Milestones

I love it, but I wish there were actually a few teenagers like the ones depicted.

When I was young I thought she was sexy in The Avengers--a most common feeling. I did not see her in a lot of stuff otherwise--the so-so Bond picture (she was the best thing about it) and an appearance on TV in King Lear (with Olivier, no less). R.I.P. Diana Rigg (Mrs. Peel)

I just listened to this, for the first time in maybe 40 years. The Blues Project was an obscure but admired group from the 1960s that mixed jazz, blues, rock, etc--pretty much the precursor to Blood, Sweat & Tears (literally, since Al Kooper and Steve Katz were in the band). Al Kooper actually said that a good jazz player listening to "The Flute Thing " would probably vomit! I think it's a pretty cool tune and it sounds like a first-cousin to a Horace Silver piece or something in that vein.

Happy birthday indeed! What are you called when you hit 90? I know at age 80 it's octogenarian.

1) “Summertime.” The performance feels pretty laid back, maybe too much so to justify the length of 10 + minutes. The opening made me think of Yusef Lateef on oboe, but not really his sound. For that matter, it may not be oboe. 2) I’m almost never good at identifying solo piano. Undoubtedly Konitz on #13. I browsed a bit and looked at Thom's comments. I have to say this is unfamiliar stuff, and I expect to bomb on this one.

It's a shame that Garzone has had a pretty invisible career. He's an impressive player with skills and qualities similar to Lovano. You made the right move by including him in a BFT that features so many outstanding tenor players.

It sounds like just about the entirety of the Changes records. "Fables of Faubus" takes the place of "Orange was the Color."

Like Jimmy Cobb (probably more so), Persip was rather under-rated. I'm with those who regard The Quest as a great album. He's also the drummer on the first great Randy Weston record: Litlte Niles. R.I.P. Charlie/Charli

Now we have it--that is Joe Lovano playing "Donna Lee," which is of course usually uptempo. It's found on the album Bird Songs.

My offhand guess is that this is the usual length for a Frisell album: 65-70 minutes.

If it comes to universal, it is perhaps more useful to think of that kind of success belonging as much (or more) to individual pieces rather than specific performances. These include both standards and jazz compositions. Thus we would be thinking of "St. Louis Blues," "One O'Clock Jump," "I Got Rhythm," "Take the A Train," "Body and Soul," "Round Midnight," and "So What."

I'm afraid I must ask, who is Bob Meyer?

Tonight I went on Facebook and watched and listened to Bill Frisell spin the 4 vinyl sides of his new record, Valentine. It's a trio record with Rudy Royston and Thomas Morgan. It was a great experience, and this is a fine record from start to finish. It's good to hear him commit this trio to vinyl (of course there are the digital versions as well), and this is so much more compelling than the duo records with Morgan. It's probably his best group project in a decade (I did greatly enjoy the solo Music Is).

It seems to me the issue is a thorny one. Jazz has rarely, if ever, managed to attain huge recognition with anything post-1960. I would still consider the 1960s to be one of the great decades for jazz music. But for rock, pop, and folk, that decade is simply THE GREATEST of the 20th Century. There are phenomenal stone cold classics like "A Hard Day's Night, "My Generation," "Cherish," "Like a "Rolling Stone," "Good Vibrations," "A Change is Gonna Come," "Groovin," "Light my Fire," and I could name a hundred more. They evoke time and place, yet also timelessness and usually pure joy. There are many jazz masterpieces since 1960, but they can't begin to have the impact of the songs I have named.

Anyone know what happened to comments on news stories at Yahoo? They don't seem to be present at all anymore. Isn't the input of the ordinary person part of living in a democracy? Sure, you had some nutty comments, but also some astute ones. I usually got more out of the comments than the (typically) poorly-written Yahoo articles.

I don't think I'm getting the premise of this thread. It seems to be suggesting that great jazz virtually cuts off after 1960. No "stone cold classics" after that, or perhaps just a few? This is cutting off the most significant part of Coltrane's career. It cuts out virtually the entirety of Wes Montgomery, Wayne Shorter, Eric Dolphy, and many more. It pretty much suggests there are no "stone cold classics" in free jazz or fusion.

Speaking of McCoy, I would say "Passion Dance" and "Blues on the Corner," and possibly "Fly with the Wind" a bit later. They are pieces that are glorious to listen to, no matter how often I hear them. I would add Mingus' "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love," which in my book is one of the greatest pieces ever from one of the greatest artists in jazz history.

I've been listening to some of my personal playlists of Burrell. One features him playing the blues; another is his work in intimate settings (solo, duo, trio); I have two of him playing nothing but Ellington and Strayhorn. I have a total of 18 Kenny Burrell playlists.

10) Good modern tenor—perhaps Joshua Redman or Chris Potter. Or it could be someone lesser known. 11) Catchy little piece. It has some of those Americana qualities found in Bill Frisell and Charlie Hunter. Mark Feldman on violin? In any case, not bad. I like the violin as a change of pace in jazz. 12) Somehow this reminds me of Henry Threadgill or Art Ensemble of Chicago. Just the joyous rhythm of it. This is played very straight and doesn’t really have avant garde elements. Nice spirited performance to close out the BFT! I really love this Blindfold Test. Clearly we have pretty similar jazz tastes.

1) This is “Solitude” played solo and with a great touch and sensitivity. I don’t listen to a lot of solo piano (mainly Tyner and Weston), and I don’t have any idea who this is. But it is a lovely performance. 2) That’s a curious piece; I don’t know what of make of the vocal opening. Then it’s full-blown New Orleans, though almost certainly a very modern or recent recording. It made me think of Wynton Marsalis, but I doubt it. However you regard him, he is a more distinctive player than this. But it is a fun little performance. 3) “Ask Me Now”—Monk masterpiece! Others besides Lacy can do Monk solo. This guy sounds quite masterful. It reminds me of Joe Henderson, but is more likely someone who has Joe as a pretty significant influence. 4) “The Single Petal of a Rose”—Ellington masterpiece. That’s Ben Webster. I don’t think I’ve heard Ben perform this before, but it is unquestionably him. 5) This is “Valse Hot.” I believe Sonny wrote this one and performed it with Clifford Brown. This comes from the Roy Hargrove album with various tenor players. Is it Branford and the more obscure Ron Blake? I think Roy has the standout solo. 6) Joe Lovano…that was clear within seconds. I can listen to Lovano on ballads all day. Not sure what this is. The drummer makes me think of Bill Stewart, whom I have been checking out lately. But it doesn’t appear to be from Landmarks. DeJohnette on drums? This is likely an original—not a standard. I have tons of Lovano; I should know this. 7) Not sure here. It certainly has a bit of a Blue Note sound; but whether it’s BN or not, it seems to come from the 70s. Then again, some artists in the past couple of decades have been returning to this sound. I kind of like it, especially the tenor solo. Joe Henderson? I seem to have him on the brain. 8 “In Your Own Sweet Way.” Biff F I probably correct on the artist. It’s pretty cool, but it does lose the sweetness. 9) “Shenadoah” by Bill Frisell. Talk about pure beauty! This is the version found on Good Dog, Happy Man. I saw/heard him do this live, and it was just about the greatest concert experience I’ve ever known! Thanks for putting this on the BFT.

Happy birthday to an artist who has always delivered great pleasure. While not as innovative as some others, he is my favorite among all mainstream guitarists.

Three pieces from late in his career come to mind (the first two very late). "Something" from The Goutelas Suite--a beautiful ballad. "Loco Madi" from The Uwis Suite--perhaps the last of his train pieces and quite enjoyable. I will include "Fleurette Africaine'" as well. What a masterpiece from The Money Jungle. I don't know of Duke ever doing it with a larger ensemble. James Newton's version is also a thing of beauty.

Happy birthday, Mr. Spaulding. I've been a fan for almost as long as I've been into jazz, which is nearly 40 years now. I first got into him through his work with Freddie Hubbard, and soon became to discover his sterling contributions to many Blue Note sessions. Yes, he is very under-recorded. But one of his outstanding albums as a leader is Brilliant Corners--pretty much a Monk tribute.

I find it odd (and disappointing) that apparently there have been no Joanne Brackeen records in the past 20 years. If there are any, they must be severely under the radar.

A long life indeed. The Heiress, based on a Henry James novel, is probably my favorite among her films; and it's one of her Oscar-winning performances. R.I.P.