Blindfold Test #14

[brownie]

10. Damn! Love the passionate sound of that sax! Sounds like Gato, and the tune has more of a Latin groove while he’s playing. The song sounds familiar, but I can’t place the title. I’d buy this one for a dollar!

Since Gato had a close relation to the city whose sky I live under, I searched for a trace of a recording of this tune by him and could not trace any. I did not really recognize his style but searched for the sake of identifying at least one of the BFT tracks.

Oh the frustration

[mikeweil]

And yeah 10 is definately Gato. But I would consider him well-known due to his feature on Calle 54. I went to one of his shows a year or two ago and people were going crazy. I didn't know what the big deal was. All the guy does these days is hum and overblow his horn. He has lost a lot of technique since the 70s. It is quite ridiculous the way he goes "Heyyyyyy!" with the reverb.

Matt

I too thought of Gato at first listen, but there is something in the phrasing that is not characteristic of his playing. I do not nearly know all of his records, but I have my doubts ...

[RDK]

Well, I guessed Gato... which means it's almost certainly not him.

[Big Al]

Some actual thoughts on the complete HAFC™:

1. Pretty nice. It swings, as far as violin jazz goes, I s’pose. Not much interest beyond that, though.

2. Never been a fan of this kind of percussive piano playing.

3. Originally turned off by this, but the more I listen to it, the more the subtle beauties reveal themselves. Very relaxing.

4. Starts off swingin’, but then the lead sax player starts blowin’ his brains out. NMCOT™!!!

5. Again, the intro turned me off, but once I got past that, it actually sounded pretty nice. The piano player sounds like a Hancock disciple.

6. Another one that took a few listens to fully appreciate. Not much of a fan of unaccompanied solo sax, although the ensemble playing is very nice.

7. Now that’s my kind of jazz! Straight-up mainstream swingin’. Boring to a lot of people, comfort food for me!

8. Sheesh! Every time I’d try to start this track, the phone would ring, the Coke™ guy would be refilling the machine outside my office, a train would go by, SOMETHING!!! I may have to listen to this one later thru headphones or something, cuz I wanna hear what’s going on!!! Okay, now that the distractions are outta the way, this sounds like Bill Evans. I like this kind of piano-playing!

9. The first name that sprung to mind was Joe Lovano. I guess because whenever I think of full robust tenor playing, this is the guy who immediately springs to mind!

10. YIKES!!! Sweet Mother of God, now I know how my dad felt when I played him that Metallica record years ago! DKDCHAFC™ AIEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Please God, make it STOP!!! (Although, granted, I’d rather listen to this than ANYTHING Metallica’s put out in the last fifteen years!)

11. Very nice. Again, this is my favorite kind of piano playing. It sounds like Vince Guaraldi recorded by today’s technology!

12. Sounds kinda Monk-ish. In fact, the whole group sounds as if they’re playing tribute to Monk in their own way. Another nice one!

13. Nice standard piano trio stuff. Nothing I’d go out of my way to purchase, but then again I wouldn’t switch it off the radio if I heard it!

14. Very nice guitar trio stuff! Very interested to find out who this is!

Well, that was both challenging and interesting, and I ended up liking a lot more than I originally thought I would! Again, great job Nate!!!

[king ubu]

Well, finally posting my answers... as usual, I haven't read a thing of the whole thread. As always, what follows is exactly what I wrote during listening:

#1: Wow this is fun! Love the drumming here! Sounds European at times (the opening, for instance), but then, by the violin solo, less so, much less so. Could it be Mark Feldman? I guess rather not.

#2: I know this tune, what's its title? Ah, "Donna Lee", of course! No idea who's playing.

#3: Beautiful one! The sax almost sounds like an accordion at some moments ( , but that's what my ears tell me). Once again, not the slightest idea, and no need to come up with wrong guesses...

#4: Again no idea! The alto saxophonist has heard some Dolphy, the whole thing bears some reminiscences to Mingus' music. Great writing! Great bari sax! Love this one!

#5: Nice piano at the beginning. The entrance of the drummer made me worry a bit, but then he starts playing some great shit! No idea again, here. Trumpet player has a beautiful sound, bassist too!

#6: The tune sounds slightly monkish. Lee Konitz? Sound is not dry enough for him, I think. A beautiful one!

#7: The first one I know, and this is a musician I recognize with the first note he plays! Love him! He's got the advanced harmonies of an Eric Dolphy, the angularity (well, almost) of Monk, and couples that with the old Hawk/Webster sound and lots of texas tenor, too... Tons of jazz history in here, but what comes out is something I think is not new at all, no reinvention of the wheel, but something pretty unique, and very honest. And this is a manner of treating jazz history I like a lot more than what the Wynton type Young Lions do!

#8: "Alone Together" - a very good tune. Touches of Bill Evans. Him with Eddie Gomez? (Due to reorganizing all of my belongings, among them several thousand CDs, I cannot find the Fantasy box, and thus check if my guess might be correct). Bass sounds a bit too earthy for Gomez. Beautiful it is!

#9: This one sounds familiar. Don't think I know it, though. A good one!

#10: Eeeek! What is this screaming shit?!? Noise? Music?

Strong and fascinating stuff! El Gato? I hardly know him (have some of his Flying Dutchman CDs, but never really sat down and listened, yet). Nice tune, rather simple, changes with some ressemblance to Dorham's "Blue Bossa", if I hear this right.

Pretty nice how the theme and changes can be heard even during the more abstract passages of the piano solo! When the melody is repeated at the very end of the bass solo, it already sounds like an old friend!

Another great drummer at work here - that old-school moment starting at 6:29 is pure fun!

#11: Very nice! Like it how the left hand has almost as much importance (and notes to play) as the right. That, as well as some romantic touches, make me think of Brad Mehldau (confession time: I not only like him, but I think he's a great pianist).

#12: This one's solid. Not sure it needs the sax. The trio itself has a lot going on, sax starts rather dull (not sound-wise, though). Uh, trumpet, too? At the beginning I reckoned this is another trio performance. Quite good, but still not sure it needs the horns.

#13: "Solar" - the Jarrett trio? None of those strange noises, though! Really like this one.

#14: A good one, although I'm not too much in favor of this particular guitar sound. It's just clean enough to pass my test, though, and what is played, I like a lot!

Thanks very much, Nate! I really enjoyed listening to this disc

ubu

[Jim R]

Well, I'm falling behind this time. I received my disc on Monday, but I haven't even had a chance to listen through it yet. Hopefully I can finish it tonight or tomorrow. Anyway, many thanks to Nate and Catesta for sending it along.

[catesta]

Here it goes.

First off, thanks Nate for the BFT. At first listen some of the tracks seemed really out there, but I'm starting to come around. All in all a really solid cd, it's safe to say it may have inspired a few purchaces. Of course, I need to find out who the hell these people are.

As usual I give you my weak guesses and as little discussion on the music as any one person can give.

1. Kind of had a folk music type feel to it. Since I am almost completely ignorant of violin/fiddle in jazz I have no choice but to say, I donno.

I didn't really care much for the bass clarinet, if that was what it was.

2. Some heavy hands on the piano. Rhapsody in Blue??? Naahhh....

3. The piano made me think, "hey that's the player from track 2", but it's not. This is a real nice piece of work, no idea of the tune or the players, but I likey.

4. Oh man, I liked this one. Real hot playing. When the saxes are all together it almost sounds like the Basie reed section. Of course it's not, but the sound was that sweet.

5. This one got better as things moved along. The piano was the standout for me.

6. Somewhat interesting, West Coast influence???

7. Liked this one plenty! I hear a touch of Hawk in the player, so it can't be bad.

I'd like to know this one for sure.

8. Real, and I do mean, real sweet. Is it Alone Together? Evans with???

9. Easy to dig this one. Would it kill them to throw a piano in the mix?

Just kidding, it's fine as is, look forward to knowing it.

10. No clue and I would normally pass on a track like this, but for one reason or another it grabbed me. The piano was hot and the sax was absolutely ripping it up, but I didn't care for the bass solo work all that much. Is that wrong?

11. Later Red Garland, or later Red Garlands? Honestly I have no clue, a pleasant tune though.

12. I really liked this one, a real Monkish feel to it.

13. Another nice one, KG, yes? KG, no?

14. The tune, what is the name of this tune??

[catesta]

Track 14. The Winner Takes it All. AbbA, bleh!

Snap!

[Jim R]

1. I kind of like the beginning (written part) of this piece, but the solos don’t do as much for me. Kind of frantic. Interesting overall sound/instrumentation, though.

2. Donna Lee / piano solo. Interesting, but not something I would choose to play very often.

3. Nice. This has sort of a combination Monk/Ellington mood, to my ears. Is that a cello? Love that sound. Nice piano, and the alto is cool too. This is very tasty stuff.

4. Very interesting, if not really my thing. Somebody really has a talent for writing/arranging here. Difficult music, without a doubt. You gotta respect that, whether it appeals to you or not.

5. I get restless with this type of music. Difficult for me to wait through that intro. The theme is okay, and the solos are good, but not really memorable for me.

6. This is more up my alley, in terms of melody and construction. I don’t recognize it, but it has more of a familiar sound to it. I don’t own much Lee Konitz, but this reminds me of how I think of him. These two players sound very at home together, and this is very nicely recorded.

7. I like this, but I’m not getting any sense of who’s playing. Kind of reminds me of Rhythm-a-ning, but it’s not. I don’t recognize it as a theme that I know, but it’s clever. This reminds me in some ways of Sonny Rollins’ trio stuff.

8. Alone Together. Reminded me of Bill Evans at first, but less so as it went on. Very nice.

9. Don’t really care for the theme on this. Just personal taste. Sounds kind of “mechanical” to me, and not too appealing musically. Well executed overall, but not really my thing. The tenor sounds like Clifford Jordan at times.

10. “They’re writing songs of love, but not for me”.

11. Ahhhhh, this sounds FANTASTIC following that last track. This is based on “body and soul”, but I don’t recognize it. Whoa, this is really more up my alley. At first the sound of the trio reminded me of Bill Charlap, but I’m not going to guess that. Whoever/whatever this is, I’m looking forward to being hipped! (I probably own it already... )

12. Nice Monkish intro. Nice group sound on the theme. Very nice, in fact. Again, this has a familiar sound to it stylistically, but I don’t recognize it as anything I’ve been familiar with. Very Monkian throughout, apparently (not just the intro). Sounds like a relatively modern recording, in terms of sound quality. Dig that alto player. Dig that trumpet player too. I like it.

13. The intro is a little busy to my ear. Ah, the tune is “Solar”. Not my favorite version.

14. Pretty. I like the guitarist’s sound. Very full and well-defined from top to bottom. I don’t recognize this player, at least not yet. I’ve gotta run right now. Maybe I’ll come back and add more comments on this fine BFT, because I kind of had to rush this whole thing.

Bravo, Nate.

[John B]

I need to take some time, give the entire disc another listen and compose my thoughts, but I wanted to stop in and say one thing:

track 10:

I really dig this one! I would guess Gato Barbieri based on the slight latin vibe I feel, but I have no clue if it really is him. I'm really looking forward to finding out who this is!

[couw]

Track 14. The Winner Takes it All. AbbA, bleh!

Snap!

no, Snap, that was that big guy with the small lady doing tunes like "I've got the Power" and "Welcome to Tomorrow."

[Peter Johnson]

Hey guys! Just got the BFT today...thanks Big Al, for shippin' 'er in from TX!

I'm listening to the CD right now and I'm digging the HELL out of it! So far (track 4) I have no idea what anything is (although I think I recognize the tenor player on track 4)...but I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Thanks, Nate, for a very enjoyable comp!!!

[RDK]

Trk 10 seems the polarizer for this one...

[Nate Dorward]

Just dropping in while I'm away (borrowing laptop time from a friend)--interesting reading, folks! Yeah I figured #10 would either pin back the ears or be an instant winner. It ain't Gato Barbieri, though! Unless you get a bit creative with Google you won't nail this one (AMG certainly doesn't list this album).

I'll drop a broad hint by saying that if someone nails the bassist on "Alone Together" (1) it won't be too hard to figure out the album & the i.d. of the pianist there; and (2) a big hint by way of x-reference: the pianist on the "Body & Soul" track is well known for his work with the bassist on the other track. C'mon: nice old standard, slow pace, unhurried (even sparse) approach to the bass, low volume-level & indeed no drums--that should be enough to finger the bassist on "Alone Together", & a good referencebook (but NOT AMG, again) will do the rest.

RDK--I'll toss you a replacement if you like once I'm back. At least one other faulty disc turned up in the mail...

[cannonball-addict]

Roger Kellaway/Red Mitchell on Alone Together?

[king ubu]

Roger Kellaway/Red Mitchell on Alone Together?

?

[cannonball-addict]

Bill Mays and Ray Drummond did a duo version but its too long to be this one.

[Bright Moments]

got it! heard it! loved it!

thanks Nate!

B)

[mikeweil]

Roger Kellaway/Red Mitchell on Alone Together?

I had the Bill Mays CD with ray Drummond, and I'm sure this is not the version. It does not sound like Red Mitchell on bass either, whose sound I know pretty well, so the album king ubu linked is not the one.

No clue who it might be ...

[mikeweil]

Now that I at last find the time for some more concentrated listening, here are my more elaborate comments on some tracks starting from the piano/bass duo:

Track 8: A little too pedestrian for my taste - The walking is pretty simple, not much feeling in it, very conservative, doesn't match his solo ideas. I like to hear more tonal painting on a tune like "Alone Together" - they certainly do not sound like it, but just play the tune and the changes.

Track 9: Very nice - an album I would check out for more. No idea who it is, just a feeling I should know. That Dolphy-esque tune sounds familiar.

Track 10: NMCOT - and definitely not Gato. This is a Paris suburb I will not pay a return visit.

Track 11: Very nice two-handed pianist - don't see how he should be interested in the dull backing of the duo bassist from track 8. Still no clue who it is.

Track 12: This has been guessed, and I have it, but listened more to his trio track, one of which I considered for my upcoming BFT. I like this pianist a lot - what has he been doing lately?

Track 13: I'm not a fan of this unsettled piano trio style in the Bill Evans wake. I like a tune to be played, not just hinted at. I always have the impression they would improvise just the same stuff on a totally different tune.

Track 14. Nice guitar trio, no idea. Would have to hear more to say wether or not I like him. Cool idea to play an ABBA tune - it's the way you play it! He sure does it well!

.... oh - it's over so soon? Enjoyed it, whish I had more time for peaceful listening.

Edited July 18, 2004 by mikeweil

[king ubu]

Roger Kellaway/Red Mitchell on Alone Together?

I had the Bill Mays CD with ray Drummond, and I'm sure this is not the version. It does not sound like Red Mitchell on bass either, whose sound I know pretty well, so the album king ubu linked is not the one.

No clue who it might be ...

I just provided the link to the guess of cannonball addict, not having my disc with me then (and too lazy to compare since then)...

and here goes just to show I can do that, too...

[mikeweil]

and here goes just to show I can do that, too...

Never was in doubt ...

[mikeweil]

Finally, my comments to tracks 1-7:

Track 1: I like this kind of hoedown, the strings and they way they're used is nice - I appreciate humor in music above all others, and if it is really authentic musical humor I'll accept some flaws - but no flaws here. Would like to hear more of it. The tincans and tambourines are a nice touch. Who is this?

Track 2: Some Cecil-ite doing Donna Lee. Interesting, but I probably couldn't take a whole CD of this. But this interests me more than most free style solo pianists I have heard. His witty approach makes it listeneable.

Track 3: No idea who it is. Carla Bley's tune "Sing Me Softly Of the Blues". Almost a classical tone on the alto. Is this from a whole CD of Carla's tunes? Something to check. They take the title literally - that's what I always like, when there is some reference to the song title. I dare say it is neither Konitz nor Paul Bley. The cellist uses too wide a vibrato for my taste. It would have worked perfectly without the cello. Still very nice. I'd listen to more of this.

Track 4: Saxes only, with bass and drums. Nice writing. They get it across to me. After the ensemble the alto soloist gets a little on my nerves. Would have preferred less alto and more baritone - I think the latter is more consistent in his ideas.

Track 5: Starts out making me curious how it will proceed, but what follows is some modern Chick-Corea-esque theme for a jazzy tv commercial with neo-baroque leanings. I probably have heard too much of this kind, so blame it on my listening experiences rather than the level of the playing here, which is good. Still all of the elements here have been used more convincingly, I think.

Track 6: Now that could be Konitz, or at least someone who likes him. Konitz' sound is somewhat more fragile. No that's not Konitz. Is that a tenor sax? The pianist plays some phrases that sound he hasn't quite made up his mind - some random chords not totally conceived. Nice idea to take their time before they really play together, but somehow the track as a whole doesn't convince me.

Track 7: After some more listening, I'm sure this is Bennie Wallace. I couldn't listen to him all night - well I once did for a whole evening and it was hard to bear as his drummer was so unrestful - but I somehow like his jagged style. I have some tenor battles he organized that are very nice, and his monkisms are always good.

Very nice BFT !!!!!

[Dan Gould]

I have received the disc but bad timing as far as listening time goes. Hopefully soon-or at least before Marcus' CD arrives!

In the meantime, thanks to Emergency Command Post Leader Big Al (and Nate)!

[Saxophone__Vagina]

I really liked the styles here, and the cd flowed from song to song very well, sadly i cannot do a track by track analysis, but i look forward to seeing the answers, because everyone on this cd was pretty good.