clifford_thornton

ICP set is on hold; Sun Ra still available.

Yep. The opening cut has a "rough & ready" sound that's not unlike Far Cry or At The Five Spot. That is a DAMN fine album. Really enjoyed seeing the mention of Harry Sparnaay upthread; I know his work mostly from appearances with the Theo Loevendie Consort et al. Fine player. Not exactly Dolphy-esque, though ED was certainly an influence: Michel Portal.

If I'd have known you were looking all these years, I would have picked one up for you. Seemed to pop up a lot in Austin.

You've gotta get your hands on I've Known Rivers w/ James Newton & Abdul Wadud I'll take note of that, thanks for the suggestion. I think that whole cohort of Anthony Davis, James Newton, Jay Hoggard, et al, may deserve more attention than they have received. Newton's first, Flute Music, on his own Flute Music Productions label, is very nice.

You're speaking of "Uhuru"? I didn't pick that up regarding the bass line, but it's been years since I listened to it. Will give it a relook and think on that.

OK. So I have decided to sell my ICP Boxed Set, which I have hardly touched since acquiring earlier in the year. It contains 49 discs, of which two are videos. Most are unplayed by me. This is #679. There are two caveats: ICP 17/18 are identical, and this is apparently true for the cassette that was used as both sides contained the same music. The transfer that was used on ICP 26 was faulty. I am told that replacement copies can be garnered for free from Challenge, who produced the set. I just keep forgetting to do it and I know I'll continue to forget. I'll send you their direct line. The box itself is free from wear, the book is barely touched, and the only physical malady is the tray that holds the discs in place is floppy and unstable. C'est la vie. You can help me clear space for the price of $450 shipped in the continental US. Outside the continental US, please write for a quote. Keep in mind that the set retails for $655 plus shipping. This is a mega deal. I am also selling the Transparency 14-disc Sun Ra box, The Eternal Myth Revealed Vol. 1. It is unplayed/untouched by me, but is open. "Part One examines Sun Ra's early 1920s Blues Vocal and 1930s Big Band influences, his first recordings in 1946 as a piano sideman, his arrangements and compositions, Sun Ra as a singer in the late 1940s, his trio in 1949, creating the sound for vocalists Laverne Baker and Joe Williams, coaching The Hambone Kids in 1952 and the late 1940s Afro-Cuban influences of band leader Perez Prado and other rare facts and musically unheard inclusions." I am selling this for $60 shipped in the continental US. These sets can be bought together for $490 shipped. In all cases, shipping will be insured and tracked. Payment is only through Paypal - no long holds please.

I think that the least structured Shepp recording I've heard is on the LP Pitchin' Can on America Records (FR). The title track is a short take of a very soulful Cal Massey tune, but most of the LP is taken up by a piece called "Uhuru (Dawn of Freedom)." It's a loose free blowing thing and never really gets any steam under it, rather meandering with constant commentary (and not in a European, SME-like way). It's probably one of the least successful of Shepp's records of the period. I'd add the Live at Antibes records on BYG as well as the track "We Have Come Back" from Live at the Pan-African Festival and parts of Poem for Malcolm (also on BYG) to this short list. I've been listening to Shepp as long as I've been listening to jazz (pretty much) as he's one of the first players I checked out. Shepp in '69 was still Shepp, but he seemed to be directing his energies away from composition and the sound of the saxophone within very tight, yet pastiche-like tunes to a more overall "texture of protest" vibe. It's interesting for what it is, but those are not among the records in his catalog that I return to. A friend has called them "free jazz party jams" and he's kind of right. One of the loosest Shepp LPs that I listen to with some regularity (other than the great Magic of Ju-Ju) is the New York Contemporary Five half of the split LP with Bill Dixon's 7tette on Savoy. Sunny Murray and Ronnie Boykins were sitting in for Don Moore and J.C. Moses, and Ted Curson replaces Don Cherry on two of the three tracks (apparently Cherry was running late). In earlier iterations they were a very tight band out of the Ornette school, but are a little rawer and more unhinged here - mostly because Sunny and Boykins sound completely weird against those knotty heads, not synced up at all. I like the way it comes together, but it's maybe not representative of what the NYCF could do. Shepp is brilliant here, as is John Tchicai. Oh, and Conquistador is structured as a muh'fu'.

Who is the amazing and mysterious guitar player on this session? Is it Richard Martin? http://stljazznotes.blogspot.com.au/2007/05/in-search-of-richard-martin.html Sarnie Garrett is the guitarist. Very obscure player; only other mention I've seen is on a 2LP compilation of Afro-American poetry, on which he accompanies some readings. I don't have that set. I agree that Garrett sounds a lot like Richard Martin, whose work I enjoy as well. Now: Jolas/Xenakis/Boucourechliev - Quatuor II/Hermas/Archipel 1 - (EMI Perspectives Musicales, FR)

Kalaparusha - Forces and Feelings - (Delmark, UK pressing) RIP.

I heard from Ravish Momin yesterday afternoon that he had passed. What a drag. Met him a few times, and he was very sweet and kind. Still had that "sound."

I've never read any of Brown's writing, but have heard him play tenor on record and he's quite good.

Thanks Sidewinder for the info. I actually have never owned that particular Stan Tracey LP for whatever reason.

Same here... though just because it's Japanese doesn't mean it's a crisp pressing!

The only one of his LPs that I've seen is Settlin' In. Sorry to hear he departed before I ever had a chance to turn an ear to his work.

Cassava Balls is great. I don't see the sale listed on site. Maybe it is hosted elsewhere?

Too busy to post this week but I will echo that it is sad news. I was never much into his work beyond the Velvets - or, to be more fair, I just didn't investigate it deeply as by the time I'd heard things like the self-titled VU record on MGM I was already way into free music. But it is sad news and I respected his later work from a cool distance. Hearing some of his Sire catalog cranked by a DJ at an art opening last night, I felt wistful and good for something I never really knew. So long, Mr. Reed, and my condolences to Laurie Anderson.

I only know him from a little bit of work w/ Sunny Murray and Alan Silva/IACP. Good player.

Never seen this original incarnation before. Cool! Yeah, for some stupid reason I passed on it at $20 more than a decade ago feeling all right with my thin and crusty-looking US pressing. Upgraded to a Japanese issue (with a nice cover by Kazuyoshi Nomachi) some years back but still haven't scored the UK version.