Dan Gould

OK, this is my anal nature showing through here, but there are a couple of other threads that should be moved to the new Blindfold forum. They're in the Forum discussion section and would let newcomers get a handle on the development of the way the test is being conducted.

Well, Tony, the lack of guesses on the "theme" might be a good indication that its too darn nebulous to be recognizable! Honestly, I think maybe only I specificallly knew you had a theme in mind, but I didn't even think about it after I fouled a couple off, poked a single to left, and whiffed on the rest

Not sure I know you, Tom, but welcome. Keep an eye out for the next announcement for Test #2 (mine) and folks will send PMs to me if they wish to participate (It'll be nice if the first one is so popular that we end up with 25 or 30 participants on the next one!). And to Jim Dye for stepping in with a burn offer and saving me the trouble, Your Burn Master thanks you.

Well, actually, if you read those DB blindfold tests, the upper limit of stars is infinity (though usually those ratings are given after they know who the artist was

I'm sure some of you remember that charming jazz discussion board member "Conan Nardo". Well, I swang by AAJ for the first time in a while and I saw this goofy thread about :I Can't Imagine Being a Jazz Fan Without Being a Musician" and I'm reading through it and it suddenly occurs to me: He's a guitar player, hates rap. Is it Conan? As Lon said to me, "Holy Deductive Reasoning, Batman!" http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread....41251#post41251 Damn, I'm good

That's a darn good cat and some pretty cool neighbors, Moose! Wish my neighbors listened to the Sounds and not the godawful crap that makes my wall vibrate.

Well, 15 went out, three to Europe, and six have commented so far. So, a small group but still 40% of the total class. I'm sure we'll get more after the holiday. Another thought I've had. Everyone's commenting on the "who" and "what" of the test, but other than me and Moose, how about more on the "how," as in, how did the tune strike you? A big part of the blindfold test is evaluating the music by number of stars, and I'm the only one who bothered. Not that the stars are critical, but I know that when it comes time for my test, I am most interested in the evaluation of the music, more than whether or not someone sleuth's out who the player is, or fishes out a disc and figures out what the tune is.

Of course, but there's lots more where that came from, so why make it especially easy? In short, my set list has become decidedly unsettled.

Well, now I am reconsidering some of my choices, having not realized how people would really try their darndest to figure out the tunes. I had in mind a performance of an easily identifiable pop song. But I think I am going to have to replace it for the simple fact that just looking the song up on AMG will *instantly* reveal who the musician is, and what's the point of that? I thought the tune was a good choice-there's a nice arrangement and good solos, but I now realize there's no challenge to this tune. I have other tunes in mind that are also pretty familiar, but those are OK. I mean, with 180 performances of "Watermelon Man" its probably a good shot that people won't be using AMG to figure it out. On the other hand ... who knows? But again, nice performance, but do I leave it in or pick something not so obvious or easy to figure out with outside help?

Thanks AB but it was Tony-Dr.J. who came up with the idea-in the middle of the night, while feeding his newborn. Someday I hope to experience the same thing, and be equally inspired in my idle thinking

Oh, I figured you were enjoying the sleuthing! You forget that Rooster's gonna come in and have the answers for all that we seek.

I hate to say it, but I've thought some more about the way we're going about this. Not only is it an open book test, but talking is allowed, too! I think Tony's lost control of the classroom! And the way things are going, by the time Tony is ready to reveal, people will have figured it all out amongst ourselves (well, I've contributed as much as I can). Guess what I'm saying is, is it necessary to take this as a challenge and to use every resource available, including internet audio clips, to figure it out? When Jim gets together with Andrew and Shawn-do you give the music to take home or do you play it and try to figure it out, right then, and if you don't get it, you don't get it? Personally, I'd prefer to hear initial guesses and comments, followed by Tony's answers, followed by further discussion. But that's only my two cents worth.

Yeah, now that you point it out, it is pretty obvious. But the thing is, as styles get distilled, originators can sometimes be obscured, at least in our ears. And if a pro like Ernie Watts can misidentify Hawkins for Pres, there's no dishonor in missing that BIG clue (was it Watts that Jim said really screwed up on a DB test? Think so ...)

Well, another guy I've never actually listened to, so no dishonor in not recognizing him.

Seems appropriate. BTW, when do y'all think I should start soliciting interest in Blindfold Test #2? I'm thinking that at the earliest, initial discussion of test #2 can overlap the end of the post-revelation discussion of #1. Should I plan on shipping my disc when Tony announces the answers, so by the time people receive and absorb test #2, test #1 will be wrapping up? If we do it that way, I would say that I can start collecting names and addresses pretty much anytime. (For those who are taking test #1, just need names, I've kept addresses on file.)

Jim R, all I can say is, I'm pleased that the elements of my guesses for #2 and #9 were accurate, as skimpy as they were. And knowing that I've only recently even heard the principles of track 9, I don't feel bad at all. One more question I'll propose to the panel-I realize that this is not a "personally administered" test, but is it supposed to be "open book"? I didn't think we were supposed to deeply investigate and audition tracks to figure things out, (and I don't know if everyone is doing this) and post our impressions/guesses. Not saying its the wrong thing, just not the approach I thought we were taking. On second thought, what the hell do I know? Do what you want!

Joe, the deal is that we will discuss here, and in about two weeks, Tony will post the answers in a new thread (so that people who want to post their impressions/guesses in this thread without seeing the answers can. ****** Well, Jim, I never liked puzzles so I took your clue, went to AMG and it took one click after that to figure it all out. Oh well ... didn't give me a eureka moment, just let me learn what it is you're talking about.

Well, for what its worth, your "clues" are p*ssing me off cause they ain't helpin' ! The thing about this thread, to me, is that people shouldn't be reading others in order to get clues or risk "ruining" the surprise. You get the disc, you listen a few times, you post your comments. Scroll past others comments, or read them carefully, but when you listen, you should jot down notes and then simply report your own impressions, regardless of what others have said ahead of you.

Rooster, may I ask when you're supposed to reveal your knowledge then? What is the point of keeping it to yourself? I've never seen a real blindfold test subject say "I know who it is but I'm not going to say." Or, "I know who it is, but if I reveal it, I'd have to kill you."

OK, now I'm confused. If we know who it is, we just say that we know? Yo no comprendo. I thought the idea is to put out the answer, known or guessed. Not to wait til Tony announces the answers and then say, "yup, that's who I knew it was." I mean, I think everyone has the integrity to post their own comments, not wait til they get the opinions of others and then use them as a crib sheet. So, Jim, please, don't hold your cards so dang close to your chest! I call. What you got?

It used to be that the start of College Football got me revved up on the Seminoles but that is a thing of the past. We'll be lucky to win the ACC, when the conference crown used to be gift-wrapped by late October. We do have a lot of returning starters on Defense and good RBs, but Rix is the worst QB in many years and he's lost the receiving targets he had. I'll be happy if the Noles: somehow win the ACC; Beat the Gators; Anyone other than the Hurricanes win it all I think the latter two are more likely than the first one.

And I thought I'd be the first Oh well, unlike Rooster, this disc pretty much threw me, big time. I've listened a couple of times, and my evaluations haven't changed, so here goes. Hope everyone else does better than I did: 1. Solo guitar track-sounds like an old recording but I have little to no clue. The obvious "name" would be Charlie Christian but really that's just a name to throw out. It was just OK-2.5 stars. 2. Goin for some bop here, I'm thinking JJ on trombone. Liked this one a bit more, 3.5 stars. 3. This tune was familiar to me but I couldn't place it. The altoist I thought of was Stitt. Also 3.5 stars. 4. Weird tune! Goes from pastoral to bordering on frantic, nary the slightest clue. 3 stars. 5. On this bopper, on the second pass, I started to wonder if this was '50s era Hank though I surely couldn't place it. 3.5 stars. 6. The piano trio tune was pretty, though not my cup of tea necessarily. After all I am the former GHF. 3 stars. 7. I dug tune number seven with the latin tinge. Maybe Jackie Mac or his descendants? I don't think its Jackie because the tone wasn't quite as sharp. 3.5 stars. 8. Hey, finally a tune I recognize! "How High The Moon". Unfortunately, jazz violin ain't my bag. The obvious "name" would be Grappelli but who knows? 2.5 stars. 9. I'm guessing this one was a 70s or later recording. Other than that, nary a clue and also not my bag especially. 2.5 stars. 10. The big band cut-was it Lovano on tenor? Pretty good-3 stars. 11. My notes say "no clue" "really no clue" so I'll summarize by saying "no clue". I did like it though-3.5 stars. 12. My first instinct said that this is one of Bobby Hutcherson's "HAAG" dates (Half-Assed Avante Guard for those unfamiliar with the Lon-coined expression) but then I started to wonder whether its from one of the more progressive Blue Note artists of the last few years-you know, the guy's Rooster likes Oh yeah, 2.5 stars. 13. Once again, nary a clue, three stars for the performance. 14. On first listen, I thought I recognized it as a Monk tune, and to whatever credit I deserve, on second listen, I grabbed the "Town Hall" recording and immediately ID'd it as "Little Rootie Tootie". Not Monk though. That's the artist I'm identifying-the universe of Not Monk. I figure I got a pretty good shot at being right. 3 stars. So, like I said, very tough, some tunes were good, some tunes less so, but none made me want to set the CD back and listen again.

Actually, I think Bertrand or Mike Fitzgerald has spoken of someone who might be working on one, or was that Morgan? Anyway, there's some info from a Jazztimes article that had some interesting comments from Don Sickler, the liners to A Slice of the Top have some info too, and there was also a DB interview, I want to say it was in the late 70s but maybe it was earlier than that? To my understanding, Hank's health deteriorated a great deal, in particular he had lung problems that limited his ability to play and probably limited his playing when he could. On top of that his addictions did get the better of him as time wore on. One story that Sickler tells is sad, that he would kick the drugs but had to compensate with alcohol, but when he was clean, he was smart and incisive and showed sparks of his old playing. (Hope I got all that right, none of it is in front of me right now. But a good indication of Hank's deterioration is in the picture that accompanied the Tete Montoliu CD where he appears on one, CD only, bonus cut. Hank looks significantly older and grayer than he had at the start of the decade.

Does anyone know what the "book" is for this one in this condition? Is it supposed to go for more than a thousand bucks? Its interesting that its taken so many bids to get to this point, and its still below the reserve. I would think that if there's a similarity between book value and the reserve, someone would have bid it by now. Maybe Atomic Records wants too much for it?

I think they were considered co-leaders but when it came out on Dorn's label I found it under Walton.