clifford_thornton

Good record, and an interesting complement to the Holland duo with Barre Phillips, I think of the same year...

After finally having enough time to sit down and blast both sides of the fuckin' thing, I'd forgotten (it's been a few years) how incredibly awesome this record is. The first side is hip, for sure, and for me did get the most play in the past, but what was really getting under my skin was side two - especially "Responsible," which has a nice kwela groove (cf. "Fat Man Walks," on More Nipples) between Van Hove's piano and Bennink on bongos. There aren't too many examples in the early years of Brotzmann's groove; he hit his stride with the Miller/Moholo team in the late '70s, and then again with Parker and Drake (admit I prefer the former). Bennink also gets some chance to stretch his bebop swing on "Music for Han Bennink," and contributes some great playing in the first 1/3 of the tune. The recording is excellent for this type of music. It's extremely dense when it needs to be, but when they let up, the grit is actually very nuanced. You can hear the horsehairs and rosin up against the bass strings, for example. I think that between this, Nipples, European Echoes, and The Topography of the Lungs, you really have a great canvas of what was happening in West European jazz at the turn of the '70s, a crucial time for this music. It is its own, and it is of a piece.

Damn! This is really sad news - I am a big fan of Gong and really enjoyed the National Health records. Saw him with Gong on a reunion tour maybe six or seven years ago, and it was really nice. RIP and thanks for the wonderful music, Pip the Heap (PHP)!

Not to take the wind out of anybody's sails here, but I'm not too into this particular Hill. I have no idea why it's never jelled for me, because the players are all first-rate and there's nothing "wrong" with the music. I just get bored by it. Same with Andrew!!!.

Also (off the top of my head): Rahsaan, solo Shepp, Kenny Dorham. He's fairly outward leaning--appears on the more 'progressive' dates of a lot of more boppish musicians. Marzette Watts' ESP and Savoy sessions, also Tchicai's Afrodisiaca (though he's one of many drummers there). Moses is one of my favorite drummers, for sure - also one of Max's, as he dedicated a piece to him that appears on The Long March. I like that Storyville is using the cover art from the International Polydor edition of NYCF v. 1 (albeit differently tinted). Yeah, the previous reissue was pretty garish--a thick, dated font with a half-orgasmic Shepp photo on the cover. Of all the pictures... I used to not be too fond of J.C.'s playing, if only because I always measured him by those live NCYF sessions (where the balance is horrible--completely swallows the subtlety of the approach, sounding like a disoriented marching band). He's been tremendous on everything else, though--and extremely versatile (Powell to--thanks for bringing it back up--those Watts sessions). Yeah, the previous cover was lifted from the International issue of volume 2. For some reason, my mom really liked the cover when she saw it...

A lot of people don't like this one but personally I love it. The sound of this stereo issue is also outstanding - one of the best I have heard from the 'Liberty' period. Must be one of the last heavy vinyl Blue Notes. The cover, of course, is priceless ! I have no problems with my mono copy - other than the big MONO sticker on the cover! It's a great session, and sorely underrated.

Strong, strong LP though I have to admit a preference for Nipples. Brotzmann and Wright actually played a lot together in the '70s - Brotz augmented the Center of the World Quartet for some shows, in fact. And Buschi is such an underrated bassist; he and Peter K shine on this... I'll have to give my FMP vinyl of this'n a spin later today (wish I had the original BRO-2!) and post more concrete thoughts, though as dense a recording as Machine Gun is, it's totally imbued with the dadaist wiping-away that these guys were known for. The levity comes, of course, in that school marching band R&B riff at the end of side 1. Beautiful stuff! Thanks for bringing this one up!

I always wonder what Wynton would do upon being sat down for something like Rufus or a good Candid record... I can't fault him for at least putting the bar out there for the public, and I think it's up to the rest of us to expand upon that bar. That said, I think his dismissal of Jazz as a truly contemporary, living music (I would say he does this by default) is pretty dumb. And about the free jazz... even my girlfriend of 4 months is now all about Sun Ra!

It's available on vinyl I think you know what I meant. Right. And I responded by saying it's available on vinyl, so it can be broken down into sides. So. Just to clarify. It is available on vinyl. Is it on vinyl?

Fabulous recording. The whole thing makes up the last two CD's of the Elvin Jones Mosaic set. Mainly tenor, yes. Exclusively, I can't recall, and don't have the set here in front of me. Liebman is superb, too. A great example of two tenors utilizing the lessons and vocabulary of 'Trane in a very positive way, five years after his death, and after the dust had settled down, so to speak. OK, you sold it to me - now I just gotta go back to the store and buy it!

That looks great - wonder if it includes the infamous "Feedback Piece?" Apparently there's a shitload of unissued material, including about 20 or so custom LPs that they pressed up for themselves and friends back in the '60s. Yipes!

How's that Elvin Lighthouse LP? He plays tenor exclusively on that, no?

RIP to a wonderful force in creative 'written' music. Thank you Mr. Tenney for all your work.

Happy Birthday Wayne!!! May there be many more...

I second brownie's recommendation. Great set! Now, if Hat Hut would just do a nice and proper reissue of their Lyons titles... Btw: great word "unhas," first I've heard of it but concur with its sentiment.

Yes, the sound quality on the UK Fontana is pretty marvelous too. And the UK version is a bit cheaper.. I think my Dutch was like $25... And it looks like I missed out on a reasonably-priced copy of Very Urgent from our friend James. That title has eluded me for too long!

Wow, I didn't realize those existed. I have the BYGs (not bad, but...) and the Unified Patchwork CD, but haven't scored a copy of the Mainstream or Polydor titles yet.

No more than 1/4 alcohol:water ratio is what I've always gone by. That's using a VPI machine also.

I've got a Dutch with the same cover, and it's gorgeous. Music's not bad, too...

Also (off the top of my head): Rahsaan, solo Shepp, Kenny Dorham. He's fairly outward leaning--appears on the more 'progressive' dates of a lot of more boppish musicians. Marzette Watts' ESP and Savoy sessions, also Tchicai's Afrodisiaca (though he's one of many drummers there). Moses is one of my favorite drummers, for sure - also one of Max's, as he dedicated a piece to him that appears on The Long March. I like that Storyville is using the cover art from the International Polydor edition of NYCF v. 1 (albeit differently tinted).

With Marte Roling's cover art?

That title is ridiculous. I'd heard it was the usual loungey fare that they've been up to lately... to be honest, they haven't made a record in a looong time that I've been moved by.

I could SWEAR I saw Blue John offered at auction from Paris Jazz Corner. Wonder if it was a test pressing also? I met a Japanese dude in Paris who had a test pressing of the Brooks...

I've heard Simmons rapping, and it's not too great. His LPs are all a treasure, however...

You're not just dealing with BN, you're dealing with EMI/Capitol. I stick with my Toshiba Japanese pressing of this excellent session.