clifford_thornton

This is probably for another thread entirely, but not being a complete Vandermark apologist and reiterating the fact that Spaceways is weak but the cat CAN blow (and Peter is no-how underdocumented), the fact that Vandermark has helped to form a bridge between young indie kids and improvised music, and with a clearer sense of the music's history than, imo, Shipp/Thirsty Ear/whatnot, deserves mention. I think that this alone is worth a lot of MacArthur bread. And to answer the quip that's a comin', it did seem to spread south to the Velvet Lounge. During my time in Chicago, I saw a lot of young kids from the rock community heading over to see Fred blow. Now, that said, I think that Fred deserves a MacArthur just as much as flattop, for obvious reasons. Keeping the old Velvet open would have been a great use of the $$. (though zoning politics are pretty much outside the realm..)

Fucking promoters. In this instance, I would say those promoters are definitely in the wrong.

Yep (along with the Mike Osborne 'Outback') Got that one. It wasn't as earth-shaking as I thought it would be, and I still think his best work is on the Ric Colbeck LP.

I don't have the Taylor (wasn't that on a Turtle LP?) but the Oxley is great, if a bit obvious in the well it draws from. Baby steps... TCB was reissued in a Japanese paper-sleeve format a few years ago. That's what I have - Lord knows I've never seen a clean LP for much under $250.

I've wondered that too - they were (and probably still are) based in BEVERLY HILLS of all places. He's really done some outstanding music, private genius grant or no...

I prefer the one after this, on Philips, called "TCB." It has been reissued on CD.

It's funny in that first list to see Regina's name in between Braxton and Ornette... As far as I understand it, people don't apply for the grant but are chosen. I've turned around on Vandermark; he can definitely play and has some interesting ideas. Sure, some of his earlier records were kinda boring and some of his projects are too (Spaceways Inc., as an example), but one can't deny his work ethic. He seems like a very good guy, too. Dave Burrell could use one, though. I agree on Haden, even if he's made some terrible records. Shit, what about Wayne Shorter?

Johnson was on the scene for about ten years or so, right? He cut a couple of fusion-y sides in the 70s, iirc.

It's a real mellow side and vary tastefully arranged. I found it a bit too "poppy" for my tastes, though McLaughlin does play nicely on it. Not "essential" but it fills a gap in the shelves, right?

Well, there are Pavone's Shodo and Digit on Alacra, the former featuring Naughton on marimba and Pheeroan Ak Laff on drums. I think Emmett Spencer might also be on it, but I'm not at home and can't look. Tom Chapin also has an Alacra record, The Bell of the Heart. It's a bit "light" but still a nice date. Features Pavone, George Alford and, iirc, Nick Makros is on tenor. I seem to remember a solo Dwight Andrews LP on Otic as well. Guitarist Allan Jaffe has a record called Soundscape that has a CMIF-culled lineup, I think Ak Laff is on it. It wasn't really as rewarding a spin as I'd hoped, but I do regret not buying the last copy I saw. He's in fine form on that CMIF orchestra LP. I've got tapes of reedman Phil Buettner leading a band with Alford, Pavone, Fonda, and Yohuru Ralph Williams in 1980 at New Haven's Dwight Chapel, where I believe a lot of these CMIF activities took place. It's excellent stuff, though the influences ('70s Braxton, especially) are fairly obvious.

There are some seriously great Japanese drummers out there, though I've not heard Hino's brother. I can recommend: Yoshisaburoh "Sabu" Toyozumi Toshi Tsuchitori Masahiko Togashi ...for starters. FWIW, I really like the cover of that '69 Hino on Columbia. I'd almost say it hurts my feelings. Almost.

That Francis date looks interesting... My memory is now calling up some mid-80s leader date. Date: August 1986 Location: Air Sound, Boston, MA Label: L.C.U. [Lost Cosmic Unity] Al Francis (ldr), Al Francis (vib), John Neves (b), Joe Hunt (d) a. a-01 Rogue's Dilemma - 05:19 (Al Francis) b. a-02 D. D. L. J. - 05:59 (Jaki Byard) c. a-03 Wha Love - 04:46 (Al Francis) d. a-04 Albizu - 06:11 (Al Francis) e. b-01 Blues For Booker - 04:39 (Al Francis) f. b-02 Village Nites - 04:40 (Al Francis) g. b-03 Sweet Beginnings - 05:21 (Al Francis) h. b-04 Lonely Town - 05:04 (Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) All titles on: - L.C.U. [Lost Cosmic Unity] LP 12": LUC 0251 - Jazz Bohemia Revisited (1986)

The Haunt is very good, spare New Haven CT improvisation. It was released on Naughton's Otic imprint, I think cat. # 1005. Other great titles on Otic include Understanding, which was reissued by Japo, and includes Mark Whitecage and Laurence Cook (ca. '71) and Nature's Consort, which is very hard to come by. And then there's the whole CMIF/Alacra scene, which is just as hip.... Naughton was a former dirt-track motorcycle racer and musician who found free improvisation, and showed a very impressionistic but concentrated approach by way of the AACM and Steve Lacy. He was part of the whole New Haven Creative Improvising Musicians' Forum in the '70s and into the early '80s. I've heard great stories about his homemade explosives, too. Not sure whatever became of him, though.

No, 'cos you missed by n-3 joke!

I'd always seen it as "Prince Roland Haynes." Do I stand corrected? Indeed, he passed away unexpectedly in his sleep while in Switzerland. Tragic.

Right, Communication is the name of the JCO Fontana. Kenyatta doesn't solo. More notable, in fact, is the storming tenor solo on side two by Bob Carducci (whatever happened to...?) and some outstanding interplay between Shepp and Graves on side one. I did mention the Dixon RCA earlier, Chuck - you think I'd leave that record out?!

Nice segue - though I didn't know Francis was on anything other than the Ellis.

Dauner is the shit, but van't Hof has his moments of brilliance. He's done some great work with Manfred Schoof, for example.

I like the Free State Band LP on America, reissued on a Musidisc CD (not Free America). Funky, and reminiscent of the Byard Lancaster on Vortex - but maybe a bit less goofy. Kenyatta also has his own Vortex session, Until, with Mike Lawrence and Horacee Arnold, and Lewis Worrell and Roswell Rudd on one track. Kenyatta worked frequently with Bill Dixon in the '60s, and it would've been great to hear THAT small group. Unfortunately, the only document of their work together is Dixon's Intents and Purposes on RCA. Dixon was very disapproving of the commercial dates Vortex had Kenyatta and Lancaster on. I think the ECM has its moments, as does Until, but for me the only one that's stuck so far is the America.

This lineup is absolutely retarded, if I may say so: Danny Carter (tenor sax) Charles Tyler (baritone sax) Charles Stephens (trombone) Hassan Dawkins (soprano sax) Kappo Umezu (alto sax, bass clarinet) Richard Dunbar (french horn) Melvin Smith (guitar) Ahmed Abdullah (trumpet) Ted Daniel (trumpet) Richard Pierce (bass) Steve Reid (trap drums) Tatsuya Nakamura (percussion) When I'd seen the disc mentioned before, it only dropped the few 'big' names... the smaller ones is what it's all about, though!

My assumption also. As in, Experiments with Pops doesn't have Lennon or McCartney actually "on" the album.

I sort of have to quit looking at that lineup on the first Daniel CD - it's giving me the shakes!

ITM also issued the Kent Carter String Trio's Wilisau Suites, since reissued on Emanem. That's a beautiful record...