Milestones

8. This is pretty cool. I’m not all that much into jazz singers, but she’s got a pretty cool and relaxed approach to a song I don’t recognize. 9. This is certainly “Sunny” and has a pretty big Wes style or influence. I don’t think it’s Wes. Ah, now it’s ventured into a different thing. This might be early Pat Martino. 10. This has the feeling of a Jackie McLean piece from the 60s, although so far I’ve heard solos from trumpet and trombone. Whoa, now there’s some high-flying sax, all too brief—not McLean, though a bit in his style. Pretty short piece. Whatever this may be, it reminds me of the edgier stuff on Blue Note in the 60s. 11. Old-timey gospel kind of feel...no guess. 12. This makes me think of Herbie Nichols, whose music I don’t know very well. Certainly an enjoyable track. 13. Pretty cool piano trio. Sounds a bit like Andrew Hill. High degree of interaction among the three players, which I really like.

Here are my responses to the early tracks. I have not looked at the other posts. 1. Smoky jazz voice, but not as smoky as Cassandra Wilson—just not having much clue on the singer. Nice tenor solo with a debt to Coltrane…also Brecker-influenced, though not as hot on the upper notes. The song is “Soul Eyes.” I did not know there were lyrics. 2. I’m getting the feeling that you favor tenor sax; but of course we know there have been many great tenorists, past and present. This is a standard, though I’m not identifying it. Pretty lengthy, but he keeps it compelling. Trumpet solo is brief but quite good; I am guessing (without super-high confidence) Freddie Hubbard. 3. Abdullah Ibrahim…love this piece: “The Mountain.” 4. An absolute classic: “Lazy Afternoon.” I finally purchased Basra (Pete LaRoca) a year or so back…great record, and this track is one of the definitive ballad performances of all time! Joe Henderson is brilliant, and the tune is so haunting. 5. Nice track…starts pretty mellow, then picks up. Trumpeter sounds more like Hubbard than the player on #2. Interesting piano solo; I hear some Monk influence, but this guy has his own thing. I should recognize someone this distinctive. 6. Drums sound like Elvin…the mellow Elvin, when he’s not trying to blow off the roof. Nice bass work, and some mysterious vibes…maybe Bobby Hutcherson, but not a track I recall ever hearing. A familiar melody pops up…it’s an Ellington piece. Not at all sure I’m guessing correctly, but I’m quite intrigued by this performance. 7. Sounds like Kenny Burrell…I know Kenny has done this familiar piece, which I can’t name. Tenor sounds good…sort of a Hank Mobley approach. Now that’s Kenny, no question. Rather nice, and I wish I could name it.

Maybe not the 80s, but certainly the 90s. I know that a couple were a mix of ballads, while most of them were artist features: Miles, Monk, Coltrane, Sonny, etc. Does a true mixtape have to mix the artists?

Yes, Miles for sure plays on "Sid's Ahead." As pointed out, various types of keyboards in his electric period(s), but offhand I can't point out anything specific.

I attended the Kool Jazz Festival in 1984 and these were some of the players: Miles Davis Dizzy Gillespie Art Blakey Gerry Mulligan Herbie Hancock Tony Williams Wynton Marsalis Ron Carter John Scofield

I find a place for just about all instruments, except bagpipes. Yeah, that one is mighty tough. I think they have appeared in jazz, although I'm pretty sure not in my large collection.

I'm not a fan of the box set, at least in regard to monster collections of live material or studio sessions from a tightly compressed time frame. I can go for the Mosaic sets (usually previously released stuff from an extended time frame) or diverse compilations like Joe Henderson: The Blue Note Years.

I loved Mahavishnu, especially the first couple of records. It took a while for me to come around on Weather Report. Return to Forever, other than the ECM album, never really did a thing for me.

Regarding DiMeola, there's a sucker born every minute.

Then there's the cult of the last president, but I guess we can't go there.

So Chick was looking for fellow Scientologists to be in his bands and groups? This is the man who has played with about a million other musicians.

I think those who are a bit dismissive of Corea's late work are really sleeping on the trio work. What Corea did in pretty straightforward trios--whether Vitous and Haynes (sometimes adventurous), the "new trio," Gomez and Motian, McBride and Blade--is as good or better than what anyone else has done in this vein over the past 40 years. Just an opinion. I don't think I've heard much (if anything) about the duets with Gary Burton--a significant and very long-running strand in Corea's career. Nice stuff, although I would take the trios first.

Here's a man who passed away at age 79 and I would argue that the work of his final two (2) decades was as strong as anything in his career. It's amazing in size, diversity, and quality.

I'm big on the ECM record too, especially the title track.

Here are a few: The African Flower--James Newton Rejoicing--Pat Metheny Billy Highstreet Samba--Stan Getz Portraits of Monk--Randy Weston You Know the Number--Henry Threadgill

R.I.P., Chick. You will be deeply missed. Great, great musician and one of the most electric players and composers on Earth. He could do anything at a high level. I only got to see him once...with the Corea-McBride-Blade trio. Fabulous show.

I love to make playlists that spotlight artists in various ways. For instance, I have created three playlists of Bobby Hutcherson on Blue Note--tracks from both leader and sideman dates. I have a playlist of Booker Ervin's work with Mingus.

There's a lot of fine work by Billy Harper on several Randy Weston records; that's mainly how I know his playing. BlueSpirit, in regard to your last point or question...that's the joy of it, one thing leading to another. That's the process of trying to dig up all the records by a particular artist, including the obscure ones. It's following Larry Goldings (organ), who does not have a lot of leader dates but who can be found on many records. It's not frustration...it's joy! And you should love the fellowship here at Organissimo.

If you want to check out players who are different and play organ in a more subtle style, I recommend these two: Larry Goldings--has played with with John Scofield (extensively), Peter Bernstein, Jim Hall, and many others Dan Wall--most notably for his work with John Abercrombie (yes, I see you're up on him; Open Land is a favorite of mine too).

I'm a big fan. Among his own records, I love Freedom Book the best, and after that usually go to his sterling work with Charles Mingus and Randy Weston. He died pretty young--about the same age as Coltrane. It is certainly tough to rival the work and legacy of Trane. But Booker's profile 50+ years later should be higher than what is is now.

Yes, that sums it up!

It's one of those Blindfolds where you can identify quite a few pieces, as well as styles associated with major artists, but the artists represented here are lesser known--actually a fairly common approach on BFT.

1) Stride piano. I don’t know the tune, and to me it sounds like a modern player—not a key player from the old days. Marcus Roberts or someone like that. 2) Oh man, I know this…it’s a bebop tune, isn’t it? Certainly has strong elements of the Joe Pass solo style, thought I don’t think it’s Joe. Not bad, but I can only listen to about 3 straight solo tracks in this style. 3) You seem to be selecting players who draw strongly on a prime influence. This reminds me of latter-day Sonny Rollins, though clearly not Sonny. Nice bounce to it, though I doubt the player could keep the ideas going for an extended solo. 4) A pretty cool big band track. Despite the Basie influence, it sounds quite modern. I like that pulsing bass, and the soprano solo is fine. More traditional work on the trombone, but sounding good. Is that Clark Terry going back and forth between open and muted? Actually, it sounds more like two separate musicians. 5) Some moody solo piano. Then some very laid-back guitar added. The tune is a “standard.” 6) Identified. 7) This reminds me of some things Mingus did in the mid-50’s. It’s got some West Coast and semi-classical elements. There’s an alto solo by a Bird-inspired guy. This track might even be Mingus; he was known to perform "Jitterbug Waltz." It certainly has me intrigued. 8) Nice mellow track with big band, spotlight on guitar. Nothing really coming to me. Guitarist reminds me a bit of Kenny Burrell, but I venture to say it’s not Kenny. Pretty rare to hear this much spotlight on guitar in a big band setting, unless it’s Gerald Wilson—and this is not Wilson. 9. "Tricotism" as solo bass feature. Maybe Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. 17. "Snowfall" as a little solo guitar coda. Nice, but I have no idea of the artist.

Bill Frisell's presence makes just about any record worth hearing. He definitely added a lot to Vanished Gardens. As side note, quite some time ago Frisell played "Ramblin" with Ginger Baker and Charlie Haden.

There's a sucker born every minute.