mikeweil Posted October 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 Intresting...I was thinking I'd get some clues for track 9 after reading the posted answers, but...nothin'! Not much love for the track, either--interesting! Well, I love it...particularly the break at the 5:30 mark. Niiiiice. Same thoughts here. The diversity of reactions on the same tracks is amazing in this test - but then I got it right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 Disc 1 is a problem. My reaction when I first heard this was a bit negative. Most of it was just not the music I really like. On second hearing, the compilation started to make sense. But I could not identify any of those sides. I have kept listening to it. These are impressions, no guesses. 1- a quartet with vibraphone going into a lovely tune. But is that really a vibraphone? or is the player using special mallets? doubt it is a xylophone although the instrument sounds a bit like one. Good player anyway. Also the piano player who was right to the point in building a neat and very swinging solo. Enjoyed this unpretentious music, 2- I did not go for that one! Funk drums, electric bass, electric piano plus nonsense vocals. The mix was really too much. Things went a bit better when the sax player burst in. Nice solo from him. 3- Failed to get excited about this type of music. The sax player is obviously from the current generation but does not make much of an impression. The drummer does his thing but does not add a lot to the proceedings. 4- more organ but this sounds more interesting. The baritone player is excellent, so is the trumpeter. Good up to the point solos from both. Same for the solo from the organist. This is good enough for me. I will have to investigate these players when the truth will be revealed. Liked that track very much. 5- a bop warhorse. Who's here? My problem with too many of the current musicians is that most of them lack individuality. I really could not identify the two tenor players and thought the second one had a small edge over the other. The drummer lended support and knew his kits. A good man, obviously. 6- after several listening to that Strayhorn classic, I could not decide whether I really liked this interpretation. I would say this would have been better if the pianist had played a shorter version of this instead of diluting his (or her?) ideas. 7- Paper Moon. Another track that does not do too much. Don't see the point in scatting this Harold Arlen classic. The bass player did a commendable job. 8- More organ. With guitar. But I did go for that one. A groovy interpretation. Will check on the album when Mike tells it all, 9- a lesser effort from Freddie Hubbard? or from one of his clones? I did not care for this music when it came out and still don't. 10- the tune is so identifiable. And there is our old friend Jon Hendricks aboard. But a search of an album with Jon and the tune proved fruitless. A problem with these so successful tunes is that one gets very easily tired of interpretations from other musicians after the original hit the chart lists. I stick to Lee Morgan's classic on that one. 11- a harp? Mike's got to be kidding was my first thought when I started listening to that one. But it turns out the music makes sense. Harp and prepared piano going into variations of Flamingo. I'm really intrigued about that one. 12- bass and vocal! Not again! This went from one ear to the other and failed to leave an impression on what remains of my brain... Must say I liked BFT disc 2 much better but found several tracks on disc 1 that have me waiting for the results announcements. Need I thank the perpetrator when he set up so many boobytraps on his discs? I just hope the injuries will not be too severe. Oh OK Many Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 1. I like it! Recording sounds pretty recent, but the player sounds like one of the old masters. Which one, I don’t know. 2. Scat greeeeaze! HAFC™, and I’m not usually a fan of scat-singing, but this is pretty groovy! The tune sounds like “Airegin.” Oh my LAWD, that sax solo just started and it be soooo FUNKY!!! 3. Ahhhhh, more greeeeaze!!! Hmmm, alto, B3, drummer from Mars…. If this AIN’T Poppa Lou, then someone’s sure doin’ a good job of apin’ him! But I don’t know: ol’ Lou NEVER sounded this ferocious. 4. Ahhhh, even MORE greeeeaze!!! Mike, yer killin’ me here, and I’m LOVIN’ it!!! What is that, a bari sax? Sounds like late-60’s Larry Young, but did he ever record with a bari sax? Once again, HAFC™, but I sure dig it!!! 5. ‘Tis a wonderful GREEEAZE fest goin’ on here! Once again, no clue, but these four tracks have sent me to southern-fried heaven!!! 6. A very lovely “Lush Life,” but no clue as to who it is. 7. First dud of the bunch. Not a fan of vocals at all, and even less when it’s of the “bop-bop-shickaaaaa” variety. It’s “Paper Moon,” but I didn’t finish. 8. Back to the greeeaze!!! I like the quiet-burnin’ vibe. Sounds like one of those Jimmy Smith-Kenny Burrell dates for Verve. 9. Now THAT is one fat FUNKY groove!!! HAFC™ as always, but I can’t wait to find out who this is! In fact, a bunch of this BFT is gonna break me! 10. Scat-singing on “Sidewinder?” Uhh, thanks, but no. NEXT!!! 11. Ehhhh, sounds too much like avant-classical music to these ears. NMCOT™. 12. Interesting, to say the least, but alas scat-singin’ just ain’t my cuppa tea!!! By and large, a very good BFT!!! And one of the greeeeaziest! Great job, Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Dorward Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 (edited) Just got it & started listening. I'll post this now & add to it gradually. BFT 18 1. Striking opening: hard to guess where this is going. MJQ surely? Nice twists & turns in the tune. Hm, the pianist does a few things I don’t really associate with John Lewis but I’ll stick with the MJQ i.d. If it ain’t Milt then it’s perhaps Teddy Charles: that coda to the piece reminds me of Charles’ Atlantic album. 2. Kicking opening, & monstrously fast playing from the electric bassist & vocalist. Not really my thing but it’d be crabby to complain about it: it’s not merely virtuosic. Nice touch when the saxophonist is brought in at the end. No idea who anyone is on here, though the saxophonist sounds familiar, though that may just be due to the Parkerisms. 3. Curious tune. Oliver Lake I think. The drums are all over this disc & I wish I could hear the organ & sax more clearly. An OK track but the drummer is a bit much. 4. Hmmm... this has the sound of certain Larry Young tracks: “Plaza Del Toros” & “Zoltan” for instance. Odd to have the baritone as the lead instrument though. The question is whether this is 1960s or recent. I’m undecided but I think it’s probably recent. The trumpeter’s got the right licks from Hubbard but the tone is less forthright. Eerie how accurately this reproduces the mood of Young’s mid-1960s Blue Notes. I don’t know, for what it is it’s pretty good, though it doesn’t have that element of surprise that would really push it to the front of my attention. In general organs & updates of the blues seem to be becoming a theme on BFT18. 5: DeJohnette, surely. The saxes are so close I initially thought it might be Roland-Kirk-style multiple sax playing. Curious little metrical skip at the end of the head. Nice cutting contest type thing. Can’t i.d. the saxes & bass, though, which is bugging me.... Heavier rougher sound on the 2nd sax. The main improv section of the piece is just in 4/4, but the head has a few 3/4 bars stuck in there & if I have the count right the final tag is 4/3/4/3/3, which takes some getting used to! 6. Nice solo piano rendition of “Lush Life”. I don’t recognize this guy. A few Monk touches (in particular, several repetitions of a bassline tag which Monk used a lot) in an otherwise rhapsodic statement of the theme. 7. Mouth music at the start. “Paper Moon.” No idea who either player is. I think I’d like this a bit more if the recording weren’t so close, catching every tiny little inflexion & breath intake; maybe this would seem less mannered to me if it weren’t pushed in my face. 8. Nice stoptime opening. Organ trio playing the blues, can’t guess the date or players but I think it’s probably recent rather than the 1960s. Very nice stuff, though maybe not as exciting as I would have hoped; the trading at the end seems a little polite. I suppose it could be that Smith/Burrell reunion disc. 9. After the softer-edged sound of the last track this one really jumps out of the speakers! This is one of those five-tracks-for-the-price-of-one tracks. The tenor sax sounds very familiar, maybe Ravi Coltrane or even Mark Turner. Lots of fuss, & I find it hard to care. I guess the trumpeter's the leader. 10. No prizes for guessing the tune. Bleah, vocalese stuff, not a genre I’m very fond of. I could probably guess these guys even though I don’t really know them at all (it’s virtually guaranteed on a project like this that Jon Hendricks &/or Mark Murphy will be involved...). Probably that vocal supergroup who were on Downbeat a year or two ago (Elling, Murphy, Hendricks, I forget the 4th). As for the music, not really my thing. 11. A far-out opening compared to what’s gone before. Harp, inside-piano, bowed bass. Hm, maybe it’s (Miya Masaoka on?) koto rather than harp. Probably Mark Dresser on bass, in which case it’d be Denman Maroney on piano. Interesting track; not great, but pretty good nonetheless. 12. More scat blues stuff, not sure who it is. Not really a big fan of this but it’s OK. The faux-brushes at the end are a bit loud, though done disconcertingly well! Worth hearing just for the skill of the vocal imitation at the end, which puts even the Mills Brothers to shame. I think I liked the 1st half of this disc better than the 2nd half. I'll fill in the gap above later.... Edited October 14, 2004 by Nate Dorward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 8. Instant recognition. A great CD that’s not easy to find. Track 5 from: This CD That’s my man Jimmy Cobb on that?!?!? Oh yes, I GOTS to get this one!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 5. This one I know - vegetable connection to Sinatra, and the album is food too.this album #5 The link ain't workin', man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted October 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 (edited) 8. Instant recognition. A great CD that’s not easy to find. Track 5 from: This CD That’s my man Jimmy Cobb on that?!?!? Oh yes, I GOTS to get this one!!!! Buy directly from the leader - I got it from him: service was fast and reliable, and he gets the most this way. Edited December 15, 2005 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannonball-addict Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 track 4 - doesn't really catch my interest. seems like your generic latin groove. I am almost certain that this is NOT Ronnie Cuber - though it has great soul. I think it's got to be a little older. Maybe Sahib Shihab. Although there aren't too many quality baritone players out there of note - and it sounds nothing like Smulyan, Brignola, or Howard Johnson or the dude who played in the SNL band for recent years. Is it this new cat Chris Karlic? As far as the organ goes, it could be Larry Young, Charles Earland or Don Patterson (or some European cat who we've never heard of). The quote of Cubano Chant in the organ solo. But overall, this track was too monotonous (doesn't go anywhere) and the open intervals during the head got on my nerves - but this is simply a matter of personal taste. track 5 - I like this a lot. The drummer is getting in the way too much. That suggests that it might be the drummer's date. The head is simple but the harmony works nicely with twin tenors. I liked the tradition I heard in the first tenor solo - I like the fast runs. The other guy is obviously trying to be one of those totally original shape-oriented guys like Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson. Pretty sure its neither of these guys. Excellent bass solo. The trading fours between the saxophones should offer insights into who they are but I HAFC. track 6- very beautiful voicings. I am liking solo piano more and more. And by the way, this is NOT Chelsea Bridge. Correct composer, wrong song. It's Lush Life by Strayhorn -which now seems like its on its third BFT. I would guess somebody like Bill Evans Fred Hersch or Bill Mays or even Jacky Terrason - hard to say when this was recorded. But there are just too many cats who have done this - to know who it is. I love the way he/she/whoever brings it back to the head towards the end. track 7 - this female vocalist is trying to sound like al jarreau or flora purim while also sounding mainstream like carmen lundy or rene marie. I am sure this is recent. I did her solo ideas and he syllables. But she is flat too often. Her ideas are hip but it just doesn't click - she's pushing it instead of letting it happen. Bassist has great time and feel. Kudos for doing Paper Moon with a Latin feel - don't think I've heard it this way before. track 8 - yeah. reminds me of vintage Pat Martino or Jimmy Ponder. Could be much newer - like Paul Bollenback on guitar or Steve Kirby or Peter Bernstein. The organist is good but not special. If its newer it's definately not Joey D - could be Greg Hatza. gotta love this music. It has to be mentioned that what the organist does from 3:13 - 3:16 (this is while they are trading fours) - is super hip harmonically. JSngry probably knows what he's doing but it's just incredible that this guy thought to do that in the spur of the moment like he did. (After a few listens I'm almost positive that this is Martino). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Moments Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 was i right about lee wiley? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted October 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 Sorry, no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim R Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 8. Instant recognition. A great CD that’s not easy to find. Track 5 from: This CD That’s my man Jimmy Cobb on that?!?!? Oh yes, I GOTS to get this one!!!! Buy directly from the leader - I got it from him: service was fast and reliable, and he has the most of it. I'll second that recommendation. I've bought from him a couple of times. Seems like a very nice cat (look who he worked for early in his career, BTW... he did a beautiful tribute recording a few years ago). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Dorward Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 negen: .... There is this awfully well known melodic lick around 4:15 there that makes me cringe for not recoginising it; Hill? No, Shorter's "Witch Hunt". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannonball-addict Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 8. Instant recognition. A great CD that’s not easy to find. Track 5 from: This CD That’s my man Jimmy Cobb on that?!?!? Oh yes, I GOTS to get this one!!!! Buy directly from the leader - I got it from him: service was fast and reliable, and he has the most of it. I'll second that recommendation. I've bought from him a couple of times. Seems like a very nice cat (look who he worked for early in his career, BTW... he did a beautiful tribute recording a few years ago). I saw Campbell at the Smithsonian with the Jazz Masterworks Orchestra doing all transcriptions of Benny Carter tunes. He was great! I reviewed a tribute he did for Charlie Byrd with Gene Bertoncini and others on AAJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 (edited) I reviewed a tribute he did for Charlie Byrd with Gene Bertoncini and others on AAJ. Gene Bertoncini?!?!? Why oh WHY did you have to bring up his name? His playing on Hubert Laws In The Beginning is nothing short of definitive. You guys are making it damn hard to not blow a wad on this guy's recordings y'know! (Edited because I'm typing without my glasses so I can't see a damn thing!) Edited October 14, 2004 by Big Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim R Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 I reviewed a tribute he did for Charlie Byrd with Gene Bertoncini and others on AAJ. Gene Bertoncini?!?!? Why oh WHY did you have to bring up his name? His playing on Hubert Laws In The Beginning is nothing short of definitive. You guys are making it damn hard to not blow a wad on this guy's recordings y'know! (Edited because I'm typing without my glasses so I can't see a damn thing!) Al, keep your wallet out. Bertoncini also did a Jobim tribute a some years back... BTW, the Campbell tribute I was referring to was for his former boss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 negen: .... There is this awfully well known melodic lick around 4:15 there that makes me cringe for not recoginising it; Hill? No, Shorter's "Witch Hunt". I'll sleep a sound sleep tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 negen: .... There is this awfully well known melodic lick around 4:15 there that makes me cringe for not recoginising it; Hill? No, Shorter's "Witch Hunt". I'll sleep a sound sleep tonight Night dreamer? B-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Man, I am SO diggin’ this BFT! Been playing tracks 1-9 (except 7) all day today. This is the GREEEEAZIEST set this side of a Patton-Green-Dixon record!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted October 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 B-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKE BBB Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Sorry, joining in late! I´ve spend most of my (little) spare time with the Tete Montoliu discography, and haven´t given this BFT a spin till now. My comments/guesses: 1.- MJQ-like ensemble, but I´d swear this isn´t John Lewis on piano and/or Milt Jackson on vibes. Unusual sound from the vibes: strangely “clear” or “strong” or whatever. But I like the playing. And the tune´s a very nice one! 2.- Not my cup of tea, by any means! I don´t like that hammering electric bass, that funky beat on the drums, that electric piano… and that continuous scatting can be tiresome at times. Curious fake end. Lighweigth sax solo. HAFC 3.- This one doesn´t “get” me. The alto sax playing lacks of meat, IMHO, it´s too polished, refined. Traditionally I was not a big fan of B-3, but I´m digging it these days. 4.- It´s gettin´ better round here. I like the baritone sax, the trumpet and the organ. Good enough to explore it! 5.- Boppish tune. Very good track, IMHO! 6.- Hey, at last you gave us a break after all this up-tempo and groovy music! Beautiful tune (Lush Life) composed by the great Sweet Pea through a three years period (1933-36), when he worked sporadically on this piece. This pianist comes directly from Bill Evans. Who? Nice introduction, statement of the melody and variations. 7.- After listening to this track, I´ve been whistling, humming and foot-tappping this Caribbean rendition of “It´s only a papermoon” for more than two hours. Unpretentious and funny. Love it! The vocalist is somehow familiar, but can´t bring a name. 8.- Great organ-guitar quartet! The guitarist´s got plenty of chops, but our guitar experts will put it much clearer, of course! (at this point of disc 1, I´m afraid I surely gonna get a big fat ZERO, as far as guesses for musicians are concerned… ) 9.- Arrrrgh, awful introduction! Sorry Mike, but this may be one of the weirdest starts I´ve ever heard! WTF is this? Are they quoting a few notes from “How high the moon” at around 0:40? Obviously, NMCOT! Some 70´s CTI? 10.- Hey, this is a BFT where, whether you love the groovy/funky beat of each track or you hate it. I like this vocalese cover of “Sidewinder”, BTW. Jon Hendricks is one of the guys, OK? Now I remember Mike´s a devote of vocalese!!! 11.- Bowed bass, harp, strange percussion… Original stuff, for sure! It gets better with successive listenings. Interesting. 12.- Some more scatting to end this disc. I´m afraid I should know who the singer is! Bass + vocals: a format I really dig when Sheila Jordan´s involved: this is not the case… Thanks for a surprising, shocking and love-it-or-hate-it disc, Mike! Now let´s head for disc 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Well, I finally got my discs a few days ago, and was able to listen to them once yesterday, so this is real blindfold, no getting to know the music yet, and no learned and knowledgeable things to be expected... #1 - Who'd have thunk it, a doorbellist for starters... Nice and easy swingin' stuff, a bit too far on the light side for my taste. Like the brushes, though. No need to guess, as this is not at all my usual fare. #2 - That beat is a little bit too, shall I say generic? Well, that's my opinion, only. Like the singer alright, but I'm not too fond of teh rest. They sure listened to some Weather Report, the b/d team sounds quite a bit like the Pastorius/Acuña unit to my ears. #3 - This is a bit more like it for my ears. Again no idea, though... #4 - Sounds a bit like Larry Young I'd say. Very very nice! The barisax is good, so is the trumpet, with that brassy sound. Not Young though. Percussion adds to this, too (rather than - as it often seems to do - distracts). #5 - This sounds slightly familiar, like it! #6 - "Lush Life", beautiful! Would like to hear more of this! The good run continues! #7 - "It's Only A Paper Moon". Very nice tune! First time I heard it was on Nat Cole's great "After Midnight" session. Like the bass, love the voice! No idea once more... #8 - Another winner. Love the understated style on guitar. Sound is a bit like Wes, but not the rest of the playing. Should I know this? What-/whoever it is, I do like it! #9 - The good run, well... it does continue! Altough the beat again is a bit too smooth, I like alto and trumpet. #10 - "Sidewinder" - I guess a bit of googling could bring this up. Nice one! Jon Hendricks? Or Bill Henderson (don't know any of Henderson's discs, so this is just to throw in at least some names...) #11 - Will need a few more listens to this one to decide. No comment yet, except it's a strange listen (which has nothing to do with good/bad or like/dislike). #12 - A terrific closer! Mike loves them vocalists, yes? Guess I could learn some from him... Thanks for the enjoyable discs! I did enjoy a first spin to disc 2 even more, but that was just background music, no notes taken, no time to look into my collection trying to identify some familiar sounding ones. ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Well, my comments are as meagre as usual... but at least I didn't draw a full blank, if that disc with Hendricks is indeed where "Sidewinder" is coming from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted October 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Your Royal Highness, after reading the others' comments you should realize that you didn't come out that bad ..... Disc one was more for tickling out your commentaries about stylistics than for simple guessing. Glad at last someone likes the singer on track 7, EKE BBB has expressed that too. This will be remembered as the polarization BFT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Your Royal Highness, after reading the others' comments you should realize that you didn't come out that bad ..... Disc one was more for tickling out your commentaries about stylistics than for simple guessing. Glad at last someone likes the singer on track 7, EKE BBB has expressed that too. This will be remembered as the polarization BFT! I have to admit Mike, my comments about the first two tracks may sound a bit more positive on paper (well, on the screen) than what I actually felt, but I strive for the positive, usually, and try to be open for as different music as I can - that's what the BFT thing is about! Now I hope to find time this weekend to really explore disc 2 (although I will be away from my collection, which will keep me from identifying those swing small group tracks - I can't ever manage to keep those titles in memory... but some of the tracks sounded very familiar). ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannonball-addict Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Number 10 is most definately Jon Hendricks among others. Can't miss that voice anywhere! This was a trick by Mike but I did the AMG research. This is the disc Hate to quote myself but I already identified the Sidewinder track a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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