T.D.

New BBE J-Jazz book (large format, premium price) announced for Mar. 2024 https://bbemusic.bandcamp.com/merch/early-bird-price-ends-08-12-24-j-jazz-free-and-modern-jazz-from-japan-1954-1988-pre-order-shipping-march-1st-2024 I'd consider this if there is significant text, but AFAICT it seems to be a book of album covers.

Excellent! Based on felser's response to Thom I had guessed the altoist in #4, but was too lazy to sleuth/verify and it's too early in the month for that anyway. Don't mind reading the IDs...not really spoilers because I wasn't going to get them; Elvin-ness of #2 and Dolphy-ism of #3 not enough to narrow down the candidates. FWIW I enjoy the semi-non-quasi jazz excursions. [Added] Based on Jim's ID, #4 must be this. Weirdly, that's from a recording I recently came very close to buying, but held off on because I prefer the altoist's earlier work. 🙄 In the "minimalist" area, Marion Brown collaborated with Harold Budd. I think the first recording of Budd's Bismillahi 'Rahmani 'Rrahim is on MB's Vista (a personal favorite album on which Budd performed). And Brown played on Budd's The Pavilion of Dreams album. See for instance https://newdirectionsinmusic.substack.com/p/harold-budd-marion-brown-and-the

I preordered from Dusty Groove, which is much cheaper US shipping, and got filled yesterday. Perhaps they have a few copies...I haven't checked, but they don't usually get large quantities of such things "Just Sold Out".

My order of this just shipped yesterday.

I thought #11 had been IDd as this but it might actually be the remaster that's on bandcamp.

Thanks. Really enjoying the music, that probably closes out the low-hanging fruit I can guess. A lot of the tunes sound like things I should know, but I can't even figure out who the leaders are, which makes ID more difficult. The saxophonist on #3 occasionally brings to mind a couple of Japanese players - Matsukaze (who plays in a lot of styles, sometimes a bit like Dolphy) and Mine - but I can't imagine either is involved. The vocal tracks could likely be sleuthed, but it's far too early for that. Will have to play the selections through a couple more times, and stay away from the thread to avoid spoilers (no offense intended 😉).

Based on above discussion I think this is #8...I have a different recording of this tune w. trumpeter as leader. Both are good! Youtube link

I was going to be a smartass and say "parsecs?", but revised it down to "astronomical units?"

# 11 is https://tinyurl.com/ye7vef69 or this youtube video w. album credit

Thanks, John. Have briefly skimmed the tracks, expect to enjoy it when I listen all the way through. #11 is the only obvious one...no spoilers for now, but a Brit organist who's somewhat topical these days (reissues) plus a well-known and respected vocalist. 👍

CD copies of this [Complete Oblivion] box seem weirdly scarce. I missed the opportunity (months ago) to preorder cheaply from importcds and now am having trouble finding it from reasonable sources. [Added] CD version finally showed up at Amazon, but for about $10 more than the old importcds preorder (granted that might not have gotten filled). I may have to hold my nose and go the Amazon route.

Yes, it's long been on the want list and a reasonably priced CD finally surfaced.

That was my favorite, too. I haven't listened to GB's vocals in ages (unless he randomly pops up on radio), but thought he was OK back in the '70s when he was topping the charts.

Thanks. Both these albums are good, I've listened to some of each on Youtube. Passage (the first one, piano + percussion) is much more to my taste. Legend of the sea - myself (the second one, more instruments + some voice) reminds me of 12-tone chamber music, which isn't necessarily a bad thing (I recently went on a Second Viennese School binge), but is a sound world I rarely visit these days.

I got e-mail saying that my preorder is being processed. Presumably my credit card has been charged. The message promised a follow-up when the package is shipped. But in light of dismal experiences with Mosaic's shipping subcontractor (receiving wrong item among other things), I'm not holding my breath.

Damn. Thanks for posting that. I've owned that Jarrett album forever. Used to like Steely Dan a lot, had tired of them by "Gaucho" (lyrics got too arch and music too polished), but still heard that tune an awful lot. Kicking myself that I never noticed.

It's not great. I wouldn't say lightweight, but it underperformed my expectations. Part of it is that I'm having trouble getting a handle on Kako's playing. Certainly a fine pianist, but he sounds highly classical-oriented (he has written a lot of film scores and "composed music") and thus far I prefer other pianistic partners (Satoh, Y. Takahashi, etc) for Togashi. This (quartet) recording with Kako is better IMO: Cheap but weird package: 1 fusion album (Guerilla Band) and 2 straight-ahead standards sets (Rebop and Just Us). They are good recordings, though.

Michael Bisio sent this out today: On Sunday, December 10, 4pm as part of The Lace Mill presents series I will have the pleasure of performing with pianist John Blum. John is a visionary pianist who seldom leaves NYC … Not to be missed John Blum is a Jazz Pianist/Composer born in New York City who has been performing internationally for over 30 years. He is known for his explosive high voltage pianism, and as a musician who aims for the very personal. Blum's Piano technique is an amalgam of Cecil Taylor and McCoy Tyner, decidedly percussive but with relentlessly fast right-hand linear structure. He plays with such forcefulness and rapidity that he sounds like Conlon Nancarrow’s player piano rolls, interpreted via human hands, freed up into a liquid state. His antecedents are apparent: Boogie-Woogie, Harlem Stride, Be-Bop and Free Jazz, but John has absorbed all of these styles to find a unique voice that defies classification. This is interesting! I have (and enjoy) Blum's quartet CD on Eremite but know little about him.

On bandcamp. I enjoy older vintage Sakata, didn't know what to expect here, but it sounds rather good.