Got the discs Thursday afternoon, listened to both 1X Thursday nigh, and again while we speak. Have not read other posts.
First of all, this is a swell disc, full of distinct voices, something that I myself value/enjoy/etc. above all else. Also, most of the cuts were specifically distinctive within the individuals' distinctiveness, if that makes any sense. As such, it was a real treat to listen. Thanks to Tome for "nudging" me to particiapate, and thanks for quick mail-out. I feel rewarded!
Ok, let's get down to business...
TRACK ONE - The title cut of Disc One, no doubt!
Kinda Ran Blake-ish in it's opening up of the harmony, but not as open as Ran. A marvellous spin on an old standby. It really had me listening in anticipation and feeling as a result. Guessing that it wasn't Ran, and not sounding remotely like anybody else I could think of (not too specifically, anyway. A "careless" guess could be made for Paul Bley, or maybe even Jaki Byard) I HAD to hunt this one up. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5ge67ui020jj If the rest of the album is this involving, I'll be looking to pick it up!
TRACK TWO - No clue. The tune is one of those Trad things that I know by everything but name (there's too many of those, unfortunately...). Good playing by all, not necessarily what I'd call "great", but nevertheless very enjoyable. This kind of stuff has the BEAT, and as such continues to reverberate through the world today in many guises. The clarinetist stands out the most to me, starting with the "High Society" riff (is that the name of this tune?) and carrying on with good spirit. There might even be two clarinetists, don't have the time to really dig into the tapestry. I don't think so, though. The one guy just hits some licks with an "out of nowhere" directness that makes it sound like it MGHT be somebody else. Nice.
TRACK THREE - MAybe not, but it can help get you a reasonable facsimile for a little while.
TRACK FOUR - Love is indeed chancey if you don't have any money! Cymbals sound very ECM-ish, and the intro sounds like one of those hip chamber things that the MJQ were into in the late 60s/early 70s, but this ain't even them. Hell, it ain't even a quartet. No money, but you're buying a string of pearls? My, but you ARE taking a chance! Very nice, chamber-esque reading by two players I don't really follow, and probably won't, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one piece. Since I might not much free time to sleuth in the upcoming days, let me do it now: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rn6htr7rkl4x
TRACK FIVE - WELL! Is this Vic Dickenson? It might as well be, even though this is September...What a delightfully moving deathbed-ish performance. I know that sounds twisted, but this really sounds like an old guy on the way out, but he's going out with his spirits held high, refusing to look into the void, but instead going into the light with anticipation of more fun ahead. A pretty interesting use of the slide to get some "in between" notes toards the end too. Now, having said that, I'm not sure it's Vic. So I'll research and find this: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kzvyxdsb8olf AHA! I've been meaning to buy this for YEARS! Now, I have to. Great performance.
TRACK SIX - Well, the singer's a no-brainer for a fan, and I'm a HUGE fan. The tune is a Strayhorn classic, of course. Yet, I don't know this performance. Beautiful piano playing too. This is a tune that easily veers into self-pitying bathos if you don't watch it, and both of these guys watch it just perfectly. Gotta research this one, because it's another one that I'm going to have to put on the "priority" list...
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0kxsa9igu23h
Oh...my...God... It just got a whole lot deeper (for me) than it already was knowing this... Wow...
TRACK SEVEN - Was it raining when you put this together, Tom? Seriously, this is perfect "Jazz For A Rainy Day" compilation! Ok, the song is obvious, and the alto player sounds like Kenny Garrett in a REALLY mellow mood, I like this kind of thing, because it takes a great deal of maturity and feeling to keep this mood as consistent, to not go into "burn land", to keep the vibe righteous from start to finish. And these guys are INTO the vibe - they keep it right where it needs to be AND they keep it liquid musically. This is the kind of thing that "the average person" and the musician alike can dig, and I'm all for that as part of a well-balanced and healthy jazz macro system. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:vr3m968ofep5 Didn't know this album, but the altoist is pretty much one of those blessed ones that you can spot at anytime doing anything.
TRACK EIGHT - Altoist is more than a little familiar, but not enough so to bring about instant recognition... Charlie Mariano? Very much out of Bird, but he's grown past the bebop vernacular...Pianist is another one of those "brooding" types you've favored us with, and I love it! Can't hazard a guess, though...Don't recognize the tune, either, unless it's a Ran Blake de/reconstruction that I'm not familiar with, or an original, or a standard that I don't know...Tune sounds like one of those stretched out ballads that Andrew Hill writes...Oh well, six times through it, and noting definitive has clicked yet (but the beauty of the composition and the playing of it has grown for me each time through). I'm stumped. But I KNOW that alto player, whoever it is!
TRACK NINE - Not my type of tenor playing. The tone sounds like it's got the "intensity" built into it, like they guy could get that quality no matter how bored or drug he was. There's a lot of that going around these days, it seems...
But anyway, the piece is as good a representation of the modern mainstream. Modality and change-based playing merged and built into one mindset, everybody comfortable with all the musical progress made up until 1964/65, and off they go. Certainly nothing wrong with it, but this cut has a "generic" quality to it that contrasts with the deeply personal expressions of everything else on this disc. Oh well, can't like everything. I suppose.
Oh yeah, don't have a clue who it is either.
TRACK TEN - Well now, talk about yer personality! You got a way of startin' somethin', Tom! Love is heavy, but if you put it on a cone, it rolls! This is a CLASSIC album, I think. Go ahead with THAT!
TRACK ELEVEN - Ok, let's swing out! Clarinet sounds like an early Tony Scott, but that's not official by a long shot... There's Benny Carter...Trumpet...not Roy, I don't think, Sweets or Buck Clayton, maybe...Oscar on piano? more tasteful than ususal if it is, I know he CAN do that....earlier Illinois Jacquet, or somebody strongly under his sway (there were many back then...)...some kind of Norman Granz thing from the 78 era? You got me!
TRACK TWELVE - Ok, this one I ended up laughing out loud at Thursday night. Didn't recognize the pianist from the intro, but I KNEW that it was a Boston drummer, either Roy Haynes or Alan Dawson most likely. Then the alto comes in, and I KNEW who that was, so I started trying to connect him with the Boston drummers in question, but geeez, the guy's made how many million sides, so no luck there. Then the paiono solo begins, and I STILL can't but it all together, but the painist is sounding very, VERY, "post-modern" in the way that what him and the drummer are getting into. Then the second alto comes in, and THE LIGHTBULB GOES OFF!!!! I never bought this album, but heard it quite a bit back in the day. I'd forgotten all about it! I'll start looking for it, I can tell you that!
Well, what can you say? Weirdass 70s recording as far as the drum miking and bass sound go, but hey, big whoop. There's a lot of revelation in this performance, on a lot of different levels.
TRACK THIRTEEN - Ok, you had me totally stumped on this one. It sure weren't Lester doing the leaping! The only halfway clear guess that came to mind was Benny Wallace, and that didn't seem right. so you forced me to reserach. I've been combining guess and research in this post for reasons given above, but in this case, I'll not "spoil the surprise" so early in the game (although, ther will be no surprise spoiling if nobody clicks on the links, Bwsides, the selections that I already own and know, I left linkless!).
All I can say is that A)this guy's tenor tone has REALLY darkened over the years and B)that is a DEVIOUS and BRILLIANT closing selection, for reasons that will become apparent as the answers are revealed. YOU BASTARD!
A most enjoyable set, Tom, full of fascinations and favorites, the latter consisting of a few old ones, and many more "to be" ones. An outstanding compilation in every regard. Thanks again!