Rabshakeh

I'm looking for recommendations, rather than Google's opinion.

I mean, it is what I was expecting. Unfortunately, not just not an uncommon vernacular term but also an unGoogleable one.

A funny thing about time periods is that, perhaps unlike mainstream jazz (where you could maybe argue that the Young Lions represented some sort of an end point), free jazz and improvisation really did go through a period of substantial progression after 1980. Just without thinking tol much, you had second wave / po-mo free improv; the US free jazz revival; late Loft stuff; EFI; punk free jazz; EAI and Onkyo; noise; harmolodic funk; the Downtown scene; etc. etc.. Lots of developments over the period and, in fact, a fairly clear narrative of change and development, focused on globalisation of scenes, new technology and arts institutions. Maybe it has ossified a bit now and maybe it hasn't, but those sort of issues happened long after 1980. So free jazz and improv post 1980 is a story that deserves to be told. A lot of it is stuck in the post-Counterculture / pre-digital dark zone and hasn't really been talked about like it deserves, and it feels like it is time someone really did. So thanks again to @colinmce. I believe that some of the other forum members have undertaken similar exercises too.

I suspect that's the answer but is that the term for all of this music from the 1920s to present day? I'm trying to find out whether there's a snappier term for the era that "pre-salsa musica tropicale in conjunto or big band format that isn't from New York or Cuba". It is so clearly a historical/aesthetic singular moment.

This is great stuff. Genuinely valuable.

I wonder whether any of the contributors to this thread could help me with a potentially silly question (I thought it best to park it mid-thread rather than to create its own). Is there a name for the era of Latin music between the 1950s and 1960s around the Spanish speaking Caribbean but outside of the obvious Latin music hotspots of Cuba and New York? This seems to have been a period of flourishing local bands in territories like Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Columbia, playing in conjunto or big band format, releasing records with covers that have a colour photograph of the band dressed in tuxedos outside in a park area or doing a group activity like washing a car. Musically the records tend to be quite stylistically diverse, maybe with a focus on pre-salsa son styles, mambo or guaracha, but with local styles like bomba, merengue, cumbia or plena in the mix, and maybe one guaguanco or boogaloo track. Examples of records might be Cortijo Y Su Combo Con Ismael Rivera – Bueno, Que...? from Puerto Rico Orquesta Porfi Jimenez – Porfin Porfi from Venezuela it is a very specific period of music, with a unified aesthetic and similar approach to diversity of styles. I am not looking to over define things but I wondered whether there is an acknowledged way to refer to this era, similar to other non-metropolitan musical booms like the Territory swing and R&B bands of the 1940s or Garage Rock in the 1960s. Is this a recognised era? Or is it just called pre-salsa tropical music or something?

I would. It's a real bugbear of mine that no one maps out any of this music past 1982. That goes for non-avantgarde jazz too. One nice thing about that list is the FIG record. That was and is a good clique of musicians who still don't get enough love.

Hard to see why they released this now. These kinds of lists were once essential. I spent hours over that Thurston Moore list back in the day, awkward jive slang aside. But that was a long time ago, and with the likes of RYM and Discogs that information is now available to anyone who is interested.

Juaneco Y Su Combo – El Gran Cacique Blind Connie Williams – Philadelphia Street Singer (Traditional Blues, Spirituals And Folksongs)

I find it really interesting to hear a young David S Ware on those Cyrille records with DiGeronimo rather than William Parker.

Shakatak - Night Birds

I don't but will check it out. Thanks!

It is streamable! With a similar cover but not quite the same. Really one of my favourite Cuban records of its period (which is saying something). It assume a "Conjband" is meant to be a midway between a conjunto and a big band, because there are some really good horn arrangements and surprising space for solos. It's nice to hear boleros with alto solos. Obviously the jam session is a classic, but this one is more in the vein of the pop music of it's time.

Niño Rivera Y Su Conjband – Niño Rivera Y Su Conjband

I love that stuff. I re watched The Asphalt Jungle recently. Big favourite.

John Carter - A Suite Of Early American Folk Pieces For Solo-Clarinet

Some kind of box set? Love that Robert Mitchum.

Alexandre Stellio – Integrale Chronologique 1929 - 1931 Killer record.

Candido – Dancin' & Prancin' Happy New Year everyone! Now on to: Keith Rowe – A Dimension Of Perfectly Ordinary Reality Some good smouldering going on there.

Candido – Dancin' & Prancin' Happy New Year everyone!

I think those records he did with Bola Sete could be better known. Even Guaraldi fans rarely seem to speak about them. The first is particularly strong.

James Last – Non Stop Dancing 1973

In case anyone hasn't seen, all the 'other' Charlie Brown specials records have been being released, sometimes for the first time, over the past year or two. Some are pretty good. They're out on vinyl or available to stream.

Buddy Montgomery – Ties

Live at the Bastille (1982), by Maggie Nicols, Joëlle Léandre and Lindsay Cooper