Rabshakeh

Do you like these? I always thought they were a bit of a missed opportunity.

I have googled this. It looks intriguing. The links to HMR and the presence of Elvin Jones. Interesting! The discussion mentioned in the first post was partly spurred by your description (which I read as positive) of Bloomfield in God Don't Like It. I hadn't listened to it before that, and checked it out as a result (for whatever reason, it seems to be less famous in the UK than the States).

From Wikipedia: ”It sold more than eight million copies within its first year of release, outselling every record in the history of recorded music to that time”. Gosh.

Thanks everyone. Some great answers. closing out the era and a bit later, I guess there is also that Allman Brothers live record too.

Which do you think we're the "breakthrough" records in terms of extended soloing?

What about the San Franciscans? Were they later developers in jam terms?

I don't know that Chambers LP. That sounds interesting. As with the discussion with the horn bands, there are always at that point two groups of listeners to consider, even before crossing the Atlantic to Europe. Nice call on Freak Out. One of my strongest held musical beliefs is that it is difficult to understand the development of art rock or fusion (especially in Europe) without early Zappa. Some of the initial jazz forays aimed at rock acceptance by e.g. Dave Pike look very much like an attempt to enter through the breach Zappa had made. Again. I wasn't there and I may be wrong.

Surprised I missed that one. So ubiquitous as to be unseeable, but clearly a starting point.

Pausa did that for the excellent Marsh / Konitz record too, which I recently bought following a @JSngry recommendation on this forum.

A recent Whatsapp discussion with a friend led to us pondering these two linked questions. Which were the first rock (or 'blues' revival) LPs to really feature extended improvisation; and which were the first rock (or blues revival) LPs featuring extended improvisation to be a big hit? Basically, if I were a callow pimply teenager in 1965, who only listened to rock music and thought that songs should all be three minutes long, which records should have (if I had been listening) and then later did turn my head? Presumably East West by Paul Butterfield is up there for the first question, and something by Cream, Zappa, Santana, or the Grateful Dead for the second (but which records?). Plus almost certainly Stand! by Sly Stone. I don't know as I wasn't there, but I thought it is an interesting question, similar to the recent chat about "AM Horn Bands", since it is presumably another staging point on the road to jazz' gradual acceptance by younger cohorts in the mid/late 1970s, in this case via psychedelic rock, prog and fusion. I imagine that the answer is probably different for Americans and Europeans. Any ideas or discussion welcome.

I've never seen this one. Great cover.

The post in your blog reminded me of it. It is good. Very new age / ECM in feel, but with quite strongly defined tenor and flute.

Charles Lloyd – Pathless Path (1979)

It was the second these. Just a stream though. I find it very interesting music: the blend of modern classical, exotica and catchy jazz pop was a complete dead end, but it is quite strange and mystical. I think that I find it in a haunting "true exotica" that I find in post-Wagner classical music like Debussy but not in Martin Denny. Currently listening to: The Bad Plus – Give (2004) I started listening to jazz during The Bad Plus' pomp, and never liked the group's music. I occasionally return to see what I missed and am reminded that it was never going to be. Something about the completely rigid time keeping for the piano melodies really annoys me.

Is this a good one?

The George Shearing Quintet – You're Hearing George Shearing (MGM, 1950) One big discovery for me this year has been how much I enjoy some of George Shearing's records. If you would have told me this five years ago, I would have thought that you were mad, but it's there. When it works, there's that great combination of jazz pop and Debussyian exotica, with lovely piano and vibes interplay.

Affirmation – Identity Crisis (Rhombus, 1985) Some rad 1980s fusion.

Nice to see San Francisco getting a reissue.

Thanks! As expected.

How's this one?

What record is this? I assume this is just a CD in a CD box set, in which case it is a double no for me (technology and listening preferences), but let me know if it is also free standing as I love Pursglove.

Oded Tzur – Isabela (ECM, 2022) This is the sort of gentle, low concept, ECM-produced jazz for adults that I normally find pretty forgettable, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this.

Cath Roberts & Olie Brice – Conduits (Relative Pitch, 2022)

I think that this may be one of the Dexter's that I most enjoy.

Thanks!