Rooster_Ties

Second Communion is fantastic, to put it mildly. Another favorite... Baikida Carroll: Marionettes on a High Wire (OmniTone 12101)

When you've otherwise got no hope, then you might irrationally bet on your 'only' hope. I think actively targeting and selling lottery tickets to the poor could almost be thought of as cruelty. For those with almost no other options other than a one in a million shot (and a random one at that), it's pretty disingenuous to essentially pray on people's hopes and fears, practically inciting them to give away some of what little discretionary moneys they might have.

Thanks Chuck. I'll have to look those sessions up when I'm back home tonight (I do own a copy of of the Cuscuna/Ruppli "The BN Label" book). I thought it was four complete 'album-length' sessions they mixed up, but I guess the Morgan/Tyner one wasn't as productive.

On vinyl, yes - but for the first of the CD releases of these sessions on Blue Note Michael Cuscuna already kept the sessions intact. I always thought they sounded great in session order. Can somebody remind me how these were released on CD the first time around. Were all 4(?) sessions released on four CD's? Or, rather, how many separate sessions were there? - and did each one see a separate CD issue back during the McMaster era? The only one I still have is the "No Room for Squares" with the complete session that Andrew Hill is on -- but in retrospect, I kinda wish I had all of the 'session'-centric issues of this material.

Congrats for sure! 3/15, and one at #4 is mighty damn impressive.

today's plastic disposable junk now won't rust, what with indestructible plastic glued together apple devices, nor will it ever be green again. what will our successors think, if we have any, when they unearth our plasticky landfills? "those strange people must have worshipped tiny plastic toys." BZZZZT!!!! The next correct response was supposed to have been "sleeps".

never

Seems as good a place as any to post this nearly hour-long interview I found on Youtube... Rare Conversation with John Scofield and Joe Henderson: 9/3/96

Anybody know this little appoximately 4-minute obscurity?? (It appears that Joe and Woody are only on this one track, source.) Date: September 1970? Location: Los Angeles, CA Label: Los Angeles John Wood (ldr), Joe Henderson (ts), Woody Shaw (t), John Wood (ep), Mark Drury (b), Lenny White (d), Anthony Waters (cga) a. Guillermo's Ants Los Angeles LP 12": LAPR-1008 - Nearer (1970) Dates uncertain. From the personnel listed, it can be assumed that this session took place sometime in the fall of 1970, when Henderson formed his own group with Woody Shaw and Lenny White.

Well, as long as we're on the subject of store names (or brand names) that raise the eyebrows... ...there's always "fcuk" (link goes to Wikipedia article on the history of the brand name), which I found more interesting than I'd expected to.

Any dates with Hubert Laws on tenor that I should have? I'm guessing the one (or is it two?) Harold Mabern date(s?) Laws appears to be on in the '69-'70 range. If there are two, which one is better?

Bump for another question I hadn't seen any discussion of yet... Anyone know anything about Lawrence Marshall, the director of the vocal jazz group(s) on Andrew Hill's "Lift Every Voice"?? Maybe the most difficult choral parts of any jazz date I can think of.

Here's the third track.

Yeah, it's the groove that's hookin' me in, definitely. I get how the whole thing doesn't quite gel, but damn - that groove!!

Anybody have the Billy Harper DVD thing with chorus? Been curious about it for forever. Guess I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and check it out myself one of these days.

Here's the three bonus tracks from the 2006 reissue of "African High Life", for anyone wondering. (Fully 39 minutes of music!!) Jim, I'd still love to heard your thoughts on the bonus session in particular - thanks!! Third track to follow in next post...

For years, I'd find various Donald Byrd BN dates from the 70's on CD in the used bins, and every time I went to sample them - I ran for the hills like my life depended on it. I've got everything up through "Kofi" (and think "Kofi", "Electric Byrd", and "Fancy Free" are all pretty solid). And I thought I had all the Byrd leader-dates I ever needed. But my question is... What's up with Ethiopian Knights?? I thought this was a Mizell production, but my on-line poking around today seems to indicate otherwise. I just found the whole album uploaded to Youtube, and am mostly diggin' it (at least the groove, which is solid as a heart attack). It ain't mind-blowing as far as the soloing, but if this were on any label other than Blue Note, and by some random unknown trumpeter -- I'd say this date would pretty much exceed expectations, and be considered a fairly solid, if maybe flawed date. (But being on BN, and being Byrd - expectations are completely different, I'll grant everyone that.) It's that groove that's got me hooked, and makes up for the soloists maybe not bringing their 'A' game. Wholly apart from Byrd's and BN's legacy, what do people think of this one? Pretend it isn't Byrd, and isn't on BN... Worth it? Or not? For instance, until today I had no idea Harold Land and Bobby Hutcherson were both on this date. That's gotta count for something? The two long tracks have me tempted (Youtube clips below), even if I can't stand the ballad (which, thankfully, is pretty short - the same Youtube user has it uploaded too, if anyone really wants to hear it). Thoughts?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVuIpl_0fyg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jdwbkqm88U

Joe's on this entire album, Babatunde Olatunji's "Soul Makossa". Not a ton of solo-space for Joe, per se (lots of really short solos, but no lengthy ones as best I recall), but his playing is out front in the mix on practically every track. Really a fun date! Here's a couple tracks...

Nice. More Joe is always welcome!!

Kind of crazy that some of these are seeing release as single CD's unto themselves (like Donald Byrd's "The Creeper" - which is on the Byrd/Adams Mosaic) -- whereas a few dates like Larry Young's "Contrasts" and Sam Rivers' "A New Conception" (BN albums released back in the day, nearly contemporaneous to when they were recorded) STILL haven't ever been issued as single CD's unto themselves (not even in Japan) -- or at least not that I'm aware of. I'd still LOVE to get a copy of "Contrasts" on CD, by itself (though I do own the Larry Young Mosaic). (It's the only released BN date with Tyrone Washington that's not yet seen release on a CD by itself.)

I imagine everyone here has this one already, but just in case anyone doesn't... Lee Morgan's "Infinity" is an absolute monster of a session -- maybe my very favorite Lee Morgan leader-date, and IMHO the best of his numerous pairings with Jackie McLean. Not to be missed, especially since copies of the OOP Conn issue of this date seem to run about $40-$45 these days.

Interesting to see Donald Byrd's "The Creeper" being offered - for the first time on CD (outside of the Mosaic). From 1967, with Pepper Adams and Sonny Red on the front line, and Chick Corea(!), Miroslav Vitous, and Mickey Roker in the rhythm section. Even includes a couple of Chick's tunes, "Samba Yantra" and Chico San".

Tempted by the Nathen Page.

Hoping you're having a very happy day. Cheers! -- Rooster_T.