JSngry

Ok, so I'm listening to Steeplechase Jam Session Volume 48818989881261 or wahtever the hell number it is, the one with the three-tenor front line of Mark Turner, Greg Tardy, and this cat I've never heard of, Ari Ambrose. Well, it's a snoozefest so far, what with the virtuostic constrictions of Turner & Tardy constricted even more by the bodyless digital recording quality, when all-of-a-sudden this RUDE-ass tenor starts playing. He's still doing the New York squeedledeedle thing, but unlike Tardy & Turner, that's not all he's doing, and on top of that, when he does do it, he does it like he's just come in off the street reeking of cheap but plentiful booze and ill-gotten pussy. Every tune was the same - Turner & Tardy are soundling like they're dressed in tuxes waiting to take the Jazz Principal's daughter to the prom, dance a waltz or two with her, and get her home on time. A few minutes early, most likely. And Ambrose sounds like he's just gonna hang out in the alley behind her house and get loaded until they bring her home and then he'll take her out and show her a REAL good time. Who IS this motherfucker? As always, thanks in advance!

Just got to hear it. Kinda too "straight-line"-y in the soloing for me to enjoy at length, but there's no denying the fire and sincerity. Waldren bears some Kenny Garrett in his sound and conception, but as a starting point, not as a goal. Greene bugs me on this one, not enough variety in any aspect of his playing. Pretty sure I've heard him elsewhere to better effect, but not certain. Archer is the hero of the date for me. While everybody else is riding the ride, he quietly and assuredly is making sure that the thing stays on its tracks. Some very solid playing on his part, I'd like to hear more things that he's on to check him out. Strickalnd seems to feel that Ralph Peterson is too subtle, and seems hellbent on showing him the error of his ways. Hey, I was young once, too... Glad to see that younger cats like this are getting an opprotunity to make records and air it out w/o compromise. The whole thing's got that "New York Claustrophobia" vibe to it that's been a part of so much jazz since the late-60s, but hey, that's where they are, and that's how they're living, so that's how they should play. Not so sure that a change of scenery wouldn't be for the better for all (except Archer), but whatcha' gonna do 'bout that, huh?

Finally got to hear this, and I like it more than Mike. The opening ballad is frakin' gorgeous, and Carter shows real discipline and maturity in the deployment of his "tricks", using them to enhance the ballad mood rather than trample it. Don't know that that would have been the case a few years ago. "Akong Came Betty" got me to thinkng that perhaps Carter is evolving into, not the Illinois Jacquet of his day, but the one-horn-at-a-time Roland Kirk. His playing on this is just totally off the hook, sure, and it could be called "gimmicky". But in spite of all that, there's a real musicality at its base, and like Kirk in his day, whether you hear the music first or the gimmickry is going to vary from person to person. The rest of the album kinda rambles, but there's plenty of good moments within the rambling, I think. I dig Ulmer quite a bit, both instrumentally and vocally, so the "Red Rooster" thing was no problem for me. The bari stuff w/Bluiett could've benefited from some self-editing, but this is a live set, after all, and I bet the vibe was good in the room while it was happening. As for "I Believe...", hey, why not? Organ jazz and "neighborhood favorites" go together like han and eggs. All told, I'd give this album a solid 3.5 stars. Tighter production choices could've made this a better, tighter presentation, but that's true of a lot of albums of the last 25 or so years, truthfully. Far from "essential", but enough pleasure to be had from beginning to end to make it enjoyable overall. Carter is maturing, and this groups sounds like it would be a gas to hear live in a neighborhood lounge, if there were such things any more.

Thanks, wasn't aware of that.

What is this thread about?

Half-Price be havin' some Xanaduseedees....

Jim, keep working!

Definitely not Burrell. And you definitely don't think it is.

A bit of each...

L. Ron Hubbard Ron Howard Ro Blackmon

Pops Poopadeaux.

The thing that usually bugs me about Peterson is his soloing. His melodic expositions are often sublime, always some nice stuff there. but when the solo begins, it's just a matter of time (usually sooner than later) before he starts playing all that doo-dah shit, and frankly, it turns me off faster than I do my TV whenever Robin Leach comes on.

A dress with a plunging neckline?

Can't say that I know, but that's an interesting stylistic link. I definitely heard the "Latin" undercurrent running through it, and that's what prompted me to to pull it and sequence it after the more overtly Latin Track 8. As noted before, initial selection/sequencing was very much spur-of-the-moment, and what you hear in terms of stylistic affinity must've been akin to what I was hearing/feeling at the moment. And the selection of Track 10 springs directly from this Track 9, for several reasons!

Troy Aikman (compensated spokesman for Acme Brick, for the non-Dallasites) Shaquille O'Neal Ian Anderson

Don't hate him at all. rather like him, actually. He grooves. For a little different side of his musicality, I always turn to the duet album he did with Leon Parker, one of those really interesting BN albums that they didn't promote worth squat. Too bad.

No, not Morris Jennings. Morris the (big) Cat wants you to know that!

Good thing you didn't buy a David Rose album instead...

(Buono, of course. DOH! ) Kyle Rote William Penn Gene Quill

Hate to quote myself .... ← Ah yes, my bad! However appropriate your guess is (and it's a darn good one!), it is, however, incorrect! Morris the (big) Cat wants you to know that!

Hopefully, people who haven't yet posted about Disc Two will do so, but if not, hey, that's cool too.

Everybody's noticed the bass playing on Track 7 (how could you NOT? ), but what about the drumming? Any comments?

Victor Hugo Victor Borge Victor Bueno

Mother Maybelle Carter Sister Rosetta Tharpe Little Brother Montgomery {oops, never mind, didn't go to the next page...)

Track 4 is not "Yardbird Suite", but now that you mention it, I do hear the similarity/derivation. Never noticed that before! And on this same track, no positive IDs of the second saxophonist other than that provided by The Linker. Again - it's somebody who's familiar to may of you! Now, for the drummer on #9, if my memory is serving me correctly, it's somebody who many of us Americans saw/heard quite regularly in the 70s & 80s, whether we realized it or not.