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BFT #16 - Disc 2 - Discussion


Dan Gould

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9.  As Aric would say, “Hell Yeah!”  Maybe my favorite track on this disc.  ‘Bout as greasy as it gets.  That’s Major Holley doing his thing at the end.  I was pretty sure this was from this album: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&t...10:ltazqjmyojha  (which I have) but now I realize that Shirley plays organ on that date, not piano.  If I don’t already have this I gotta get it!

As the old Kay Kyser, would say, “That’s right! You’re wrong!” ;) It’s definitely not from the album you listed, but I could sure see how you might think this is Mr. T! And maybe it is “Little Miss Cott” playing piano. Dan try to trick us on a BFT? NAAAAAAAAH!!!!! :g

I identified that one:

Let me quote myself:

9- thought there were two sax players on that one and identified the ex-Basiite (and also the humming bass player). This has to be track 5 of this album:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0ykzikmhbbo9

which means there were three sax players in full battle. And one more album to get. Damn you, Dan!

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Here goes...continuing my thoughts (sad, stab-in-the-dark-guesses?) over to disc 2.

1. Summertime. Can’t miss that chord progression. Piano players (there’s definitely more than one. Could this be “The Contemporary Ensemble”, a CD I’ve long since lost (and wish I still had)? Nice and bluesy, the way this song should be. Nope—it’s stone live, so it’s something I’ve not heard. Lord, Lord LORD they’re swinging it home!

2. This almost sounds like it could be Metheny, but the guitar sound is a bit different. I’m kind of snoozing on this one—sounds like the last song of a last set on a Saturday night. Good for a mood, but it doesn’t do much for me.

3. Aaaaaa. What is this song. I have something like six versions of it! I can never think of the names when I hear them in this context. I like this version—sounds post-1980 to me—but don’t have it. Nice, competent ensemble; pianist likes to throw chords in that aren’t in the chart every once in a while, and I like it.

4. Another tenor! I like this a lot. It’s sort of post-bop crossed with blaxploitation soundtrack—dipping into the early 70’s to get a nice funk beat/bassline. I have no idea what this is, but I’m going to have to be on the lookout for it. I don’t like the piano tone—it sounds like a Yamaha spinet or other weak instrument—but it’s good stuff.

5. Hmmmm…a little snippet of Lou live (nice cut, Dan) with the Turbanator. This has got to be one of Lou’s BN records (I think this is only the second track on the BFT without a piano!). I’m pretty sure this is from http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=music

6. A little barrelhouse action—well, not really I guess; don’t really care for this one. I have no idea who it is, but it’s got the classic blues turnaround again. NMCOT.

7. Can I get an AMEN! Get that Hammond on full stops! This is great stuff—very obscure. I have no idea who’s playing (could be one keyboardist, not sure). Very greasy, very lazy tune. I love it.

8. Started out thinking this was Ray’s Rockhouse…but it’s clearly not. Sounds like it could have been touched by Oliver Nelson; I really like this one. I can’t tell how old the recording is; I suspect it’s on the recent side based on the way the piano was mic’ed (it wasn’t Rudy, that’s for sure!) which is the only negative I have for this track. Nice lazy trumpet solo. I’m going to have to look for this one when I figure out who it is.

9. Is this Stan the Man Turrentine? I think it has to be, but the “echo chamber” makes it not one of his BN recordings. Wait, again I know the tune but can’t place it. Almost sounds like a revamped version of ST & the 3 sounds, with a less-firey pianist than Gene Harris. Maybe this is a straightahead tune from one of Stan’s CTI recordings. Nice.

10. I have this track, but I don’t know what it’s from. Again, Webster-ish tone for that tenor player; I wonder who it is (particularly since I have it). I like this one and pull it out on Sunday mornings…but I can’t…figure…it…out!!!

Well, that was great fun, Dan—thanks for a compilation of some seriously dirty, greazy blues. This one will be staying in heavy rotation for a while, and I have a feeling that it will force an increase in my music-buying budget as well! Can’t wait to hear the answers!

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2.1. Summertime

The spirit is fun, but the performance is a little hackneyed and it goes on a bit too long for me to stay interested. At least the pianist, whoever he is, takes it lightly, as evidenced by the "I got a cramp in my finger! That's a chicken!" routine. I like the guitar interlude.

2.2. Very nice. I was happy to discover a saxophonist would be soloing. The whole thing is quite convincing. Is that a bass guitar?

2.3. The tune is "Jeannine," but as usual I'm unable to identify the musicians. Very nice tenor solo. The pianist's phrasing in his solo sounds very Tynerish to me, giving a different twist to this nice and bluesy tune.

2.4. Hot, buttered tenor saxophone. Nice and greasy. Sounds familiar, but I don't know if it's really a saxophonist I know or just the style that's predictable. This would have been fun live, but I find it kind of generic.

2.5. This is also territory that's been visited a million times, but I like this one better than the last two tunes. They keep it in the pocket, tastefully swinging with just enough funk, and never push it. Very tasteful.

2.6. I know the tune but can't think of the name. Nice, classic arrangement--I thought of the Clayton/Hamilton band, but honestly have no idea. Swinging!

2.7. I love the honest soulfulness of this, the old-fashioned blues feeling. Great tenor solo! Organ and piano... not too common, but I have no clue.

2.8. This could have been done at any time from the 50's to the present day. The recording sounds more modern, though, so I'm thinking it's 80's or 90's, but I'm just guessing. Good, muscular tenor; the trumpet's a little thin by comparison, and sounds much more like a good student. A mix of generations? Might be a Criss Cross date.

2.9. Very nice rhythm section. Oh, it's "Lover Man," I think. One of those tenor players is Houston Person, I'm thinking, and the second sounds familiar. Major Holley on bass is unmistakable.

2.10. This whole vein of tenor sax is so densely populated that it could be any number of tenor players, and I'd need to be a lot more familiar with it to guess just which one this is. Reminiscent of Ben Webster, but then, his influence was wide. Nice.

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I think #3 is Track 4 on this. I never heard of him before this.

Is it just me or is there very little interest in this disc of the BFT compared to the other. Seems to be a lot more quivelling on the other disc. I guess this is what happens when you put out a 2 disc BFT - people rally around one that they have the most guesses for.

Edited by cannonball-addict
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Second listen is as we speak. Have not read any other comments.

TRACK 1 - "Summertime". I'm thinking that this is Gene Harris, and more than that I'll not say. WAY over the top by the end, but done the way that over the top should be done - all the way and without shame. No harm done in my book!

TRACK 2 - Wasn't really doing anything for me until Fathead came in, and then didn't do too much more, unfortunately. The tune is reminiscent of "Delilah" in spots, but it's not that. Nobody's doing anything wrong, it jsut doesn't hit my "zone". I dig laid-back, but the groove on this one seems laid-back w/o the requisite pocket, it just sorta hangs there for me. Oh well...

TRACK 3 - "Jeannine". What a GREAT tune! And not a bad tenor player at all! Sounds like a younger guy playing older, but not blatantly imitative, more like this is the vibe he digs, and this is the vibe he's gonna play, and he'll find his own niche in an already crowded pantheon, even if it is small and relatively insignificant in the big picture. Right on with THAT! But....he deserves a MUCH better rhythm section (or maybe he doesn't, if this is one of his on choosing...). I hear him doing all kinds of subtle ins and outs with the accents, and the rhythm section SHOULD be sensitive to them, but they're not. They just "groove" away, and as a result produce counter the result that they think they're getting. Especially that drummer; he could be playing what he plays for anybody on any tune on any session - SOMEBODY STOP HIM BEFORE HE DOESN'T LISTEN TO THE SOLOIST AGAIN!!!! Much love for the tenor player, considerably less so for the rhythm section.

TRACK 4 - Is this "Ease On Down The Road"? I'm pretty sure it's Plas Johnson. More than that I can't begin to guess. Plas Johnson is a BAAAAD man!!!! This is the type of playing that's going to sound EXCRUTIATINGLY corny if it's not real, and Plas Johnson is VERY real, having played in ALL kinds of commercial situations and always maintaining his individuality. Major props to Plas Johnson! icon12.gif Reat of the band is competent (more than competent, really) but doesn't have that personal thing going, although I'm digging the bass player just fine, thank you. But hey - this is Plas' show so forget about them!

TRACK 5 - "Chicken Shack", obviously. Virtually an ANTHEM that puppy is! No clue who it is. Tenor plyer has elements of both eddie Harris and Stanly T, but is obviously neither. Kinda predictable, but that's also kinda besides the point with this stuff - it's all about playing the blues and keeping it real. Nothing I'd go out of my way to get, but nothing I'd even think about getting rid of if I did.

TRACK 6 - "Jumpin' The Blues" aka "The Jumpin' Blues". Benny Carter moving around while he plays! Sounds like Hootie si ownself on piano. Carmell Jones on tpt?The tenor player sounds VERY aged, but he also sounds like he mighta been a hell on wheels R&B stylist in hia prime. I could almost give Buck Clayton credit for the chart. It's old folks feelin' frisky, and I'm always good with that!

TRACK 7 - Wow, a blues! :g The recording of the organ sounds like some things on King I've got/heard. Tenor has echoes of Budd Johnson. Can't really hazard any guesses, though. This is some real stuff.

TRACK 8 - Think I've heard this tune before, but can't call it. It's a bues... Everybody sounds familiar, but no names are clicking right now. Definitely some vets on the horns, but not OLD vets. Middle-aged, I'd guess. Tenor player sounds REAL familiar, I'm gonna kick myself when I find out who it is... Good, fun stuff, and some slick (in the good way) playing by the horns.

TRACK 9 - Buddy Tate? I think so! Somebody else... not so subtle, he is. Houston Person! I KNOW so! Major Holley. Yep. Shoulda redone that ending, though. Buddy deserved better. Come to think of it, somebody (not Dan) sent me a copy of this album, but I've yet to listen to it, if it's what I think it is. I think I need to listen to it! Buddy Tate was always cool, seems like the older he got, the better he got (I found him just a tad stiff on those Basie sides, but Herschel Evans was a tough act to follow). Tenor #2 is a good player, but not of the same calibre of Tate & Person. He tries too hard. The same could be said of Person for much of the first part of his career, but he's gotten over it just fine.

TRACK 10 - "Willow Weep For Me". From what I've heard of Bubba Brooks, this sounds VERY much like him. Bubba wasn't a real "technical" player, nor was he a particulaly creative one, but he sure played with a lot of feeling, and that works for me most any time. Definitely somebody that people interested in the lineage of the tenor, and of big-tones, blues-based tenorists in particular (actually, on everything I've heard by him, he sounds more like a vintage R&B player who's playing tunes than anything else, and oh, for the days when the lines between R&B and jazz weren't as clear-cut as they are today!) should be aware of! Rhythm section is generic, but quality and effective. Yeah, Bubba!

The number of consecutive 12 bars worked against the overall effectiveness of this disc, I think, but the individual cuts, except for #2, are all worthy of merit as excellent examples of the type of jazz they are. I enjoyed them very much. Thanks, Dan!

Now, to read other's comments and see how many I missed!

Edited by JSngry
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I think #3 is Track 4 on this. I never heard of him before this.

Is it just me or is there very little interest in this disc of the BFT compared to the other. Seems to be a lot more quivelling on the other disc. I guess this is what happens when you put out a 2 disc BFT - people rally around one that they have the most guesses for.

Yeah, he's been around a while. Good player, but I think he was more interesting a player early on in his career. This is his first album, right? Yeah, that's some sweet, unaffected playing!

I see that Mike and I disagree as to who's the villian of the rhythm section, and to be honest, listening again, they're ALL f-ed up! Even the bassist, who's somewhat of a lower-level "name".... The time just never locks in to a good pocket, but our hero performs the death-defying act of ignoring all that and going his own sweet way anyhow!

This cat shoulda been around to play w/the Cedar/Jones/Billy team in their prime!

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1. Summertime. Gene Harris?

2. I'll try Kenny Burrell here. Blue and lyrical

3. Dexter Gordon? Reminds me of the long One Flight Up and also the tune Jeannine by Eddie Jefferson.

4. Very precise and virtuosic theme. Johnny Griffin comes to mind on the fast stuff.

5. Jimmy Smith, maybe with Stanley Turrentine. The talk establishes the period as 90s, and makes me think that the player has been around.

6. The pianist doesn't sound particularly like Duke or Count, so maybe it's Roland Hanna with Jones-Lewis Big Band.

7. Older style organ in ballad mode, with piano too. Could this be Duke's New Orleans Suite? Nah, there should be more horns on that. Maybe some Gene Ammons?

8. Donald Byrd is the only thing that comes to mind here, but I'm far from sure.

9. The Milt Hinton style singing with the bass almost sounds electronically processed. Could this be James Carter?

10. Willow Weep For Me. Stanley Turrentine with the Three Sounds.

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Dan -

I'm finally getting to disc #2 and really enjoying it! It's looking like I will be stumped again, but I will post a few guesses.

1) Summertime, to start, then heads off into an extended jam. I really dug this track. It is a blast, and you can hear that the band, whoever they are, are having a lot of fun. I'll guess Gene Harris, but have no clue if I am correct.

2) No clue who this is. I really dig this track as background music. I don't mean that in a bad way, per se. When I listen to this while doing some work I really love its late night, smoky club vibe. When I stop working and pay too much attention to the track it almost sounds a little too polite and easy-listening-ish to me.

3) Nice, swinging tune. No clue who this is. I like what the tenor player is doing, not so sure about the rhythm section. This is a nice track but nothing that excites me too much.

4) Again, I really enjoy what is happening on tenor but find the rest of the band to be fairly blah. No clue who this is but enjoy listening to it casually. If there could be better musicians backing the tenor this would definitely be a keeper.

5) Back at the Chicken Shack, but I have no clue who this is. The organist sounds very familiar. I'm guessing once the answer is revealed I will kick myself for not getting this one. This version of BATCS plays it a little too safe for my taste. It is nice enough, and I enjoy it, but it could use a little more fire.

6) Again, no clue who this is and no clue what the tune is. I'm not usually a fan of straight-ahead big bands but this was a nice track.

7) No clue who this is. I really am not a fan of the NHL hockey rink style of organ. Thank god for Jimmy Smith...all in all this is not a bad track. It had a nice balance of grease and slow-burning fire. But the organ kills it for me. NMCOT.

8) the playing makes this sound like an older (1950's) recording to my ears but the recording quality makes me think it is much more recent. No clue who any of the players are. Nice enough swinging tune, but nothing I will rush out and buy.

9) I really dig this track! I sound like a broken record but, again, I have no clue who this is. I love the relaxed yet very intense vibe here. If the rest of the album is anything like this I'll have to track this one down. (Oops, just got to the "vocoder" vocals. That is unfortunate...I would prefer this track without the vocals.)

10) No clue who this is. NIce track, but nothing I would rush out and buy.

Again, I think this BFT is stronger as a whole than as the sum of its parts. Great job putting thsi together, Dan! Nice flow and I really enjoyed listening to disc #2.

Edited by John B
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Taking it as it happens...

1- "Summertime" - might this be Dan's old alter ego? Nice groove going here. Some serious work!!

2- Jim R will tell us about this ... Wes is my guess. Shoot, this is a great track! ROTTOMT

3- "(Last Time I Saw) Jeannine". No clue but just a straight up nice read. Eddie Harris?

4- "Ease on Down..." from some Naw'leensian first line group. Cooking, but all's I think of is that hay stuffed white-ish guy dangling bejeweled babies for fake titti shots from French Quarter balconies. Pianist is almost pullin' off a barrelhouse Pullen.

5- "Chicken..." ain't Jimmy cause he would have peppered that intro a bit more...something newish? w/ maybe Papa Lou (guessing here as I remember Dan had a LD on his first test and one always comes back to the scene.)

6- No idea but song is familiar??? hmmm

7- again but not so familiar.

8- ?

9- down and gritty like test disc 1 Gene Ammons sound but has a very recent feel to it. the texas tenor will have it off the mark. And what's going on with that bass solo / nose cello vox??? man that just ruined a perfectly fabulous cut! WTF!!

10-"WWfM"... this could be just about anybody. Is that Gene to close out the whole show!?

Lame answers here I know, but will say that the studio boys said "this is a whole lot better than that 'skeleton f*&$!^% music' I usually play"

Thanks Dan!!! Now time for peeksees.

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I think I've got one...

Track 2

I've been a fan of this guitarist for a LONG time (going back to my blues days), but haven't kept up with him very well.  I think of him as a "blues guitarist" rather than a "jazz guitarist", but he's always been keen to jazz.  I like this track more and more, which tells me I should probably be paying more attention!  Thanks for including this, Dan.

if it is, i've got this one at home... always a couple of them in the mix, huh. and spotting that JSngry has Fathead is the clinch. (howdya guys do this!?)

Great work with the Roomful! Dems were da dayz!!!

Last time I saw Ronnie he was across from me eating a bagel. I need to get out more.

Edited by Man with the Golden Arm
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Second instalment on Disc 2 from me. Doing just the next three. Haven't looked at any other comments.

I don't go for the styles of 4 and 5 very much. Seem to know the sound of the tenor player on 4 though - usual story, just can't dredge up a name. Sounds something like Stanley Turrentine but I'm reasonably certain it's not him. Less familiar with sax on 5 but still no name.

The tune (blues) on 6, after the piano choruses, is more familiar but I don't know what it is. No names again.

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Listening to the last four now.

7. None of the players familiar to me and niether do I recognise the tune - blues, of course. Earthy stuff, laid back.

8. Another blues. Know the tune but still no name. Those of us getting on in years are at a distinct disadvantage here (in a plaintive tone) - such a test of a failing memory. At first I thought I'd got it somewhere but then the tenor player dispelled the notion as unlikely - a bit further along the style spectrum that the area I inhabit. Trumpet player does not seem familiar either although there's a phrase in his solo I'm sure I know. No name for pianist either.

9. No guesses - not my kind of thing I'm afraid.

10. Willow Weep for Me, of course. Style again for me - can't name anybody.

So I recognised hardly anybody, Dan, but enjoyed the disc nonetheless for that. Thanks for a demanding exercise at which I can at least say I tried. Will look for answers now.

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Me needs to be fast here as I saw Dan has already posted the answers! So without further ado - and without peeking at the answers, here are my guesses for disk zwei.

Track eins. Sommerzeit. Rather ornate version with lots of tingling straight from the backroom of the bar. Initially pretty cool for its atmospheric quality, but the stomping part that starts halfway through with the audience interaction has more of a fun jam session work out; also with the geetarr suddenly jumping out from behind the stage curtains. I have no real clue who's playing, but as I cannot imagine the former fanatic wants to fool us twice by excluding the man from his BFTs, I'll drop Gene Harris's name here. The ending is a bit abrupt, wassup?

Track zwei. Airy geetarr with some pretty tune I might have heard before. Sounds rather recent. Nice. The tenor is a bit of a surprise dropping in after a third of the tune is over; has some not so engaging licks in the first part of the solo, I find; bit too elevator-y. Picks up later though and steers free of that pitfall. Pretty, a bit long, and completely clueless.

Track drei. familiar tune, or at least some familiar phrases in there. Nice tenor! No clue who's playing here, but me likee. Piano sounds like this isn't from the olden day either, but rather fairly recent. The piano went on too long for my tastes.

Track vier. woa. some bad ass seventies film flick intro. Mofos with ugly hairdos, gold chains and buttoned down shirts terrorising the filthy streets next to the railroad tracks that lead to desire and eternity, Kentucky Fried Danger Seekers featuring Richard Pryor in a devastatingly destracting role. Powerful sax in the Bostic vein (but tenor). No idea.

Track fünf. that's Poppa Lou introducing a tune, but my ears tell me that Dan is effing with us here, not too good an edit with the voice not rolling off but being cut sosuddenly. Chicken Shack follows, sounds like it might be Lou, but it's not, moreso as I think this is a tenor we're hearing here. Pretty cool, nice to hear this tune in a different version for once. Nice breathy, funky sax; no clue who's playing. an elder statesman? the guitar section is a bit of a let down with the drums sounding so thin; nice grumbles from that geetarr though.

Track sechs. fun stuff from days gone-by done anew. sound's a bit awkward, especially on the piano. Otherwise this is a swinging affair, Some old guys having fun would be my guess. No names to drop I'm afraid.

Track sieben. organ cum piano, very nice. yet another tenor I do not recognise. pretty greasy in the blues department.

Track acht. more unidentifiable (for me) tenor sounds. This one is playing one cool, lazy ass, check this out, solo that says Bad Mofo in that Plas Johnson way but with more air and growls. Trumpeter ain't too bad either.... The rockabilly drum/bass combo I could do without.

Track neun. more big tone, meet you when the lights are out tenor candy in three incarnations. Second one lays it on a bit too thick, and the third one sounds like Houston Person. Holley on bass. Can't be too difficult to find this one out, but I'm too lazy. makes me give that power tool grunt, hawrrr, hawrrr!!

Track zehn. and one more again. Some nicer sound from this tenor, bit more Getz and Turrentine in the mix. No idea. Song is willow weep for me. Sounds like an R&B player trying his way in jazz. Stands up pretty good I'd say.

Thanks a bunch to Dan for providing an interesting lot of tunes with many having that little extra bite that makes me growl and grunt.

Off to reading the answers!

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