king ubu

But would increased size lead to more sales? My reasoning is it would rather lead to less sales - that's why I'd be more in favour of a Select. Otherwise, to me, it would be "the bigger the better" - there's lots of fine music there that I've never even heard or don't properly own... and I'd be all the happier if more of that was included!

Gato's music is good of course. Apart from the few shots in Paris probably the part of the film I liked best.

Seriously: it's a great disc! ("Spirit Catcher", for those who didn't get it yet)

I'm just spinning "Leo Smith Plays for Lovers" (on Nessa Rekkids, with lots of harps)!

Why? Does Mosaic have easier access to Sony material than to anything else? Would be news to me...

Ronald, thanks for your first bunch of comments! Not Thomas Chapin on #7 - goes into a similar direction, though! I love that burning intense way of playing alto, combined with a heavy "deep" sound that makes some believe they're hearing a tenor, even! You'll find more music that's from your preferred period/style as you'll go on with #8... read my comments to Berigan's post just above yours (he only listened up to #7 so far, so you can read those safely, without spoiling the fun!) to see some more thoughts about my intention/scope etc!

He pulled an Eddie who? (playing french horn with a sax mouthpiece?) Or what? You're thinking of Eddie Harris, right? Played a trumpet with a sax mouthpiece... I think Watkins simply played the tenor part on the horn. I remember a period when Duke Ellington had two trombones and six reeds, so Norris Turney went into the trombone section and played a trombone part. These guys are good enough to transpose on sight... Yes... I didn't think of that much simpler way to understand sidewinder's post... but makes much more sense of course!

Ready, set, go! Would be a terrific little Select with the quintets!

Interesting comments, Berigan! Thanks a lot! And yes, the start of the whole set was rather on the slow, melancholy and moody side... that was my intention of course. The smokin' stuff starts with #7 (while #8 is another slow and beautiful one, #14 too) - but most of that will likely be outside your usual listening zone (as your comment to #7 shows - this of course isn't intended as a judgment of values or anything - tastes are different, so are scopes and horizons... and I really wanted to have a broad ranges of stuff on this disc, at the risk that some of the listeners might be bored by the free stuff, others by Wiley and Tea and ... well, you'll hear as you go on with your listening!) #2 is interesting, huh? Kind of cute, kind of over-arranged, but dig the trumpet! None of the musicians involved have been mentioned (or at least not with regard to this track - hint hint), but it's from "swing-to-bop"-land... #3 is indeed from the 50s - it's been correctly identified above. Same for the Lee Wiley and Jack Teagarden cuts - your guesses were correct on both counts (50s with Hackett and late in Big T's career). The guy on "I Cover the Waterfront"... I guess most you won't even have heard his name, alas! As for #7, as I said, I didn't expect you to like it - same for #9-11, I think (you might enjoy #9 though), but I don't want to patronize you in any way, please do listen yourself! Anyway, the chap on #7 is pretty wild and burning, yet always sounds very much in charge and in control of what's going on - very focussed music! That's what I like... the burn and the focus, the wildly swinging quality of it... and the wonderful bass player, too!

She was wonderful in Antonioni's great film... never liked "Last Tango" that much - boring, and Brando a pretentious heap of crap...

Correct on #15 - great disc!

Thanks a lot for your replies! Again, I'll write into your notes in a different cover... 1. Black and Tan Fantasy, by an alto player in a tile bathroom. The spirit of Hodges shakes hands with the spirit of Ornette, and I like that. The dropped bars don't matter. The chorus starting about 3:30 is especially beautiful. That's a nice description about Ornette and Hodges! It was recorded in a rather high-profile location - but obviously far from "professinally"... 2. Hey, kids, let's see how many hep bebop licks we can cram into one chorus! There's probably some King Cole Trio gestures in there too. It's over-arranged but cute. No idea who it is. Yes, I kinda liked it for various reasons, one of them being the cutesy arranging touches and the piano... 3. Don't care for the head, but wow! Maybe a home recording of Kenny Dorham? Not KD, but in several respects not too wrong... 4. I've always liked "Street of Dreams" but can't recall hearing the verse before. Now I know why. It's so awkward, musically and lyrically! The singer does what she can with it, and it gets conspicuously better once we hit the chorus. Still, the whole performance doesn't live up to the promise of the opening trumpet solo, and the celesta ending is overkill. I'm curious about the singer and the trumpet. The singer and trumpet player have been identified, as you've certainly seen by now! 5. Teagarden with strings. This is how it's done, folks. The arranger ups the ante by writing impossible parts, and the badass studio string players make it work. Big Tea doesn't let them down. Check out some of the harp figures behind him. The trumpet ain't bad either. This is how it's done indeed! 6. Grab a folding chair down at the VFW hall and listen to "I Cover the Waterfront." The tenor reminds me of Stanley Turrentine when he isn't reminding me of Jimmy Heath. The bass and drums seem a little overenthusiastic at times. But even the mistuned ensemble at the end can't sink the tenor. Yeah! Turrentine is an interesting comparison! 7. There's something naggingly familiar about this head. Tenor starts out just OK but picks up momentum very well. Is it Shepp? The bass-and-drums episode has some nice spontaneous architecture; love the bassist's dialogue with himself. Not Shepp, but an alto player - a heavy one, though! And yes, the bassist is great, isn't he? 8. Good writing, good playing from all. I didn't see that coda coming. Whatever it is, I want to buy a copy, now. That shall be rather difficult... (it's of course from a commercial recording, but it took me a while to find a copy for a halfway normal price... very nice album!) 9. Edgy, crackling alto in a brassy setting. Then a Lester Bowie-like trumpet obsessed with getting the most out of one figure. Avant guys showing where they came from? No dishonor for the old or the new here. This is maybe my favorite track on the BFT. Glad you enjoy it that much! This one is easier to obtain if you feel like... I love the mix of tradition and free playing, the rootsiness, the fun they put into it... and I adore the alto! 10. The trumpeter's vibrato is cute, but I'm happy when he drops it. The bassist gets better and better as it goes on. Alto is OK. I appreciate the concision of the drum solo. No idea who it is. Yeah... this one's a true rarity! 11. Alto has energy and effects, but some stronger ideas would be nice. OK, but this isn't working for me today. Well, maybe tomorrow... turned out I had plenty of good and rather heavy alto players in here - and of course I do like this one, too! 12. Set the Wayback Machine for 1931! A pretty good side, maybe not a distinguished one. Don Redman, maybe? The ensemble might be more noteworthy than the solos. Hate to say it, but today this seems much less corny than track 11. Not Don Redman, not 1931 (but that's pretty close)... and yes, the free-wheeling swing this group boosts remains fresh and engaging, doesn't it? 13. A "Poinciana" that seems unnecessarily convoluted next to the Jamal version. Cutesy coda. 14. "Tennessee Waltz" is the tune. Is that Jay McShann? Yes on the tune, no on McShann... wrong direction! 15. "Union Special," Brotherhood of Breath. Presumably a sendup of the crappy music played on union gigs? It was disconcerting the first time I heard it years ago at the end of that album, but the second time it was funny, and now it's even funnier every time. This is a good time, Ubu, and it's going to send me searching for more discs! Glad you enjoyed it! And of course #15 is correct! Thought it would made a swell closer!

Edited to say: the 2LP reissue of "Onecept" by David S. Ware indeed contains two exclusive bonus tracks

You're talking of this here: Art Pepper - Holland Don't think I've got this... is the date correct (for Knebworth, UK, that is)? Is this "in circulation"?

r.i.p.

He pulled an Eddie who? (playing french horn with a sax mouthpiece?) Or what?

Played the first two discs of the "People Time" box again last night - beautiful, beautiful music!

Great, looking forward to read your comments!

Glad you enjoyed it! Not Arvin Garrison nor McGhee though... don't know more about the guitarist there other than his name.

Vocalion/Dutton would be my preference, for sure! But as you say, BGO, LP, whatever... the music's fantastic and I'd love to have a "real" copy of it!

It's rather different from the usual jazz sets released by Mosaic. I did not go for it because I already have several of the albums that were included in the box. Have turned lately to relisten to them and enjoying the music much more than when I purchased them. Nowadays I understand why Miles Davis was a big fan of Hackett! Ok, I guess that's enough of an endorsement to get it whenever it'll be running low... I've been unsure if or if not to put it on the list, but I've got none of the music that's included!

Very cool! Really looking forward to this... I assume you caught my lengthy report about the Rhoda Scott concert I saw in November? She mentioned Gene Ludwig, too... and in the nicest of ways!

Thank you! Will write my answers in red, as I can't have such a long number of quotes in here... 1- A Black and Tan alto solo. I knew that Marion Brown had recorded it that way but I had never heard it. A rather iconoclastic but quite respectful interpretation. Very moving. Yes, very moving! That's my feeling about this performance... how he thins out the theme towards the end... love it! 2- A drummerless trumpet-piano-guitar and bass quartet most probably from the mid-40s. The trumpetist has listened to the developments brought in by Dizzy. Will be interested to find out his identity (the other players as well!) You will! I wonder if anyone will recognize this one, but odds aren't that good with you and BillF already through... though you might try again? 3- On familiar ground with this Fruscella-DiNovi recorded at Gene DiNovi's house. Fruscella's sound is unique and each of his recorded statement deserves to be listened. I had trouble purchasing this rare CD from Japan. Not very long after I finally managed to obtain it, got it, another copy surfaced in a Paris store. It was shipped to Switzerland in no time. That's the one that Ubu used; Yes indeed! Thanks so much for this one! Seems nowadays it's rather easy to find, as Gene DiNovi is selling it on his website! It's the perfect companion to Definitive/Jazz Factory's essential 4CD set by Fru! 4- One of my favorite singer! The ever sensual Lee Wiley! Evocative interpretation of 'Street of Dreams' with the impeccable Bobby Hackett. A musician I rank at the top after neglecting him for way too long Is the Hackett Mosaic worth going for? 5- Another favorite: Jack Teagarden. I had listened to the vinyl of this Verve LP a couple of weeks before receiving the BFT so had no trouble the identification of this track. Great idea to have Lee Wiley succeeded by Teagardan. Those two go together! Thanks! I like how the programming at the beginning of my compilation builds slowly... only to really catch fire later one... isn't Tea the best?! I fell in love with "Think Well of Me" instantly - his singing and his trombone playing are just perfect together! 6- I am stuck on the waterfront with this intense tenor from the Dexter school! Sounds like this comes from an European boot. It's not a boot, but certainly not recorded under ideal conditions This guy is way too obscure and died way too early, too... 7- was more impressed by the effervscent sound of the alto than by the brass solo. Missed the point of his intervention The alto is burning! This release came as a big and very delightful surprise to me! Oh, and I do love the bass player (though he's played better elsewhere, but not with this alto player I wanted to have in!) 8- good quintet side by musicians (CrissCross sessions habitués?) No Criss Cross... this is somewhat earlier. 9- not familiar with this either. Intrigued by the alto player (very much to my liking). He does not seem to enter into the list of musicians I am familiar with... The pyrotechnics of the trumpet player bothered me at first listen but I may accept that after more spinning of that side (like it took me a long time before accepting Charlie Shavers' improvisations). Liked that one! More burnin' alto, indeed! With my first selections (about two discs full of music) I was afraid I might end up with tenor after tenor after tenor... instead I ended up with some fine alto players! And a few tenors, too... 10- AEC derivatives? Rather contemporaries from another corner... 11- another alto, bass; drums trio. Liked this (as well as track 10)! Very coherent music to my ears! Yeah! I guess you have this... 12- The very distinctive sound of Higginbotham and Charlie Holmes were the giveaway for me on that one. Henry Allen's ever inspired playing clinched this. Luis Russell's 1929 band playing 'Doctor Blues'. One of the best bands from its time. No wonder Louis Armstrong took over the full orchestra to make it his own. Yowzah! I expected you'd recognize this one! The joy and surging power, the infectuous swing of this music has struck me like lightning when I first heard it, a couple of years ago! Allen's taking chances - the liners mention at least two "wrong" notes in his solo here - one I'm quite sure I hear, early on in his solo at the end of the number... by-products of his exuberance... and he made it all work! Amazing! 13- No Jamal on this Poinciana. It did not do much for me! No Jamal indeed... put this in for the unknown guitar player. Not that the pianist is much better known. 14- liked that piano player. Pretty individual stylist. Another one I will be curious to know his (or her) name. Are these variations on 'Tennessee Waltz'? Yes indeed, it's "Tennessee Waltz" we're hearing! I *love* Sam Moore's version, but that one would have been out of place in here... this ain't no bad a substitue, methinks! It's anachronistic on so many levels, I just love it! Comes from a wonderful, wonderful disc! (Which I'd be surprised to hear you don't own yet!) 15- Very nice way to end a Blindfold Test. Who dat? Well, you'll find out soon, I guess... Many thanks Ubu for inviting me to the party My pleasure! Thanks a lot for taking the time to share your thoughts about the music! This whole part of reading about people's reactions makes these BFTs a very satisfying thing!

James Weldon Johhnson Booker T. Washington W.E.B. Dubois

Thanks a lot for the additional details! I'd really love a Mosaic set of Harriott's! Would be too bad if "Hum-Dono" would be missing again... but somehow I still rather see a Select.