relyles

I already taped this to my wall and definately plan to come down for the Saturday show and possibly Sunday. Since I have a lot of family in Harlem within walking distance of Marcus Garvey Park I always try to make this when I can.

I was recently reminded of these comments and wondered if you had any further updates other than the disappointment with the turn toward overt Rollins on his latest Criss Cross disc. I was reminded of these comments because I included a track from Stewart's 1995 Criss Cross date, More Urban Tones on a recent blindfold test compilation I did for another bulletin board. The above comments encouraged me to check out Stewart and the 1995 date was the first thing I heard. if you have not heard it I would strongly recommend it as I think Stewart's playing on this disc is very close to your description above.

Last night I had another opportunity to hear Newman live at the Monday Night Concert Series at Bushnell Park in Hartford. I had a special guest with me in my six year old daughter, Sierra, who really was the person that insisted we go when my enthusiasm for sitting in the park in the heat was low. Although she fell asleep some time during the second part of the performance, I am happy Sierra insisted. Newman's group included Curtis Fuller, the always entertaining Winard Harper and organist Radam Schwartz. They played a straight ahead set of mostly tunes from the jazz reportire. It wound up being a very pleasant night of music (once the sun went down it was not too hot) and even Sierra (who has a fascination with drums) enjoyed herself and thought Harper was great.

I think I heard him on something with Joe Chambers playing drums. Can't remember much about it right now.

different people take different approaches to BFT, and you ought to know that if you've participated in even a few (and I know you have). I frankly have more important things to deal with right now than in depth commentary on the songs you selected, or spending a few more hours trying to "get it". I listened; much of the music didn't grab me. BFD. These discs get a wide variety of responses. Hell, nine times out of ten, Evan gives some sort of variation on "I can't identify anyone, but I liked it. Thanks a lot". The fact is that you shouldn't be seeking validation by expecting universal acclaim for the songs you selected. I appreciate what you are saying, but isn't part of the point of this whole exercise to comment on who you honestly respond to the music? IMO it should not simply be an identification test. It takes a lot of thought and time to compile one of these discs and I can understand how it would be frustrating to go through all that work and then have participants not even take the time to comment. It is not a matter of seeking validation or acclaim. Regardless of whether the response is positive or negative I think the preparer of a BFT would appreciate a little more than a simple two line dismissal of an entire disc.

Disc Two was very enjoyable. To my ears the focus seemed to be young saxophonists on the scene now. Although I listened to the entire disc at least two times, I had hoped to listen to several of the tracks again before posting my comments. Since I forgot to bring the disc to work with me today, however, I am just going to post my thoughts I wrote down previously. If I get a chance to listen again I will post follow up comments. 1. I hear traces of Jackie McLean, but I am not confident it is him. The first time I listened to it I thought I heard Phil Woods. Whoever it is, it is a solid straight ahead track featuring good playing by the entire quartet. 2. Classic hard bop, which I do not seem to listen to as often as I once did. The tenor saxophonist sounds like Hank Mobley and the snap in the drums makes me think of Billy Higgins. I can’t identify any of the musicians with certainty, but this is like staple food to me – always satisfying. 3. A Monk tune played by contemporary musicians. After they play the head it kind of loses some of the feel of a Monk tune. The tenor saxophonist was very impressive although I have no clue who he/she is. Another solid track. 4. Very nice relaxed quartet track featuring a clarinetist with an appealing tone. I can’t identify any of the personnel, but I enjoyed the track. 5. Familiar sounding young tenor. I am sure I have heard him/her. Joshua Redman came to mind once. There seems to be a revitalization of electric piano among younger musicians but I don’t always hear as much distinctiveness in the instrument as I do piano. I would not mind hearing more. 6. I am sure I have heard this track, but I am not sure where. I thought about Jimmy Greene who is one of my favorites of the younger saxophonists. I enjoyed the composition and the performance. 7. the saxophonist on this track is very good, but whatever that synthesized instrument is that soloed after the saxophonist was a little annoying. I am not one of those people that objects to all electric instruments, but I just did not get this one. The keyboard player came to mind. Both Donny McCaslin and Chris Potter came to mind. 8. The beginning of the track had a similar groove to “Freedom Jazz Dance. The saxophonist sounded like Michael Brecker. 9 & 10. The two tracks are from the same live recording. Initially Kurt Rosenwinkel came to mind. I enjoy Rosenwinkel mostly for some of the saxophonists that he has played with such as Mark Turner and Chris Cheek. I am not certain who the saxophonist is on this date. Decent track, but these are two of the tracks I had hoped to listen to a little closer.

1. Pleasant unison playing on an attractive head. Solos by piano and soprano. Impressive extended solo by the piano and concise statement from soprano. Solid track to lead off the disc. 2. Older sounding recording featuring guitar bass and drums to open and horns come in later. Relaxed trumpet solo starts things. Guitar solo stays with the relaxed mode and the interjections by the horns during the solo keep it interesting. 3. Dramatic piece with a tango like rhythm. I like the clarinetist’s sound. It is somewhat familiar. The piece reminds me of some things I have heard out of California based clarinetist Mark Sowlakis – in particular the emphasis on the composition, the clarinetists pure tone and the deemphasis of solos. Interesting track. 4. I listened to this track several times and the alto saxophonist made me think about Greg Osby, but I don’t think it is him. Could be David Binney. No wait. Is that Vijay Iyer with Rudresh Mahanthappa? It is very familiar. I really liked the pianist. His solo had an edgy tension that kept my interest. The more I listen it is probably not Iyer so I will guess Binney with Craig Taborn. 5. The pianist reminded me of Geri Allen’s early recordings – that bounciness of some of her earlier compositions. It is not Allen though. Strong feeling of momentum in this track. As I listen now I find my head bobbing and my feet tapping. The pianist’s solo seems to build to a nice climax before winding down, but then it continued for a little too long. 6. The pianist’s initial statement though short, was very thoughtful. The bassist and drummer keep a nice groove throughout and the two tenors engage in an interesting exchange. Enjoyable track. 7. Something different. Sounds like an accordion and violin in the mix with a larger ensemble. Strangely the trumpet soloist sounds familiar. Not a monstrous display of chops, but effective on this track. Decent track, but not something I would be motivated to listen to on my own. 8. I tried, but I am not really getting into this particular solo piano track. Seemed to be going nowhere. 9. in some ways this pianist’s use of a slightly repetitive left hand figure is similar to the preceding track, but what he/she plays on top of that is more interesting. At about 2:20 into the track things loosen up a bit for a moment and alternate back and forth. It is kind of episodic. Something I think I would enjoy more with each listen. Could it be Jaki Byard? No. Very impressive track. 10. Sounds like Jim Hall with Greg Osby. Good stuff. Everyone seems to be listening to and playing off each other very well. 11. There were some things that reminded me of Mark Whitfield. I have not heard much of him since his Warner Brothers days, but I was very fond of his Grant Green influenced tone. If this is him from the most recent trio recording available on his website, that recording just got moved up a few places on my want list. Yes! Strong playing by the entire trio.

Other than one or two laughs, I could not wait for it to end.

I have long been a fan of Threadgill and in fact one of my the first live jazz performances I experienced when I really started to obsess over the music was a performance by the sextett at Cornell Univ. in the late eighties. Any reason more mention has not been made of the Air recordings? Seems to me that some of the music Threadgill made in collaborative trio with Fred Hopkins and Steve McCall is equally gratifying as the recordings made under his name alowe.

I suspect it is.

I have been following that thread for the past few days and as I commented there, I found the who discussion troubling. Mr. Crouch's reply did not help matters either.

I have heard something he has done with Lou Donaldson, the Braden disc and Dom Minasi's Quick Response. He always impressed me.

Downtown Music Gallery carries the quintet disc on Rogue Art for $16.00.

Some of these do circulate among collectors. Rick Lopez' William Parker Sessionography is the best source of information regarding what is circulating.

So how was the show? I am a fan and wish I could have been there.

I suppose he will get a break when he stops doing stupid stuff.

That is an entirely different issue and I was also a little perplexed by the insinuation.

I am neither trying to defend the opinions (and that is all they are) of the author in the piece, nor trying to generate a heated debate, but I wonder if to some extent we are being less than objective in evaluating the piece. I don't think it is fair to suggest that the author does not understand Hill. To the contrary, it seems to me that the author has listened to much of Hill's recorded output and genuinely appreciates the significance of Hill's artistry. also, other than the comments in the beginning about Hill "pounding" and a later statement that "somewhere along the line his piano technique, never especially smooth, became less consistent", I don't think anything in the article suggests the author believes Hill can't play the piano. At most, there is the suggestion that his technique has declined over the years. Why is that statement tantamount to heresy? Is it really impossible to think that over a career that exceeds forty years a pianists technique may not be as crisp as it once was? To be honest, I have heard Hill live at least ten times in the past 15 or so years and a devoted fan like me would have to at least admit that he does not play with as much technique as he did when I first heard him. Some of that may be by choice - his music has evolved to the point where he plays less piano. But maybe some of it really is just time. Again, we are all entitled to disagree, but I did not think the article was poor as I sense some may feel.

To offer some balance I did not think the article as a whole was that bad. I get the sense that overall the author is a fan - particularly of Hill's recordings from the early Blue Note period and the two discs on Palmetto. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with him questioning whether Hill's chops are what they used to be. I think that is a common concern of more listeners than we Hillaholics would believe.

My only exposure to Schlippenbach has been through various unofficial live recordings, including the performance of Monk tunes Nate referenced above. The Monk stuf includes Rudi Mahall, who I have really enjoyed hearing on bass clarinet and is overall very good. I have also heard a quartet date with Mahall, Tristan Honsinger and Paul Lovens that was somewhat of a Dolphy tribute and very interesting. With that said, I have enjoyed much less Schlippenbach's slightly more "out" quartet with Evan Parker, Peter Kowald and Lovens. I would be interested in hearing the trio disc on Enja Nate referenced and the few people I know that have heard Monk's Casino (other than Nate) rated it highly.

For a while now I have had a copy of the radio broadcast of this material. Everything I have read about this release has been very favorable. I have only come to them in the past couple of years, but I am a big fan of some of the players involved like Osborne and Feza. I am looking forward to picking up this release in the near future.

I always associate disco with the likes of the aforementioned Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer and Saturday Night Live. When I was in college in the mid eighties and hanging out in clubs in the Village such as the Paradise Garage, we always associated the best house music with a sound that was coming out of Chicago and one of the best djs of so called house music was Larry Levan. Now you are going to make me pull out all those mix tapes I have from my old days.

I could be missing something. I am a lawyer, but not a copyright lawyer. On the issue of fair use, I do not think it covers personal use. The act talks about things such as criticism, teaching, scholarship and research.

I have just spent a little time reviewing the Copyright Act and I can't even find any language that allows the owner of CD to make a copy.

I can't locate the exact language in the Copyright Act at the moment, but my recollection is that only the owner of a lawfully made copy of copyrighted material is entitled to make a copy for personal use. Since someone who borrows a CD from the library would not be the owner of that CD, he or she is not permitted to make a copy of that CD under the Copyright Act.