Rooster_Ties

Much as I love Osby's playing (especially all his albums since about 1998-99, or even maybe as early as 1996's "Art Forum"), and I do mean love Obsy's playing - as in I'd drive a couple hours to hear him, any day of the week... That said, I think Moran is still a bigger draw for me, personally. And the two of them together are unstoppable!!

Amazed at how much James Spaulding sounds like Jackie McLean, on the alto solo near the beginning of track 3 ("Chaos", I think). Also, Joe Chambers is really a great asset to this band. In some ways, I think Joe is the quintisential Blue Note drummer, if you want to talk about 60's BN recordings. Taking the album as a whole, (for me) it has the right mix of 'inside' and 'outside' sections. Even the quiet-but-free (rubatto) sections are really well integrated into the whole. Normally my attention tends to wander during the quiet/free/rubbato sections (when there isn't some sort of rhythmic plulse to 'hang on to'), but with "All Seeing Eye", they last just long enough to be interesting, but don't overwhelm the session. The quiet solo-piano sections with Herbie, or maybe plus some occasional drums or bass - were *really* beautiful. There are aspects of "All Seeing Eye" that seem almost like many orchestral works or symphonies. There's an ebb and flow between the various colors and moods, with transitions that build and release tension so seamlessly. (IMHO), a brilliant album. Did anyone get the feeling like this was a hugely collaborative effort?? I'm not saying anything should be taken away at all from Wayne, as the leader of this date, and composer of most of the tunes. Still, it reminded me of an intensely creative session where everyone gave 200%, and the results (which seem less like most typical "Wayne" BN albums), were such an organic combination of everyone's efforts. ( I'm not saying much of this clearly, as I'm up way-early, after daylight-savings-time kicked in. )

Just found my copy of "ASE" this morning, and I listened to it three times today. What an incredible album!! I'll post more about it tomorrow, but I'll say this - I heard new things in it even the third time through. 5 stars!!!!

Here's a link to the parent directory with all the images. click HERE. The album cover images all start with the name "jazz"...

Where's Jim??? He oughta be all over this topic (meaning the "Tyrone Washington" part).

Links: My Point Of View Expansions Black Fire Miles Smiles Jacknife Virgo Vibes Off To The Races Hub Cap Here Comes Louis Smith Soundin' Off More to come...

Hard choice, but in the end - I voted for Hank. This, despite the fact that I normally claim Joe Henderson as my all-time favorite tenor player, with Wayne Shorter as a very close second. But somehow, when I looked over all of Lee Morgan's discography (including his sideman appearances), I kept thinking about how all my favorite Hank Mobley albums were the one's with Lee Morgan. Ask me tomorrow, and I'll probably say Wayne Shorter. Day after that - Joe Henderson. Damn, this really was a tough question to answer!!!

Damn, what a difficult question to answer. Every time I think of who I'm gonna vote for, I think of two or three others who are just as good. Any day of the week, you could get a different answer out of me: Wayne, Hank, Joe, Jackie, Bennie - any and every one of those 5. Gonna hafta think about this one a bit, before I vote. Good subject for a poll!!

Yup, that's the one. IMHO, it's certainly an 'interesting' record (some of it even 'very interesting'), but it wasn't nearly as great as I was hoping for. Tyrone's other rare album (although it doesn't seem to be quite "super rare", just "mega rare") I think is called "Roots" (somebody help me here, and I can't seem to find anything about it on-line now --- damn BNBB being down and all). (IMHO), I much prefer "Roots" over "Do Right". "Roots" seemed more like "Natural Essence" (which I love, can you tell??). Also, there are some vocals on "Do Right" (eek!!), and it's just a less jazz-oriented album in general (even with my very open definition of 'jazz'). Very interesting, yes, and I'm glad I got it (even though I promptly gave it to our own Jim Sangrey, who needed it more than I did), but I wouldn't pay a mint for it, knowing what I know now (and didn't know then - I think I paid about $54 for it - ouch!!). If "Roots" came out on CD, I'd buy it for sure, even at import prices (up to $20 - who am I kidding, up to $30). If "Do Right" came out on CD, I'd probably pick it up (for the heck of it), if I could get it for like $10.99 or so. But Jim loves "Do Right", so obviously tastes vary... Hey Jim, how's about you post a review of "Do Right"??? Seems like a good time and place for it.

Much as I'd love to discuss Tyrone Washington's "Natural Essence" as an 'album of the week' -- I do realize that most people don't own this title (since it was only released on CD as a TOCJ, and is now somewhat difficult to track down). So, if I wanna discuss Tyrone Washington (as an 'album of the week'), then I'm thinking the most common source of his playing has got to be on... Horace Silver - "The Jody Grind" Plus, it's got Woody Shaw, who I'd love to include in an 'album of the week discussion too... (Just more 'thinking out loud' about what I might untimately pick, if I ever get picked.)

Sometimes, when he's on his more grungier side... Neil Young I love his 'clumsy' electric guitar playing.

(This isn't a specific response to the prior post - but rather a general observation...) I think the way in which the "album of the week" is chosen is really, REALLY great. The person who chose last week's album picks the next person to pick the next week's album. Wow!! No voting. No 'process'. No lobbying for what the next album should be (well, maybe some - but the real decision comes down to just one person). One person... -- one person picks a really interesting album, and they just pick whatever album suits their fancy. And then they pick the next person... What a GREAT, and **SIMPLE** process. Way back on March 21st, AfricaBrass said... Thanks AfricaBrass, for keeping this so simple!!! B) B) B)

I'm guessing that Jackie McLean's "Jacknife" (from the most recent round of Conns) would be the most common Tolliver CD, from among things that are already in print. Or, lots of people probably have Booker Ervin's "Structurally Sound" (with Tolliver) - which would kill a couple birds with one stone, since Impossible asked about having a Booker Ervin album as the album of the week. (I think "Structurally Sound" is faily common, and should be in many of our collections already.) As far as Tolliver-lead sessions, "The Ringer" is fairly common - and might be a good one to do. Anybody think "The Ringer" is too obscure to have as an album of the week? Another Tolliver-lead session that's also somewhat common is "Grand Max", but I fear fewer people will have "Grand Max" than might have "The Ringer".

Chuck, I think someone's using your password. "Morning Train"?????

An occasional relatively new release would be OK, but for the most part, I think it'd be easier to get more people listening and commenting if we went with classic dates that more people already have. How about this - before someone picks a 'new' release as their Album of the Week - they could float the idea with the board for feedback. (That way, if relatively few people own the album, then that might be something to consider as to whether it should be an album of the week.)

I'd vote for only including multiple CD sets, IF the release was first released as a multiple album set (meaning in it's original release), or if it has been expanded with additional material from the same sessions, in it's CD release. Lee Morgan's "Live at the Lighthouse", a 3-CD set, would be OK from my perspective. But I would not include any multiple CD sets that were originally released as separate albums. (Of course, there's an exception to every rule: I would include Miles Davis "The Complete Concert: 1964 (My Funny Valentine & "Four More" (a 2CD set) as being one conceptual album, since all the material comes from one concert - even though it was originally released as two separate albums. ===== I'm open to other thoughts --- but I think we should keep this to 1, maybe 2, or occasionally 3 CD sets (at most), so we increase the chances of people being able to listen to all the material (even a couple times through), and commenting on it during the same week that everyone else is doing the same. ( I think the odds of everyone getting through their Complete Miles Plugged Nickel set (all of it, all in the same week) - are mighty slim. )

Herbie Hancock - The Prisoner Andrew Hill – Black Fire Don Cherry – Complete Communion Something by (or at least with) Charles Tolliver (what’s everybody already got??)

Well, if you're gonna get like that then... Hans Werner Henze

A few days ago I stumbled on what I think is a FANTASTIC radio documentary about Frank Zappa. The whole thing is on-line, and easy to access... Link: "Frank Zappa: American Composer" Also, please see my technical request down below too... Here's a description..... Also, does anyone know how I can download this documentary, in order to burn it on a couple CD's??? It's *not* in an MP3 format, and that's the only thing I have any experience with downloading. Thanks a bunch!!!

I really liked the first two Garbage albums. ( Didn't care for the third nearly as much, or maybe I haven't spun it enough yet. )

Zappa Hendrix

When I heard Osby's quartet here in Kansas City a couple months ago, I talked with Jason after the show. He gave me the impression that a trio-version of Afrika Bambaataa's 'Planet Rock' would be on the new live album. I didn't ask him specifically what would be on it, but he said something like "wait till you hear the trio version of 'Planet Rock'!!" (IMHO) JAMO is one of the most exciting young jazz musicians and composers out there today. I look forward to Jason's new CD's (and Greg Osby's recent releases too) the way I imagine some others did of Miles Davis albums in the 60's. I'm there at the store the day they come out. In fact, I got 'Black Stars' the night before it came out, by writing a post-dated check for it. Supposedly stores can get in deep trouble for selling releases before their official street date - but it wasn't like anyone gave a shit about a new jazz release slipping out early. I remember the night I got 'Black Stars' quite well --- I listened to it twice through, before going to bed, and loved it. Then, the next day was Sept. 11th (2001) - and I didn't listen to any music of any sort for about two or three weeks. And even then, for some reason I wasn't in the mood for 'Black Stars' for several weeks more.

To the best of my knowledge, it has never been released comercially. I've never seen the Yellow Shark broadcast, but would love to get a copy of it - someday. If anyone knows of a good source for one, I'd be interested too.

So, Ed, how was the show???? Do tell!!!

I'd have to think that the Larry Young Mosaic was a very slow seller, maybe the "slowest seller" of any Blue Note Mosaic box. I can't remember the details, but I know I've read on the BNBB that it "timed-out" long before the end of it's run. I think barely half the total number of sets it was supposed to be limied to (7,500 - if my memory is right), were actually produced. I think we arived at that 'fact', either from someone never having seen one with any number higher than 4,000 --- or else maybe someone from Mosaic let us in on the inside scoop. And, of course, the Woody Shaw Mosiac certainly hung around a very long time too.