BFT #28 - Disc Two: DISCUSSION

[MartyJazz]

Would love your input here also.

[Rosco]

Totally clueless on most of this disc, although I’m pretty certain on the tenor player on track 12. Not a high strike rate! Again, these notes are unedited thoughts off the top of the head, listening through first time. So, apologies for occasional gibberish.

1: Accordion. That should narrow it down. Tango rhythms. Now it’s big band jazz, cool transition. Nice trumpet. Good tenor, out of the modern New York style, sounds a little like the recently departed Mr. Stubblefield. I’m liking this; it has a different kind of flavour. Intrigued to find out.

2: Brawny free-bop piano trio. A couple of Herbie-isms from the pianist.

3: The tune is Trane’s ‘Like Sonny’. Two sax harmonies. Latin percussion. David Sanchez springs to mind.

4: T, as, tb, p, b, d. Kind of an updated Jazz Messengers sound. The alto sounds like Vincent Herring.

5: Marimba. Probably a vibist who doubles. And sings to himself. These guys are going for it.

6: Tenor, alto, b, d, guitar. No piano? Neo-bop. Alto player has an off-beat sound and phrasing. Sounds like a free guy reining it in a little. Tenor’s more conventional but some nice muscular lines, a little Lovano-ish. Guitar sounds like Mike Stern. Oh wait, now he sounds like Sco. No, Stern. Can’t decide, so it’s probably someone else altogether.

7: Piano trio. Nice, clear lines and voicings from the piano, very post Evans. The piano style seems very familiar, can’t quite place it.

8: Latin percussion, alto, horns. Quite smooth (not in the bad sense of the word). Hm, now it has an almost South African vibe going on. Tuneful alto. Muted trombone.

Just a thought at this point in the disc… is there a theme going on? Non-American jazz, or groups led by non-Americans? Probably way off on that.

9: Accordion again. With… violin? Yep. Now that line up should be obvious. You would think. No idea. Aw, wait. Damn my tin ears, that’s a harmonica, not an accordion. Toots? Too obvious perhaps. Would fit in with my non-American notion though. Which is probably totally wrong!

10: Huh. What’s the tune? (Repeat) Gah! I know that, what is it? Used to hearing it played more sedately. Is it a Jarrett tune? Tenor, b, d; Edgy, energetic playing all round.

11: Latin percussion again. Fat toned trumpet, could be a flugelhorn. Nice alto. Enigmatic tenor. The sounds of all these players seem familiar, but the brain ain’t working today. Gonna kick myself, I can tell.

12: Organ, tenor. Tenor sounds like David Murray straight off the bat. Calypsoish feel in there. Not heard Murray play stuff like this although I know he has done some things with organ in recent years. If it’s him. Oh yeah, it’s him, tipping his hat to Rollins. I know he has his naysayers, but he can be an exciting player.

13: Austere piano… gentle tenor theme. Interesting feel, calm on the surface but with a hint of something darker underneath. Not recognising the tenor.

Good disc, Marty. I think track for track I enjoyed this more than disc 1, and that was pretty damn good. Interested to find out identities for some of these pieces. Got a feeling I’m going to be hunting them down.

[Harold_Z]

Lot's more listening to do here too, but here's a couple of quick impresions.

Track Onc - This reminded me of Ted Nash's "La Espada De La Noche", although it's not from that album. It's that kind of Tango/ Jazz mix and I dig it. Don't know who this is though.

Track Three - "Like Sonny" -don't know who.

Track Six is HHTM changes.

Track nine - That sounds like a chromatic harmonica to me. The only person I know who has chops like that on that ax is Toots Thielman.

[MartyJazz]

Track Six is HHTM changes.

Love those changes. I've even made a CD-R of originals based on those changes.

[MartyJazz]

Just a thought at this point in the disc… is there a theme going on? Non-American jazz, or groups led by non-Americans? Probably way off on that.

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Let's just say there is one overriding factor separating Disc One from Disc Two, but that's not it. All in due time.

[tooter]

I have identified number 2 on this disc - probably others have too I guess. first track of this album.

I will try to post more later if I can think of anything but it's an uphill struggle.

[tooter]

I definitely do not know anything about the first item but I like the tango rhythm at beginning and end and some good soloing in between. Somehow I wish they had kept the tango feel all the way through.

[MartyJazz]

I have identified number 2 on this disc - probably others have too I guess. first track of this album.

I will try to post more later if I can think of anything but it's an uphill struggle.

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Well, if others have ID'd it, I've yet to hear from them. Good going. BTW, did you know it's based on the changes to "Days of Wine and Roses"??!!!!

[tooter]

I have identified number 2 on this disc - probably others have too I guess. first track of this album.

I will try to post more later if I can think of anything but it's an uphill struggle.

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Well, if others have ID'd it, I've yet to hear from them. Good going. BTW, did you know it's based on the changes to "Days of Wine and Roses"??!!!!

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No, didn't know that and would never have guessed. I must listen again to see if I can hear it. I'm trying to remember what the tune is of 3, and that's not the only one. Sometimes the more one tries, the more the answers seem to recede.

[Rosco]

I'm listening again to track 3 (Like Sonny) and the tenor player is definately this gentleman. Don't know how I missed his tone first time.

Which leads me to believe it's from this album

[Rosco]

Track 10

Man, this is driving me nuts!

I know this tune and can I get it? I keep slowing it down in my head and hearing Jarrett. Probably with Garbarek. Pulled some Jarrett albums off the shelf and haven't located it yet! Grrrrr....

Not that that helps identifying the player here, of course, although if I could just get the title of the tune, I'd feel better.

Nobody told me these BFT's are soooo frustrating!

[MartyJazz]

I'm listening again to track 3 (Like Sonny) and the tenor player is definately this gentleman. Don't know how I missed his tone first time.

Which leads me to believe it's from this album

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Bingo, but as you probably realize there are two tenor players on the cut and the other one acquits himself rather well, I think. Anyway, good job.

[MartyJazz]

Track 10

Man, this is driving me nuts!

I know this tune and can I get it? I keep slowing it down in my head and hearing Jarrett. Probably with Garbarek. Pulled some Jarrett albums off the shelf and haven't located it yet! Grrrrr....     

Not that that helps identifying the player here, of course, although if I could just get the title of the tune, I'd feel better.

Nobody told me these BFT's are soooo frustrating! 

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Well, if these two are your first ones, you're doing OK. Appreciate all you got to say.

How about some others?!!!!

[Guest]

now this disc has some flavor to it. Track 1 with the accordion was pretty cool. Track 4 has to be my favorite so far. I fell asleep listening to it sometime last night, so i'll get back to you with the rest

Edited August 7, 2005 by Claude Bartee

[Dan Gould]

Again, and unfortunately, not a lot of guesses forthcoming. Actually, this disc was less appealing overall to me than #1. Leave it to Marty to find an organ tune with a tenor that squeels it up and pretty much blows the track for me.

Thanks for the tunes, Marty, I'm looking forward to the answers.

[MartyJazz]

Again, and unfortunately, not a lot of guesses forthcoming.  Actually, this disc was less appealing overall to me than #1.  Leave it to Marty to find an organ tune with a tenor that squeels it up and pretty much blows the track for me. 

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No grease to take care of the squeals, what is one to do? To each his own.

Edited August 7, 2005 by MartyJazz

[Noj]

Disc Two

1. I picture a Colombo episode to this odd accordion feature. Oh, I guess the accordion was just an intro. Kind of cool, but not among my favorites on this BFT.

2. Andrew Hill-like or Monkish. No, I'm lost, the piano player seems to simplify his playing as the song progresses. The drummer is unique and powerful, but I can't associate a name. I like this.

3. Um...Sonny Rollins?

4. Man, this is nice. The Jazz Crusaders get this sort of feeling at times, is this one of their early songs? I REALLY like this one. I'd associate Bobby Timmons and Blue Mitchell with this funky feel. Must buy.

5. Johnny Lytle? Pretty sure I've heard this melody before. Intense, serious soloing here despite the vibes sound I'd associate with loungey, lava-lampin', shag rug type stuff. Cool! No clue who.

6. Weather Report? My least favorite track so far.

7. No guess, I'm looking forward to reading more about this. I really like this composition and melody, though it is difficult for me to describe. The piano never loses my interest. There seems to be three parts to me. The first and last are similar bookends, with an elaborate solo in between. I like the way the parts go together, and how the song resolves itself.

8. This is a little cheesey to me. Gato Barbieri?

9. Whoa, violin and harmonica feature. Stuff Smith? The rhythm section and piano are top notch. Awesome!

10. Sonny Rollins? ( it's my default answer for, "the heck if I know") Not terribly fond of this one. It ain't bad.

11. The bass line reminds me of Pharoah Sanders' The Creator Has A Master Plan." Donald Byrd and Eddie Henderson come to mind, but this sounds more like Freddie Hubbard to me. Funky!

12. Shirley and Stanley?

13. Something sad in this one, and slightly foreboding. A fine choice to close the disc, a different mood from anything which preceded it. Mingus?

Thanks again Marty! Tons of tunes I'd like to own. Now, on to read the responses!

[Stereojack]

1. Hearing the bandoneon in the ensemble, I first thought of Astor Piazzolla, but I don’t know if Astor ever recorded in such an overtly jazz setting. Perhaps it’s another bandoneon player, maybe Dino Saluzzi? Don’t understand why they kick into a Jazz Messengers groove for the trumpet solo – I’d have enjoyed it more if they’d maintained the South American groove throughout. Trumpet is reminiscent of Freddie Hubbard. Tenor starts out nice, but eventually crosses into that overly aggressive bag that leaves me cold. This track tries too hard to be too many things for my tastes.

2. Piano trio – I thought of early Chick Corea, but really have no idea. I like the sound of the piano – at one point the pianist hits a couple of high notes and they really ring!

3. “Like Sonny”, John Coltrane’s tune, done in a Latin groove. Neither of the tenors lights my fire.

4. Cedar Walton? I like this. Nice writing for the ensemble. The alto sounds like James Spaulding, can’t pick out the trumpet or bone.

5. Randy Weston’s “Little Niles”, done in a fast 4/4. The lead instrument sounds like a marimba. I like the mellow woody sound of the marimba, and am wracking my brain trying to remember who plays marimba besides Bobby Hutcherson? An interesting idea, but this tune plays so beautifully as a waltz, why fuck with the formula?

6. A variant on “How High the Moon” – two tenors a la Warne Marsh, but neither one of these is Warne. I’m on the fence with the first tenor, might it be Lew Tabackin? Second tenor rings no bells, hate that guitar sound.

7. Piano trio – pleasant enough, nice interplay. Don’t recognize anybody.

8. Damn! This sounds familiar, but maybe because I’m hearing this for the third time. Kind of a happy tune.

9. When one hears jazz harmonica, Toots Thielemans comes to mind. The only other guy I know who can play this much harmonica is in Boston – Mike Turk. Assuming this is Toots, who can that violinist be?

10. Another blustery tenor – Joe Lovano?

11. I think the first soloist is playing flugelhorn, can’t identify him without a fair amount of guesswork. Alto ain’t doing much for me, possibly Bobby Watson? Here’s another record where I’d like to have heard the soloists stretch out a bit more.

12. This is a puzzler. It all starts out in a pretty conventional groove, until near the end where the tenor figures the only way to rise above the mundane is to make a racket. Lame.

13. This has a nice haunting quality to it, and they maintain it through to the end. A nice way to end the set.

Some nice choices, and a few that left me cold.

Edited August 9, 2005 by Stereojack

[MartyJazz]

Hey Jack:

Great input as usual. I'm practically starving here.

Yeah everyone, it's a bandoneon on track 1, not an accordion - not that I can tell the difference. Context however is everything. Share your antipathy somewhat re the "jazz messengers" approach of the trumpet, but do like the tenor, "aggressiveness" and all.

You are first to ID track 5 tune! First heard it by of all players, the ancient George Shearing back on an old Capitol LP in front of a live audience. Have loved it since.

I will grant since you're not the first to surmise it, that yes that's the Toots harmonica on track 9. I don't know anyone else who could cook like that on that instrument but I'd love to hear Mike Turk sometime.

Track 13 is indeed "haunting" and it's always captivated me whenever I've put it on. Poignant story surrounding this track.

Thanks again, Jack. Kind of glad that you didn't "ace" this one like Disc One.

[tooter]

hate that guitar sound.

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Oh, yes! Me too.

[tooter]

Completely missed the tune on 5, but knowing now it's "Little Niles, album has to bethis one.

[MartyJazz]

Completely missed the tune on 5, but knowing now it's "Little Niles, album has to bethis one.

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Except for #3 and #5 on this disc, I completely avoided all pop and jazz standards on both discs for exactly this reason. I'm convinced that familiarity with a tune is a great help in ID'g any particular track. Anyway, you're on the money again, tooter.

[Stereojack]

Except for #3 and #5 on this disc, I completely avoided all pop and jazz standards on both discs for exactly this reason.  I'm convinced that familiarity with a tune is a great help in ID'g any particular track.  Anyway, you're on the money again, tooter.

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By the same token, an occasional familiar tune can make a program flow a little better. At least that's the credo I've always lived by as a jazz radio host.

I thought you said that your goal wasn't to stump us, but to provide good listening.

[MartyJazz]

Except for #3 and #5 on this disc, I completely avoided all pop and jazz standards on both discs for exactly this reason.  I'm convinced that familiarity with a tune is a great help in ID'g any particular track.  Anyway, you're on the money again, tooter.

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By the same token, an occasional familiar tune can make a program flow a little better. At least that's the credo I've always lived by as a jazz radio host.

I thought you said that your goal wasn't to stump us, but to provide good listening.

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I trust you're not saying that in order to provide good listening, familiar tunes necessarily have to be programmed, because I certainly don't believe that. I was also very much aware that since a BFT takes up the better part of a month, there has to be some "confounding" otherwise the responses will dry up pretty quick once all the tracks are ID'd. However, "confounding" in my mind is less associated with choice of tunes and more associated with programming esoteric, little known artists, something which I definitely succeeded in not doing on Disc One and more or less tried not to do on this disc. So, to all those who have yet to respond, you can all take that as somewhat of a hint I guess, albeit not much help.

Edited August 10, 2005 by MartyJazz

[Big Al]

Well, disc one was so much fun, I couldn’t wait to start disc two!

Track 1: An accordion orchestra? Lawrence Welk on LSD? This is VERY different! Trumpet player sounds average, no clue as to who it is. Recording sounds like it was made yesterday, or at least in the last 5-10 years or so. A few trumpet flutters sound like recent Freddie Hubbard. Gotta admit this isn’t really holding my interest.

Track 2: Sounds like recent Herbie Hancock, or someone who wants to be Herbie. The drummer sounds like one of those busy-types who tries to sound like Blakey, Elvin, and Philly Joe all at one time, without ever really finding their own identity.

Track 3: EWWW!!! I hate electric-fretless-bass playing like this! Sounds like a Jaco wanna-be, fercryinoutloud! The conga is a nice touch, though. I dunno: this sounds like the kind of record Sting wanted to make back in the 80’s. Too sterile for me.

Track 4: Ahhhh, now THIS is nice! These players sound familiar, but no one is immediately jumping to mind. Let’s see if I can figure anyone out over the course of this lovely tune! Well, that sounds like Shorter on tenor, maybe Fuller on trombone; Mogie on trumpet? Naw, can’t be; sounds too recent. Maybe that tenor is actually Brecker.

Track 5: Not being a particular fan of the marimba, I have no clue what this is. Couldn’t even begin to venture a guess. Sounds recent, though.

(At this point, I’m gonna venture a guess that the theme of disc one is “something old,” and the theme of disc two is “something new.” Recording qualities of both discs led me to this conclusion. We now return to the ongoing cluelessness.)

Track 6: No clue, and not much more interest, I’m sorry to say.

Track 7: Nice simple piano trio. Again, no clue as to who it is, but this recent, I’ll guess Brad Mehldau. Yeah, the more I listen to this and those nice ringing tones, the more I think it is Mehldau. Somebody call a doctor for this kid: his fingers sound like they’re in a knot here!

I’m sorry to report that none of the rest of the tracks really did anything for me. I didn’t know any of them, and I know next to nothing about recent jazz to be able to fathom a guess, anyways. I’ll admit right now that I am biased towards jazz from the 50’s and 60’s, and while that’s no excuse for not knowing or keeping up with the times, it does leave little time to listen to much anything else.

It’ll be interesting to check out others’ comments on this disc. Maybe I an glean something from their comments to make me wanna investigate some of these tracks further.

But for now, I’m swingin’ back to disc one. That disc ROCKED!!!