Guy Berger

I love Gary Bartz’s playing with the 1970-71 Miles bands. And he sounds great on the McCoy albums I’ve heard him on, Expansions/Extensions/Asante/Sama Layuca

No topping BACK AT THE CHICKEN SHACK and MIDNIGHT SPECIAL as far as I am concerned, but imho Stanley Turrentine and Kenny Burrell lift it over the top. i find smith’s organ trio albums to be somewhat boring and monochromatic though that is clearly a personal blind spot

This is a really unpersuasive argument 🤷‍♂️

100% agreed

RIP, JohnS.

So horrible. my heart breaks for that dad.

A classic. Among the best jazz of the last 40 years! 🎉🎉🎉

I remember that, it was amusing

Working my way through the Murray Black Saint boxes... “Morning Song” is a really great session! Highly recommended.

1973-74 seems like a good cutoff, btw. Lots of great recordings from afterward, but the "uniformity" that folks often associate with the label start showing up around then and the "freewheelingness" of those early recordings began to fade.

Jarrett seemed fairly upbeat about this music around the time of the Cellar Box release. (In the liner notes? I don't remember.) He would obviously take potshots at it because he can't help himself, but maybe leavened with positive comments. IMHO, one of the best KJ albums on which Dewey Redman is not present

Agreed w/Jim and others that Lloyd’s playing during the 1960s can be ranked as 1962-65>1966>1967>>>>>>1968

Is this from the original recording (soundboard or otherwise), or just a rip of something shared on the site which must not be named?

Have only listened to the 1st Cd so far but the music is really, really good.

One thing I vaguely remember Lewis Porter's book emphasizing is that Coltrane's grandfather was in a mainstream Protestant church (AME), *not* a pentecostal one. Does anyone have the book handy to confirm? Assuming that's correct, it's interesting to think about how Coltrane would have absorbed this influence.

Aren't all the tracks new? [Aside from the original soundtrack within the movie, which very few people appear to have heard or even heard of]

This anecdote about two musicians I have never heard of CHANGES EVERYTHING

This is a bootleg, right? Unless they are paying the licensing fees, I recommend downloading a free copy instead. The Rotterdam concert was the last recording from the Lost Quintet’s fall tour of Europe and IMHO one of the best performances on that tour. Good sound quality for a “bootleg”. Wayne’s solo on “Directions” is phenomenal and “It’s About That Time” has lots of top-tier free improvisation. The tracks are clearly mislabeled or maybe it’s missing some music. The band played “Directions”, “Bitches Brew”, “I Fall in Love too Easily”, “Sanctuary”, “It’s About That Time” and “Masqualero”.

I probably read the phrase "Braxton and Corea don't mix" too strongly...

Possible something happened more recently to create antipathy, but worth noting that they have recorded together post-Circle breakup at least 1 time (1980).

Don’t you guys feel like the Holland album with Evan Parker, Craig Taborn & Ches Smith was also a nod to Circle’s music.

JSngry, you don’t like the MMW aversion?

Some faves from ECM Charles Lloyd, LIFT EVERY VOICE and RABO DE NUBE (also: PASSIN’ THRU on Blue Note is great) Paul Motian, I HAVE THE ROOM ABOVE HER and LOST IN A DREAM Billy Hart, ONE IS THE OTHER David Torn, PREZENS and SUN OF GOLDFINGER Vijay Iyer, FAR FROM OVER Michael Formanek, THE RUB AND SPARE CHANGE Tim Berne, SHADOW MAN / YOU’VE BEEN WATCHING ME / INCIDENTALS Some more stuff I’ve loved: David Murray & Mal Waldron, SILENCE (Justin Time) BAD PLUS JOSHUA REDMAN ( Bunky Green, ANOTHER PLACE (Label Bleu) Ravi Coltrane, SPIRIT FICTION (Blue Note) Rudresh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green (Pi)

The Threadgills on Pi are all great. If I had to pick favorites, I’d choose the two volumes of THIS BRINGS US TO as well as the big band recording DIRT AND MORE DIRT. I also really enjoy the Steve Coleman Pi Recordings - my favorite here is probably SYNOVIAL JOINTS. Also, can’t the superb INVISIBLE PATHS (Tzadik) and RESISTANCE IS FUTILE (Label Bleu). Lots more to add

Great interview. Newton seems like a really wonderful, generous guy... made me want to acquire a bunch more of his music.