Rooster_Ties

I’ve wondered the very same thing!

Nathan Davis' soprano playing (at least in the 60's) is instantly recognizable to me -- even from what little I've heard (just 3 albums). AFAIK, practically nobody plays soprano with both that degree of sweetness and seemingly perfect intonation (or if anybody else did, I'm not aware). I'm not a big soprano fan (though I love Wayne Shorter's ideas enough that I'm fine with his playing) -- and Nathan is one of the only soprano players whose tone doesn't bother me. It's like his playing is on a whole 'nother plane. Helped that I own the album it's from (one of the bonus tracks from Peace Treaty), but even if I hadn't ever heard it before, I think Nathan would have still been my first guess.

I’ve head Track 6 before, I’m sure of it — but can’t immediately place it. Nathan Davis perhaps? Track 11 sounds like something I may have heard (or even have) — possibly from one of those ‘Spiritual Jazz’ comps on the Jazzman label (out of the UK)..

I paid about $65 for my Mulligan Concert Jazz Band box about 2 years ago (from eBay), and I saw some other copies going for about $65-$70 around then too. Looking now, there are a couple closed eBay auctions in that ballpark too (in the last 90 days). I agree, $65 is a bargain (I certainly thought that when I paid that for mine), but that does seem to be about the going rate when opening bids are less that, and actual multiple-bidders are bidding.

Has anyone else ordered “Roots” on CD yet? If you get your copy in hand by June 4th or 5th, could you let me know if it’s a needle-drop, and how it sounds? (I’ve got one on an open order at Dusty Groove that I have to close by June 5th — and I’m asking for a buddy here on DC who might want one too, but has some hesitation about whether it might be a needle-drop.)

Where’s the fucking picture disc version? I’m sick and tired of this nonsense. This isn’t for music fans. This is for music media fetishists, who want to fondle and ogle a precious ‘shiny’ object, that happens to be associated with some good music (as a bonus). Edit: What bullshit.

That was my rationale for getting the Bee Hive box, and I’m glad I did — but the timeframe (decade) of the Bee Hive material lined up a lot more with my interests than this B&W set.

Dusty Groove seems to have all the Perception titles in (as of just this afternoon). I pulled the trigger on Roots on CD (no surprise there) — but I’m taking advantage of them holding orders open to add more things and save on shipping. So via media mail, I should have my copy by about June 9th, or thereabouts.

Alas, no CD, but this can be had as a legit (licensed) vinyl reissue now (as of just a couple weeks ago) -- or as a legit download (for only $7) Hell of an album, carpe diem!! https://frederiksbergrecords.bandcamp.com/album/milt-ward-virgo-spectrum Dusty Groove seemed to have had one or more copies on vinyl (but they’re currently out of stock) -- which is how I even knew of the existence of this reissue. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/116324 For posterity, here's the DG verbiage... A hell of a spiritual jazz session from trumpeter Milt Ward – a relatively obscure player who worked on the same 70s Boston underground scene as Stanton Davis – a friend of Milt's and a good comparison to the sound of this one rare album! The vibe is a bit like that of Davis' Ghetto Mysticism – spiritual jazz, but delivered with a soulful focus throughout – tunes that still have plenty of room for strong solos, but also groove a bit too – all instrumental, and served up by a tremendous lineup that includes the great Carlos Garnett on tenor, plus Bill Pierce on soprano and tenor, Delmar Brown on electric and acoustic piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Ignacio Mena on percussion! There's a very special spirit to the record – a set that's not just rare, but a rare breed of wonderful – with titles that include "The Charle", "Virgo Paths", "Juneboy's Frismas", "Mr Cheese", and "Morning Glories". Hell, as long as I'm posting that for posterity, here's the description of the album (and Ward) from the Bandcamp page too... It seemed trumpeter/composer Milton Ward had all he needed for a breakthrough in the world of contemporary jazz in the late 1970s. Blessed with a beautiful trumpet tone and an impressive work ethic, Ward found a home in Boston’s exploding soul and jazz scenes of the early 1970s. His star never joined the constellation of jazz luminaries, but Ward did leave one fantastic album of spiritual jazz that has become a collectors’ favorite: Milt Ward and Virgo Spectrum. Frederiksberg Records is proud to present the first and only authorized reissue of this funky jazz classic. The release includes remastered tracks from the original LP along with in-depth liner notes that provide a detailed account of Ward’s journey from his early years discovering music in the South to his toils finding a hold in the music business in Boston and New York City. Born in Michigan but raised in New Orleans, Ward came up through the Crescent City’s legendary musical education system. After a stint in the Air Force, Ward and his friend Stanton Davis (of Ghetto/Mysticism fame) looked to the Berklee College of Music in Boston for the next step in their development. Immediately, the two were immersed in Boston’s busy music scene, finding trumpet chairs in Herschel Dwellingham’s Orchestra at the Sugar Shack, where they backed up many of the day’s soul greats. Ward worked with many up-and-coming musicians emerging from Berklee’s nurturing arms. He recruited many to his projects, including his Ultra Modern Quintet Plus Two, which played regularly around Boston in the early 1970s. It was in the mid-1970s that Ward took it upon himself and his entrepreneurial spirit to start his own record label, Twin Quest, and record his stand-alone release. Milt Ward and Virgo Spectrum brought together great young musicians who would quickly make names for themselves within the jazz world, including keyboard wizard Delmar Brown and future Jazz Messenger saxophonist Billy Pierce. Saxophonist/flutist Eddie Alex is a standout, as is baritone saxophonist Glenn Barbour, who soon would head to Atlanta to join The Whole Darn Family. Percussionist Ignacio Mena, bassist Cucho Martinez, and drummer Hugh Petersen all hailed from farther south: Chile, Venezuela, and St. Croix, respectively. The recording also incorporated two bona fide New York jazz masters and veterans of the spiritual jazz movement, bassist Cecil McBee and saxophonist Carlos Garnett. The recording still stands as a hallmark to the creative music scene of Boston and New York City when soul and funk began to emmesh themselves in jazz. Milton Ward’s Milt Ward and Virgo Spectrum remains a youthfully vibrant recording that is ripe for rediscovery by a new generation of explorative listeners. credits released May 6, 2022 Alto Saxophone, Flute – Eddie Alex Baritone Saxophone – Glenn Barbour Bass – Cecil McBee Drums – Hugh Peterson Electric Bass [Fender] – Coucho Martinez Electric Piano, Piano, Synthesizer – Delmar Brown Illustration, Art Direction – J.M. Wilson Percussion – Ignacio Mena Photography By – Harold Emerson Tenor Saxophone – Carlos Garnett Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Bill Pierce Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Liner Notes – Milt Ward Reissue Credits: Liner notes: Bret Sjerven Remastering: Greg Reierson Graphic Design: Javi Bayo Pressed at Pallas, Germany Special Thanks: Takayuki Fujikawa Under Exclusive License from Milt Ward’s Estate Produced for Reissue by Andreas Vingaard

You can thay that again!

QUESTION: Is this everything(?) that Lee Konitz and Billy Bauer recorded together, just the two of them as a duo?? (I don't feel like I have enough of a handle on all of Lee's early output to really know, but this might(?) be everything.) "Rebecca" -- Recorded April 17, 1950 (in NYC) and "Indian Summer" and " Duet For Saxophone & Guitar", both recorded March 13, 1951 (in NYC) Here's a pretty good Lee discography, and I'm not seeing anything else that's obvious in it (in the way of other duo recordings w/ Bauer). https://www.press.umich.edu/pdf/0472115871-discography.pdf

It’s all up on YouTube too… https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kCyTsWI2iLSk585jQptxshYMeBCjuurDQ

I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash It's a gas, gas, gas.

‘Known’ — but unconfirmed (and probably uncomfortable). But it is certainly plausible that it could be him (as much as can be said for supposed footage of someone, when their face isn’t even visible on camera). I have to confess the first I ever heard Nick Drake was courtesy of Volkswagen…

Cumin, not so much — but watch the fuck out for turmeric!! That stuff will stain clothes forever! also… https://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/06/19/how-do-you-remove-turmeric-stains-and-how-it-might-get-you-laid/amp/

PM sent.

Not me, exactly — but after my favorite jazz-loving uncle passed away in ~2012, my cousin (his daughter) said he wanted something called “Upper Manhattan Medical Group” played at his memorial service (something he must have either told her like a decade before, or maybe it was in his will or some other notes he’d prepared many years earlier). She had no idea what that was (“was it an album?” she asked me, and had I ever heard of anything like that?). I figured it was probably the version Duke recorded on And His Mother Called Him Bill. This was my same uncle whose 25+ years of Downbeat magazines I was very lucky to have inherited ‘inherit’ — thanks to my cousin, who otherwise might have donated them to our alma mater (where my uncle, her father, also taught for 40+ years). Clearly UMMG meant a lot to him, and I do think of it when I hear it now.

I feel the same way, probably because I don’t think I ever heard it until I saw this thread (or maybe some similar thread we had around here) — I’ve only ever had the most common US CD issue. It is interesting, and I’m not anti-saw as a general rule — see also the Khachaturian piano concerto… http://www.singende-saege.com/khachaturian-piano-concerto.html …but in this case (with the Lee Morgan), I don’t miss it because I never knew it that way in the first place.

Also, I’m just remembering, I don’t think I was completely aware of the set-list — only that it was all Miles & Gil charts (but maybe I hadn’t expected “Boplicity” — or maybe I did know it opened the concert (I really can’t remember)… But either way, I really wasn’t prepared to hear Miles modern timbre (warts and all) playing something from the 40’s. A very poignant moment, for me at the time.

On the PBS special with Miles & Quincy Jones (when it first broadcast in late 1992 or early ‘93) — the first time I heard that rendition of “Boplicity”… …that definitely brought a couple tears to my eyes. I was pretty deep into Miles by that point, having amassed at least 70% of his Columbia output in just 3 short years (lot of that was dubs on cassettes, mind you). But that really brought it home that Miles was gone.

I have that one too -- with a 10 minute version of Jimi Hendrix' "Up From The Skies". It (plus "Little Wing" from the main Sting album this single goes with) were surely the very first time I ever heard the Gil Evans Orchestra. Got it very early in college -- before I got into jazz -- but I was a HUGE Hendrix nut, thus my interest.