T.D.

PM sent on Rudolph Johnson and ICP.

I looked on discogs and don't fully trust my search, but the most recently recorded release with Ray Drummond seems to have been dated 2014. Lot of reissues since then, but AFAICT nothing new. Listening to the 3 Andrew Hill East Wind albums (Nefertiti, Hommage and Blue Black). I've posted them in recent memory (few months ago), but they're damn good and deserve more listening.

Anecdotal sample size of one, but this squares with my late father's experience.

That's it! I was unable to image what was being referred to. But upon hearing that clip, the memory circuits switched on.

Bark Culture (+ Blue Lake + Ezra Feinberg) at Tubby's, Kingston NY. I don't go to bars very often. Sometimes feel weird at classical / Indian concerts because of the senior demographics. Last night I was the oldest person in the house. Don't know which is weirder. 🥴

Recent BGO reissue. I like the album, and having enjoyed Edward Lear's nonsense poetry in childhood I think this track is especially cool:

Could be. I actually remember hearing the big hit "Hey Ya!" on the car radio 20-25 years ago. Didn't know he was involved until reading about the Shipp brouhaha. But Andre 3000's an incipient "old fart/curmudgeon" making loads of dosh from the pop culture machine.

[Italics added] I (also?) was unaware of the album until the Shipp-related post here. Agreed on "only bad PR is no PR", a concept that dates back to Oscar Wilde if not earlier. Not clear that it's "grift" IMO. Dictionary definition is "way of getting money dishonestly that involve tricking someone". I don't see that here: the recording was promoted as pianism by a non-pianist, and ample clips are available for potential buyers. The interesting question relates to Andre 3000's intent (which is unknown): Does he regard this as a con, or does he think it's music worth attention? I lean slightly to the former, but the latter is by no means out of the question. Agreed that his PR rep is doing a great job. The idea of the "Met Gala" (whatever the f**k that is...I've never paid attention but it's apparently a big thing) appearance was definitely hatched by a flack. Obligatory old fart/curmudgeon comment: Over the years I've intentionally become completely out of touch with popular culture (don't use social media, quit watching TV long ago, etc.), and this episode seems to vindicate my stance. 😁

I haven't noticed him on recordings (that I own), but have seen him live several times at a (roughly) monthly concert series that Michael Bisio organizes in Kingston, NY. Liked his playing a lot on those occasions, and would consider his presence on a recording a +.

Thanks. The analysis is indeed interesting. [Most of the Sciarrino liner notes, etc. I read were impossibly gaseous.] Though the author makes a point that the sonatas are "among the most rebarbative piano scores of the last hundred years" (granted the typography is a big factor). This performance is a lot more enjoyable and I can better hear the progression. But it's just not something I want to hear multiple times. I do listen to Ustvolskaya now and then, and greatly prefer her in the "relentless clangor" category.😉 There are plenty of "minimalist" pieces with progressions that I find more pleasing. I haven't followed Sciarrino since the early oughts, but I very much like Un Immagine d'Arpocrate (which is kind of a piano concerto), Sei capricci (solo violin) and Lohengrin (opera).

Damn. It's sold out. I phoned the library when it opened this morning, asked if it would be worthwhile to walk up, and was told "I wouldn't". 😢

I listened to the "Hotel Lobby Pianos" on Youtube. I won't be purchasing any recordings. The piece is awful in places, but fairly listenable most of the time (it's largely a takeoff of Take Five). Not being a trained pianist, he doesn't have enough of a grasp of harmony to be consistently enjoyable, and it's outright dissonant in a few places. He's already gotten a shedload of reviews, e.g. NPR, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, ..., so I suppose he'll do well with it. [Digression] Far from the worst thing I've heard...A couple of decades ago, Salvatore Sciarrino was a super-trendy contemporary classical composer. I enjoyed many of his works and bought several recordings. Then he released some solo piano recordings that totally repelled me (and I dig stuff like Ustvolskaya, Cage, etc). I listened to this piece 👎and decided that the Emperor was bare-ass. You can find a funny review on classicstoday, for example.

Eek. Raises the question: Should I check out the Facebook sample referred to? Probably will sooner or later, but not up for it right now.😶

Thanks. I never heard the record. This is funny! I grew up in nearby Evanston (IL) and the song title has always cracked me up.

Some background here: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Complete Concert at Club Saint-Germain In the audience but audible in places?

This was the first hit from Google, which actually autotyped the last word of my query: Art Blakey et les Jazz-Messengers au club St. Germain - Wikipedia

Rainout today so working through the rest of the BFT. #5. Interesting but a little arch IMO. Enjoyed, and I have other recordings by/with the leaders, but wouldn't line up to hear a full album of this. Couldn't ID in real time, but Jim basically posted the performers, upon which "...oh yeah!". I sleuthed the tune but won't post since it was teed up. #6. Well known tune ID'd above. I don't listen to loads of B-3, can't ID the recording but like it. #7. More B-3, no clue at ID. I prefer the guitarist to the other soloists. Prefer #6 to this but it's not bad. #8. Familiar tune which I might not have ID'd if I didn't peek at the thread. The pianist didn't become clear until the latter part. Far from my usual listening fare, not the most inspired rendition but plenty enjoyable. Was able to sleuth (like #5). #9. Dissed above. #10. LP sourced, solo vibes. Tune a standard that I can't place. Nice performance but solo vibes isn't in my wheelhouse. Having peeked, the performer ID should have been obvious, but it didn't jump out in real time. #11. Has "jazzy arr. of pop hit" written all over it, but can't ID. Good arrangement but not something I'd seek after. The first section had a certain background/elevator feel. Latter part picked up a lot and salvaged the tune. I hated the opening bit of the guitar solo but enjoyed the rest of it, no idea of ID. #12. Live, sounds like a medley. Like the trumpet soloist a lot, plus the pianist in the second and (especially) third sections. The big band arrangement is far from my usual listening, but really well done. Really grew on me after a second listen. No guesses. Thanks for the BFT. Worked well as a program. Regardless of guessing, there were plenty of hooks (familiar sounding tunes and performers) to give a sense of participation. Only big miss was #9, but that one probably has plenty of backers.

There appears to be one plus: the portfolio of brands is now owned by an electronics conglomerate rather than a health care company whose "financial engineering" apparently went awry. 😆 Beyond that, too early to say. Since the brands (presumably) had to be acquired as a portfolio, I wouldn't be surprised if some straggler or underperforming names get de-emphasized or shut down. Just my opinion and I know nothing of the financials of the acquired marques.

It's a pretty good album. I really enjoy the first 3 (of 4) pieces, not wild about the fourth. Dumitrescu only wrote the first piece but conducts the others. I haven't heard that much by Dumitrescu, my bad. Discovered his music after seeing some comparisons to Radulescu, but didn't follow up sufficiently (it was ancient pre-bandcamp era when CDs were scarce on the ground). Going to look for more online. Very sad about A-M Avram, haven't heard any details.

Dauner's label Mood Records was extremely cool, and not just from a jazz-rock perspective. Pity there haven't been more (or any recent AFAIK) reissues.

Lot of "big names" on this museum piece. Second tune is a Nucleus mainstay iirc (Ian Carr is in the band).

Have known about Dumitrescu for a long time but haven't listened recently. Surprised to (randomly) find this on bandcamp today. Google indicates hits on the Corbett vs Dempsey website but the C vs D site itself shows no trace of Dumitrescu. Forced Exposure seems to have the CD as a C vs D release, though.

Volker Kriegel is a name to look for. He founded the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble iirc. [Added: Barbara Thompson was involved with that ensemble at times. I have the BBC Barbara Thompson box, and she led or played with a lot of groups that should work for you.] I recently bought VK's Spectrum, which is an excellent album though maybe not quite as electric as you're looking for. Some later recordings, including those by the aforementioned ensemble, should work. I like a lot of the Euro "jazz-rock" I've heard, and (surprisingly) overall prefer it to US-based fusion. Although neither sector ranks among my most listened to. I'd like to see Yugo recommendations, too. I've heard a couple of pretty good things that are more jazz-funk than -rock.

There's a Stereophile story which is more informative. Sound United Finds a New Home with Harman | Stereophile.com The acquired brands were already a portfolio of an entity called Sound United, which was a disastrous acquisition by a (healthcare? see below) conglomerate called Masimo Corp. Masimo was urged to divest by shareholder activists. 😁 Here are the first and last paras of the linked story. Note how many "name" brands Harman now owns! Masimo Corporation has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Masimo Consumer Audio division, which is made up of the former Sound United hi-fi brands, to Harman International, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, for $350 million in cash. Pending regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025. The sale transfers an extensive portfolio—including Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Classé, and Boston Acoustics—to a buyer with business firmly rooted in audio. (The fate of the HEOS multiroom streaming platform remains unclear.) Harman already owns JBL, Harman Kardon, AKG, Mark Levinson, Revel, Arcam, and Roon. ... If regulators approve the transaction, it will close a turbulent three-year chapter that saw Sound United’s valuation tumble from more than a billion dollars to a third of that figure. Masimo exits with a costly but decisive return to its healthcare roots, while Harman and Samsung gain a powerful array of brands poised to strengthen their position in living-room entertainment from big-screen TVs to whole-home audio.

I think Polk and Marantz have changed hands various times previously, and neither is nearly "what they used to be" (a number of onetime prestige names are in that category). B&W is definitely news, the most significant part of the announcement. Maybe Denon is significant, though they seem to have fallen off over the years. Very much agreed on the decline of the audiophile market. Though the vinyl craze may prop it up for a while.