Spontooneous

For the solo violin sonata, Gyorgy Pauk on Naxos is easy to get and one of the best. I'm also very fond of Mark Kaplan on an Arabesque CD from the '90s.

Many distractions this month. Here's the first half. 1. It gets your attention. It's showy, but I can live without the bass playing what sounds like a "Flight of the Bumblebee" quote on the bridge. 2. The bass line is reminding me of a Charles Tolliver tune, I think it's "Impact," but obviously this isn't that tune. Is the band perhaps Fly? Pretty darned nice. 3. More than a tip of the hat to Ornette. Is that John Tchicai? I love the transition into the drum solo. Is that how the performance ends, or is this an edit? 4. Nice head. I like the geometry and determination in the alto solo, which reminds me of Roscoe Mitchell. The trombone is graceful and adventurous. I'm beginning to sense a theme to this BFT: We don't need no steenkin' piano. 5. Theme sounds Eastern European, but the repeated notes at the end remind me of Monk's "Jackie-ing." Interesting soprano work, and interesting in a good way. Sounds like a klezmer clarinetist on soprano. I ain't saying that's a bad thing. 6. Ahh, a piano. Sounds like circa 1971. Some kind of project with Jan Garbarek and Terje Rypdal in it? Can't say it goes on too long. 7. Pretty cool. If it's Walt Dickerson, NIS will have identified it already, and if it isn't, maybe it's Karl Berger. The drum responses are really nice. 8. Sounds West Coasty. Maybe Al Cohn on tenor. A fun track.

I'm a-downloadin'.

Time to finish this off... 8 Maybe trying a little too hard to sound like Miles, especially toward the end, but still a wonderful sound. Feels like a prelude or coda to something. 9 This is some fairly recent pop tune, isn't it? And I'm dated by my failure to recognize it. These kids and their music today, I tell ya.... Once again, the ECM vibe. 10 Doesn't do much for me. I've never responded well to the Breckeresque style of tenor playing. 11 Trumpet sounds a little like Art Farmer. Hey, that's Lee Konitz, isn't it? (Or a very close disciple, such as Gary Foster.) I'm stumped. Maybe a recording from Europe, with Attila Zoller? Love the arrangement. 12 I like the soprano. I don't like the tenor, despite the beautiful tone -- he's too eager to bring it to a climax right NOW. Double entendre intended. 13 Husky tenor. Cherryish trumpet. This is fun! 14 Two guitarists, or one overdubbed? The beautiful tune sounds like it could be a movie theme. A sweet way to end. Thank you! Can't wait to see the answers. Yeah!

There are other covers based on Dylan's "Bringing It All Back Home," but this comedy record may have been the first:

OK, here's the first half. 1 I like the head, but sorry, don't care for the shrill tenor. Is that James Carter? Or David Murray on a bad day? Actually, I like this one pretty well when the tenor isn't playing. 2 Ahh, that's better. The first guess that comes to mind is the drums – the tuning and tone sound like Marvin "Smitty" Smith back in the day. Then it occurs to me that the piano sounds a lot like John Hicks. Everybody really gets into the long closing vamp. Really a lovely track. 3 There's an ECM vibe here, and if the drummer isn't Jack De, he's sure listened to a lot of Jack De on ECM. Can't peg the tenor. But another good one here. 4 I'll guess it's a sax player having a holiday on clarinet, not a person who usually plays clarinet. The solo doesn't do much for me. The guitar solo gets better as it goes. 5 The tune is Buster Williams' "Christina," but I don't recognize the performance. 6 I confess, the trombone solo doesn't do much for me. Is the alto Steve Wilson? I like the second half of the piano solo less than the first. 7 The change of pace is welcome, even though I don't recognize anything about the performance. Yeah, I like pretty much everything about this. Is this a Marcus Roberts thing?

The cat may be the only member of that family who can teach that kid to be a responsible human.

Download, please!

A late thought: Would 15 perhaps be the Vienna Art Orchestra?

Woo-hoo! I got one sorta right! It just proves that if you guess Benny Bailey enough times, eventually you'll be right once. And now, the second half: 9 Oh, snap, I've heard this tune before and I should know what it is. Is this an Abdullah Ibrahim track? He likes that trombone-flute combination. Trombonist is wonderful and flutist is even better. (Carlos Ward?) 10 Beautiful trombone intro, first four notes in common with "September in the Rain" but obviously that ain't the theme. Because you just had me thinking of Abdullah Ibrahim and Ekaya, now the tenor here sounds like Ricky Ford for a minute, but it probably isn't him. Impressive bass solo. Apparently my brain is stuck, because the strong alto sounds like Carlos Ward again. Another great track that I'll have to add to my collection somehow. 11 Almost a klezmer boogaloo, with a theme that quotes "Afro Blue." Some very impressive moments in the clarinet solo. A pianist with a muttering problem, but presumably not Mr. Jarrett. This BFT is on a roll here. 12 Nice theme. Again presumably not Mr. Jarrett, but someone who has paid close attention. And a drummer who's paid close attention to Jack De. I like the friskiness. 13 A blast of a real-live pipe organ; there's nothing like it. I guess that's Jan Garbarek on soprano? I'm probably in the minority, but I like this kind of thing. 14 An ambitiously composed piece – I'm thinking Graham Collier – but it shows the soloists to good advantage. 15 Music made of interlocking minimalist pieces. The French horn theme nice, and so is the abrupt change at 1:30. It's like a brass band from space. My hat's off to the tuba player. 16 It's Ayleresque/folky, it sounds Eastern European and it sounds New Orleans. I love it. There's an impressive trombone player in there. Just before the fade, tenor sounds like David Murray. Thanks again, Flurin!

Oh my, it's getting late in the month and I haven't shot my mouth off yet... Well, here's the first half. 1 The turn the melody takes after four bars just screams Eastern Europe. For a minute I'm thinking this is Benny Bailey's album of Balkan melodies, which I don't have. Trumpet solo is too brief to confirm that it's him. If it isn't, is it one of Dusko Goykovich's things? 2 Didn't see that nice tenor solo coming. Got no guess here, other than it isn't wasn't recorded in the USA because that organ is no B-3. 3 Peculiar head, an attempt to jump on the Horace Silver bandwagon, but I like it. 4 Feels like Klook on drums, so I have to guess Clarke-Boland band before Kenny Clare joined. Uninhibited bari solo, presumably Sahib Shihab. 5 Atmospheric, and the bari is superb. The tune is starting to get under my skin. Wonderful track. 6 Fun, with very exciting trades between alto and trumpet. The altoist was going through a Dolphy phase and was very proud ot if. 7 A vampy "Caravan" with cello and bass. Doesn't go as far as it might, though. 8 Can't say this one doesn't go far enough! That trumpet solo's just gotta be Benny Bailey.

Gone too soon. That last album proved he had plenty of fire left. RIP Levon, and deepest thanks for so much joyous music. P.S. The other day I was talking to a jazz drummer in his 20s, a serious jazz wonk who plays very well. He listed favorites: Blakey, Philly Joe, Jack D, Matt Wilson, Bill Stewart. And then he surprised me with "And Levon Helm. He does everything right and nothing wrong."

Thanks very much for your efforts. I really enjoyed this one. Actually I'm listening to it again right now, so I'm not done yet. I probably need to listen to the whole Hemingway album a couple more times. Seemed to me it didn't quite fit together, but I really liked the one cut. As for Jimmie Noone, his best leader dates are on this one, and that Classics disc is a strange assemblage of sideman dates. Good to know somebody's still listening to it!

Me me me! Download, please.

7 Vijay Iyer, "Somewhere" (Bernstein-Sondheim), from "Historicity," ACT. Iyer, p; Stephen Crump, b; Marcus Gilmore, d. November 2008 or March 2009. So much of the new music I hear these days seems unnecessarily obtuse and emotionally cold. But this one has overcome any resistance I can put up. I haven't succeeded in counting the rhythm – there are some sevens in there, I think – but I love this performance because it doesn't shrink from exploring any aspect of the song, and the ending gets me every time. I know a drummer in his 20s who thinks that Marcus Gilmore is the greatest in the world. I don't know about that, but give this one an extra listen just to hear the way Marcus handles things. 8. Ivo Papasov and his Bulgarian Wedding Band, "Bulchenska Ratchenitsa (Bride's Ratchenitsa" (Youri Younakov-Radi Kazakov), from "Orpheus Ascending," Hannibal HNCD 1346. Papasov, cl; Youri Younakov, as; Nechko Neshev, accordion; Andrey Kamzamalov, g; Radi Kazakov, b; Stefan Angelov, d. Don't have a recording date; copyright 1989. Yes, it's too much! But in a good way. I love the rhythmic intricacy and hard-blowing determination. I love the drumming; the notes call Stefan Angelov "the Bulgarian Billy Cobham," and I think there's a clue here; some of the power and intricacy of this music might inspired by early Mahavishnu Orchestra. The accordion solo isn't even a letdown. And the James Brown-style breaks always make me smile. 9 Denny Zeitlin (p) and David Friesen (b), "Equinox" (Coltrane), from "Live at the Jazz Bakery," Intuition 3257-2. May 1996. This was included as a breather after all that frenetic activity. The improvising seems especially free, fresh and un-hung-up. Gotta envy those who can get there, because it sure ain't easy. 10. Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, "Sticks" (McNeely), from "Lickety Split: Music of Jim McNeely," New World 80534-2. April 1997. Earl Gardner, Joe Mosello, Glenn Drewes, Scott Wendholt, tp; John Mosca, Ed Neumeister, Doug Purviance, Earl McIntyre, tb; Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes, Ralph LaLama, Rich Perry, Gary Smulyan, reeds; McNeely, p; Dennis Irwin, b; John Riley, d. Solo by Ed Neumeister. Let's do some savagely modernistic things with the old plunger sound! I've heard this one perhaps a hundred times and I'm still hearing new things every time. Neumeister leaves no stone unturned, and McNeely's writing has all kinds of amazing details. If you want a copy of this disc, please buy it directly from the New World label, because they're a nonprofit. Link is here. And think about buying their other Vanguard Jazz Orchestra disc here too. 11 Gerry Hemingway, "Slowly Rising" (Hemingway), from "Double Blues Crossing," Between The Lines BTLCHR 71202. Wolter Wierbos, tb; Frank Gratkowski, cl; Amit Sen, cello; Kermit Driscoll, elb; Hemingway, d. October 2002. I'm fond of the cello line and the loping groove. Guess I'm a sucker for circular, repeated tunes. The trombone and clarinet unisons might have come together better in another take or two, but the trombone improvs couldn't be much better, could they? This track was put here for NIS, who rose to the occasion by identifying Hemingway and Wierbos. 12. Willie Rodriguez, "Mr. Yosso" (Rodriguez), from "Flatjacks," Milestone MCD-9331-2. Seldon Powell, cl; Barry Galbraith, g; George Duvivier, b; Rodriguez, d. July-August 1963. A little blues before we go. The notes say the tune was originally called "Mysterioso" but the title was changed to avoid confusion with the Monk tune. Seldon Powell is magnificent throughout this date, on several horns; talk about a studio player who never got his due! And it's great to hear Barry Galbraith solo for a change. Many thanks to all who responded!

1. Marvin "Smitty" Smith, "The Neighborhood" (Smith), from "The Road Less Traveled," Concord CCD 4379. Wallace Roney, tp; Robin Eubanks, tb; Steve Coleman, as; Ralph Moore, ts; James Williams, p; Robert Hurst, b; Smith, d. February 1989. I started collecting jazz in the '80s, just in time to be seduced by many of these "young lions" albums as they were just being released. Some of them seem silly now, but this one holds up, and serves as a reminder of what we're missing while Smitty makes money in Jay Leno's band. I'm very fond of the head, though it loses its way for a few bars in the bridge, and Smitty shows some serious arranging chops too. And it's nice to hear Wallace Roney before he became obsessed with being Miles Dewey Davis Junior Junior. 2. Mike Wofford, "Loose Canon" (Wofford), from "Synergy," Heavywood HW7891J. Wofford, p; Rob Thorsen, b; Joe LaBarbera, d. November 1997. It took a long time, but a couple of years ago it bit me on the butt just how good Mike Wofford really is. This album is worth hunting down to hear an established but behind-the-scenes player really stick his neck out. Yes, the piece is a canon -- piano first, then drums, then bass -- and yes, I'm a sucker for contrapuntal stuff. 3. Ollie Powers' Harmony Orchestra, "Play That Thing," Alex Calamese, Tommy Ladnier, tp; Eddie Vincent, tb; Jimmie Noone, cl; Horace Diemer, as; Glover Compton, p; John Basley, bj; William "Bass" Moore, tuba; Powers, d. Originally a 78 on the Paramount label. This transfer is from "Jimmie Noone 1923-1928", Classics 604. One of the loosest, hardest-blowing 1923 records I can think of. It's an acoustic recording, done for the technically and ethically shady Paramount label. Tommy Ladnier is great and Jimmie Noone is even better. Even if Paramount renders the leader inaudible, it's still about the hardest-blowing 1923 record I can think of. Ollie Powers might have been better known if he hadn't left the planet in 1928. He has a descendant named Ollie Powers who's also a musician. There's some wonderful information about Ollie I beautifully presented on Ollie II's website here. 4 Ben Allison, "Slap Happy" (Allison), from "Peace Pipe," Palmetto PM2086. Allison, b; Mamadou Diabate, kora; Frank Kimbrough, p; Michael Blake, ts; Michael Sarin, d. March 2002. The combination of kora and O-board member Frank Kimbrough playing inside the piano threw some people. All I know is that I love the sound. Allison's liner notes say the piece is all about texture. I'm surprised nobody got this one. I thought lots of people had this record. I'm still dreaming of a chromatic kora. And let me just add that I've become a big fan of Michael Sarin's playing. 5 Ralph Peterson, "The Short End of the Stick" (Donald Brown), from "V, " recorded for the Somethin' Else label of Japan but issued in USA as Blue Note CDP 7 91730 2. Terence Blanchard, tp; Steve Wilson, as; Geri Allen, p; Phil Bowler, b; Peterson, d. April 1988. Tbis is another one of those Young Lions things that have stayed with me. The album is pretty tremendous. Geri Allen's playng is far less tame than it would become, and Terence is far less mannered than he would become. Is the drumming too much? Very well then, it's too much, but it sure ain't dull (even when the tempo is all over the place, as it is during the alto solo). I love the head; it was also recorded by Donald Brown as "The Early Bird Gets The Short End of the Stick." (Big Al: This was recorded in the A&R Studio in New York, and beautifully engineered by Jim Anderson of the "Ask the Engineer" thread. But Jim's also the engineer on Track 1!) 6 Eddie Durham and his Band, "Moten Swing" (credited to Bennie and Buster Moten but probably by Durham), originally a Decca 78, but this John R.T. Davies transfer is from "Sounds of Harlem Vol. 2," Hep CD 1066. Joe Keyes, tp; Willard Brown, Henry "Buster" Smith, as; Lem Johnson, ts; Conrad Frederick, p; Durham, g; Averil Pollard, b; Arthur Herbert, d. Nov. 11, 1940. This is all about Buster Smith, Bird's mentor and biggest inspiration, who left few recordings from his prime. I want everybody to hear him! It's the closest thing to Bird before Bird. This one accidentally set off a controversy as to whether the 78 transfer is pitched correctly. I still think this version is close to right, and Jeff offered some nice empirical evidence for this. The rest follow shortly.

Fair and accurate.

Well this transfer puts it right in tune in A flat, which is where I've always played the tune and thought it was written. And to get really esoteric, A flat would put Buster Smith playing in the key of F on his alto saxophone, a transposing instrument. And that would make the little burble at 20 seconds make sense: his A flat key was sticking - not an uncommon problem on saxophone. Thank you, Jeff! Come see Buster's alto on display at the Blue Room in Kansas City sometime!

Finally. surely I'm ot the only one who dug that record back in the day?

Not from a Geri leader date, but you're almost there. She's the pianist.

Upon reflection, I realize that those guys are an enormous part of the reason I write today. Nothing but gratitude to Peter, and to Phil, Phil and Dave while they're here. Be sure to pop over to the Firesign website and read the closing quote from Peter's last broadcast.

Happy Birthday Paul and Big Spider Beck!