Milestones

Another legend has left us. R.I.P. to a man who was great for 60+ years...and in such multi-faceted settings. His legacy will live as long as this thing called jazz lives. Now spinning The Manhattan Project (technically a co-op, but in my view one of his greatest solo albums).

So that is Art Ensemble on the final track...I guessed well. Maybe I need to check them out further. And it would seem to be Sun Ra on #15. I have been iffy on Sun Ra, but there is some good work from the early days; I was checking out his stuff a few months back. I might have this track, but I can't place it. Love the inclusion of Dolphy. He continually goes up in my estimation. "Tenderly" is from Far Cry, an excellent album which features Booker Little on several tracks, plus Jaki Byard, Ron Carter, and Roy Haynes...now that's a band! By the way, I found this to be a highly enjoyable BFT.

1. I thought this was going to be a solo baritone piece, which is quite a rarity. The tune is “Lush Life.” Bluiett? Really can’t say who it is. 2. “A Child is Born.” Nice trumpet, but does not really sound like Thad. But now the subtle big band comes in, so this is starting to sound like Thad/Mel. I don’t think of Thad as playing this mellow. The arrangement is quite nice. 3. Sonny Rollins…no mistaking that. This is “How are Things in Glocca Mora,” with a wonderful lead-in by Donald Byrd. 4. Nice tenor solo in big band setting, but I’m not good at identifying this stuff unless it’s Basie or Ellington. 5. Is that “Lotus Blossom”? Something by Strayhorn. It sounds a bit like Joe Henderson in his whispery ballad mode, but not as distinctive as Joe. 6. “Where or When.” This is a lovely tune, and it’s either Ben Webster or someone indebted to him. 7. This must be Eric Dolphy, playing relatively conservatively. Like Coltrane, he knew and loved the standards and sometimes played them in accessible fashion. Of course, this is a bit different by being solo. I think it’s “Tenderly.” 8. “Over the Rainbow,” sounding a bit operatic. I briefly thought Johnny Hartman, but no…I don’t think so. 9. I’m still not much of a solo piano guy, other than Tyner and Weston. But this is nice relaxed piece. It runs pretty long and seems to be in a 1930’s style, but certainly much more recent. Jaki Byard? But I doubt it, since Jaki usually shifts tempos and styles a great deal. Then again? Interesting coda. 10. I knew this within seconds: Ornette and Charlie Haden playing “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.” An unlikely vehicle, but quite enjoyable. I hold the Soapsuds album in very high esteem; it should be regarded as essential Ornette. 11. This has to be Ron Miles with Bill Frisell and Brian Blade. I have some of these records and enjoy them, but I thought they would be more impressive. I do like this choice, though I can’t name it. 12. A long performance, dominated by bass and trumpet. A bit on the free side. Enjoyable enough, but I don’t recognize the artists. 13. That’s Miles or a serious imitator. The tune sounds familiar, but I can’t place it. The tenor sounds like Booker Ervin, so then it’s not Miles. This one has me baffled, as I would expect Booker to solo first. So he’s a sideman? Oh man, now that’s Grant Green on guitar. But I still don’t know the tune or album. 14. That’s some cool trumpet and organ. Lester Bowie seems like a decent guess. I have some of his work in this vein, but not this track. Maybe I’m mistaken about Bowie, but I think it must be him or someone quite similar—and who is similar? 15. Pepper Adams on baritone? Electric piano solo. Can’t make a guess here. 16. More baritone, or some kind of low instrument. I like that loping bass. I’m thinking of Art Ensemble of Chicago when they play in a more accessible mode, so that’s my very uncertain guess.

So is this being shown on Wes Montgomery's birthday?

Nothing is rougher on the ears than all of the vocals on these records.

Bitches Brew was my first jazz record, and Inner Mounting Flame was not far behind. Also, I became a huge fan of Tony (pre-fusion) right away. In those days Lifetime was just a rumor. I did wind up buying a two-record set (vinyl) that contained most of the first two records. It was tough to get into...and it still is now. I'm a bit McLaughlin fan, and this is way down the list when I want to listen to him--not that there aren't good moments. There is group chemistry, but the best thing is Tony's drumming.

I guess no one should be surprised that Jarrett sounds good playing with one hand. I think he should record again--perhaps in a duo or trio setting. I'm surprised he was not asked about doing a new recording...that is, an official one (the man probably records frequently in his home studio).

It surprising that they would show that.

Sad to hear this news. Ultimately, she was a rather interesting and talented woman. But I certainly thought Raquel was the sexiest woman alive when I was a 12-year-old. R.I.P.

I imagine most of have access to Music Choice channels on cable (if you have cable). There must be 50 channels, all specialized. There is a straight jazz channel, smooth channel (no real interest), blues, singers & swing. The last of these is actually the most enjoyable. The straight jazz channel plays a remarkable number of artists I have neve heard of. They also seem overly fond of organ combos. Worst of all, tracks repeat a LOT. There is good potential here, but largely squandered. I just heard Cyrus Chestnut (I do know him), but now they are playing Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet (who?). I flip to the channel when other TV channels break for commercials.

I listen to radio, at most, about 20 minutes per week--and that's not regular. For quite a few weeks it would be zero. But when I was first getting into jazz in the early 80's, I was big on some college radio stations--since some played a great deal of jazz. I picked up a lot of information and appreciation of jazz through radio.

Yes, the later David Lean films and many Biblical epics demand an intermission. If a movie is three hours long (or close to it), an intermission only seems fair. And god bless TCM for showing films without commercials, and showing them uncut. Lately, I've even seen some with boobs and f-bombs!

Short of stature, tall in talent. I once saw Jimmy Heath in concert where he laid down a simply gorgeous reading of "If You Could See Me Now." Explore his discography and you will find much to love. Unlike many jazz musicians, he never seemed to waste a note.

It seems that these good albums by or featuring Brecker are quite difficult to find.

That is indeed a killer lineup! I wish there were more records like that. In looking up Randy Brecker's credits, too often he is part of an ensemble and does not get any solo spotlights. This contrasts with great sidemen like Freddie Hubbard, Grant Green, and Joe Lovano. When you see their names, you know they are (almost always) going to contribute in a big way.

Any Randy Brecker fans out there? I don't see him mentioned very often. But he's been in the business a long, long time. He's got greats chops, but can also play ballads, does Latin, does jazz-rock, all kind of things. But for such a powerful player, he seems to largely prefer being in the background. He has recorded with pop singers even more than his brother. But even in so many of his jazz appearances, he's part of a big band or horn ensemble. I believe that Randy has never been on a major jazz label. I really don't know his work as a leader. But I've heard his work a good deal--whether with Horace Silver, on Don Grolnick's two Blue Note albums, in Mingus Big Band, and on two records by guitarist Jack Wilkins. Recommendations?

Just saying the Grammys are strange and irrelevant and that they have no connection to my appreciation of Wayne Shorter--or anyone else in music.

Ok, so a 2017 performance of a tune decades old...this for the 2022 awards.

"Endangered Species"? Didn't this tune first appear in 1985?

Isn't this the day for the awards? I imagine that most of us could care less. I was reading there are four BIG awards: best album, best record, best song, best new artist. A weird thing for sure. Can't a single song win the first three of these? Or maybe there are distinctions. But I know there have been cases where one artist won all the BIG FOUR in the same year. And why would best new artist be such a big deal? The history of pop music features many flash-in-the-pans: singers and groups whose first record is their whole legacy (or popularity). Let's hear it for Big Four winner Christopher Cross. Oh well, just a couple of thoughts. I don't know whose up for the awards and don't care (jazz included).

Pretty unusual. Too bad San Francisco apparently had no one who played QB in college or even high school. I've certainly seen cases where a wide receiver or running back came in to throw an occasional pass. I wonder how Mahomes is going to look.

This is something of an odd concept, in that I believe virtually every great album opens with a killer track. Has "Passion Dance" (The Real McCoy) been mentioned? Must have been. I nominate 'Breaking Point" by Freddie Hubbard. Also "A Night in Tunisia" by Art Blakey. But one could go on and on with this.

Probably so, although I will note that in Jack Chambers' Milestones (last updated in 1998) he treats "Solar" as a Miles Davis original. But let's face it, there is a lot of "borrowing" and plagiarism in jazz--as well as in other music. Strange things abound...two measures of the tune are on Miles' tombstone, yet also it was a piece he apparently never played in concert.

Ah...interesting. In any case, a popular tune.

How do others regard this piece? I've always thought it was quite good, though I find only one case of Miles recording it--the original, I assume, in 1954. But is this such a great piece, one of the finest composed be Miles? It has been covered a great deal; I find at least 16 versions in my collection, with three by Keith Jarrett. It's a good tune, but is it right up there with "So What," "All Blues," and "Milestones"?