Milestones

As a listener of BFT, I've ranged from identifying quite a few (which is a rarity) to getting a big fat zero (which is more common). But I think this should be one of the key features of Organissimo.org.

I think anyone can present a decent BFT unless they heavily emphasize unbelievably famous and distinctive players like Miles, Monk, Dolphy, Ella, and Trane.

We clearly need to double up if we are to keep the BFT going. I'm counting only 9-10 people who are pretty much regulars at creating and partaking. It is curious that there aren't more people interested. I came late to the game myself. Maybe more will enter, but getting a really decent number (like 20) seems out of the question.

Those who bashed (and still bash) Lebron are just nuts. Never again in my life will I see a star of his magnitude on this team; they will never experience the true team excellence of 6 or 7 of his 11 years with the Cavs.

Cavaliers fan here...I guess. I mean I do not watch this team at all, I don't know when they play, nothing. Just know they are horrible and not likely to improve anytime soon. But I know that tonight they played and lost to the Knicks--and they gave up 139 points against them. They must have no concept of defense.

Webbcity, I really like how you have responded--such long and deep responses, the enthusiasm over most tracks, the humor of forking over some cash for several albums! Some of your guesses/possibilities make sense, such as Scofield on #12. It's not Sco, but an older guitarist; but the two have similarities in style--and in fact did one record together (not in my collection). On one of these (I won't say which one just yet), you have virtually identified the artist.

Fair enough.

Some good guesses and comments. You now have two correct: #2 and #7. Your response on #4 is a little odd to me--a piece can be pretty AND cold? I can see why you sort of guess at Frisell on #5. It reminds me of Frisell too, but it's someone else--a bit younger than Bill but with a good quarter-century in the business.

I wonder if Lou Donaldson would be the highest number as leader, given his long run and the fact that he put out 2 and sometimes 3 records per year. Silver was a little more judicious by comparison. Grant Green, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, and Jimmy Smith recorded like maniacs, but they had shorter careers at Blue Note than Donaldson and Silver.

You are certainly correct on #2, which I think is one of the greatest albums of a very great period in jazz.

I'm pretty sure Blakey is not as long a stretch as you would expect--probably 10 years, if that.

Just wondering if we can get some exact numbers on long runs on Blue Note, especially continuous runs. I believe Horace Silver is usually regarded as having the longest run, at 25 years. During that time he barely recorded for anyone else, and certainly he is completely identified with the label--the quintessential Blue Note artist. I don't hear that much about Lou Donaldson, who managed about 24 years straight. In recent times, Joe Lovano arguably did 26 years straight, though his last was an archive live record with Hank Jones; so it's probably more accurate to say 23 years. Or we could just look at it differently--highest number of leader dates for Blue Note. A good example would be Jimmy Smith, whose first run with BN was only about 7 years; but he sure cranked out some records.

OK, here it is--my second time creating a Blindfold Test. I have 13 tracks, and the main goal is musical pleasure. Most tracks are from the mid-90s to the present, but there are some oldies in there too. Here is the link: http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/ Enjoy!

The record with Rava is pretty decent, very much a collaboration of the two, though curiously the album closes with a piano reading of "Over the Rainbow." This version of "Fort Worth" falls quite a bit short of the original, but otherwise I like what I'm hearing. Enrico Rava is quite mellow, but what else could he be given his age? But I can't compare it to other work; this amounts to my first exposure to Rava.

True enough, but I recall there were songs like "Embraceable You" at JATP.

Just saying that I find diversity essential. Are there any symphonies or concertos that lack the adagio/largo? Or, to put it in jazz terms, how often does a jazz album (especially a great one) totally dispense with ballads?

This was all way before my time. Groaning at ballads? I don't think I'd go for concert that was all uptempo and all about "battles." Ballads are a must.

It's amazing that we've had several musicians still active and vital at age 90 and above--the late Randy Weston and Jimmy Heath, the still-living Benny Golson and Roy Haynes.

And some Village Gate sessions with Clark Terry. Yes, quite a few great sideman appearances, plus all the stuff by The Heath Brothers. But you'd think there would be a Blue Note run, or maybe Concord, or a longer run at Steeple Chase. You could say he did better (late career) with Heath Brothers, even though those records are now a bit hard to find.

Does anyone else think that Jimmy Heath's discography is rather thin for an artist of his stature? He never seemed to find a decent run with any label other than Riverside in the early 60's. As a composer, yes, he's impressive: Gingerbread Boy The Quota The Voice of the Saxophone Ellington's Stray Horn Mona's Mood Big P The Time and the Place Gemini C.T.A. Trane Connections (and many more)

"The Voice of the Saxophone"...wow, what a beautiful piece of music.

I wouldn't call "The Serpent's Tooth" one of Jimmy's great compositions.

But Miles did not steal "C.T.A." when he recorded it with Jimmy.

That Miles...up to his tricks again. Jimmy Heath did do a date with Miles in 1953, and one of the tunes was Heath's "C.T.A."

R.I.P. Mr. Heath A great artist for sure, and a man of many skills. When seeing him in concert, I was particularly stuck by the logic, elegance, and concision of his playing. This man didn't waste a note.