randyhersom

Looks like I'm missing this year due to a combination of circumstances. Enjoy, all!

Some midmonth hints on the 4 remaining unsolved performances, 1,6,12 and 13. One of the unsolved performances features a musician who also played on one of the solved performances. One unsolved performance comes from a Grammy winning album. Of the three unsolved performances with horns, one elicited the prefix Euro- in a comment from a participant. That is the only one of those three that did not originate in Europe.

Your reaction makes me think it was Gary Thomas. I'll see if I can confirm... Yeah, Herbie Hancock Gary Thomas finds some quick google hits, Herbie Hancock Gary Foster does not. My bad. Corrected my post to Gary Thomas.

Got the artists on 8 and 9. I obsessively replayed 1 for a while, the tenor doesn't demand attention or overwhelm with brilliance, but that doesn't seem to be their role in the music. Reminds me of my reaction to Gary Thomas playing in a Herbie Hancock quartet live many years ago. Not a star, but committed to not getting in the way of the music. Parts of this feed my Obsequious/Jodo jones for hard driving themes. In the context of the whole album I thought there was a carrying forward of Gil Evans contributions that I really liked.

Curious how you got there. Would you mind describing the sleuthing process?

No to both.

You nailed 2,7,8,9 and 11. Your comments are consistently interesting and insightful. Thanks!

Been a fan of both Ralph and Oregon for just under 50 years. Favorites are Yet To Be from Oregon In Concert, any version of Icarus or The Silence of a Candle, all of Diary and Solstice and on and on. Glad I saw him solo at Big Ears, sad I never caught Oregon.

No

The accordion player is not Guy and has recorded as a leader on another instrument.

Right on! 9 of 13 tracks IDed 1, 6, 12 and 13 remain a mystery.

Indeed, you did!

Correct!

That is corect.

Correct title and artist on 2, full ID on 5. Got the album name in there for 2, so that's a full ID by the team Artist correct on 5 and 7, full IDs above Your clever response on 8 gets full ID credit, no way you don't know all the details Correct on 9 and 11 The artist for #13 appears elsewhere on the BFT, but it's not track 3. No ID's so far conflict with your closing hypothesis. Full ID, well done

Stanley Turrentine is a sideman on #8 #9 is Betty Carter, absolutely The guitarist is not the leader of #5 If I don't comment on a player name guess, that guess is incorrect. Thanks for listening and the feedback. Artist and title correct on 2, full IDs on 9 and 11 Correction, Full ID on 9 but incorrect on 11. JSngry nails it below.

Link: https://thomkeith.net/2026-organissimo-blindfold-tests/ Enjoy! Some whitespace to avoid spoilers: . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .

Yes

But we haven't said who's taking over February.

How about posting what's finalized so far.

I do the download. Pickin' Up the Pieces by Average White Band was indeed a seventies radio hit that you and the late David Sanborn might unwittingly know. I think I can deduce then, that 1 and 7 are the same tune,

No misses! 1. Sounds like two different tracks were merged into track 1. The first had me thinking Lockjaw. 2. and 2 repeats the second part of 1. Parts of it almost exactly duplicate Pickin Up the Pieces by Average White Band. Wonder which came first. No worries either way, an enjoyable piece of R&B played by capable jazz players. 3. a Duke cover. Is it Things Ain't What They Used to Be? Illinois Jacquet? Live, so maybe JATP? 4. All the Things You Are. Something about the opening made me think of Ira Sullivan. 5. Guitar and tenor featured prominently. 6. Nice greasy bassline. Is it Things Ain't What They Used to Be? 7. Fast bebop. Jaws and Griff? 8. Is this Who Can I Turn to? Nice gruff tenor, but maybe not as gruff as Ben Webster, so maybe a good time to guess Percy France. 9. All the Things You are slowed down to ballad pace on a clarinet. Buddy DeFranco? 10. Average White Band? Nah, too long for a radio band. An enjoyable piece of R&B played by capable jazz players.

He told the tale of buying Trane's Meditations and returning it to the record store, sincerely certain the record was defective. Second one sounded the same and he ended up loving it.

Holy Freakin' Cow!! I worked with Lamont King at the Northeast Philly Peaches record store in the late 70s, knew he was a sax player and thought he was a great guy. It was obvious he was deeply dedicated to playing music even with little hope of financial reward. Bass – Warren Oree Saxophone – Lamont King, Steve Murphy Drums – Greg Jones Vibraphone – Bill Lewis Vocals – Sherry Butler Congas, Percussion – Ed Watkins This one's on Bandcamp and Amazon Music Unlimited.