Jump to content

BFT #16 - Disc 1 - Discussion


Dan Gould

Recommended Posts

Oh heck, I'm home from work, that means the weekend's started. So let's start talking 'bout my wonderful taste in music. ;)

Seriously, I hope people enjoyed the discs. I'd like to remind everyone that there is a theme here, an element which unites every track. I also spent a good deal of time on the programming of tunes, both in the juxtoposition of certain tunes, and the overall programming arc which I hope is evident.

Looking forward to the discussions-but don't expect me to give any hints, or acknowledge any correct guesses!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 83
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Damn, it seems like every time I receive BFT discs in the mail (at least with regard to the last few tests), I start getting busy. I've only listened to disc 1 once, and only half of disc 2. I looks like it could be a few days before I can really focus on this, so I'm just going to post some random observations now. Before I start, though, let me say thanks to you, Dan. This has been a very enjoyable listen so far, even if you're stumping my ass. B-)

#2 sounded like it could have been somebody sittin' in with the Oscar Peterson trio... maybe a JATP date? A minor blues which I can't name.

#3 is Chelsea Bridge.

#4 is Things Ain't What They Used To Be.

#5 is very familiar (the tune that is), but I haven't had time to figure out the title. :angry: (this always pisses me off, Gould!!) ;)

#6 sounds like After Hours

#7 put me in the mind of JJ, and Kenny Dorham...

#9 sounds like it could be Clifford Jordan's large ensemble

#10 also sounds familiar (very familiar)... I should know the title (is it a Hancock theme?)

#11 a minor modal thing that reminds me of Tyner

That's all I have for now. Not much, but at least I got the ball rolling. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I listened to disc 2 first by accident. So here goes for disc 1:

1. It's definately Bean, but I forget this tune. It's nice to be reminded of where jazz today comes from....where its roots are.....herein lies our answer. 3 1/2 stars.

2. I dig the breathy/raspy tenor sound. I know I've heard this guy before but I know I'm probably not gonna get it before others do.

3. Haha. He tried to sneak a new one in there on us. I want to do this when my time comes around. This was correctly identified by Jim R as Billy Strayhorn's beautiful composition "Chelsea Bridge," and this version comes off this new disc.. 4 stars. I love this album. I think it's his best in the last 10 years.

4. Things Ain't What They Used To Be. No clue on the tenor player. Piano player could be Hank Jones or Horace Silver and OP is too obvious for a BFT and this guy's playing isn't much like OP at all. I really dig the octaves in the left hand. Great conception from both players even if I don't know who they are. 3 1/2 stars.

5. "The Preacher" by Horace Silver. I don't think this is Horace himself but it may well be. One of my favorite Jazz Messengers tunes. Yeah I'm going with "The Hardbop Grandpop" as he was once (and may still be) called. This is the trio at its best. 4 stars.

6. Blues in the Night? No....well I like it but IHAFC. 3 stars.

7. Gotta be JJ and KD with Bud Powell on keys. What a rich blend between those horns. I played this over and over and over just to hear the head. No idea about the tune. 4 stars.

8. The first truly modern thing on the BFT. HAFC. I feel like I should know that tpt player. Somehow I doubt its anyone in the LCJO (hehe). I could take several uneducated guesses - Terrence Blanchard? Jeremy Pelt? Terrell Stafford? Jim Rotondi? At least by his sound we can rule out Tom Harrell and pretty surely Nick Payton. But I'm sure I'm wrong on all counts. BTW, nice piano solo. 3 1/2 stars.

9. Ooh yeah! Nice big band arrangement. Swing it!!! Good bone section - a rarity. This is gonna sound weird but the tenor player sounds like Jimmy Greene (yes I mean the young guy who plays with Tom Harrell and Harry Connick). I can't tell if this is a poor quality recent recording or something that's rather dated. I give this 4 stars despite a rough beginning.

10. "Maiden Voyage" by Herbie. No clue who's on ?Rhodes? or who the horns are. I'm not digging the lack of intonation in the horns at certain times. That might be George Coleman on tenor soloing in the right channel. I love his concept. It's so classically modal. The tenor in the left channel...IHAFC who it is. Could be Benny Maupin - he played some tenor in addition to bass cl. No solo for the keys? No drum solo? Its modal! There's the intonation issue again. 3 1/2 stars.

11. Poor recording quality, yet I really feel where they're coming from. I'm sure Dan put this straight from vinyl to CD. This has not been touched bv a remaster process. Sounds like tenor, trombone, piano, bass, drums. Nice quote of "It Don't Mean A Thing..." by pianist. For some reason I feel like the pianist is a Detroit man. I dunno why. Just a hunch I guess. 3 stars.

I liked this disc much better than #2. I thank you Dan for the past three nights of listening pleasure. I will continue to post if I come up with anything more. You really covered a lot of jazz history with this BFT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now on my second listen.

1. Like it! - Nice cheerful track. It’s a little outside my usual part of the jazz spectrum so I can’t guess who, except to take a stab at Ben Webster. Tune “Girl of my Dreams”.

2. This is powerful playing too, but ditto 1. - no idea who. Blues- don’t know the tune.

3. “Chelsea Bridge” – tenor sounds familiar but I can’t give a name. Standard maintained though.

4. “Things Ain’t What They Used to Be”. Blues of course. Still flummoxed.

5. “The Preacher” by Silver on the chords of “Show Me the Way to go Home”. No idea still.

6. Blues again – I know the tune so well but can’t name it. No guesses but it’s familiar.

7. Blues! Unusual line up. As the bass player solos first perhaps the leader. I’m sure I know the trumpet player – the more one listens the further away does the answer seem to be. The other front-line instrument sounds to me like a mellophonium rather than a valve trombone. Right in my area of choice for style but still no names.

8. Trumpet player familiar again but still can’t dredge up a name. Those descending phrases remind me of Nat Adderley but I don’t think it’s him. Very nice track – my favourite on the disc I think.

9. Can’t guess. Don’t recognise anyone. Bit repetitive.

10. “Maiden Voyage” – no guesses yet again.

11. What on earth is the time signature? Still at a loss – sounds as though the pianist is the leader. Not McCoy Tyner. Sounds as if I should know who, but if I don’t get a name straight away I’ve had it. Could the trombone be Conrad Herwig?

So I haven’t got anywhere very much but will follow the discussion with interest. Like all BFT’s that I’ve heard so far, lots of interest, Dan – thanks for a good one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First off, thank you very much Dan for the excellent music. As usual, this BFT has introduced me to a lot of music I haven't heard, and frustrated me by including tracks I'm sure I have but can't recognize!

Blindfold Test #16 Compiled by Dan Gould

DISC 1

1. Coleman Hawkins? Good stuff.

2. Are we starting in the middle? An edit? I love the piano. I think I've heard this. A pop and a skip--vinyl transfer? Ron Carter on bass maybe? Hell of a solo. I didn't spot "Summertime" until the end...

3. Nice subtle flourishes here and there from the supporting bass, drums, piano. I feel like I should recognize the sax player, but I don't. Sonny Rollins?

4. Sax/piano duo...I dig it, especially the piano player. No guess.

5. Now this I know. I have heard this. Gene Harris?

6. Oh great, another one I know I have but can't remember who it is. For some reason I want to say CTI. Stanley Turrentine?

7. Damn, I think I have this one too. I'll be kicking myself when the answers are revealed. Kenny Dorham maybe?

8. All right, I know I haven't heard this. I would guess late 60s...Art Blakey? (note: Dan's showing off some bass solos with these selections)

9. Moving right along, this is something I don't recognize at all. Seems to move at a tempo I'm unaccustomed to, I really dig it. Another vinyl transfer (weirdness with about a minute left)?

10. "Maiden Voyage." I'm trying to think of organ players who would approach this track...and I'm coming up blank. I'd guess Larry Young or Charles Earland but I don't think so. I don't recognize the sax. Nice version. I can hear the vinyl.

11. I recognize no one. Is that a trombone? For some reason reminds me of Chico Hamilton. Another mean bass solo. More vinyl.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Sounds like Prez to me. Can’t account for the guitar player, though.

2. Sounds like Hawk to these ears!

3. “Chelsea Bridge.” Don’t know the tenor player. Like the drummer, though!

4. “Things Ain’t What They Used to Be.” Is that Flip Philips?

5. Ohhhhh YEAH!!!! My kinda groove! This has GOT to be Gene Harris & The Three Sounds doing “The Preacher.” Mind you, this is just a guess; if I’m right, it’s only because Gene’s sound is SO distinctive! If this is Dan’s way of trying to convince us to write to Mosaic and get them to put out a 3 Sounds Blue Note box, SIGN ME UP!!!

6. I recognize this tune as that long track from the Sonny Side Up album, but I don’t know the name of it. No one sounds familiar to these ears, which is just as well, as I lost interest about halfway through.

7. Sounds like a J.J. Johnson thing. Maybe Kenny Dorham on the trumpet, Oscar Pettiford on bass, Max Roach on drums, anyone else?

8. HAFC™. Kinda long, though.

9. Love that break!!! Sounds like a Duke Pearson big band record!

10. Mmmmmmmmmm!!! A nice greeeazy “Maiden Voyage!” Heck, that even sounds like Wayne Shorter on the tenor!

11. Sounds like a modulated “Mr. Knight.” Sure is long, though, kinda repetitive. Lost interest. Maybe after reading other folks comments, I’ll find something to latch onto, but such was not the case on first listen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. I first thought of Lester Young, but later on it gets a little to gruff for him. Not quite as gruff as Hawkins or Webster, so I'll go with Don Byas.

2. The piano style seems like soul-jazz to me. After a few listens it occurs to me that that's probably baritone, not tenor sax. Gerry Mulligan is said to make the bari sound effortless, so I'll go with him.

3. Do we have a Dexter Gordon ballad here?

4. Things Ain't What They Used To Be, as piano-tenor duet. I wondered about Shepp-Parlan, but too mellow, a better guess would be Zoot Sims and Jimmy Rowles.

5. Chops and funk. Could be GH, but I'll guess Wynton Kelly.

6. More Grease. Stanley Turrentine?

7. JJ Johnson?

8. Lovely, lyrical trumpet. Maybe Woody Shaw?

9. I'll guess Gerald Wilson. Updated big band sound.

10. Fascinating organ version of Maiden Voyage. Organists are hard to find in this modern a style, and more so ones willing to lay back. If it was Jimmy Smith, I think the sound would have focused on the organ more.

11. The piano could almost be early McCoy Tyner. The trombone may be the leader. Steve Turre perhaps?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm very embarassed. I've mislaid Disc 1! I tidied up my CDs, which I do occasionally, putting everything back in its place instead of lying around in stacks all over the place, and now I can't find Disc 1 anywhere. I've got Disc 2 and will address that shortly. However, I had listened to Disc 1 two or three times before it escaped, and this is what I recall:

1. Sounds like Ben Webster to me. Love it!

2. Hmmm, much the same school, but gruffer, more emphatic, with broader gestures. Webster, if it is he on track 1, had a finer sensibility. I note that the rhythm section on this one is much more modern than on track 1.

3. Got to be Joe Lovano. I just saw him in concert a couple of months ago playing ballads and he was superb. This is "Chelsea Bridge," I think. This is a fantastic performance.

And that's as far as I got with my notes! With luck Disc 1 will turn up sooner rather than later and I'll get back to it. Now I'll start listening to Disc 2 in earnest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dan, thanks a lot for this well-programmed pair of discs!

I recognized many tunes, but only few of the soloists, although many of them sound familiar - ten years ago I would have faired better in that respect - my listening habits gardually turned away from that style of jazz. As far as the theme is concerned, on disc 1 I think many of the tracks are either blues forms or have blues and/or gospel inflections. But it could have something to do with cover versions of famous tunes just as well.

Track 1: Nice opener, I'd say not one of the top innovators of swing tenor, but some B+ player. I was surprised by the guitar chorus - wish they had integrated it more into the arrangement, which sounds more like a jam session. But the soloists are all fine but not stunning - no idea who. ***

Track 2: Some Websterish tenor, but it is not varied enough to be the master himself. Another B+ player. ***

Track 3: "Chelsea Bridge", my favourite Billy Strayhorn tune. Some seasoned tenor again playing his profound take on this great tune. Nice, but no idea - maybe someone like Harold Ashby?. ****

Track 4: "Things ain't what they used to be". I didn't know there were so many B+ tenors ... We're deep into Ellingtonia at this point of the disc, either tunes or players. ***

Track 5: The gospelish chord changes of Horace Silver's "The Preacher" are in fact somewhat more sophisticated than this obviously barrelhouse rooted pianist wants to make us believe. This spoiled my idea that it was a tenor sax BFT ... I thought of Gene Harris, but he would deliver more variety. Too long for what he has to say. **

Track 6: I knew after the first two chords this would be "After Hours", the Avery Parrish blues classic. Well, the Erskine Hawkins band said more in three minutes than these cats do in nine ... neat little crossing of jam session and miniature big band - the longer the track runs, the more horns seem to leave the dressing room ;). I prefer the original. **

Track 7: Sounds like some Jazztet record, but there is no Benny Golson. Curtis Fuller? The trumpet sounds more like Kenny Dorham than Art Farmer. Tune sounds like it was derived from "One Mint Julep" - I think I heard it before. Like the trumpet and the drummer, good series of fours. ****

Track 8: Another nice trumpet player! Like Woody Shaw on the lyrical side. This is neither Shaw nor Hubbard, but someone who has listened to Freddie. I have to admit I do not miss Freddie's mannerisms. Pianist plays the hard bop textbook, but to me it sounds too much like he is simply aligning phrases. ***

Track 9: This is Clifford Jordan playing his tune "The Highest Mountain", and is pretty close to his arrangement, but is different from the version on the band's Milestone CD, and a little sloppier in execution - and this is not Vernel Fournier on drums. Hmmm .... you got some other demo or live recording, Dan? Sure would like to have it! ****

Track 10: Maiden Voyage with an organ? Why not ... but this is not nearly as evocative as Herbie's version, which was a veritable tone poem, and the horns do not quite play in tune. Another tenor I should recognize. Would have liked to hear the organist soloing. ***

Track 11: Reminds me of the Jazz Messengers, probably a tune composed for them - tune sounds very familiar, but I didn't keep too many of their albums. I'd say that is not Blakey, but there is at least one Messenger in the band. Good players. ****

Now off to other members' foolish replies ... ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10. ... That might be George Coleman on tenor soloing in the right channel. I love his concept. It's so classically modal. The tenor in the left channel...IHAFC who it is. Could be Benny Maupin - he played some tenor in addition to bass cl.

I too thought of George Coleman - he seems to haunt these Blindfold Tests!!!

But that is not Maupin, who BTW played just as much tenor sa he did bass clarinet. The second horn is an alto, to these ears.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Time to post my replies. I was away last weekend, so couldn’t get to the writing. But I certainly listened in the airplane! I haven’t looked at any of the responses yet, so here goes. Thanks for a great comp, Dan—not sure if I picked out an overriding theme, but there’s certainly a focus on the piano.

This will be another in a series of “Peter’s picks that are all wrong and give readers of this thread no clue as to who is playing on any of the tracks.” Screw it—this is fun!

1. Not sure what this is, although I’ll guess it’s an early Ben Webster side—maybe he’s not the lead, but I think this tenor sounds like him. If it’s not him, I know I’ll whack my forehead when I find out who it is, because I’ve got some of his stuff. Not sure who the other players are. Hmmm, the guitar should give me a clue as to what this is, but it doesn’t…early ‘40’s recording? It’s gotta be a 78 rpm side, coming in at just over 3 minutes.

2. Another similar tenor vibe. I’m not sure who this is at all (probably Ben Webster, LOL). I can’t figure out whether this is studio or live…I’m thinking the latter, because the recording quality isn’t so hot. Traditional blues structure with a turnaround. Nice, but no surprises!

3. Ben Webster? Just kidding. Well, hell, maybe it is…I have no idea at this point! I like this a lot, and know I’ve heard it before. Could it be Warne Marsh? It sounds “west coast,” as much of a generalization as that is.

4. Another song I know I know (and have), although this isn’t the first or best-known version of it. Pianist meanders a bit and doesn’t do a lot for me—I’m kind of snoozing here, maybe it takes a few more listens.

5. This has GOT to be a Gene Harris side. Was the very last chord cut off? I thought this was from the It Club recordings, but I don’t hear any crowd noise, so it’s probably a Three Sounds record. Not sure which one, but I sure dig it!

6. More blues. More tenor. Always a great combo. Again, I’m not sure who the saxophonist is, but I’m going to guess (why the hell not?) Cannonball Adderly? I like this.

7. Stumped again! I know the tune, and again think I have it. I’m a sucker for trumpet/bone doubling, though; I would guess that it’s Curtis Fuller, but the sound of the recording makes me think otherwise. The bassist is pretty journeyman, though, and can’t hold a candle to the trumpet player (Kenny Dorham?) (watch, everytime I say something like that, it’s someone like Paul Chambers). Piano solo doesn’t really grab me either. I wonder, though, if this is some iteration of the Jazz Messengers.

8. Nice! This is a newer recording; Roy Hargrove? I like it a lot, but can’t figure out who it is. Again.

9. Nice large ensemble work—the arrangement is tight and interesting, and another tenor is featured. I think I’ve heard this before as well, but can’t figure it out. Got a nice swing feel to it. Could it be from a Buddy Rich-led record? I ask that because the drums are pretty far up in the mix. The bass player seems a little lost, though. I dig the bridge!

10. Well, if Allmusic allowed super-advanced queries, I could figure this version of Maiden Voyage out and at least feel good that I got one right…but it doesn’t! I’ve never heard this with an organ before, and I like it. I love the tone of this tenor player, but don’t know who it is. Unless it’s an obscure side with Wayne Shorter? Don’t think so. George Coleman (who I’m confident has an appearance on this disc)?

11. Obscure Elvin Jones or side? I don’t think so, but again, we’ve got the drums up in the mix, so it’s possible. I hear tenor and trombone (another great combo) and I think the piano sounds like Tyner; but the chord changes don’t hit me like any Coltrane I’ve heard.

Well, as I said before…got no idea who any of these are, unless my wild-ass guesses on certain tracks are correct for others. Great comp Dan, thanks for sending it out (although you’re going to think I’m a total jazz poseur after reading my responses); I’ll get my responses to Disc 2 in shortly!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Track 6: I knew after the first two chords this would be "After Hours", the Avery Parrish blues classic. Well, the Erskine Hawkins band said more in three minutes than these cats do in nine ... neat little crossing of jam session and miniature big band - the longer the track runs, the more horns seem to leave the dressing room ;). I prefer the original. **

Hah. I dig the second sentence!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2. Another similar tenor vibe. I’m not sure who this is at all (probably Ben Webster, LOL). I can’t figure out whether this is studio or live…

Hmmm... I have audience applause on my copy! :huh: I still say that pianist sounds a lot like Oscar Peterson. The crowd doesn't sound as rowdy as a JATP audience, so I'm still not sure on that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been thinking that the guitarist on TRACK 1 sounds a lot like Bill DeArango. With a little bit of luck, I hit on this pretty quickly (this tune sounded very familiar, and the tenor player sounds right to my ears):

TRACK 1

Bingo! The guitar professor strikes again!

I have that on a Savoy twofer anthology the site you linked to does not mention, and I compared. You got it! That tenor player was in my mind for a very short moment, but I have too little time to investigate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been thinking that the guitarist on TRACK 1 sounds a lot like Bill DeArango. With a little bit of luck, I hit on this pretty quickly (this tune sounded very familiar, and the tenor player sounds right to my ears):

TRACK 1

I would not have guessed that this would be gotten through the guitarist! Leave it to Jim R. -I never heard the guitarist on anything other than this date, Jim works from spotting the guitarist to IDing the track.

:tup

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The strange thing is, when I scrolled down that DeArango discog page, one of the first things that caught my eye was that song title. The tune sounded very familiar, but I could never have come up with that title just relying on my own brain. When I saw the title, something told me that was it. I pulled out Dizzy Gillespie's THE GIANT to play that tune, and bingo. Then it occured to me that the tenor player on Dan's track sounded a whole lot like the guy I'd come to know from his B.N.'s. :rolleyes:

Speaking of Dizzy, DeArango played (and soloed) on some of his biggies in the 40's, such as Ol' man bebop, Night in Tunisia, and 52nd street theme.

image001.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The strange thing is, when I scrolled down that DeArango discog page, one of the first things that caught my eye was that song title. The tune sounded very familiar, but I could never have come up with that title just relying on my own brain.

Well, extra kudos to you, because if you had scanned the other posts, you'd have seen that Tooter ID'd the song.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...