BFT #26 discussion thread

[John B]

As quite a few people have already received their copy of my BFT and the rest of the discs should be received in the next day or so, I'm going to go ahead and open discussions now.

I'm not so interested in people being able to identify each and every track. I'm more curious to hear what people think of the eleven songs. Are there tracks you love? hate? are completely bored by? If so, why?

As I said earlier, there is a theme linking these tracks, but knowledge of the theme is not essential to (hopefully) enjoy the disc.

With that said, I hope you all enjoy listening, and I'm really looking forward to reading your comments!

[king ubu]

John, let me be the first to tell you what a great disc you compiled! As I emailed you, I already recognized two cuts (one's da shit!, obviously, about the other one I'll keep my mouth shut).

I also heard some long-haired Africans that think they are Europeans (but we *know* - ever heard of continental drift?)

I'm looking forward a lot to the discussion here! This disc will be ample proof (if any is needed) that the "rat" is not just evil!

Edited June 7, 2005 by king ubu

[Nate Dorward]

John--I started drafting this last week, & then got distracted: here's what I have so far:

1: ouch! that’s quite the sting! OK, let’s turn down the volume... The first thing to strike me is actually the nice sound quality on this one, completely unexpected for an avant bigband (usually the budgets of small labels don’t stretch to nice sound for bigbands). Hey, there’s a little riff from Conference of the Birds as this slips into more “straight” jazz feel, it pops up again at 4:29. Nice how the trumpeter, the first soloist, is as simple as possible (but with some interesting note choices) over the incredibly elaborate arrangement. Two-trombone tag over what sounds like a stretched out blues, & then the pianist is left on his own for variations on the Dave Holland theme – & then we go to Southern climes for a little interlude. The saxophonist’s solo, as with the other solos on here, gives me the feeling of “acting” – like a bit part in a movie or a play, a strongly etched character that slots into a larger structure.

2: Argh, I hate it when I can’t i.d. a standard. The trumpeter sounds nice but so far not strongly grabbing me. Pianist’s solo keeps to the high register, a bit on edge, sometimes maybe not leaving well enough alone for me (i.e. keeps extending an idea rather than finishing it off & starting a new one). His jabby comping on the head doesn't grab me either, though I wonder if that's just an artefact of the recording....

3: I suppose this could be the famous Gianni Gebbia ...... Really nice stuff, not really all that like any other solo sax approach I’ve heard.

4: It opens like Clusone Trio minus cello, with the drumming very Benninkish, but as it goes on it’s clear it’s not Bennink. There are Marty Ehrlich touches in the clarinet but there are also things about it that makes me uncertain that it’s really him, plus this really doesn’t seem to be a musical situation typical of Ehrlich. Nice track, though not earthshaking. Jeez, some really Ehrlichish moments here, I guess I should go with him, but I'm really not sure who the drummer is at all.

5: Not quite as good sound as the previous tracks. I first thought Willem Breuker, but since the tenor solo at the end is definitely Carlo Actis Dato, this is surely an Italian band: I’m guessing (from the prominence of the alto sax) it’s Gianluigi Trovesi. The brash trumpet is surely Pino Minafra?

6: No idea! Very lovely though. I don’t even know what language she’s singing.

7: The opening sounds like it's off Horace Silver's Song for My Father before the more modern-sounding chords come. The turn towards stentorian free-jazz with the tenor's entry again gives this a twist: I really don't know where it's going. Darn odd percussion/drums on here so far. & then a calmly melancholy Spanish-tinge bit for trumpet.... what's going on? THe rest of the track builds more coherently. I wonder if this is part of a larger suite or something?

8: two clarinets. The first soloist sounds aggravatingly familar but hard to place; it sounds to me like the other player doesn't solo--or is this one player, overdubbed? Pretty sure this is European.

9: Quite a change of pace! No idea who any of the players are or the vocalist. Worth hearing though I find it impossible to think of anything to say about it.

10: Starts off as trad jazz but I get the feeling from even the opening drums that it's unlikely to stay that way.... right, there we go, a weird 10/4 interlude for the drums. More clarinets, something of a running theme on the BFT? No idea who this is. I note that the closing chord seuqnece again reminds me of Dave Holland so I wonder if there's a link to track #1.

11: Tony Oxley, obviously. The pianist is hard to figure out – Oxley has recorded duos with Alex von Schlippenbach & Paul Bley but this doesn’t sound like either of them, though the self-imposed limits on what the pianist’s doing make it really hard to discern what he/she “usually” sounds like. Maybe Stefano Battaglia, whom Oxley did an album with I think; this sounds not too far from Battaglia’s Atem, which I’ve heard (it was one of my favourite discs of 2002, actually). – A little AMGing & I think I have a winner on this one: track 8 here.

My guess so far from the two positive i.d.s & my guess at #3 is that the emphasis is on European, or maybe specifically Italian, jazz. I get the impression that, rather like my own BFT, this probably has mostly less-celebrated musicians rather than easily-identifiable players: I only very rarely got that "yeah, this guy sounds familiar" feeling.

There weren't any tracks I hated on this. None of them I think would really make it into my personal pantheon, except #3 &, possibly, #6, #8, even #1 in the right mood. But basically this was a very interesting disc & I'll be interested to know who the various musicians are. I doubt any of the tracks date from earlier than the 1980s, & would guess in fact that mostly this is 1990s to the present.

Edited June 8, 2005 by Nate Dorward

[Dan Gould]

I felt so bad for receiving but never commenting on the last couple of BFTs (sorry, Cary, et. al.!) that I decided to pop this one in as soon as I opened the envelope.

Man, there's an hour I wish I had back.

Sorry, John, but that's how it went. The ugly details:

#1 - If this is the state of big bands nowadays, well ... let's just say its not Basie.

#2 - Much better. Dug the trumpeter a lot, I'm very curious who it is.

#3 - Uh, no thanks. Hated the guy's tone. The tune sounded like a practice exercise. He should keep practicing. I'd rather hear the entire CD by the avante big band than this. NEXT.

#4 - Just don't care for the instrumentation.

#5 - Nothing that appeals here, least of all the drum solo.

#6 - Is this a Bollywood singer with a non-Bollywood backing?

#7 - Could not make it through this one.

#8 - Not unlistenable but nothing compelling either. Again, part of it is the instrumentation.

#9 - I should like this more than I do, especially given what's come before but it got a wee bit too raucous for me.

#10 - Clearly not 'vintage' - the sound is too good and there are interludes in the arrangement that are out of place - but I liked this.

#11 - Uh, no thanks.

Sorry John, but those are the ugly facts from where I'm sitting. #2 gets the biggest with #10 behind it, and the rest ...

[John B]

Sorry John, but those are the ugly facts from where I'm sitting.  #2 gets the biggest    with #10 behind it, and the rest ...    

←

No need for apologies. I knew that this test would not appeal to everybody. I had a strong hunch that you, in particular, would not care for many of the tracks given your taste in jazz. I appreciate your taking the time to listen to the entire disc and give your impression, however harsh, on each of the eleven tracks. I'm glad you enjoyed tracks 2 and 10.

Edited June 7, 2005 by John B

[Dan Gould]

[John B]

John, let me be the first to tell you what a great disc you compiled!

←

Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad you enjoyed the disc and I'm looking forward to reading your comments.

[MartyJazz]

I took this out of the mailbox on my way to the gym and decided to put it on my personal CD player while getting my aerobic workout on the elliptical cross trainer. The opening of that first track nearly threw me off the machine! Chaotic beginning but then settled in and while it traversed a lot of territory, I particularly liked the South African (at least, to my ears) closing. Don't know who it is, but I enjoyed it.

2. Nice muted trumpet on what sounds to me like "Nom di Menticar" - excuse my spelling. Again, no guess.

3. Alto player sure has chops but solo alto is definitely not my thing. Too self indulgent for my taste.

4. Can't remember this track, oh wait, was it alto with percussion? Alto wasn't as up front recording-wise as #3. Don't know who.

5. How can a band play for 14 minutes and then have a fadeout ending? I detest fadeouts but they're particularly inexcusable on long tracks. Otherwise, didn't do much for me.

OK, will get back to the disc sometime soon.

[tooter]

Almost all of BFT26 is well outside my usual listening but I did find it a stimulating program. Plenty of interest here.

1. This gets off to a shocking start! The ensuing music has me wondering how much of it is arranged and written out, if any. There’s a sort of drone going on that sounds like a didgeridoo sometimes which is quite intriguing as background – contra bass clarinet? Exciting music, lots of things going on, but I can’t even begin to imagine who is playing or what it is.

2. This is one I just might know – Non Dimenticar from the album of the same name by Aldo Romano – Paolo Fresu, Furio di Castri and Franco D’Andrea (all from memory and I haven’t even got the album!). I do hope this is right because it’s the only one I can guess about.

3. Hypnotic – music for snakes? Foot tapping definitely out but slithering around is in order.

4. Didn’t like this one particularly – clarinet doesn’t have a very good sound to me but the interplay bears repeated listening.

5. No idea of who this might be either – Dolphy? March. The use of voices for just a brief section seems rather strange – I can’t understand why it was thought appropriate to introduce this change to the otherwise entirely instrumental performance. Like a yellow spot on a picture composed of reds. This is the view of a newcomer to this kind of music. I like the baritone sound. Is it a xylophone there? I found this an engrossing performance.

6. Is it jazz? Can’t guess at the language. Got power. I am eager to know what this is in due course.

7. Strange, uncomfortable mixture, but dramatic. No clue.

8. Thin clarinet sounds. I was reminded of my clarinet lessons at school but this is to insult the players extremely. Couldn’t get into this somehow. Needless to say…

9. Haven’t a clue what this is either – I avoid this kind of music like the plague. It might I suppose be Mingus or Haden, that sort of stuff. But could that be Pepper Adams on baritone? Long shot. He is a favourite baritonist, at least most of what he did. Not this though.

10. Oliver Nelson? Sounds like the sort of thing he encompasses. Makes me feel cheerful, the trad bits. Clarinet again, better timbre.

11. Eastern sounding music – something different, develops well. No clue as to who or what.

There seems to be a tendency towards advocating this as the ideal length BFT – just one disc – and I certainly prefer it as the norm anyway. Good balance here between long and short tracks gives plenty to engage and yet good variety too. It can be done.

I have not looked at any previous comments or done any research – this ought to be the norm too I think, at least for initial comments.

Thanks for a very well composed BFT, John.

[tooter]

Now read previous comments. I wasn't first to guess Non Dimenticar but I am first with the personnel, if right! Don't knock the guessing, John - it's only one aspect of the BFT entertainment but I think it's an important one. Like/don't like (and shades in between), guesses, erudite comments - each to his own - anything goes.

[John B]

Now read previous comments. I wasn't first to guess Non Dimenticar but I am first with the personnel, if right! Don't knock the guessing, John - it's only one aspect of the BFT entertainment but I think it's an important one. Like/don't like (and shades in between), guesses, erudite comments - each to his own - anything goes.

←

tooter,

I didn't mean to give the impression that I wasn't interested in guesses. I just expect that there will be some people who won't have heard any of these before, and I don't want them to be discouraged from giving their thoughts, even if they aren't able to guess.

[John B]

3: I suppose this could be the famous Gianni Gebbia Correct!

4: It opens like Clusone Trio minus cello, with the drumming very Benninkish, but as it goes on it’s clear it’s not Bennink. There are Marty Ehrlich touches in the clarinet but there are also things about it that makes me uncertain that it’s really him, plus this really doesn’t seem to be a musical situation typical of Ehrlich.  Nice track, though not earthshaking.  Jeez, some really Ehrlichish moments here, I guess I should go with him, but I'm really not sure who the drummer is at all. Not Ehrlich

5: Not quite as good sound as the previous tracks. I first thought Willem Breuker, but since the tenor solo at the end is definitely Carlo Actis Dato, this is surely an Italian band: I’m guessing (from the prominence of the alto sax) it’s Gianluigi Trovesi. The brash trumpet is surely Pino Minafra? Correct, that is Dato, but neither Trovesi nor Minafra appear on this track.

10: Starts off as trad jazz but I get the feeling from even the opening drums that it's unlikely to stay that way.... right, there we go, a weird 10/4 interlude for the drums.  More clarinets, something of a running theme on the BFT?  No idea who this is. I note that the closing chord seuqnece again reminds me of Dave Holland so I wonder if there's a link to track #1. There is a link to track #1. If no one comes closer to guessing I'll post a hint.

11: Tony Oxley, obviously. The pianist is hard to figure out – Oxley has recorded duos with Alex von Schlippenbach & Paul Bley but this doesn’t sound like either of them, though the self-imposed limits on what the pianist’s doing make it really hard to discern what he/she “usually” sounds like.  Maybe Stefano Battaglia, whom Oxley did an album with I think; this sounds not too far from Battaglia’s Atem, which I’ve heard (it was one of my favourite discs of 2002, actually). – A little AMGing & I think I have a winner on this one: track 8 here.

Correct!  You got this one right off the bat.  Nicely done!

←

[John B]

2. This is one I just might know – Non Dimenticar from the album of the same name by Aldo Romano – Paolo Fresu, Furio di Castri and Franco D’Andrea (all from memory and I haven’t even got the album!). I do hope this is right because it’s the only one I can guess about.

Correct, this is Aldo Romano, but neither the song nor the album is Non Dimenticar.

←

[tooter]

2. This is one I just might know – Non Dimenticar from the album of the same name by Aldo Romano – Paolo Fresu, Furio di Castri and Franco D’Andrea (all from memory and I haven’t even got the album!). I do hope this is right because it’s the only one I can guess about.

Correct, this is Aldo Romano, but neither the song nor the album is Non Dimenticar.

←

←

Oh!

[tooter]

Now read previous comments. I wasn't first to guess Non Dimenticar but I am first with the personnel, if right! Don't knock the guessing, John - it's only one aspect of the BFT entertainment but I think it's an important one. Like/don't like (and shades in between), guesses, erudite comments - each to his own - anything goes.

←

tooter,

I didn't mean to give the impression that I wasn't interested in guesses. I just expect that there will be some people who won't have heard any of these before, and I don't want them to be discouraged from giving their thoughts, even if they aren't able to guess.

←

Yes, I see what you mean. Quite a number of times this has been mentioned, for the same reason mostly I guess. I am not discouraged by not knowing much though, if anything, so maybe that applies to others too. Just as well to mention it though.

Edited June 8, 2005 by tooter

[fent99]

Here's some thoughts so far...

1. Like this once it gets going. Its not a band I know and would be something I'd love to see live though not really something I'd come back to on disc a lot probably cause of the looseness. The snippets of a theme sound like I should know them but can't think from where (but they don't stick to it for long...)

Dave Holland Conference for the Birds (I always think that the original of this has such a killer bassline that I'm surprised its never been lifted for another purpose.) Some nice solos though I could live without the latin segue. I'd guess a european festival/workshop big band and a good one!

2. Nice trumpet and piano no idea on who they are.

3. No idea here who this is and it starts interestingly enough but ends up as a bit of a circular breathing exercise and then just ends...

4. Much more interesting and no shortage of musical ideas here. Afraid no idea of the musicians though.

5. Another loose largeish outfit and some nice soloing here but not much else

6. Middle eastern/balkans sounding (I'm guessing). Quite like the music rather than the singing and the fiddle (?) solo sounds terrific

7...

more later

[Jim R]

John, thanks for sending the disc, and so promptly. I appreciate that.

Unfortunately, my reaction to it is pretty much right in line with what Dan said. Track 2 was enjoyable, and there were a couple of other tracks that were at least marginally interesting/enjoyable for me (#'s 1 and 10, if I remember the numbers correctly), but none of the rest were really my thing. Going on at length in a negative fashion doesn't appeal to me, so I'll respectfully bow out here, and just continue to read others' responses.

Thanks again for the opportunity to join in.

[king ubu]

As usual, not a peek, just a sneek...

First off, again: John, what a splendid compilation! This must be the greatest BFT ever since... mine?

Seriously, I nailed a few more when giving the disc a close listen last night. Here's a transcription of my scribbles, word by word:

ATTENTION LURKERS: SPOILERS INCLUDED!

(sorry about that, I was simply too tired 3 a.m. last night to make sly allusions)

1. A very instabile start

Terrific cut! Trovesi's "Scarlattina", performed by the Instabile gang. Love them! Saw them live a couple of years ago and they put on a good show! (Trovesi was absent, though.)

That mix of renaissance music with improvised jazzz he did to great effect on his Enja disc "Midsummernight's Dream"... love it (here the renaissance thing shows mainly in that recurring piano interlude).

This is genuinely European stuff, and all the better so! (But then again, during the trumpet solo they throw in some cliché big band riffs...)

Who's the trumpet guy? Minafra? Then Schiaffini or Tramontana?

Great how some trad-jazz sneeks in behind the trombone(s)! (Is there a second soloist or not? Got to re-listen...)

Then on we go to Africa... after another nice piano interlude. Tell me one currently active big (or jazz) band that can do a Thomas Mapfumo tribute as good as these fellas can! (Not that they're doing that here, but still!) Cavallanti on tenor? Then Geremia on soprano? WHOAH! I love it when soprano, trumpet, trombone and flute exchange that silly little phrase, all on top of that groove... and in steps the piano, leading us back to the Mediterranean...

Btw: I don't ahve this cut, just a shorter version of the same tune on the Leo 2CD "Instabile Festival" release. Will have to get this disc! Is it the "Litania Sibilante" or that other disc on some small label which I still miss?

2. One of the Italian Miles epigones? Fresu? ... no, he'd have a fatter tone. Maybe not a European? The tune sounds deceptively familiar, but I don't know if I know it or not... nice, but nothing earth-shattering. Room to breathe, though, after the opener!

3. On we go with da shit! - I would have to be the first martyr of the "rat" would I not recognize this one, the opening tune of a perennial "rat" favourite. Hearing just this one cut does not at all do the man justice... maybe next time it's my turn to do a BFT I'll just juggle around the tunes from that release and put that out as my BFT, so everybody will *know*... and it would save me a lot of work, too.

Now s/he would be my hero (for an hour), who would - not knowing this release - find out to which tarot card this track belongs... I knowingly opt for the magician

4. WHOAH! Who is this?

After two listens I still am not sure... is this another European (thus prob. Italian or French) clarinetist? Is there any American capable of playing the clarinet like this? (Serious question! Byron ain't, that's for sure!)

Trovesi again? I have no clue, neither about the drummer... good one, for sure!

5. THis has a pseudo centraliurop vibe to it, similar to some of the Zorn/Tzadik stuff I've heard. Nice saxophone! Trumpet reminds me of those frail Clarence Shaw solos with Mingus in 1957... beautiful! The long second trumpet solo could come from Dave Douglas? Marimba is very nice! Also how they go in and out of that tango-like beat.

More from that first tenor, very nice! Then another tenor... might these be folks from the Kamikaze Ground Crew and/or Sex Mob circles? To throw in some names: Steven Bernstein, Briggan Krauss, Michael Blake, Peter Apfelbaum...? More of a helpless guess, but still...

6. ubu's third hit... una serenata con Lucilla this is, with that Trovesi guy positively i-d'd this time, then there's Matinier on accordion, Garcia-Fons doing that crazy fast and high stuff on his bass fiddle, and the leader of the gang some French chap, who can blow mean tuba, I tellya!

Fantastic CD! Most highly recommended! Another splendid example form the lively mediterranean music that is being played by Italian and French musicians. Pino Minafra, the founder of the Instabile crew (see #1) appears on this CD, as well.

7. Another WHOAH! coming out of ubu's grande sale gueule at the point where that sweet trumpet solo starts... another tune that sounds familiar, but this time I'm quite sure I have never heard it before - and I have no clue.

The tenor is a bit too much for my liking, but the trumpet is really good! THe ensemble, arrangement and groove all remind me slightly of some of the Libaration/Haden/Bley things, but when the bass steps out for the solo it's definitely clear this is not Haden... never would he play such stoopid stuff... William Parker (I go for him because I don't like his playing and I don't like this bassist's playing...). So this could be a William Parker recording, yes? Maybe the Tsahar guy going nuts during his opening solo?

8. More WHOAHs coming! Terrific, love how the solo builds! I know of a duo of Trovesi's with a French clarinet player who's name escapes me, but I'm not aware they did any recordings (haven't checked, though). But this one rather reminds me a bit of Louis Sclavis... though then again it's too soft for being him, no?

9. huh? ... pretty cool flute in there! No idea what this could be, but I like some music like this, now and then. I like that there's an acoustic bass - not seen that often in this kind of setting!

10. This is one of those old New Orleans staples... not Trovesi again?

Sort of my steady-guess... but yup, it is Trovesi - the cries around 2:10 give him away, also the line up fits with his octet. I have a couple of live recordings, but no official releases of this group, so I can't pin this down. Should be from one of his Enja releases, "Fugace" or "Dedalo" (simply: not the one of these two that features the WDR big band, but the other one...)

Also, this studio recorded track sounds quite a bit cleaner than the live dates I have... this is what puzzled me and misled me at first.

I love this way of playing in and with the tradition, of including it, yet not doing that in a "traditional" way.

11. What's this? Just a prepared piano? No, there, it becomes clear that a drummer or percussionist is playing, too. Is the piano prepared, or is the drummer doing all of these sounds? Or is there even a third musician in there?

This track has a very meditative vibe to it that I like a lot!

What is this? (to return to my original question...) Is there something else besides piano and percussion? Some kind of lute? An oud, a tamboura?

Like this one a lot, no matter what and who it is! Nice how some sort of groove is built up and then, after a fairly short time, being dropped again, and how it all sort of just phases out.

John: big thanks for and big to this disc! I immensely enjoyed it! And since I nailed a few more cuts than those I already mentioned in my previous email, I guess I can wait for the answers being revealed without having to be afraid of going nuts before!

[king ubu]

Alright, after your comments to Nate's guesses I'm glad it's not Ehrlich... also: have I come close (or hit the nail?) with my guess for #10?

[Clunky]

Terrific cut! Trovesi's "Scarlattina", performed by the Instabile gang. Love them! Saw them live a couple of years ago and they put on a good show! (Trovesi was absent, though.)

That mix of renaissance music with improvised jazzz he did to great effect on his Enja disc "Midsummernight's Dream"... love it (here the renaissance thing shows mainly in that recurring piano interlude).

This is genuinely European stuff, and all the better so!

←

Damn I should have signed up for this BFT disc as I'd surely have surely enjoyed it and nailed this one. IIO are great and Trovesi is a magician.

[king ubu]

Terrific cut! Trovesi's "Scarlattina", performed by the Instabile gang. Love them! Saw them live a couple of years ago and they put on a good show! (Trovesi was absent, though.)

That mix of renaissance music with improvised jazzz he did to great effect on his Enja disc "Midsummernight's Dream"... love it (here the renaissance thing shows mainly in that recurring piano interlude).

This is genuinely European stuff, and all the better so!

←

Damn I should have signed up for this BFT disc as I'd surely have surely enjoyed it and nailed this one. IIO are great and Trovesi is a magician.

←

I can send you a copy, but then stop reading here!

[John B]

Damn I should have signed up for this BFT disc as I'd surely have surely enjoyed it  and nailed this one. IIO are great and Trovesi is a magician.

←

Send me a PM and I'll see if one of the two people in the U.K. who already have a copy can send one to you. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[John B]

1. A very instabile start

Terrific cut! Trovesi's "Scarlattina", performed by the Instabile gang.  Is it the "Litania Sibilante"?  Correct!

3. On we go with da shit! - I would have to be the first martyr of the "rat" would I not recognize this one, the opening tune of a perennial "rat" favourite. Hearing just this one cut does not at all do the man justice... maybe next time it's my turn to do a BFT I'll just juggle around the tunes from that release and put that out as my BFT, so everybody will *know*... and it would save me a lot of work, too.

Now s/he would be my hero (for an hour), who would - not knowing this release - find out to which tarot card this track belongs... I knowingly opt for the magician

I would have been concerned if you hadn't gotten this one! 

5. THis has a pseudo centraliurop vibe to it, similar to some of the Zorn/Tzadik stuff I've heard. Nice saxophone! Trumpet reminds me of those frail Clarence Shaw solos with Mingus in 1957... beautiful! The long second trumpet solo could come from Dave Douglas? Marimba is very nice! Also how they go in and out of that tango-like beat.

More from that first tenor, very nice! Then another tenor... might these be folks from the Kamikaze Ground Crew and/or Sex Mob circles? To throw in some names: Steven Bernstein, Briggan Krauss, Michael Blake, Peter Apfelbaum...? More of a helpless guess, but still... No, none of them.

6. ubu's third hit... una serenata con Lucilla this is, with that Trovesi guy positively i-d'd this time, then there's Matinier on accordion, Garcia-Fons doing that crazy fast and high stuff on his bass fiddle, and the leader of the gang some French chap, who can blow mean tuba, I tellya!

Fantastic CD! Most highly recommended! Another splendid example form the lively mediterranean music that is being played by Italian and French musicians. Pino Minafra, the founder of the Instabile crew (see #1) appears on this CD, as well. Correct!

7. Another WHOAH! coming out of ubu's grande sale gueule at the point where that sweet trumpet solo starts... another tune that sounds familiar, but this time I'm quite sure I have never heard it before - and I have no clue.

The tenor is a bit too much for my liking, but the trumpet is really good! THe ensemble, arrangement and groove all remind me slightly of some of the Libaration/Haden/Bley things, but when the bass steps out for the solo it's definitely clear this is not Haden... never would he play such stoopid stuff... William Parker (I go for him because I don't like his playing and I don't like this bassist's playing...). So this could be a William Parker recording, yes? No... Maybe the Tsahar guy going nuts during his opening solo? No, again.

8. More WHOAHs coming! Terrific, love how the solo builds! I know of a duo of Trovesi's with a French clarinet player who's name escapes me, but I'm not aware they did any recordings (haven't checked, though). But this one rather reminds me a bit of Louis Sclavis... though then again it's too soft for being him, no? Not Sclavis, Trovesi does not appear on this recording either.

9. huh? ... pretty cool flute in there! No idea what this could be, but I like some music like this, now and then. I like that there's an acoustic bass - not seen that often in  this kind of setting!

10. This is one of those old New Orleans staples... not Trovesi again?

Sort of my steady-guess... but yup, it is Trovesi - the cries around 2:10 give him away, also the line up fits with his octet. I have a couple of live recordings, but no official releases of this group, so I can't pin this down. Should be from one of his Enja releases, "Fugace" or "Dedalo" (simply: not the one of these two that features the WDR big band, but the other one...) Correct!  This is Trovesi, from his album Fugace.

Also, this studio recorded track sounds quite a bit cleaner than the live dates I have... this is what puzzled me and misled me at first.

I love this way of playing in and with the tradition, of including it, yet not doing that in a "traditional" way.

11. What's this? Just a prepared piano? No, there, it becomes clear that a drummer or percussionist is playing, too. Is the piano prepared, or is the drummer doing all of these sounds? Or is there even a third musician in there?

This track has a very meditative vibe to it that I like a lot!

What is this? (to return to my original question...) Is there something else besides piano and percussion? Some kind of lute? An oud, a tamboura?

Like this one a lot, no matter what and who it is! Nice how some sort of groove is built up and then, after a fairly short time, being dropped again, and how it all sort of just phases out. The only instruments on this recording are piano and drums, although the piano has been "prepared."

John: big thanks for and big to this disc! I immensely enjoyed it! And since I nailed a few more cuts than those I already mentioned in my previous email, I guess I can wait for the answers being revealed without having to be afraid of going nuts before!

←

Edited June 9, 2005 by John B

[king ubu]

Thanks John! Glad I got the Instabile and Trovesi cuts right!

How about #2 - just to ask for sure: Fresu is not there, correct?

[John B]

Thanks John! Glad I got the Instabile and Trovesi cuts right!

How about #2 - just to ask for sure: Fresu is not there, correct?

←

Oops, I missed that one. Yes, that is Fresu. He is not the leader on the album, however.