Joe

Well, that makes a great deal more sense!

The Sonny Red track closes that particular LP, and is slightly less modal / Coltrane-inspired than some on that other material of the date. I chose it for the manner in which it showcases the unique -- shall we say quirky? -- facets of Red' timbre and phrasing. It feels bluesy, but are those really blues changes? And Herbie Lewis. What a shame there's not more Herbie Lewis to hear. The Earland... well, DYNAMITE BROTHERS is a terrible, terrible film... the only reason I know about it is courtesy the Cinematic Titanic crew (MST3K alumni; their take on this film is available here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/375254)... but CE's soundtrack is suitably melodramatic, atmospheric, cartoonish, etc. Basically, what you'd want / hope from an exploitation film soundtrack. I also happen to like and admire his soprano sax playing, which he trotted out every now and then on other dates. But here he and the band really do enter a GET UP WITH IT / SEXTANT trance-space, though I've no idea if those records really factored into his thinking. And just look at the odd all-star collection of talent put together for what was essentially product; a unit-shifter. "Additional mixing by Eddie Harris"! Really?

Looks like Dave is living the life of a working pianist in Studio City, CA. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/davepalmer I'd wondered what happened to him. Now, about that Oscar Peterson LP... its not flawless, by any means. But I do have much respect for the fact that OP did not simply karaoake-out his established style on electric piano. I mean, he really explores the instrument, plays both with it and on it, and embraces the colors and tones of which the Fender Rhodes is capable in some surprising and delightful ways. I dare say he should have made more records out of his comfort zone. Aren't almost all Nathan Davis CDs prohibitively priced? He sounds great on this date, but I included this track primarily because of what Woody Shaw does here. The way he states the theme and brings a real personality to the melody. Impressive, and a reminder that Woody was about a lot more than those quartal harmonies. Dude was a thorough trumpet player, you know?

16) The Cannonball Adderley Quintet. "The Chocolate Nuisance" (Nat Adderley, Roy McCurdy). Cannonball (as), Nat Adderley (cornet), George Duke (keys), Mike Deasy (g), Walter Booker (b), Roy McCurdy (d), Airto Moreira & Buck Clarke (perc). Rec. 1970, live at The Troubadour in LA. From THE BLACK MESSIAH (Capitol). 17) John Ellis. "Let's Think Of Something To Do" (Fred [Mister] Rogers). John Ellis (ts), Aaron Goldberg (p), Mike Moreno (g), Matt Penman (b), Rodney Green (d). Rec. 2011. From IT'S YOU I LIKE (Criss Cross). 18) Jacky Terrasson. "Baby" (Justin Bieber, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Terius "The-Dream" Nash). Jacky Terrasson (keys), Burniss Earl Travis II (b), Justin Faulkner (d), Minino Garay (perc). Rec. 2012. From GOUACHE (Sunnyside). 19) Dave Pike. "The Drifter" (Pike). Pike (vibes), Eddie Daniels (ts), Don Friedman (p), Chuck Israels (el b), Arnie Wise (d), Herbie Mann (producer). Rec. 1966? (Released 1970). From THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION (Vortex / Atlantic / Wounded Bird). 20) Michael Marcus. "Sunwheels" (Marcus). Marcus (straight tenor [on this track, I believe], stritch, saxello), Rahn Burton (org), Nasheet Waits (d), Carlos "Patato" Valdes (conga). Rec. 2000. From SUNWHEELS (Justin Time). 21) Sonny Red. "Rodan" (red / credited as Sylvester Kyner). Red (as), Cedar Walton (p), Herbie Lewis (b), Billy Higgins (d). Rec. 1971. From SONNY RED (Mainstream). 22) Charles Earland. "Snake" (Earland). Earland (ss [featured], org, el p, Arp synth; also carries credits for Production, Engineering and Mixing), Dave Hubbard (fl, ts, ss), Wayne Andre (tb), Eddie Henderson, Jon Faddis, and either Danny Moore or Victor Paz (tp, flgh), Mark Elf and either Cornell Dupree or Keith Loving (g), Patrick Gleeson (synth), Mervin Bronson (el b), Billy Hart (d; left channel), Daryll Washington (d; right channel, timpani), Lawrence Killian (perc). Supervised by Duke Pearson. Additional mixing by Eddie Harris and Orrin Keepnews. Rec. 1973. From THE DYNAMITE BROTHERS OST (Prestige), reissued by BGP (UK). 23) $.99 Dreams. "Rockland Psych Ward" (Matt Crane / Adam Diller). Crane (d, p), Adam Diller (ts, synth, "production"). Rec. 2008 [?]. From WINNING ON ALL FRONTS (self-released). Available via Bandcamp: http://ninetyninecentdreams.bandcamp.com/album/winning-on-all-fronts. 24) Ira Sullivan. "E Flat Tuba G" (Sullivan). Sullivan (tp, ts), Lon Norman (tb), Dolphe Castellano (p), William Fry (b), Jose Cigno (d). Rec. 1967. From HORIZONS (Atlantic). 25) Ramsey Lewis Trio. "Uhuru" (Maurice White). Lewis (keys, production), Cleveland Eaton (el b), Maurice White (d, kalimba). Rec. 1969. From ANOTHER VOYAGE (Chess).

6) Giorgio Gaslini. "Saturn" (Sun Ra.) Gaslini (p). Rec. 2003. From GASLINI PLAYS SUN RA (Soul Note). 7) Jutta Hipp Quintet. "Chloe-Patra" (Joki Freund). Hipp (p), Emil Mangelsdorff (as), Freund (ts), Hans Kresse (b), Karl Sanner (d). Rec. 1954. Available on COOL DOGS AND TWO ORANGES (L + R / Bellaphon). This track (under the title "Cleopatra") also appeared, alongside 7 others from these sessions, on the Blue Note NEW FACES - NEW SOUNDS FROM GERMANY 10-inch, BLP 5056. 8) Brian Lynch's Unsung Heroes Project. "It Could Be" (Tommy Turrentine). Lynch (tp), Vincent Herring (as), Alex Hoffman (ts), Rob Schneiderman (p), David Wong (b), Peter Van Nostrand (d). Rec. 2008 / 2009. From UNSUNG HEROES VOLUME 2, available directly from Lynch @ Bandcamp, http://brianlynch.bandcamp.com/. 9) Oscar Peterson Quartet. "Solar Winds" (Peterson). Peterson (el p), Joe Pass (g), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b), Louie Bellson (d). Rec. 1979. From NIGHT CHILD (Pablo / OJC). 10) Earl Harvin Trio. "Garanimals Rising" (Dave Palmer). Harvin (d), Fred Hamilton (b), Dave Palmer (el p). Rec. 1998/1999. From AT THE GYPSY TEA ROOM (Leaning House Jazz). 11) Tom Harrell Quintet. "Ridin'" (Harrell). Harrell (tp), Wayne Escoffery (ts), Danny Grissett (el p), Ugonna Okegwo (b), Johnathan Blake (d). Rec. 2010. From THE TIME OF THE SUN (High Note). 12) Amalgam. "Judy's Smille III" (Trevor Watts). Trevor Watts (as), Jeff Clyne (b), John Stevens (d). Rec. 1969. From PRAYER FOR PEACE (Transatlantic / FMR). Recently reissued by NoBusiness, http://nobusinessrecords.com/NBLP16.php. 13) Hafez Modirzadeh. "Facet Twenty-Four" (Modirzadeh). Modirzadeh (ts), Amir ElSaffar (ts), Vijay Iyer (p), Ken Filiano (b), Royal Hartigan (d). Rec 2011/2012. From POST-CHROMODAL OUT! (Pi). Read more about Modirzadeh's chromodal concept here: http://www.criticalimprov.com/article/view/943. 14) Jef Gilson & Hal Singer. "Mother Africa" (Gilson). Jef Gilson (p), Hal Singer (ts), Bernard Lubat (vibes), Jacky Samson (b), Frank Raholison (d), Del Rabenja & Gerard Rakotoarivony (perc). Rec. 1973/1974. From SOUL OF AFRICA (Le Chant Du Monde). Recently reissued by Kindred Spirits, http://www.kindred-spirits.nl/shop_detail.php?idxItem=42903. Also, a nice overview of Gilson's career can be found here: http://ehsankhoshbakht.blogspot.com/2012/02/remebreing-jef-gilson-1926-2012.html. 15) Jay Oliver. "Dance Of The Robot People" (Oliver). Oliver (b), Steve Lacy (ss), Glenn Ferris (tb), Oliver Jackson (d). Rec. 1981. From DANCE OF THE ROBOT PEOPLE (Akono / Konnex).

Hi all. Here we go. For now, I'll simply present discographical info, with comments to follow here and there / gradually. Enjoy! 1) Nina Simone Trio. "African Mailman" (Simone). Simone (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Tootie Heath (d). Rec. 1957. Originally released on NINA SIMONE AND HER FRIENDS (Bethlehem); now available on expanded reissues (many of 'em) of LITTLE GIRL BLUE (Bethlehem). 2) Nathan Davis Sextet. "Now Let M' Tell Ya" (Davis). Davis (ts), Woody Shaw (tp), Jean-Louis Chautemps (bs), René Urtreger (p), Jimmy Woode (b), Kenny Clarke (d). Rec. 1965. From PEACE TREATY (SFP). 3) Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers. "Psychedelic Pucho" (Pucho Brown / Jimmy Phillips / Neal Creque). Pucho Brown (timbales), Eddie Pazant (bs), Neal Creque (p, org, arr), Jimmy Phillips (b), Norberto Appellaniz (bongos), Cecil Jackson (conga). Rec. 1968. Originally released on HEAT! (Prestige), now available on Pucho's volume of the Fantasy / Concord LEGENDS OF ACID JAZZ series. 4) Larry Williams & Johnny "Guitar" Watson with The Kaleidoscope. "Nobody" (Williams / Watson). Larry Williams (vo), Johnny "Guitar" Watson (vo), The Kaleidoscope [Chester Crill, John Vidican, David Lindley, Solomon Feldthouse, Chris Darrow… hard to know with these guys who played what, but Vidican is most likely on drums, Darrow on bass, Crill on organ, and either Feldthouse or Lindley takes the brief oud solo.] Rec. 1967. Originally released as the A side of a 7-inch (backed by "Find Yourself Someone To Love"), now available as part of the PULSATING DREAMS Kaleidoscope box set (sans B-side). 5) Leroy's Dallas Band / Leroy Williams Dallas Jug Band. "Going Away Blues" (unknown). Leroy Williams (cornet), Fred Millet (tb), Lawson Brooks or Roosevelt Harris (as), James Moore (p), Percy Darensbourg (banjo), Octave Gaspard (b), Percy Bragsby (d). Rec. 1928. Originally released on a Columbia 78 (Matrix: W147565=1), now available on the Timeless CD JAZZ IN TEXAS 1924 - 1930. According to the notes for the Timeless CD, this was, in fact, an African-American band.

Hi all. Big thanks - again -- to everyone who has participated thus far. This weekend represents the last weekend to share your blind impressions and thoughts. I'll be going all apocalypse on these 25 tracks late Monday, July 1.

The Ornette - KD - Mingus - Max Newport Rebels 4tet. The Miles / Prince collaboration (unless I missed something...) A "tenor madness"-type date pairing Joe Henderson and Warne Marsh.

The Herbie Nichols rehearsal band with Roswell Rudd and Tina Brooks.

In on the DL; thanks!

IMO, some of the best / most subtle use of the mellotron can be heard on The Kinks' VILLAGE GREEN PRESERVATION SOCIETY. God save Nicky Hopkins and Ray Davies. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9sY3NKP7is

tick... tick... tick... about a week let on this BFT...

Glad to know these tracks have given you some pleasure!

Tim -- my pleasure! And thanks for the careful listen and thoughts. A few words of my own... 1 has been ID'ed elsewhere in this thread, if you are interested. I agree... I wish there was more of this work available from this particular pianist. 2 has also been skulldug (?) / guessed, at least tenor and trumpet. Higgins this is not; a drummer of an earlier generation, actually. But a drummer who never was anything but contemporary... I mean, big, big ears. 6 is indeed a Sun Ra composition, interpreted almost in the manner in which Ra himself might have interpreted someone else's music, which, for me, is part of the genius of the performance. "Sun Ra in the style of Sun Ra." 10 does not feature any particularly well-known musicians, with the exception of maybe one. But the drummer, yes, name recognition aside, he's a dal that's real. 12 is not Thomas Chapin... rather, a player who sounds to me -- here, at least -- equal parts Ayler and Ornette. If that helps! 13 is not the AEC, but it's not outside that orbit by any stretch of the imagination. And, yes, this is actually something of a snippet from a greater work / performance. 15 -- half-right, and the trombone player has been named elsewhere, too. Another player who should be more well-known. 16 -- again, the answer is in this thread. But its definitely a band and performance that is situated at the intersection of all the music you named in your comments. In fact, this band (not limiting band here to this specific personnel) was perhaps more influential in all that first wave "fusion" that it's generally been given credit for... 20 -- I wish I'd included some Doug Carn here. But Carn it is not. And, as I may have mentioned in another set of comments, if you listen closely, it becomes less and less certain that what you are hearing is a tenor sax. 22 meanders for a reason (I almost left this tune off because of its sprawl), as I hope the reveal will, um, reveal. But I just couldn't resist including it because of personnel involved and the context surrounding the recording. 25 has also been exposed, and you are right on early in your guesses. We began in Africa -- even if just an Africa of the imagination -- and end there, too. Thanks again! J

Just to make it more confusing, "Cleopatra" is listed as "Chloe-patra" on the COOL DOGS issue / reissue. That is, title variations aside, one presumes these two tracks are identical.

There's also all the early Billy Bang recordings. If you can find the 8th Harmonic Breakdown reissue of his Anima dates UNTITLED GIFT and SWEET SPACE, it's worth an audition. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=20472#.Ub4IVuub9V4

I couldn't add anything beyond what's already been established elsewhere, but it is worth mentioning -- again -- that Dallas gave us, via Ray Charles, Fathead and Cooper. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/article/ray-charles-style-formed-in-south-dallas-home/ Outside of dates with Ray and his fellow Charles bandmates, Cooper can be heard to advantage on the Buster Smith LP that Atlantic issued in the late 50s. IIRC, there are some good anecdotes re: King Curtis in Ornette Coleman's section of Spellman's 4 LIVES IN THE BEBOP BUSINESS. Jim will know more about the under-documented guys of a later generation. And, while he's not R & B -- call it "gospel," but carefully -- if you not yet heard Fort Worth's Brother Vernard Johnson... do!

You've heard all the Rashied Ali Survival dates that were reissued by Knitting Factory in the late 90s / early 00s? Some great stuff there, featuring Leroy Jenkins, Carlos Ward, Jimmy Vass, Fred Simmons, Frank Lowe, Charles Eubanks, James Blood Ulmer (his first recording, IIRC) and Joe Lee Wilson. http://www.furious.com/perfect/rashiedalisurvival.html

Add Leroy "Hog" Cooper (baritone).

Well, Jim, what can I say, except that the Internet = narcissism? Can I hear myself now? I think I can. Really, I trued to trim this set list, but found that there were just too many sounds I wanted to turn on and turn on to. A few thoughts... 1: Ellington is, I think, an influence felt by this pianist, but Ellington filtered primarily through other players more commonly classified as "modern." And, yes, a player more known for group work than as a great soloist. The sense of integration (no pun or clue intended) on this track, not just of all the members of the band but the subtly disparate musical materials (e.g., that intro, the subsequent theme) is one reason why this track hold so much appeal to me. 2: Rung up. But I'll say it again... I just love how the trumpet player states the theme here. 3: Its vintage, like batik shirts and mushroom rock art and fondue sets. What do you make of the baritone player? Grab you at all? I think there's something going on here in that long solo that relates almost directly to track 23, but maybe I'm making up history that was never made... 6: Monk? Perhaps. This pianist has done a Monk recital, but, as a stylist, this one's more of an omnivore. Again, I will single out the composition itself, which is not the pianist's own (it belongs to another pianist and bandleader). Here, the shape of the original has been retained, but, harmonically, it rolls along in a slightly altered orbit from the original. Certainly, the mood this pianist finds along this track is rather different from the one I know, or thought I knew... 8: Yeah, kind of bummed that this was outed elsewhere on the board -- and totally inadvertently -- but this track is, for me, hardly at all about the soloists (other than the trumpet player... though the tenor player does hit on a few agree-able Clifford Jordan-isms, IMO) and more about the composition (and its composer) and the larger project of which its a part. 9: All good guesses, and, yes, these 4 players are more standard / classical / "eternal verities of swing" than modish. What I love about this track is how this pianist -- not one much (well, ever or at all) associated with electric instruments -- is willing to fully explore and exploit those tonalities. I mean, this is not just this player's typical playing transposed to an electric instrument. This is an electric instrument inhabited. 10: Don't you remember our old neighbors? 11: Surprised no one has yet thought, "Is this Dave Douglas?" It's not Dave Douglas, but he has made records vaguely in this mode. But this is a working band, and a band featuring a player who has, for the bulk of a long career, but more sort of a freelancer / featured player. In fact, the leader is a player I've never really warmed to until I heard this particular record. And I'm still a bit surprised to think that, yep, that's that player leading this band! 14: I hear more Sun Ra than Monk, but I can't argue with that analysis. I think you will be proved correct in your feeling that "All of them sound like people I'd probably like more on some other piece." Especially the tenor player. 15: Ding! (On the trombone player... a player who should be more widely known.) 16: If "it is what it is" hadn't been bludgeoned into meaninglessness by overuse (especially by athletes), then I would say that this track is an illustration of the best that "it is what it is" might mean. But, OK, no, and a better definition exists in choreography anyway. And don't you love how the band responds to each soloists... like, how you can feel the urgency step up the minute the alto player comes in. Reminds me a little of what happens on Coltrane's "Ole", where Elvin is rather blithely grooving behind Hubbard and Dolphy and Tyner, not really pushing anything past his cymbal and snare work... until Coltrane starts his solo, and immediately Elvin transforms into, well, Elvin. 17: Yes, its about the song, and the songwriter for sure. Innocent but not naive. Sometimes you find hipness in odd places... I would say of this tenor player, too, that this is but one facet of that individual's music. This is a player who understands and respects the musical cultures from which he/she belongs, but is not unduly beholden to them. Though that may not be easy to hear here. 18: If you recognize the tune, then maybe its because you like to recognize the tune! 19: The history of that record is a story worth telling. 20: Less about the horn player than the organist for me, and the "traditions" being extended here, RRK DEFINITELY being part of that. James Carter would use (too many) more notes to say less, surely. A sidetrack, really; like that one street in the seedy neighborhood you avoid driving through only one afternoon you take a wild hare and say to yourself, "Hey, let's see what else is back there" only to discover, what? some wild thing preserved? something real? once of a place, and still capable of presence, but now out of place? 22: Gil Melle... well, there is a soundtrack connection here. This track is really a mess, in some ways, but there's something compellingly "off" about the soprano sax player. I can tell you: this player is not especially known as a soprano sax player. 25: It makes me happy. Thanks for the close listen and the generous words!

John Hardee? Kind of a straddler... Ditto Tom Archia.