smithsonian, which owns Folkways, it's still in print. Or does the museum have a second hand section MG

Hal Galper Prince Hal Hal

Chris Connor is a singer who always found several unusual songs - great songs you'd never heard before - to include in her albums. MG

Have a good one! (And a happy birthday, too ) MG

If I had to grab something, it would be the John Patton. I've loved that music for forty years and couldn't be without it. And, since it's with the other Patton CDs, I'd grab them, too. (I'd leave the TOCJs of what's in the Select behind, though ) Yes, I know I could buy another copy (at present). MG

Most of the morning Fletcher Henderson - Wrappin' it up - Quadromania MG

Shapiro Bernstein Elmer Fudd

Budd Johnson & the Four Brass Giants - Riverside (OJC) With thanks to Shawn - immediately a great album! MG

Bitterly disappointed. I thought it was a porn star, so I looked at the thread MG

And a lot from "Sound of joy", too. Doesn't look like there's much risk of me making a mistake if I get this twofer. Thanks TTK. MG

Ah, that explains why I got rid of it quiclky in 1970! MG

Well, I've read a bit at the beginning of this trhead and a bit at the end... and I still don't know. I bought "Secrets of the sun" last year - I have a strong yearning to collect all the Calvin Newborn I can - and really feel like getting some more of Sun Ra. They're so interesting and such fun to listen to. When I was young ( ) I had "Sun song", "Sound of joy" and "Futuristic sounds of". Flogged 'em when times got hard and never bought them again. Well, they're on the agenda for this year. But I want something new (to me) - I heard "Secrets of the sun" back in the sixties, 'cos my mate has a copy, so that one isn't really new to me. I feel very inclined, after reading the bit that TTK posted about Les Baxter, to go for the two that he mentioned: Seems to me that these are going to move me a bit more into SR. Advice anyone? MG

Ruben Blades Mack the Knife Wilmer "Little Axe" Broadnax

Loadsa CDs today! Buddy Johnson - Gotta go upside your head. Mercury recordings from 1953-55. Big beat time! Fela Kuti twofer - Beasts of no nation/Overtake, don't overtake overtake - originally issued on Kalakuta Another Fela Kuti twofer - Stalemate/Fear not for man - originally issued on Decca West Africa And Percy France - I should care - Endgame Many thanks to Allen Lowe for this - it's superb and I can see why his version of "Willow weep for me" was reckoned the best by someone (Shawn?) MG

You're really welcome Taeke. I think I've heard something about this. I'd love to see what you've got so far. I think most of your answers are correct, but I think these may be two different people. Saint Jenkins appeared on Black pearl Let's stay together (the 1965 trio trax) A bag full of soul One of mine McGriff at the Apollo Chicken fried soul (Junior Parker/McGriff) Black & blues He MAY have appeared on "The way you look tonight" but I don't have that album. Willie Jenkins seems only to have appeared on "Let's stay together", the 1972 tracks on side one. But since both were on the same LP, I can't see why - if it were the same man - two names were used. There's a member here called Rshurman (or something like that) who knows one or two of the people who played with McGriff in the sixties and he may be able to help. MG