webbcity

Yep, very true. I think the first time I heard the Dave Holland Trio version I didn't recognize it as the same tune for quite a while. The melody is there, but the way the piano part holds together the Gateway version, it's like a whole different universe.

Yes indeed! I've heard a couple other versions of this with Jack on drums, but to me his piano playing here is what makes this magical.

Again, some of your questions have now been answered, but wanted to add a few additional comments. Yep, the saxophonist is a big part of the draw for me on #1! On #3, no Corea, but I share your enthusiasm for the drummer. If you know the saxophonist on #6 I'll be impressed! I'm really glad you liked the track. And if course you're correct on #7 re: pianist as leader. I'm surprised to hear that the pianist on #8 gets some flak here! 😮 The bass player on #9 is a big favorite of mine. I'm pleasantly surprised that nobody has gotten #11 yet, but yes, definitely ECM. The entire album is not like this, but it sure is an amazing record and has long been a personal favorite. @randyhersom also mentioned Beirach, and that's a good guess but no. However!... You are correct on Gateway, so I must amend my above comment about nobody getting this one yet! 💯

As @T.D. mentioned earlier in the thread, Dusty Groove has this for cheap and in fact that's where I got mine, a few months ago! At the moment they're out of stock... I wonder if they'll get any back at the $6.99 price. Man, you ain't kidding! Playing it now. Thanks for adding another one to my want list. Wait... Isn't that supposed to happen the other way around on BFTs?? 🤯 Some good guesses! You now know the answers on some of these. Phil Ranelin was a good guess on #2 though. You were correct re: Braxton on #4! And if you had saved your Tommy Flanagan guess for the following track, you would have been correct on that count. 😉 And on track 9? Your "backup guess" is correct-- it *is* Brandon Ross on guitar!

Hi all, I'm so sorry to vanish, have had a hell of a week here between day job, rehearsals, gigs, and other general nuttiness. But I promise I'm gonna get back to it here and catch up. Thanks for your patience!

Continuing to catch up...

Some more responses! Inline below... (catching up slowly here...)

Correct! This particular album was my introduction to Hope, and still probably my favorite from him. And I love Frank Butler! 🙂 Correct on both counts! Thought it would be nice to have a couple tracks of AACM legends paying homage to past masters. Further comments below, inline...

Hey gang! Happy to be back in the loop here. Thom offered me this slot and I got it together as quickly as I could, so apologies in advance, standard disclaimers, etc... But hopefully there's at least a little something for everyone here. Tried to do a decent mix of new/old/challenging/obvious. https://thomkeith.net/blindfold-tests/2025-blindfold-tests/ Let the games begin! Cheers- Tim

Indeed! Gimme more Miller Brisker! Wow, a lot of surprises here. Track 9! 🤯 And now I more clearly understand the motivation for your question about the major chords on the Bley tune! Some good stuff here, thanks for putting it together!

Many major chords, but I hear at least a couple of minor chords in there... not that I am fantastic at identifying chords, but in the main section where there are 8 chords repeated, 4 and 4, I hear the first 4 as more major-sounding and the second 4 turn to the minor side of things.

Trying to jump back into the fray here after several months away. Just gave this a listen, and here are my notes as I did so. Haven't yet looked at the thread but I assume many of these have already been ID'd at this point in the month... Track 1 - Cherokee of course, clearly quite an old recording, and right off the bat I love what the alto player is doing. Not to mention the guitarist who is IN the pocket. This just feels great. Definitely in the spirit of Bird. Love it! Track 2 - Oh man... it's killing me that I can't remember the name of this one but I dig the hell out of this tune. Tasty playing all around, some crisp drumming and the guitarist is on point. I'm picturing a smoky basement club. Some impressive runs from the guitarist but then I appreciate when he/she slows down to take a beat and get into the groove too. Excellent. For some reason the organ solo isn't speaking to me as much though clearly it's some great playing. Similar with the drum solo. Overall a tight track though. Track 3 - Ah yes, a Bird tune, but can I remember which one? No. I like the way they split up the head here, very cool. This feels down & dirty and I love it. Oh hell yes. Tenor player opens it right up almost immediately. And the bassist & drummer are FILTHY. Damn this is good. This brings to mind the Rollins Quartet with Don Cherry. Wait... IS this Don Cherry? But that's not Rollins. Massive bass sound! And that sure sounds like Ed Blackwell. Boy I love this. Can't wait to find out what the heck it is, I am thoroughly confused. Track 4 - Tune is Monk's Well You Needn't, but I need! This is already a winner. Great feel, love the quick move into the stride thing. Short and sweet, really enjoyable. Track 5 - I like the harmonic movement here, interesting. I find the tune more compelling than the playing so far though. Nice overall feel though. Very curious. They're definitely in sync, feeling out space. Oddly though I'm not convinced the pianist is that comfortable soloing in 7. Again, very curious about the tune and I'd love to hear a different version of it just to compare. Didn't dislike this though, just left me wanting a bit. Track 6 - Bags Groove! And a nice groove it is. Tenor is full of good syrupy sounds. I really hope everyone gets more than one chorus here-- the solos are way too rushed. Ahhh... so it must be the organist's date? "You guys take a chorus each, and then I'll take eight!" 😄 The organist is good, but honestly the solo doesn't do a ton for me. After that one chorus of tenor though, I wanted to hear a whole lot more. Track 7 - Off to a wild start! I like the tune. Not sure this is grabbing me though, after that interesting intro riff with the organ & guitar. Was kind of expecting this to let loose a bit more but it feels safe. Too polite. Track 8 - Blanking on the name of this tune but it's a good 'un. Performance feels a bit stiff, though I like the vibraphonist, who sounds like Milt? Don't love the bass player's sound on this. Track 9 - Hmm. Interesting arrangement I guess but not loving this one. Seems a bit heavy-handed all the way around. Just okay for me, not something I would need to hear again. Track 10 - Yes, more vibes! This sounds a bit more modern (relatively speaking, that is). Don't know the tune. I'm no Gary Burton expert, but it sounds kinda like him to me? This is nice but it's not totally reaching me. Could partly be the fault of the recording? It's just all sort of blurring together. Perfectly pleasant though. Track 11 - Well that guitarist sounds a whole lot like Scofield. Oh weird. I know this...this is a pop tune? That sure does sound like Scofield but I'm not really a fan of this. Much too saccharine. He's playing well but it just sounds way too "smooth" for my ears. Track 12 - Right off the bat the trumpeter sounds like Louis Armstrong? But the recording quality has me confused... it's either someone trying to sound like him or a really late recording? Yeah, this can't be him. Hmmm. Puzzling... overall it's perfectly good and well-played but not necessarily something I'd return to. Boy the audience is into it though! Oh wait, this IS Louis? Now I'm really confused. Ah well. Overall the first half did more for me than the second, but there were definitely some gems here. Looking forward to finding out more. Thanks for your efforts! EDIT: Track one *IS* Bird?? 😮 And boy do I need that Wilbur Ware record!!

Dan, super late to the reveal (as well as the test itself) but I did finish up listening and really enjoyed a lot of this one. Two big takeaways for me were: 1. I must check out more Percy France! 2. I still love Buddy Tate and don't listen to him nearly enough. And did people really not like the Junior Mance cut? I thought that was a great one. Thanks for your efforts!

Will do my best! Possibly over the weekend... will try not to look at the reveal before then. 🙂

Dan, apologies, I keep wanting to do better with these and somehow keep running short of time. Been a crazy month. I always thought my time management skills would improve with age, but sadly I seem to be going in the opposite direction...😜 Anyway, here is what I was able to get to so far... as always, I've not yet read the thread, just pasted my comments below, noted as I listened... Track 1 - OK, I know this tune but am bugged that I can't think of the name. Big band stuff is tricky for me... I mean, there's Ellington, and then there's everything else. Unfortunately I'm not getting much from this one, I must admit. The rhythm section sounds uptight and the trumpet soloist isn't saying much to me... just seems like a stream of notes without much of an arc. Now the bari player is a bit of a different story-- reaching for something different there. The tenor solo is going somewhere too, and I enjoyed the little horn duel after that. Track 2 - Now this... THIS! I already love it. I can hear the story, you know? This tenor player has been places. Love the off-kilter feel and the odd sound/miking of the piano only adds to that effect. Ah yes, another tenor player! Hell yeah, this is groovin'. It just cooks and doesn't let up. Really digging the piano solo also, great feel and intensity. I suppose this should be an easy call with two tenor players of this vintage, piano, and drums but I honestly don't know who this is. Loving it though! And a classic tenor battle at the end. Scorching! And most excellent. Oh, and this is Billie's Bounce of course, forgot to mention that. Track 3 - Really enjoying the nice easy feel of this one. Not sure of the tune. Capturing a fantastic mood here. Tasty guitar work, and the guitarist has me thinking this is a more recent recording than I originally thought. I just love how they're taking their time with this-- not out to impress, but as a result-- very impressive. I like the thoughtfulness of the pianist's lines. Very nice all the way around. Track 4 - Ah, Broadway! This tune is a favorite, used to play this one a lot with a guitarist I gigged with for years. The tenor solo gets high marks right out of the gate-- great sounds! Less excited by the trumpet player, and the following tenor & piano solos. Done in an older style which sometimes I love, but here comes off as a little square, at least to me. Still I enjoy the overall energy of the track. Track 5 - Lester Leaps In, and I do enjoy a good drummerless trio. And this is one! Great sax work here, the kind of sound that just makes you go "ahhhh, everything's gonna be alright!" Very smooth. Really digging the piano solo too. Very solid playing all the way around, effortless and grooving. Fabulous bass solo! Giving me shades of Niels Pedersen, though it's not him. Excellent all the way around, really liked this one. Track 6 - Oooh I love this tune too but once again my memory is failing on the name. Again, fantastic feeling here, solid groove! They make it sound easy. Brilliant piano solo, really like the chordal stuff especially. Wow, this is a tight group. Phenomenal playing from all-- bassist and drummer are killing it! Love the bass solo. Really curious to know who this is. Track 7 - Another favorite, Django! My favorite version of this tune is the very first one recorded by the MJQ. As for this one...I like it! Also an excellent rendition.