Joe

Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about this little gem. Has to be one of the most purely tasteful trio records I can recall enjoying. Wyands has such a wonderful touch, one that matches well with Haynes' delicate aggression. Here's one I enjoy as much for the leader's compositions as for his playing: Michel Sardaby, NIGHT BLOSSOM (w/ Jay Leonhart and Tootie Heath) And, for John Taylor, how about his ECM collaborations with Peter Erskine and Palle Danielsson? YOU NEVER KNOW, TIME BEING, AS IT IS, and JUNI (my personal favorite of the quartet). Dick Katz, who passed on late last year, recorded this fine trio session for Reservoir in 1992... Finally, there's Mel Powell's unusual, but unfailingly swinging trios with Ruby Braff and Bobby Donaldson, collected (but not complete) on the Vanguard anthology THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE. This thread has been both an education and a re-education... thanks all.

Have not spun them in a while, but my memories of both POLYOGUE (Songlines, 1997) and SOFT SHELL (Knitting Factory, 2000) -- both with the always-colorful Herb Robertson, Drew Gres and Tom Rainey -- are warm. What has Laster been up to lately?

Important Records have recently reissued two discs worth of early / long-unavailable works by Elaine Radigue, TRIPTYCH and VICE VERSA ETC.. Though I'd still recommend ADNOS I - III or TRILOGIE DE LA MORT over these, they are nice additions to her discography. Also "meditative"... I'm not sure exactly how I would classify his work (there seem to me to be are some prog-rock / New Age elements floating about in it) but J. D. Emmanuel, though relatively obscure, is a pretty fascinating manipulator of synthesized tonalities.

On the experimental animation tip... Diz in the Hubley's THE HOLE Part 1 (Youtube) Part 2 (Youtube) Oh, and The Oscar Peterson Trio provides music for Norman McLaren's BEGONE DULL CARE

Tom and Jerry do Louis Jordan

Another fine Enja-sponsored homage... Yosuke Yamashita, TRIBUTE TO MAL WALDRON

Maybe not terribly representative, but this recording finds Parker playing is a more approachable / accommodating style and context... I think it helps that he sticks to tenor throughout. His soprano sax work stirs a different pot, IMO. Evan Parker / Stan Tracey, SUSPENSIONS AND ANTICIPATION (Psi) (My overlong and sloppy OFN review of this disc)

Paul Knopf... so wish those Lps were widely available. Three more: Andre Previn / Red Mitchell / Shelly Manne, WEST SIDE STORY Not sure that I could ever adequately explain why this session appeals to me (Ben Shahn actually has a lot to do with it), but there's a certain playfulness (irreverence?) on display here that I find charming. Dave Burrell, HIGH WON-HIGH TWO If only all history lessons were this full of passion and invention. Phineas Newborn Jr., THE NEWBORN TOUCH Or, "Phineas Plays The Contemporary Records Songbook". The interpretations may appear to be "airplay-friendly" in length, but each one is a gem, really. Great rendition of "Grooveyard" in particular.

That's how I read it as well.

Amerocentric, heck... it barely -- and unsurprisingly -- ventures outside of the five boroughs. Which five boroughs? NYC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borough_%28New_York_City%29

Amerocentric, heck... it barely -- and unsurprisingly -- ventures outside of the five boroughs.

Re: John Wright (count me as a fan as well) and Chicago pianists who remain relatively unknown... there's also a fine King Fleming Trio record on Chess, MISTY NIGHT. A Japanese CD issue exists, or once existed. Not sure about the later STAND BY, though, which features some very early work from Malachi Favors. Perhaps Larry, Chuck or John Litweiler could speak more to Fleming's relationship with Favors, Muhal Richard Abrams, and the seeds of the AACM?

Thanks all. Some great selections here. Count me as another fan of the Cowell, Beck, Perkins and TRIANGLE dates, at least. Another one I wish was better-known... Walter Norris, LOVE EVERY MOMENT If all you know about Norris is based on his presence on Ornette's SOMETHING ELSE, you owe it to yourself to check out his later work.

"Obscure" just being my not wholly appropriate shorthand for recording about which you feel strongly but have never seen / heard anyone else discuss or recording you like to turn other listeners on to. Trios of all eras, styles and constitutions welcome. Household names? Forgotten heroes? Eternal sidemen finally stepping out? Ditto old favorites and new discoveries. An initial trio of trios: Don Friedman, CIRCLE WALTZ I suppose I hear the Bill Evans connection... or is it one that is jut easy to make based on the presence here of Chuck Israels? Mostly what I hear, however, is a much hard-driving ensemble than Evans was wont to put together around this time, exploring different -- more stark, more jagged; lunar, not moony -- harmonic terrain. John Bikerton, SHADOW BOXES Bickerton seems not to have much of a presence on the scene these days, and I'd be curious to hear what he is up to these days. But hat we have here is evidence of a pianist who knows his Andrew Hill without being too beholden to Hill's simultaneously contemplative and restless style. Amina Claudine Myers, THE CIRCLE OF TIME Some may find her vocals (and lyrics) off-putting, and some may prefer her Bessie Smith or Marion Brown recitals, but, as this was the first Myers LP I ever heard, I have something of a sentimental attachment to it. Besides, I think it shows off the wide-ranging (fearless?) soulfulness of her playing as well as anything I've heard by her. Looking forward to seeing what others have to contribute.

Also, Ran Blake, in his more "Bernard Herrmann Meets Duke Ellington" moments... SHORT LIFE OF BARBARA MONK being a good starting place.

Welcome to the Age of Postmamboism... http://www.boingboing.net/2009/12/15/principles-of-postma.html

Huge Rudd fan myself -- wish he would write more on the music and his experiences in it -- but you had me at "Matt Shipp on Farfisa organ"...

May have been mentioned on this board before, but, apropos this topic... The Gosperats http://www.gosperats.com/

I highly recommend the 2 Miff Mole SLIPPIN' AROUND volumes on Frog. http://www.frogrecords.co.uk/index.html (IIRC, these are J. R. T. Davies remasters.)

Very sad news; incredibly talented guitarist who -- based on his recent discography -- seemed to be branching out and beginning to do some really exploratory work.

Produced for public radio broadcast here in TX... http://www.kera.org/artandseek/content/200...-ernie-caceres/

Saw Tomaž Šalamun read last night. Tremendous poet from Slovenia. http://www.blackbird.vcu.edu/v7n1/poetry/salamun_t/index.htm

Other (fairly recent) TX bands worth auditioning: Bedhead (and the later New Year; very intricate guitar work, a bit too much loud-soft-loud, vocals may strike you as too drab) and The American Analog Set (drone-pop). Wilderness, a contemporary band out of Baltimore, has, over the course of three albums, done some really great work extending post-punk tropes into the new millenium. Declamatory vocals. Great rhythm section. Finally, Stereolab. Wide-ranging (from The Velvets to The Beach Boys to Sun Ra to Tropicalia), "groovy"... maybe a bit too many electronics and a smidgen too much studio gimmickry as per your criteria, but the earlier records (TRANSIENT RANDOM NOISE BURSTS, MARS AUDIAC QUINTET) are more guitar-based than not.

Mike -- indeed, you are the only listener to identify Jeff Palmer. I'm curious... what's, in your opinion, is the recording that best showcases Palmer's abilities? I've always found him an "interesting" player, but I've had a hard time fully enjoying the dates issued under his name (80s production values have something to do with this). Thanks, JM