Joe

https://weinsist.org/charter I get it. Reforms are necessary. I also believe in reparations. And these are all statements that need to be articulated for some individuals who are knew to the history WE INSIST so powerfully invokes. But its not like efforts haven't been made, time and again, to reform these institutions. Academia is perhaps more corporate than corporate America these days, which does not augur well for its capacity to mount the kind of change initiative being called for here. I'm not sure faculty, students, and external constituents even have the bargaining power – or coalition-building skills — they need to drive that change. Certainly not while the phenomenon of adjunct professorships persists... Also notable: the only mention of alternatives to institutions in the charter occurs here: "WE INSIST that every cultural and educational institution ensures their ABAR is done in partnership, both with BIPOC ABAR experts and grass-roots local community organizations; establishing ABAR alliances, collaborating with local activist groups and ensuring the work is inherently always open to and in consultation with those it seeks to uphold." What does partnership mean? Are we talking about money here? I mean, it's all/always about money, isn't it? There's a generational divide we have to acknowledge here as well, I think. Millennials and Gen Zers don't necessarily have the same expectations of art that older generations do. Are those differences irreconcilable? There's anecdotal evidence to that effect. Look at recent controversies in the visual arts and literature. Again, I'm not saying the efforts this article points to aren't worthy. I'd just like to see as much investment as possible in creating alternatives: economic, organizational, aesthetic. That, to me, is the AACM model, one that proved replicable and rather successful — on its own terms.

Thanks Thom! A couple of your guesses are spot-on. I will confess that there are some artists here whose jazz "credentials" might be considered questionable.

Thanks ya'll! #13: IDing the horn players might help with the IDing the tune.

Greetings all. BFT 198 (September 2020) is now available for your listening / sleuthing pleasure. 15 tracks. Thanks to Thom Keith, you can listen online at http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/. Looking forward to the discussion to follow! Best, JM

Listening to the Hamilton-sponsored trio date now. Gambrell sometimes sounds like Tatum, via the same pathways as Andre Previn, sometimes like Herbie Nichols, and sometimes like Jaki Byard. Not what I expected! Also, apparently he played trumpet and recorded on that instrument under the name Federico Cervantes... https://federicocervantes.blogspot.com/2009/03/

Agree! I have not listened to that one in a while, but I have fond memories of it.

Finally getting around to listening to these. Some especially nice arrangements on NO DUMMIES ALLOWED, presumably from the pen of Sue Terry [?]

This promises to be excellent!

W/ Thad Jones and Eddie Harris.

I'd forgotten about this one. Swana's Criss Crosses are almost always worth a listen. Character-ful, and he can do that puckish thing without falling into Dave Douglas-ish preciousness.

Always crisp, that Charli Persip. He's a big part of the perfection that is Mal Waldron's THE QUEST, IMO. He also meshes exceedingly well with Jerome Richardson on his Prestige/New Jazz dates. And that record he made with his Jazz Statesmen for Bethlehem is quite enjoyable as well.

What a strange record this is. Love all the individual players, but this just never gels, IMO. Yet everything has been arranged with great care. I guess I just wish Duke had brought more interesting material to the session.

Coryell is another one, but he didn't appear on record until 1967. The Handy recording documents a 1965 performance.

Indeed. I am trying to think of a jazz guitarist who started incorporating rock-like influences into their playing before Hahn did, and I'm not sure I can name one. Maybe Gabor Szabo? I think that's mostly Szabo being Szabo.

It occurs to me that guitarist Jerry Hahn is a much-overlooked musician.

Been meaning to revisit this one. Interesting line-up of "regulars" and "guests."

Stunning.