clifford_thornton

Now spinning: Crime - San Fransisco's Still Doomed - (Swami) Great vinyl reissue of the San Fransisco's Doomed comp CD from one of the West Coast's premier (albeit under-sung in their lifetime) punk outfits.

There's something about Butch Morris--Butch the arranger/conductor, of course, but also Butch the cornetist--that brought out something really special in Frank Lowe. I think it's on their recordings together that I really, truly grapsed what a phenomenal melodist Lowe was. Will be spinning Blue Notes for Mongezi in the near future... Question--and someone here should know (clifford?). What do y'all think about the post-Feza Brotherhood of Breath albums (have only heard a few). I'm really interested in Procession for the presence of Dyani, although Yes Please (high up on the list)--with John Tchicai in a post-Blue Notes BoB configuration--has me interested. I've also heard that Brotherhood will be getting a (CD) reissue on Feb. 26th, for those interested. I've not spent as much time with post-Feza BOB recordings to give you a definitive answer. My proclivities lie with the earlier, more ragtag stuff as you know... I do think Brotherhood is an excellent album. I have it on vinyl and it has been a fairly regular spin - talk about a varied snapshot of the group's capabilities, not to mention McGregor's pianism. Lowe & Morris were a fantastic team, and your analysis of Lowe having something "brought out" by arrangers is pretty right-on. Don Cherry also brought it out in him vis-a-vis the JCOA date and his small-group sessions from the '70s. What I like about Skizoke - even though it seems to be marginalized by a number of folks - is that it's a more straight-ahead date, and very together at that. I wish the vibes and guitar were better recorded, but what can you do?

Yup.

The new Rhys Chatham, for 400 electric guitars, A Crimson Grail.

Just Music Afric Pepperbird Free at Last

I dunno, it kinda bummed me out to hear of her death. She has been through a lot, if you think about it, whether or not she's a creepy and dubious bimbo.

Frank Lowe - Skizoke - (Cadence) Sleeper '81 session from Soundscape with Butch Morris, Tim Pleasant, Wilber Morris, Larry Simon (gtr) and Damon Choice (vib). I will try to use that title in conversation as much as possible from here on out...

I don't really think anybody here needs to go away, other than the spammers.

What he said.

Yeah, that's what I figured... One can dream, however!

IIRC, some of the score is printed in the booklet that came with the LP.

Was talking about my weather, not yours!

I still think the idea of a Mobley-led LP on BYG/Actuel is pretty hot. Perhaps impossible, but hot.

Twatty, at best.

Trane - Village Vanguard Again - (Impulse red/black stereo) Just dated that fuckin' Noah Howard rec big time. Sometimes it's easy to forget!

I should add, nearly got taken to court for spinning NY Dolls recently...

I'm with you, Clem. It just, for me, doesn't happen with jazz LPs as much. If you're talking NZ/Flying Nun, I'm not as up on that as I should be... educate, pls. I was merely concurring with the "pop" end of the jazz spectrum which, whether right or not, has been my reading of late-late-late Miles. Edit: senseless r&r name-drops removed.

Noah Howard - The Black Ark - (Polydor Freedom orig) w/ Doyle, M. Ali, Sirone, Earl Cross, Juma, and Leslie (?) Waldron on piano...

I have spent enough time with rock records that now, to me, sound rather dated. For me this doesn't happen as often with jazz records, whether they were recorded fifty years ago or ten.

Alan Douglas was a producer for United Artists Jazz, so no way was he a stranger to the form. Impact sound also was, iirc, where a number of ESP sides were recorded. Hence, the equipment he/they may have been using was not up to BN/Impulse/etc standards. I haven't heard the session in question yet, but I can't imagine it was entirely Douglas's fault. The reports I've heard from a few pals who have heard it speak highly of Gilmore's playing here, fwiw.

You wouldn't return a $40 new record with a tick in one of the tracks?!

Sometimes. I did some writing for the City Pages a year or two ago that mostly centered on weird rock/folk/underground stuff. Occasionally I review oddball "new music" recordings as well. For example, a recent reissue of the first Blue Gene Tyranny on Lovely... which is... lovely.

Huh. Must've been recorded in '69 when Mobley was hanging around the Pan-African Festival set of folks. Too bad it wasn't with Burrell, CT, Grachan, Earl Freeman and Philly Joe!

Which? There are two Shepp dates Mobley plays on!

Thats incredible ! i bought many LPs and CDs from them without any flaw. They are usually very cooperative. As Brownie said, the online shop is separated from their regular shop. I had the same problem of the shop/site separation when I was in Paris. Trouble is, the site had reserved some items for me and told me to pick them up there! It was, naturally, a minor fiasco. Much later, I had the problem of paying 40 Euro for an item that they then sold to somebody else! I was credited, but it sort of soured me on the whole PJC thing... of course, up to then I had many positive experiences.