Downlaod/burn went off w/o a hitch. MP3 sound quality was not a problem, as a rule.
A few non-dedicated listens is all I've had until now. The usual thanks and disclaimers are firmly in place.
TRACK ONE - Wayne/Herbie @ The Opera House. Why the phuck this hasn't been reissued is beyond me.
TRACK TWO - Don't know. Good, moody. vibe that conjure images of anywhere from ca. 1976 - ca. 1984 or so. Too much of this stuff gets me wanting to grow my beard back, find a bunch of corduroy jackets w/elbow patches, and choose to contemplate the meaning of all the leaves in the yard instead of raking them up. But as part of a well-balanced jazz buffet, it has its place, and a welcome place it is. All that moving up and around leaves one with the need to occasionally sit down. Cymbals sound ECM-ish to me, so maybe Art Lande?
TRACK THREE - Burton, Times Square, "Como En Vietnam". I'm not a Burton fan generally, but this was a pretty good side. Hell, Roy Haynes! Overall, I find it lacking in a certain "swagger" (in soite of Roy), but Burton is who Burton is, and Burton does what Burton does, so hey.
TRACK FOUR - Max/Odean, Chattahoochie Red "I Remember Clifford". Short but sweet (enough). This was from the time when Max started making band albums w/shorter "showcase" numbers instead of full-length excursions. Mileages may vary on how satisfying that concept was. I know mine does. But yeah, ok, Odean's the real deal, and if he's heard to better advantage elsewhere, at least he's heard here.
TRACK FIVE - Ray Anderson? Kinda perverse, like Bill Harris w/o the winks... "The Nearness Of You" becomes a threat to get goosed...
TRACK SIX - Well, Sam I recognize. Hard not to recognize Sam, god bless him. Don't readily recognize the altoist (might have at one time) who is probably a better player than he shows here. Bass/drums tandem is locked in nicely, even if that compunction to SWING is something that seems a little bit forced to me these days, although the source is probably subconscious instead of conscious.
Ok, it's a blues, it SWINGS, and Sam is a true & genuine treasure (and he swings, pulling the bass/drums into his zone in the process, which is a good thing). Other than that, not too much to say.
TRACK SEVEN - Jeez, this sounds familiar... Sounds like a Columbia thing, that studio sound is pretty distinctive. Well ok, there's Phil Woods... Lots of chartage...and a cast of character! Teddy Charles? Very much of its time in style and content, but it still sounds good, possibly for exactly that reason.
TRACK EIGHT - Monty Alexander? I remember him doing this back in the day, but don't remember exactly what it sounded like. Don't think it was like this though, his was more of a "fantasia" as I remember. so... It's ok, but if it was me who was coming marching home again hooray hooray, I think I might want something a little different. But that's just me.
TRACK NINE - Well now! Absolutely no idea, but it's a good tune, good, challenging changes, and everybody came to play. After a while, it gets kinda jazz-geeky, but that's gonna happen sometimes. Can't say that I "love" it, but in a club, it would be fun for a set or so.
TRACK TEN - Clark Terry sat on my mother's birthday cake and did not offer restituion in a timely manner. Clark Terry put the wrong size tires on my car. Clark Terry.....oh wait, wrong thread...
Well, that sounds like Sam Woodyard on the intro (but not once they get into the tune), and parts of the ensemble sound like some Ellingtonians are involved, but I think I hear Kenny Burrell, so it's probably some side project. Writing sounds more Duke-inspired than Dukish, so I don't know... Probably some Verve date (it's got that Verve vinyl sound to it) by somebody I should know. Might even be Oliver Nelson's writing, but I don't think so. It's good.
TRACK ELEVEN - Again, no idea. Noticably in stereo! Geez, the drummer almsot reminds me of Elvin in his "undercover" bag... Boisterous trombone sections like this are thin ice for me. The ice doesn't crack, but not for lack of trying. Pianist is the most interesting player for me. Again w/the Duke influence!
Wait - tell me this isn't the Randy Weston Destry Rides Again thing! Wow...
TRACK TWELVE - C'mon in, we've been waiting for you! It's time for Art Linkletter's House Party! Thank you Muzzy Marcellino!
Or not...
Well, ok, it's good, no doubt about that, but life is short, even if studio time isn't.
TRACK THIRTEEN - Ok, I'm nothing if not a wlaking contradiction. I like this. Pretty sure that's one of those Bud Shank World Pacific "easy listening" sides. Shank's actually pretty identifiable once you get to know him. Depending on shich system I'm listening on, the trumpeter has a Thad Jones flayor to his tone. Don't know if that at all plausible, but... Anyway, if you gotta make crap for the radio, make it good crap! And I think that this is good crap. Not great crap, miond you, but certainly good. I'd not switch the dial.
TRACK FOURTEEN - Ok, I recognize "Mornin', Reverend", but this ain't the original. Is this from the Horizon side? I missed that one, unfortunately, sounds like a keeper. If that's it, this would be Gregory Herbert, somebody who may or may not have turned into somebody/something other than a "promising talent". But by all accounts, he was a big asshole, a big drug addict, and now he's dead. So we'll never know. Let that be a lesson to us all.
TRACK FIFTEEN - The mother of greatness! Generally never dug her band too much, but damn, the woman can write. Like mother, like daughter. "Road Time Shuffle" is the tune. I've come to like Lew more and more over time, he reminds me of Shepp coming from the other side of the tracks (and all that implies). And time has deepened my appreciation for what a long strange trip it's had to have been for Toshiko, and what a strong spirit she's had to have had to have done all she's done. Again, like mother, like daughter, and in the end, that's what it's all about - spirit. Never mind if the band sounds hopelssly white, L.A. studio-ish, the spirit's in the writing, and the spirit ultimately is what somes through.
Hell yeah.
TRACK SIXTEEN - I'm guessing Sheila Jordan, and I don't like it. She herself is somebody I'm on a case-by-case basis with, and there have been any number of things by her that I've liked. But this is a stupid and smug song done stupidly and smugly. Look, I should be able to relate to this, it's certainly not that I think it's "unfair" or anything. It's certainly "fair". But this is not a beautiful spirit at play, at least not here. This is ugly and mean. They think it's "funny". It's not. It's the spirit of death, not life, and as such, I deny it's validity in my life.
A pleasant ride, Ray. I'll get to Disc Two tomorrow, probably. That one was full of surprises too!
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
