T.D.

Beethoven now, maybe Schumann later.

Thanks. That is an excellent and unusually expressive AAJ review. Although that site's coverage is wide, I don't usually pay much attention to their reviews : while well-written, they rarely express strong opinions and often come off as "polite" or cookie-cutter IMO. Possible experiment: If this album is placed on the same shelf (or hard drive sector) as Andre 3000's 7 piano sketches opus, will some kind of bizarre chemical meltdown or spontaneous combustion occur?

Big "loft jazz" enthusiast, so looking forward to this one! And on Thursday to boot (better than Sunday). I was there last Thursday and it's nice to have the kitchen open. The .png and design .jpg aren't displaying, btw.

The Kempff DG mono set. While fetching an image from DG, I discovered that it was reissued in 2012 by Regis (UK budget reissue label). Hadn't known that.

True, that. Before purchasing any Morris, I heard the "Treasure Box" (though not in that format) recordings of Alan Silva's HR 57 material and thought the results merited more listening. I currently attend monthly concerts of the Creative Improvisers Orchestra (founded by the late Karl Berger), and they AFAICT in effect involve conduction (almost always by Peter Apfelbaum). Everyone appears to get along, and I like the results.

Thanks. I'll look for video of that. I started listening to those conductions only a few years ago, and the background info on Morris I dug up (at the time) was positive. OTOH, I've heard many unsavory anecdotes about d**kish conductors and composers in the classical realm, so nothing would surprise me.

A local offbeat venue presents good Indian music (mostly Hindustani) concerts. Next week: santoor (hammered dulcimer) / tabla duo with Vinay Desai (who I've seen 3 times before) and Sapan Anjaria (tabla).

Nice. I didn't buy the box set, but accumulated all the titles in a few installments. New World was kind enough to comp me (unasked) with a copy of the booklet in one (large) order.

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.